Background. The purpose of this study was to compare three different equations to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on serum creatinine (SCr) and to estimate the prevalence ...of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the Icelandic population. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Reykjavik Heart Study. GFR was estimated with three equations: Equation I was based on 1/SCr; Equation II based on the Cockcroft-Gault equation; and Equation III was the modified MDRD equation. The eGFR calculated with Equation III and proteinuria were used to estimate the prevalence of CKD. The prevalence was age-standardized to the truncated world population. We used χ-square and ANCOVA to compare the group with low eGFR to age-matched controls. Results. The subjects consisted of 9229 males and 10 027 females, aged 33–85 years. The equations performed very differently. Equation I showed women with higher eGFR than men and little change with age. Equation II showed men with higher eGFR than women and marked decline in eGFR with age. Equation III was similar to Equation II but the decline in eGFR with age was not as great. Regardless of the equation used, most subjects (63.7–80.7%) had an eGFR in the range of 60–89 ml/min/1.73 m2. Using Equation III, age-standardized prevalence of low eGFR for the population aged 35–80+ years was estimated to be 4.7 and 11.6% for men and women, respectively. The proportion of subjects with eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 increased with advancing age. An additional 2.39% of men and 0.89% of women had proteinuria. The prevalence of renal and cardiovascular risk factors including proteinuria, hypertension, lipid abnormalities and markers of inflammation was higher among those with low eGFR than age-matched controls. Conclusions. GFR estimates and the prevalence of CKD are dependent on the equation used to calculate eGFR. Unexpectedly, a low proportion of the Icelandic population had normal kidney function according to the eGFR regardless of the equation used. These equations may not be useful in epidemiological research.
A decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) is frequently seen in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study was designed to assess BMD of young Icelandic women with current or previous history of ...AN and identify predictors which might be targets for preventive measures.
The study was retrospective. Participants were women aged 18-40 years, with diagnosis of AN (F50.0, F50.1) attending the anorexia unit at Landspítali - The National University Hospital of Iceland - in 2001-2009, who had undergone measurement of BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A control group consisted of 58 healthy 30 years old women participating in a study of bone health in 2001-2003.
At time of BMD measurement the median body mass index (BMI: kg/m2) in the AN group (n=40) was 17.4 (12.3-25.2) compared to 23.6 (18.1-43.7) in the control group (p<0,001). Lumbar spine and hip BMD were 15.3-17.5% lower in AN patients than in control subjects (p<0.001). In both groups there was a strong correlation between BMD and body weight (r=0.354-0.604, p<0.05) and lean mass (r=0.425-0.588, p<0.05). Among patients with AN a correlation was also seen between BMD and lowest weight during the illness (r=0.482-0.499, p<0.01). Among the 26 AN patients who had repeated BMD measurement, a significant decrease in BMD at femoral neck (-6.6%, p=0.030) was observed in those who lost weight between the measurements (n=9). Those who had BMI ≤17.5 between BMD measurements lost 5.5-7.1% of the BMD at the hip (p<0.05).
Young women with AN have 15% lower bone mass than healthy young women. The relationship between BMD and body weight seems to be a continuum across disease states. Increased body weight may be the most important factor for recovery of bone mass in AN patients.
Rapid correction of severe hyponatremia can result in osmotic demyelination syndrome. Patients with severe hyponatremia and renal failure requiring dialysis pose a therapeutic challenge since the use ...of conventional intermittent hemodialysis will result in a rapid correction of the serum sodium level. We report the case of a 52-year-old woman with extreme hyponatremia and severe acute kidney injury, who was successfully treated with continuous venovenous hemodialysis using a modified dialysate solution with a low sodium concentration that was adjusted on a daily basis.
Survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest has not been previously reported in Iceland and the purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of in-hospital resuscitation over a two year period.
...There are resuscitation teams on each of the two campuses of the University Hospital in Reykjavik. Since the beginning of 2006, the resuscitation teams have compiled their reports in a structured form, Utstein style.
During 2006 and 2007 resuscitation teams were activated on a total of 311 occasions. Of those, there was need for a full cardiopulmonary resuscitation because of cardiac arrest of in patients in 80 cases (26%). Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved or the patient survived to be transferred to the intensive care unit in 55 (69%) of the 80 cases. Survival to discharge was 33%. Survival to discharge was better if the arrest occurred between 8 AM and 4 PM during daytime (50%), than outside of regular working hours (23%, p=0.02). The survival was better if ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation was the first rhythm encountered (50%) than if the initial rhythm turned out to be asystole or pulseless electrical activity (12%, p=0.002). Those who survived resuscitation were generally younger than those who did not (p=0.002).
The outcomes were similar to those reported at institutions in our neighboring countries. The survival rate was lower if the cardiac arrest occurred outside of regular working hours and if ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation was the first encountered rhythm.
Multiple myeloma (MM) patients have increased risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) when infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Monoclonal gammopathy ...of undetermined significance (MGUS), the precursor of MM has been associated with immune dysfunction which may lead to severe COVID-19. No systematic data have been published on COVID-19 in individuals with MGUS. We conducted a large population-based cohort study evaluating the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 among individuals with MGUS. We included 75,422 Icelanders born before 1976, who had been screened for MGUS in the Iceland Screens Treats or Prevents Multiple Myeloma study (iStopMM). Data on SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 severity were acquired from the Icelandic COVID-19 Study Group. Using a test-negative study design, we included 32,047 iStopMM participants who had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, of whom 1754 had MGUS. Among these participants, 1100 participants, tested positive, 65 of whom had MGUS. Severe COVID-19 developed in 230 participants, including 16 with MGUS. MGUS was not associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (Odds ratio (OR): 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81-1.36; p = 0.72) or severe COVID-19 (OR: 0.99; 95%CI: 0.52-1.91; p = 0.99). These findings indicate that MGUS does not affect the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 or the severity of COVID-19.
The incidence of end-stage kidney failure has increased dramatically world-wide in recent decades. It is a disorder that carries high mortality and morbidity and its treatment is expensive. Increased ...emphasis has been placed on early detection in recent years in the hope that it may lead to preventive strategies. However, these efforts have been hampered by ambiguous disease definitions. Recent guidelines have defined chronic kidney disease (CKD) as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) and/or evidence of kidney damage by laboratory or imaging studies, of more than 3 months duration. Chronic kidney disease is divided into 5 stages based on renal function, where stage 1 is defined as normal GFR or above 90 ml/min/1.73 m(2), and stage 5 as GFR below 15 ml/min/1.73 m(2) which is consistent with end-stage kidney failure. The GFR can be measured directly but more conveniently it is calculated based on serum creatinine using formulas that have been shown to be fairly accurate. Epidemiological studies employing the new definition have shown that the prevalence of CKD is 5-10% in Western countries, leading to its recognition as a major public health problem. It has also been demonstrated that CKD is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. This year the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory at Landspitali University Hospital will begin reporting the estimated GFR along with the serum creatinine values. It is important that Icelandic physicians learn to use the estimated GFR in their daily practice to make the diagnosis and staging of CKD more effective. Hopefully this will lead to earlier detection and institution of therapy that may retard the development of end-stage kidney failure and decrease the associated cardiovascular risk.
The incidence of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in patients on peritoneal dialysis seems to be increasing worldwide. In Iceland, two cases of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis have recently been ...diagnosed (cumulative incidence 1.6%). The patients followed a similar course; the disease was diagnosed in the wake of a bacterial peritonitis, steroid treatment was effective during the acute phase but eventually surgical treatment was needed and a successful enterolysis performed.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common problem in hospitalized patients, requiring extensive treatment and carries a high mortality rate. This study was designed to assess the epidemiology of AKI, and ...risk factors and outcome of patients with severe AKI in a tertiary care university hospital in Iceland.
All adult patients with measured serum creatinine (SCr) in Landspitali University Hospital from January 2008 to December 2011, who had a measured baseline SCr in the preceeding six months, were included. Patients were categorized according to the RIFLE-criteria into risk (stage 1), injury (stage 2) and failure (stage 3) groups based on their highest SCr, using the lowest SCr in the previous six months as baseline.
A total of 17,693 individuals (out of 74,960) had a baseline SCr and their data were used for analysis. AKI occurred in 3,686 (21%) with 12%, 5% and 4% of stage 1, 2 and 3, respectively. There were more females in stage 1 and stage 2 and more males in stage 3 (p< 0.001). Contributing causes for AKI in patients with stage 3 AKI were surgery (22%), circulatory shock (23%), sepsis (14%), cardiovascular insult (32%), respiratory failure (27%), bleeding (10%), trauma (7%) and AKI associated drugs (61%). Dialysis was required in 11% and in 0.7% for longer than 30 days but none > 90 days. One year survival was 52%.
Acute kidney injury is common in Iceland and the prognosis of those with severe AKI is dismal. Majority of those patients were taking drugs that increase risk of AKI, providing a target for preventive measures.
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