Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in Haemodialysis Patients: Spike's Ab Response and the Influence of BMI and Age.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD-5D) in dialysis have been associated with higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Objective: To identify the CKD-5D patients’ immune system behavior regarding the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2 mRNA) vaccine (Comirnaty©). This was a multicenter study carried out in 38 dialysis units in NephroCare Portugal.

Development and Validation of a Machine Learning Model Predicting Arteriovenous Fistula Failure in a Large Network of Dialysis Clinics.

Vascular access surveillance of dialysis patients is a challenging task for clinicians. We derived and validated an arteriovenous fistula failure model (AVF-FM) based on machine learning. The AVF-FM is an XG-Boost algorithm aimed at predicting AVF failure within three months among in-centre dialysis patients.

[Vaccination Against COVID-19 in a Network of Hemodialysis Units in Portugal: A Promising Experience].

Introduction: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) seriously affected Portugal, particularly in the elderly population with a high number of comorbidities, including patients with chronic kidney disease in stage 5 (CKD-5D) undergoing a regular dialysis program. The aims of this study were to identify the impact of vaccination on the incidence of new daily cases and mortality in the CKD-5D population.

Material And Methods: Prospective, observational study, involving patients with CKD-5D from 38 NephroCare clinics, Portugal.

Multiple single cannulation technique of arteriovenous fistula: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Despite the impact needling has had on vascular access survival and patient outcome, there is no universal or standardized method proposed for proper cannulation. Rigorous studies are needed, examining cannulation practices, and challenges to achieving complication-free cannulation.

Methods: This randomized, open-label trial was conducted at 18 dialysis units owned by a large private dialysis provider operating in Portugal.

Safe Needling of Arteriovenous Fistulae in Patients on Hemodialysis: Literature Review and a New Approach.

Although buttonhole cannulation has some benefits compared to rope-ladder cannulation, the increase of infection rates represents a major obstacle to patient safety, and its use is questionable in routine clinic practice. On the other hand, rope-ladder cannulation is difficult to implement even with a prescribed protocol, leading the cannulator in daily practice to a possible use of the area technique. This article provides a reflection on the impact of cannulation technique on the safety of patients on regular hemodialysis treatment and describes a new approach for arteriovenous fistula cannulation, the Multiple Single Cannulation Technique (MuST).

Restitution volumes at the end of dialysis sessions: A potential influencing factor on patients' haemoglobin levels?

Aim: To evaluate whether haemoglobin (Hb) levels are influenced by the restitution volume (RestVol) at the end of the dialysis session, independently of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) and iron doses.

Design: Over 12 months, 4,386 haemodialysis patients from 34 centres were enrolled in this observational descriptive study according to the checklist STrengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE).

Method: RestVol, Hb levels, ESA and iron doses of every patient were assessed on a monthly basis.

Does subjective assessment of dialyzer appearance reflect dialyzer performance in online hemodiafiltration?

Introduction: In post-dilution online hemodiafiltration, a very thin balance subsists in preventing coagulation of the extracorporeal circuit (ECC) during treatment and bleeding in the patient, concerning dialyzer status and anticoagulation dose. The aim of this study was to assess whether there are clinical outcome differences between the visual aspect of the dialyzer's status in terms of clotted fibers at end of dialysis treatments, single-pool urea kinetic modeling (spKt/V) and substitution volume (SubsVol).

Methods: It is a multicenter, descriptive-correlational study, involving 2829 patients during April 2016.

SELF-REPORTED MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN PATIENTS WITH END-STAGE KIDNEY DISEASE UNDERGOING ONLINE-HAEMODIAFILTRATION.

Introduction: Non-adherence to therapeutic regimens is a recognised problem in the dialysis population that compromises the opportunity to achieve maximum treatment effect and, therefore, might lead to increased morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported medication non-adherence in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) undergoing online-haemodiafiltration (OL-HDF), as well as to evaluate the factors that could affect medication adherence.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated 122 patients with ESKD undergoing OL-HDF.