Complete atrioventricular block during tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheter insertion in a patient with pre-existing left bundle branch block / 영남의대학술지

Arrhythmias are complications of tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheter insertion. Most complications associated with arrhythmias occur during guide-wire access, where the guide wire can cause traumatic damage to the conduction system of the heart. Conducting system injury in tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheter insertion often involves the right bundle, causing right bundle branch block (RBBB). Transient RBBB with sinus rhythm is not usually accompanied by abnormal vital signs. However if patients already have left bundle branch block (LBBB), new onset RBBB can cause complete atrioventricular block (AVB), which can lead to fatal complications requiring invasive treatment. We report on a patient with LBBB who developed complete AVB during hemodialysis catheter insertion.

Immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity reaction after intraperitoneal administration of vancomycin

Intraperitoneal (IP) vancomycin is widely used to treat Gram-positive peritonitis associated with peritoneal dialysis. There have been two cases of red man syndrome (RMS), a vancomycin-specific nonimmunologic reaction, associated with IP vancomycin. However, immune-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to IP vancomycin has not yet been reported. A 49 year old woman on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis developed her first peritonitis episode. The patient was treated with IP vancomycin once/wk for 4 weeks. She experienced mild itching and flushing throughout her body for 1 day after the second treatment. Whenever vancomycin was administered, generalized urticaria and a prickling sensation developed, and the intensity increased gradually; however, these symptoms improved after vancomycin was discontinued. An allergic skin test was performed 6 weeks after the previous urticarial episode, and an intradermal skin test revealed a positive response to vancomycin. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to IP vancomycin administration.

Recovery of Delayed Graft Function after Calcineurin Inhibitor Sparing Regimen in a Renal Transplant Patient with Calcineurin Inhibitor Toxicity: A Case Report / 대한이식학회지

The recipient candidate was a 51-year-old male with end-stage renal disease owing to diabetes mellitus. The initial immunosuppressive regimen included basiliximab for induction and tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids. Urine output was 413 mL/day on the operative day and 100 mL/day on the postoperative day (POD) 1. There was no definite stenosis of the ureter or vessels. He had anuria on POD 2~4 and he had undergone hemodialysis. His serum creatinine level did not decrease. Therefore, a graft biopsy was performed on POD 4. The pathologic finding was consistent with acute calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) toxicity. There was no evidence of rejection or acute tubular necrosis. Anuria continued on POD 6; therefore, we started sirolimus instead of a CNI based regimen. Graft function was gradually recovered 1 day after reduction of CNI dose and hemodialysis was stopped. The serum creatinine level was normalized on POD 10. He was discharged on POD 21.

Whole blood versus serum ionized calcium concentrations in dialysis patients

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study is to measure the difference of ionized calcium between heparinized whole blood and serum. METHODS: We recruited 107 maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients from our hospital HD unit. The clinical and laboratory data included ionized calcium in serum and in whole blood (reference, 4.07 to 5.17 mg/dL). RESULTS: The level of ionized calcium in serum was higher than that in whole blood (p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed that difference for ionized calcium was 0.5027. For the difference, the nonstandardized beta was -0.4389 (p < 0.001) and the intercept was 2.2418 (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the distribution of categories of ionized calcium level between two methods (kappa, 0.279; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that whole blood ionized calcium is underestimated compared with serum ionized calcium. Positive difference increases as whole blood ionized calcium decreases. Therefore, significant hypocalcemia in whole blood ionized calcium should be verified by serum ionized calcium.

Obstructive uropathy after inguinal herniorrhaphy with a mesh in a renal transplant patient

A 67-year-old male renal transplant patient presented with a right inguinal bulging mass, and was diagnosed with a right indirect inguinal hernia. The day following inguinal herniorrhaphy, serum creatinine became elevated. The patient was oliguric and had abdominal pain on the first day after inguinal herniorrhaphy with a mesh. We diagnosed him with acute renal failure and subsequently performed acute hemodialysis. The kidney computed tomography showed hydronephroureter, with distal ureter obstruction. With urgent percutaneous nephrostomy, we were able to relieve the obstructive uropathy with distal ureteral stenosis. Subsequently, hernia repair was performed with removal of the mesh, followed by the antegrade ureteral stent insertion. Renal function was recovered after ureteral stent insertion. This case shows that acute renal failure can occur due to ureteral obstruction, complicated by an inguinal hernia repair, and this can be successfully treated with percutaneous nephrostomy and inguinal hernia repair with mesh removal.

Toxoplasmosis after Kidney Transplantation / 대한이식학회지

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. It can be lethal in immunocompromised hosts, such as a transplant recipients or patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. In solid organ transplant recipients, toxoplasmosis results mainly from transmission of the parasite with an allograft in cases of serological mismatch. Toxoplasmosis in an immunocompromised host is associated with high mortality. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment is very important. We report on a case of toxoplasmosis in a 51-year-old male patient who had undergone deceased donor kidney transplantation. He suffered from fever of unknown origin. He was finally diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, and treated successfully with trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole.

Onodera's Prognostic Nutritional Index as a Risk Factor for Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical relevance and usefulness of the Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) as a prognostic and nutritional indicator in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the initial OPNI score: group A (n = 186, 45). Group A was associated with a higher grade according to the Davies risk index than the other groups. Serum creatinine and albumin levels, total lymphocyte count, and fat mass increased with an increase in OPNI. According to the edema index, the correlation coefficient for OPNI was -0.284 and for serum albumin was -0.322. Similarly, according to the C-reactive protein (CRP), the correlation coefficient for OPNI was -0.117 and for serum albumin was -0.169. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, Davies risk index, CRP, and edema index revealed that the hazard ratios for low OPNI, serum albumin, and CRP were 1.672 (P = 0.003), 1.308 (P = 0.130), and 1.349 (P = 0.083), respectively. Our results demonstrate that the OPNI is a simple method that can be used for predicting the nutritional status and clinical outcome in PD patients.

Onodera's Prognostic Nutritional Index as a Risk Factor for Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical relevance and usefulness of the Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) as a prognostic and nutritional indicator in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the initial OPNI score: group A (n = 186, 45). Group A was associated with a higher grade according to the Davies risk index than the other groups. Serum creatinine and albumin levels, total lymphocyte count, and fat mass increased with an increase in OPNI. According to the edema index, the correlation coefficient for OPNI was -0.284 and for serum albumin was -0.322. Similarly, according to the C-reactive protein (CRP), the correlation coefficient for OPNI was -0.117 and for serum albumin was -0.169. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, Davies risk index, CRP, and edema index revealed that the hazard ratios for low OPNI, serum albumin, and CRP were 1.672 (P = 0.003), 1.308 (P = 0.130), and 1.349 (P = 0.083), respectively. Our results demonstrate that the OPNI is a simple method that can be used for predicting the nutritional status and clinical outcome in PD patients.

Acute Kidney Injury due to Sodium Bromate Intoxication: A Report of Two Cases

Sodium bromate is a strong oxidant used as a neutralizing solution in hair permanents, as well as an auxiliary agent in printing and dyeing. Accidental or deliberate ingestion of bromate solution has rarely been reported in Korea. The clinical manifestations of bromate intoxication are vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system symptoms, oliguric or non-oliguric acute kidney injury, hemolytic anemia, and deafness; most of these manifestations are reversible, with the exception of renal failure and deafness. Here, we report on two patients who demonstrated distinct clinical progressions. In the first case, a 16-year-old woman was successfully treated with hemodialysis and recovered renal function without hearing loss. However, in the second case, delayed hemodialysis resulted in persistent renal failure and hearing loss in a 77-year-old woman. This suggests that emergency therapeutic measures, including hemodialysis, should be taken as soon as possible, as the rapid removal of bromate may be essential to preventing severe intoxication and its sequelae.

The Heme Oxygenase-1 Genotype is a Risk Factor to Renal Impairment of IgA Nephropathy at Diagnosis, Which is a Strong Predictor of Mortality

The induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) ameliorates oxidative stress and inflammatory process, which play important roles in IgA nephropathy. We hypothesized length polymorphism in the promoter region of the HO-1 gene, which is related to the level of gene transcription, is associated with disease severity of IgA nephropathy. The subjects comprised 916 patients with IgA nephropathy and gene data. Renal impairment was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at diagnosis. The short (S: 28) (GT) repeats in the HO-1 gene was determined. The frequencies of S/S, S/M, M/M, S/L, L/M, and L/L genotypes were 7.2%, 6.9%, 3.1%, 30.8%, 22.7%, and 29.4%, respectively. The baseline characteristics were not different. In the S/S genotypic group, the renal impairment rate was 18.2%, which was lower than 32.2% in the group with M/M, L/M, or L/L genotype. The odds ratio of renal impairment in S/S genotype, compared to that in M/M, L/M, or L/L genotype, was 0.216 (95% confidence interval, 0.060-0.774, p=0.019). The HO-1 gene promoter length polymorphism was related to the renal impairment of IgA nephropathy at diagnosis, which is an important risk factor for mortality in IgA nephropathy patients.

Multiple Myeloma Presented as Tubulointerstitial Nephritis / 대한신장학회지

Renal damage in patients with myeloma is one of the most important causes of acute renal failure. Although cast nephropathy characterized by cast formation in the distal nephron is the main renal lesion, a diverse spectrum of renal lesions can be observed in patients with myeloma. A 48-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of acute renal failure. The patient had been well until a few weeks earlier, when she experienced severe headaches. During the next week, she began to have general ache, became increasingly irritable, and began to have pain on both lower legs. After admission, her serum creatinine had increased up to 4.02 mg/dL, her anemia was more aggravated, and her 24 hour urine protein was 2.4 g. She had a monoclonal spike in her urine protein elctrophoresis. Her bone marrow was infiltrated by over 30% plasma cells, so she received hemodialysis and chemotherapy.

A Case of Adult onset Henoch-Sch?nlein Purpura with Acute Renal Failure / 영남의대학술지

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a leukocytoclastic vasculitis of small vessels with deposition of IgA, commonly resulting in skin, joint, gastrointestinal, and kidney involvement. HSP is an uncommon disorder in adults and accounts for 0.6% to 2% of adult nephropathy. We report a case of HSP with acute renal failure successfully treated with corticosteroid. In this case, the patient presented with vasculitic purpuric rash on lower extremity, arthralgia in the wrist, abdominal pain, hematochezia, oliguria and azotemia. Abdominal CT showed wall thickening of the small and large bowels. Skin biopsy revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Percutaneous renal biopsy showed no crescent formation, but mesangial IgA and C3 deposits were observed by immunofluorescence. The patient was treated with corticosteroid (1mg/kg per day) and hemodialysis. After treatment, renal function improved and purpuric lesion, arthralgia and abdominal pain disappeared. Thus, when adults present with purpuric rash and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN), HSP should be a diagnostic consideration.

Two cases of Vibrio vulnificus peritonitis after ingestion of seafood in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis / 대한내과학회지

Peritonitis is the most common infectious complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). However, CAPD-related peritonitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus is rarely reported. V. vulnificus is marine bacterium and opportunistic human pathogen. In an immunocompromised host, e.g. with chronic liver disease, end-stage renal disease, hemochromatosis, and other iron-overload disorders, this organism has been associated with the development of life-threatening primary septicemia and severe wound infection. However, CAPD-related peritonitis caused by V. vulnificus has not been reported, except for one case in Hong Kong, China. We report on two patients receiving CAPD who developed peritonitis caused by V. vulnificus after ingestion of seafood, for the first time in Korea.

Gastric Perforation Caused by Nasogastric Intubation in a Patient on Peritoneal Dialysis / 대한신장학회지

Nasogastric (NG) intubation is frequently performed in critically ill patients. Although this procedure is associated with considerable complications, physicians tend to neglect its potential complications. There is also rare case of the reports of perforation of the stomach by an NG tube in adults. We report here on a case of gastric perforation that was caused by an NG tube in a peritoneal dialysis patient who required NG tube insertion for enteral feeding, with a review of the relevant literature.

Spontaneous Renal Rupture with Hemoperitoneum in a Patient on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis / 대한신장학회지

Spontaneous renal rupture with hemoperitoneum in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is very rare. Hemoperitoneum in peritoneal dialysis patients is often attributed to mechanical, gynecological or intraperitoneal abdominal pathology. Few cases have been described with retroperitoneal bleeding in CAPD patients. Hence we report one case of spontaneous renal rupture with retroperitoneal hemorrhage and haemoperitoneum in a CAPD patient with acquired cystic kidney disease.

A case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome / 대한내과학회지

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Hantann virus or Seoul virus frequently occurs in Korea. The prodromal clinical symptoms are flu-like symptoms. Rapidly progressive renal failure and hemorrhage follow. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is usually found in the U.S.A., caused by the Sin-nombre virus. The prodromal symptoms resemble HFRS. However, during the third to fith hospital day after admission, pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage acutely develops, which results in acute respiratory failure. We here report a case of HFRS with HPS that developed in a 47 year-old man. The patient had flu-like symptoms and diarrhea on admission. Acute renal failure developed and acute hemodialysis was performed. On the fourth hospital day, an asymmetric bilateral haziness as seen on a chest X-ray rapidly developed with reduced O2 saturation, and mechanical ventilation was applied. On the eighth hospital day, the patient was weaned from the ventilator. When acute respiratory failure develops in patients with HFRS, HPS might be considered.

The Effect of Catheter Revision on Intractable Exit Site Infection in CAPD Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is an important method of renal replacement therapy in chronic renal failure, and reduction of dialysis-associated complication is essential to successful peritoneal dialysis. But catheter related infection is a major cause of catheter loss and transferring to hemodialysis. We use an unique catheter revision method for the treatment of intractable exit-site/tunnel infection in CAPD patients. METHODS: We reviewed 322 CAPD patients on the ESI/TI from May 1995 to January 2003 at Yeungnam University Hospital. Forty-four patients had exit-site infection more than one times. Prevalence of exit-site infection, kinds of causative micro- organism and results of catheter revision were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Total follow-up was 5, 834 patient months. ESI occurred on 141 occasions in 44 patients out of 322 patients and cumulative incidence of ESI was 1 per 41.4 patient months. We started empiric antibiotic therapy with oral penicillinase- resistant penicillin and quinolones, thereafter adjusted antibiotics according to the results of culture and sensitivity. The most common organism responsible for ESI was Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA, 34.8%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25.5%). Nineteen patients had to be treated with catheter revision to control intractable ESI/TI. With analysis of ten patients who showed relapsed ESI after catheter revision, 5 patients improved with antibiotic therapy and 3 patients improved with additional secondary revision, but remaining 2 patients showed removal of peritoneal catheter to treat combined peritonitis. CONCLUSION: Catheter revision technique can be regarded as an effective alternative method to treat intractable exit site/tunnel infection before removal of catheter in CAPD patients.

The Factors Influencing Peritoneal Membrane Transport Characteristics Within 4 Weeks in CAPD Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: To get stability and reproducibility of peritoneal membrane transport characteristics of peritoneal dialysis patients, peritoneal equilibration test (PET) is usually recommended at least 1 month after initiation of peritoneal dialysis. But there has been controversy about the exact mechanism. The aim of this study was to compare peritoneal membrane transport characteristics at 2nd and 4th week after initiation of peritoneal dialysis and analyze associated factors. METHODS: From May 2001 to March 2002, 60 new CAPD patients in our hospital were enrolled (male: 31, mean age: 52.6 years old, DM: 23). PET, body weight, body surface area (BSA), blood hemoglobin, serum albumin, hs-CRP(high sensitivity C reactive protein), 24 hours dialysate volume and 24 hours dialysate albumin amount, weekly Kt/Vurea, weekly CCr, residual renal function (RRF) were checked at 2nd and 4th week. Paired t-test, independent t-test, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis (GEE by STATA, version 7.0) were used. RESULTS: We can summarize the RESULTS: D/P4Cr and hemoglobin level were significantly increased with time (0.66+/-0.13 g/dL vs. 0.69+/-0.11 g/dL and 9.38+/-1.12 g/dL vs. 9.82+/-1.09 g/dL, p<0.05, respectively) and body weight was significantly decreased with time (63.1+/-11.7 kg vs. 62.4+/-11.2 kg, p<0.05). Factors influencing D/P4Cr change were 24 hours dialysate volume, serum albumin and 24 hours dialysate albumin amount (Beta coefficients: -0.044/L, -0.062/g/dL and 0.028/g/day, p<0.01, respectively). Factors influencing serum albumin (g/dL) were D/ P4Cr, 24 hours dialysate volume and hemoglobin level (Beta coefficients: -0.129/0.1, -0.117/L and 0.133/g/ dL, p<0.01, respectively). There was positive correlation between delta changes of D/P4Cr and delta changes of hs CRP (r=0.297, p=0.02) CONCLUSION: The change of D/P4Cr within 1 month was reciprocally correlated with the change of serum albumin (negatively) and hs CRP (positively). The change of serum albumin, 24 hours dialysate volume and 24 hours albumin loss via dialysate influenced the change of D/P4Cr within 1 month after initiation of peritoneal dialysis.

Analysis of renal biopsies performed in 208 patients with asymptomatic urinary abnormalities / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic urinary abnormalities are one of the most frequent abnormalities in clinical nephrology. However, there are few large-scaled studies about the clinical manifestations and the pathologic findings of the disease. The aim of present study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic nature of the patients with asymptomatic urinary abnormality proven by renal biopsy. METHODS: Between January 1998 and July 2002, two hundred and eight patients with asymptomatic urinary abnormality at three hospitals in Daegu were studied for age, sex, initial urinary findings, serum creatinine, daily urine protein and pathologic findings by renal biopsy. RESULTS: Mean age was 28.0 years (range 14-60 years) at diagnosis of 208 patients and sex ratio of male to female was 141:67. One hundred and two patients (49.0%) had hematuria and proteinuria, 94 (45.2%) had pure microscopic hematuria and the remaining 12 (5.8%) had isolated proteinuria. Pure microscopic hematuria was the dominant urinary abnormality in younger patients. In pathologic findings, 120 patients (57.7%) were IgA nephropathy, 35 (16.8%) thin glomerular basement membrane disease, 8 (3.8%) minimal change disease, 6 (2.9%) membranous glomerulonephropathy and 22 (10.6%) showed no histologic abnormality. The most common pathologic diagnosis in all three groups was IgA nephropathy. In pure microscopic hematuria group, 38 patients (40.4%) were IgA nephropathy and 27 patients (28.7%) were thin glomerular basement membrane disease. There were no significant difference in pathologic findings depending on the severity of proteinuria (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: In our study, the most common cause of asymptomatic urinary abnormalities was IgA nephropathy. In patients with pure microscopic hematuria, IgA nephropathy and thin glomerular basement membrane disease were two leading causes.

The Changes of Body Compositions and Associated Factors in CAPD Patients During First One Year / 대한신장학회잡지

PURPOSE: CAPD is an important treatment modality along with hemodialysis and kidney transplantation in end stage renal disease. Malnutrition is very common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality in CAPD patients. The cause of malnutrion in CAPD patients might be multifactorial. This prospective study was carried out to investigate nutritional changes for 1 year after initiation of peritoneal dialysis by measurement body composition, especially lean body mass (LBM) using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and to evaluate the factors associated with malnutrition in CAPD patients. METHODS: Among new CAPD patients from May, 2001 to Dec, 2002 in our hospital, 25 patients were enrolled. Body weight, LBM, LBM percen t (%LBM), fat mass, fat mass percent (%fat mass), ECF volume and ECF/TBW were compared between 1st month and 12th month after initiation of PD. The biochemical parameters, Urea kinetic modeling, Peritoneal equilibration test, the amounts of glucose absorption through the dialysate, the amounts of protein and albumin loss through the dialysate were measured at the same time point with measurement of the body composition. RESULTS: There were significantly decreased LBM (46.3+/-9.1 kg to 44.7+/-9.0 kg in BIA, 45.7+/-9.3 kg to 42.1+/-7.9 kg in DEXA, p< 0.05, respectively) but significantly increased fat mass (16.3+/-6.2 kg to 20.2+/-7.9 kg in BIA, 15.7+/-6.6 kg to 20.1+/-7.4 kg in DEXA, p<0.01, respectively) during first one year. Mean weekly Kt/V were significantly correlated with the changes of LBM (r=-0.64 in BIA, r=-0.81 in DEXA, p<0.01, respectively). With the multiple regression test, 1st month weekly Kt/V in BIA and DEXA were significant predictors of the changes of LBM for 1 year (beta-coefficients: -0.573 in BIA, -0.773 in DEXA, p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Adequate dialysis, especially 1st month adequacy, is very important for maintaining good nutritional status for one year after initiation of peritoneal dialysis.