Non-medical factors that impact on ESRD modality selection.
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Cultural Characteristics↗
Biomedical subjects
R Maiorca
Publications and source records attributed to R Maiorca.
Morbidity and mortality of CAPD and hemodialysis.
We have reappraised studies on morbidity and mortality in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), comparing it with hemodialysis (HD), the standard treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). More hospitalization is required for CAPD, the difference being related to peritonitis, to the more frequent presence of some risk factors (such as diabetes and atherosclerosis) in the patients selected for CAPD, and to the lack of experience in the early years of CAPD practice. CAPD patients have less acute morbidity during treatment that not always requires hospitalization: hypotension, hypertension, arrhythmias, and myocardial ischemia. Cardiac performance is also better in CAPD patients, who develop less myocardial hypertrophy than HD patients. Hospitalization due to infectious disease not referable to technique, beta 2-microglobulin related morbidity, signs of uremic neuropathy, osteodystrophy, and malnutrition are similar in both groups. Method survival is better for HD, the difference being completely accounted for by peritonitis. Patient survival adjusted for pre-treatment differences is similar in CAPD and HD, and this is not an artifact of more drop-outs on CAPD. A high incidence of peritonitis is accompanied by an increased risk of death. Older patients have a lesser risk of death on CAPD than on HD. Diabetics have a worse survival than non-diabetics, with no difference between the two methods. Although patient survivals on CAPD and HD are the same, differences in the mode of blood purification have an interesting impact on particular aspects of morbidity.
Amyloidosis↗
Hospitalization: CAPD versus hemodialysis and transplant.
We studied morbidity in 648 patients treated in our center in a ten-year period as indicated by duration of hospitalization: 232 patients were on CAPD, 188 on hemodialysis (HD) and 228 had cadaveric kidney transplants (Tx). Duration of hospitalization was divided into four groups according to its causes. The age of the patients on CAPD was 61 +/- 14 years, 53 +/- 17 on HD and 36 +/- 10 in the Tx group. The total follow-up was 629 patient-year (p-y) on CAPD, 458 p-y on HD and 928 p-y on Tx. The first admission was longer on CAPD (30 +/- 18 days) and on Tx (36 +/- 18 days) than on HD (18 +/- 12). After the first admission, the total days of hospitalization (days/patient-year, d/p-y) were more for CAPD than HD and Tx. Analysis of these data showed that the difference was due to peritonitis and to the different percentage of elderly patients in the CAPD group. With a reduction in the incidence of infectious complications (peritonitis, tunnel or exit-site), hospitalization in CAPD could be reduced to a length of time similar to that currently needed by HD and Tx patients. This can result in important cost-saving.
Adolescent↗
Nutritional status in long-term CAPD patients.
We studied normalized urea nitrogen appearance (NUNA), normalized protein catabolic rate (NPCR), and normalized daily creatinine excretion (NDCE) in twenty-one patients (15 men, 6 women; mean age 63 +/- 9 years) on CAPD for more than 4 years (80 +/- 27 months). In the same patients we evaluated the changes in serum albumin and transferrin with time. After 74 +/- 26 months on CAPD, NUNA was 0.12 +/- 0.03 g/Kg IBW/day, NPCR = 1.09 +/- 0.19 g/Kg IBW/day; NDCE = 15.1 +/- 3.1 mg/Kg IBW/day; serum albumin = 3.8 +/- 0.2 g/dl. NUNA was correlated with NPCR (p < 0.001) and both were correlated with NDCE (p = 0.007 and p = 0.008). NPCR significantly decreased as patient age increased (p = 0.007) but was not correlated with time on CAPD, sex or serum albumin. Serum albumin did not change as age increased. Serum albumin and serum transferrin had not significantly changed after 4 years (after 8 years in a subgroup of eight patients). Finally, we compared these data to the initial data recorded for the same patients (mean interval: 64 +/- 21 months). NUNA, NPCR and NDCE did not change significantly. Changes in NPCR were directly related to changes in NDCE (p = 0.019). This study supports that long-term CAPD does not necessarily impair nutritional status and suggests that the oldest patients can maintain stable serum albumin concentrations on lower protein intake than younger ones.
Adult↗
Reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy following recombinant human erythropoietin treatment of anaemic dialysed uraemic patients.
To clarify the role of chronic anaemia in the pathogenesis of the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) of chronic uraemia, nine normotensive dialysed patients were studied before and 3 and 6 months after start of intravenous treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo). M-Mode echocardiographic estimations of left ventricular mass indices (LVMi) and plasma noradrenaline determinations were made at 3 and 6 months, and total blood volume (TBV) only at 6 months. Resting haemoglobin values were 5.9 +/- 1.3 (SD) g/dl, increased within 3 months to 10.2 +/- 1.2 (P less than 0.001), then remained unchanged. Baseline LVMi was 115 +/- 18 g/m2 body surface area (b.s.a.) and decreased significantly (P less than 0.0025) over the entire period to a final value of 78 +/- 13 g, which did not differ from the average value for 19 healthy controls. Resting plasma noradrenaline was 1.45 +/- 0.44 pmol/ml and did not change significantly, although values were reduced at the 3rd month, when decreased heart rates and slightly and non-significantly increased blood pressures were recorded. TBV did not vary because the increased erythrocyte mass was compensated for by parallel decreases in plasma volume. These data demonstrate the existence of a cause-effect relationship between uraemic anaemia and LVH, although the precise mechanism remains unknown. Amelioration of anaemia with rHuEpo, by allowing recovery from the attendant LVH, might improve long-term cardiovascular prognosis in some dialysed uraemic patients.
Adult↗
A multicenter, selection-adjusted comparison of patient and technique survivals on CAPD and hemodialysis.
Four hundred and eighty CAPD and 373 HD patients started regular dialysis treatment between 1981 and 1987 in 6 dialysis centers. The CAPD patients were 6 years older, on average, than the HD patients and had more complicating conditions (43.3% with 3 or more coexisting risk factors versus 28.9% with coexisting complications). The 7-year patient survival rate was not significantly different. Cox's proportional hazards regression showed that age, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, malignancy and multisystem disease had significant adverse effects on patient survival. After correcting for the influence of these factors, no significant differences in patient survival were seen. However, after 53.5 years of age, the increase in the risk of death was significantly higher in HD than in CAPD patients. Technique survival was significantly different in the 6 centers and was better for HD than for CAPD. There was no statistically significant difference between CAPD and HD technique survival when peritonitis was eliminated as a cause of failure. Based on this 7 year analysis, CAPD would appear to be an excellent alternative to HD.
Female↗
Acute visual disorders in patients on regular dialysis given desferrioxamine as a test.
Aluminium (Al) overload has been recognised as a frequent complication in uraemic patients on regular dialysis treatment. We report how acute visual disorders occurred after performing a desferrioxamine (DFO) test in patients on regular dialysis treatment suspected of having aluminium overload. Fifteen patients on regular dialysis treatment for 132 +/- 73 (range 17-250) months, aged 61 +/- 10 (range 47-79) years were given DFO as a test at standard dosage. In the 13 patients who complained of visual disorders, we performed ophthalmologic examinations soon after DFO administration, and again 5 months later in 11 of them. A decrease in visual acuity and/or dyschromatopsia, transient or permanent, were present in ten patients. Four had permanent maculopathy and three also had a permanent alteration of VEP (visual evoked potential). Visual fields were normal in all patients except one who presented a permanent central scotoma. The EOG (electro-oculogram) was permanently impaired in five patients and some of them had fluoroangiographic alterations due to damage of the pigmented epithelium. Six to eight months after the DFO test four patients still complained of visual acuity reduction. We conclude that there is a high rate of visual disorders after giving DFO at the standard doses; therefore we stress the need to modify the doses commonly used and/or the mode of infusion.
Aged↗
Viral hepatitis in HBsAg-positive renal transplant patients treated with cyclosporin and steroids.
This study reports clinical, serological and immunomorphological observations on viral hepatitis in 14 HBsAg-positive renal transplanted patients treated with cyclosporin and steroids. Eleven patients who were HBsAg positive before transplantation developed signs of hepatitis. This was due to HBV in six cases and progressed into a mild chronic disease. The remaining five subjects lacked signs of HBV reactivation. The hepatitis, attributed to non-A non-B agents, recovered completely. Two more patients became HBsAg positive after transplantation both developed acute hepatitis, respectively drug and HBV related. Transition into chronicity occurred only in the latter case. The results seem to indicate: (1) the possibility of a high incidence of non-B virus hepatitis in HBsAg-positive transplanted patients under cyclosporin treatment; (2) a good prognosis in non-B hepatitis as compared to hepatitis B for the same patient group; and (3) a mild degree of disease activity in cases who develop chronic hepatitis.
Alanine Transaminase↗
Spleen involvement in Wegener's granulomatosis: two case reports.
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Adult↗
The role of hematocrit in efficiency of dialysis.
To test the role of hematocrit (Hct), particularly when in the nearly normal range, on efficiency of dialysis, we analyzed the urea kinetics for 36 metabolically and hematologically stable patients on regular dialysis treatment and for 7 patients from this group before and after 3 months of treatment with human recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO). The volume of distribution of urea (V), the dialyzer clearance (Kd) and Kt/V were plotted against Hct. Hct showed a significant inverse correlation with Kd (r = 0.479, p = 0.003) and Kt/V (r = 0.572, p = 0.0002). Further division of the patients into groups with respect to Hct showed that the lowest Kt/V values were in the group with Hct greater than or equal to 37%. In the patients treated with rHuEPO, Hct rose from 18 +/- 1 to 35 +/- 5% (p less than 0.0001), and Kt/V decreased from 1.22 +/- 0.21 to 1.09 +/- 0.18 (p = 0.037). We conclude that Hct exerts a negative influence on efficiency of dialysis as evaluated by Kt/V. This is important for patients with normal or nearly normal Hct levels as well as for patients treated with rHuEPO, for whom normalization of Hct is pursued.
Adult↗
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: present status and future trends.
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Forecasting↗
Audiological findings in elderly patients with chronic renal failure.
The audiological results of 46 patients (m/f 27/19, mean age; 57.4 +/- 11.1) with chronic renal failure (CRF) undergoing dialysis were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched control group (n = 25). Mean pure tone average from 0.5 to 8 kHz was about 15 dB higher in CRF patients than in control subjects. The ABR parameters of the test group were then contrasted with those recorded in a second control group (n = 47, m/f 26/21, mean age: 56.1 +/- 11.4) matched by age, gender and degree of hearing loss (HL). After assessing the normality of the groups by the usual criteria, using the data of a sample of normal young adults, the ABR were found to be abnormal in 23.9% of the controls and in the 39.13% of the CRF patients. Wave V, I-III, III-V and I-V delays were significantly shorter in the females of the control group; in the CRF group, only the V and the I-V delays were shorter in females. The only age-dependent effect was found in the CRF sample, in which older patients had significantly longer I-III IPLD. The degree of HL influenced the latency of the waves in both groups but only the I-V IPLD was longer in CRF patients with pronounced high tone loss. The most distinguishing feature between the effects of CRF plus ageing and those of normal ageing was the lengthening of the I-III IPLD in the test group. This finding is likely to reflect a subclinical disorder of the VIII nerve function that is a part of the axonal uremic neuropathy.
Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
Renormalization of high cardiac output and of left ventricular size following long-term recombinant human erythropoietin treatment of anemic dialyzed uremic patients.
To obtain information on the effects of the correction of uremic anemia on cardiac function and size, nine normotensive dialyzed patients were studied before, during and six months after the start of i.v. treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO). Pulsed-doppler echocardiographic determinations of the cardiac index (CI) and M-Mode echocardiographic estimations of the indexed left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDDi), interventricular septum (IVSi), left ventricular posterior wall (LVPWi), with calculations of the left ventricular mass index (LVMi), were made on every occasion. Mean (+/- SD) hemoglobin (Hb) concentration before rHuEPO was 5.9 +/- 1.3 g/dl and rose significantly (p less than 0.0001) up to the third month, then remained constant. Baseline CI (3.4 +/- 0.6 l/min/m2bsa) was significantly higher (p less than 0.0001) than in healthy subjects (2.5 +/- 0.5 l), and decreased after the third month to a value (2.8 +/- 0.5 l) no longer different from that of controls. From pooled baseline and third month data, an inverse relationship between Hb and CI was found (p less than 0.0001). Baseline LVEDDi (32.7 +/- 4.3 mm/m2bsa), IVSi (6 +/- 1.1 mm/m2bsa) and LVPWi (5 +/- 0.8 mm/m2bsa) were all significantly higher than in controls. After three months of therapy, the only change was a decrease in LVPWi while after six months all indices, including the LVMi, decreased to values no longer higher than in controls. From pooled baseline and six months data, an inverse relationship between Hb and LVMi was found (p less than 0.0001). We conclude that treatment of uremic patients by rHuEPO is able to renormalize their already increased cardiac output soon after correction of the anemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adult↗
Is CAPD competitive with haemodialysis for long-term treatment of uraemic patients?
Although there are only 10 years of clinical experience with CAPD, compared to about 30 years of clinical practice with haemodialysis, it is time to compare the results obtained from the two methods. In this review, after briefly summarising the state of the art for some worrisome aspects of CAPD (peritonitis, loss of ultrafiltration and peritoneal clearance, malnutritional status), the ability of CAPD and haemodialysis to control the uraemic abnormalities are compared. Anaemia, blood pressure, cardiac function, renal bone disease, beta 2-microglobulin, and uraemic neuropathy are examined in the light of our personal experience and the literature; data so far published seem to indicate that the two methods are roughly similar for controlling these conditions. A survey of the studies comparing patient and method survival is also included. Patient survival on CAPD or on haemodialysis does not differ by more than 6 years. Method survival is better for haemodialysis; this is primarily due to the high drop-out rate from CAPD because of peritonitis, and the difference is very much reduced in CAPD centres with a low incidence of peritonitis. On the whole, CAPD seems to be able to compete, sometimes favourably, with haemodialysis. However, in our opinion the two methods are not in competition; each has its preferential indications, limits and complications, and both should be offered to uraemic patients in accordance with their medical or social needs. One should be ready to shift the patient from one method to the other when necessary, either for short periods of time or indefinitely.
Clinical Trials as Topic↗
A six-year comparison of patient and technique survivals in CAPD and HD.
Comparisons of patient and technique survival were made for 120 CAPD and 139 HD patients undergoing dialysis between January 1981 and December 1986. Cox's proportional hazard regression model was used to compare patient and technique survival, with an adjustment for pre-treatment prognostic differences. Only the patients' first treatments were considered. The CAPD patients were 10 years older, on the average, than the HD patients and had more complicated conditions (58% with 3 or more co-existing risk factors vs. 35%). Overall patient survival between CAPD and HD did not differ (P = 0.2694). However, when adjusted for patient age, sex and other comorbid complicating conditions, CAPD patients over the age of 66 had a significantly lower risk of death than their HD counterparts (P less than 0.05). There were no differences in the adjusted patient survival for patients aged 30 to 66. Four pre-treatment prognostic factors had statistically significant adverse effects on patient survival: age, diabetes, malignancy and peripheral vascular disease. Survival of the HD technique, when unadjusted, was better than survival of CAPD (P = 0.0457). Even after adjustment for sex and age, this difference was still very nearly significant (P = 0.0656). No risk factors were found to be significantly associated with technique survival. Based on patient and technique survival, CAPD would appear to be an excellent alternative to HD and may be the preferred treatment for high risk patients over the age of 66.
Adult↗
Effect of reduction of blood volume on plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor concentrations in normal man.
Plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor (i-ANF) concentrations were measured in ten voluntary blood donors before and after acute blood loss induced after they had been supine for 20 min. Lying down caused i-ANF to increase significantly in all subjects. Bleeding (400 ml in 5 min) caused i-ANF to decrease to values significantly lower than either those observed before haemorrhage or those recorded in the upright position. These results provide evidence that in normal man acute changes in the intravascular volume, although limited within physiological limits, are able to induce opposite changes in i-ANF release.
Adult↗