Psychological burden and disease-related quality of life in dialysis patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic - a cross-sectional observational study.

Objectives: Since the first reports of the spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus, experts have pointed to the possible psychological consequences of the pandemic. In this study, we tried to answer the question of whether the level of perceived stress related to the pandemic affects the quality of life related to the disease and the functioning of patients on peritoneal and hemodialysis.

Methods: Out of 106 patients from the dialysis center of the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław during the first wave of the pandemic, 73 patients were enrolled, including 61 hemodialysis (HD) and 12 peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Immune Response to Vaccination against COVID-19 in Breastfeeding Health Workers.

Background: Initially, there were no data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in lactating women. The aim of our study was to evaluate the immune response to COVID-19 vaccinations in breastfeeding women.

Methods: The study included 32 breastfeeding women who, regardless of the study, had decided to be vaccinated.

Current epidemiology and practice patterns in prevention and treatment of PD-related infections in Poland.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) related infections are associated with technique failure and mortality. The aim of this multicentre study was to examine epidemiology, treatment and outcomes of PD-related infections in Poland as well as practice patterns for prevention of these complications in the context of current ISPD recommendations.

Methods: A survey on PD practices in relation to infectious complications was conducted in 11 large Polish PD centres.

Glucose challenge test (50-g GCT) in detection of glucose metabolism disorders in peritoneal dialysis patients: preliminary study.

Background: The aim was to evaluate the clinical utility of the oral glucose tolerance screening test (50-g GCT--glucose challenge test) for the detection of glucose metabolism disorders (GMD) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with normal fasting glucose levels.

Methods: The 50-g GCT was performed in 20 prevalent patients without history of diabetes before PD treatment onset, who had been on dialysis for a median time of 15.34 months.

Different mortality predictor pattern in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis diabetic patients in 4-year prospective observation.

Introduction: The aim was to identify factors carrying an ominous prognosis in a cohort of diabetic patients (pts) on a hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) program.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed survival rates of 61 diabetic dialysis pts (35 HD/26 PD). The participants were matched in baseline characteristics, standard indicators of dialysis care and laboratory parameters.

Elderly dialysis patients: analysis of factors affecting long-term survival in 4-year prospective observation.

Purpose: To assess factors influencing the long-term survival of elderly dialysis patients.

Methods: The study group consisted of 51 prevalent dialysis patients aged over 70 years (32 F and 19 M, all caucasians), who had been on a chronic hemodialysis (27) or peritoneal dialysis program (24) for at least 2 months; median age was 77 years, median time on dialysis before inclusion was 16 months, and median residual diuresis was 600 ml. The patients were prospectively followed up to 4 years, and an analysis of factors affecting survival was performed.

[Selected indices of peritoneal fibrosis in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis].

Peritoneal dialysis is an alternative to hemodialysis in the treatment of patients with end-stage renal disease. Long-term use of peritoneal dialysis is limited by progressive alterations in the peritoneal membrane. The pathological changes in the peritoneum are due to the exposure to traditional nonphysiological peritoneal dialysis fluids that have low pH, high glucose and glucose degradation product content, and high molarity.

Radial artery-perforating vein fistula for hemodialysis.

Background: The proximal forearm antecubital fistula described by Gracz is a valuable option for autogenous vascular access for hemodialysis in patients with destroyed forearm veins or advanced arteriosclerotic and calcified radial arteries. Results obtained with a variant of the Gracz fistula are presented.

Study Design: Patients with forearm vein destruction or failed distal radiocephalic fistulas were selected to have a variant of the Gracz fistula created and were followed up for 36 months.

[Individualization of the choice of renal replacement therapy in patients with diabetic nephropathy on the basis of medical, psychological and social considerations].

This work presents general rules for qualifying patients with end-stage renal failure in the course of diabetic nephropathy for renal replacement therapy by haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Both medical and social considerations conditioning the choice of the dialytic therapy and the most frequent problems characteristic of each method were discussed in the paper. Much attention was focused on the psychological aspect of accepting the disease and the possibilities of emotional disorder in a patient and on the social aspect defining interpersonal relations within patient's family and environment.