Combination hemodialysis and centrifugal therapeutic plasma exchange: 18 years of Canadian experience.

Hemodialysis (HD) and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) are extracorporeal treatments that may both be required in the same patient. When provided separately, 7-8 hours of therapy time is required. Simultaneous administration of both therapies can reduce time and personnel requirements.

Surveillance cultures of tunneled cuffed catheter exit sites in chronic hemodialysis patients are of no benefit.

Catheter-related infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study evaluated the utility of surveillance swab cultures (Ssc) of tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) exit sites as a prediction and prevention strategy for infection. A 6-month prospective-controlled trial with 94 chronic HD patients with a TCC who received monthly Ssc and were stratified by dialysis day into topical therapy based on Ssc results (Group A) or no therapy (Group B).

Exploring mitochondrial nephrotoxicity as a potential mechanism of kidney dysfunction among HIV-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Tenofovir (TDF) exposure has been associated with renal dysfunction. Mitochondrial nephrotoxicity was investigated as an underlying mechanism. Given the interaction between TDF and didanosine (ddl), their concurrent use was also investigated.

Haemoglobin at time of referral prior to dialysis predicts survival: an association of haemoglobin with long-term outcomes.

Haemoglobin (Hgb) levels are known to be associated with numerous adverse outcomes in both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non-CKD patients. This analysis evaluates the association of baseline haemoglobin levels on survival in CKD patients, who are followed by nephrologists, irrespective of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), prior to initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) and erythropoietin hormone replacement therapy. Analysis of data from the provincial database (PROMIS, Patient Registration and Outcome Management Information System) in British Columbia, Canada, was undertaken.

Short and long alteplase dwells in dysfunctional hemodialysis catheters.

Background: Hemodialysis catheter dysfunction (CD) is the inability to attain adequate blood pump speeds (BPS) and is attributed to thrombus or catheter malposition; alteplase (TPA) is often given in a variety of dwell times to treat CD. The purpose of this study was to determine if TPA dwell time affects short- or long-term catheter patency rates.

Methods: Sixty hemodialysis (HD) patients with CD, as defined by BPS of < 250 mL/min, were randomized to receive either 1- or > 48-hr (to subsequent HD run) TPA dwell.