Biomedical subjects

Mahesh Krishnan

Publications and source records attributed to Mahesh Krishnan.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Influence of intravenous drug abuse on vascular access placement and survival in HIV-seropositive patients.

BACKGROUND: The influence of intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) on hemodialysis access placement practices and access survival in HIV-infected patients is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 60, HIV seropositive, maintenance hemodialysis patients. Type of access and assisted access survival (measured from date of placement) were compared in those with (77%) and without (23%) a history of IVDA. RESULTS: Mean age was 37.8 years, mean baseline serum albumin was 2.9 g/dl and median CD4 count was 222 cells/mm3. Fifteen patients, all IVDA, were dialyzed using only tunneled catheters (median number of catheters per person (range): 2.5 (1-11)). There were longer delays in creation of a permanent access (p = 0.08), but no difference in the type of permanent access placed in IVDA versus the non-IVDA group. Over 1,051 cumulative months of access follow-up, 134 tunneled catheters, 28 grafts and 19 fistulae were placed, with observed failure rates of 1 per 4.7 access-months, 1 per 19.7 access-months, 1 per 38.2 access-months, respectively. The adjusted relative hazard of access failure for grafts versus catheters was 0.41 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.72; p = 0.002) and for fistulae versus catheters was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.52; p = 0.001). Thirty-two percent of accesses were removed due to infection, an infection removal rate for catheters of 1 per 7.8 access-months and for grafts of 1 per 62.5 access-months; all graft infections occurred in the IVDA group. No fistula was removed due to infection. CONCLUSION: Fistulae are the first line of choice for hemodialysis access in HIV-seropositive patients regardless of IVDA history; if not feasible, graft placement in non-IVDA or abstinent IVDA patients is recommended. In those with active IVDA, the optimal method of renal replacement therapy and type of hemodialysis access remain uncertain.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Epoetin alfa use in patients with ESRD: an analysis of recent US prescribing patterns and hemoglobin outcomes.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown to what degree physicians adjust erythropoietin doses to achieve hemoglobin levels (11.0 to 12.0 g/dL [110 to 120 g/L]) recommended by the National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-K/DOQI) for patients with end-stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis. Our objective is to examine epoetin alfa prescribing patterns for achieving the target hemoglobin level range in this population. METHODS: Monthly hemoglobin levels and epoetin alfa doses from 2 large databases were retrospectively analyzed. One data set comprised 31,267 patients from the Fresenius Medical Care-North America (FMC-NA) database, and the other comprised 128,761 patients based on claims for Medicare services. RESULTS: Longitudinal evaluation of the FMC-NA data set showed that hemoglobin levels in patients administered epoetin alfa cycled in and out of the NKF-K/DOQI hemoglobin target range, and doses were decreased in 98.8% of patients with persistent hemoglobin levels greater than 12.0 g/dL (> 120 g/L). Hemoglobin levels in patients from the Medicare data set that initially were outside the target range migrated into the range with epoetin alfa dose titration. FMC-NA patients with a 3-month average hemoglobin level less than 11.0 g/dL (< 110 g/L) were administered significantly greater epoetin alfa doses than those with average hemoglobin levels greater than 12.0 g/dL (> 120 g/L; 21,838 versus 13,503 U/wk; P < 0.0001). Less than 0.4% of patients administered epoetin alfa were persistently anemic (hemoglobin < 11.0 g/dL [< 110 g/L]) and were administered persistently high doses (> 30,000 U/wk), but failed to respond with a 0.5-g/dL or greater (> or = 5-g/L) increase in hemoglobin levels. CONCLUSION: In these analyses, few hemodialysis patients experienced persistent anemia while being administered high epoetin alfa doses. Physicians appeared to appropriately adjust doses to achieve hemoglobin levels recommended by the NKF-K/DOQI guidelines.

Anemia↗

PubMed2003

Operationalizing anemia management: organizing the program and coordinating the team.

Data indicate that a significant percentage of dialysis patients do not achieve the hemoglobin (Hb) target range of 11 to 12 g/dL. Our dialysis facility undertook a quality improvement program to assess and modify the processes affecting anemia-related outcomes. A 30% reduction in the percentage of patients with Hb levels below 11 g/dL was achieved by: (a) empowering an anemia manager to coordinate the team quality improvement effort, (b) integrating the Epotein alfa and iron protocols, (c) implementing a dose titration model for patients with Hb levels in the upper end of the target range, and (d) devising a "rapid ramping" protocol to ensure timely achievement of target Hb levels in patients who were new to dialysis or returning to the facility after hospitalization.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Preoperative care of patients with kidney disease.

Patients with chronic kidney disease often require surgical interventions for vascular access and for medical problems related to comorbid conditions. Perioperative morbidity and mortality rates are increased in these patients. Preoperative attention to common medical problems that occur in patients with impaired renal function can lower some surgical risks. Hyperkalemia can be temporarily improved by the intravenous administration of an insulin-dextrose combination or bicarbonate, and polystyrene binding resins or dialysis can remove excess stores of potassium. Increased bleeding related to uremic platelet dysfunction can be managed by the administration of desmopressin, cryoprecipitate, or estrogens, and by avoiding the use of medications with antiplatelet effects close to the time of surgery. Transfusions of red blood cells should be reserved for use in patients with clinically significant anemia, because antibody formation may decrease the likelihood of successful renal transplantation in the future. Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in patients with renal disease. Patients with chronic kidney disease may have hypertension and hypoglycemia in the perioperative period. Preoperative testing may be necessary in patients with cardiac risk factors. If future vascular access grafting is contemplated, intravenous line placement and blood draws should be avoided in a patient's nondominant arm.

Anemia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Managing the anemia of end-stage renal disease after hospitalization.

Aggravation of pre-existing anemia is a common clinical manifestation in patients who return to the dialysis facility after being hospitalized. Many of them display persistent anemia, with Hb levels remaining below the NKF-K/DOQI minimum threshold of 11 g/dL for 6 months or more following hospitalization. Proactive management of anemia in the periods before, during, and after hospitalization can often minimize the severity of any decrease in Hb while shortening the time required to reachieve targeted Hb levels.

Aftercare↗