Elimination of Contrast Agent Gadobutrol with Sustained Low Efficiency Daily Dialysis Compared to Intermittent Hemodialysis.

Background: In patients with renal failure, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) can be removed by intermittent hemodialysis (iHD) to prevent possible toxic effects. There is no data on the efficacy of GBCA removal via sustained low efficiency daily dialysis (SLEDD) which is mainly used in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods: We compared the elimination of the GBCA gadobutrol in 6 ICU patients treated with SLEDD (6-12 h, 90 L dialysate) with 7 normal ward inpatients treated with iHD (4 h, dialysate flow 500 mL/min).

Implementation of Urgent Start Peritoneal Dialysis Reduces Hemodialysis Catheter Use and Hospital Stay in Patients with Unplanned Dialysis Start.

Background: Unplanned start of renal replacement therapy is common in patients with end-stage renal disease and often accomplished by hemodialysis (HD) using a central venous catheter (CVC). Urgent start using peritoneal dialysis (PD) could be an alternative for some of the patients; however, this requires a hospital-based PD center that offers a structured urgent start PD (usPD) program.

Methods: In this prospective study, we describe the implementation of an usPD program at our university hospital by structuring the process from presentation to PD catheter implantation and start of PD within a few days.

Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) and proteinuria predict severity of acute kidney injury in Puumala virus infection.

Background: Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) that is caused by the Puumala virus. Periodic outbreaks have been described in endemic areas, with a substantial number of previously healthy individuals developing acute kidney injury (AKI). There is a considerable diversity in the clinical course of the disease, and few patients require renal replacement therapy.

[End-stage renal disease after sarcoma therapy - case 3/2014].

History And Admission Findings: A 67-year-old male patient developed progressive renal failure following successful treatment of a soft tissue sarcoma that comprised surgical resection after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with the application of doxorubicin (cumulative dose 180 mg/m²) and ifosfamide (cumulative dose 33 g/m²).

Investigations: Plasma creatinine concentration was elevated to 4.5 mg/dl.

[Renal failure and recurrent episodes of flash pulmonary edema in a 70-year-old patient].

History And Admission Findings: We report on a patient presenting with renal failure who developed mutliple episodes of flash pulmonary edema.

Investigations: Volume retention due to ischemic nephropathy was found to be the cause.

Diagnosis, Treatment And Course: She was diagnosed to have a high grade renal artery stenosis in a functional solitary kidney and underwent percutaneous angioplasty.

[Painful swollen joints with weakness: what's behind all this? Case 1/2013].

History And Admission Findings: We report on a 58-year-old patient with weight loss, weakness and polyarthralgia. She reported of recurrent drops, painful joints and muscle weakness.

Investigations: The patient had swollen joints, clubbing and cachexia.

Effect of buckminsterfullerenes on cells of the innate and adaptive immune system: an in vitro study with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

C60 nanoparticles, the so-called buckminsterfullerenes, have attracted great attention for medical applications as carriers, enzyme inhibitors or radical scavengers. However, publications evaluating their immunological mechanisms are still rather limited. Therefore, we aimed to analyze systematically the in vitro influence of polyhydroxy-C60 (poly-C60) and N-ethyl-polyamino-C60 (nepo-C60) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy individuals, angling their effect on proliferation, expression of surface markers, and cytokine production.