Peritoneal dialysis (PD) represents an important but underused strategy for patients who are beginning dialysis treatment worldwide. The development of a health care model that encourages increased ...use of PD is hampered by a lack of expertise and absence of pragmatic strategies. This article provides a brief review of a PD-first initiative that was implemented in Hong Kong more than 25 years ago and issues related to this policy. Clinical studies and research by the authors' and other teams around the world have shown evidence that, as a home-based dialysis therapy, PD can improve patient survival, retain residual kidney function, lower infection risk, and increase patient satisfaction while reducing financial stress to governments by addressing the burden of managing the growing number of patients with end-stage renal disease. Achieving a successful PD-first policy requires understanding inherent patient factors, selecting patients carefully, and improving technique-related factors by training physicians, nurses, patients, and caregivers better. Dialysis centers have the important role of fostering expertise and experience in PD patient management. Dialysis reimbursement policy also can be helpful in providing sufficient incentives for choosing PD. However, despite successes in improving patient survival, PD treatment has limitations, notably the shortcoming of technique failure. Potential strategies to and challenges of implementing a PD-first policy globally are discussed in this review. We highlight 3 important elements of a successful PD-first program: nephrologist experience and expertise, peritoneal dialysis catheter access, and psychosocial support for PD patients.
The success of peritoneal dialysis as renal-replacement therapy depends on a well-functioning peritoneal catheter. Knowledge of best practices in catheter insertion can minimize the risk of catheter ...complications that lead to peritoneal dialysis failure. The catheter placement procedure begins with preoperative assessment of the patient to determine the most appropriate catheter type, insertion site, and exit site location. Preoperative preparation of the patient is an instrumental step in facilitating the performance of the procedure, avoiding untoward events, and promoting the desired outcome. Catheter insertion methods include percutaneous needle-guidewire with or without image guidance, open surgical dissection, peritoneoscopic procedure, and surgical laparoscopy. The insertion technique used often depends on the geographic availability of material resources and local provider expertise in placing catheters. Independent of the catheter implantation approach, adherence to a number of universal details is required to ensure the best opportunity for creating a successful long-term peritoneal access. Finally, appropriate postoperative care and catheter break-in enables a smooth transition to dialysis therapy.
Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis is a serious complication of PD and prevention and treatment of such is important in reducing patient morbidity and mortality. The ISPD 2022 updated ...recommendations have revised and clarified definitions for refractory peritonitis, relapsing peritonitis, peritonitis-associated catheter removal, PD-associated haemodialysis transfer, peritonitis-associated death and peritonitis-associated hospitalisation. New peritonitis categories and outcomes including pre-PD peritonitis, enteric peritonitis, catheter-related peritonitis and medical cure are defined. The new targets recommended for overall peritonitis rate should be no more than 0.40 episodes per year at risk and the percentage of patients free of peritonitis per unit time should be targeted at >80% per year. Revised recommendations regarding management of contamination of PD systems, antibiotic prophylaxis for invasive procedures and PD training and reassessment are included. New recommendations regarding management of modifiable peritonitis risk factors like domestic pets, hypokalaemia and histamine-2 receptor antagonists are highlighted. Updated recommendations regarding empirical antibiotic selection and dosage of antibiotics and also treatment of peritonitis due to specific microorganisms are made with new recommendation regarding adjunctive oral N-acetylcysteine therapy for mitigating aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Areas for future research in prevention and treatment of PD-related peritonitis are suggested.
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Although airborne transmission has been considered as a possible route for the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the role that aerosols play in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is still controversial. This study ...evaluated the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 isolation wards at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong by both on-site sampling and numerical analysis. A total of 838 air samples and 1176 surface samples were collected, and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected using the RT-PCR method. Testing revealed that 2.3% of the air samples and 9.3% of the surface samples were positive, indicating that the isolation wards were contaminated with the virus. The dispersion and deposition of exhaled particles in the wards were calculated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The calculated accumulated number of particles collected at the air sampling points was closely correlated with the SARS-CoV-2 positive rates from the field sampling, which confirmed the possibility of airborne transmission. Furthermore, three potential intervention strategies, i.e., the use of curtains, ceiling-mounted air cleaners, and periodic ventilation, were numerically investigated to explore effective control measures in isolation wards. According to the results, the use of ceiling-mounted air cleaners is effective in reducing the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in such wards.
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•SARS-CoV-2 was detected in both air and surface samples in isolation wards.•The dispersion and deposition of exhaled particles were analyzed by CFD simulation.•Sampling and simulation supported the possibility of airborne transmission.•Use of ceiling-mounted air cleaners is an effective intervention strategy in wards.•Curtains separate adjacent patients but increase the risk of opposite patients.
ABSTRACT
Aim: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. We studied the intra‐renal expression of miRNA targets that were reported to be differentially ...expressed in peripheral blood or urine between lupus nephritis (LN) patients and normal controls.
Methods: We quantified the expression of in glomerulus and tubulointerstitium of miR‐146a, miR‐155, miR‐198 miR‐638 and miR‐663 in 42 patients with LN and 10 healthy controls.
Results: As compared with controls, LN patients had lower glomerular expression of miR‐638 (P < 0.001) but higher tubulointerstitial expression of this target (P = 0.001). Both glomerular and tubulointerstitial expression of miR‐198 were higher in LN patients than controls (P < 0.001). For miR‐146a, LN patients only had higher expression in glomerulus (P = 0.005) but not in tubulointerstitium. Tubulointerstitial miR‐638 expression was significantly correlated with proteinuria (r = 0.404; P = 0.022) and disease activity score (r = 0.454; P = 0.008), while glomerular miR‐146a expressions were correlated with estimated GFR (r = 0.453; P = 0.028) and histological activity index (r = 0.494; P = 0.027).
Conclusion: We found that intra‐renal expression of miR‐638, miR‐198 and miR‐146a are differentially expressed between LN patients and normal controls. Furthermore, the degree of change in glomerular miR‐146a and tubulointerstitial miR‐638 expression correlated with clinical disease severity. The results suggested that these miRNA targets may play a role in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.
This paper by Lu et al. defines, within the glomeruli and tubulointerstitial compartments of patients with lupus nephritis, changes in selected miRNAs, recognized as being increasingly important in post‐transcriptional regulation of gene expression in health and disease. The functional role of these miRNAs in lupus nephritis warrants further study.
Atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is an uncommon form of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). However, it remains difficult to diagnose the disease early, given its non-specific and overlapping ...presentation to other conditions such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and typical HUS. It is also important to identify the underlying causes and to distinguish between primary (due to a genetic abnormality leading to a dysregulated alternative complement pathway) and secondary (often attributed by severe infection or inflammation) forms of the disease, as there is now effective treatment such as monoclonal antibodies against C5 for primary aHUS. However, primary aHUS with severe inflammation are often mistaken as a secondary HUS. We presented an unusual case of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), which is in fact associated with anti-complement factor H (anti-CFH) antibodies related aHUS. Although the aHUS may be triggered by the severe inflammation from the AOSD, the presence of anti-CFH antibodies suggests an underlying genetic defect in the alternative complement pathway, predisposing to primary aHUS. One should note that anti-CFH antibodies associated aHUS may not always associate with genetic predisposition to complement dysregulation and can be an autoimmune form of aHUS, highlighting the importance of genetic testing.
A 42 years old man was admitted with suspected adult-onset Still's disease. Intravenous methylprednisolone was started but patient was complicated with acute encephalopathy and low platelet. ADAMTS13 test returned to be normal and concurrent aHUS was eventually suspected, 26 days after the initial thrombocytopenia was presented. Plasma exchange was started and patient eventually had 2 doses of eculizumab after funding was approved. Concurrent tocilizumab was also used to treat the adult-onset Still's disease with MAS. The patient was eventually stabilised and long-term tocilizumab maintenance treatment was planned instead of eculizumab following haematology review. Although the aHUS may be a secondary event to MAS according to haematology opinion and the genetic test came back negative for the five major aHUS gene, high titre of anti-CFH antibodies was detected (1242 AU/ml).
Our case highlighted the importance of prompt anti-CFH antibodies test and genetic testing for aHUS in patients with severe AOSD and features of TMA. Our case also emphasized testing for structural variants within the CFH and CFH-related proteins gene region, as part of the routine genetic analysis in patients with anti-CFH antibodies associated aHUS to improve diagnostic approaches.
Air and surface contamination of the SARS-CoV-2 have been reported by multiple studies. However, the evidence is limited for the change of environmental contamination of this virus in the surrounding ...of patients with COVID-19 at different time points during the course of disease and under different conditions of the patients. Therefore, this study aims to understand the risk factors associated with the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 through the period when the patients were staying in the isolation wards. In this study, COVID-19 patients admitted to the isolation wards were followed up for up to 10 days for daily collection of air and surface samples in their surroundings. The positivity rate of the environmental samples at different locations was plotted, and multiple multi-level mixed-effect logistic regressions were used to examine the association between the positivity of environmental samples and their daily health conditions and environmental factors. It found 6.6 % of surface samples (133/2031 samples) and 2.1 % of air samples (22/1075 samples) were positive, and the positivity rate reached to peak during 2–3 days after admission to the ward. The virus was more likely to present at bedrail, patients’ personal items and medical equipment, while less likely to be detected in the air outside the range of 2 m from the patients. It also revealed that higher positivity rate is associated with lower environmental temperature, fever and cough at the day of sampling, lower Ct values of latest test for respiratory tract samples, and pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. The finding can be used to guide the hospital infection control strategies by identifying high-risk areas and patients. Extra personal hygiene precautions and equipment for continuously environmental disinfection can be used for these high-risk areas and patients to reduce the risk of hospital infection.
•Assessing SARS-CoV-2 contamination through patients’ course of disease is important.•SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 155 out of 3106 (5 %) samples in isolation wards.•Viral positivity rate reached to peak at 2–3 days after admission to the wards.•SARS-CoV-2 is less likely to be detected outside 2-meter range around the patient.•Positivity rate is associated with lower temperature and worse health conditions.
Fluid overload is common among asymptomatic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We aim to determine the prevalence and prognostic significance of fluid overload, as measured by bioimpedance ...spectroscopy, in asymptomatic incident PD patients.
We performed a single-center study on 311 incident PD patients. Volume status was represented by the volume of overhydration (OH), OH/extracellular water (ECW) ratio, ECW/total body water (TBW) ratio, and ECW to intracellular water (ICW) ratio (E:I ratio). Patient survival, technique survival and cardiovascular event-free survival were determined.
The median period of follow up was 27.3 months. Fluid overload was present in 272 patients (87.5%) when defined as OH volume over 1.1L. All hydration parameters significantly correlated with Charlson Comorbidity Index, and inversely with total Kt/V, and serum albumin. Multivariate cause-specific Cox analysis showed that volume status independently predicted patient survival; every 0.1 unit increase in E:I ratio was associated with 24.5% increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio ACSHR 1.245, p = 0.002). Hydration status was also an independent predictor of cardiovascular event-free survival after excluding hospital admission for congestive heart failure; each 0.1 unit increase in E:I ratio was associated with 18.7% decrease in cardiovascular event-free survival (ACSHR 1.187, p = 0.011). In contrast, hydration parameters were not associated with technique survival.
Fluid overload is common in asymptomatic incident PD patients and is a strong predictor of patient survival and cardiovascular event. The impact of bioimpedance spectroscopy-guided fluid management on the outcome of PD patients deserves further study.
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