Primary Posttransplant Plasmablastic Lymphoma of the Tongue: Report of a Case With Immunohistochemical and Molecular Studies.

Plasmablastic lymphoma is a rare, highly aggressive lymphoma characterized by large lymphoid cells with immunoblastic or plasmablastic features, absent expression of CD45 and CD20, positivity for CD138, and monoclonal rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. It was originally reported in oral cavity in the setting of underlying human immunodeficiency viral infection but may occur also in lymph nodes or extranodal sites after transplantation and, more rarely, immunocompetent patients. Herein, we report a case of PBL presenting as an ulcerated lesion of the tongue in an HIV-negative patient, 6 years after renal transplantation. To date, only rare cases of plasmablastic lymphoma presenting after solid organ transplantation have been reported. Although a reduction of immunosuppression and an aggressive chemotherapy were performed, the patient died after a few months because of septic and cardiovascular complications.

Creation of autogenous radial cephalic direct wrist access for hemodialysis in the elderly using microsurgery.

PURPOSE: Guidelines recommend autogenous radial-cephalic AV fistula (RCAVF) as the first choice for hemodialysis. Concern has been raised that this is not suitable in the elderly. We assessed the results of microsurgery for RCAVF creation comparatively in patients older and younger than 70 years. METHODS: We prospectively followed 126 patients for three years. After systematic clinical and ultrasound assessment, a RCAVF was created using a surgical microscope. Patency was assessed immediately, at one week, one month and one year. Outcomes were recorded and stratified into two groups: <70y and >70y. RESULTS: RCAVF was created in 75.4% and 70.8% of the <70y and >70y groups, respectively. Incidence of early failure was 11% (<70y) and 13% (>70y). Primary and secondary patency at one year was 67% and 84% (<70y) versus 63% and 80% (>70y). CONCLUSIONS: Microsurgery enabled the creation of RCAVF in >70y with acceptable risk of failure and slight differences by comparison with <70y. Older age should not preclude RCAVF creation.

[Atypical mycobacterial infection after kidney transplant: two clinical cases]. / Micobatteriosi atipiche nel trapianto renale: due casi clinici.

Infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality during kidney transplant. In areas where tuberculosis is not endemic, Mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOOT), also known as 'atypical' Mycobacteria, are more frequently involved in mycobacterial infections than M. tuberculosis. The incidence of MOOT infection in renal transplant recipients ranges from 0.16 to 0.38 percent. This low rate of reported incidence is, however, often due to delay in diagnosis and lack of therapeutic protocols. Further difficulty is caused by the interaction of antimycobacterial drugs with the post-transplant immunosuppressive regimen, necessitating close monitoring of plasma concentrations and careful dose modification. We present two cases of Mycobacterium Chelonae infection in kidney transplant recipients which differ in both clinical presentation and pharmacological approach.

[Diverse histological lesions in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)]. / Concomitanza di lesioni istologiche multiple in un paziente con sindrome da anticorpi antifosfolipidi (APLS).

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare autoimmune disorder. It can be secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or occur in the absence of autoimmune disease. The hallmark of this so-called primary APS is the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies. Renal involvement in primary APS is caused by thrombosis within the renal vasculature. Recently, nonthrombotic glomerulonephritic renal lesions have been described in primary APS as a new histological entity. We here report a patient with primary APS in whom both lesion types were present. A 58-year-old Caucasian man with no significant past medical history presented to our nephrology unit with diffuse edema. Urinalysis showed proteinuria exceeding 400 mg/dL. The autoantibody panel (p-ANCA, c- ANCA, anti-nucleus, anti-DS-DNA) was negative except for anticardiolipin antibodies, which tested positive in two different samples. The diagnostic workup included a kidney biopsy that revealed thrombotic lesions compatible with primary APS and a typical pattern of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. The kidney is a major target in APS but the exact mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of APS nephropathy has been poorly recognized. The use of kidney biopsy is a fundamental diagnostic tool in this setting, with possible implications also from a prognostic and therapeutic viewpoint.

Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: While chronic dialysis treatment has been suggested to increase pulmonary pressure values, right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is a major cause of death in patients with end-stage renal disease. We investigated the impact of different dialysis treatments on right ventricular function. METHODS: We examined 220 subjects grouped as follows: healthy controls (n = 100), peritoneal dialysis (PD; n = 26), hemodialysis (HD) with radial arteriovenous fistula (AVF; n = 62), and HD with brachial AVF (n = 32). Echocardiography including tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) of the right ventricle was performed in all patients. RESULTS: Pulmonary pressure values progressively rose from controls across the 3 dialysis groups (21.7 ± 6.8, 29.7 ± 6.7, 37.9 ± 6.7 and 40.8 ± 6.6 mm Hg, respectively; p < 0.001). TDI indices of right ventricular function were more impaired in HD patients, particularly in those with brachial AVF. RVD, assessed by TDI myocardial performance index, was higher in HD patients compared with PD patients (71.3 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001). Moreover, the prevalence of RVD further increased in patients with brachial AVF compared with the radial access (90.6 vs. 61.3%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to DP, HD increases the risk of RVD, particularly in the presence of brachial AVF. TDI may detect early functional failure of the right ventricle in HD patients.

Acute kidney injury after coronary artery bypass grafting: does rhabdomyolysis play a role?

OBJECTIVE: In clinical situations in which rhabdomyolysis is common, renal dysfunction association with myoglobinemia is well described. After coronary artery bypass grafting, a rapid increase in serum myoglobin concentration is generally seen, but whether it might independently increase the risk of acute kidney injury remains to be determined. METHODS: The study population consisted of 731 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Creatine kinase, myoglobin, and creatinine concentrations were assessed in each patient preoperatively and postoperatively. Acute kidney injury was defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine concentration of 0.3 mg/dL or greater. RESULTS: Overall, 295 (40.3%) of 731 patients had acute kidney injury. Patients' risk profiles were significantly worse in those with acute kidney injury, and 31 (4.2%) of 731 patients required dialysis. Acute kidney injury was associated with a higher increase in serum myoglobin concentration after 1 hour from aortic declamping (534 microg/mL [interquantile range, 354-733 microg/mL] vs 377 microg/mL [interquantile range, 278-528 microg/mL], P < .0001), which persisted at 24 and at 48 hours. After adjusting for confounding factors, myoglobin concentration was found to independently predict postoperative acute kidney injury (odds ratio, 1.0011 [1 microg/mL increase]; 95% confidence interval, 1.0003-1.0019; P = .005), and this result persisted when patients with perioperative myocardial infarction were excluded from the analysis (odds ratio, 1.0007; 95% confidence interval, 1.0002-1.0009; P = .01). Myoglobin concentration had a better accuracy to discriminate patients having acute kidney injury than creatine kinase concentration at any time. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in laboratory findings of muscle injury postoperatively, especially serum myoglobin concentration, predicts the incidence of acute kidney injury and renal replacement therapy requirement, as reported in other surgical settings. Perioperative myocardial injury cannot totally explain the occurrence of increased myoglobinemia. These results suggest an important role of skeletal muscle breakdown and necrosis in determining an increased myoglobinemia concentration after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Preoperative creatinine clearance as a predictor of short-term outcomes after cardiac surgery: a cohort study for the comparison between the Cockroft-Gault and modification of diet in renal disease formulae.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative renal function is an important risk factor in cardiac surgery for long-term and short-term outcomes. Renal function is best assessed by measuring or calculating the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Several algorithms using the endogenous marker serum creatinine have been developed to estimate renal function. These include the Cockcroft and Gault and the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formulae. The aim of this study was to compare the predictive power of the two formulae towards short-term outcomes after cardiac surgery, such as the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the length of mechanical ventilation time, and the length of in-hospital stay. METHODS: One hundred and fifty patients undergoing cardiac surgery and not affected by renal failure were followed up until hospital discharge. We collected data before, during and after surgery. Before surgery data consisted of date of birth, sex, height, weight, plasma creatinine level; during surgery data consisted of type of intervention (including number of bypasses, if any), cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time; after surgery data consisted of length of ICU stay, mechanical ventilation time, length of in-hospital stay after intensive-care discharge (ward stay), incidence of acute renal failure (expressed as the need for dialysis) and mortality. The dataset was analyzed using Cox regression. RESULTS: The average mechanical ventilation time, ICU stay and ward stay were 11 h, 49 h and 10 days, respectively. After having adjusted for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and postsurgical dialysis, the GFR calculated with the Cockcroft and Gault formula appeared to be a predictor of ICU stay and mechanical ventilation time with very strong evidence (P = 0.002 and <0.001, respectively) and a predictor of ward stay with some evidence (P = 0.062). After an identical case-mix adjustment, the GFR calculated with the MDRD formula appeared to be a predictor of ICU stay with strong evidence (P = 0.007), a predictor of mechanical ventilation time with some evidence (P = 0.075) and it has shown no evidence of predicting ward stay (P = 0.197). CONCLUSION: There is an indication that the Cockcroft and Gault formula could be more powerful than the MDRD formula for the preoperative prediction of early postoperative clinical outcomes in cardiac surgery, in patients not affected by renal failure. Further research is needed to confirm this result.

Microsurgery and preventive haemostasis for autogenous radial-cephalic direct wrist access in adult patients with radial artery internal diameter below 1.6 mm.

BACKGROUND: Autogenous radial-cephalic direct wrist arteriovenous fistula (RCF), the gold standard for chronic dialysis, suffers from an elevated early failure rate (up to 20-50% with a pooled rate of 15.3%). Guidelines indicate that a small radial artery internal diameter (<1.6-2 mm) is strongly predictive of this early failure. Microsurgery and preventive haemostasis have been reported to give excellent results in a paediatric population (children <10 kg bw) and have shown a much lower early failure rate of 5-10%. Given these excellent results, we have used microsurgery along with preventive haemostasis in adult patients. We herein describe the results of RCF created in patients with a radial artery internal diameter <1.6 mm. METHODS: From November 2004 to December 2007, 28 RCFs were created in 28 patients with a distal radial artery internal diameter <1.6 mm using microsurgery and preventive haemostasis. The median age was 68 and the male/female ratio was 6/22. The incidence of age >65 years was 64%, hypertension 96%, diabetes 32.1%, obesity (BMI>30) 35%, vascular disease 46%. The mean distal radial artery and cephalic vein internal diameters, measured with ultrasound examination, were 1.3 mm and 1.9 mm, respectively. Seventy-five percent of the patients were not yet on dialysis treatment; 19% of whom had a previous failed vascular access created elsewhere without microsurgery. The remaining 25% patients were on dialysis treatment with a temporary femoral catheter. RESULTS: All interventions ended with a patent anastomosis; no thrombosis occurred within the initial 24 h. The early failure rate was 14% (4 out of 28 patients). The causes of early failure were thrombosis >1 week after surgery in one patient, lack of maturation (patent but unfunctional fistula) due to juxta-anastomotic vein stenosis in two patients and mid-vein stenosis in one patient. Treatment for all patients was proximalization of the anastomosis at the distal/mid forearm. Primary patency and secondary patency at 1 year were 68 +/- 10% and 96 +/- 5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: From our findings, we have shown that it is possible to create RCF in adult patients with a radial artery internal diameter of <1.6 mm with an acceptable risk of early failure rate using microsurgery along with preventive haemostasis.

Microcirculatory changes and skeletal muscle oxygenation measured at rest by non-infrared spectroscopy in patients with and without diabetes undergoing haemodialysis.

INTRODUCTION: Haemodialysis has direct and indirect effects on skin and muscle microcirculatory regulation that are severe enough to worsen tolerance to physical exercise and muscle asthenia in patients undergoing dialysis, thus compromising patients' quality of life and increasing the risk of mortality. In diabetes these circumstances are further complicated, leading to an approximately sixfold increase in the incidence of critical limb ischaemia and amputation. Our aim in this study was to investigate in vivo whether haemodialysis induces major changes in skeletal muscle oxygenation and blood flow, microvascular compliance and tissue metabolic rate in patients with and without diabetes. METHODS: The study included 20 consecutive patients with and without diabetes undergoing haemodialysis at Sant Andrea University Hospital, Rome from March to April 2007. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) quantitative measurements of tissue haemoglobin concentrations in oxygenated [HbO2] and deoxygenated forms [HHb] were obtained in the calf once hourly for 4 hours during dialysis. Consecutive venous occlusions allowed one to obtain muscular blood flow (mBF), microvascular compliance and muscle oxygen consumption (mVO2). The tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) and content (CtO2) as well as the microvascular bed volume were derived from the haemoglobin concentration. Nonparametric tests were used to compare data within each group and among the groups and with a group of 22 matched healthy controls. RESULTS: The total haemoglobin concentration and [HHb] increased significantly during dialysis in patients without and with diabetes. Only in patients with diabetes, dialysis involved a [HbO2], CtO2 and increase but left mVO2 unchanged. Multiple regression StO2 analysis disclosed a significant direct correlation of StO2 with HbO2 and an inverse correlation with mVO2. Dialysis increased mBF only in diabetic patients. Microvascular compliance decreased rapidly and significantly during the first hour of dialysis in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our NIRS findings suggest that haemodialysis in subjects at rest brings about major changes in skeletal muscle oxygenation, blood flow, microvascular compliance and tissue metabolic rate. These changes differ in patients with and without diabetes. In all patients haemodialysis induces changes in tissue haemoglobin concentrations and microvascular compliance, whereas in patients with diabetes it alters tissue blood flow, tissue oxygenation (CtO2, [HbO2]) and the metabolic rate (mVO2). In these patients the mVO2 is correlated to the blood supply. The effects of haemodialysis on cell damage remain to be clarified. The absence of StO2 changes is probably linked to an opposite [HbO2] and mVO2 pattern.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels after use of mini-cardiopulmonary bypass system.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been implicated as an early predictive urinary biomarker of ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of this study was to compare the effects of miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass system (MCPB) vs. standard cardiopulmonary bypass system (SCPB) system on kidney tissue in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization using urinary NGAL levels as an early marker for renal injury. Sixty consecutive patients who underwent myocardial revascularization were studied prospectively. An SCPB was used in 30 patients (group A) and MCPB was used in 30 patients (group B). The SCPB group but not the MCPB group showed a significant NGAL concentration increase from preoperative during the 1st postoperative day (169.0+/-163.6 ng/ml in the SCPB group vs. 94.1+/-99.4 ng/ml in the MCPB group, P<0.05, respectively). Two patients in the SCPB group developed AKI and underwent renal replacement therapy; no patient in MCPB developed AKI. The MCPB system is safe in routine clinical use. Kidney function is better protected during MCPB as demonstrated by NGAL levels. NGAL represents an early biomarker of renal failure in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and the valuation of its concentration can aid in medical decision-making.

Reduction of early postoperative morbidity in cardiac surgery patients treated with continuous veno-venous hemofiltration during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with a systemic inflammatory response syndrome. The major clinical features of this include a reduction of pulmonary compliance and increased extracellular fluids, with increased pulmonary shunt fraction similar to acute respiratory distress syndrome, thus resulting in prolonged mechanical ventilation time (VAM) and intensive care unit length of stay (ICU STAY). We evaluated the feasibility of an intraoperatory cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit connected with a monitor for continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) to ameliorate pulmonary function after open heart surgery reducing VAM and ICU STAY. Forty patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized at the time of surgery into a control group (20 patients who received standard cardiopulmonary bypass) and a study group (20 patients who received CVVH during cardiopulmonary bypass). The analysis of postoperative variables showed a significative reduction of VAM in treated group (CVVH group mean 3.55 h +/- 0.85, control group 5.8 h +/- 0.94, P < 0.001) and ICU STAY (CVVH group mean 29.5 h +/- 6.7, control group 40.5 h +/- 6.67, P < 0.001). In our experience, the use of intraoperatory CVVH during cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with lower early postoperative morbidity.

Miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass and acute kidney injury in coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most important complications after on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass (mini-CPB) systems have been developed to allow the ease of on-pump surgery but tempering the disadvantages. Whether mini-CPB reduces the incidence of AKI remains to be determined. METHODS: Using a propensity score matched analysis, we investigated the occurrence of AKI among patients undergoing CABG on mini-CPB (n = 104) versus conventional CPB (n = 601). Acute kidney injury was defined according to the recent Acute Kidney Injury Network classification. RESULTS: Overall, acute kidney injury developed in 274 of 705 patients (38.8%). A total of 27 of 705 patients (3.8%) required renal replacement therapy. The median postoperative length of intensive care unit stay in survivors with AKI was 5.4 (3.9 to 6.8) days compared with 2.0 (1.0 to 3.0) days for patients without AKI (p = 0.0002). The overall incidence of AKI for patients undergoing mini-CPB was 30 of 104 (28.8%) compared with 244 of 601 (40.5%) for patients undergoing conventional CPB (p = 0.03). In the propensity score matched-pair statistical analysis, mini-CPB was independently associated with a decreased incidence of AKI (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.38 to 0.97). Other variables independently associated with AKI were preoperative glomerular filtration rate (OR 0.988 for 1 mL.min(-1).1.73 m(-2) increase; 95% CI: 0.98 to 0.99), postoperative red blood cell transfusion (OR 1.58; 95% CI: 1.12 to 2.23); CPB time (OR 1.005 for 1-minute increase; 95% CI: 1.0 to 1.009), and postoperative low output syndrome (OR 1.72; 95% CI: 1.23 to 2.41). CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that mini-CPB is associated with a lower incidence of AKI when compared with conventional CPB among patients undergoing CABG.

Mild and moderate renal dysfunction: impact on short-term outcome.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative renal dysfunction is an important risk factor in cardiac surgery. Thus, the association between creatinine clearance (ClCr) and mechanical ventilation time and ICU length of stay, independent of other established preoperative risk indicators, was analyzed. METHODS: In our study, 156 consecutive patients underwent open-heart surgery at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital St. Andrea, Rome, and were prospectively studied for the relation between the ClCr, using the formula develop by Cockroft and Gault, and ICU length of stay and mechanical ventilation time. The 156 patients were divided into two groups in relation of ClCr: group A (n=78) ClCr<70 ml/min; group B (n=78) ClCr>70 ml/min. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, ICU length of stay was influenced by ClCr<70 ml/min, hypertension and COPD. ICU stay was median 48 h (range 24-72) in group A versus 24h (range 20.7-44) in group B (p=0.0001). In multivariate analysis, only ClCr<70 ml/min and EuroScore were associated with increasing VAM. VAM was median 8h (range 5.7-13.2) in group A versus 6h (range 4-10) in group B (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that after short-term outcome follow-up, preoperative mild renal dysfunction is an independent predictor of ICU length of stay and mechanical ventilation time.

Intraoperative veno-arterial hemofiltration during miniaturized extracorporeal bypass.

We report the case of a 71-year-old man with creatinine clearance of 41 mL/min and acute anterior ST-segment elevation who underwent urgent coronary artery bypass grafting. A continuous intraoperative veno-arterial hemofiltration with high volumes of exchange (35 mL/kg/h) was used in a series for a miniaturized extracorporeal bypass system to minimize the inflammatory response and to protect the kidneys of this patient who had preoperative renal dysfunction. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery.

Continuous renal replacement therapies: anticoagulation in the critically ill at high risk of bleeding.

BACKGROUND: The ongoing necessity for systemic heparinization is a well-known disadvantage of continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT), and alternative methods of anticoagulation may be required. Our aim was to evaluate, in patients with a high risk of bleeding, the possibility of an acceptable filter life with non-anticoagulation CRRT and, in case of early filter failure, the efficacy and safety of bedside monitored regional anticoagulation with heparin and protamine. METHODS: Fifty-nine patients underwent CRRT for acute renal failure (ARF) following cardiac surgery. Patients who fulfilled one of the following criteria were selected for non-anticoagulation CRRT: spontaneous bleeding, aPTT > 45 sec, thrombocytopenia and recent surgery (< 48 hr). Filter life < 24 hr without anticoagulation was the cut-off point for starting the regional anticoagulation CRRT. Heparin was infused pre-filter and protamine post-filter at an initial ratio of 1 mg protamine:100 IU heparin. The ratio was adjusted to achieve a patient aPTT < 45 sec and a circuit > 55 sec. RESULTS: Twenty-two (37.3%) patients had been selected for non-anticoagulation. Of them, 12 patients continued to receive non-anticoagulation (filter life: 38.3 +/- 30.5 hr) while 10 switched to regional anticoagulation (filter life: 38.6 +/- 25 hr). During regional anticoagulation no statistical difference was found between baseline aPTT (36.7 +/- 6.4 sec) and patient aPTT (41.5 +/- 12.6 sec) while circuit aPTT (77.7 +/- 43.3 sec) was significantly higher than patient aPTT (p < 0.0001). The probabilities of the circuits remaining free from clotting after 24, 48 and 72 hr were: a) non-anticoagulation: 55.5%, 30.1% and 16.6%, b) regional anticoagulation: 76.2%, 39.6% and 19.8%. There was no rebound anticoagulation observed after regional anticoagulation CRRT ended. CONCLUSIONS: Non-anticoagulation CRRT allowed an adequate filter life in most patients with a high risk of bleeding for prolonged aPTT and/or thrombocytopenia. Despite concerns regarding the need for careful monitoring, regional anticoagulation with heparin and protamine can be considered as a safe and valid alternative when non-anticoagulation is unsuitable because of early filter failure.