Factors influencing glomerular filtration rate as estimated using preoperative creatinine and cystatin C levels.

OBJECTIVES: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using serum creatinine (Cr) is commonly used to evaluate renal function. However, it can be influenced by other factors, which can risk the overestimation of the true GFR. Impaired renal function prior to cardiovascular surgery reportedly increases mortality and the incidence of postoperative complications. Thus, overestimation of renal function may affect the assessment of postoperative complication risks. Therefore, we aimed to compare the eGFR calculated from serum Cr and cystatin C (Cys-C) levels to assess preoperative renal function and to investigate factors affecting renal function overestimation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 88 patients admitted for cardiovascular surgery who had preoperative serum Cr and Cys-C measurements were included in the study. Correlations between factors associated with eGFR calculated from serum Cr (eGFRcre) and Cys-C (eGFRcys) and their ratio (eGFRcre/eGFRcys) were examined using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that eGFRcre/eGFRcys was significantly negatively correlated with the Short Physical Performance Battery score (SPPB). A clinically significant difference in renal function overestimation was defined as GFRcre/eGFRcys > 1.2, with a cutoff value of 9 points for the SPPB score. The chair stand test, a component of the SPPB, had the same discriminative power as the SPPB for identification of renal function overestimation. CONCLUSION: The SPPB can be used to identify likely GFR overestimation in patients. Additionally, the chair stand test may be used as an alternative to the SPPB for the identification of renal function overestimation when the SPPB is difficult to perform.

Factors associated with thrombocytopenia in patients treated with pegfilgrastim.

OBJECTIVES: Pegfilgrastim is a long-acting, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor approved in Japan for the prevention of neutropenia caused by antineoplastic agents. Severe thrombocytopenia was reported with pegfilgrastim, however, the factors associated with thrombocytopenia are unclear. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with thrombocytopenia in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia (FN) with cabazitaxel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients who received pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis of FN with cabazitaxel. The timing and severity of thrombocytopenia and factors associated with the reduction rate of platelets were examined in patients who received pegfilgrastim for the primary prevention of FN during the first course of cabazitaxel and by multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Thrombocytopenia was most common within 7 days of pegfilgrastim administration, with 32 cases of grade 1 and 6 cases of grade 2 as per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the reduction rate of platelets after pegfilgrastim administration was significantly positively correlated with monocytes. In contrast, the presence of liver metastases and neutrophils was significantly negatively correlated with the reduction rate of platelets. CONCLUSION: Thrombocytopenia due to pegfilgrastim administered as primary prophylaxis for FN with cabazitaxel was most likely to occur within one week after pegfilgrastim administration, suggesting that monocytes, neutrophils, and liver metastases were associated with a reduction in platelets.

Comparison between the Effects of Loxoprofen and Acetaminophen on Postoperative Pain Following Radical Prostatectomy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are associated with renal impairment. However, there is little information on whether these medications affect postoperative renal function compared with acetaminophen. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of acetaminophen and loxoprofen, used as postoperative analgesic, effect on postoperative analgesia using propensity score matching analysis. We retrospectively enrolled 328 patients treated with loxoprofen or acetaminophen after open radical prostatectomy between October 2017 and February 2020. We analyzed postoperative pain intensity, the incidence rate of acute kidney injury, drug-induced liver injury, and rate of elevation in serum creatinine after open radical prostatectomy. Eighty-one matched pairs of patients treated with loxoprofen or acetaminophen were selected using propensity score matching analysis. The postoperative numerical rating scale was significantly higher in the acetaminophen group than in the loxoprofen group on postoperative day 5. The use of patient-controlled anesthesia and rescue analgesics was significantly higher in the acetaminophen group than in the loxoprofen group. The loxoprofen group had a significantly higher postoperative increase in serum creatinine than the acetaminophen group on postoperative days 5 and 8. The incidence of acute kidney injury was 4.9% in the loxoprofen group and 0% in the acetaminophen group, while the incidence of drug-induced liver injury was 0% in both groups. Acetaminophen appears to be safer than loxoprofen in terms of effects on renal function. Nevertheless, the number of acetaminophen doses and the dose per dose may need to be increased for patients with significant postoperative pain.

Evaluation of renal function using cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with urothelial carcinoma treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is a first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UC). Accurate assessment of renal function is indispensable for determining cisplatin dosing to enhance the safety and effectiveness of cisplatin. The objective of this study was to assess serum cystatin C (sCys C) levels in patients with urothelial carcinoma and to explore its clinical value as a serum marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). METHODS: This study retrospectively enrolled 18 UC patients treated with a combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin between April 2018 and November 2020. We calculated the estimated GFR (eGFR) based on serum creatinine (sCr) or sCys C and estimated Cr clearance (eCCr) based on sCr. The correlation, bias, accuracy and creatinine height index between eGFR or eCCr and measured GFR (mGFR) based on Cr clearance were calculated from urinary Cr and sCr. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Estimated GFR based on sCys C correlated most strongly with mGFR. Moreover, the bias, mean error, mean absolute error and root mean square error were significantly lower in eGFRs based on sCyc C than in eGFRs based on sCr and eCCr. The correlation between eGFR based on sCys C/mGFR and creatinine height index was weaker than that between eGFR based on sCr/mGFR and creatinine height index, suggesting that sCys C was less affected by muscle mass. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: In UC patients, eGFR based on sCys C reflected renal function more accurately than eGFR based on sCr, suggesting that sCys C may be useful for assessing renal function in clinical practice.