Serum cystatin C to creatinine ratio is associated with sarcopenia in non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a prevalent complication in patients with chronic kidney disease and is associated with poor quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Several candidate biomarkers have been evaluated for this condition. This study assessed the serum cystatin C to creatinine (serum cystatin C/Cr) ratio as a potential biomarker for sarcopenia in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease. METHODS: This study enrolled 517 outpatients. Muscle mass (lean tissue index) was measured using a bioimpedance spectroscopic device, and muscle strength (handgrip strength) was also measured. Sarcopenia was defined as a combination of low muscle strength and low muscle mass. RESULTS: Sarcopenia was observed in 25.5% of patients, and the mean serum cystatin C/Cr ratio was significantly higher in patients with sarcopenia than in those without it (1.14 ± 0.26 vs. 1.01 ± 0.27, p < 0.001). The prevalence of sarcopenia and low lean tissue index increased as the cystatin C/Cr ratio increased. The negative predictive value of the cystatin C/Cr ratio for sarcopenia or low lean tissue index was ≥80%. Multivariate analyses revealed that when the serum cystatin C/Cr ratio increased by 1, the risk of sarcopenia, low lean tissue index, and low handgrip strength increased by 4.6-, 7.2-, and 2.6-fold, respectively (p = 0.003, p < 0.001, and p = 0.048). The association was maximized in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <30 mL/min/1.73 m2. CONCLUSION: Calculating the serum cystatin C/Cr ratio could be helpful for detecting and managing sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Late stage 3 chronic kidney disease is an independent risk factor for sarcopenia, but not proteinuria.

Most epidemiologic studies assessing the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and sarcopenia have been performed in dialysis patients. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, and sarcopenia in patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD. A total of 892 outpatients who did not show any rapid changes in renal function were enrolled in this observational cohort study. We measured the muscle mass using bioimpedance analysis and handgrip strength (HGS), and sarcopenia was defined as low HGS and low muscle mass. Sarcopenia was found in 28.1% of the patients and its prevalence decreased as the body mass index (BMI) increased; however, in patients with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2, the prevalence did not increase with BMI. As eGFR decreased, the lean tissue index and HGS significantly decreased. However, the eGFR did not affect the fat tissue index. The risk of sarcopenia increased approximately 1.6 times in patients with eGFR < 45 mL/min/1.73 m2. However, proteinuria was not associated with sarcopenia. With a decrease in eGFR, the lean muscle mass and muscle strength decreased, and the prevalence of sarcopenia increased. In patients with late stage 3 CKD, further assessment of body composition and screening for sarcopenia may be needed.

Neutrophil extracellular traps and heparin-induced antibodies contribute to vascular access thrombosis in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Anti-heparin/platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies may trigger severe thrombotic complications in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Tetrameric PF4 has a high affinity for extracellular DNA, which is a key component of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs); therefore, the interactions between anti-heparin/PF4 antibodies and NETs can contribute to prothrombotic events. METHODS: Anti-heparin/PF4 antibody levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an optical density > 1.8 was regarded as clinically significant. We additionally measured serum nucleosome levels as representative markers of NETs, and the contributions of anti-heparin/PF4 and increased serum nucleosome levels to the primary functional patency loss of vascular access was assessed. RESULTS: The frequency of anti-heparin/PF4 antibodies was significantly higher in incident HD patients compared to prevalent HD patients (23.6% vs. 7.7%). Serum nucleosome levels, as well as the white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, and high- sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, were significantly higher in anti-heparin/PF4 antibody-positive patients compared to the control. Platelet counts tended to be lower in the patients with anti-heparin/PF4 of >1.8 than in the controls. Relative risk calculations showed that the presence of anti-heparin/PF4 antibodies increased the risk of primary functional patency failure by 4.28-fold, and this risk increased further with higher nucleosome levels. Furthermore, in the anti-heparin/PF4 antibody-positive group, the time to first vascular intervention was much shorter, and the risk of repeated intervention was higher, compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: In incident HD patients, the presence of anti-heparin/PF4 antibodies was associated with increased NET formation; this could be a strong predictor of vascular access complications.

Effectiveness of Flow Volume Measurement Training Using a Custom-Made Doppler Flow Simulator.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of a custom-made Doppler ultrasound (DUS) flow simulator, vascular phantom, and Doppler test fluid in the training of dialysis staff in flow volume (FV) measurements for arteriovenous (AV) access in hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: A DUS flow simulator was constructed using a continuous renal replacement therapy machine. Vascular phantoms were constructed using a rubber enema tube and keyboard cleaning gel. The Doppler test fluid consisted of freeze-dried instant coffee granules and 0.9% saline. This easy and affordable simulator was used to train 12 dialysis staff members, with no previous experience in DUS FV measurement. After a 3-day lecture course, the staff members performed DUS analyses on the AV access of HD patients. Thereafter, they underwent a 3-day training course using the simulator and then performed the DUS analyses of the AV access again. Each staff member assessed the FV 3 times, and the mean values of the measurements pretraining and posttraining were analyzed using paired t tests. RESULTS: The difference in the mean value of FV measurements and the reference value decreased from 131.6 mL/min to 62.5 mL/min (95% confidence interval = 30.0-108.0, P = 0.002), and the standard deviation of the FV measurements decreased from 96.9 mL/min to 47.0 mL/min (95% confidence interval = 7.9-91.8, P = 0.023) after DUS training with the simulator. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy and reproducibility of FV measurements markedly improved after training with the simulator; it may be helpful for medical practitioners involved in AV access for HD treatment.

Comparison of dynamic arterial and venous pressure between metal needles and plastic cannulas in incident hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous graft.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS: We hypothesized that plastic cannulae with 17-gauge inner needle compared to 16-gauge metal needles can have stable dynamic venous and arterial pressure maintaining prescribed blood flow safely during a hemodialysis treatment. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: A single-center, prospective, randomized, open-label clinical trial was conducted involving 16 incident hemodialysis patients who had arteriovenous graft placed as their first arteriovenous access. Subjects were randomized to metal needle group (n = 8) versus plastic cannula group (n = 8). We measured serial dynamic pre-pump arterial and venous pressure under five different blood pump flow rates (150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 mL/min). RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 67.6 ± 8.5 (range: 51-81) years, and six patients (37.5%) were male. Patients with plastic cannula showed less negative arterial pre-pump pressures and lower venous pressures than those with metal needles at all prescribed blood flow rates, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The plastic cannula had more stable arterial and venous pressures at prescribed blood pump flow rates than those pressures of the metal needle in incident patients with arteriovenous graft during hemodialysis.

Incidence of malignancy and related mortality after kidney transplantation: a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Korea.

Post-transplant malignancy (PTM) is a leading cause of premature mortality among kidney transplantation recipients. However, population-based cohort studies that cover incidence, mortality, and risk factors for PTM are rarely reported, especially in East Asia. We designed a retrospective cohort study using a national population-based database. A total of 9915 kidney recipients between 2003 and 2016 were included. During this period, 598 cases (6.0%) of de novo PTM occurred. The most common PTM was thyroid cancer (14.2%), followed by colorectal (11.2%), kidney (10.7%), and stomach cancers (8.9%). The standardised incidence ratio for all-site cancer was 3.9. The risks of Kaposi sarcoma (192.9) and kidney cancer (21.1) were more than 10 times those of the general population. Cancer-related deaths were 89 (14.9%) with liver cancer being the highest (14.6%), followed by lung cancer (13.5%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (12.4%), stomach cancer (9.0%), and colorectal cancer (7.9%). The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) was slightly elevated (1.4). A notable increase in SMR was observed for lymphoma (9.3 for Hodgkin lymphoma and 5.5 for NHL). Older age and graft failure were significantly related to PTM. These findings reflecting geographical variation have implications for the development of strategies for fatal cancers to prevent premature deaths from PTM.

Role of peribrachial fat as a key determinant of brachial artery dilatation for successful arteriovenous fistula maturation in hemodialysis patients.

The functional quality of the inflow artery is one of the most important determinants of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) success. We evaluated the association of early optimal brachial arterial dilatation with a successful AVF maturation and assessed the role of peribrachial adipose tissue in determining brachial arterial distensibility. All patients underwent a preoperative vascular mapping with Doppler ultrasound (US), and only patients who had suitable vessels for AVF creation were enrolled (n = 162). Peribrachial fat thickness was measured using US. To evaluate the degree of brachial dilatation, follow-up US was performed at 1 month after surgery, and early brachial artery dilation was defined as the change in postoperative arterial diameter compared to the preoperative value. The primary outcome was failure to achieve a clinically functional AVF within 8 weeks. Nonfunctional AVF occurred in 21 (13.0%) patients, and they had a significantly lower brachial dilatation than patients with successful AVF during early period after surgery (0.85 vs. 0.43 mm, p = 0.003). Patients with a brachial dilatation greater than median level showed a 1.8-times higher rate of achieving a successful AVF than those without. Interestingly, the early brachial dilatation showed significant correlations with diabetes (r = -0.260, p = 0.001), peribrachial fat thickness (r = -0.301, p = 0.008), and the presence of brachial artery calcification (r = -0.178, p = 0.036). Even after adjustments for demographic factors, comorbidities, and baseline brachial flow volume, peribrachial fat thickness was an independent determinant for early brachial dilatation (ß = -0.286, p = 0.013). A close interplay between the peri-brachial fat and brachial dilatation can be translated into novel clinical tools to predict successful AVF maturation.

Prognostic role of circulating neutrophil extracellular traps levels for long-term mortality in new end-stage renal disease patients.

Dysregulation of innate immunity has been proposed as an important contributing factor for advanced atherosclerosis and resultant high mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. To evaluate the long-term prognostic role of in vivo neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), we measured circulating serum nucleosome, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and DNase I levels in 281 incident HD patients. Circulating nucleosome level was significantly higher in HD patients compared to controls, and it was closely associated with MPO levels, suggesting increased in vivo NETs in uremia. Patients in the nucleosome Q4 group had significantly increased all-cause and adverse CV mortality compared to those in the Q1-3 group even after adjusting traditional risk factors Also, serum DNase I level was significantly higher in HD patients than controls (2.76 ±â€¯1.02 ng/ml and 1.93 ±â€¯0.85 ng/ml), but it had no correlation with NETs. Interestingly, it serves an additive biomarker for predicting poor CV outcomes. The two novel biomarkers might provide an importance independent prognostic significance in incident HD patients.

Outcomes of vascular access in hemodialysis patients: Analysis based on the Korean National Health Insurance Database from 2008 to 2016.

BACKGROUND: Controversies exist whether arteriovenous fistula (AVF) placement is preferred over arteriovenous graft (AVG) for elderly patients. Current guidelines did not offer specific recommendations. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze the all-cause mortality and primary patency associated with various vascular access (VA) types according to age group. METHODS: This retrospective observational study investigated the Korean insurance claims data of chronic kidney disease patients who began hemodialysis between January 2008 and December 2016. We investigated all-cause mortality associated with initial VA in incident hemodialysis patients and primary patency between AVF and AVG according to age group. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with a tunneled dialysis catheter (TDC) that was first placed for VA increased from 18.4% in 2008 to 52.3% in 2016. Incident hemodialysis patients with a TDC or AVG for the initial VA had significantly higher mortality risk than patients with an AVF, except for patients over 85 years, who showed no significant difference in all-cause mortality regardless of VA type. In the patency analysis on initial AV access, AVG had significantly poorer primary patency than AVF in all age groups. CONCLUSION: AVF had better patency than AVG in all age groups; however, the benefit of AVF attenuated in the older age groups. The mortality rate between AVF and AVG was not significantly different in patients over 85 years. Therefore, a "patient-first" approach should be emphasized over a "fistula-first" approach in AV access creation for incident hemodialysis patients older than 85 years.

Custom-made Doppler ultrasound flow simulator for dialysis access using continuous renal replacement therapy machine.

The purpose of this article was to introduce an easy and inexpensive way of making a simulator for training in Doppler ultrasound flow rate measurement using a continuous renal replacement therapy machine and home-made phantoms. A Doppler ultrasound flow simulator was made using a continuous renal replacement therapy machine and vascular phantoms for flow rate assessment of dialysis access with readily accessible components including rubber tube, keyboard cleaning gel, and freeze-dried instant coffee granules. The simulator is an affordable and easy method of Doppler ultrasound flow rate measurement training for dialysis staff using materials readily available in dialysis centers.

Serum alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase in acute pyelonephritis.

BACKGROUND: Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) are commonly observed in patients with acute pyelonephritis. The goal of this study was to examine the clinical significance of elevated serum AP and γ-GT levels and to explore the mechanisms underlying these changes. METHODS: We examined serum AP and γ-GT levels in 438 patients with acute pyelonephritis. Urine AP/creatinine (Cr), urine γ-GT/Cr, fractional excretion of AP, and fractional excretion of γ-GT (FEγ-GT) were evaluated in patients with elevated and normal serum levels. AP isoenzymes were also examined. RESULTS: We identified 77 patients (17.6%) with elevated serum AP and 134 patients (30.6%) with elevated serum γ-GT. Among them, both enzymes were elevated in 64 patients (14.6%). Older age, longer hospital stay, elevated baseline serum Cr, and complicated pyelonephritis were associated with increases in serum AP and γ-GT. Multivariate analysis showed that high serum AP levels were significantly correlated with renal impairment (odds ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-4.19; P = 0.029). FEγ-GT was significantly lower in patients with elevated serum enzyme levels. The liver fraction for AP isoenzyme profile did not increase in patients with elevated serum AP. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that elevated serum AP and γ-GT levels are associated with complicated pyelonephritis and renal impairment. Lower FEγ-GT levels in patients with elevated serum enzymes may be the result of decreased urinary excretion of these enzymes.

Effects of Excessive Body Fat Accumulation on Long-Term Outcomes During Peritoneal Dialysis.

Background:Significant body fat accumulation is an inevitable but potentially serious problem in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Whether excessive fat gain predicts long-term outcomes in these patients remains unknown.Methods:In this prospective cohort study (n = 297), the associations of excessive fat accumulation with patient survival and PD failure rate were examined. Based on dialysis duration at the time of study enrollment, patients were divided into short- (< 2 years) and long-term (> 2 years) groups. Body weight (BW) and body composition were measured twice, 12.8 ± 4.6 months apart. Excessive fat accumulation was defined as a 1-year change in the percentage of body fat (ΔPBF) over the highest quartile (5.0% for men, 5.4% for women).Results:Substantial 1-year increases in BW and PBF were observed only in the short-term group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.027, respectively); changes were insignificant in the long-term group. In the short-term group, the ΔPBF was associated closely with unfavorable baseline metabolic profiles, including old age, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood pressure, and edema. Accordingly, the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with, than in those without, excessive fat accumulation (hazard ratio [HR] 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 - 10.26). It also increased the incident risk of PD failure 2.22-fold (95% CI, 1.08 - 4.54), even after adjustment for diabetes, obesity, and fluid status. In the long-term group, fat gain had no impact on long-term prognosis.Conclusions:Excessive fat accumulation during the early period of PD was associated with baseline unhealthy metabolic profiles, a higher mortality rate, and a higher PD failure rate, independent of baseline obesity and fluid status.

Impact of sarcopenia on long-term mortality and cardiovascular events in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A high body mass index (BMI) is known to correlate with better survival in patients on hemodialysis (HD). However, the impacts of body composition and sarcopenia on survival have not been well studied in this population. METHODS: One hundred and forty-two prevalent HD patients were recruited and followed prospectively for up to 4.5 years. Low muscle mass (measured using a portable, whole-body, bioimpedance spectroscopic device) was defined as a lean tissue index (LTI) two standard deviations (SD) or more below the normal gender-specific mean for young people. Low muscle strength was a handgrip strength (HGS) of less than 30 kg in males and less than 20 kg in females. Sarcopenia was considered present when both LTI and HGS were reduced. RESULTS: The mean age was 59.8 ± 13.1 years; 57.0% were male and 47.2% had diabetes. Forty-seven patients (33.1%) had sarcopenia. During follow-up, 28 patients (19.7%) died, and low LTI (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10 to 6.97) and low HGS (HR 5.65; 95% CI, 1.99 to 16.04) were independently associated with mortality. Sarcopenia was a significant predictor for death (HR, 6.99; 95% CI, 1.84 to 26.58; p = 0.004) and cardiovascular events (HR, 4.33; 95% CI, 1.51 to 12.43; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia was strongly associated with long-term mortality and cardiovascular events in HD patients. Assessment of muscle strength and muscle mass may provide additional prognostic information to survival in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Anatomical variants of upper arm veins on preoperative mapping venography for hemodialysis access in Korean adults.

INTRODUCTION: The number of elderly patients requiring hemodialysis has increased, along with the need for multiple vascular access placements. Thus, the frequency of access creation using the upper arm veins, including transposed basilic arteriovenous fistula, has also increased. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of anatomical variations in the upper arm veins on preoperative mapping venography and to investigate the implications of such variants on access creation. METHODS: A total of 494 venograms were performed on 251 patients for primary access creation from June 2014 to June 2017 in this single-center, retrospective study. The venograms were classified into eight subtypes, based on the anatomical relationship between the basilic and brachial veins. The presence of bifid cephalic arches and brachial-basilic ladders was also examined. RESULTS: The presence of bifid cephalic arches and brachial-basilic ladders was identified in 8.7% and 14.0% of cases, respectively. Paired brachial veins joined separately with the basilic vein in 67.4% of venograms, whereas these veins merged into a common brachial vein before connecting to the basilic vein in 13.1% of cases. A single brachial vein was present in 19.3% of cases. 15.7% of cases were considered unsuitable for basilic vein transposition due to the early confluence of the brachial-basilic vein, posing a risk of obliterating the deep venous drainage if transposed. CONCLUSION: There are significant anatomical variations of upper arm veins, and the recognition of certain variants can affect surgical planning and outcomes of access placement. It is important to identify anatomical variants of the upper arm veins during preoperative vein mapping.

Current treatment status and medical costs for hemodialysis vascular access based on analysis of the Korean Health Insurance Database.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Republic of Korea is a country where the hemodialysis population is growing rapidly. It is believed that the numbers of treatments related to vascular access-related complications are also increasing. This study investigated the current status of treatment and medical expenses for vascular access in Korean patients on hemodialysis. METHODS: This was a descriptive observational study. We inspected the insurance claims of patients with chronic kidney disease who underwent hemodialysis between January 2008 and December 2016. We calculated descriptive statistics of the frequencies and medical expenses of procedures for vascular access. RESULTS: The national medical expenses for access-related treatment were 7.12 billion KRW (equivalent to 6.36 million USD) in 2008, and these expenses increased to 42.12 billion KRW (equivalent to 37.67 million USD) in 2016. The population of hemodialysis patients, the annual frequency of access-related procedures, and the total medical cost for access-related procedures increased by 1.6-, 2.6-, and 5.9-fold, respectively, over the past 9 years. The frequency and costs of access care increased as the number of patients on hemodialysis increased. The increase in vascular access-related costs has largely been driven by increased numbers of percutaneous angioplasty. CONCLUSION: The increasing proportion of medical costs for percutaneous angioplasty represents a challenge in the management of end-stage renal disease in Korea. It is essential to identify the clinical and physiological aspects as well as anatomical abnormalities before planning angioplasty. A timely surgical correction could be a viable option to control the rapid growth of access-related medical expenses.

The relationship between autophagy, increased neutrophil extracellular traps formation and endothelial dysfunction in chronic kidney disease.

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), the number of circulating neutrophils are increased, and this is usually accompanied by an increased basal activation state. However, the possible association between neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) with vascular complications has not been evaluated. We assessed the relationship between NETs, autophagy and endothelial dysfunction in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. NET formation, neutrophil elastase (NE) activities, and serum nucleosome levels were measured in MHD (n = 60) and controls (n = 20). Basal NET formation were markedly increased in MHD patient compared to controls. After PMA stimulation, MHD neutrophils showed significantly increased NETs formation response than controls. The degree of NETs was strongly associated with lower flow-mediated dilatation(%) of brachial artery even after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and uremic toxins. Moreover, MHD neutrophils showed increased basal autophagy activity. Interestingly, the levels of NETs were markedly augmented after autophagy inhibition, suggesting a protective role of autophagy in excessive NET formation.

Fat-to-Lean Mass Ratio Can Predict Cardiac Events and All-Cause Mortality in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Although higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with better survival in patients undergoing dialysis, BMI is not an adequate obesity indicator. We hypothesized that the fat-to-lean (F/L) mass ratio could be a suitable marker of nutritional status and evaluated its prognostic impact on long-term outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: In total, 131 patients undergoing HD were recruited and monitored prospectively for up to 5 years. Body composition was analyzed, and other nutritional and inflammatory parameters were measured. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 60.7 ± 13.6 years, and 65 patients were diabetic. Age, sex, diabetes, comorbidity, and inflammation were associated significantly with the F/L mass ratio. During the follow-up period, 21 patients experienced cardiac events and 22 patients died. Patients with higher F/L mass ratios had significantly higher risks of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR] 3.61, 95% CI 1.07-12.13; p = 0.038) and cardiac events (HR 3.54, 95% CI 1.05-11.94; p = 0.041) than those with lower F/L mass ratios. CONCLUSIONS: The F/L mass ratio was a useful surrogate marker of nutritional and inflammatory status, and an independent predictor of cardiac events and all-cause mortality, in patients undergoing HD.

Repeated Bioimpedance Measurements Predict Prognosis of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Fluid overload is a major risk factor for mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, few studies have investigated the effect of chronic exposure to sustained fluid overload on long-term outcomes. METHOD: A total of 284 prevalent PD patients were included in this prospective study. Repeated multifrequency body composition analysis was performed 12 months apart, and 1-year cumulative chronic fluid overload were used to predict all-cause mortality and the risk for transfer to hemodialysis (HD) during the ensuing 15.6 ± 9.1 months. RESULTS: The prevalence of fluid overload was approximately 27%. Interestingly, a substantial number of hypervolemic patients at first test were persistently hypervolemic at their second test. With this, chronic fluid overload was observed in 18.3% (n = 52). Notably, most of chronic fluid overload patients had diabetes (86.5%), and it was accompanied by concomitant changes in peritoneal membrane characteristics, a higher progression rate to high transporter. The risk of transfer to HD increased 2.8 times in patients with chronic fluid overload than in those without. Also, it significantly increased the risk of mortality (p = 0.038). Surprisingly, subgroup analysis found that patients with euvolemic status at follow-up experienced no mortality despite being in a fluid overload state at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: One-year chronic exposure to fluid overload is a strong independent risk factor for transfer to HD and death in prevalent PD patients. Although the fluid status of most PD patients is not easily changed over time, becoming euvolemic during the entire PD treatment period seems to be very important.

Long-term prognosis of end-stage renal disease patients with normal myocardial perfusion as determined by single photon emission computed tomography.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Normal myocardial perfusion is closely associated with very low rates of cardiac events and better long-term outcomes; however, little is known about its prognostic value in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). METHODS: A total of 286 incident patients underwent baseline cardiac evaluations using echocardiography and stress-rest single-photon emission computed tomography. Perfusion scans for 177 patients (61.9%) who had a summed stress score (SSS) < 4 were normal. RESULTS: During the 4-year follow-up period, 79 cardiac events occurred. Patients with a SSS < 4 had significantly lower annual rates of cardiac events than did those with a SSS ≥ 4 (6.4% vs. 13.2%; hazard ratio, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.31 to 0.94). Among patients with a SSS < 4, however, cardiac event rates significantly differed according to the presence of comorbid conditions such as old age, diabetes, history of coronary artery disease, and elevated C-reactive protein levels. In addition, the presence of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and LV hypertrophy at the start of hemodialysis strongly influenced future cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ESRD, normal perfusion scans usually indicate a significantly low risk of adverse cardiac events. However, even in patients with normal perfusion scans, the cardiovascular prognosis is largely dependent on baseline inflammation levels and comorbidities.

Comparison of tolvaptan treatment between patients with the SIADH and congestive heart failure: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tolvaptan is a very effective treatment for hypervolemic or euvolemic hyponatremia. We compared the clinical efficacy of and response to tolvaptan in patients with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) and congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 50 patients (SIADH, n = 30; CHF, n = 20) who were prescribed tolvaptan between July 2013 and October 2015. Tolvaptan was prescribed when the serum sodium level was < 125 mmol/L and the standard treatment failed. Normonatremia was defined as a serum sodium level of > 135 mmol/L. RESULTS: After the initiation of tolvaptan therapy, there was an immediate response in the urine volume and serum sodium level in all patients. The improvements in the urine volume and serum sodium concentration were highest within the first 24 hours of treatment. In addition, the mean change in the serum sodium level during the first 24 hours was significantly higher in patients with SIADH than in those with CHF (∆Na, 9.9 ± 4.5 mmol/L vs. 6.9 ± 4.4 mmol/L, respectively; p = 0.025). Also, the mean maintenance dose was lower, and the total duration of tolvaptan use was slightly shorter in the SIADH group than CHF group (21.5 ± 14.9 days vs. 28.0 ± 20.1 days, p = 0.070). CONCLUSIONS: The early response to tolvaptan treatment was better in patients with SIADH than in those with CHF. Thus, the tolvaptan treatment strategy should be differed between patients with SIADH and those with CHF.