Frequency and Severity of Moral Distress in Nephrology Fellows: A National Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Moral distress is a negative affective response to a situation in which one is compelled to act in a way that conflicts with one's values. Little is known about the workplace scenarios that elicit moral distress in nephrology fellows. METHODS: We sent a moral distress survey to 148 nephrology fellowship directors with a request to forward it to their fellows. Using a 5-point (0-4) scale, fellows rated both the frequency (never to very frequently) and severity (not at all disturbing to very disturbing) of commonly encountered workplace scenarios. Ratings of ≥3 were used to define "frequent" and "moderate-to-severe" moral distress. RESULTS: The survey was forwarded by 64 fellowship directors to 386 fellows, 142 of whom (37%) responded. Their mean age was 33 ± 3.6 years and 43% were female. The scenarios that most commonly elicited moderate to severe moral distress were initiating dialysis in situations that the fellow considered futile (77%), continuing dialysis in a hopelessly ill patient (81%) and carrying a high patient census (75%), and observing other providers giving overly optimistic descriptions of the benefits of dialysis (64%). Approximately 27% had considered quitting fellowship during training, including 9% at the time of survey completion. CONCLUSION: A substantial majority of nephrology trainees experienced moral distress of moderate to severe intensity, mainly related to the futile treatment of hopelessly ill patients. Efforts to reduce moral distress in trainees are required.

Managing protein-energy wasting in hemodialysis patients: A comparison of animal- and plant-based protein foods.

Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is a major diet-related complication in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Nutrient-based dietary guidelines emphasize animal-based protein foods for preventing and managing PEW in HD patients. Although dietary protein intake is important for protein anabolism, other dietary factors contribute to PEW. In this article, we examine the diet-related etiologies of PEW in HD patients, and discuss how they may be affected differently by animal- and plant-based protein foods. In general, animal foods are superior sources of protein, but may contribute more to metabolic derangements that cause PEW. Given the potential mixed effects of animal-based protein foods on PEW, human research studies are needed to determine the impact of liberalizing the diet to allow plant-based protein foods on protein status.

An analysis of central venous catheter-based hemodialysis starts
.

Most patients in the United States initiate hemodialysis (HD) with a central venous catheter (CVC) despite a significantly increased morbidity and mortality associated with their use. Reasons for CVC-based starts have been identified, but the relative frequency of each is less clear. The aim of this retrospective chart review was to determine the most proximate cause for CVC-based HD initiations, and to determine the relative frequency of each cause. Out of 136 consecutive patients who started HD with a CVC, the most common reason was an urgent need for dialysis in a patient previously unknown to nephrology presenting acutely with end-stage renal disease (31%). Among patients known to nephrology, the most common reasons for a CVC-based start were a more rapid than expected kidney disease progression and/or acute on chronic kidney disease (CKD) (26.4%), a non-working (18.7%) or immature (11%) arteriovenous (AV) access at the time of dialysis initiation, and lack of AV access either due to patient refusal (16.5%) or failure to follow-up with fistula planning appointments (9.9%). Strategies addressing these factors are needed to ensure more patients start dialysis with a permanent access in place.

Assessment and misassessment of potassium, phosphorus, and protein in the hemodialysis diet.

Diet is a key determinant of several common and serious disease complications in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The recommended balance and variety of foods in the HD diet is designed to limit high potassium and phosphorus foods while maintaining protein adequacy. In this report, we examine the potassium, phosphorus, and protein content of foods, and identify critical challenges, and potential pitfalls when translating nutrient prescriptions into dietary guidelines. Our findings highlight the importance of individualized counseling based on a comprehensive dietary assessment by trained diet professionals, namely renal dietitians, for managing diet-related complications in HD patients.

Self-Reported Employment Status and Social Participation After Successful Kidney Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Kidney transplantation (KTX) is considered the treatment of choice for most individuals with end-stage kidney disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the employment status and social participation after successful KTX. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Eligible participants were patients who received a transplant ≥1 year ago and who were previously on hemodialysis (HD) for ≥1 year. Two hundred individuals participated in this study. RESULTS: A significant number (93.5%) of patients reported they were working prior to HD versus 35% while on HD. Only 14% reported receiving disability benefits prior to HD versus 75% receiving disability while on HD. Comparing transplant recipients with pre-HD patients, 35.5% versus 93.5% reported working, and 74.5% versus 14% reported receiving disability benefits, respectively. After transplant, patients were more likely to join recreational clubs, travel frequently, and participate in recreational/religious activities and social events than when they were on HD. CONCLUSION: Posttransplant, these individuals are more likely to participate in social and leisure activities, but the majority did not resume employment and continued to receive disability payments. Future studies could explore barriers to employment in patients who underwent successful transplantation and the causes and factors as to why these individuals continue to receive disability benefits.

Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis: a chance for a new beginning.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains greatly underutilized in the United States despite the widespread preference of home modalities among nephrologists and patients. A hemodialysis-centric model of end-stage renal disease care has perpetuated for decades due to a complex set of factors, including late end-stage renal disease referrals and patients who present to the hospital requiring urgent renal replacement therapy. In such situations, PD rarely is a consideration and patients are dialyzed through a central venous catheter, a practice associated with high infection and mortality rates. Recently, the term urgent-start PD has gained momentum across the nephrology community and has begun to change this status quo. It allows for expedited placement of a PD catheter and initiation of PD therapy within days. Several published case reports, abstracts, and poster presentations at national meetings have documented the initial success of urgent-start PD programs. From a wide experiential base, we discuss the multifaceted issues related to urgent-start PD implementation, methods to overcome barriers to therapy, and the potential impact of this technique to change the existing dialysis paradigm.

Differences between dialysis modality selection and initiation.

BACKGROUND: Although dialysis modality education is associated with higher rates of peritoneal dialysis (PD) use, some patients start hemodialysis (HD) therapy despite initially selecting PD as their modality of choice. This study seeks to identify predictors of this discrepancy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 217 patients who received dialysis modality education at the University of Rochester between January 2004 and September 2009 and subsequently started dialysis therapy. PREDICTORS: Demographic (age, race, sex, and timing of education), social (education, income, insurance, marital, employment, and smoking status), and clinical data (estimated glomerular filtration rate, cause of end-stage renal disease [ESRD], number of comorbid conditions, and number of nephrology visits). OUTCOME: HD use at initiation and day 91 of dialysis therapy in patients initially selecting PD. RESULTS: Of 217 patients receiving education and starting dialysis therapy, at the time of education, 124 chose PD, 52 were undecided, and 41 chose HD. Modality distribution at the time of dialysis therapy initiation was 150 with HD and 67 with PD. Of 124 patients who chose PD at the time of education, 59 started dialysis therapy with PD and 65 started with HD. On day 91, a total of 60 patients were on PD therapy and 55 were on HD therapy. Nine patients had either died, undergone transplant, or not yet reached 91 days of dialysis therapy. On multivariable analysis, nonglomerular cause of ESRD, age older than 75 years, and not being employed predicted starting with HD therapy, whereas age older than 75 years, nonwhite race, and nonglomerular cause of ESRD predicted HD use at day 91. LIMITATIONS: Single-center observational study. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that patients choosing PD after dialysis education may not start with this modality and identifies several predictors of this mismatch. Further investigation into predictors of this discrepancy and strategies promoting a PD start in patients selecting this modality are warranted.

Plant-Based Diets and Peritoneal Dialysis: A Review.

Whole food plant-based diets are gaining popularity as a preventative and therapeutic modality for numerous chronic health conditions, including chronic kidney disease, but their role and safety in end-stage kidney disease patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) is unclear. Given the general public's increased interest in this dietary pattern, it is likely that clinicians will encounter individuals on PD who are either consuming, considering, or interested in learning more about a diet with more plants. This review explores how increasing plant consumption might affect those on PD, encompassing potential benefits, including some specific to the PD population, and potential concerns.

Smoking in dialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population, but the effect of smoking on these outcomes in the dialysis population is less well studied. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. SETTING & POPULATION: Adults treated with long-term hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR INCLUDED STUDIES: Cohort studies of unselected dialysis patients reporting the association between smoking status and cardiovascular morbidity and/or mortality. PREDICTOR: Smoking status (determined using patient report). OUTCOMES: (1) All-cause or cardiovascular mortality; (2) incident cardiovascular events. RESULTS: We identified 34 studies that fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Of these, 26 studies provided data for smoking and mortality and 10 (n = 6,538) were included in a meta-analysis. The pooled HR for all-cause mortality in smokers compared with nonsmokers was 1.65 (95% CI, 1.26-2.14; P < 0.001). 11 studies provided data for smoking and incident cardiovascular events; 5 (pooled n = 845) were included in a meta-analysis. The pooled HR for composite cardiovascular events in smokers compared with nonsmokers was 1.01 (95% CI, 0.98-1.05; P = 0.4). LIMITATIONS: Data for these meta-analyses were heterogeneous. Few individual studies assessed smoking as the primary variable of interest. CONCLUSIONS: Active smoking is associated with a significant increase in all-cause mortality in dialysis patients, although there was no corresponding increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Eat Your Broccoli: Oxidative Stress, NRF2, and Sulforaphane in Chronic Kidney Disease.

The mainstay of therapy for chronic kidney disease is control of blood pressure and proteinuria through the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) that were introduced more than 20 years ago. Yet, many chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients still progress to end-stage kidney disease-the ultimate in failed prevention. While increased oxidative stress is a major molecular underpinning of CKD progression, no treatment modality specifically targeting oxidative stress has been established clinically. Here, we review the influence of oxidative stress in CKD, and discuss regarding the role of the Nrf2 pathway in kidney disease from studies using genetic and pharmacologic approaches in animal models and clinical trials. We will then focus on the promising therapeutic potential of sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables that has garnered significant attention over the past decade for its potent Nrf2-activating effect, and implications for precision medicine.

Plant-Based Diets and Hypertension.

Hypertension is a global epidemic and a risk factor for many adverse outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and death. Lifestyle plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of hypertension, and guidelines from several organizations recommend lifestyle modifications as first-line intervention for hypertensive patients. Data supporting the use of plant-based diets in the treatment of hypertension goes back almost a century. More recently, clinical trial data, including randomized controlled trials, have established plant-based diets as an effective lifestyle intervention for high blood pressure (BP). Plant-based diets differ from the standard American diet in a myriad of ways, with some substances being present in either substantially higher or lower amounts. Although the precise mechanism of a plant-based diet's beneficial effects on BP is unknown, many of these differences may be responsible. Attributes of a plant-based diet that may lower BP include a lower energy content leading to weight loss, a lower sodium content, an increased potassium content, reduced oxidative stress, higher bioavailability of the vasodilator nitric oxide, and beneficial effects on the microbiome. The evidenced-based benefits of plant-based diets in treating hypertension should lead providers to advocate for this dietary pattern for their patients.

Quantifying the risk of insertion-related peritoneal dialysis catheter complications following laparoscopic placement: Results from the North American PD Catheter Registry.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a more cost-effective therapy to treat kidney failure than in-center hemodialysis, but successful therapy requires a functioning PD catheter that causes minimal complications. In 2015, the North American Chapter of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis established the North American PD Catheter Registry to improve practices and patient outcomes following PD catheter insertion. AIMS: The objective of this study is to propose a methodology for defining insertion-related complications that lead to significant adverse events and report the risk of these complications among patients undergoing laparoscopic PD catheter insertion. METHODS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic PD catheter insertion were enrolled at 14 participating centers in Canada and the United States and followed using a Web-based registry. Insertion-related complications were defined as flow restriction, exit-site leak, or abdominal pain at any point during follow-up. We also included infections or bleeding within 30 days of insertion, and any immediate postoperative complications. Adverse events were categorized as PD never starting or termination of PD therapy, delay in the start of PD therapy or interruption of PD therapy, an emergency department visit or hospitalization, or need for invasive procedures. Cause-specific cumulative incidence functions were used to estimate risk. RESULTS: Five hundred patients underwent laparoscopic PD catheter insertion between 10 November 2015 and 24 July 2018. The cumulative risk of insertion-related complications 6 months from the date of insertion that led to an adverse event was 24%. The risk of flow restriction, exit-site leak, and pain at 6 months was 10.2%, 5.7%, and 5.3%, respectively. PD was never started or terminated in 6.4% of patients due to an insertion-related complication. Leaks and flow restrictions were most likely to delay or interrupt PD therapy. Flow restrictions were the primary cause of invasive procedures. Fifty percent of the complications occurred before the start of PD therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion-related complications leading to significant adverse events following laparoscopic placement of PD catheters are common. Many complications occur before the start of PD. Insertion-related complications are an important area of focus for future research and quality improvement efforts.

Plant-based dietary approach to stage 3 chronic kidney disease with hyperphosphataemia.

A 69-year-old man with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD), hyperphosphataemia and borderline hyperkalaemia presented to an office visit interested in changing his diet to improve his medical conditions. He adopted a strict whole-foods, plant-based diet, without calorie or portion restriction or mandated exercise, and rapidly reduced his insulin requirements by >50%, and subsequently saw improvements in weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. His estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) increased from 45 to 74 mL/min after 4.5 months on the diet and his microalbumin/creatinine ratio decreased from 414.3 to 26.8 mg/g. His phosphorus level returned to the normal range. For individuals with CKD, especially those with obesity, hypertension, or diabetes, a strict, ad libitum whole-food, plant-based diet may confer significant benefit, although one must consider potential limitations of a creatinine-based GFR equation in the face of significant weight loss.

What Are We Doing? A Survey of United States Nephrology Fellowship Program Directors.

Interest in nephrology has been declining in recent years. Long work hours and a poor work/life balance may be partially responsible, and may also affect a fellowship's educational mission. We surveyed nephrology program directors using a web-based survey in order to define current clinical and educational practice patterns and identify areas for improvement. Our survey explored fellowship program demographics, fellows' workload, call structure, and education. Program directors were asked to estimate the average and maximum number of patients on each of their inpatient services, the number of patients seen by fellows in clinic, and to provide details regarding their overnight and weekend call. In addition, we asked about number of and composition of didactic conferences. Sixty-eight out of 148 program directors responded to the survey (46%). The average number of fellows per program was approximately seven. The busiest inpatient services had a mean of 21.5±5.9 patients on average and 33.8±10.7 at their maximum. The second busiest services had an average and maximum of 15.6±6.0 and 24.5±10.8 patients, respectively. Transplant-only services had fewer patients than other service compositions. A minority of services (14.5%) employed physician extenders. Fellows most commonly see patients during a single weekly continuity clinic, with a typical fellow-to-faculty ratio of 2:1. The majority of programs do not alter outpatient responsibilities during inpatient service time. Most programs (approximately 75%) divided overnight and weekend call responsibilities equally between first year and more senior fellows. Educational practices varied widely between programs. Our survey underscores the large variety in workload, practice patterns, and didactics at different institutions and provides a framework to help improve the service/education balance in nephrology fellowships.

Training of surgeons in peritoneal dialysis catheter placement in the United States: a national survey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) depends on timely and skilled placement of a PD catheter (PDC). Most PDCs are placed surgically, but little is known about the residency training of surgeons in this procedure. Inadequate residency training could limit surgical expertise in PDCs, resulting in high complication rates that discourage PD use. This study assessed surgical PDC training in the United States to explore this issue. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: A survey was sent to program directors of 248 U.S. surgery residency programs regarding the amount of PDC training, attitudes toward PDCs, and barriers to PDC training. Results were compared between academic and private centers. RESULTS: Ninety-three surgery programs (38%) responded: 82% provided training in PDC and 69% were academic centers. Most surgeons placed 2 to

Uric acid nephrolithiasis.

Uric acid nephrolithiasis is typically found in individuals with a low urine pH and a normal concentration of urinary uric acid. Patients with a history of gout are at greater risk of forming uric acid stones, as are patients with obesity, diabetes, or the complete metabolic syndrome. The unifying renal tubular abnormality of these disorders appears to be the excretion of abnormally acidic urine. This article focuses on the relationship of these disorders to the development of uric acid stones. The diagnosis of uric acid stones can be elusive, because pure uric acid stones are radiolucent on plain radiographs. Ultrasound, or preferably noncontrast helical CT scanning, is required for their detection. The treatment of uric acid stones should focus on alkalinization of the urine with citrate or bicarbonate salts. Additional interventions such as increase in fluid intake and decrease in animal protein ingestion are often beneficial. Patients with documented hyperuricemia often require specific therapy to lower serum uric acid concentration and subsequent excretion.