Impact of load and movement on arteriovenous fistula flow.

Introduction: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred vascular access for hemodialysis. Whether acute arm movement impacts arteriovenous fistula (AVF) blood flow is unknown.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, we evaluated AVF blood flow using an ultrasound device at resting and after three muscle movements for proximal (elbow flexion, shoulder adduction and abduction) or distal AVF (fist extension and flexion, fingers squeeze), without and with a 2 kg load.

COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury patients treated with renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit: A multicenter study in São Paulo, Brazil.

Introduction: Multicenter studies involving patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) associated with the disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and treated with renal replacement therapy (RRT) in developing countries are scarce. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the demographic profile, clinical picture, risk factors for mortality, and outcomes of critically ill patients with AKI requiring dialysis (AKI-RRT) and with COVID-19 in the megalopolis of São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, observational study was conducted in the intensive care units of 13 public and private hospitals in the metropolitan region of the municipality of São Paulo.