Hulya Colak

Relationship between the Degree of Malnutrition and Echocardiographic Parameters in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the degree of malnutrition and inadequate volume control evidenced by echocardiography. Methods: In this study 72 chronic hemodialysis patients were investigated in a cross-sectional manner. The malnutrition score was calculated using Subjective Global Assessment. M-mode echocardiography was performed in all patients. Results: The highest malnutrition score (23.2 ± 1.5 points) and lowest vena cava inferior collapse index (35 ± 2%) were observed in the eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy group. The malnutrition index was found to be in positive relationship with the left atrium diameter and index, left ventricular mass and index, and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. On the other hand, a negative correlation was detected with the vena cava inferior collapse index. When all parameters that were found to be related to malnutrition were assessed by multivariate analyses, a statistically significant relation was found between the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and the malnutrition index. Conclusion: The results of our study show that the progressive worsening of the nutritional status follows a parallel course along with the deterioration in the echocardiographic parameters concerning hypervolemia. This in turn suggests that increasing degrees of malnutrition are associated with more profound derangements in the volume status. Volume excess might be a mechanism explaning the increased mortality and morbidity caused by malnutrition in hemodialysis patients. Owing to its cross-sectional design, this study cannot provide unequivocal evidence regarding the cause and effect relationship between volume overload and malnutrition in hemodialysis patients.

The effect of cold ischemia time on delayed graft function and acute rejection in kidney transplantation

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of cold ischemia time (CIT) on delayed graft function (DGF) and acute rejection (AR) among deceased donor kidney transplant recipients. The medical records of 111 patients who underwent kidney transplantation from deceased donors between November 1994 and July 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. DGF was observed in 54% of the patients and the prevalence of AR in the first year after transplantation was 9.9%. The incidence of DGF was higher among patients with longer CIT. There was no correlation between CIT and AR episodes. Higher body weight of recipients and donors, history of prior blood transfusion and advanced donor age were related with DGF. Patients with DGF had higher serum creatinine levels at the first, third and fifth years. There was a negative correlation between recipient body weight and creatinine clearance at the first year. CIT has an important role in the development of DGF as a modifiable risk factor. Moreover, donors with advanced age and higher body weight as well as recipients with higher body weight and history of blood transfusions are at risk for the development of DGF. Prevention of DGF may help to improve graft function at the first, third and fifth years and shorten the hospital stay.

Relationship between epicardial adipose tissue, inflammation and volume markers in hemodialysis and transplant patients.

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are still the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in both patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment and individuals with renal transplantation (Rtx). Measurement of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness is an easily applied, cheap, and useful recent method predicting increased CV risk. We aimed to compare EAT changes in HD and Rtx patients and the association between EAT and inflammatory and CV volume markers in both groups. A total of 124 patients: 45 Rtx, 43 HD patients and 36 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Laboratory parameters and inflammatory markers (interleukin‐6 [IL‐6] and high sensitive C‐reactive protein [Hs‐CRP]) were evaluated from venous blood samples after an overnight fast. EAT thickness was measured with transthoracic echocardiography. The levels of Hs‐CRP, IL‐6, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, left atrial (LA) diameter, left atrial index (LAI), left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVM index (LVMI) were significantly higher in the HD patients than in the other groups. EAT was positively correlated with age, body mass index (BMI), time on dialysis, serum creatinine, total cholesterol, Low density lipoprotein‐cholesterol, and LVM in Rtx group and positively correlated with age, BMI, duration of dialysis, Hs‐CRP, IL‐6, LAI and LVMI and inversely correlated with inferior vena cava collapse index (IVC‐CI) in HD group. EAT thickness of RTx patients (whose previous HD duration was similar to those in HD group) are similar to the healthy population and significantly thinner than patients on HD.

Renal tubular acidosis in renal transplant patients: the effect of immunosuppressive drugs.

BACKGROUND Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a non-anion gap metabolic acidosis and is generally mild and asymptomatic in kidney recipients. Calcineurine inhibitors (CNIs) increase the frequency of RTA but the frequency of RTA development in kidney transplant recipients receiving mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi) treatment remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of RTA in kidney transplant recipients on mTORi and CNI treatment and to compare both groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS We enrolled 137 adult renal transplant patients - 82 patients on mTORi and 55 patients on CNI who had similar age, sex, posttransplant follow-up period, and graft functions. We recorded the parameters of venous blood gas analysis, including serum pH value, serum bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration, presence of metabolic acidosis defined as low HCO3 (<22 mEq/L), and serum pH value (<7.35), as well as base excess and urine pH at last follow-up. RTA was defined to be metabolic acidosis with normal serum anion gap and positive urine anion gap. RESULTS The mean age of our study population was 41.2±11.3 years. RTA frequency was 35% in the mTORi group and 41% in the CNI group. mTORi and CNI groups did not differ significantly in terms of the development of metabolic and renal tubular acidosis. Type I RTA was common in both groups. RTA was affected by duration of time since transplantation and graft functions in both groups. CONCLUSIONS The rates of RTA development in patients on long-term CNI and mTORi treatment were similar.

Effects of nutritional parameters on nocturnal blood pressure in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Abstract Background: Malnutrition is a common problem in uremic patients. It is unclear whether there is an association between the degree of malnutrition and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure patterns in patients undergoing hemodialysis. In the present study, we observed the relationship between the degree of malnutrition and deterioration of the rhythm of diurnal blood pressure, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity--mortality and associated with hypervolemia. Method: We observed 148 patients undergoing hemodialysis in the Nephrology Department of Celal Bayar University Hospital. All cases were assessed for body weight alterations, dietary food intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, loss of subcutaneous fat and muscle tissue, presence and severity of comorbidities, functional capacity (subjective global assessment), and anthropometric indices. Ambulatory blood pressure measurements were performed for all cases on the day between the two hemodialysis sessions. Results: We found that the circadian blood pressure rhythm deteriorated in patients with a high-malnutrition score, and that malnutrition was more common and severe in those subjects with the non-dipper and reverse-dipper blood pressure patterns. Malnutrition score was positively correlated with the nighttime systolic and nighttime mean blood pressures and mean 24-h arterial blood pressure (all p ≤ 0.01). We identified a positive correlation between malnutrition score and the reduction in serum albumin and anthropometric indices. Conclusion: This is the first study to demonstrate an association between malnutrition and deterioration in the circadian blood pressure rhythm in a hemodialysis population. Nutritional disturbance is associated with an increase in night-time blood pressure. Low serum albumin levels and hypervolemia may contribute this situation.

Relationship of insulin resistance in chronic haemodialysis patients with inflammatory indicators, malnutrition, echocardiographic parameters and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

Abstract Objective. The relationship between malnutrition, echocardiographic parameters, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) parameters and decreased insulin sensitivity index (ISI-S) in chronic haemodialysis patients was investigated. Material and methods. ISI-S and inflammatory indicators were measured. The nutritional state was assessed by malnutrition score. Echocardiography and 24 h ABP were performed 1 day before the second haemodialysis session of the week. Results. ISI-S was inversely correlated with the night-time mean blood pressure (BP)/day-time mean BP ratio (p = 0.021) and malnutrition score (p < 0.01). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, night-time mean BP/day-time mean BP and vena cava collapse index were independent risk factors affecting ISI-S (p < 0.001; β = 0.412, p = 0.025; β = –0.204, p < 0.001; β = –0.465). Conclusions. The decrease in ISI-S along with the hypervolaemia suggests that volume overload is a contributory factor in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in patients with chronic renal failure. This study indicates that, in addition to the traditional cardiovascular risk factors in these patients, insulin resistance can be regarded as a risk factor, but not an independent one, mainly a reflection of the underlying culprit, hypervolaemia.