Timing of nephrology referral and initiation of dialysis as predictors for survival in hemodialysis patients: 5-year follow-up analysis.

Background: A consensus about the optimal timing of dialysis initiation is still controversial. Thus, the goal of this analysis was to compare outcomes in patients with early and late referral with early and late initiation of hemodialysis (HD).

Methods: We studied 190 patients (mean age 52.

Long-term follow up of sustained viral response after treatment of hepatitis C with pegylated interferon alpha-2a in hemodialysis patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the persistence of sustained viral response after treatment of hepatitis C with pegylated interferon alpha-2a in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: 14 hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a for a period of 48 weeks. Achieved sustained viral response rate was 35.

Vascular calcification and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients: what can we learn from the routine clinical practice?

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at increased risk for arterial intimal (AIC) and medial calcification (AMC).

Methods: In a cross-sectional study on 153 HD patients we evaluated the presence of AIC and AMC using plain radiography of the pelvis and the presence of atherosclerotic lesions using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography of the common carotid arteries (CCA).

Results: The radiography of the pelvis confirmed the frequent presence of AIC (35.

Improvement of bone and mineral parameters related to adynamic bone disease by diminishing dialysate calcium.

Background: The existence of adynamic bone disease (ABD) as most prevalent form of renal osteodystrophy in recent years and its reduced ability to handle an exogenous calcium load has implied a higher risk for vascular and soft-tissue calcifications. The effect of low dialysate calcium (LCD) on parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion in ABD patients has not yet sufficiently been clarified. This randomized, prospective study aimed to compare the effects of LCD and high calcium dialysate (HCD) on the evolution of bone and mineral parameters related to ABD in dialysis patients.

Evolution of bone and plasma concentration of lanthanum in dialysis patients before, during 1 year of treatment with lanthanum carbonate and after 2 years of follow-up.

Background: Lanthanum carbonate (LC) has been proposed as a new phosphate binder. Presented here are the results from one centre that participated in a multicentre trial to assess the effect of treatment with LC and calcium carbonate (CC) on the evolution of renal osteodystrophy in dialysis patients. Bone biopsies were performed at baseline, after 1 year of treatment and after a further 2-year follow-up period to assess the lanthanum concentration in bone and plasma.