Association of Initiation of Maintenance Dialysis with Functional Status and Caregiver Burden.

Background And Objectives: Little is known about the functional course after initiating dialysis in elderly patients with ESKD. The aim of this study was to assess the association of the initiation of dialysis in an elderly population with functional status and caregiver burden.

Design, Setting, Participants & Measurements: This study included participants aged ≥65 years with ESKD who were enrolled in the Geriatric Assessment in Older Patients Starting Dialysis study.

Nurse practitioner care improves renal outcome in patients with CKD.

Treatment goals for patients with CKD are often unrealized for many reasons, but support by nurse practitioners may improve risk factor levels in these patients. Here, we analyzed renal endpoints of the Multifactorial Approach and Superior Treatment Efficacy in Renal Patients with the Aid of Nurse Practitioners (MASTERPLAN) study after extended follow-up to determine whether strict implementation of current CKD guidelines through the aid of nurse practitioners improves renal outcome. In total, 788 patients with moderate to severe CKD were randomized to receive nurse practitioner support added to physician care (intervention group) or physician care alone (control group).

Multifactorial intervention with nurse practitioners does not change cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Strict implementation of guidelines directed at multiple targets reduces vascular risk in diabetic patients. Whether this also applies to patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is uncertain. To evaluate this, the MASTERPLAN Study randomized 788 patients with CKD (estimated GFR 20-70 ml/min) to receive additional intensive nurse practitioner support (the intervention group) or nephrologist care (the control group).

Quality of care in patients with chronic kidney disease is determined by hospital specific factors.

Background: Guidelines have set goals for risk factor management in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. These goals are often not met. In this analysis, we set out to assess the quality of risk factor management in CKD and to identify factors that determine the quality of care (QoC).

Stent placement in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and impaired renal function: a randomized trial.

Background: Little is known about the efficacy and safety of renal artery stenting in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) and impaired renal function.

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of stent placement in patients with ARAS and impaired renal function.

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Multifactorial approach and superior treatment efficacy in renal patients with the aid of nurse practitioners. Design of The MASTERPLAN Study [ISRCTN73187232].

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a greatly increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Recently developed guidelines address multiple risk factors and life-style interventions. However, in current practice few patients reach their targets.

Randomized, clinical trial comparison of trisodium citrate 30% and heparin as catheter-locking solution in hemodialysis patients.

Interdialytic hemodialysis catheter-locking solutions could contribute to a reduction of catheter-related complications, especially infections. However, they can cause side effects because of leakage from the tip of the catheter. Recently, trisodium citrate (TSC) has been advocated because of its antimicrobial properties and local anticoagulation.

Rationale and design of the MASTERPLAN study: Multifactorial approach and superior treatment efficacy in renal patients with the aid of nurse practitioners.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition, patients with renal disease are exposed to a myriad of risk factors that increase their risk even further. The treatment of risk factors in these patients is paramount to reducing cardiovascular risk and for attenuating renal failure progression.

Repeated intervention for in-stent restenosis of the renal arteries.

Purpose: To assess the long-term technical success of repeated endovascular intervention in stenosed renal artery stents.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen patients with stenoses >or=50% in a renal stent placed because of an ostial atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis were included in this study. In the presence of increased blood pressure or decreased renal function, the in-stent restenosis was treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the stent or placement of a second stent if the stenosis was located too distally in the stent.

Long-term effects of arterial stenting on kidney function for patients with ostial atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and renal insufficiency.

It is uncertain whether renal artery stent placement in patients with atherosclerotic renovascular renal failure can prevent further deterioration of renal function. Therefore, the effects of renal artery stent placement, followed by patency surveillance, were prospectively studied in 63 patients with ostial atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and renal dysfunction (i.e.