Posttraumatic Embitterment Disorder in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED), a subgroup of an adjustment disorder, is a feeling with anger and helplessness. Hemodialysis may be a trigger event leading to PTED. We investigated the prevalence of PTED in patients with each categorized stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the association between PTED and depression and functional impairment. METHODS: Patients were categorized into three groups according to the stages of CKD (stage I–II, III–IV, and V). CKD (I–II) group was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >60 ml/min/1.73 m², CKD (III–IV) group as eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m², and CKD (V) group as CKD stage V including patients ongoing hemodialysis. Patients were assessed for the prevalence of PTED, depression, and decreased quality of life by using the scale of PTED, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and EuroQol Five Dimensional Questionnaires, Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-5D-VAS), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 445 patients were analyzed. The number of patients in CKD (I–II) was 166, CKD (III–IV) was 172, and CKD (V) was 107. Multivariate analysis by binomial logistic regression demonstrated that CKD (V) was significantly associated with the prevalence of PTED (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–15.6; p=0.006) after adjustment for age, gender, and diabetes mellitus. Also, a significant correlation existed between PTED and EQ-5D-VAS in all stages, but the correlation was nonsignificant between PTED and PHQ-9 score in group CKD (V). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that PTED is underdiagnosed in CKD patients. Acknowledgment and diagnosis of PTED in CKD patients may lead to a better quality of life.

The impact of high serum bicarbonate levels on mortality in hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The optimal serum bicarbonate level is controversial for patients who are undergoing hemodialysis (HD). In this study, we analyzed the impact of serum bicarbonate levels on mortality among HD patients. METHODS: Prevalent HD patients were selected from the Clinical Research Center registry for End Stage Renal Disease cohort in Korea. Patients were categorized into quartiles according to their total carbon dioxide (tCO₂) levels: quartile 1, a tCO₂ of < 19.4 mEq/L; quartile 2, a tCO₂ of 19.4 to 21.5 mEq/L; quartile 3, a tCO₂ of 21.6 to 23.9 mEq/L; and quartile 4, a tCO₂ of ≥ 24 mEq/L. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and confidence interval (CI) for mortality. RESULTS: We included 1,159 prevalent HD patients, with a median follow-up period of 37 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients from quartile 4, compared to those from the other quartiles (p = 0.009, log-rank test). The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model revealed that patients from quartile 4 had significantly higher risk of mortality than those from quartile 1, 2 and 3, after adjusting for the clinical variables in model 1 (HR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.15 to 3.45; p = 0.01) and model 2 (HR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.03 to 3.22; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that high serum bicarbonate levels (a tCO₂ of ≥ 24 mEq/L) were associated with increased mortality among prevalent HD patients. Further effort might be necessary in finding the cause and correcting metabolic alkalosis in the chronic HD patients with high serum bicarbonate levels.

The impact of blood flow rate during hemodialysis on all-cause mortality

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inadequacy of dialysis is associated with morbidity and mortality in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. Blood flow rate (BFR) during HD is one of the important determinants of increasing dialysis dose. However, the optimal BFR is unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of the BFR on all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients. METHODS: Prevalent HD patients were selected from Clinical Research Center registry for end-stage renal disease cohort in Korea. We categorized patients into two groups by BFR < 250 and ≥ 250 mL/min according to the median value of BFR 250 mL/min in this study. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1,129 prevalent HD patients were included. The number of patients in the BFR < 250 mL/min was 271 (24%) and in the BFR ≥ 250 mL/min was 858 (76%). The median follow-up period was 30 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with BFR < 250 mL/min than those with BFR ≥ 250 mL/min (p = 0.042, log-rank). In the multivariate Cox regression analyses, patients with BFR < 250 mL/min had higher all-cause mortality than those with BFR ≥ 250 mL/min (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 2.73; p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that BFR < 250 mL/min during HD was associated with higher all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients.

Comparison of uremic pruritus between patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

BACKGROUND: Uremic pruritus is a common, but unpleasant, complication of end-stage renal disease. The uremic burden may differ between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This difference may also change the clinical characteristics of uremic pruritus between the 2 modalities. In this study, we investigated the uremic pruritus between patients on HD and PD. METHODS: A total of 425 HD and 223 PD patients from the Clinical Research Center registry in Korea were included. Patients were assessed for pruritus intensity, scratching activity, pruritus distribution, and frequency of pruritus-related sleep disturbance using the visual analog scale and questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of uremic pruritus was higher in PD patients than that in HD patients (62.6% vs. 48.3%, P = 0.001). In the multivariable logistic analysis, PD treatment was significantly associated with the prevalence of uremic pruritus (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-2.57, P = 0.004) after adjustment for clinical variables. The visual analog scale score, representing a subjective intensity of itchiness, was significantly higher in PD patients (PD 2.11 ± 2.32 vs. HD 1.65 ± 2.28, P = 0.013) compared with HD patients. The intensity of uremic pruritus was independently related with serum albumin levels (β = -0.143, P = 0.006) in HD patients and total weekly Kt/V (β = -0.176, P = 0.028) in PD patients. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate the difference in prevalence, intensity, and risk factors of uremic pruritus between HD and PD patients. These findings suggest that careful consideration for uremic pruritus might be needed in end-stage renal disease patients according to the dialysis modality.

The impact of high-flux dialysis on mortality rates in incident and prevalent hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The effect of high-flux (HF) dialysis on mortality rates could vary with the duration of dialysis. We evaluated the effects of HF dialysis on mortality rates in incident and prevalent hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: Incident and prevalent HD patients were selected from the Clinical Research Center registry for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), a Korean prospective observational cohort study. Incident HD patients were defined as newly diagnosed ESRD patients initiating HD. Prevalent HD patients were defined as patients who had been receiving HD for > 3 months. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: This study included 1,165 incident and 1,641 prevalent HD patients. Following a median 24 months of follow-up, the mortality rates of the HF and low-flux (LF) groups did not significantly differ in the incident patients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.046; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.592 to 1.847; p = 0.878). In the prevalent patients, HF dialysis was associated with decreased mortality compared with LF dialysis (HR, 0.606; 95% CI, 0.416 to 0.885; p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: HF dialysis was associated with a decreased mortality rate in prevalent HD patients, but not in incident HD patients.

Pleural and pericardial empyema in a patient with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis peritonitis

No abstract available.

A Case of Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis with Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage

Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) is characterized by an abrupt onset of edema, hypertension, and hematuria. Life-threatening diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is rarely associated with acute PSGN. There have been only two reported cases worldwide, and no case has been reported previously in Korea. Here, we present a patient who clinically presented with pulmonary-renal syndrome; the renal histology revealed post-infectious glomerulonephritis of immune complex origin. A 59-yr-old woman was admitted with oliguria and hemoptysis two weeks after pharyngitis. Renal insufficiency rapidly progressed, and respiratory distress developed. Chest radiography showed acute progressive bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. The clinical presentation suggested DAH with PSGN. Three days after treatment with high-dose steroids, the respiratory distress and pulmonary infiltrates resolved. Electron microscopy of a renal biopsy specimen sample revealed diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with characteristic subendothelial deposits of immune complex ("hump''). The renal function of the patient was restored, and the serum creatinine level was normalized after treatment.

A Case of Hyponatremia Due to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor

We describe a patient with hyponatremia induced by the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor; imidapril HCl. Although the mechanism of severe hyponatremia due to ACE inhibitor is not clear, it is conceivable that ACE inhibitor therapy may complicate the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone and induce hyponatremia. In addition, the possibility should be considered that hyponatremia in our patient is a presumptive interaction between oxcarbazepine and imidapril HCl.

A Case of Sparganosis in Renal Allograft Recipient / 대한이식학회지

Human sparganosis is a rare parasitic disease infected by plerocercoid larva (sparganum) of Spirometra species. It was usually diagnosed accidentally. In this article, we report a 44-year-old woman reanl allofraft recipient on cyclosporine and prednisolone as the immunosuppressive agents. She presented an enlarging subcutaneous nodule in the left thigh for 20 days, which was excised in the belief that it was a seroma. Characteristic sparganum lava accompanied by granulomatous inflammation and cyst formation in the subcutaneous tissue were discovered under microscopic examination of the excised tissue. However, the infectious source was not clear.

Preventive Effect of Amezinium Methylsulfate(Risumic(R)) on Hemodialysis-Induced Hypotension A Multi-Center Trial / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: Dialysis-induced hypotension is a very common but difficult complication to manage. Amezinium methylsulfate is a newly developed sympatho-mimetic agent which has been reported as effective in postural hypotension. We studied the preventive effect of amezinium methylsulfate on dialysis-induced hypotension in chronic hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Twenty-five hemodialysis(HD) patients who were maintaining on hemodialysis longer than 3 months and had frequent episodes of dialysis hypotension were enrolled in this study. After 4 weeks of observation period, patients received one tablet of ameziniurn 30 minutes prior to every hemodialysis session for 4 weeks. We com mean arterial pressure(MAP), number of hypotensive episodes and number of nursing interventions(defined as position change, bolus injection of saline or 50% dextrose in water, need to decrease transmembrane pressure or discon- tinuation of dialysis) between observation and medication period in each patient. RESULTS: The number of nursing interventions (mean, 2.5+/-0.9 interventions vs. 1.4+/-0.9 interventions, p<0.05) and hypotensive episodes(mean, 1.7+/-0.7 episodes per session vs. 0.9+/-0.7 episodes per session; p<0.05) decreased significantly in the medication period and the nadir MAP(57+/-13mmHg vs 70+/-15mmHg; p<0.05), mid-HD MAP(65+/-15mmHg vs. 79+/-15mmHg; p<0.05) and post-HD MAP(66+/-14mmHg vs 78+/-16 mmHg ; p<0.05) are higher in the medication period compared with observation period. CONCLUSION: These results show that amezinium methylsulfate is useful to prevent dialysis-induced hypotension in chronic hemodialysis patients.

The Effect of Percutaneous Angioplasty on the Treatment of Stenosis and Obstruction of Arteriovenous Fistula in the Hemodialysis Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

Providing satisfactory vascular access for hemodialysis remains one of the most challenging problems confronting nephrologists. We evaluated the effect of percutaneous angioplasty on the treatment of stenosis and obstruction of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in the chronic hemodialysis patients. Twenty-six dilatations of stenotic or occluded lesions in hemodialysis access fistulas were performed. The type of AVF was an native AVF in 19 cases and a graft in 7 cases. The lesions involved fore arm vein in 16 cases and an upper arm veins in 10 cases. Indications for angioplasty included acute obstruction of blood flow(9 patients), increased venous dialysis(VDP) or urea recirculation ratio(URR)(8 patients), arm edema or difficulty in needle placement(6 patients), poor maturation before first needling(3 patients). The PTA initially succeeded in 23 of 26 cases(88.5%) and 3 month patency rate was 80.5%. In 8 patients with increased VDP or URR, both VDP and URR significantly decreased after PTA (VDP;118.1+/-20.7mmHg vs 89.5+/-23.8 mmHg, P= 0.04, URR;23.9+/-18.4% vs 7.5+/-6.1%, P=0.02). The complications of PTA were vessel rupture(1 patient) and hematoma(2 patients). In conclusion, PTA seems to be effective therapy in the treatment of stenosis and obstruction of arteriovenous fistula(AVF) without serious complications in the chronic hemodialysis patients.

The Relationship between Sleep c-fos Protein in Hypothalamus in Chronic Uremic Rats / 대한신장학회잡지

The activation of c-fos protein (FOS) in ventrol- ateral preoptic neuron (VLPO) induces sleep (Science 271; 216-219, 1996). Although sleep disturbance are very common in patients with chronic renal failure, its mechahanism of sleep disturbance is not clear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sleep dissturbance and expression of FOS in VLPO of chronic uremic rats. Chronic uremic rats were induced by 5/6 nephrectomized rnodel. After 4 weeks, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine in uremic rats (n=14 were higher than in control (n=17) (blood urea nitrogen; 73.6+/-24.8 mg/dl vs. 23.3+/-2.9 mg/dl, P<0.001 serum creatinine', 1.49+/-0.42 mg/dl vs. 0.66+/-0.12 mg/dl, P<0.001). General activity was counted with infrared during day time (08:00-20:00) and night time (20:00-08:00). Rats were killed at 10:00 or 16:00 during day time (uremic rats 7, control 9) and at 22:00 during night time (uremic rats 7, control 7). The expression of FOS in VLPO was examined with immunohistochernical method. The number of day tirne general activity in uremic rats was significantly higher than in control (458+/-185 vs. 222+/-41, P<0.001), and the number of night time general activity in uremic rats was lower than in control (949+/- 430 vs. 1618+/-261, P<0.001). During day time, the number of FOS immunoreactive cell in uremic rats was lower than in control (18.4+/-5.3 vs. 42.8+/-6.3, P<0.001), but there was no difference between 2 groups at night time (10.8+/-8.4 vs 12.5+/-5.1, P=0.62). There was strong negative correlation between the number of activity and the number of FOS immunoreactive cell in control (r= -0.93, P<0.001), but there was no correlation in uremic rats. This study shows that sleep disturbance in chronic uremic rats might be related to decrease of expression of FOS in VLPO.

Pericardial effusion in malignant cancer patients / 대한암학회지

No abstract available.

A case of staphylococcal myocaridtis with complete atrioventricular block / 감염

No abstract available.