Challenges and pitfalls in classification of disproportionate mitral regurgitation.

The concept of disproportionate mitral regurgitation (dispropMR) has been introduced to identify patients with functional mitral regurgitation (MR) who benefit from percutaneous treatment. We aimed to examine echocardiographic characteristics behind this entity. We retrospectively included 172 consecutive patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and more than mild MR referred to clinically indicated echocardiography. According to the proportionality ratio (effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA)/left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV)) patients were divided into dispropMR and proportionate MR (propMR) group. Potential factors which might affect proportionality definition were analyzed. 55 patients (32%) had dispropMR. Discrepant grading of MR severity was observed when using regurgitant volume (RegVol) by proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method or volumetric method, with significant discordance only in dispropMR (p < 0.001). Patients with dispropMR had more frequently left ventricular foreshortened images for LVEDV calculation than patients with propMR (p = 0.003), resulting in smaller LVEDV in dispropMR group. DispropMR group had more substantial dynamic variation of regurgitant flow compared to propMR. Accordingly, EROA was consistently overestimated by standard single-point PISA method compared to serial PISA method. This was more pronounced in dispropMR (bias:10.5 ± 28.3 mm2) compared to propMR group (bias:6.4 ± 12.8 mm2). DispropMR may be found in roughly one third of clinically indicated echocardiographic studies in patients with reduced LVEF and more than mild MR. EROA overestimation due to dynamic variation of regurgitant flow and LVEDV underestimation due to LV foreshortening were more frequently found in dispropMR. Our results indicate that methodological limitations of echocardiographic MR grading could not be neglected in classifying the proportionality of MR.

Intermittent high-volume predilution on-line haemofiltration versus standard intermittent haemodialysis in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal modality of dialysis treatment in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. Intermittent high-volume predilution on-line haemofiltration (HF) is not a well-established dialysis modality. The purpose of the study was to compare clinical outcomes between HF and standard intermittent haemodialysis (HD) in this specific population. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, controlled single-centre clinical study, we compared mortality and recovery of kidney function between HF and HD in critically ill adult patients with AKI. The primary study outcome was 60-day all-cause mortality. Secondary study outcomes included 30-day and in-hospital all-cause mortality along with recovery of kidney function. Time to kidney function recovery and the number of required dialysis procedures were analyzed in the subgroup of patients with in-hospital recovery of kidney function. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of the 273 patients in the two study groups were similar. All-cause mortality by Day 60 was 65.0% in the HF group and 65.5% in the HD group (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.33; P = 0.87). There were also no significant differences between the two groups in 30-day and in-hospital all-cause mortality or recovery of kidney function. Time to kidney function recovery and the number of required dialysis procedures were similar between the HF and the HD subgroup of patients with in-hospital recovery of kidney function. CONCLUSIONS: Dialysis treatment with intermittent high-volume predilution on-line HF in critically ill patients with AKI did not decrease mortality, improve recovery of kidney function or reduce the need for dialysis support compared to standard intermittent HD.

Regional citrate anticoagulation for intermittent predilution online hemofiltration.

There is no consensus on the optimal renal replacement treatment in intensive care units. Among intermittent dialysis methods, hemofiltration (HF) is preferred by some because of better hemodynamic stability and cytokine removal. We report our experience with regional citrate anticoagulation for intermittent predilution online HF. Forty-one patients (age 69 +/- 10 years, 73% male) with acute renal failure and an increased bleeding risk in intensive care units were included in this retrospective analysis. Citrate anticoagulation was performed with 4% citrate (starting at 400 mL/h) and 1 mol/L calcium chloride (starting at 7 mL/h). Calcium-containing (1.25 mmol/L) infusate, prepared online, was used. Anticoagulation was assessed visually after HF in a subgroup of 36 procedures using a score of 5 (no clotting) to 1 (total occlusion). The duration of the 94 HF sessions performed was 4 h 50 min +/- 47 min, and the infusate volume reached was 77 +/- 9 L. During HF, ionized calcium increased (1.01 +/- 0.14 to 1.13 +/- 0.09 mmol/L, P < 0.001), and the increases in sodium (141 +/- 5 to 143 +/- 3 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and bicarbonate (23 +/- 6 to 25 +/- 4 mmol/L, P < 0.01) were significant, but small. There were two cases of metabolic alkalosis (pH > 7.5) not requiring any intervention. None of the circuits clotted. The mean anticoagulation assessment scores were 4.6 +/- 0.6 at the arterial bubble trap, 4.2 +/- 1.0 at the dialyzer, and 4.2 +/- 0.9 at the venous bubble trap. To conclude, regional citrate anticoagulation for predilution online hemofiltration with calcium-containing infusate provides a good anti-thrombotic effect and has rare metabolic side effects.

Membrane plasma exchange for the treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

The aim of our report is to present our 11-year experience with therapeutic membrane plasma exchange therapy for the treatment of idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura syndrome (TTP). In 56 patients, membrane plasma exchange therapy was initiated immediately and performed once or twice daily until the platelet count normalized. During each plasma exchange procedure, 1-1.5 plasma volumes (3606 +/- 991 mL) were replaced with fresh frozen plasma. In 37 females and 19 males (44 +/- 21 years), 1066 plasma exchange procedures were performed. The average duration of treatment was 23 +/- 17 days. The average number of plasma exchanges was 19 +/- 17 per patient. Renal impairment was detected in 36% of patients. At the initiation of plasma exchange treatment, the average platelet count was 31 +/- 30 x 10(9)/L and reached 199 +/- 95 x 10(9)/L thereafter. Fifty-two of 56 (93%) patients demonstrated an excellent response to plasma exchange therapy, of whom 48 patients (86%) attained complete remission with a platelet count of more than 100 x 10(9)/L. Four patients died soon after the initiation of plasma exchange therapy, when only 1-3 procedures had been performed. During the follow-up period, six patients with complete remission had 1-5 subsequent relapses each year. One of them died of acute hemolytic reaction during the tapering of plasma exchange procedures. Three patients underwent additional splenectomy. Our experience with primary TTP supports the plasma exchange treatment with fresh frozen plasma as a mandatory, up-to-date therapy. Close monitoring during all 1066 procedures showed no serious side-effects.

Hemodialysis catheters with citrate locking in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury treated with intermittent online hemofiltration or hemodialysis.

The purpose of the study was to compare the long-term catheter-related complications associated with temporary untunneled hemodialysis catheters, locked with citrate in the interdialysis period, inserted in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury, between different catheter insertion sites (femoral vs. jugular and subclavian) and catheter types (single-lumen [SL] vs. double-lumen [DL]). In a retrospective clinical study, the long-term catheter-related complications in 290 critically ill patients treated with intermittent high-volume online hemofiltration or hemodialysis between December 2004 and January 2008 were analyzed. Among 534 inserted catheters, 493 (92.3%) were femoral, 29 (5.4%) jugular, and 12 (2.3%) subclavian; 304 (56.9%) were SL and 230 (43.1%) were DL. There were 125 (20.3/1000 catheter days [c.d.]) thrombotic complications, while infectious complications were exceptionally rare, that is, only 13 (2.1/1000 c.d.), of which 10 (1.6/1000 c.d.) were possible catheter-related bloodstream infections and 3 (0.5/1000 c.d.) exit-site infections. The incidence rate of all thrombotic complications was significantly lower in all jugular and subclavian vs. all femoral catheters (7.7/1000 c.d. vs. 21.8/1000 c.d., P = 0.01), and in all SL vs. DL catheters (11.4/1000 c.d. vs. 32.2/1000 c.d., P < 0.001). The incidence rate of any possible catheter-related bloodstream and exit-site infections was not significantly different in all jugular and subclavian vs. all femoral catheters, neither in femoral SL vs. DL catheters. The major long-term catheter-related complications were thrombotic, and significantly more frequent in DL vs. SL catheters. Infectious complications were exceptionally rare, most probably due to the strict catheter care protocol, as well as the routine use of a citrate catheter lock and antibiotic ointment at the catheter exit-site.