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It is important for the dialysis specialist to provide essential and safe care to hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, little is known about the actual effect of dialysis specialist care on the survival of HD patients. We therefore investigated the influence of dialysis specialist care on patient mortality in a nationwide Korean dialysis cohort. Methods: We used an HD quality assessment and National Health Insurance Service claims data from October to December 2015. A total of 34,408 patients were divided into two groups according to the proportion of dialysis specialists in their HD unit, as follows: 0%, no dialysis specialist care group, and ≥50%, dialysis specialist care group. We analyzed the mortality risk of these groups using the Cox proportional hazards model after matching propensity scores. Results: After propensity score matching, 18,344 patients were enrolled. The ratio of patients from the groups with and without dialysis specialist care was 86.7% to 13.3%. The dialysis specialist care group showed a shorter dialysis vintage, higher levels of hemoglobin, higher single-pool Kt/V values, lower levels of phosphorus, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures than the no dialysis specialist care group. After adjusting demographic and clinical parameters, the absence of dialysis specialist care was a significant independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.18; p = 0.004). Conclusion: Dialysis specialist care is an important determinant of overall patient survival among HD patients. Appropriate care given by dialysis specialists may improve clinical outcomes of patients undergoing HD.
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Many countries have their own hemodialysis (HD) quality assurance programs and star rating systems for HD facilities. However, the effects of HD quality assurance programs on patient mortality are not well understood. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of the Korean HD facility star rating on patient mortality in maintenance HD patients were evaluated. Methods: This longitudinal, observational cohort study included 35,271 patients receiving HD treatment from 741 facilities. The fivestar ratings of HD facilities were determined based on HD quality assessment data from 2015, which includes 12 quality measures in structural, procedural, and outcome domains. The patients were grouped into high (three to five stars) and low (one or two stars) groups based on HD facility star rating. Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the effects of star rating on patient mortality during the mean follow-up duration of 3 years. Results: The patient ratio between high and low HD facility star rating groups was 82.0% vs. 18.0%. The patients in the low star rating group showed lower single-pool Kt/V and higher calcium and phosphorus levels compared with subjects in the high star rating group. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical parameters, the HD facility star rating independently increased the mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.18; p = 0.002). Conclusion: The HD facilities with low star rating showed higher patient mortality.
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Plastic cannulae have attracted increasing interest as an alternative to traditional metal needles with the aim of reducing cannulation-related complications. We investigated whether the substitution volumes during hemodiafiltration differ using these two types of needles in dialysis patients. Methods: An intervention study involving 26 hemodialysis patients was conducted in Korea between March and September in 2021. Patients first received online hemodiafiltration using traditional metal needles, and thereafter plastic cannulae were used in a stepwise protocol. Repeated-measures design and linear mixed-effect models were used to compare substitution volumes between the two needle types with the same inner diameter. Results: The mean patient age was 62.7 years, and their mean dialysis vintage was 95.2 months. Most patients (92.3%) had an arteriovenous fistula as the vascular access. The substitution volume increased as blood flow and needle size increased for both plastic cannulae and metal needles. The substitution volume was significantly higher with 17-gauge (G) plastic cannulae than with 16-G metal needles at blood flow rates of 280, 300, and 330 mL/min. Similar results were obtained for 15-G metal needles and 16-G plastic cannulae at a blood flow rate of 330 mL/min. However, the patient ratings of pain on a visual analogue scale were higher for plastic cannulae. Conclusion: Higher substitution volumes were obtained at the same prescribed blood flow rate with plastic cannulae than with metal needles during online hemodiafiltration. Plastic cannulae are an option for achieving high-volume hemodiafiltration for patients with low blood flow rates.
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Patients with end-stage kidney disease face increased risk of cardiovascular events, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) contributes to the high occurrence of cardiovascular mortality (CM). Although a high serum aldosterone (sALD) level is involved in the development of cardiovascular complications in the general population, this association is unclear in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We aimed to determine the impact of sALD on LVDD and CM among hemodialysis patients (HDPs). Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of maintenance HDPs without cardiovascular disease. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median level of sALD. All patients underwent baseline echocardiography to evaluate diastolic dysfunction (E/e’ ratio > 15). The LVDD and CM rates were compared between the high and low aldosterone groups. Results: We enrolled a total of 60 adult patients (mean age, 57.9 ± 12.1 years; males, 30.0%). The low aldosterone group had an increased left ventricular diastolic dimension compared with the high aldosterone group (52.2 ± 8.4 mm vs. 50.3 ± 5.2 mm, respectively; p = 0.03). Low log-aldosterone (odds ratio [OR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19–0.86) and large left atrial dimension (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.11–1.54) were independent risk factors for LVDD at baseline. In addition, Cox regression analysis demonstrated that low sALD was an independent predictor of CM in HDPs (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25–0.85; p = 0.01) during follow-up. Conclusion: Low sALD was not only associated with LVDD but was also an independent predictor of CM among HDPs regardless of their interdialytic weight gain.
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Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which is associated with an extensive range of clinical and radiological presentations, is the one of the most challenging spinal disorders. The goals of surgery are to correct the deformity in 3 dimensions and to preserve motion segments while avoiding complications. Despite the ongoing evolution of classification systems and algorithms for the surgical treatment of AIS, there has been considerable debate regarding the selection of an appropriate fusion level in AIS. In addition, there is no consensus regarding the exact description, relationship, and risk factors of coronal decompensation following selective fusion. In this review, we summarize the current concepts of selection of the fusion level for AIS and review the available information about postoperative coronal decompensation.
ABSTRACT
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which is associated with an extensive range of clinical and radiological presentations, is the one of the most challenging spinal disorders. The goals of surgery are to correct the deformity in 3 dimensions and to preserve motion segments while avoiding complications. Despite the ongoing evolution of classification systems and algorithms for the surgical treatment of AIS, there has been considerable debate regarding the selection of an appropriate fusion level in AIS. In addition, there is no consensus regarding the exact description, relationship, and risk factors of coronal decompensation following selective fusion. In this review, we summarize the current concepts of selection of the fusion level for AIS and review the available information about postoperative coronal decompensation.
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Methods@#This is a post hoc analysis of a prospective, controlled, randomized, unblinded study with 78 Korean hemodialysis patients receiving intravenous (n = 40) or subcutaneous (n = 38) erythropoietin therapy. We evaluated hemoglobin variability by calculating the frequency of hemoglobin measurements outside the target range during all visits. The high-frequency group was defined by those with hemoglobin variability over the median value (25%) while the low-frequency group was defined by those with hemoglobin variability of <25%. @*Results@#In this analysis, 37 patients (51.1%) were men, and the mean age was 50.6 ± 12.5 years. Twenty-five patients (35.2%) had diabetes mellitus. The frequency of the value being outside the target hemoglobin range was higher in the subcutaneous group compared to the intravenous group (0.36 ± 0.19 vs. 0.27 ± 0.12/visit, p = 0.03). The low-frequency group required significantly lower erythropoietin doses compared to the high-frequency group. In the adjusted Cox analysis, the parameter high-frequency group was a significant independent risk factor for cardiovascular events (hazard ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–10.83; p = 0.03). @*Conclusion@#The risk of missing the target hemoglobin range increased with subcutaneous administration compared with intravenous erythropoietin administration in hemodialysis patients. An increased frequency of the value being outside the target hemoglobin range was also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.
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We investigated clinical outcome of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identified risk factors associated with high patient mortality using Korean nationwide public database of 5,621 hospitalized patients. The mortality rate and admission rate to intensive care unit were compared between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. The prediction model for patient mortality was developed through risk factor analysis among asymptomatic patients. The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection was 25.8%. The mortality rates were not different between groups (3.3% vs. 4.5%, p=0.17). However, symptomatic patients were more likely to receive ICU care compared to asymptomatic patients (4.1% vs. 1.0%, p<0.0001). The age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score (CCIS) was the most potent predictor for patient mortality in asymptomatic patients. The clinicians should predict the risk of death by evaluating age and comorbidities but not the presence of symptoms. Article Summary LineSince asymptomatic patients have similar mortality rate with symptomatic patients, the clinicians should not classify clinical severity according to initial presence of symptom.
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Aged population with comorbidities demonstrated high mortality rate and severe clinical outcome in the patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, whether age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score (CCIS) predict fatal outcomes remains uncertain. This retrospective, nationwide cohort study was performed to evaluate patient mortality and clinical outcome according to CCIS among the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection. We included 5,621 patients who had been discharged from isolation or had died from COVID-19 by April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was composites of death, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), use of mechanical ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The secondary outcome was mortality. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate CCIS as the independent risk factor for death. Among 5,621 patients, the high CCIS ([≥]3) group showed higher proportion of elderly population and lower plasma hemoglobin and lower lymphocyte and platelet counts. The high CCIS group was an independent risk factor for composite outcome (HR 3.63, 95% CI 2.45-5.37, P < 0.001) and patient mortality (HR 22.96, 95% CI 7.20-73.24, P < 0.001). The nomogram demonstrated that the CCIS was the most potent predictive factor for patient mortality. The predictive nomogram using CCIS for the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 may help clinicians to triage the high-risk population and to concentrate limited resources to manage them.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious viral disease that is caused by the novel virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has become pandemic since December 2019, when the first case developed in Wuhan, China. Patients receiving hemodialysis are more vulnerable to viral transmission because their immune functions are impaired and they receive treatment within a narrow space. Calling on previous experience with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome during the 2015 outbreak, the joint committee of the Korean Society of Nephrology and the Korean Society of Dialysis Therapy quickly formed a COVID-19 task force team to develop a manual before the first index case was diagnosed in the hemodialysis unit. This special article introduces clinical practice guidelines to prevent secondary transmission of COVID-19 within hemodialysis facilities, which were developed to protect patients, healthcare workers, and caregivers from this highly transmissible virus. The areas of infection control covered by these guidelines include standard precautions, performing dialysis therapy for confirmed or suspected cases, performing cohort isolation for contact patients, and disease monitoring and contact surveillance. We hope these guidelines help healthcare workers and hemodialysis patients around the world cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Background@#Intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is known to play the major role in the development of hypertension and renal progression in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Urinary angiotensinogen to creatinine ratio (AGT/Cr) was suggested as a novel biomarker to reflect intrarenal RAS activity. This study was performed to evaluate urinary AGT/Cr as a predictive biomarker for renal function decline in addition to imaging classification in a prospective ADPKD cohort. @*Methods@#From 2011 to 2016, a total of 364 ADPKD patients were enrolled in the prospective cohort called the KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD). Among them, a total of 207 subjects in chronic kidney disease stage 1–4 with baseline urinary AGT and total kidney volume and subsequent renal function follow-up data over more than 1 year were included in the analysis. Patients were defined as slow progressors (SP) if they are classified as 1A or 1B by imaging classification whereas rapid progressors (RP) if they are classified as 1C–1E. Patients were divided according to AGT/Cr quartiles and annual estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope was compared among highest quartile (hAGT group) and the rest of quartiles (lAGT group). Patients were divided into 4 groups to evaluate the predictive value of urinary AGT/Cr in addition to imaging classification: SP/lAGT, SP/hAGT, RP/lAGT, and RP/hAGT. The Cox regression model was used to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) between groups. @*Results@#The mean age was 45.9 years and 88.9% had hypertension. Baseline eGFR was 79.0 ± 28.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 and median height-adjusted total kidney volume was 788.2 (471.2;1,205.2) mL/m. The patients in the hAGT group showed lower eGFR (72.4 ± 24.8 vs. 81.1 ± 29.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.039), lower plasma hemoglobin (13.0 ± 1.4 vs. 13.7 ± 1.6 g/dL, P = 0.007), higher urinary protein to creatinine ratio (0.14 [0.09, 0.38] vs. 0.07 [0.04, 0.12] g/g, P = 0.007) compared to the lAGT group. The hAGT group was an independent risk factor for faster eGFR decline after adjusting for gender, RP, baseline eGFR, and other known risk factors. During median follow-up duration of 4.6 years, a total of 29 renal events (14.0%) occurred. The SP/hAGT group showed significantly higher risk of developing renal outcome compared to SP/lAGT group (HR, 13.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.282–139.324; P = 0.03). @*Conclusion@#Urinary AGT/Cr can be a useful predictive marker in the patients with relatively small ADPKD. Various biomarkers should be considered to define RP when implementing novel treatment in the patients with ADPKD.
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Background@#The effect of each health-related quality of life (HRQOL) component on hemodialysis prognosis has not been well studied. We aimed to investigate the clinical factors associated with HRQOL and the effect of HRQOL after dialysis initiation on long-term survival in an Asian population. @*Methods@#A total of 568 hemodialysis patients were included from a nationwide prospective cohort study. HRQOL was evaluated using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL) Short FormTM 1.3 at 3 months after dialysis initiation. The effect of each KDQOL item score on mortality was analyzed. Multivariable Cox analysis was performed after adjusting for age, sex, modified Charlson comorbidity index, and causes of primary kidney disease. @*Results@#Old age, diabetes mellitus, high comorbidities, and low serum albumin levels were associated with poor physical health status. Decreased urine output was associated with both poor physical and mental health status.The scores of 3 indices in the kidney disease domain (effect of kidney disease, social support, and dialysis staff encouragement) showed significant associations with mortality, as did the 3 indices (physical function, physical role limitation, and body pain) in the physical health domain. Neither the 4 indices in the mental health domain nor the mental composite score showed a significant association with mortality. However, a high physical composite score was associated with decreased overall patient mortality (P = 0.003). The effect of physical composite score on survival was prominent among young or middle-aged groups. @*Conclusion@#Poor physical health status 3 months after hemodialysis start correlates significantly with overall mortality.
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Background@#The effect of each health-related quality of life (HRQOL) component on hemodialysis prognosis has not been well studied. We aimed to investigate the clinical factors associated with HRQOL and the effect of HRQOL after dialysis initiation on long-term survival in an Asian population. @*Methods@#A total of 568 hemodialysis patients were included from a nationwide prospective cohort study. HRQOL was evaluated using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL) Short FormTM 1.3 at 3 months after dialysis initiation. The effect of each KDQOL item score on mortality was analyzed. Multivariable Cox analysis was performed after adjusting for age, sex, modified Charlson comorbidity index, and causes of primary kidney disease. @*Results@#Old age, diabetes mellitus, high comorbidities, and low serum albumin levels were associated with poor physical health status. Decreased urine output was associated with both poor physical and mental health status.The scores of 3 indices in the kidney disease domain (effect of kidney disease, social support, and dialysis staff encouragement) showed significant associations with mortality, as did the 3 indices (physical function, physical role limitation, and body pain) in the physical health domain. Neither the 4 indices in the mental health domain nor the mental composite score showed a significant association with mortality. However, a high physical composite score was associated with decreased overall patient mortality (P = 0.003). The effect of physical composite score on survival was prominent among young or middle-aged groups. @*Conclusion@#Poor physical health status 3 months after hemodialysis start correlates significantly with overall mortality.
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BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that breastfeeding has a positive effect on long-term obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. This study aimed to examine maternal bone health, muscle mass, and obesity based on breastfeeding duration. METHODS: This study was based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2011. We selected 2,027 elderly women by screening survey participants with a history of delivery. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and obesity among four breastfeeding groups. RESULTS: The OR of sarcopenia significantly decreased with increasing breastfeeding duration (OR, 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11–0.65; P for trend <0.001), whereas the OR of obesity significantly increased with increasing breastfeeding duration (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.43–4.60; P for trend=0.009) after adjusting for potential confounding variables. We also found a positive correlation between the duration since last delivery and sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a negative correlation between prolonged breastfeeding and the prevalence of sarcopenia, and a positive correlation between prolonged breastfeeding and the prevalence of obesity. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between breastfeeding and sarcopenia in the future.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Breast Feeding , Cross-Sectional Studies , Hyperlipidemias , Hypertension , Korea , Logistic Models , Mass Screening , Nutrition Surveys , Obesity , Odds Ratio , Osteoporosis , Prevalence , SarcopeniaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Some observational epidemiologic studies have reported conflicting results on the relationship between hypnotics use and the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease. We investigated these associations using a meta-analysis of available literatures. METHODS: We searched the databases PubMed and EMBASE, along with the bibliographies of relevant articles to find additional publications in February 2016. RESULTS: Of 495 articles satisfying our initial criteria, two case-control studies and six cohort studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in the final analyses. Compared with never having used any kind of hypnotics, the odds ratio for overall use was 0.84 for risk of or mortality from heart disease (95% confidence interval, 0.79 to 0.89) in a random-effects meta-analysis of all eight studies. With respect to the geographical region, use of hypnotics was associated with a decreased risk or mortality of heart disease in Asia but not in Western countries. Among various types of sleep medications, zolpidem showed a decreased risk (–29%) of developing or dying from heart disease, but benzodiazepines were related with an increased risk (80%) of or mortality from heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: The current meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies suggested an evidence of association between hypnotics use and a decreased risk of heart disease.
Subject(s)
Asia , Benzodiazepines , Case-Control Studies , Cohort Studies , Epidemiologic Studies , Heart Diseases , Heart , Hypnotics and Sedatives , Mortality , Observational Study , Odds RatioABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Previous observational epidemiological studies have shown inconsistent results on the relationship between hypnotics use and risk of cancer. To determine the association between hypnotics use and risk of cancer, we conducted a meta-analysis of available literature. METHODS: We searched databases PubMed, EMBASE, and the bibliographies of relevant articles to locate additional publications in February 2016. Three evaluators independently reviewed and selected eligible studies based on pre-determined selection criteria. RESULTS: A total of six observational epidemiological studies including three case-control studies and three cohort studies, which involved 1,830,434 participants (202,629 hypnotics users and 1,627,805 non-users), were included in the final analyses. In a random-effects meta-analysis, compared with non-use of hypnotics, the odds ratio for overall hypnotics use was 1.29 for various cancers (95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.53). Subgroup meta-analyses by various factors such as study design, type of case-control study, study region, and methodological quality of study revealed consistent findings. CONCLUSION: Our findings from a meta-analysis of low-biased epidemiological studies suggested evidence linking the use of hypnotics to an increased risk of cancers. The results should be cautiously interpreted because of considerable heterogeneity with a Higgins I2 value.
Subject(s)
Case-Control Studies , Cohort Studies , Epidemiologic Studies , Hypnotics and Sedatives , Observational Study , Odds Ratio , Patient Selection , Population CharacteristicsABSTRACT
Primary intracranial malignant melanoma is a very rare and highly aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. A 66-year-old female patient presented a headache that had been slowly progressing for several months. A large benign pigmented skin lesion was found on her back. A brain MRI showed multiple linear signal changes with branching pattern and strong enhancement in the temporal lobe. The cytological and immunohiostochemical cerebrospinal fluid examination confirmed malignant melanoma. A biopsy confirmed that the pigmented skin lesion on the back and the conjunctiva were benign nevi. We report a case of primary intracranial malignant melanoma and review relevant literatures.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Biopsy , Brain , Cerebrospinal Fluid , Conjunctiva , Headache , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Melanoma , Nevus , Prognosis , Skin , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage , Temporal LobeABSTRACT
Rhabdomyolysis is defined as a skeletal muscle injury with release of muscle cell constituents into the plasma. It can occur in various diseases and conditions, including muscle strain, drug or alcohol abuse, connective tissue disease, excess exercise, or following surgery. Only one case of rhabdomyolysis has ever been associated with liposuction in Korea. We experienced a case of rhabdomyolysis that developed after liposuction surgery. The patient was a 39-year-old woman presenting with abdominal pain 1 day after liposuction. She was treated with general supportive care, including massive hydration and absolute bed rest. Renal replacement therapy was performed due to pulmonary edema. She, finally, recovered fully. Acute kidney injury caused by liposuction-induced rhabdomyolysis is a rare disease. Therefore, we present this case with a review of the literature.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Abdominal Pain , Acute Kidney Injury , Alcoholism , Bed Rest , Connective Tissue Diseases , Korea , Lipectomy , Muscle Cells , Muscle, Skeletal , Plasma , Pulmonary Edema , Rare Diseases , Renal Replacement Therapy , RhabdomyolysisABSTRACT
Tumor lysis syndrome is one of the major oncological emergency. It causes complications such as acute kidney injury, cardiac arrhythmia, and death. However, it is rare in solid tumors. We report on a case of a patient with myoma of uterus who developed tumor lysis syndrome and acute kidney injury after high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. The potential complications of tumor lysis syndrome should be considered in HIFU treatment.
Subject(s)
Humans , Acute Kidney Injury , Arrhythmias, Cardiac , Emergencies , Leiomyoma , Myoma , Tumor Lysis Syndrome , Ultrasonography , UterusABSTRACT
Osmotic demyelination syndrome is a demyelinating disorder associated with rapid correction of hyponatremia. But, it rarely occurs in acute hypernatremia, and it leads to permanent neurologic symptoms and is associated with high mortality. A 44-year-old woman treated with alternative medicine was admitted with a history of drowsy mental status. Severe hypernatremia (197mEq/L) with hyperosmolality (415mOsm/kgH2O) was evident initially and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a high signal intensity lesion in the pons, consistent with central pontine myelinolysis. She was treated with 0.45% saline and 5% dextrose water and intravenous corticosteroids. Serum sodium normalized and her clinical course gradually improved. Brain lesion of myelinolysis also improved in a follow-up imaging study. This is the first report of a successful treatment of hypernatremia caused by iatrogenic salt intake, and it confirms the importance of adequate fluid supplementation in severe hypernatremia.
