Clinical Characteristics and Management of Patients with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Feasibility Analysis of Electronic Health Records Using Natural Language Processing.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of applying natural language processing (NLP) to analyze real-world data (RWD) and resolve clinical problems in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism and chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis (SHPT/CKD-HD). The primary objective was to evaluate how well the guideline-recommended analytical goals are achieved in a Spanish cohort of SHPT/CKD-HD patients based on RWD. Methods: Unstructured data in the electronic health records (EHRs) from 8 hospitals were retrospectively analyzed using the EHRead® technology, based on NLP and machine learning. Variables extracted from EHRs included demographics, CKD-related clinical characteristics, comorbidities and complications, mineral and bone disorder parameter levels, and treatments at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Results: A total of 623 prevalent SHPT/CKD-HD patients were identified; of those, 282 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. They were predominantly elderly males with cardiovascular comorbidities, and the first cause of CKD was diabetic nephropathy. Diagnosis of SHPT was associated with an improvement in median values for PTH, calcium, and phosphate. However, the percentage of patients with normal PTH ranges remained stable during the study period (52.8-60.4%), while the percentage of patients with within-target range serum calcium or phosphate values showed an increasing trend (43.2-60% and 38.8-50%). At baseline, 74.1% of patients were using SHPT-related medication, including at least one vitamin D or analog (63.1%), phosphate binders (46.8%), and/or calcimimetics (9.6%). Conclusions: This study represents the first attempt to use clinical NLP to analyze SHPT/CKD-HD patients based on unstructured clinical data. This methodology is useful to address clinical problems based on RWD and identified a high rate of out-of-range mineral-bone analytical values in patients with HPT/CKD-HD and an increasing trend of out-of-range values for serum calcium and phosphate.

[Characterization of hospitalized patients with acute kidney injury associated with COVID-19 in Spain: Renal replacement therapy and mortality. FRA-COVID SEN Registry Data]. / Caracterización de la población con fracaso renal agudo durante la hospitalización por COVID-19 en España: tratamiento renal sustitutivo y mortalidad. Datos del Registro FRA-COVID SEN.

Background and objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and associated with worse prognosis. The Spanish Society of Nephrology created the AKI-COVID Registry to characterize the population admitted for COVID-19 that developed AKI in Spanish hospitals. The need of renal replacement therapy (RRT) therapeutic modalities, and mortality in these patients were assessed. Material and method: In a retrospective study, we analyzed data from the AKI-COVID Registry, which included patients hospitalized in 30 Spanish hospitals from May 2020 to November 2021. Clinical and demographic variables, factors related to the severity of COVID-19 and AKI, and survival data were recorded. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to study factors related to RRT and mortality. Results: Data from 730 patients were recorded. A total of 71.9% were men, with a mean age of 70 years (60-78), 70.1% were hypertensive, 32.9% diabetic, 33.3% with cardiovascular disease and 23.9% had some degree of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Pneumonia was diagnosed in 94.6%, requiring ventilatory support in 54.2% and admission to the ICU in 44.1% of cases.The median time from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms to the appearance of AKI (37.1% KDIGO I, 18.3% KDIGO II, 44.6% KDIGO III) was 6 days (4-10). A total of 235 (33.9%) patients required RRT: 155 patients with continuous renal replacement therapy, 89 alternate-day dialysis, 36 daily dialysis, 24 extended hemodialysis and 17 patients with hemodiafiltration. Smoking habit (OR 3.41), ventilatory support (OR 20.2), maximum creatinine value (OR 2.41) and time to AKI onset (OR 1.13) were predictors of the need for RRT; age was a protective factor (0.95). The group without RRT was characterized by older age, less severe AKI, shorter kidney injury onset and recovery time (p < 0.05). 38.6% of patients died during hospitalization; serious AKI and RRT were more frequent in the death group. In the multivariate analysis, age (OR 1.03), previous chronic kidney disease (OR 2.21), development of pneumonia (OR 2.89), ventilatory support (OR 3.34) and RRT (OR 2.28) were predictors of mortality while chronic treatment with ARBs was identified as a protective factor (OR 0.55). Conclusions: Patients with AKI during hospitalization for COVID-19 had a high mean age, comorbidities and severe infection. We defined two different clinical patterns: an AKI of early onset, in older patients that resolves in a few days without the need for RRT; and another more severe pattern, with greater need for RRT, and late onset, which was related to greater severity of the infectious disease. The severity of the infection, age and the presence of CKD prior to admission were identified as risk factors for mortality in these patients. In addition chronic treatment with ARBs was identified as a protective factor for mortality.

Advantages of the use of citrate over acetate as a stabilizer in hemodialysis fluid: A randomized ABC-treat study.

Hemodialysis (HD) with bicarbonate dialysis fluid (DF) requires the presence of an acid to prevent the precipitation of calcium and magnesium carbonate. The most used acid is acetic acid, with it several complications have been described. In a previous work we described the acute changes during an HD session with a DF with citrate instead of acetate. Now we report the results in the medium term, 16 weeks. It is a prospective, multicenter, crossover and randomized study, where 56 HD patients with bicarbonate three times a week were dialysed for 16 weeks with 3 mmol/L acetate and 16 weeks with 1 mmol/L citrate. Patients older than 18 years with a previous stay on HD of more than 3 months and with a normal functioning arteriovenous fistula were included. Epidemiological data, dialysis, bioimpedance, biochemistry before and after HD, as well as hypotensive episodes, were collected monthly. After 16 weeks of citrate treatment, preHD ionic calcium and magnesium were significantly lower and PTH higher than in the acetate period. No differences were observed in the effectiveness of dialysis. Hypotensive episodes were significantly more frequent with acetate than with citrate: 311 (14.1%) vs 238 (10.8%) sessions. The lean mass index increased by 0.96 ±â€¯2.33 kg/m2 when patients switched from LD with acetate to citrate. HD with citrate modifies several parameters of bone mineral metabolism, not only acutely as previously described, but also in the long term. The substitution of acetate for citrate improves hemodynamic stability, producing less hypotension and can improve nutritional status.

Ventajas del uso de citrato respecto al acetato como estabilizante en el líquido de hemodiálisis: estudio aleatorizado ABC-treat / Advantages of the use of citrate over acetate as a stabilizer in hemodialysis fluid: A randomized ABC-treat study

La hemodiálisis (HD) con líquido de diálisis (LD) con bicarbonato requiere la presencia de un ácido para prevenir la precipitación del carbonato de calcio y magnesio. El más usado es el ácido acético, y con él se han descrito diversas complicaciones. En un trabajo previo describimos los cambios agudos, durante una sesión, en los pacientes en HD con un LD con citrato en lugar de acetato, y en este referimos los resultados a medio plazo: 16 semanas.Es un estudio prospectivo, multicéntrico, cruzado y aleatorizado, donde 56 pacientes en HD con bicarbonato 3 veces a la semana se dializaron 16 semanas con 3mmol/l acetato y 16 semanas con 1mmol/l de citrato. Se incluyeron pacientes mayores de 18 años con una estancia en HD previa superior a 3 meses y con fístula arteriovenosa normofuncionante. Se recogieron mensualmente datos epidemiológicos, de diálisis, bioimpedancia, bioquímica pre y postHD, así como los episodios de hipotensión.Después de 16 semanas de tratamiento con citrato el calcio iónico y el magnesio preHD eran significativamente inferiores y la hormona paratiroidea (PTH) más alta que en el periodo con acetato. No se observaron diferencias en la eficacia de la diálisis. Los episodios de hipotensión fueron significativamente más frecuentes con acetato que con citrato: 311 (14,1%) vs. 238 (10,8%) sesiones. El índice de masa magra se incrementó en 0,96±2,33kg/m2 cuando los pacientes pasaron de LD con acetato a citrato.La HD con citrato modifica varios parámetros del metabolismo óseo-mineral, no solo de forma aguda como se había descrito, sino también a medio plazo. La sustitución del acetato por el citrato mejora la estabilidad hemodinámica, produciendo menos hipotensiones y puede mejorar el estado nutricional. (AU)

Hemodialysis (HD) with bicarbonate dialysis fluid (DF) requires the presence of an acid to prevent the precipitation of calcium and magnesium carbonate. The most used acid is acetic acid, with it several complications have been described. In a previous work, we described the acute changes during an HD session with a DF with citrate instead of acetate. Now, we report the results in the medium term, 16 weeks. It is a prospective, multicenter, crossover and randomized study, where 56 HD patients with bicarbonate three times a week were dialysed for 16 weeks with 3mmol/L acetate and 16 weeks with 1mmol/L citrate. Patients older than 18 years with a previous stay on HD of more than 3 months and with a normal functioning arteriovenous fistula were included. Epidemiological data, dialysis, bioimpedance, biochemistry before and after HD, as well as hypotensive episodes, were collected monthly. After 16 weeks of citrate treatment, pre-HD ionic calcium and magnesium were significantly lower and paratiroid hormone (PTH) higher than in the acetate period. No differences were observed in the effectiveness of dialysis. Hypotensive episodes were significantly more frequent with acetate than with citrate: 311 (14.1%) vs 238 (10.8%) sessions. The lean mass index increased by 0.96±2.33kg/m2 when patients switched from DF with acetate to citrate.HD with citrate modifies several parameters of bone mineral metabolism, not only acutely as previously described, but also in the long-term. The substitution of acetate for citrate improves hemodynamic stability, producing less hypotension and can improve nutritional status. (AU)

Advantages of the use of citrate over acetate as a stabilizer in hemodialysis fluid: A randomized ABC-treat study. / Ventajas del uso de citrato respecto al acetato como estabilizante en el líquido de hemodiálisis: estudio aleatorizado ABC-treat.

Hemodialysis (HD) with bicarbonate dialysis fluid (DF) requires the presence of an acid to prevent the precipitation of calcium and magnesium carbonate. The most used acid is acetic acid, with it several complications have been described. In a previous work, we described the acute changes during an HD session with a DF with citrate instead of acetate. Now, we report the results in the medium term, 16 weeks. It is a prospective, multicenter, crossover and randomized study, where 56 HD patients with bicarbonate three times a week were dialysed for 16 weeks with 3mmol/L acetate and 16 weeks with 1mmol/L citrate. Patients older than 18 years with a previous stay on HD of more than 3 months and with a normal functioning arteriovenous fistula were included. Epidemiological data, dialysis, bioimpedance, biochemistry before and after HD, as well as hypotensive episodes, were collected monthly. After 16 weeks of citrate treatment, pre-HD ionic calcium and magnesium were significantly lower and paratiroid hormone (PTH) higher than in the acetate period. No differences were observed in the effectiveness of dialysis. Hypotensive episodes were significantly more frequent with acetate than with citrate: 311 (14.1%) vs 238 (10.8%) sessions. The lean mass index increased by 0.96±2.33kg/m2 when patients switched from DF with acetate to citrate. HD with citrate modifies several parameters of bone mineral metabolism, not only acutely as previously described, but also in the long-term. The substitution of acetate for citrate improves hemodynamic stability, producing less hypotension and can improve nutritional status.

Emerging drug combinations to optimize renovascular protection and blood pressure goals.

Hypertension and renal disease are closely related. In fact, there is an inverse linear relationship between renal function and prevalence of hypertension. Hypertensive patients with renal dysfunction exhibit a poor clinical profile, which markedly increases their risk for cardiovascular outcomes. This review considers the available evidence on the best therapeutic approach for optimizing renovascular protection in the hypertensive population. To effectively reduce or at least slow the establishment and progression of renal disease in the hypertensive population it is critical to reach blood pressure targets. Many studies have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers prevent or at least delay the development of microalbuminuria in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes, reduce the incidence of overt diabetic nephropathy, and are also beneficial in patients with nondiabetic renal disease. Therefore, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition plays a key role in the prevention of renal outcomes. As the majority of patients with hypertension will need at least two antihypertensive agents to achieve blood pressure goals, the use of RAS inhibitors is a mandatory part of antihypertensive therapy. The question of which antihypertensive agent is the best choice for combining with RAS blockers should be considered. Many studies have shown that diuretics and calcium channel blockers are the best choice. However, more studies are needed to clarify the subgroups of patients who will benefit more from a combination with a diuretic or from a combination with a calcium channel blocker. To date, RAS inhibitors recommended in this context are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. Aliskiren, the first oral direct renin inhibitor available, has shown promising results.

Importancia de la identificación precoz de la enfermedad renal / Importance of identifying renal disease early

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¿Qué se ha hecho antes? ¿Qué hacer a partir de ahora para un mejor control de la hipertensión arterial? / No disponible

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¿Podría optimizarse el efecto nefroprotector de la N-acetilcisteína? / Can the nephroprotective effect of n-acetylcysteine be optimized?

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Gender differences in the diagnosis and treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy detected by different electrocardiographic criteria. Findings from the SARA study.

This study examines the influence of gender on the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) by different electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria and the potential changes induced by antihypertensive therapy from the SARA study ("eStudio del trAtamiento con candesaRtan en pacientes con hipertensión Arterial según criterios electrocardiográficos") database. The SARA study was aimed to determine the effect of a 12-month candesartan-based regimen on ECG-LVH. Overall, 264 patients were included. Cornell voltage index (CorV), Cornell product (CorP), Sokolow-Lyon voltage index (SokV), and Sokolow-Lyon product (SokP) were calculated. At baseline, 39.3% of women and 15.4% of men exhibited ECG-LVH by CorP criteria, and 18.2% of women and 30.6% of men had LVH by SokP. When voltage criteria were applied, LVH was detected in 20.5% of women and 5.9% of men by CorV, and in 10.7% and 13.4%, respectively, by SokV. At the end of the study, the proportion of patients with ECG-LVH by CorP was 28.7% in women (P < 0.001) and 14.4% in men (P = not significant [n.s.]), and in 21.2% (P = n.s.) and 22.1% (P = 0.01) by SokP. Left ventricular hypertrophy by CorV were present in 17.9% of women and 9.0% of men (both P = 0.001), and in 10.6% and 13.3%, respectively by SokV (both P = n.s.). In ECG-LVH hypertensive patients, candesartan was an efficacious drug to regress LVH in the clinical practice setting. The voltage-duration product criteria suggestively detected ECG-LVH and its respective changes better than voltage criteria. Although in daily clinical practice the use of both product criteria seemed clearly preferable to voltage for assessment of ECG-LVH, the CorP appeared to be markedly more useful in women and SokP in men.

When office blood pressure measurement is not enough.

Further efforts in controlling blood pressure are warranted in patients with hypertension. Office blood pressure measurements, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and home blood pressure monitoring are synergic techniques. But, according to available evidence about efficacy and cost-effectiveness of all these techniques, it is likely that for a better blood pressure management, office blood pressure measurements and home blood pressure monitoring could be extended to most of the hypertensive population in daily clinical practice, and limit the use of the 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring just to the current indications.