Performance characteristics of a prototype dialysate turbidity monitoring system to detect peritonitis in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: The risk of peritonitis has limited wider adoption of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the United States. We developed a prototype bedside dialysate turbidity monitoring system, aiming to improve diagnostic accuracy relative to conventional approaches which depend on visual inspection and reporting of insensitive and non-specific symptoms. METHODS: The prototype system was tested in a single-centre, proof-of-principle clinical study in patients receiving intermittent PD. We obtained multiple effluent dialysate samples from each consenting participant. We compared turbidity measurements with diagnostic criteria endorsed by the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD). RESULTS: Overall, we analysed 983 specimens from 65 patients, including 105 samples from patients with peritonitis and 878 samples from patients without peritonitis. An operating point derived from a previous in vitro study yielded an unadjusted sensitivity and specificity of 95.2% and 91.5%, respectively. The majority of samples that did not meet ISPD diagnostic criteria were either cases detected before criteria were met or were related to active peritonitis treatment and resolution. CONCLUSION: This proof-of-principle study demonstrates the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of a prototype dialysate turbidity monitoring system for peritonitis surveillance.

Serum Potassium Trajectory during Acute Kidney Injury and Mortality Risk.

BACKGROUND: The association between potassium (sK) level trajectory and mortality or the need for kidney replacement therapy (KRT) during acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been adequately explored. METHODS: In this prospective cohort, AKI patients admitted to the Hospital Civil de Guadalajara were enrolled. Eight groups based on the sK (mEq/L) level trajectories during 10 days of hospitalization were created (1) normokalemia (normoK), defined as sK between 3.5-5.5; (2) hyperkalemia to normoK; (3) hypokalemia to normoK; (4) fluctuating potassium; (5) persistent hypoK; (6) normoK to hypoK; (7) normoK to hyperK; (8) persistent hyperK. We assessed the association of sK trajectories with mortality and the need for KRT. RESULTS: A total of 311 AKI patients were included. The mean age was 52.6 years, and 58.6% were male. AKI stage 3 was present in 63.9%. KRT started in 36% patients, and 21.2% died. After adjusting for confounders, 10-day hospital mortality was significantly higher in groups 7 and 8 (OR, 1.35 and 1.61, p < 0.05, for both, respectively), and KRT initiation was higher only in group 8 (OR 1.38, p < 0.05) compared with group 1. Mortality in different subgroups of patients in group 8 did not change the primary results. CONCLUSION: In our prospective cohort, most patients with AKI had alterations in sK+. NormoK to hyperK and persistent hyperK were associated with death, while only persistent hyperK was correlated with the need for KRT.

Access to kidney transplantation in Mexico, 2007-2019: a call to end disparities in transplant care.

BACKGROUND: Access to kidney transplantation is limited to more than half of the Mexican population. A fragmented health system, gender, and sociocultural factors are barriers to transplant care. We analyzed kidney transplantation in Mexico and describe how public policies and sociocultural factors result in these inequities. METHODS: Kidney transplant data between 2007 to 2019 were obtained from the National Transplant Center database. Transplant rates and time spent on the waiting list, by age, gender, health system, and insurance status, were estimated. RESULTS: During the study period 34,931 transplants were performed. Recipients median age was 29 (IQR 22-42) years, 62.4% were males, and 73.9% were insured. 72.7% transplants were from living-donors. Annual transplant rates increased from 18.9 per million population (pmp) to 23.3 pmp. However, the transplant rate among the uninsured population remained low, at 9.3 transplants pmp. In 2019, 15,890 patients were in the waiting list; 60.6% were males and 88% were insured. Waiting time to transplant was 1.55 (IQR 0.56-3.14) years and it was shorter for patients listed in the Ministry of Health and private facilities, where wait lists are smaller, and for males. Deceased-organ donation rates increased modestly from 2.5 pmp to 3.9 pmp. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, access to kidney transplantation in Mexico is unequal and restricted to patients with medical insurance. An inefficient organ procurement program results in low rates of deceased-donor kidneys. The implementation of a comprehensive kidney care program, recognizing kidney transplantation as the therapy of choice for renal failure, offers an opportunity to correct these inequalities.

Challenges in Managing Pregnancy in Underserved Women with Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health problem and is linked to adverse outcomes during pregnancy; the high prevalence of CKD (3-6%) in women of childbearing age is of particular relevance in emerging countries where CKD prevalence is higher and resources are limited. Although CKD is a public health problem in Mexico, there is scant information on outcomes in pregnant CKD women in this country. We report maternal-fetal outcomes in a prospective cohort of poor, CKD pregnant women, and compare results with those of pregnant women without CKD. METHODS: A prospective study of pregnant CKD women referred to a public obstetrics/nephrology clinic from July 2013 to December 2017; sociodemographic and clinical data, including complications and perinatal outcomes, were recorded. CKD was defined at referral as per KDIGO guidelines; preeclampsia and superimposed preeclampsia were defined as appearance or worsening of hypertension and proteinuria. Findings were compared to official data for -Mexico and to a historic control of pregnant women without CKD who delivered at our hospital. RESULTS: Sixty-two pregnancies in CKD patients, age 23.4 ± 5.8 years were observed; 46.8% of patients were primiparous. At referral, serum creatinine was 1.8 (1.1-3.0) mg/dL with an estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 38.1 (21.9-68.0) mL/min/1.73 m2. In half of the cases, CKD was diagnosed during pregnancy. Forty-eight pregnant women without CKD, age 27 (22-34) years, who delivered during the study period were selected as controls: 33% were primiparous, serum creatinine was 0.50 (0.4-0.6) mg/dL, and estimate glomerular filtration rate was 135 (112-174) mL/min/1.73 m2. Twenty patients needed dialysis (HD-CKD): 2 were already on dialysis, and 18 began treatment during pregnancy; 42 CKD patients did not require dialysis (non-HD CKD). After delivery, 15 patients remained dialysis dependent while 5 did not. Preeclampsia was more frequent in CKD patients in comparison to controls. In total, 93% of CKD patients and 98% of controls delivered a live baby. Prematurity was more frequent in CKD patients than controls and was higher in HD-CKD than in non-HD CKD. Birth weight was lower in CKD when compared to controls. Logistic regression showed a higher risk of preeclampsia in CKD pregnancies than in controls, but it was not affected by age, parity, CKD stage, or need for dialysis during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Underserved CKD Mexican women have a high rate of adverse maternal-fetal outcomes during pregnancy. The risk may be higher in patients needing dialysis during pregnancy, many of whom remained dialysis dependent after delivery.

Pregnancy in Chronic Kidney Disease: Need for Higher Awareness. A Pragmatic Review Focused on What Could Be Improved in the Different CKD Stages and Phases.

Pregnancy is possible in all phases of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but its management may be difficult and the outcomes are not the same as in the overall population. The prevalence of CKD in pregnancy is estimated at about 3%, as high as that of pre-eclampsia (PE), a better-acknowledged risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. When CKD is known, pregnancy should be considered as high risk and followed accordingly; furthermore, since CKD is often asymptomatic, pregnant women should be screened for the presence of CKD, allowing better management of pregnancy, and timely treatment after pregnancy. The differential diagnosis between CKD and PE is sometimes difficult, but making it may be important for pregnancy management. Pregnancy is possible, even if at high risk for complications, including preterm delivery and intrauterine growth restriction, superimposed PE, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Results in all phases are strictly dependent upon the socio-sanitary system and the availability of renal and obstetric care and, especially for preterm children, of intensive care units. Women on dialysis should be aware of the possibility of conceiving and having a successful pregnancy, and intensive dialysis (up to daily, long-hours dialysis) is the clinical choice allowing the best results. Such a choice may, however, need adaptation where access to dialysis is limited or distances are prohibitive. After kidney transplantation, pregnancies should be followed up with great attention, to minimize the risks for mother, child, and for the graft. A research agenda supporting international comparisons is highly needed to ameliorate or provide knowledge on specific kidney diseases and to develop context-adapted treatment strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes in CKD women.

Acute Kidney Injury in Pregnancy: The Need for Higher Awareness. A Pragmatic Review Focused on What Could Be Improved in the Prevention and Care of Pregnancy-Related AKI, in the Year Dedicated to Women and Kidney Diseases.

Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (pAKI), preeclampsia (PE), and the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are closely related conditions, which are, in turn, frequently linked to pre-existing and often non-diagnosed chronic kidney disease (CKD). The current literature and research mainly underline the effects of pregnancy complications on the offspring; this review strongly emphasizes the maternal health as well. These conditions not only negatively affect pregnancy outcomes, but have a relevant effect on the future health of affected mothers and their children. Therefore, dedicated diagnostic and follow-up programs are needed, for optimizing materno-foetal health and reducing the impact of pregnancy-related problems in the mothers and in the new generations. This narrative review, performed on the occasion of the 2018 World Kidney Day dedicated to women's health, focuses on three aspects of the problem. Firstly, the risk of AKI in the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (the risk is the highest in developing countries; however PE is the main cause of pregnancy related AKI worldwide). Secondly, the effect of AKI and the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on the development of CKD in the mother and offspring: long-term risks are increased; the entity and the trajectories are still unknown. Thirdly, the role of CKD in the pathogenesis of AKI and the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: CKD is a major risk factor and the most important element in the differential diagnosis; pregnancy is a precious occasion for early diagnosis of CKD. Higher awareness on the importance of AKI in pregnancy is needed to improve short and long term outcomes in mothers and children.

Clostridium difficile infection in patients with chronic kidney disease in Mexico
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BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a leading cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea worldwide. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are especially vulnerable, as they are exposed to CDI risk factors including frequent antibiotics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to identify the risk factors for CDI in CKD patients, a 33-month long case-control study was carried out at a tertiary-care hospital in Mexico. CDI was confirmed at the genetic level, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the association between risk factors, biomarkers, and outcome options (survival, relapse, death). RESULTS: Among the 1,198 patients with healthcare-associated diarrhea, 354 (29.5%) were CDI cases. 105 (29.6%) CDI cases and 192 (22.7%) controls had CKD. 84 (80%) CKD+CDI cases had a favorable outcome, 10 (9.5%) relapsed, and the 3-month mortality rate included 11 (10.4%) patients. Compared with controls, CDI cases had more previous hospitalizations (63.8 vs. 46.9%, p = 0.005), abdominal distension (46.7 vs. 36.5%, p = 0.056), abdominal pain (60.0 vs. 41.1%, p = 0.002), and polymorphonuclear leukocyte in stools (71.4 vs. 40.5%, p = 0.001) as well as poorer outcomes at 3 months. The patients in the 027-strain group were older, and most of the patients had CKD stage 5 (88.5% vs. 71.1%, p = 0.007), while CKD stage-4 patients were more frequently infected with non-027 strains. In the multivariate analysis of risk factors for CDI, only previous antibiotic exposure (odds ratio = 2.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.05 - 3.84; p = 0.034) was independently associated with CDI in patients with CKD stage 5. CONCLUSION: Mexican patients with CKD are at risk for CDI. This susceptible group should be protected by promoting appropriate guidelines.
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Acute kidney injury in pregnancy and the role of underlying CKD: a point of view from México.

The incidence of acute kidney injury in pregnancy (P-AKI) in developed countries is significantly lower than in developing ones, where it is estimated to range between 4 and 26%. Mortality in cases of P-AKI requiring dialysis is high, varying from 20 to 80%. In developing countries, clinical decisions are often based on the availability of services and not on needs. Prenatal surveillance in Mexico does not include serum creatinine, limiting the potential for early diagnosis of AKI and CKD and their differential diagnosis. There are few specialized centers for the care of a pregnancy complicated with kidney disease in Mexico. P-AKI superimposed on preexistent, and usually undiagnosed CKD, is common: in Guadalajara 10 out of the 27 patients with Stage 3-5 CKD or nephrotic proteinuria, that were followed in 2013-2015, required renal replacement therapy (RRT) in pregnancy; in the same period in Mexico City out of 18 patients with P-AKI requiring dialysis, 5 remained dialysis dependent, 3 started dialysis in the following year after their pregnancy and only 1 fully recovered renal function. The grim prognosis is exacerbated by the fact that 70% of Mexicans are not reimbursed for dialysis, and pregnancy-related coverage lasts for only 42 days after delivery. Perinatal results are no less troubling, as most patients with P-AKI give birth preterm to small or very small babies. While our data do not allow us to evaluate needs, they do make it possible to define the complexity of the problems faced in the care of P-AKI in Mexico. Early diagnosis of P-AKI and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is needed to protect mothers and children and the country urgently needs programs to enable it to fulfil the World Health Organization's imperative that we "make every mother and child count".

When health systems are barriers to health care: challenges faced by uninsured Mexican kidney patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Kidney Disease disproportionately affects the poor in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Mexico exemplifies the difficulties faced in supporting Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) and providing equitable patient care, despite recent attempts at health reform. The objective of this study is to document the challenges faced by uninsured, poor Mexican families when attempting to access RRT. METHODS: The article takes an ethnographic approach, using interviewing and observation to generate detailed accounts of the problems that accompany attempts to secure care. The study, based in the state of Jalisco, comprised interviews with patients, their caregivers, health and social care professionals, among others. Observations were carried out in both clinical and social settings. RESULTS: In the absence of organised health information and stable pathways to renal care, patients and their families work extraordinarily hard and at great expense to secure care in a mixed public-private healthcare system. As part of this work, they must navigate challenging health and social care environments, negotiate treatments and costs, resource and finance healthcare and manage a wide range of formal and informal health information. CONCLUSIONS: Examining commonalities across pathways to adequate healthcare reveals major failings in the Mexican system. These systemic problems serve to reproduce and deepen health inequalities. A system, in which the costs of renal care are disproportionately borne by those who can least afford them, faces major difficulties around the sustainability and resourcing of RRTs. Attempts to increase access to renal therapies, therefore, need to take into account the complex social and economic demands this places on those who need access most. This paper further shows that ethnographic studies of the concrete ways in which healthcare is accessed in practice provide important insights into the plight of CKD patients and so constitute an important source of evidence in that effort.

Risk of peritonitis among disadvantaged CAPD patients in Mexico.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is the first-choice treatment for ESRD in Mexico. Peritonitis is the most frequent cause of morbidity and is among the leading causes of technique failure in our country. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of the standard and double-bag disconnect systems for the prevention of peritonitis in a high-risk population with poor living standards, and high prevalence of malnutrition and diabetes rates. METHODS: Episodes of peritonitis registered between July 1989 and June 2003 were included. Patients were divided in conventional and double-bag groups. Between July 1989 and May 1999, all patients used the conventional system. From May 1999, all incident patients were placed on a double-bag disconnect system. RESULTS: Six-hundred and forty-seven patients started dialysis in the study period, 383 in the conventional group, and 264 in the double-bag. The peritonitis rate observed was 1 episode per 7.2 patient-months in the conventional group, and 1 episode per 25.1 patient-months in the double-bag system (p < 0.001). Cumulative peritonitis-free survival rate at 6 (50 vs. 82%), 12 (27 vs. 69%) and 24 (12 vs. 45%) months, respectively, was significantly lower in the conventional group (p < 0.001). Technique survival at 1 (75 vs. 85%), 2 (68 vs. 80%), and 3 years (50 vs. 80%), was worse in the conventional group (p < 0.001). By multivariate analysis, the only factor associated with peritonitis was the connecting system. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that switching from a standard to a double-bag system using electrolytically produced sodium hypochlorite disinfectant markedly decreased the peritonitis rate, even in a high-risk population like ours.

Cardiovascular risk factors in the Mexican population.

Chronic degenerative disorders have become a major health problem in Mexico. Cardiovascular diseases represent the first cause of death in our country. Diabetes mellitus (DM) has emerged as the main health problem in Mexico. Its prevalence doubled from < 3% in the 1960s to 6% in the 1980s. Between 1993 and 2000, diabetes mellitus increased from 6.7% to 8.2%, a 22% growth over a seven-year period. In 1995, the cost of the treatment of DM represented 15.48% of the health budget and 0.79% of the GDP. The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) increased from 10% in 1933 to 20% in 1990 and from 23.8% to 30.7% between 1993 and 2000. The expenditures from HTN in 1999 corresponded to 13.9% of the health budget, and 0.71% of GDP. Dyslipidemias are very common. Close to 40% of the population has levels of HDL cholesterol < 35 mg/dL, 24.3% has fasting triglycerides > 200 mg/dL, and 10% has hypercholesterolemia. The prevalence of obesity increased from 21.4% in 1993, to 23.7% in the year 2000. Eight percent of the population has a glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min, and 9.1% has proteinuria. Twenty-four percent uses tobacco regularly, and 13% had the habit in the past. Smoking is more frequent among diabetics (34%).In conclusion, cardiovascular risks factors are highly common among the Mexican population and increasing at alarming rates. Preventive programs targeted to decrease their prevalence are urgently needed in Mexico and should become a national priority.

Is renal replacement therapy for all possible in developing countries?

Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem. More than one million individuals in the world are on maintenance dialysis, a number that is estimated to double in the next decade. Access to dialysis is significantly different between developed and developing nations. Close to 80% of the world dialysis population is treated in Europe, North America, and Japan, representing 12% of the world's population. The remaining dialysis patients are treated in the developing world. This disparity is likely due to the high cost and complexity of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Dialysis is so costly that is out of reach for low-income countries, which are struggling to provide preventive and therapeutic measures for communicable diseases and other basic needs. Providing renal care to all developing nations, although a difficult task, is not impossible. A number of strategies are proposed. These include the prevention of kidney disease, as well as dialysis and transplantation. Dialysis programs should be decentralized, and kidney transplantation should be promoted as the treatment of choice. The use of generic immunosuppressive drugs can make this therapy more affordable. Peritoneal dialysis seems a good, affordable, therapy for patients living in areas where hemodialysis is not available. Governments should provide funds not only for RRT but also for the prevention of kidney failure. The provision of tax incentives and reaching a critical number of patients on RRT could be incentives for industry to lower the cost of dialysis. The challenges are enormous, but renal care for all could be achieved through a concerted effort between nephrologists, governments, patients, charitable organizations, and industry.