Improving Access and Quality of Care for Kidney Stone Patients in an Underserved Community.

There is a call to improve Medicaid patient access to health care, enhance quality and outcomes of care, and reduce overall financial burden. We sought to build a comprehensive kidney stone program to help patients navigate through the acute and preventive aspects of stone disease by increasing multidisciplinary referrals and compliance with recommendations and decreasing no-show rates at first follow-up and repeat stone encounters after initial evaluation. A collaborative multidisciplinary program was established at our single institution consisting of urology, nephrology, and dietary specialists to be piloted over a 3-year period. Medicaid-designated patients were evaluated during new patient encounters by urology specialists and then followed for outpatient follow-up, including specialty referrals to nephrology specialists and dietitians, for targeted preventive measures. Subjective compliance reports by patients following interventions and no-show rates at subsequent follow-ups were documented. We also followed patients 6 months beyond the initial encounter to assess repeat Emergency Department (ED) visits for acute stone episodes. One hundred eighty-three Medicaid-designated stone patients were evaluated from 2018 to 2021. Sixty-eight percent of patients identified as White, 18% identified as Black/African American, and 14% identified as "Other." Patients underwent specialty referrals to nephrology or a dietician in 47% and 42% of cases, respectively. Since the program's implementation, reported patient compliance and referrals to multidisciplinary specialists increased from 72.9% to 81.30% and 21.2% to 56.20%, respectively. Repeat ED visits for stone-related encounters within 6 months of initial presentation remained relatively stable (from 17.60% to 18.9%), while no-show rates at first follow-up decreased from 20.0% to 6.30% by study conclusion. There is continued supporting evidence for the importance of a comprehensive kidney stone program specifically for patients of lower socioeconomic status following a 3-year implementation at our institution. Encouraging results indicate increased access to multidisciplinary specialty referrals, with improvement in follow-up and reported compliance related to stone prevention strategies.

Limited Reliability of the Spot Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio in the Longitudinal Evaluation of Patients With Lupus Nephritis.

INTRODUCTION: Cross-sectional studies document that the spot protein/creatinine ratio (PCR) is often an inaccurate estimate of proteinuria magnitude compared with the 24-hour PCR, which is the gold standard. However, the extent to which the inaccuracy of the spot PCR varies over time and between individuals has not previously been reported. We address these crucial questions using a unique database, an National Institutes of Health trial in which lupus nephritis (LN) patients (N = 103) provided spot PCR testing each month and 24-hour PCR testing every 3 months for up to 15 months after induction therapy. METHODS: A gold standard proteinuria trend line was constructed for each patient by joining the points that represented the serial 24-hour PCR values of the patient. The spot PCR values of the patient were then plotted in relationship to the 24-hour PCR trend line. Using our previous work, which estimated the 95% confidence intervals for the 24-hour PCR at specific levels, we determined in each patient whether the spot PCR values were "reliable," "problematic," or "unreliable." The sequential spot PCR of the patients deviated widely and often from the 24-hour PCR trend line, to the extent that, if the spot PCR results were used in real time for clinical decision-making, it was likely management errors would occur. RESULTS: Spot PCRs were reliable in 41%, problematic in 24%, and unreliable in 35% of patients. Those with unreliable spot PCRs could not be predicted and were more likely to respond poorly to treatment. CONCLUSION: The spot PCR should not be used for management of LN, and perhaps, other glomerulopathies.

Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Pharmacokinetics in a Critically Ill Adult Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

Limited data are available on ceftolozane/tazobactam dosing in patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Thus we performed a pharmacokinetic analysis of intravenous ceftolozane/tazobactam in a critically ill patient receiving CRRT at our medical center. A 47-year-old critically ill man with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia, bacteremia, and osteomyelitis was receiving ceftolozane/tazobactam 3 g (ceftolozane 2 g/tazobactam 1 g) every 8 hours while receiving continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF). After the fifth dose of ceftolozane/tazobactam, plasma samples were obtained at 1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-hour time points. Two additional post-hemodialysis filter plasma samples were obtained to assess CVVHDF clearance. The maximum and minimum plasma concentrations for ceftolozane were 163.9 µg/ml and 79.4 µg/ml, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0-8 hours (AUC0-8 ) was 689 µg hour/ml; the plasma half-life was 13.3 hours. The ceftolozane CVVHDF clearance and total clearance were 2.4 L/hour and 2.9 L/hour, respectively. Compared with a patient with normal renal function, this patient receiving CVVHDF had decreased ceftolozane clearance. A ceftolozane/tazobactam dosage of 1.5 g every 8 hours should adequately achieve a desired drug concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 µg/ml for the treatment of pneumonia. Additional pharmacokinetic data are needed to confirm our results and for alternative forms of CRRT.

Kidney complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) exposes a patient's kidneys to a unique combination of challenges, including high-dose radiation, anemia, chemotherapeutic agents, graft-versus-host disease, opportunistic infections, attenuated and altered immunologic responses, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, and extensive courses of antimicrobial agents. Since the inception of HSCT in the 1950s, there has been increasing interest in defining, determining, and managing the kidney complications that accompany this procedure. In this article, we review the common causes of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease that occur with HSCT, including HSCT-associated thrombotic microangiopathy, a distinct cause of chronic kidney disease with a multifactorial cause previously known as bone marrow transplant nephropathy or radiation nephropathy. Additionally, we review other kidney complications, including calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity and chronic graft-versus-host disease-associated glomerulonephritis, that develop post-HSCT. Critically, due to its grave prognosis, it is important to identify HSCT-associated thrombotic microangiopathy early, as well as distinguish it from the other causes of chronic kidney disease.

Hemodialysis access monitoring and surveillance, how and why?

Hemodialysis access is the 'life line' for patients on renal replacement therapy. Vascular access failure and complications are the second leading cause for hospitalization of patients on hemodialysis. The concept of access monitoring is based on the basic tenet that identification of patients at risk of developing future access failure, coupled with elective intervention will decrease the incidence of hemodialysis access failure and improve patient outcomes. Clinical monitoring and surveillance techniques are very effective in detecting hemodialysis access lesions. However, the studies analyzing the impact of monitoring and surveillance have yielded a variety of controversial results, which is likely the result of the differences in methodology and use of a variety of parameters. Despite the controversy surrounding the value of monitoring and surveillance, the Conditions of Coverage for dialysis providers mandate monitoring with appropriate and timely referrals to achieve and sustain vascular access. This review discusses pros and cons of various monitoring and surveillance techniques and suggests a strategy based on current literature.

Bath salts: a newly recognized cause of acute kidney injury.

Bath salts are substance of abuse that are becoming more common and are difficult to recognize due to negative toxicology screening. Acute kidney injury due to bath salt use has not previously been described. We present the case of a previously healthy male who developed acute kidney injury and dialysis dependence after bath salt ingestion and insufflation. This was self-reported with negative toxicology screening. Clinical course was marked by severe hyperthermia, hyperkalemia, rhabdomyolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, oliguria, and sepsis. We discuss signs and symptoms, differential diagnoses, potential mechanisms of injury, management, and review of the literature related to bath salt toxicity.

Diagnostic utility of kidney biopsy in patients with sarcoidosis and acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic multisystem disease characterized by noncaseating granulomatous inflammation. Renal biopsy is often performed to evaluate the patient with sarcoidosis and acute kidney injury (AKI). Diagnosis rests on the demonstration of noncaseating granulomas and exclusion of other causes of granulomatous inflammation. This paper reports a patient with pulmonary sarcoidosis and AKI whose renal function improved after prednisone therapy despite the absence of kidney biopsy findings characteristic of sarcoidosis. CASE REPORT: A 63-year-old Caucasian male with history of hypertension was treated for pulmonary sarcoidosis with a 6-month course of prednisone. His creatinine was 1.6 mg/dL during the course. Two months after finishing treatment, he presented with creatinine of 4 mg/dL. A kidney biopsy was performed, which showed nonspecific changes without evidence of granuloma or active interstitial inflammation. He was empirically started on prednisone for presumed renal sarcoidosis, even with a nondiagnostic kidney biopsy finding. Within a month of treatment, his serum creatinine improved to 2 mg/dL, though not to baseline. He continues to be stable on low-dose prednisone. With this case as a background, we aimed to determine the incidence of inconclusive kidney biopsies in patients with sarcoidosis presenting with AKI and to identify the various histological findings seen in this group of patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, all patients who had native renal biopsies read at The Ohio State University over the period of 6 years were identified. Those patients with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis, presenting with AKI, were included for further review. RESULTS: Out of 21 kidney biopsies done in patients with sarcoidosis over a period of 6 years, only four (19%) showed granulomatous interstitial nephritis (GIN). An equal number of patients (4 [19%]) had presence of membranous nephropathy. Nephrocalcinosis was seen in three patients (14%). Almost half of the biopsies had findings suggestive of diabetic nephropathy or other nonspecific changes not characteristic of renal sarcoidosis (48%). CONCLUSION: Renal sarcoidosis can be focal in nature and characteristic lesions can be missed in a small-needle core biopsy. Inconclusive renal biopsies with only nonspecific findings are frequent in patients with sarcoidosis and AKI. The presence of GIN on renal biopsy, although classic, is uncommon. Renal sarcoidosis remains a presumptive clinical diagnosis and empiric treatment with steroids may be initiated in cases with a strong clinical suspicion even in the absence of characteristic renal biopsy findings.

Peramivir pharmacokinetics in two critically ill adults with 2009 H1N1 influenza A concurrently receiving continuous renal replacement therapy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharmacokinetics of intravenous peramivir-an investigational neuraminidase inhibitor for the treatment of 2009 H1N1 infection or nonsubtypable influenza A thought to be the 2009 H1N1 virus-in patients concurrently receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). DESIGN: Pharmacokinetic analysis. SETTING: Critical care unit at a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Two critically ill women with 2009 H1N1 influenza A treated with compassionate-use intravenous peramivir administered as a daily infusion of 600 mg over 30 minutes while receiving continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), a form of CRRT. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Plasma samples were collected from the two patients before and 30 minutes after the fourth (first patient) and ninth (second patient) peramivir infusion to estimate minimum (C(min)) and maximum (C(max)) plasma concentrations, respectively. Two additional postinfusion concentrations were measured from each patient to estimate noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters of peramivir while receiving CVVHDF. In the two patients, respectively, C(min) was 2170 and 251 ng/ml, C(max) was 18,400 and 20,300 ng/ml, area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0-24 hours (AUC(0-24)) was 178,000 and 94,400 ng·hour/ml, drug clearance was 56 and 106 ml/minutes, and plasma half-life was 7.6 and 3.7 hours. The volume of distribution adjusted for ideal body weight at steady state was 0.51 and 0.54 L/kg, respectively. CONCLUSION: The first patient had a slower peramivir plasma clearance compared with the second patient, but both patients had higher peramivir clearances as calculated from AUC(0-24) than those predicted by CRRT. Thus, the dosage of intravenous peramivir was appropriate in these patients. Additional pharmacokinetic data are needed to confirm these results and help guide dosing in patients receiving various forms of CRRT.

Random spot urine protein/creatinine ratio is unreliable for estimating 24-hour proteinuria in individual systemic lupus erythematosus nephritis patients.

BACKGROUND: Recently the American Rheumatologic Association (ARA) recommended random spot urine protein/creatinine ratio (P/C) to monitor systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) glomerulonephritis (GN). Shortly afterward, 2 works were published, designated Study 1 and Study 2, which are the only studies to test spot P/C in SLE GN. Here we evaluate Study 1 and Study 2, which came to different conclusions. METHODS: Study 1 compared spot P/C to the P/C of intended 24-hour collections >50% complete, which reliably estimates 24-hour proteinuria. Study 2 compared spot P/C to the protein content of intended 24-hour collections >80% complete. To compare studies, Study 2 data were converted to P/C ratios. RESULTS: Study 1 and Study 2 were found to be in agreement. Both showed that spot P/C and 24-hour P/C were highly correlated, but only when compared over the entire P/C range (0-8.0) (r = 0.842). Over the P/C range 0.5-3.0 (the most common P/C range encountered in SLE GN), correlation was present, but concordance was poor, rendering random P/C ratio unreliable. CONCLUSIONS: Random spot P/C ratio is unreliable for detecting moderate proteinuria change. For example, random spot P/C would not reliably diagnose British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) Category A or B proteinuric flares.

Relationship between albuminuria and total proteinuria in systemic lupus erythematosus nephritis: diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Albuminuria is regarded a sensitive measure of progression of glomerular disease. This study was undertaken in patients who had systemic lupus erythematosus glomerulonephritis (n = 57) and were followed in the Ohio SLE Study to determine whether measuring albuminuria offered clinical advantages over that of total proteinuria. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Twenty-four-hour urine collections (n = 127) were obtained at baseline and annually for measurement of microalbumin, total protein, and creatinine. RESULTS: There was a strong linear relationship between microalbumin-creatinine and protein-creatinine ratios over the entire range of protein-creatinine ratios; however, in the protein-creatinine ratio range 0.0 to 0.3, as the protein-creatinine ratio increased, the microalbumin-protein ratio increased much more than the protein-creatinine ratio. Also, the greater the protein-creatinine ratio, the greater was the evidence for nonselective proteinuria (protein-creatinine ratio--microalbumin-creatinine ratio). CONCLUSIONS: For the diagnosis of proteinuria renal flare, measuring albuminuria offers no advantage over measuring total proteinuria because changes in protein-creatinine and microalbumin-creatinine ratios are highly correlated over the designated ranges for systemic lupus erythematosus glomerulonephritis proteinuric flares. In those with normal-range proteinuria, subsequent changes in microalbumin-protein ratio might be a better forecaster of renal flare than changes in protein-creatinine or microalbumin-creatinine ratio. High protein-creatinine ratios are associated with evidence of nonselective proteinuria, which may increase the nephrotoxicity of proteinuria. Thus, using high-threshold criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus flare (allowing greater proteinuria increase before flare is declared) may expose the kidney to greater nephrotoxicity than using the low-threshold criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus flare.

Staphylococcus infection-associated glomerulonephritis mimicking IgA nephropathy.

The association of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection with glomerulonephritis (GN) has been well documented in Japan but not in North America. Recently, eight renal biopsies with IgA-predominant or -codominant GN from eight patients with underlying staphylococcal infection, but without endocarditis, were observed at a single institution in a 12-mo period. Renal biopsies were worked up by routinely used methodologies. Eight cases of primary IgA nephropathy were used as controls. Five patients had MRSA infection, one had methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) infection, and two had methicillin-sensitive S. aureus infection. Four patients became infected after surgery; two patients were diabetic and had infected leg ulcers. All patients developed acute renal failure, with active urine sediment and severe proteinuria. Most renal biopsies showed only mild glomerular hypercellularity. Two biopsies had prominent mesangial and intracapillary hypercellularity; one of them (the MRSE-associated case) had large glomerular hyalin thrombi. This patient also had a positive cryoglobulin test. Rare glomerular hyalin thrombi were noted in two other cases. Immunofluorescence showed IgA pre- or codominance in all biopsies. Electron microscopy revealed mesangial deposits in all cases. Five biopsies had rare glomerular capillary deposits as well. In the MRSE-associated GN, large subendothelial electron-dense deposits were present. These cases demonstrate that staphylococcal (especially MRSA) infection-associated GN occurs in the US as well, and a rising incidence is possible. It is important to differentiate a Staphylococcus infection-associated GN from primary IgA nephropathy to avoid erroneous treatment with immunosuppressive medications.

Should the target for blood pressure control specify both a systolic and a diastolic component?

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) Report recommends, as the target for hypertension control, achieving both a systolic and diastolic goal. We suggest, however, that specifying both a systolic and a diastolic component for the blood pressure goal can be confusing to physician and patient. Furthermore, literal interpretation and application of this JNC 7 recommendation could result in overtreatment, undertreatment, or institution of treatment for hypertension when none is needed. Specific scenarios illustrating how inappropriate treatment could result from literal interpretation and application of the JNC 7 recommendations are presented. Our recommended blood pressure goal for hypertensives is: Sitting systolic blood pressure consistently in the 120s or less, if tolerated. This recommendation is evidence based, easy to understand, and achievable. Its rationale is discussed.

Clinical risk factors associated with bleeding after native kidney biopsy.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of various risk factors on postbiopsy bleeding (PBB). PROCEDURE: A retrospective review of 645 native kidney biopsies carried out from 1981 to 2001 was conducted. Data regarding age, gender, race, prebiopsy blood pressure, history of hypertension, pre- and postbiopsy haemoglobin/haematocrit, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were collected. FINDINGS: The overall PBB complication rate was 6.2%. High blood pressure was associated with a high risk of bleeding (test for trend, P < 0.05). It increased when systolic blood pressure (SBP) was >160 mm of Hg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was >100 mm of Hg, or mean arterial pressure (MAP) was > or = 120 mm of Hg. In patients with a history of hypertension, the risk of PBB was 3.74 times higher (P = 0.0001) than patients with no history of hypertension, irrespective of blood pressure at the time of biopsy. For patients with creatinine > 2 mg/dL, the risk ratio for PBB was 5.89 when compared with patients with creatinine < or = 2 mg/dL. Logistic regression analysis showed that a history of hypertension was associated with PBB, with an odds ratio of 1.89 (confidence interval, 1.10-3.26, P < 0.03), and serum creatinine of > 2.0 mg/dL was associated with an odds ratio of 2.56 (confidence interval, 1.48-4.42, P = 0.001) for PBB. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of PBB increases with high SBP, DBP or MAP. A history of hypertension and high serum creatinine are significant independent risk factors for PBB.

Colon biopsies for evaluation of acute graft-versus-host disease (A-GVHD) in allogeneic bone marrow transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Proper histomorphological interpretation of intestinal acute graft versus host disease (A-GVHD) associated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is critical for clinical management. However, studies methodically evaluating different histomorphological features of A-GVHD are rare. METHODS: Colonic biopsies from 44 allogeneic BMT patients having biopsy-proven cutaneous A-GVHD were compared with colon biopsies from 48 negative controls. RESULTS: A-GVHD showed intra-cryptal apoptosis in 91% and pericryptal apoptosis in adjacent lamina propria in 70% (p < 0.002). Nonspecific apoptosis along the surface epithelium was observed in all groups with comparable frequency. The number of apoptotic cells in mucosa were approximately four times (5.3 per 10 HPF) the negative controls (p < 0.002) in A-GVHD group. 48% of cases with A-GVHD showed decreased number of lymphocytes in lamina propria. Some features, including intraepithelial lymphocytes in surface or crypt epithelium; and neutrophils, eosinophils, and edema in lamina propria, did not demonstrate significant difference in A-GVHD and negative controls. Pericryptal apoptosis, dilated crypts, irregular distribution of crypts, decreased lymphocytes, increased microvessel network, focal fibrosis, presence of muciphages, reactive changes in surface epithelium with mucin depletion, mucosal ulceration, and/or reduced mucosal thickness showed higher association with A-GVHD group. CONCLUSIONS: Intracyptal apoptosis is a reliable indicator of A-GVHD. Its diagnostic significance was improved if intracyptal apoptosis was associated with features which were observed more frequently in A-GVHD group as mentioned above.