Identification of volume overload hospitalizations among hemodialysis patients using administrative claims: a validation study.

Background: High rates of volume overload hospitalizations may indicate inadequate dialysis facility fluid management. Administrative claims databases are often used to study such outcomes, but these data are generated for billing purposes and may not capture clinical nuance. It is unknown if volume overload admissions can be correctly identified in administrative data and if a single claims-based definition for volume overload can be used across epidemiologic surveillance studies, observational studies of exposure-outcome associations and quality assessments.

Predictors of 30-Day Hospital Readmission among Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A Hospital's Perspective.

Background And Objectives: Over 35% of patients on maintenance dialysis are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of hospital discharge. Outpatient dialysis facilities often assume responsibility for readmission prevention. Hospital care and discharge practices may increase readmission risk.

Adverse events and infectious burden, microbes and temporal outline from immunosuppressive therapy in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis with native renal function.

Background: Disease control in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) with immunosuppression is effective but burdened by adverse events, especially infections. The study goal was to evaluate risks and types of infections in patients with AAV.

Methods: Biopsy-proven AAV patients (diagnosed 1/1991-6/2011) followed in an inception cohort were evaluated for adverse events.

Rituximab as an immunosuppressant in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Background: Rituximab has been used in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) since 2003. Our objective was to describe outcomes and adverse events following rituximab since that time in an inception cohort.

Methods: Patients with AAV (diagnosed 1991-2012) who received rituximab (n = 120) were evaluated and incidence per person-year (PPY) with 95% confidence interval was calculated for relapse and infections.