Rates and determinants of fast chronic kidney disease progression distinguished by nutritional status, and the impact of malnutrition on mortality - evidence from a clinical population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Malnutrition is a serious problem that influences morbidity, mortality, functional activity, and quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there has not been much research done on how nutritional status appears to affect mortality in non-dialysis CKD patients. This study aimed to recognize the rates and predictors of fast CKD progression distinguished by nutritional status, and also sought to determine the impact of malnutrition on mortality in non-dialysis CKD patients. METHODS: This prospective cohort study (n = 360) involved non-dialysis CKD patients with index estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between the range of 15-89 ml/min/1.73 m2. Nutritional status was evaluated by using the "Pt-Global web tool/PG-SGA". A loss of eGFR >4 ml/min/1.73 m2 per year was considered to be a sign of fast CKD progression. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to evaluate the cumulative survival, and Cox-proportional hazard models were used to analyze the renal outcomes. RESULTS: Around 244 (67.8%) of patients have experienced a fast decline in kidney function. In the malnourished group, systolic blood pressure and hyperphosphatemia were observed to have increased hazards for fast CKD progression. The overall incidence of mortality and composite endpoints were found to be 13.9% & 37.6%, respectively. Death rates (11.6%) and composite endpoints (29.8%) were higher in the malnourished (severe & moderate) group. Cox regression hazard model reported 4 times increased hazards for death [HR 4.41 (1.99-9.77) 95% CI; P ≤ 0.005] and 3 times increased hazards for composite endpoints [HR 3.29 (2.10-5.16) 95% CI; P ≤ 0.005] for 'severely malnourished' category in reference to 'normal nutrition' category. CONCLUSIONS: Fast CKD progression was observed to be more common in malnourished patients. Systolic blood pressure and hyperphosphatemia were recognized as potential predictors of fast CKD progression. Moreover, malnutrition was found to be a significant predictor of mortality among non-dialysis CKD patients. The findings of this study advocate for early nutritional evaluation and timely dietary interventions to halt the progression of CKD.

Comparison of various predictive equations for glomerular filtration rate in healthy individuals and chronic kidney disease patients from North India.

A noninvasive and accurate estimate of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is an essential prerequisite for medical professionals. In the absence of 24-h urinary creatinine clearance, various predictive equations can be utilized for estimating GFR. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on healthy adults as well as adult chronic kidney disease (CKD) Indian population. In normal males and females, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease-4 (MDRD-4) and Cockcroft- Gault (CG) were the best equations respectively, which showed the best correlation and best precision in CKD stage 1 males and females, MDRD-4 and MDRD-6 were the best equations respectively In CKD stage 2 males and females, CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) was adjudged the best equation, which showed the best correlation, best precision, and least bias. In CKD stage 3 males and females, CG and CKD-EPI were the best equation respectively, with the best correlation, best precision, least biased, and most accuracy. In CKD stage 4 males and females, MDRD-6 and MDRD-4 showed the best correlation, best precision and most accuracy respectively. In CKD stage 5, CKD-EPI demonstrated the best results in both sexes. We observed that all the predictive equations were good estimates of GFR in one or other stages of CKD, but no single predictive equation showed consistent results when compared among normal subjects and CKD sub-groups.

Fracture of temporary femoral haemodialysis catheter: our experience.

We report two similar cases of fracture and proximal migration of temporary femoral haemodialysis catheters. The two cases were encountered 6 years apart. These types of occurrences, especially in centres where catheter reuse is practiced, are not uncommon but seldom reported in the literature. Alert dialysis staff on both the occasions took remedial steps in time, which prevented embolisation of the catheters into the inferior vena cava. Both the catheters were removed successfully by the surgical team.

Aceclofenac-induced acute tubulointerstitial nephritis in a patient with diabetes.

We describe a case of a 40-year-old lady diabetic and hypertensive, who presented with increasing fatigue and decreased physical endurance attributable to deterioration in renal function. The renal biopsy revealed drug-induced acute tubulointerstitial nephritis and the chronology of the events suggested the aetiology to be a recent intake of aceclofenac for knee pain. The patient improved with oral corticosteroids and the renal functions returned to baseline in 3 weeks. We did not come across a case of aceclofenac-induced acute tubulointerstitial nephritis on extensive electronic search of literature. This is probably the first case report of acute tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with the use of aceclofenac, a newer potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

ZBTB16-RARα variant of acute promyelocytic leukemia with tuberculosis: a case report and review of literature.

A 23-year-old male presented with pulmonary tuberculosis and swelling of both lower limbs. He was put on antitubercular treatment. Hemogram showed mild anemia and Pseudo Pelger-huet cells. The bone marrow (BM) examination showed 52% promyelocytes with regular round to oval nuclei, few granules and were positive for CD13 and CD33, and negative for HLA-DR. Cytogenetic analysis of the BM aspirate revealed an apparently balanced t(11;17)(q23;q21). Final diagnosis rendered was acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with t(11;17)(q23;q21); ZBTB16/RARA. APL is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia. The variant APL with t(11;17)(q23;q21) cases that are associated with the ZBTB16/RARA fusion gene have been reported as being resistant to all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). Therefore, differential diagnosis of variant APL with t(11;17)(q23;q12) from classical APL with t(15;17)(q22;q12); PML-RARA is very important. Here we have discussed the importance of distinct morphology of variant APL and also significance of rare presentation with tuberculosis.

Refractory anemia as a presenting feature of microscopic polyangiitis: a rare vasculitis in children.

Microcytic anemia refractory to usual supplementation is an important clue to an alternative diagnosis. Accompanying pulmonary and renal involvement during the disease course suggests a multisystem disease. Small-vessel vasculitis should be suspected in any patient who presents with a multisystem disease that is not caused by an infectious or malignant process. Among these, antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis is a distinct subclass involving anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) as the common pathogenesis. Microscopic polyangiitis is a rare form of such vasculitis in children characterized by pulmonary-renal syndrome with pauci-imune rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and a poor outcome.