Takotsubo Syndrome during Haemodialysis.

Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is typically characterized by transient (reversible) systolic dysfunction of the apical and mid segments of the left ventricle (LV), usually without obstruction of coronary arteries, in postmenopausal women after a stressful event. Usually, patients may experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, and rarely syncope or cardiogenic shock. There are many theories about pathophysiology of TS.

Value of magnetic resonance/computed tomography peritoneography technique in the evaluation of dialysate leakage and hernia following peritoneal dialysis.

Magnetic resonance and computed tomography peritoneography are diagnostic imaging procedures that involve the intraperitoneal administration of a mixture of contrast material and dialysate for direct visualization of the peritoneal cavity and assessment of the integrity of peritoneal membrane. In a clinical series of patients with end-stage renal disease treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, who presented with genital or low abdominal edema, advanced peritoneographic imaging studies allowed direct visualization of the dialysate leakage and peritoneal hernias. Both magnetic resonance and computed tomography peritoneographic procedures allowed accurate diagnosis of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis-related complications that may need to be addressed promptly so that the effectiveness of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is not compromised.

Studying survival studies in PD versus HD: is there something more to know?

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been introduced more than 25 years ago as an alternative to hemodialysis for the treatment of end-stage renal disease. However, after the peak of the number of PD patients, which was noted in the mid-1980s, and despite the fact that in some countries there is a tendency for PD first, the number of incident PD patients in Europe and the United States is constantly decreasing. A large number of studies comparing the effect of these two treatment modalities on patients' outcomes have yielded conflicting results, which raise confusing messages to nephrologists.

Epidemiology of acute renal failure in ICUs: a multi-center prospective study.

Background And Aim: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in intensive care units (ICUs). However, its incidence and outcome vary in several studies depending on definitions used or even the geographic origin of the study. We aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of AKI in ICUs in Greece.

Sevelamer hydrochloride versus aluminum hydroxide: effect on serum phosphorus and lipids in CAPD patients.

Background: Dietary phosphorus restriction, oral administration of phosphorus binders, and dialysis are the main strategies to control hyperphosphatemia in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. Aluminum hydroxide (AH) and calcium carbonate, the most commonly used phosphorus binders, have serious disadvantages, such as aluminum toxicity and hypercalcemia. Sevelamer hydrochloride (SH) is a relatively new nonabsorbed calcium- and aluminum-free phosphorus binder.

Protective effect of urate oxidase on uric acid induced-monocyte apoptosis.

Uremic patients have a higher risk of infection and malignancy than normal subjects. Previous studies have deomonstrated that monocytes isolated from uremic patients display an increased apoptosis rate compared to normal subjects; furthermore uremic plasma can increase apoptosis rates on U937, a human monocytic cell line. In several pathological conditions, precipitation of uric acid crystals can lead to renal insufficiency or acute renal failure by different mechanisms.

A new machine for continuous renal replacement therapy: from development to clinical testing.

A new continuous renal replacement therapy machine has been designed to fulfill the expectations of nephrologists and intensivists operating in the common ground of critical care nephrology. The new equipment is called Prismaflex and it is the natural evolution of the PRISMA machine that has been utilized worldwide for continuous renal replacement therapy in the last 10 years. The authors performed a preliminary alpha-trial to establish the usability, flexibility and reliability of the new device.

Rasburicase therapy in acute hyperuricemia and renal dysfunction.

Neoplastic disorders may be complicated by acute renal failure (ARF). Different tumors may cause ARF: solid tumors involving the kidney, solid tumors not of hematological origin and not primarily involving the kidney or, more frequently, rapidly developing hematological tumors. The pathogenesis of ARF is different depending on the type of cancer, but the most frequent clinical feature is the acute tumor lysis syndrome, characterized by hyperuricemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia and acute, frequently oliguric, ARF.

Magnesium homeostasis in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: role of the dialysate magnesium concentration.

We carried out this retrospective study to examine the magnesium status of our chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients dialyzed with 0.75 mmol/L (group I) or 0.50 mmol/L (group II) magnesium peritoneal dialysis solution.