Effectiveness of a protocol for the prevention of hemodialysis venous catheter-related infections.

Purpose: Infections are a major complication of the use of hemodialysis central venous catheters. In our study we evaluated the efficacy of the hemodialysis central venous catheter protocol management adopted in our center, through a retrospective analysis of all hemodialysis central venous catheters inserted over a period of 6 years.

Methods: Seventy-three tunneled central venous catheters and 75 temporary central venous catheters were inserted in our center from 2003 to 2008 in 148 patients.

Long-term prognosis of diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis associated with infection in adults.

Background: Infection-associated glomerulonephritis is rare in adults and its long-term prognosis is undefined.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical course of 50 adults (30 men, 20 women) with infection-associated glomerulonephritis diagnosed in our department from 1979 to 1999. The mean follow-up was 90+/-78 months.