Renal replacement therapy during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) has significantly increased in the past 20 years. There is a high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the group of patients on ECMO, with need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in most of them. This article will review the basics of CRRT, its indications, the technical aspects of incorporating CRRT with ECMO circuit, data on clinical aspects, and outcomes.

Hepatitis B virus related membranous glomerulonephritis and proteinuria treated with lamivudine and tenofovir.

Membranous glomerulonephritis is the most common histological renal lesion associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The authors describe here a case of a patient presenting with the nephrotic syndrome and HBV infection but without progressive liver disease. The use of lamivudine and tenofovir resulted in arrest of proteinuria and stabilisation of renal function.

Prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in long-term renal transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease accounts for the majority of morbidity and mortality in renal transplant patients. This relates to a number of modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors, including new onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT). We examined the prevalence of these risk factors in a cohort of 126 renal transplant patients. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study of 94 nondiabetic post-transplant (ND) patients (mean age 45.7 ± 13.5 years) and 32 NODAT patients (55.2 ± 9.6 years) was performed. Univariate linear regression analysis was used to identify potential factors that affected cardiovascular events. Multivariable analysis was performed on those factors found to achieve a P value of less than 0.20 after univariate analysis to test for significance in relation to cardiovascular risk as the primary factor. RESULTS: Mean serum creatinine levels were 131.1 ± 4.3 µmol/L and 135.2 ± 4.9 µmol/L at 96.9 ± 8.7 and 79.4 ± 14.1 months post-transplantation, respectively. Systolic pressure and pulse pressure were significantly higher in NODAT patients (P = 0.016 and P < 0.005). Adequate target blood pressures were obtained in 80% of patients. Low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were reduced in NODAT (P = 0.04 and P = 0.005). Homocysteine was similarly elevated in both groups (17.5 and 15.6 µmol/L, respectively). Coronary events and/or coronary disease were present in 19.1% of ND and 37.5% of NODAT patients (P < 0.05). Cardiac deaths were three-fold more common (25% versus 7.4%) in patients with NODAT. Univariate analysis revealed diabetes and age, and subsequent multivariable analysis revealed age only, as being significantly associated with cardiovascular outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac events are more common in patients with NODAT. Age is an important determinant of cardiovascular risk.