Precision medicine: "Point of Care Ultrasound" (PoCUS) in the diagnostic approach to the patient with hyponatremia.

Hyponatremia is a multifactorial disorder defined as a decrease in plasma sodium concentration. Its differential diagnosis requires an adequate evaluation of the extracellular volume (ECV). However, ECV determination, simply based on the clinical history, vital signs, physical examination, and laboratory findings can leads to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. The use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS), through the combination of Lung Ultrasound (LUS), Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) and Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS), allows a much more accurate holistic assessment of the patient's ECV status in combination with the other parameters.

Medicina de precisión: «Point of Care Ultrasound» (PoCUS) en el abordaje diagnóstico del paciente con hiponatremia / Precision medicine: “Point of Care Ultrasound” (PoCUS) in the diagnostic approach to the patient with hyponatremia

La hiponatremia es un trastorno multifactorial definido como una disminución en la concentración plasmática de sodio. Su diagnóstico diferencial requiere una evaluación adecuada del volumen extracelular. Sin embargo, la determinación del volumen extracelular, simplemente basada en la historia clínica, las constantes vitales, el examen físico y los hallazgos de laboratorio, conducen en ocasiones a un diagnóstico erróneo por lo que el enfoque terapéutico puede ser equivocado. El empleo de ecografía a pie de cama (Point-of-Care Ultrasound [PoCUS]), mediante la combinación de ecografía pulmonar (Lung Ultrasound [LUS]), Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) y la ecocardioscopia (Focused Cardiac Ultrasound [FoCUS]) permiten, en combinación con el resto de los parámetros, una valoración holística mucho más precisa del estado del volumen extracelular del paciente.(AU)

Hyponatremia is a multifactorial disorder defined as a decrease in plasma sodium concentration. Its differential diagnosis requires an adequate evaluation of the extracellular volume. However, extracellular volume determination, simply based on the clinical history, vital signs, physical examination, and laboratory findings can leads to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. The use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS), through the combination of Lung Ultrasound (LUS), Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) and Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS), allows a much more accurate holistic assessment of the patient's extracellular volume status in combination with the other parameters.(AU)

Optimization of potassium management in patients with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes on finerenone.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk of CKD progression and cardiovascular events. Despite treatment with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and SGLT-2 inhibitors, the residual risk is substantial. There is preclinical and clinical evidence supporting a key role of mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiorenal injury in T2DM. AREAS COVERED: Finerenone is a selective and nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that reduces -on preclinical studies- heart and kidney inflammation and fibrosis. Clinical trials have demonstrated that among patients with T2DM and CKD, finerenone reduces CKD progression and the risk of cardiovascular events. The incidence of adverse events is similar than for placebo. Permanent discontinuation of study drug due to hyperkalemia was low (1.7% of finerenone and 0.6% of placebo participants) as was the risk of hyperkalemia-related severe-adverse events (1.1%). We provide an overview of risk factors for hyperkalemia and management of serum potassium in people with CKD and T2DM on finerenone. EXPERT OPINION: As finerenone increases potassium levels in a predictable way, patients at risk of hyperkalemia can be identified early in clinical practice and monitored for an easy management. This will allow people with T2DM and CKD to safely benefit from improved cardiorenal outcomes.

Epidemiology and resource use in Spanish type 2 diabetes patients without previous cardiorenal disease: CaReMe Spain study summary.

AIMS: To determine the first manifestation of cardiovascular or kidney disease (CVKD) and associated resource use in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients during seven years of follow-up. METHODS: Observational-retrospective secondary data study using medical records of patients aged ≥18 years with T2DM and without prior CVKD between 2013 and 2019. The index date was 01/01/2013 (fixed date). The manifestation of CVKD was defined by the first diagnosis of heart-failure (HF), chronic-kidney disease (CKD), myocardial-infarction (MI), stroke or peripheral-artery disease (PAD). The main variables were baseline characteristics, manifestation of CVKD, mortality, resource use and costs. Descriptive analyses and Cox model were applied to the data. RESULTS: 26,542 patients were selected (mean age: 66.6 years, women: 47.8%, mean duration of T2DM: 17.1 years). 18.7% (N=4974) developed a first CVKD manifestation during the seven years [distribution: HF (22.4%), CKD (36.6%), MI (14.5%), stroke (15.3%) and PAD (11.3%)]. Overall mortality was 8.3% (N=2214). The mortality risk of the group that developed HF or CKD as the first manifestation compared to the CVKD-free cohort was higher [HR: 2.5 (95% CI: 1.8-3.4) and 1.8 (95% CI: 1.4-2.3)], respectively. The cumulative costs per patient of HF (€50,942.80) and CKD (€48,979.20) were higher than MI (€47,343.20) and stroke (€47,070.30) and similar to PAD (€51,240.00) vs. €13,098.90 in patients who did not develop CVKD, p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: In T2DM patients, HF and CKD were the first most common manifestations and had higher mortality and re-hospitalisation rates. HF and CKD were associated with the highest resource use and costs for the Spanish National-Health-System.

More difficult still: Treating severe rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in the context of COVID-19 pneumonia.

We present the case of a male patient with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, with simultaneous onset of p-ANCA positive rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. We discuss the different therapeutic possibilities, emphasising the appropriateness of their administration according to the time in the course of the infection.

Impact of different COVID-19 waves on kidney replacement therapy epidemiology and mortality: REMER 2020.

BACKGROUND: Kidney replacement therapy (KRT) confers the highest risk of death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, most data refer to the early pandemic waves. Whole-year analysis compared with prior secular trends are scarce. METHODS: We present the 2020 REMER Madrid KRT registry, corresponding to the Spanish Region hardest hit by COVID-19. RESULTS: In 2020, KRT incidence decreased 12% versus 2019, while KRT prevalence decreased by 1.75% for the first time since records began and the number of kidney transplants (KTs) decreased by 16%. Mortality on KRT was 10.2% (34% higher than the mean for 2008-2019). The 2019-2020 increase in mortality was larger for KTs (+68%) than for haemodialysis (+24%) or peritoneal dialysis (+38%). The most common cause of death was infection [n = 419 (48% of deaths)], followed by cardiovascular [n = 200 (23%)]. Deaths from infection increased by 167% year over year and accounted for 95% of excess deaths in 2020 over 2019. COVID-19 was the most common cause of death (68% of infection deaths, 33% of total deaths). The bulk of COVID-19 deaths [209/285 (73%)] occurred during the first COVID-19 wave, which roughly accounted for the increased mortality in 2020. Being a KT recipient was an independent risk factor for COVID-19 death. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 negatively impacted the incidence and prevalence of KRT, but the increase in KRT deaths was localized to the first wave of the pandemic. The increased annual mortality argues against COVID-19 accelerating the death of patients with short life expectancy and the temporal pattern of COVID-19 mortality suggests that appropriate healthcare may improve outcomes.

Rapid decline of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients on haemodialysis: the COVID-FRIAT study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients on haemodialysis (HD) have high mortality. We investigated the value of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the dynamic changes of antibodies (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay immunoglobulin M (IgM) + IgA and/or IgG) in a large HD cohort. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study in 10 Madrid HD centres. Infection rate, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics and the incidence of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (defined by positive RT-PCR, IgM + IgA and/or IgG) were assessed. RESULTS: From 1 March to 15 April 2020, 136 of 808 (16.8%) HD patients were diagnosed with symptomatic COVID-19 by RT-PCR of nasopharyngeal swabs and 42/136 (31%) died. In the second fortnight of April, RT-PCR and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were assessed in 763 of the surviving patients. At this point, 69/91 (75.8%) symptomatic COVID-19 patients had anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Four weeks later, 15.4% (10/65) of initially antibody-positive patients had become negative. Among patients without prior symptomatic COVID-19, 9/672 (1.3%) were RT-PCR positive and 101/672 patients (15.0%) were antibody positive. Four weeks later, 62/86 (72.1%) of initially antibody-positive patients had become negative. Considering only IgG titres, serology remained positive after 4 weeks in 90% (54/60) of patients with symptomatic COVID-19 and in 52.5% (21/40) of asymptomatic patients. The probability of an adequate serologic response (defined as the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that persisted at 4 weeks) was higher in patients who had symptomatic COVID-19 than in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection {odds ratio [OR) 4.04 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.04-7.99]} corrected for age, Charlson comorbidity index score and time on HD. Living in a nursing home [OR 5.9 (95% CI 2.3-15.1)] was the main risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody immune response in HD patients depends on clinical presentation. The antibody titres decay earlier than previously reported for the general population. This inadequate immune response raises questions about the efficacy of future vaccines.

Acute kidney injury in 3182 patients admitted with COVID-19: a single-center, retrospective, case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) may develop in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and may be associated with a worse outcome. The aim of this study is to describe AKI incidence during the first 45 days of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Spain, its reversibility and the association with mortality. METHODS: This was an observational retrospective case-control study based on patients hospitalized between 1 March and 15 April 2020 with SARS-CoV-2 infection and AKI. Confirmed AKI cases were compared with stable kidney function patients for baseline characteristics, analytical data, treatment and renal outcome. Patients with end-stage kidney disease were excluded. RESULTS: AKI incidence was 17.22% among 3182 admitted COVID-19 patients and acute kidney disease (AKD) incidence was 6.82%. The most frequent causes of AKI were prerenal (68.8%) and sepsis (21.9%). Odds ratio (OR) for AKI was increased in patients with pre-existent hypertension [OR 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71-3.89] and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.33-3.42) and in those with respiratory distress (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.52-3.70). Low arterial pressure at admission increased the risk for Stage 3 AKI (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.09-2.50). Baseline kidney function was not recovered in 45.73% of overall AKI cases and in 52.75% of AKI patients with prior CKD. Mortality was 38.5% compared with 13.4% of the overall sample population. AKI increased mortality risk at any time of hospitalization (hazard ratio 1.45, 95% CI 1.09-1.93). CONCLUSIONS: AKI is frequent in COVID-19 patients and is associated with mortality, independently of acute respiratory distress syndrome. AKD was also frequent and merits adequate follow-up.

More difficult still: Treating severe rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in the context of COVID-19 pneumonia. / Más difícil todavía: tratar una glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva grave en el seno de una neumonía por COVID-19.

We present the case of a male patient with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, with simultaneous onset of p-ANCA positive rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. We discuss the different therapeutic possibilities, emphasising the appropriateness of their administration according to the time in the course of the infection.

Infarto renal en paciente con infección activa por COVID-19 / Renal infarction in a patient with active COVID -19 infection

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Glomerulonefritis necrosante en un paciente con VIH, VHC y leishmaniasis visceral / Necrotizing glomerulonephritis in patients with HIV, HCV and visceral leishmaniasis

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Inmunosupresión como desencadenante de un síndrome de hiperinfestación por Strongyloides stercolaris en la nefropatía membranosa / Immunosuppression as a trigger for hyperinflammatory syndrome due to Strongyloides stercolaris in membranous nephropathy

La relación entre parásitos y glomerulonefritis (GN) está bien documentada en determinadas parasitosis, no así en casos de Strongyloides stercolaris (S. stercolaris), donde hay pocos casos descritos, siendo la mayoría GN de cambios mínimos. Reportamos un caso de hiperinfestación por S. stercolaris en un paciente afectado de una GN membranosa tratado con corticoides por vía oral con resultado fatal para el paciente. Este caso nos aporta una doble enseñanza: en primer lugar, acerca de una asociación rara de estrongiloidiasis y GN membranosa, y en segundo lugar, sobre la importancia de establecer un diagnóstico de sospecha y tratamiento adecuados ante determinadas infecciones o enfermedades con poca expresividad clínica antes de iniciar cualquier tratamiento inmunosupresor

The relationship between parasites and glomerulonephritis (GN) is well documented in certain parasitoses, but not in cases of Strongyloides stercolaris (S. stercolaris) where there are few cases described being the majority GN of minimal changes. We report a case of hyperinfestation by S. stercolaris in a patient affected by a membranous GN treated with oral corticosteroids with fatal outcome for the patient. This case provides a double teaching: first about a rare association of strongyloid and membranous GN and second about the importance of establishing a diagnosis of suspected and appropriate treatment for certain infections or diseases with little clinical expression before starting any immunosuppressive treatment