Impact of acute kidney injury on major adverse cardiovascular events in intensive care survivors.

Background: Acute kidney injury commonly occurs in patients admitted to ICU. After acute kidney injury, kidney function may not completely recover leading to increased risk of future cardiovascular events. We sought to ascertain the rates of cardiovascular events in ICU survivors and if these rates were affected by the presence of acute kidney injury whilst in ICU. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study utilised routinely collected data to identify patients who had survived an admission to one of two ICUs between July 2015 and June 2018. Baseline serum creatinine and subsequent values were used to identify acute kidney injury. Major adverse cardiovascular events described were myocardial injury, coronary artery intervention, or radiological evidence of stroke. Results: Of the 3994 ICU survivors, major adverse cardiovascular events were identified in 385 patients (9.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.8-10.6%). Presence of acute kidney injury whilst in ICU was significantly associated with future major adverse cardiovascular events (hazard ratio=1.38; 95% CI 1.12-1.70; P-value=0.003) and future biochemical myocardial injury (hazard ratio=1.48; 95% CI 1.16-1.89; P-value=0.001). Acute kidney injury did not have a statistically significant association with future coronary artery interventions or future cerebrovascular events. Conclusions: One in 10 ICU survivors experiences a major adverse cardiovascular event after discharge. Acute kidney injury whilst in ICU was associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and specifically myocardial injury. Further research is warranted on whether ICU survivors with acute kidney injury merit enhanced strategies for cardiovascular protection.

Outcomes in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis in Scotland: Validation of the Renal Risk Score in a Complete National Cohort.

Introduction: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) causes autoimmune-mediated inflammation of small blood vessels in multiple organs, including the kidneys. The ability to accurately predict kidney outcomes would enable a more personalized therapeutic approach. Methods: We used our national renal biopsy registry to validate the ability of ANCA Renal Risk Score (ARRS) to predict end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) for individual patients. This score uses histopathological and biochemical data to stratify patients as high, medium, or low risk for developing ESKD. Results: A total of 288 patients were eligible for inclusion in the study (low risk n = 144, medium risk n = 122, high risk n = 12). Using adjusted Cox proportional hazard models with the low-risk group as reference, we show that outcome differs between the categories: high-risk hazard ratio (HR) 16.69 (2.91-95.81, P = 0.002); medium risk HR 4.14 (1.07-16.01, P = 0.039). Incremental multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models demonstrated that adding ARRS to a model adjusted for multiple clinical parameters enhanced predictive discrimination (basic model C-statistic 0.864 [95% CI 0.813-0.914], basic model plus ARRS C-statistic 0.877 [95% CI 0.823-0.931]; P <0.01). Conclusion: The ARRS better discriminates risk of ESKD in AAV and offers clinicians more prognostic information than the use of standard biochemical and clinical measures alone. This is the first time the ARRS has been validated in a national cohort. The proportion of patients with high-risk scores is lower in our cohort compared to others and should be noted as a limitation of this study.

The Kidney Failure Risk Equation: Evaluation of Novel Input Variables including eGFR Estimated Using the CKD-EPI 2021 Equation in 59 Cohorts.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The kidney failure risk equation (KFRE) uses age, sex, GFR, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) to predict 2- and 5-year risk of kidney failure in populations with eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 . However, the CKD-EPI 2021 creatinine equation for eGFR is now recommended for use but has not been fully tested in the context of KFRE. In 59 cohorts comprising 312,424 patients with CKD, the authors assessed the predictive performance and calibration associated with the use of the CKD-EPI 2021 equation and whether additional variables and accounting for the competing risk of death improves the KFRE's performance. The KFRE generally performed well using the CKD-EPI 2021 eGFR in populations with eGFR <45 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 and was not improved by adding the 2-year prior eGFR slope and cardiovascular comorbidities. BACKGROUND: The kidney failure risk equation (KFRE) uses age, sex, GFR, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) to predict kidney failure risk in people with GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 . METHODS: Using 59 cohorts with 312,424 patients with CKD, we tested several modifications to the KFRE for their potential to improve the KFRE: using the CKD-EPI 2021 creatinine equation for eGFR, substituting 1-year average ACR for single-measure ACR and 1-year average eGFR in participants with high eGFR variability, and adding 2-year prior eGFR slope and cardiovascular comorbidities. We also assessed calibration of the KFRE in subgroups of eGFR and age before and after accounting for the competing risk of death. RESULTS: The KFRE remained accurate and well calibrated overall using the CKD-EPI 2021 eGFR equation. The other modifications did not improve KFRE performance. In subgroups of eGFR 45-59 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 and in older adults using the 5-year time horizon, the KFRE demonstrated systematic underprediction and overprediction, respectively. We developed and tested a new model with a spline term in eGFR and incorporating the competing risk of mortality, resulting in more accurate calibration in those specific subgroups but not overall. CONCLUSIONS: The original KFRE is generally accurate for eGFR <45 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 when using the CKD-EPI 2021 equation. Incorporating competing risk methodology and splines for eGFR may improve calibration in low-risk settings with longer time horizons. Including historical averages, eGFR slopes, or a competing risk design did not meaningfully alter KFRE performance in most circumstances.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios: associations with mortality in a haemodialysis cohort.

Background: Lymphocyte ratios reflect inflammation and have been associated with adverse outcomes in a range of diseases. We sought to determine any association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mortality in a haemodialysis cohort, including a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection subpopulation. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of adults commencing hospital haemodialysis in the West of Scotland during 2010-21. NLR and PLR were calculated from routine samples around haemodialysis initiation. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to assess mortality associations. Results: In 1720 haemodialysis patients over a median of 21.9 (interquartile range 9.1-42.9) months, there were 840 all-cause deaths. NLR but not PLR was associated with all-cause mortality after multivariable adjustment [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for in participants with baseline NLR in quartile 4 (NLR ≥8.23) versus quartile 1 (NLR <3.12) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-2.00]. The association was stronger for cardiovascular death (NLR quartile 4 versus 1 aHR 3.06, 95% CI 1.53-6.09) than for non-cardiovascular death (NLR quartile 4 versus 1 aHR 1.85, 95% CI 1.34-2.56). In the COVID-19 subpopulation, both NLR and PLR at haemodialysis initiation were associated with risk of COVID-19-related death after adjustment for age and sex (NLR: aHR 4.69, 95% CI 1.48-14.92 and PLR: aHR 3.40, 95% CI 1.02-11.36; for highest vs lowest quartiles). Conclusions: NLR is strongly associated with mortality in haemodialysis patients while the association between PLR and adverse outcomes is weaker. NLR is an inexpensive, readily available biomarker with potential utility in risk stratification of haemodialysis patients.

Use of a wearable accelerometer to evaluate physical frailty in people receiving haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Physical frailty is a major health concern among people receiving haemodialysis (HD) for stage-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD-5). Wearable accelerometers are increasingly being recommended to objectively monitor activity levels in CKD-5 and recent research suggests they may also represent an innovative strategy to evaluate physical frailty in vulnerable populations. However, no study has yet explored whether wearable accelerometers may be utilised to assess frailty in the context of CKD-5-HD. Therefore, we aimed to examine the diagnostic performance of a research-grade wearable accelerometer in evaluating physical frailty in people receiving HD. METHODS: Fifty-nine people receiving maintenance HD [age = 62.3 years (SD = 14.9), 40.7% female] participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants wore a uniaxial accelerometer (ActivPAL) for seven consecutive days and the following measures were recorded: total number of daily steps and sit-to-stand transitions, number of daily steps walked with cadence < 60 steps/min, 60-79 steps/min, 80-99 steps/min, 100-119 steps/min, and ≥ 120 steps/min. The Fried phenotype was used to evaluate physical frailty. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses were performed to examine the diagnostic accuracy of the accelerometer-derived measures in detecting physical frailty status. RESULTS: Participants classified as frail (n = 22, 37.3%) had a lower number of daily steps (2363 ± 1525 vs 3585 ± 1765, p = 0.009), daily sit-to-stand transitions (31.8 ± 10.3 vs 40.6 ± 12.1, p = 0.006), and lower number of steps walked with cadence of 100-119 steps/min (336 ± 486 vs 983 ± 797, p < 0.001) compared to their non-frail counterparts. In ROC analysis, the number of daily steps walked with cadence ≥ 100 steps/min exhibited the highest diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.68-0.92, p < 0.001, cut-off ≤ 288 steps, sensitivity = 73%, specificity = 76%, PPV = 0.64, NPV = 0.82, accuracy = 75%) in detecting physical frailty. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided initial evidence that a wearable accelerometer may be a useful tool in evaluating physical frailty in people receiving HD. While the total number of daily steps and sit-to-stand transitions could significantly discriminate frailty status, the number of daily steps walked with cadences reflecting moderate to vigorous intensity of walking may be more useful in monitoring physical frailty in people receiving HD.

Incidence and Outcomes of Patients Receiving Chronic Kidney Replacement Therapy Admitted to Scottish ICUs Between 2009 and 2019-A National Observational Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and characteristics of ICU admissions in the Scottish population of patients treated with chronic kidney replacement therapy (KRT) over an 11-year period and determine factors associated with post-ICU admission mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study. SETTING: We analyzed admissions to Scottish intensive care environments between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2019. PATIENTS: All patients receiving chronic KRT-including maintenance dialysis and kidney transplant-in Scotland. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Descriptive statistics and factors associated with mortality using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models. From 10,657 unique individuals registered in the Scottish Renal Registry over the 11-year study period and alive as of January 1, 2009, 1,402 adult patients were identified as being admitted to a Scottish critical care setting. Between 2009 and 2019, admissions to ICU increased in a nonlinear manner driven by increases in admissions for renal causes and elective cardiac surgery. The ICU admission rate was higher among patients on chronic dialysis than in kidney transplant recipients (59.1 vs 19.9 per 1,000 person-years), but post-ICU mortality was similar (about 24% at 30 d and 40% at 1 year). Admissions for renal reasons were most common (20.9%) in patients undergoing chronic dialysis, whereas kidney transplant recipients were most frequently admitted for pneumonia (19.3%) or sepsis (12.8%). Adjusted Cox PH models showed that receiving invasive ventilation and vasoactive drugs was associated with an increased risk of death at 30 days post-ICU admission (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.28-2.39 and 1.72; 95% CI, 1.28-2.31, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: With a growing population of kidney transplant recipients and the improved survival of patients on chronic dialysis, the number of ICU admissions is rising in the chronic KRT population. Mortality post-ICU admission is high for these patients.

Development and Validation of Prediction Models of Adverse Kidney Outcomes in the Population With and Without Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To predict adverse kidney outcomes for use in optimizing medical management and clinical trial design. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this meta-analysis of individual participant data, 43 cohorts (N = 1,621,817) from research studies, electronic medical records, and clinical trials with global representation were separated into development and validation cohorts. Models were developed and validated within strata of diabetes mellitus (presence or absence) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; ≥60 or <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) to predict a composite of ≥40% decline in eGFR or kidney failure (i.e., receipt of kidney replacement therapy) over 2-3 years. RESULTS: There were 17,399 and 24,591 events in development and validation cohorts, respectively. Models predicting ≥40% eGFR decline or kidney failure incorporated age, sex, eGFR, albuminuria, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive medication use, history of heart failure, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, smoking status, and BMI, and, in those with diabetes, hemoglobin A1c, insulin use, and oral diabetes medication use. The median C-statistic was 0.774 (interquartile range [IQR] = 0.753, 0.782) in the diabetes and higher-eGFR validation cohorts; 0.769 (IQR = 0.758, 0.808) in the diabetes and lower-eGFR validation cohorts; 0.740 (IQR = 0.717, 0.763) in the no diabetes and higher-eGFR validation cohorts; and 0.750 (IQR = 0.731, 0.785) in the no diabetes and lower-eGFR validation cohorts. Incorporating the previous 2-year eGFR slope minimally improved model performance, and then only in the higher-eGFR cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Novel prediction equations for a decline of ≥40% in eGFR can be applied successfully for use in the general population in persons with and without diabetes with higher or lower eGFR.

The Impact of Vaccination on Incidence and Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients with Kidney Failure in Scotland.

BACKGROUND: Patients with kidney failure requiring KRT are at high risk of complications and death following SARS-CoV-2 infection, with variable antibody responses to vaccination reported. We investigated the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on the incidence of infection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 infection. METHODS: The study design was an observational data linkage cohort study. Multiple health care datasets were linked to ascertain all SARS-CoV-2 testing, vaccination, hospitalization, and mortality data for all patients treated with KRT in Scotland from the start of the pandemic over a period of 20 months. Descriptive statistics, survival analyses, and vaccine effectiveness were calculated. RESULTS: As of September 19, 2021, 93% (n=5281) of the established KRT population in Scotland had received two doses of an approved SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Over the study period, there were 814 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection (15.1% of the KRT population). Vaccine effectiveness rates against infection and hospitalization were 33% (95% CI, 0 to 52) and 38% (95% CI, 0 to 57), respectively. Within 28 days of a SARS-CoV-2-positive PCR test, 9.2% of fully vaccinated individuals died (7% patients on dialysis and 10% kidney transplant recipients). This compares to <0.1% of the vaccinated general Scottish population admitted to the hospital or dying due to COVID-19 during that period. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that a primary vaccine course of two doses has limited effect on COVID-19 infection and its complications in patients with KRT. Adjunctive strategies to reduce risk of both COVID-19 infection and its complications in this population are urgently required.

Short- and long-term outcomes of intensive care patients with acute kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney disease (AKD) is a proposed definition for acute kidney injury (AKI) lasting 7 days or longer. Little has been reported regarding characteristics of patients with AKD and their short- and long-term outcomes. We describe the epidemiology and risk factors for AKD and outcomes following AKD. METHODS: This retrospective observational cohort study identified patients aged 16 or older admitted to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital intensive care units (ICUs) in Scotland between 1st July 2015 and 30th June 2018. Baseline serum creatinine and subsequent values were used to identify patients with de-novo kidney injury (DNKI). Patients with recovery prior to day 7 were classified as AKI; recovery at day 7 or beyond was classified as AKD. Outcomes were in-hospital and long-term mortality, and proportion of major adverse kidney events (MAKEs). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for AKD. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors associated with long-term outcomes. FINDINGS: Of the 5,334 patients admitted to ICU who were assessed for DNKI, 1,620 (30·4%) suffered DNKI and of these, 403 (24·9%) met AKD criteria; 984 (60·7%) were male and the median age was 60·0 (IQR=48·0-72·0). Male sex, sepsis and lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were associated with development of AKD. In-ICU (16·1%vs6·2%) and in-hospital (26·1%vs11·6%) mortality rates were significantly higher in AKD patients than AKI patients. Long-term survival was not different for AKD patients (HR=1·16; p-value=0·261) but AKD was associated with subsequent MAKEs (OR=1·25). INTERPRETATION: One in four ICU patients with DNKI met AKD criteria. These patients had an increased risk of short-term mortality and long-term MAKEs. Whilst the trend for long-term survival was lower, this was not significantly different from shorter-term AKI patients. Patients with AKD during their ICU stay should be identified to initiate interventions to reduce risk of future MAKEs. FUNDING: No funding was associated with this study.

Incidence of Kidney Replacement Therapy and Subsequent Outcomes Among Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Findings From the ERA Registry.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: There is a dearth of data characterizing patients receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT) for kidney failure due to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe trends in incidence and prevalence of KRT among these patients as well as to compare their outcomes versus those of patients treated with KRT for diseases other than SLE. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study based on kidney registry data. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Patients recorded in 14 registries of patients receiving KRT that provided data to the European Renal Association Registry between 1992 and 2016. PREDICTOR: SLE as cause of kidney failure. OUTCOMES: Incidence and prevalence of KRT, patient survival while receiving KRT, patient and graft survival after kidney transplant, and specific causes of death. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models were fit to compare patient survival between the SLE and non-SLE groups, overall KRT, dialysis, and patient and graft survival after kidney transplant. RESULTS: In total, 1,826 patients commenced KRT for kidney failure due to SLE, representing an incidence of 0.80 per million population (pmp) per year. The incidence remained stable during the study period (annual percent change, 0.1% [95% CI, -0.6% to 0.8%]). Patient survival among patients with SLE receiving KRT was similar to survival in the comparator group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11 [95% CI, 0.99-1.23]). After kidney transplant, the risk of death was greater among patients with SLE than among patients in the comparator group (HR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.02-1.53]), whereas the risk of all-cause graft failure was similar (HR, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.95-1.27]). Ten-year patient overall survival during KRT and patient and graft survival after kidney transplant improved over the study period (HRs of 0.71 [95% CI, 0.56-0.91], 0.43 [95% CI, 0.27-0.69], and 0.60 [95% CI, 0.43-0.84], respectively). Patients with SLE receiving KRT were significantly more likely to die of infections (24.8%) than patients in the comparator group (16.9%; P < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: No data were available on extrarenal manifestations of SLE, drug treatments, comorbidities, kidney transplant characteristics, or relapses of SLE. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of patients with SLE receiving KRT has improved over time. Survival of patients with SLE who required KRT was similar compared with patients who required KRT for other causes of kidney failure. Survival following kidney transplants was worse among patients with SLE.

Albuminuria Testing in Hypertension and Diabetes: An Individual-Participant Data Meta-Analysis in a Global Consortium.

[Figure: see text].

Comparison of COVID-19 outcomes among shielded and non-shielded populations.

Many western countries used shielding (extended self-isolation) of people presumed to be at high-risk from COVID-19 to protect them and reduce healthcare demand. To investigate the effectiveness of this strategy, we linked family practitioner, prescribing, laboratory, hospital and death records and compared COVID-19 outcomes among shielded and non-shielded individuals in the West of Scotland. Of the 1.3 million population, 27,747 (2.03%) were advised to shield, and 353,085 (26.85%) were classified a priori as moderate risk. COVID-19 testing was more common in the shielded (7.01%) and moderate risk (2.03%) groups, than low risk (0.73%). Referent to low-risk, the shielded group had higher confirmed infections (RR 8.45, 95% 7.44-9.59), case-fatality (RR 5.62, 95% CI 4.47-7.07) and population mortality (RR 57.56, 95% 44.06-75.19). The moderate-risk had intermediate confirmed infections (RR 4.11, 95% CI 3.82-4.42) and population mortality (RR 25.41, 95% CI 20.36-31.71) but, due to their higher prevalence, made the largest contribution to deaths (PAF 75.30%). Age ≥ 70 years accounted for 49.55% of deaths. In conclusion, in spite of the shielding strategy, high risk individuals were at increased risk of death. Furthermore, to be effective as a population strategy, shielding criteria would have needed to be widely expanded to include other criteria, such as the elderly.

ANCA-associated renal vasculitis is associated with rurality but not seasonality or deprivation in a complete national cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Small studies suggest an association between ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) incidence and rurality, seasonality and socioeconomic deprivation. We examined the incidence of kidney biopsy-proven AAV and its relationship with these factors in the adult Scottish population. METHODS: Using the Scottish Renal Biopsy Registry, all adult native kidney biopsies performed between 2014 and 2018 with a diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) were identified. The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification was used for rurality analysis. Seasons were defined as autumn (September-November), winter (December-February), spring (March-May) and summer (June-August). Patients were separated into quintiles of socioeconomic deprivation using the validated Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation and incidence standardised to age. Estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine protein:creatinine ratio at time of biopsy were used to assess disease severity. RESULTS: 339 cases of renal AAV were identified, of which 62% had MPA and 38% had GPA diagnosis. AAV incidence was 15.1 per million population per year (pmp/year). Mean age was 66 years and 54% were female. Incidence of GPA (but not MPA) was positively associated with rurality (5.2, 8.4 and 9.1 pmp/year in 'urban', 'accessible remote' and 'rural remote' areas, respectively; p=0.04). The age-standardised incidence ratio was similar across all quintiles of deprivation (p=ns). CONCLUSIONS: Seasonality and disease severity did not vary across AAV study groups. In this complete national cohort study, we observed a positive association between kidney biopsy-proven GPA and rurality.

Genetic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in renal dialysis units - A high risk community-hospital interface.

OBJECTIVES: Patients requiring haemodialysis are at increased risk of serious illness with SARS-CoV-2 infection. To improve the understanding of transmission risks in six Scottish renal dialysis units, we utilised the rapid whole-genome sequencing data generated by the COG-UK consortium. METHODS: We combined geographical, temporal and genomic sequence data from the community and hospital to estimate the probability of infection originating from within the dialysis unit, the hospital or the community using Bayesian statistical modelling and compared these results to the details of epidemiological investigations. RESULTS: Of 671 patients, 60 (8.9%) became infected with SARS-CoV-2, of whom 16 (27%) died. Within-unit and community transmission were both evident and an instance of transmission from the wider hospital setting was also demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Near-real-time SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data can facilitate tailored infection prevention and control measures, which can be targeted at reducing risk in these settings.

Timing of renal replacement therapy for patients with acute kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury is associated with high mortality, and the optimal time to start renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury is unknown despite several randomised controlled trials on the subject. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of earlier initiation of renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury on mortality and reported secondary outcomes. METHODS: All literature in databases EMBASE, MEDLINE and CENTRAL was searched from January 1970 to March 2019 using terms related to renal replacement therapy, timing and randomised controlled trials. All randomised controlled trials with 25 or more adult participants suffering from acute kidney injury comparing timing of renal replacement therapy were included. The results of the selected studies were pooled and expressed in terms of risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using a random effects model. RESULTS: A total of 7008 records were identified; 94 were selected for full text review of which 10 were included in the final meta-analysis. The 10 studies comprised 1956 participants (989 'early' group; 967 'late' group) with 918 total deaths; the analysis demonstrated no significant differences between the 'early' and 'late' renal replacement therapy groups (RR = 0.98 (95% CI = 0.84, 1.15)) for mortality. No significant differences between groups were evident for period-wise mortality; dialysis dependence; recovery of renal function; length of intensive care unit or hospital stay; or number of renal replacement therapies, mechanical ventilation and vasopressor-free days. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence does not support the use of early renal replacement therapy for patients with acute kidney injury. Data from ongoing and future randomised controlled trials are required to strengthen the evidence base in the area.

A National Registry Study of Patient and Renal Survival in Adult Nephrotic Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine the mortality rate, cause of death, and rate of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in adults with nephrotic syndrome (NS). METHODS: We conducted a national registry-based study, including all 522 adults who had a kidney biopsy for NS in Scotland in 2014-2017. We linked the Scottish Renal Registry to death certificate data. We performed survival and Cox proportional hazards analyses, accounting for competing risks of death and ESKD. We compared mortality rates with those in the age- and sex-matched general population. RESULTS: A total of 372 patients had primary NS; 150 had secondary NS. Over a median follow-up of 866 days, 110 patients (21%) died. In patients with primary NS, observed versus population 3-year mortality was 2.1% (95% CI 0.0%-4.6%) versus 0.9% (0.8%-1.0%) in patients aged <60 years and 24.9% (18.4%-30.8%) versus 9.4% (8.3%-10.5%) in those aged ≥60 years. In secondary NS, this discrepancy was 17.1% (5.6%-27.2%) versus 1.1% (0.9%-1.2%) in <60-year-olds and 49.4% (36.6%-59.7%) versus 8.1% (6.6%-9.6%) in ≥60-year-olds. In primary NS, cardiovascular causes accounted for 28% of deaths, compared with 18% in the general population. Eighty patients (15%) progressed to ESKD. Incidence of ESKD by 3 years was 8.4% (95% CI 4.9%-11.7%) in primary and 35.1% (24.3%-44.5%) in secondary NS. Early remission of proteinuria and the absence of early acute kidney injury (AKI) were associated with lower rates of death and ESKD. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with NS have high rates of death and ESKD. Cardiovascular causes account for excess mortality in primary NS.

Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Recent World Health Organization guidance has aimed to provide pragmatic guidance acknowledging the role of sequential nasopharyngeal swabs taken >24 hours apart for SARS-CoV-2 in high-risk populations. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are known to have an altered immune milieu which may be associated with a delay in viral clearance. Here, a cross-sectional observational study of 138 patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection at two large regional hospitals in Scotland, UK examined the median time to two consecutive negative nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 in an inpatient population. The median time from admission to the first of two consecutive negative nasopharyngeal swabs was 18 days (range = 1-44) in patients with CKD, compared with 11 days (range: 1-71) in patients without CKD (P = .0007). Multivariable linear regression analysis using explanatory variables of age, sex, SARS-CoV-2 disease severity, key comorbidities and renal function showed that declining estimated glomerular filtration rate was independently associated with prolonged time to viral clearance. Our data suggest that patients with CKD who are admitted to hospital with SARS-CoV-2 take longer to achieve sequential negative nasopharyngeal swab reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results than those without CKD. This has implications for renal service provision, discharge planning and hospital capacity as well as a direct impact on patients due to extended hospital stay, anxiety and stigmatisation.

COVID-19 in patients undergoing chronic kidney replacement therapy and kidney transplant recipients in Scotland: findings and experience from the Scottish renal registry.

BACKGROUND: Infection with the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a worldwide pandemic with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, overwhelming healthcare systems globally. Preliminary reports suggest a high incidence of infection and mortality with SARS-CoV-2 in patients receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT). The aims of this study are to report characteristics, rates and outcomes of all patients affected by infection with SARS-CoV-2 undergoing KRT in Scotland. METHODS: Study design was an observational cohort study. Data were linked between the Scottish Renal Registry, Health Protection Scotland and the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group national data sets using a unique patient identifier (Community Health Index (CHI)) for each individual by the Public Health and Intelligence unit of Public Health, Scotland. Descriptive statistics and survival analyses were performed. RESULTS: During the period 1st March 2020 to 31st May 2020, 110 patients receiving KRT tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 amounting to 2% of the prevalent KRT population. Of those affected, 86 were receiving haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis and 24 had a renal transplant. Patients who tested positive were older and more likely to reside in more deprived postcodes. Mortality was high at 26.7% in the dialysis patients and 29.2% in the transplant patients. CONCLUSION: The rate of detected SARS-CoV-2 in people receiving KRT in Scotland was relatively low but with a high mortality for those demonstrating infection. Although impossible to confirm, it appears that the measures taken within dialysis units coupled with the national shielding policy, have been effective in protecting this population from infection.

Association of postural balance and falls in adult patients receiving haemodialysis: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Static postural balance performance is often impaired in people receiving haemodialysis (HD) for the treatment of stage-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD-5). However, the question as to whether lower postural balance is associated with adverse clinical outcomes such as falls has not been addressed yet. RESEARCH QUESTION: We conducted a prospective cohort study to explore the association between static postural balance and falls in people receiving HD. We hypothesised that higher postural sway would be associated with increased odds of falling. METHODS: Seventy-five prevalent CKD-5 patients receiving HD (age: 61.8 ± 13.4 years) from three Renal Units were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. At baseline, postural balance was assessed with a force platform in eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions. Centre of pressure (CoP) measures of range, velocity and area were taken for the analysis. Falls experienced by study participants were prospectively recorded during 12 months of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included timed-up and go, five-repetition sit-to-stand test and the Tinetti falls efficacy scale (FES). RESULTS: In multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher CoP range in medial-lateral direction during EC was associated with increased odds of falling (OR: 1.04, 95 %CI: 1.00-1.07, p = 0.036). In ROC curve analysis, CoP velocity in EO exhibited the greatest prognostic accuracy (AUC: 0.69, 95 %CI: 0.55-0.82), however this was not statistically different from CoP measures of area and range. None of the postural balance measures exceeded the prognostic accuracy of the FES (AUC: 0.70, 95 %CI: 0.58-0.83, p = 0.005). SIGNIFICANCE: This prospective cohort study showed that higher postural sway in medial-lateral direction was associated with increased odds of falling in people receiving HD. CoP measures of range, velocity and area displayed similar prognostic value in discriminating fallers from non-fallers. The overall utility of static posturography to detect future fall-risk may be limited in a clinical setting.

The ERA-EDTA Registry Annual Report 2017: a summary.

BACKGROUND: This article presents a summary of the 2017 Annual Report of the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry and describes the epidemiology of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 37 countries. METHODS: The ERA-EDTA Registry received individual patient data on patients undergoing RRT for ESRD in 2017 from 32 national or regional renal registries and aggregated data from 21 registries. The incidence and prevalence of RRT, kidney transplantation activity and survival probabilities of these patients were calculated. RESULTS: In 2017, the ERA-EDTA Registry covered a general population of 694 million people. The incidence of RRT for ESRD was 127 per million population (pmp), ranging from 37 pmp in Ukraine to 252 pmp in Greece. A total of 62% of patients were men, 52% were ≥65 years of age and 23% had diabetes mellitus as the primary renal disease. The treatment modality at the onset of RRT was haemodialysis for 85% of patients. On 31 December 2017, the prevalence of RRT was 854 pmp, ranging from 210 pmp in Ukraine to 1965 pmp in Portugal. The transplant rate in 2017 was 33 pmp, ranging from 3 pmp in Ukraine to 103 pmp in the Spanish region of Catalonia. For patients commencing RRT during 2008-12, the unadjusted 5-year patient survival probability for all RRT modalities combined was 50.8%.