Longitudinal associations of depressive symptoms and pain with quality of life in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis.

Depressive symptoms and pain are common in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD), yet their associations with quality of life (QOL) are not fully understood. We sought to characterize the longitudinal associations of these symptoms with QOL. As part of a trial comparing two symptom management strategies in patients receiving chronic HD, we assessed depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and pain using the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) monthly over 24 months.

The link between acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease.

Purpose Of Review: It has been argued that the existing epidemiologic data are insufficient to establish a causal link between acute kidney injury (AKI) and subsequent development or progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially given that risk factors for the development of AKI overlap with those for progressive CKD.

Recent Findings: Multiple studies published over the past 5 years have demonstrated a strong epidemiologic association between episodes of AKI and subsequent development or progression of CKD, including evidence that severity of AKI and repeated episodes of AKI are associated with increased risk of CKD. In addition, animal models have provided evidence for a biological basis linking episodes of AKI with CKD.