Impact of Handgrip Strength on Survival in Hemodialysis Patients.

: Hemodialysis patients face a high mortality risk, requiring effective clinical assessments. In these patients, muscle wasting due to protein-energy wasting (PEW) leads to increased frailty, which is strongly associated with worse outcomes, including higher mortality. As muscle mass declines, so does functional capacity, making regular assessment of both muscle mass and function critical for prognostic evaluation.

Relationship between Permanent Catheter Patency and Nutrient Score in Patients Aged >75 Years Requiring Renal Replacement Therapy.

Malnutrition is common in patients undergoing hemodialysis and is a powerful predictor of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the effect of nutritional status on permanent catheter patency in elderly patients aged >75 years of age undergoing dialysis using tunneled dialysis catheters; Records of 383 patients whose nutritional factors and body cell mass (BCM) were measured simultaneously at the start of dialysis between 14 January 2020 and 30 September 2023, at Chungnam National University Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed. The relationships between permanent catheter patency at 180 days and BCM parameters and clinical parameters were studied using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis.

Association between Serum GDF-15 and Cognitive Dysfunction in Hemodialysis Patients.

Cognitive dysfunction is more frequent in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis compared with the healthy population, emphasizing the need for early detection. Interest in serum markers that reflect cognitive function has recently increased. Elevated serum growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) levels are known to be associated with an increased risk of decreased renal function and cognitive dysfunction.

ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Improve the Blood-Brain-Barrier Integrity in Contrast-Induced Blood-Brain-Barrier Injury in Uremic Mice.

In patients with chronic kidney disease, the need for examinations using contrast media (CM) increases because of underlying diseases. Although contrast agents can affect brain cells, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects against brain-cell damage in vivo. However, uremia can disrupt the BBB, increasing the possibility of contrast-agent-induced brain-cell damage in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Leucine-enriched amino acid supplementation and exercise to prevent sarcopenia in patients on hemodialysis: a single-arm pilot study.

Background: Sarcopenia, which is strongly associated with mortality and quality of life, occurs in up to 40% of hemodialysis patients. Here, we investigated the preventive effects of leucine-enriched amino acid supplementation and resistance exercise in non-sarcopenic hemodialysis patients, and characterized the biochemical and immunophenotypic profiles of those who benefited from the intervention.

Methods: Twenty-two patients on maintenance hemodialysis at our hospital were enrolled in this single center, prospective, single-arm pilot trial.

Ultrasound Renal Score to Predict the Renal Disease Prognosis in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease: An Investigative Study.

Renal disease associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Renal ultrasonography is an imaging examination required in the work-up of renal disease. This study aimed to identify the differences in renal ultrasonographic findings between patients with and without DM, and to evaluate the relationship between renal ultrasound findings and renal prognosis in patients with DM.

Effect of cilostazol on arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients.

Background: The maturation and patency of permanent vascular access are critical in patients requiring hemodialysis. Although numerus trials have been attempted to achieve permanently patent vascular access, little have been noticeable. Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor, has been shown to be effective in peripheral arterial disease including vascular injury-induced intimal hyperplasia.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Attenuates Uremia-Induced Brain Damage in Mice.

Although the cause of neurological disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been completely identified yet, recent papers have identified accumulated uremic toxin as its main cause. Additionally, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 PUFA) plays an important role in maintaining normal nerve function, but its protective effects against uremic toxin is unclear. The objective of this study was to identify brain damage caused by uremic toxicity and determine the protective effects of ω-3 PUFA against uremic toxin.

Confirming Genetic Abnormalities of Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis Using Next-Generation Sequencing: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (hypoPP) is a disorder characterized by episodic, short-lived, and hypo-reflexive skeletal muscle weakness. HypoPP is a rare disease caused by genetic mutations related to expression of sodium or calcium ion channels. Most mutations are associated with autosomal dominant inheritance, but some are found in patients with no relevant family history.

Effect of cilostazol on arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients.

Background: The maturation and patency of permanent vascular access are critical in patients requiring hemodialysis. Although numerus trials have been attempted to achieve permanently patent vascular access, little have been noticeable. Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor, has been shown to be effective in peripheral arterial disease including vascular injury-induced intimal hyperplasia.

A novel approach to dry weight adjustments for dialysis patients using machine learning.

Background And Aims: Knowledge of the proper dry weight plays a critical role in the efficiency of dialysis and the survival of hemodialysis patients. Recently, bioimpedance spectroscopy(BIS) has been widely used for set dry weight in hemodialysis patients. However, BIS is often misrepresented in clinical healthy weight.

Transient Blindness in a Patient with Severe Metformin-Associated Lactic Acidosis (MALA).

A 68-year-old man presented at the emergency room with sudden blindness. The day before, he had eaten sashimi and eel and drank alcohol for dinner. He experienced nausea, vomiting, and dizziness afterward.

Outcomes of end-stage renal disease patients on the waiting list for deceased donor kidney transplantation: A single-center study.

Background: Kidney transplantation is an effective renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In this study, we assessed the impact of the baseline characteristics and comorbidities of ESRD patients on the probability of deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) and evaluated the morbidity and mortality during the time spent waiting.

Methods: The study population consisted of 544 ESRD patients on the waiting list for DDKT at Chungnam National University Hospital in South Korea between February 2000 and October 2015.

Growth Differentiation Factor-15 as a Predictor of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy Progression: A Retrospective Study.

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is a major cause of nephrotic syndrome. No biomarker to predict the long-term prognosis of IMN is currently available. Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a member of the transforming growth factor- superfamily and has been associated with chronic inflammatory disease.

A Case of Ethylene Glycol intoxication with Acute Renal Injury: Successful Recovery by Fomepizole and Renal Replacement Therapy.

Ethylene glycol is a widely used and readily available substance. Ethylene glycol ingestion does not cause direct toxicity; however, its metabolites are highly toxic and can be fatal even in trace amounts. Poisoning is best diagnosed through inquiry, but as an impaired state of consciousness is observed in most cases, poisoning must be suspected when a significantly elevated osmolar gap or high anion gap metabolic acidosis is found in blood tests.

Growth differentiation factor 15 as a predictor of adverse renal outcomes in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

Background: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF 15) has recently been reported as a useful prognostic marker in patients with chronic inflammatory disease and heart disease.

Aim: To evaluate the role of GDF 15 as a potential prognostic predictor of renal outcome in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).

Methods: In total, 212 patients in the Chungnam National Hospital glomerulonephritis cohort, who were diagnosed as biopsy-proven IgAN between March 2010 and June 2014, were included.

Recurrent AA Amyloidosis Combined With Chronic Active Antibody-mediated Rejection After Kidney Transplantation.

Kidney transplantation for amyloidosis remains a contentious issue. Recurrence of amyloidosis is one of the risks of transplantation. Chronic active antibody-mediated rejection is an important cause of chronic allograft dysfunction.

Prognostic Relationships between Microbleed, Lacunar Infarction, White Matter Lesion, and Renal Dysfunction in Acute Ischemic Stroke Survivors.

Background: It is well known that renal dysfunction and cerebral small-vessel disease (SVD), including microbleed, lacunar infarction, and white matter lesion (WML), are associated with poor prognosis after ischemic stroke. However, the prognostic relationship between renal dysfunction and SVD has not been well evaluated in acute ischemic stroke survivors. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the prognostic relationships between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cerebral SVD after acute ischemic stroke.

ERK phosphorylation plays an important role in the protection afforded by hypothermia against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Although hypothermia attenuates the renal injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion, the detailed molecular pathway(s) involved remains unknown. ERK phosphorylation is known to protect against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Also, it has been reported that hypothermia may induce ERK phosphorylation in the heart and brain.

Clinical Characteristics of Overhydration in Patients with Idiopathic Edema.

Background: Idiopathic edema (IE) is a common clinical syndrome. Designing treatment plans for IE is problematic because of the difficulty in assessing volume status. We aimed to evaluate volume status, measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), and investigated clinical parameters associated with volume overload (VO) in patients with IE.

Overhydration measured by bioimpedance analysis and the survival of patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center study.

Background: Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) helps measuring the constituents of the body noninvasively. Prior studies suggest that BIA-guided fluid assessment helps to predict survival in dialysis patients. We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of BIA for predicting the survival rate of hemodialysis patients in Korea.

A Case of Membranous Glomerulonephritis with Superimposed Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Rapidly Progressive Crescentic Glomerulonephritis.

Idiopathic membranous glomerulonephritis (IMGN) is commonly diagnosed in adults with proteinuria. Rapid deterioration of renal function is a rare complication of IMGN, except when accompanied by renal vein thrombosis, malignant hypertension, or other underlying disease, including lupus nephritis. Here, we present a case of rapid deterioration of renal function in a patient with MGN superimposed with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis (RPGN).

A case of urine leakage: an unusual complication after renal biopsy.

Renal biopsy is a crucial method in the diagnosis and treatment of acute renal failure of unknown origin, nephrotic syndrome, suspicious interstitial nephritis, and glomerulonephritis as a possible cause of hematuria or proteinuria. Complications occur in 2% to 8% of patients after percutaneous renal biopsy. Complications include gross hematuria, perirenal hematoma, arteriovenous fistula, aneurysm, injury of other organs, and urine leakage.