Assessing the role of Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 14 in AKI: a European consensus meeting.

Background: Urinary Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 14 (CCL14) is a biomarker associated with persistent severe acute kidney injury (AKI). There is limited data to support the implementation of this AKI biomarker to guide therapeutic actions.

Methods: Sixteen AKI experts with clinical CCL14 experience participated in a Delphi-based method to reach consensus on when and how to potentially use CCL14.

Seasonality of acute kidney injury in a tertiary hospital academic center: an observational cohort study.

Background: The aim of our study was to describe seasonal trends of acute kidney injury (AKI) and its relationship with weather conditions in a hospitalized population.

Methods: We retrospectively collected demographic (age, sex), clinical (ICD-9-CM codes of diagnosis discharge) and laboratory data (creatinine values) from the inpatient population admitted to Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS between January 2010 and December 2014 with inclusion of all patients ≥18 years with at least two values available for creatinine.

[HFR aequilibrium can be an answer to malnutrition and hypotension in dialisys: case report].

The interdialytic hypotension is still the most frequent complication during the hemodialysis. A-HFR has dynamic profiles of ultrafiltration and conductivity of the dialysate that ensure a better refilling and reduce compliance during the dialysis treatment, furthermore reduce the amino acid loss and has a lower inflammatory effect. In our Center, we wanted to analyze the impact of this kind of dialysis on intradialytic tolerance and nutritional status in two malnourished patients with encouraging data on the use of AHFR in malnutrition and disequilibrium syndromes.

Anaemia in diabetic renal failure: is there a role for early erythropoietin treatment in preventing cardiovascular mortality?

The mortality rate in diabetics with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is seven times higher than end-stage renal disease mainly because of cardiac causes. Anaemia may have a relevant role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular (CV) disease in CKD. Anaemia occurs at an earlier stage of CKD in diabetic individuals than in those with other causes of CKD.

Prolonged conservative treatment for frail elderly patients with end-stage renal disease: the Verona experience.

Background: In frail elderly patients, the chronic use of renal replacement therapy sometimes affords no tangible benefits and may even negatively affect their quality of life (Qol), making prolonged conservative management a reasonable option.

Methods: This observational, uncontrolled study was conducted on 11 end-stage renal disease patients over 75 years of age, on prolonged conservative treatment with a follow-up of at least 6 months, to assess compliance with the Italian clinical guidelines concerning the treatment of renal failure, comorbidities, hospital stays, and several psychometric and Qol indicators in the patients and their caregivers.

Results: We found a substantial compliance with the targets recommended in the guidelines, a moderate tendency for disease progression and satisfactory psychometric and Qol parameters, which proved much the same as those observed in a parallel (uncontrolled) group of patients on haemodialysis.

Transplantation outcome in patients on PD and HD.

In the past, peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been considered a second choice dialysis modality for many aspects and that negative attitude has been extended also to possible negative effects on renal transplantation. In the last years, many papers have faced the question whether PD could attain similar results in renal transplantation as hemodialysis and there is sufficient evidence to answer that question. On the short time after transplantation, patients coming PD have lower prevalence of delayed graft function than hemodialysis patients, but higher prevalence of renal vascular thrombosis, above all in children.

Depletion of clusterin in renal diseases causing nephrotic syndrome.

Background: Clusterin is a lipoprotein that has anti-complement effects in membranous nephropathy (MN). In focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), it inhibits permeability plasma factor activity and could influence proteinuria. Moreover, with aging, knockout mice for clusterin develop a progressive glomerulopathy with sclerosis.

Predialysis versus postdialysis hematocrit evaluation during erythropoietin therapy.

American guidelines for the management of renal anemia by recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) recommend collecting a predialysis blood sample to evaluate hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels in hemodialysis patients. Although a predialysis blood sample is appropriate for evaluating when to start rHuEPO treatment, the same sample would not be appropriate for evaluating the target Hb/Hct to be maintained, particularly when normal or near-normal values are pursued. We measured the degree of intradialytic and extradialytic variation of Hb, Hct, and body weight in 68 stable hemodialysis patients on maintenance subcutaneous rHuEPO treatment.