Effects of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor on residual renal function in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. A randomized, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Residual renal function is an important determinant of mortality and morbidity in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. However, few studies have evaluated therapeutic approaches for preserving residual renal function after the initiation of dialysis. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor ramipril slows the decline in residual renal function in patients with end-stage renal failure treated with peritoneal dialysis. DESIGN: Randomized, open-label, controlled trial. SETTING: Single-center study in the dialysis unit of a university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 60 patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were randomly assigned to ramipril (5 mg daily) or no treatment. The target blood pressure was 135/85 mm Hg or less. Rate of decline in residual glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and development of complete anuria were compared among groups. RESULTS: Over 12 months, average residual GFR declined by 2.07 mL/min per 1.73 m2 in the ramipril group versus 3.00 mL/min per 1.73 m2 in the control group (P = 0.03). The difference between the average changes in residual GFR in the ramipril and control groups from baseline to 12 months was 0.93 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (95% CI, 0.09 to 1.78 mL/min per 1.73 m2). At 12 months, 14 patients in the ramipril group and 22 in the control group developed anuria. With intention-to-treat multivariable analysis using the Cox model, it was estimated that at 3, 6, and 9 months, patients assigned to ramipril had a higher adjusted hazard of complete anuria than did patients assigned to no treatment. Of the 25 patients who still did not have complete anuria at 12 months, those assigned to ramipril had a better prognosis than did those assigned to no treatment (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.58 [CI, 0.36 to 0.94]). The rates of death from any cause, duration of hospitalization, and cardiovascular events did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although the trial was small and had a limited ability to exclude effects of potential confounding factors, the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril may reduce the rate of decline of residual renal function in patients with end-stage renal failure treated with peritoneal dialysis.

Early anuria prevention in human kidney transplantation. Advantage of fluid load under pulmonary arterial pressure monitoring during surgical period.

In human kidney transplantation, a high blood flow established through the graft immediately upon clamp release is usually associated with immediate satisfactory renal function. One hundred consecutive kidney transplant patients were thus provided with a large volume of fluid during surgery. To avoid pulmonary edema, fluid load was given under mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) monitoring, and controlled ventilation was maintained during the early postoperative period. Whether initial PAP value was within normal range or elevated, all patients required an equivalent fluid load to reach the best hemodynamic condition upon clamp removal. The mean intraoperative fluid load consisted of 2406 +/- 968 ml of water with 22.8 +/- 9.4 g of sodium chloride, 5.9 +/- 1.8 units of albumin, and 2.6 +/- 1.8 units of packed red blood cells. Immediately before clamp release patients were given furosemide and mannitol. During the postoperative period, i.v. infusions consisted of water and sodium chloride (6 g/liter) to match urine output, provided that diuresis was equal to or above 400 ml/hr. If diuresis remained or decreased below this level, diuresis replacement was associated with PAP-controlled infusion of saline, albumin, and red blood cells if needed. Furosemide was eventually given if diuresis did not increase above 400 ml/hr with fluid loading. With this protocol a good early diuresis was established in 95% of the cases. Ten patients required dialysis before the 5th postoperative day, one of them because of fluid overload and anuria. Concurrently, a decreased mortality rate and an increased graft survival rate were observed.

Verapamil prevents post-transplant oliguric renal failure.

Verapamil has proven effective in preventing acute renal failure in animal models if given prior to the insult and hence possibly has a role in the preservation of cadaveric renal tissue for transplantation. Twenty renal donors were randomly assigned to treatment (receiving verapamil 20 mg intravenously) and control groups. Recipients were monitored for renal failure by urine output and serum creatinines on days 1 and 7 and dialysis requirement to one week. Early urine outputs and serum creatinines (day 1) were significantly better in the treated than control group (p greater than 0.01, 0.05 respectively). We conclude therefore that verapamil may prevent post-transplant acute renal failure, but its optimal dosage and route of administration remain to be determined.

[Disseminated intravascular coagulation. II. Therapeutic problems]. / La coagulazione intravascolare disseminata II. - problemi terapeutici.

The treatment of DIC often presents problems that are not easily solved given the difficulty of interpreting symptoms and haematological findings, the seriousness of the clinical situation and the rapid development of disease phenomena. Diagnostic questions must be answered before physiopathologically rational therapy can be applied. The identification and cure of the condition which triggers coagulation are also of primary importance in selecting a therapeutic response. Apart from specific treatment of the causal disease, the treatment of DIC is based on the one hand on the use of anticoagulants (heparin) to halt intravascular coagulation and transfusional integration with haemoderivatives and platelet concentrates to correct the haemostasis deficiency secondary to such massive consumption. On the other, direct methods are needed to control the state of shock, cardiorespiratory compromise and acute renal insufficiency which often complicate the course of the defibrination syndrome. Therapeutic success depends on timely intervention allied to the employment of adequate measures for each individual case.

[Prevention of anuria in uretero-sigmoidostomy without catheter]. / Prévention des anuries dans les urétérosigmoïdostomies sans sonde.

The development of anuria following catheter-less uretero-sigmoidostomy performed between 1977 and 1982 has led to a modification of the intra-operative and post-operative intensive care. During the period 1983 to 1985, the systematic intra-operative administration of furosemide immediately after performing the uretero-colonic anastomosis, the use of intra- and post-operative filling with control of filling pressures by a pulmonary arterial catheter, resulting in considerable diuresis, have been able to prevent anuria following this type of surgery.

[Obstructive anuria in patients with tumors of the pelvic organs]. / Obstruktivnaia anuriia u bol'nykh s opukholiami tazovykh organov.

The paper discusses the data on 57 cases of pelvic tumor--induced obstructive anuria. As a rule, obstructive anuria is easy to diagnose ultrasonography being most instrumental. Duration of anuria was found to be the main factor determining outcome in the early postoperative period. Early detection of ureteral obstruction and timely treatment prevented excretory anuria in some cases.

The transurethral resection syndrome.

The transurethral resection syndrome ("TUR syndrome") is caused by absorption of electrolyte-free irrigating fluid, and consists of symptoms from the circulatory and nervous systems. The clinical picture is inconsistent and the syndrome is easily confused with other acute disorders. Mild forms are common and often go undiagnosed, while severe forms of the TUR syndrome are rare and potentially life-threatening. The pathophysiology is complex but includes four mechanisms: circulatory distress from the rapid absorption of electrolyte-free irrigating fluid, adverse effects of glycine, dilution of the protein and electrolyte concentrations of the body fluids, and disturbance of renal function. The treatment of the TUR syndrome consists of general life support and in specific treatment directed towards hypotension, hyponatraemia and anuria. Methods to lower the uptake of irrigating fluid are widely used and probably reduce the incidence of the TUR syndrome. However, patient safety can be guaranteed only if the absorption is monitored. An irrigating fluid containing tracer amounts of ethanol can be used for this purpose. This permits the uptake of fluid to be indicated by measuring the concentration of ethanol in the patient's exhaled breath.

Treatment and prevention of complications after extravesical antireflux technique.

An extravesical antireflux technique was performed in 300 consecutive patients who presented primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). The following results are reported: Elimination of VUR in 99% of the cases without complications. Early complications reported include: urinary retention, suppurative pyelonephritis and fistulae. Urinary retention occurred in 2 patients presenting other congenital abnormalities. Vesicocutaneous fistulae occurred in 2 patients due to obstruction of the catheter for vesical drainage; they closed spontaneously under adequate drainage of the bladder. Suppurative pyelonephritis and/or anuria occurred in 6 patients due to transitory obstruction due to edema of the new vesicoureteral junction and were treated with bilateral nephrostomy and progressed with good results after withdrawal of the nephrostomies. Late complications included: persistence of VUR in 8 patients due to two types of technical failure, too short a tunnel and dehiscence of the muscular suture; obstruction of the new vesicoureteral junction in five ureters due to three causes, excessive dissection of the ureters, mucosal stenosis and stenosis of the new hiatus; contralateral reflux in 6 patients due to nonsystematical performance of endoscopic examination of the ureteral meatus preoperatively in the first series of 100 consecutive cases. On the basis of the results achieved, the authors give specific suggestions that allow the technical prevention of the small number of complications that may occur using the extravesical antireflux technique in the treatment of VUR.