Hydralazine-induced anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive renal vasculitis presenting with a vasculitic syndrome, acute nephritis and a puzzling skin rash: a case report.

Introduction: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis has been associated with many drugs and it is a relatively rare side effect of the antihypertensive drug hydralazine. The diagnosis and management of patients who have anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis may be challenging because of its relative infrequency, variability of clinical expression and changing nomenclature. The spectrum of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis is wide and can be fatal.

A randomized controlled trial of oral heme iron polypeptide versus oral iron supplementation for the treatment of anaemia in peritoneal dialysis patients: HEMATOCRIT trial.

Background: Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that heme iron polypeptide (HIP) might represent a promising, novel oral iron supplementation strategy in chronic kidney disease. The aim of this multi-centre randomized controlled trial was to determine the ability of HIP administration to augment iron stores in darbepoetin (DPO)-treated patients compared with conventional oral iron supplementation.

Methods: Adult peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients treated with DPO were randomized 1:1 to receive two capsules daily of either HIP or ferrous sulphate per os for 6 months.

A randomized controlled trial of intravenous or oral iron for posttransplant anemia in kidney transplantation.

Background: Anemia after kidney transplantation has been associated with poor transplant outcomes. We hypothesized that intravenous (IV) iron may more rapidly correct anemia than oral (PO) iron.

Methods: One hundred four kidney transplant recipients were prospectively randomized to IV iron polymaltose (500 mg single dose) or PO ferrous sulfate (210 mg elemental iron daily, continuously).

Cardiac and vascular structure and function parameters do not improve with alternate nightly home hemodialysis: an interventional cohort study.

Background: Nightly extended hours hemodialysis may improve left ventricular hypertrophy and function and endothelial function but presents problems of sustainability and increased cost. The effect of alternate nightly home hemodialysis (NHD) on cardiovascular structure and function is not known.

Methods: Sixty-three patients on standard hemodialysis (SHD: 3.

Do aluminium-based phosphate binders continue to have a role in contemporary nephrology practice?

Background: Aluminium-containing phosphate binders have long been used for treatment of hyperphosphatemia in dialysis patients. Their safety became controversial in the early 1980's after reports of aluminium related neurological and bone disease began to appear. Available historical evidence however, suggests that neurological toxicity may have primarily been caused by excessive exposure to aluminium in dialysis fluid, rather than aluminium-containing oral phosphate binders.

The impact of extended-hours home hemodialysis and buttonhole cannulation technique on hospitalization rates for septic events related to dialysis access.

Few studies adequately document adverse events in patients receiving long, slow, and overnight hemodialysis (NHD). Concerns about high rates of dialysis access complications have been raised. This is an observational cohort study comparing hospital admission rates for vascular access complications between alternate nightly NHD (n=63) and conventional hemodialysis (n=172) patients established on chronic hemodialysis for at least 3 months.

Quality of life and alternate nightly nocturnal home hemodialysis.

Hemodialysis has been associated with reduced quality of life (QOL). Small cohort studies of quotidian hemodialysis regimens suggest general QOL and dialysis-related symptoms may improve compared with conventional regimens. An observational cohort study was conducted on 63 patients (age 51.

Rationale and design of the oral HEMe iron polypeptide Against Treatment with Oral Controlled Release Iron Tablets trial for the correction of anaemia in peritoneal dialysis patients (HEMATOCRIT trial).

Background: The main hypothesis of this study is that oral heme iron polypeptide (HIP; Proferrin ES) administration will more effectively augment iron stores in erythropoietic stimulatory agent (ESA)-treated peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients than conventional oral iron supplementation (Ferrogradumet).

Methods: Inclusion criteria are peritoneal dialysis patients treated with darbepoietin alpha (DPO; Aranesp(R), Amgen) for >or= 1 month. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either slow-release ferrous sulphate (1 tablet twice daily; control) or HIP (1 tablet twice daily) for a period of 6 months.

Intravenous versus oral iron supplementation for correction of post-transplant anaemia in renal transplant patients.

Background: Post-transplant anaemia remains a common problem after kidney transplantation, with an incidence ranging from nearly 80% at day 0 to about 25% at 1 year. It has been associated with poor graft outcome, and recently has also been shown to be associated with increased mortality.Our transplant unit routinely administers oral iron supplements to renal transplant recipients but this is frequently accompanied by side effects, mainly gastrointestinal intolerance.

Intradermal versus intramuscular hepatitis B vaccination in hemodialysis patients: a prospective open-label randomized controlled trial in nonresponders to primary vaccination.

Background: Primary hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination through the intramuscular (IM) route is less efficacious in dialysis patients than in the general population. Previous studies suggest improved seroconversion with intradermal (ID) vaccination.

Study Design: Prospective open-label randomized controlled trial.

Mineral metabolism, bone histomorphometry and vascular calcification in alternate night nocturnal haemodialysis.

Background: Poor control of bone mineral metabolism (BMM) is associated with renal osteodystrophy and mortality in dialysis-dependent patients. The authors explored the efficacy of alternate nightly home haemodialysis (ANHHD) in controlling BMM parameters and its effects on bone mineral density and histomorphometry.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, 26 patients on home haemodialysis (3-5 h, 3.