Impact of the COVID pandemic on vascular access creation for haemodialysis in 16 Spanish haemodialysis centres.

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic has resulted in a major disruption in healthcare that has affected several medical and surgical specialties. European and American Vascular Societies have proposed deferring the creation of an elective vascular access (VA) [autologous or prosthetic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or arteriovenous graft (AVG)] in incident patients on haemodialysis (HD) in the era of the COVID pandemic. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the COVID pandemic on VA creation and the central venous catheter (CVC)-related hospitalizations and complications in HD patients dialyzed in 16 Spanish HD units of three different regions.

Characterization of hypersensitivity reactions to polysulfone hemodialysis membranes.

Background: In recent years, cases have been reported in which unexpected systemic hypersensitivity reactions occurred in patients dialyzed with polysulfone- or polyethersulfone-biocompatible membranes in the absence of other risk factors. The pathomechanisms involved in these reactions are largely unknown.

Objective: To characterize hypersensitivity reactions to polysulfone hemodialysis using clinical and laboratory data and to identify biomarkers suitable for endotype identification and diagnosis.

Clinical Features of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: CKD is a risk factor for severe COVID-19. However, the clinical spectrum of COVID-19 in hemodialysis patients is still poorly characterized.

Objective: To analyze the clinical spectrum of COVID-19 on hemodialysis patients.

Kidney Injury Marker 1 and Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin in Chronic Kidney Disease.

The current categorization of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is based on biomarkers of the glomerular function (estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR) and injury (urinary albumin creatinine ratio, UACR) and provides information on the risk of death and of progression of kidney disease. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding the risk stratification of elderly patients with eGFR 45-60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and of younger patients with higher eGFR but physiological albuminuria.