Clinical Profile and Outcome of Emergencies in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease

Objective: To describe the clinical profile and outcome of emergencies in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: This retrospective analysis studied children with CKD presenting with acute emergencies. The clinical profile, renal and patient outcomes were compared between incidentally diagnosed - iCKD, previously diagnosed not on dialysis - pCKD and those on maintenance dialysis - dCKD groups. Results: 82 children (67 boys, median age – 8 years) with 99 visits were included. Uremic encephalopathy was the most common emergency in iCKD (64.7%) and pCKD (38.4 %), and access-related infections (32.1%) in dCKD group. Children with iCKD had higher Pediatric Risk of Mortality score (P<0.001), emergent initiation of dialysis (P=0.03) and discontinuation of treatment (P<0.001) when compared to the pCKD group. Conclusion: Uremic encephalopathy and access-related infections were the most common emergencies in children with CKD. Incidentally diagnosed CKD had a worse clinical profile and outcome.

Brain consequences of acute kidney injury: Focusing on the hippocampus

The high mortality rates associated with acute kidney injury are mainly due to extra-renal complications that occur following distant-organ involvement. Damage to these organs, which is commonly referred to as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, has more severe and persistent effects. The brain and its sub-structures, such as the hippocampus, are vulnerable organs that can be adversely affected. Acute kidney injury may be associated with numerous brain and hippocampal complications, as it may alter the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Although the pathogenesis of acute uremic encephalopathy is poorly understood, some of the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to hippocampal involvement include the release of multiple inflammatory mediators that coincide with hippocampus inflammation and cytotoxicity, neurotransmitter derangement, transcriptional dysregulation, and changes in the expression of apoptotic genes. Impairment of brain function, especially of a structure that has vital activity in learning and memory and is very sensitive to renal ischemic injury, can ultimately lead to cognitive and functional complications in patients with acute kidney injury. The objective of this review was to assess these complications in the brain following acute kidney injury, with a focus on the hippocampus as a critical region for learning and memory.

Analysis and Thinking on Neurological Complications in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) are often complicated by a variety of central nervous system and peripheral neuropathy, which are complex, varied, and with serious complications of kidney failure at the end stage. In recent years, due to the blood dialysis method, organ transplantation and other methods, some neurological compli-cations associated with these treatments. Therefore, analysis and identification of complications in CRF patients are of great significance and can improve the survival rate. Common complications were analyzed and evaluated in this pa-per, for which can provide the basis for improvement of the diagnosis and treatment for renal failure.

Uremic Encephalopathy with Basal Ganglia Lesions in a Diabetic Predialysis Patient.

Syndromes associated with acute bilateral lesions of the basal ganglia in diabetic uremic patients are uncommon, and usually have reversible clinical and imaging findings. Such syndromes are seen almost exclusively in patients with diabetes mellitus and renal failure. Previously reported cases have described diabetic men with uremia on dialysis. Here, we report a case of uremic encephalopathy with lesions of the basal ganglia in a diabetic predialysis patient. A 44-year-old man with uremic encephalopathy presented with dysarthria, chorea, and right upper extremity paresthesia. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed classic findings of hyper intensity in the bilateral basal ganglia. The patient had no family history of psychiatric or neurological disease. Laboratory findings revealed elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and glucose. Haloperidol and ropinirole therapy was continued, resulting in significant improvement without dialysis. The patient recovered from his episode without apparent sequelae.

Uremic Encephalopathy with Atypical Magnetic Resonance Features on Diffusion-Weighted Images

Uremic encephalopathy is a well-known disease with typical MR findings including bilateral vasogenic or cytotoxic edema at the cerebral cortex or basal ganglia. Involvement of the basal ganglia has been very rarely reported, typically occurring in uremic-diabetic patients. We recently treated a patient who had non-diabetic uremic encephalopathy with an atypical lesion distribution involving the supratentorial white matter, without cortical or basal ganglia involvement. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of non-diabetic uremic encephalopathy with atypical MR findings.

Uremic Encephalopathy with Basal Ganglia Lesions in a Diabetic Hemodialysis Patient / 대한신장학회잡지

Uremic encephalopathy is usually applied to cortical involvement in uremic patients. The syndrome of acute bilateral basal ganglia lesions very rare occurs in uremic patents, especially diabetic patients. We here report a case of acute uremic encephalopathy with bilateral basal ganglia lesions in a diabetic hemodialysis patient. A 63-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus on chronic hemodialysis treatment for 3 years admitted due to dysathria, facial palsy and gait disturbance, and temporary loss of consciousness. Brain MRI demonstarted low signal in T1 image and high signal in T2 image in both ganglia. With conservative care including regular hemodialysis, the manifestations completely disappeared.

Uremic Encephalopathy Associated with Bilateral Basal Ganglia and Cerebellar Lesion in a Non-diabetic Hemodialysis Patient / 대한신장학회잡지

Involvement of central nervous system is a well- known compication in uremic patients. However, development of acute extrapyramidal symptoms with bilateral basal ganglia involvement (acute basal ganglia syndrome), especially in non-diabetic hemodialysis patient is very rare. We report a case of acute basal ganglia syndrome in a non-diabetic hemodialysis patient. A 45-year-old man with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) on chronic hemodialysis treatment for the last 4 years was admitted due to generalized myalgia. On admission, the patient was found to have rhabdomyolysis and intractable metabolic acidosis. Nine days after admission, he suddenly developed dysarthria, lateralizing ataxia, and bradykinesia. Brain MRI demonstrated low and high signals in bilateral basal ganglia and cerebellar vermis in T1-weighted and T2-weighted images, respectively. Intensified hemodialysis treatment combined with general supportive therapy resolved the severe metabolic acidosis and the neurologic manifestations gradually improved. Follow up brain CT scan taken 3 months later showed decreased size of initial low attenuation lesions in bilateral basal ganglia and cerebellar vermis. Although no definite pathophysiology is yet established, severe metabolic disorder is believed to play an important role in development of acute basal ganglia syndrome. Correction of metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia in our patient lead to improvement in neurologic manifestations and organic brain lesions. Our case suggests that severe metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia in uremic patient may act as risk factors for acute basal ganglia syndrome even in non-diabetic patient.

ReVersible MRI Changes in a Patient with Uremic Encephalopathy / 대한신장학회잡지

Uremic encephalopathy is a well-known complication in uremia and may result from changes of cerebral metabolism due to uremic toxins. Specific morphological changes have not been observed and pathogenesis is still unclear. We experienced a case with uremic encephalopathy in whom reVersible abnormalities were observed on brain magnetic resonance image (MRI). A 61-year-old man with chronic renal faliure due to diabetic nephropathy started automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) one year ago (therapy time: 10 hours, number of cycles: 5, fill volume per cycle: 2 L). He developed gait disturbance and dysarthria after he dwelled icodextrin contained 2 L dialysate over night instead of APD. In that time, his weekly Kt/V and creatinine clearance were 1.5 and 87.5 L/week/1.73 m2, respectively. On brain MRI, low signal in T1 image and high signal in T2 image were seen in putamen and globus pallidus bilaterally. Insufficient peritoneal dialysis adequacy was documented, and the patient was switched from APD to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). After than, his symptom gradually improved. On follow-up MRI 2 months later, previous lesion has disappeared.