Luís Coentrão

Clinical Practice Guideline on management of patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease stage 3b or higher (eGFR <45 mL/min)

Diabetes mellitus is becoming increasingly prevalent and is considered a rapidly growing concern for healthcare systems. Besides the cardiovascular complications, diabetes mellitus is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD in patients with diabetes can be caused by true diabetic nephropathy, but can also be caused indirectly by diabetes, e.g. due to polyneuropathic bladder dysfunction, increased incidence of relapsing urinary tract infections or macrovascular angiopathy. However, many patients who develop CKD due to a cause other than diabetes will develop ormay already have diabetes mellitus. Finally, many drugs that are used for management of CKDs, e.g. corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors, can cause diabetes. Despite the strong interplay between diabetes and CKD, the management of patients with diabetes and CKD stage 3b or higher (eGFR <45 mL/min) remains problematic. Many guidance-providing documents have been produced on the management of patients with diabetes to prevent or delay the progression to CKD, mostly defined as the presence of microand macro-albuminuria. However, none of these documents specifically deal with the management of patients with CKD stage 3b or higher (eGFR <45 mL/min). There is a paucity of well-designed, prospective studies in this population, as many studies exclude either patients with diabetes, or with CKD stage 3b or higher (eGFR <45 mL/min), or both. This limits the evidence base to these approaches. In addition, due to some new developments in this area, the advisory board of ERBP decided that a guideline on the management of patients with diabetes and CKD stage 3b or higher (eGFR <45 mL/min) was needed and timely:

Monitoring dialysis arteriovenous fistulae: it’s in our hands

Vascular access problems are a daily occurrence in hemodialysis units. Loss of patency of the vascular access limits hemodialysis delivery and may result in underdialysis that leads to increased morbidity and mortality. Despite the known superiority of autogenous fistulae over grafts, autogenous fistulae also suffer from frequent development of stenosis and subsequent thrombosis. International guidelines recommend programmes for detection of stenosis and consequent correction in an attempt to reduce the rate of thrombosis. Physical examination of autogenous fistulae has recently been revisited as an important element in the assessment of stenotic lesions. Prospective observational studies have consistently demonstrated that physical examination performed by trained physicians is an accurate method for the diagnosis of fistula stenosis and, therefore, should be part of all surveillance protocols of the vascular access. However, to optimize hemodialysis access surveillance, hemodialysis practitioners may need to improve their skills in performing physical examination. The purpose of this article is to review the basics and drawbacks of physical examination for dialysis arteriovenous fistulae and to provide the reader with its diagnostic accuracy in the detection of arteriovenous fistula dysfunction, based on current published literature.

Acute cyanide poisoning among jewelry and textile industry workers

Limited work has focused on occupational exposures that may increase the risk of cyanide poisoning by ingestion. A retrospective chart review of all admissions for acute cyanide poisoning by ingestion for the years 1988 to 2008 was conducted in a tertiary university hospital serving the largest population in the country working in jewelry and textile facilities. Of the 9 patients admitted to the hospital during the study period, 8 (7 males, 1 female; age 36 ± 11 years, mean ± SD) attempted suicide by ingestion of potassium cyanide used in their profession as goldsmiths or textile industry workers. Five patients had severe neurologic impairment and severe metabolic acidosis (pH 7.02 ± 0.08, mean ± SD) with high anion gap (23 ± 4 mmol/L, mean ± SD). Of the 5 severely intoxicated patients, 3 received antidote therapy (sodium thiosulfate or hydroxocobalamin) and resumed full consciousness in less than 8 hours. All patients survived without major sequelae. Cyanide intoxication by ingestion in our patients was mainly suicidal and occurred in specific jobs where potassium cyanide is used. Metabolic acidosis with high anion is a good surrogated marker of severe cyanide poisoning. Sodium thiosulfate and hydroxocobalamin are both safe and effective antidotes.

Effects of starting hemodialysis with an arteriovenous fistula or central venous catheter compared with peritoneal dialysis: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundAlthough several studies have demonstrated early survival advantages with peritoneal dialysis (PD) over hemodialysis (HD), the reason for the excess mortality observed among incident HD patients remains to be established, to our knowledge. This study explores the relationship between mortality and dialysis modality, focusing on the role of HD vascular access type at the time of dialysis initiation.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed among local adult chronic kidney disease patients who consecutively initiated PD and HD with a tunneled cuffed venous catheter (HD-TCC) or a functional arteriovenous fistula (HD-AVF) in our institution in the year 2008. A total of 152 patients were included in the final analysis (HD-AVF, n = 59; HD-TCC, n = 51; PD, n = 42). All cause and dialysis access-related morbidity/mortality were evaluated at one year. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to compare the survival of PD patients with those who initiated HD with an AVF or with a TCC.ResultsCompared with PD patients, both HD-AVF and HD-TCC patients were more likely to be older (p<0.001) and to have a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.017) and cardiovascular disease (p = 0.020). Overall, HD-TCC patients were more likely to have clinical visits (p = 0.069), emergency room visits (p<0.001) and hospital admissions (p<0.001). At the end of follow-up, HD-TCC patients had a higher rate of dialysis access-related complications (1.53 vs. 0.93 vs. 0.64, per patient-year; p<0.001) and hospitalizations (0.47 vs. 0.07 vs. 0.14, per patient-year; p = 0.034) than HD-AVF and PD patients, respectively. The survival rates at one year were 96.6%, 74.5% and 97.6% for HD-AVF, HD-TCC and PD groups, respectively (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, HD-TCC use at the time of dialysis initiation was the important factor associated with death (HR 16.128, 95%CI [1.431-181.778], p = 0.024).ConclusionOur results suggest that HD vascular access type at the time of renal replacement therapy initiation is an important modifier of the relationship between dialysis modality and survival among incident dialysis patients.

cost ANALYsIs oF HEMoDIALYsIs AND PERItoNEAL DIALYsIs AccEss IN INcIDENt DIALYsIs PAtIENts

♦ Background: Although several studies have demonstrated the economic advantages of peritoneal dialysis (PD) over hemodialysis (HD), few reports in the literature have compared the costs of HD and PD access. The aim of the present study was to compare the resources required to establish and maintain the dialysis access in patients who initiated HD with a tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) or an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and in patients who initiated PD. ♦ Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the 152 chronic kidney disease patients who consecutively initiated dialysis treatment at our institution in 2008 (HD-AVF, n = 65; HD-CVC, n = 45; PD, n = 42). Detailed clinical and demographic information and data on access type were collected for all patients. A comprehensive measure of total dialysis access costs, including surgery, radiology, hospitalization for access complications, physician costs, and transportation costs was obtained at year 1 using an intention-to-treat approach. All resources used were valued using 2010 prices, and costs are reported in 2010 euros. ♦ Results: Compared with the HD-AVF and HD-TCC modalities, PD was associated with a significantly lower risk of access-related interventions (adjusted rate ratios: 1.572 and 1.433 respectively; 95% confidence intervals: 1.253 to 1.891 and 1.069 to 1.797). The mean dialysis access-related costs per patient-year at risk were €1171.6 [median: €608.8; interquartile range (IQR): €563.1 - €936.7] for PD, €1555.2 (median: €783.9; IQR: €371.4 - €1571.7) for HD-AVF, and €4208.2 (median: €1252.4; IQR: €947.9 - €2983.5) for HD-TCC (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, total dialysis access costs were significantly higher for the HD-TCC modality than for either PD or HD-AVF (β = -0.53; 95% CI: -1.03 to -0.02; and β = -0.50; 95% CI: -0.96 to -0.04). ♦ Conclusions: Compared with patients initiating HD, those initiating PD required fewer resources to establish and maintain a dialysis access during the first year of treatment.

Plasma and urine renalase levels and activity during the recovery of renal function in kidney transplant recipients

Renalase is a recently described enzyme secreted by the kidney into both plasma and urine, where it was suggested to degrade catecholamines contributing to blood pressure control. While there is a controversy regarding the relationship between renal function and plasma renalase levels, there is virtually no data in humans on plasma renalase activity as well as on both urine renalase levels and activity. We prospectively examined the time course of plasma and urine renalase levels and activity in 26 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving a cadaver kidney transplant (cadaver kidney recipients [CKR]) before surgery and during the recovery of renal function up to day 90 post transplant. The relationship with sympathetic and renal dopaminergic activities was also evaluated. The recovery of renal function in CKR closely predicted decreases in plasma renalase levels (r = 0.88; P < 0.0001), urine renalase levels (r = 0.75; P < 0.0001) and urine renalase activity (r = 0.56; P < 0.03), but did not predict changes in plasma renalase activity (r = −0.02; NS). Plasma norepinephrine levels positively correlated with plasma renalase levels (r = 0.64, P < 0.002) as well as with urine renalase levels and activity (r = 0.47 P < 0.02; r = 0.71, P < 0.0005, respectively) and negatively correlated with plasma renalase activity (r = −0.57, P < 0.002). By contrast, plasma epinephrine levels positively correlated with plasma renalase activity (r = 0.67, P < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with plasma renalase levels (r = −0.62, P < 0.003). A significant negative relationship was observed between urine dopamine output and urine renalase levels (r = −0.48; P < 0.03) but not with urine renalase activity (r = −0.33, NS). We conclude that plasma and urine renalase levels closely depend on renal function and sympathetic nervous system activity. It is suggested that epinephrine-mediated activation of circulating renalase may occur in renal transplant recipients with good recovery of renal function. The increase in plasma renalase activity observed in ESRD patients and renal transplant recipients can be explained on the basis of reduced inhibition of the circulating enzyme.

Barriers to adopting a fistula-first policy in Europe: an international survey among national experts

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how vascular access care was reimbursed, promoted, and organised at the national level in European and neighbouring countries. Methods An electronic survey among national experts to collect country-level data. Results Forty-seven experts (response rate, 76%) from 37 countries participated. Experts from 23 countries reported that 50% or less of patients received routine pre-operative imaging of vessels. Nephrologists placed catheters and created fistulas in 26 and 8 countries, respectively. Twenty-one countries had a fee per created access; the reported fee for catheter placement was never higher than for fistula creation. As the number of haemodialysis patients in a centre increased, more countries had a dedicated coordinator or multidisciplinary team responsible for vascular access maintenance at the centre-level; in 11 countries, responsibility was always with individual nephrologists, independent of a centres size. In 23 countries, dialysis centres shared vascular access care resources, with facilitation from a service provider in 4. In most countries, national campaigns (n = 35) or educational programmes (n = 29) had addressed vascular access-related topics; 19 countries had some form of training for creating fistulas. Forty experts considered the current evidence base robust enough to justify a fistula-first policy, but only 13 believed that more than 80% of nephrologists in their country would attempt a fistula in a 75-year-old woman with comorbidities. Conclusions Suboptimal access to surgical resources, lack of dedicated training of clinicians, limited routine use of pre-operative diagnostic imaging and patient characteristics primarily emerged as potential barriers to adopting a fistula-first policy in Europe.

Percutaneous Treatment of Thrombosed Arteriovenous Fistulas: Clinical and Economic Implications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Maintenance of previously thrombosed arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) as functional vascular accesses can be highly expensive, with relevant financial implications for healthcare systems. The aim of our study was to evaluate the costs and health outcomes of vascular access care in hemodialysis patients with AVF thrombosis. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS A retrospective, controlled cohort study was performed among local hemodialysis patients with completely thrombosed AVFs between August 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008. Detailed clinical and demographic information was collected and a comprehensive measure of total vascular access costs was obtained. Costs are reported in 2009 U.S. dollars. RESULTS A total of 63 consecutive hemodialysis patients with thrombosed AVFs were identified--a cohort of 37 patients treated with percutaneous thrombectomy and a historic cohort of 25 patients with abandoned thrombosed AVFs. The mean cost of all vascular access care at 6 months was

Endovascular treatment of thrombosed dialysis fistulae: a cumulative cost analysis.

2479. Salvage of thrombosed AVFs led to a near two-fold reduction in access-related expenses, per patient-month at risk (

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