Effect of alternate night nocturnal home hemodialysis on anemia control in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Nocturnal home hemodialysis (NHHD) has shown promising results in various clinical parameters. Whether NHHD provide benefit in anemia management remains controversial. This study aims to investigate whether anemia and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) requirement are improved in patients receiving alternate night NHHD compared with conventional hemodialysis (CHD).

A study of the clinical and biochemical profile of peritoneal dialysis fluid low in glucose degradation products.

Objective: Although peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a widely accepted form of renal replacement therapy, concerns remain regarding the bioincompatible nature of standard PD fluid (PDF). Short-term studies of new biocompatible PDFs low in glucose degradation products (GDPs) reveal divergent results with respect to peritoneal integrity.

Methods: We studied 125 patients on maintenance PD who were assigned, by simple randomization, to receive either conventional or low-GDP PDF at PD initiation.

Setting up a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis training program.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) training programs have become fundamental patient education programs in renal centers providing peritoneal dialysis (PD) services. Several key topics must be addressed in setting up a CAPD training program: Health care and organizational issues, Multidisciplinary team approach, Evidence-based practice, Pre-training patient assessment, Patient training Program evaluation. The PD nurses should identify key learning objectives for patient training.

Prophylaxis against gram-positive organisms causing exit-site infection and peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients by applying mupirocin ointment at the catheter exit site.

Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of local application of mupirocin ointment at the catheter exit site in preventing exit-site infection and peritonitis attributable to gram-positive organisms in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Methods: This prospective randomized controlled trial included 154 patients. They were randomly allocated to a mupirocin-treated group (group M) and a control group (group C).

Diltiazem co-treatment in renal transplant patients receiving microemulsion cyclosporin.

Background: Usage of cyclosporin (the Hong Kong Hospital Authority's single largest item of drug expenditure) continues to increase, mainly due to increasing numbers of renal allograft patients taking it as long-term antirejection therapy. Diltiazem, an antihypertensive agent, interferes with the first pass extraction of oral cyclosporin, thus serving to conserve its dosage.

Aims: In renal transplant patients, to assess whether diltiazem co-treatment could achieve worthwhile dosage conservation of Neoral (a relatively new microemulsified cyclosporin formulation), safely.