Contrast-induced translocational hyponatremia and hyperkalemia in advanced kidney disease.

Background: In patients with advanced kidney disease, administration of effective osmolar agents may lead to hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and intravascular expansion. To our knowledge, osmolar effects of contrast agents in patients with advanced kidney disease have not been previously elucidated.

Methods: This retrospective case series includes 5 patients with advanced kidney disease who underwent diagnostic and/or therapeutic cardiac catheterization and developed hyponatremia.

Decreased erythropoietin requirements in maintenance hemodialysis patients with statin therapy.

Inflammatory cytokines induce erythropoietin (EPO) resistance, anorexia, and suppression of hepatic albumin synthesis. Increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have been associated with relative EPO resistance in dialysis patients. More recently, studies have shown that statin therapy decreases CRP.

Slow-flow venous pressure for detection of arteriovenous graft malfunction.

Background: Early detection with elective intervention of malfunctioning arteriovenous (AV) grafts improves access viability. Herein, we evaluated outlet venous pressure (OP), normalized by mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), at varying blood flow (Qb) rates in the detection of venous outlet stenosis.

Methods: This single-center, observational study included stable dialysis patients with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) AV grafts.