Hemostasis assessment with standard coagulation tests and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) during therapeutic plasma exchange treatment.

AIMS: In therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), large amounts of plasma with all components, including antibodies, albumin, coagulation factors and inhibitors, are removed and usually replaced with replacement fluid without coagulation factors. Hemostatic parameters should be closely monitored in patients at risk of bleeding or with large volume exchanges with a short recovery interval. In this prospective study, we compared standard coagulation parameters and the rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) point-of-care test to identify hemostatically severely compromised patients treated with TPE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 22 patients without recent or planned invasive procedures received 63 TPE treatments with regional citrate anticoagulation. One plasma volume was exchanged with replacement fluid containing albumin and electrolytes. Standard coagulation tests, fibrinogen concentration, and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM, including EXTEM test, INTEM test, and FIBTEM test) were performed before and after each TPE treatment. RESULTS: Fibrinogen concentration decreased significantly and international normalized ratio increased slightly after TPE. Activated partial thromboplastin time, EXTEM, INTEM, and FIBTEM clotting times as well as clot formation times were prolonged, and maximum clot firmness decreased after TPE procedures. No serious adverse events occurred during TPE treatment. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that ROTEM parameters changed significantly after TPE performed with replacement fluid without coagulation factors. Among all parameters, FIBTEM clotting time showed the highest percentual change after TPE. According to this data, the ROTEM point-of-care test may have a potential to guide TPE therapy, particularly in patients at high risk for bleeding.

Distal Arterial Embolization from an Abandoned Native Brachio-Cephalic Fistula: A Case Report.

Abandoned thrombosed arterivenous fistulas are usually left in place with very rare complications. We describe a case of distal embolization from a thrombosed aneurismatic arteriovenous brachiocephalic fistula in a patient who vigorously used the affected arm for pushing his wheelchair. Vigorous physical activity with the hand bearing arteriovenous fistula (AVF) should probably be discouraged even after AVF thrombosis and especially, if the initial part of fistula vein is aneurysmatic. Antiagregation therapy should be considered in such cases.

Bone mineral disturbances in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 not yet on dialysis.

AIMS: This retrospective study evaluates the success of a treatment strategy for secondary hyperparathyroidism in our cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 who were not yet on dialysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 81 predialysis patients from the outpatient clinic of the Department of Nephrology, University Medical Center Ljubljana were reviewed. We focused on serum markers for bone mineral metabolism including intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), phosphate, corrected calcium, and the usage of phosphate-binding agents and vitamin D analogs. Results of intact PTH and phosphorus and calcium concentrations were related to treatment options for secondary hyperparathyroidism. RESULTS: The average intact PTH concentration was 198.8 ± 162.5 ng/L, serum phosphate was 1.52 ± 0.35 mmol/L, and corrected calcium was 2.23 ± 0.2 mmol/L. Phosphate-binding agents were prescribed in 62% patients, 44% of these patients were on calcium-containing phosphate binders. Active vitamin D or synthetic vitamin D analogs were given to 65% of patients, and 48% of all received a combination of active vitamin D derivate and inactive vitamin D supplementation. Serum intact PTH was between 150 and 300 ng/L in 30%, under 150 ng/L in 46%, and over 300 ng/L in 24% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that 76% of our patients with CKD stage 5 not yet on dialysis achieved adequate control of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Marked reduction of intact PTH levels in a significant proportion of our patients prompt us to assess the administration of excessive amounts of calcium and/or vitamin D supplements to prevent over-suppression of PTH, which can induce adynamic bone disease.
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Temporary Catheters as a Permanent Vascular Access in Very Elderly Hemodialysis Patients: Frequency of Complications and Interventions.

The choice of vascular access in very elderly hemodialysis patients can be complex. Data on the frequency of interventions and complications when temporary catheters are used for long periods in this population are lacking. All incident patients ≥80 years old, dialyzed over non-tunneled catheters, were included and the frequency of interventions (re-insertions and wire-exchanges) and complications (catheter-related blood stream infections) were recorded. In 31 patients aged 84 ± 4 years, dialyzed for 1.4 ± 1.1 years, 87 interventions were needed (2.02/patient-year). The median time to first intervention was 5.5 months and the 1-year intervention-free rate was 32%. There were three catheter-related blood stream infections (0.2/1000 access-days), comparing favorably to tunneled catheters. To conclude, temporary catheters are associated with a low rate of complications and an acceptable rate of interventions. Therefore, they could be the optimal vascular access in very elderly patients when the placement of an arterio-venous fistula is not feasible.