Severe Acute Kidney Injury in Hospitalized Cancer Patients: Epidemiology and Predictive Model of Renal Replacement Therapy and In-Hospital Mortality.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication among cancer patients, often leading to longer hospital stays, discontinuation of cancer treatment, and a poor prognosis. This study aims to provide insight into the incidence of severe AKI in this population and identify the risk factors associated with renal replacement therapy (RRT) and in-hospital mortality. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 3201 patients with cancer and severe AKI admitted to a Comprehensive Cancer Center between January 1995 and July 2023. Severe AKI was defined according to the KDIGO guidelines as grade ≥ 2 AKI with nephrological in-hospital follow-up. Data were analyzed in two timelines: Period A (1995-2010) and Period B (2011-2023). RESULTS: A total of 3201 patients (1% of all hospitalized cases) were included, with a mean age of 62.5 ± 17.2 years. Solid tumors represented 75% of all neoplasms, showing an increasing tendency, while hematological cancer decreased. Obstructive AKI declined, whereas the incidence of sepsis-associated, prerenal, and drug-induced AKI increased. Overall, 20% of patients required RRT, and 26.4% died during hospitalization. A predictive model for RRT (AUC 0.833 [95% CI 0.817-0.848]) identified sepsis and hematological cancer as risk factors and prerenal and obstructive AKI as protective factors. A similar model for overall in-hospital mortality (AUC 0.731 [95% CI 0.71-0.752]) revealed invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), sepsis, and RRT as risk factors and obstructive AKI as a protective factor. The model for hemato-oncological patients' mortality (AUC 0.832 [95% CI 0.803-0.861]) included IMV, sepsis, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and drug-induced AKI. Mortality risk point score models were derived from these analyses. CONCLUSIONS: This study addresses the demographic and clinical features of cancer patients with severe AKI. The development of predictive models for RRT and in-hospital mortality, along with risk point scores, may play a role in the management of this population.

Recovering from a renal vascular catastrophe: Case report.

Renal artery thrombosis is a rare vascular event that precipitates renal infarction. Although in up to one third of cases the etiology is not identified, renal artery lesions, cardioembolism and acquired thrombophilias are the main causes. A bilateral simultaneous idiopathic renal artery thrombosis is an unlikely coincidence. We present two cases of patients with acute bilateral renal artery thrombosis of unknown etiology. Cardiac embolism, acquired thrombophilia and occult neoplasm workups were negative. Both cases were temporarily hemodialysis-dependent and partially recovered renal function under conservative approach with systemic anticoagulation. Recommendations on optimal treatment for renal artery thrombosis are still lacking. We discuss the available options.

Maternal γδ T cells shape offspring pulmonary type 2 immunity in a microbiota-dependent manner.

Immune development is profoundly influenced by vertically transferred cues. However, little is known about how maternal innate-like lymphocytes regulate offspring immunity. Here, we show that mice born from γδ T cell-deficient (TCRδ-/-) dams display an increase in first-breath-induced inflammation, with a pulmonary milieu selectively enriched in type 2 cytokines and type 2-polarized immune cells, when compared with the progeny of γδ T cell-sufficient dams. Upon helminth infection, mice born from TCRδ-/- dams sustain an increased type 2 inflammatory response. This is independent of the genotype of the pups. Instead, the offspring of TCRδ-/- dams harbors a distinct intestinal microbiota, acquired during birth and fostering, and decreased levels of intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as pentanoate and hexanoate. Importantly, exogenous SCFA supplementation inhibits type 2 innate lymphoid cell function and suppresses first-breath- and infection-induced inflammation. Taken together, our findings unravel a maternal γδ T cell-microbiota-SCFA axis regulating neonatal lung immunity.

Dent's disease: An unusual cause of kidney failure.

Dent's disease is an X-linked recessive disease characterized by proximal tubulopathy with low-molecular weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria, nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, and kidney failure. It is mainly caused by mutations in the CLCN5 or OCRL1 genes, and only ~ 250 families have been identified with these mutations. We present a 31-year-old male referred to a nephrology consultation due to elevated serum creatinine and a history of nephrolithiasis. Complementary evaluation revealed protein/creatinine ratio of 1.9 g/g and albumin/creatinine ratio of 0.5 g/g, hypercalciuria and medullary nephrocalcinosis. These findings raised the suspicion of Dent's disease, which was confirmed by genetic testing. A missense mutation in the CLCN5 gene (c.810C>G, p.(Ser270Arg)), not previously reported in populational databases, was identified. During the evaluation of the patient, it came to our attention that a first-degree male cousin was being followed in our kidney transplantation unit. Given the unknown etiology of his chronic kidney disease, genetic testing was performed, identifying the same mutation. This case highlights the importance of considering the diagnosis of Dent's disease in the setting of a male patient with chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology, low-molecular-weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria, and nephrocalcinosis. Despite progression to end-stage kidney failure in a significant portion of male patients, there are no reports of recurrence after kidney transplantation.

Predicting Prognosis in Internal Medicine: A Short and Long-Term Mortality Comparison Analysis.

Introduction The marked increase in life expectancy seen in Portugal in the last five decades led to a change in the profile of patients being most commonly admitted in internal medicine wards. In deciding the best care for these patients, prognostication models are needed in order to reduce readmissions, mortality, and adequate care. We aimed to study short and long-term mortality and predictors of all-cause mortality, independently of cause admission, of patients admitted in an internal medicine ward. Methods This two-part, single-center study enrolled patients from October 2013 to October 2014 with a follow-up of 60 months. Results A total of 681 patients were included; the mean age was 75.86 years with 60.4% females. The most frequent comorbidities were anemia, hypertension, and renal impairment. More than half of the population died in the follow-up period (51.5%). Deaths were significantly higher in the first six months after discharge (53% of all deaths) and then decreased abruptly to 11.6% in the second half-year after discharge. Based on the multivariate logistic regression model, with age over 80 years, anemia and neoplasm were independent predictors of short-term (p<0.001, p=0.001, p<0.001, respectively) and long-term (p<0.001 for the three conditions) mortality. Heart failure (p=0.018) and diabetes (p=0.025) were also predictors of long-term mortality. Conclusion High mortality, mainly in the first six months after discharge, elicits strategies targeting transition of care and close follow-up in the first months, which can be the key to improving outcomes. Identification of patients at higher risk may help design realistic models aiming to improve care for this frail population and decrease morbimortality.

Hypertensive patients in a general practice setting: comparative analysis between controlled and uncontrolled hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To study the differences between controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study of the hypertensive population on the lists of three general practitioners in the district of Coimbra in central Portugal in 2013, with a margin of error of 6% and 95% confidence interval in each sample, organized in ascending order of health care user numbers. Data were gathered electronically by the investigators after approval by the Regional Health Authority's ethics committee. RESULTS: A sample of 201 individuals was studied, of whom 104 (51.7%) were male and 86 (42.8%) were aged under 65 (p=0.127 for gender and age-group). Hypertension was controlled in 130 (64.7%). We found significant differences in target organ damage, more frequent in those with controlled hypertension (33.1% vs. 19.7%, p=0.031), in hypertension control, better in those taking at least one anti-hypertensive drug at night (56.9% vs. 29.6%, p<0.001), and in prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, more frequent in those with uncontrolled hypertension (11.3% vs. 3.8%, p=0.043). CONCLUSION: Hypertension control is significantly associated with target organ damage, taking at least one anti-hypertensive drug at night and not taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs simultaneously.

Ankle-brachial index according to pulse pressure and microalbuminuria in hypertensive patients: a prospective study in family medicine.

INTRODUCTION: Microalbuminuria, as determined by the urinary albumin to creatinine (AC) ratio, is a marker of target organ damage (TOD) in hypertensive patients. Pulse pressure (PP) predicts arterial elasticity and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a marker of cardiovascular morbidity. TOD reduction should be achieved through improvements in these indices. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ABI, calculated as the ratio between mean PP in the upper and lower limbs, is associated with a reduction in renal damage, as measured by the AC ratio. METHODS: This was a prospective interventional study based on an intention-to-treat analysis in an opportunity sample of patients treated by three specialists in family medicine, with three-monthly follow-up over a total of six months. Blood pressure was measured in arms and ankles, and PP was calculated and used to determine right and left ABI and mean overall ABI. The AC ratio was determined by urine dipstick test. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A sample of 75 patients were studied (42.4% women), of whom(42.4% women), of whom 27.6% were diabetic, 46.7% overweight/obese and 49.3% dyslipidemic. overweight/obese and 49 dyslipidemic. There were statistical differences for right ABI (as determined by PP) and for mean overall ABI (as determined by mean PP in lower and upper limbs). Bivariate correlation analysis showed that in the group with improved PP between the first and the third observations, n=23 (40%), there was a statistically significant reduction in AC ratio (r = -0.924, two-tailed p < 0.001); the opposite was observed in the group with reduced PP, in which the AC ratio increased. DISCUSSION: ABI determined by systolic blood pressure is an excellent predictor of hemodynamic alterations. Increased ABI, based on PP, was accompanied by improved urinary AC ratio. These results are in line with the international literature. CONCLUSIONS: An improvement in urinary AC ratio--a predictor of TOD--is observed when an improvement in the ankle PP/brachial PP ratio is achieved.

[Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescription in General Practice setting: 435 does informatics have any influence?]. / Prescrição de anti-inflamatórios não esteróides no ambiente de Medicina Geral e Familiar: a informática influencia?

AIMS: In the ambulatory setting of General Practice/Family Medicine, a retrospective, observational study was carried out to ascertain variation on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescription, in an informatics environment where name (brand or chemical), size of package, price and the existence of generic medicines is available. METHODS: Observational transversal study conducted in February 2008 with no prescription study warning given to the doctors in the study period. The differences in volume prescription in Daily Defined Dose (DDD) per registered patient in the middle of 2006 and 2007 two semesters, as well as the value of prescription measured by the price per registered patient were calculated and medicines were studied by the third level of the Portuguese medicines classification very similar to the ATC. The price per DDD was calculated as well. RESULTS: DDD volume and value declined throughout the study comparing entire years or semesters being "Oxicans" the only exception. Even though, the net volume and value decreased between 2006 and 2007 comparing both semesters of 2006 and of 2007. Price per DDD decreased for all medicines except for oxicans with an increase from the first to the second semesters of 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Informatics environment influences the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, reducing the number of DDD and the price per registered patient.

Qualidade da consulta de Medicina Geral e Familiar: conseguem os médicos julgar corretamente a qualidade sentida pelos doentes? / The Quality of General Prectice and Family Consultation: are doctors prepared to correctly evaluate how the patients feel about?

A valorização da atividade médica em Medicina Geral e Familiar (MGF), conhecida no Brasil como Medicina de Família e Comunidade, depende, entre outros fatores, do resultado de um encontro médico/doente. O especialista em MGF, ao ter de gerir a sua atividade com base nos pilares fundamentais do contexto, da ciência e da atitude, deve ponderar que a qualidade é algo que depende também da interface que ele contata. Objetivos: verificar a satisfação dos pacientes com a consulta médica de Clínica Geral. Averiguar a capacidade de os médicos avaliarem corretamente a satisfação dos pacientes na consulta. Foi feito um estudo observacional, transversal, com intenção analítica. O material utilizado consistiu em: três médicos de Medicina Geral e Familiar de um Centro de Saúde, questionário validado e usuários da consulta em dois dias distintos de trabalho. Métodos: em dois dias de atividade, apenas sabidos no início de período laboral, foram entregues pelos médicos o questionário com 11 afirmações. No final da cada consulta os médicos preenchiam questionário sobre os mesmos pontos, mas, na sua óptica e após a saída do paciente. Critérios de inclusão: maiores de 16 anos, capacidade de leitura e escrita e aceitação para participar. Análise estatística descritiva e inferencial ( 2 e t de student). Análise de diferenças na resposta às afirmações do questionário, por um modelo de correlação bi-variada com o coeficiente tau-b de Kendall com sensibilidade a 5%. Resultados: recebidos 43 (64,2%) dos questionários entregues. Idade média de 42,7±16,8 anos, sendo majoritariamente do sexo feminino (72,1%). Para 51,3% da amostra não terá havido possibilidade de falar sobre as preocupações de saúde e para 50% não parecem ter sido recebidas instruções acerca de estilos de vida saudáveis para a doença, e para 56,1% o tempo de duração da consulta não terá sido suficiente. Sem diferenças com significado as respostas por sexo, grupo etário e formação. Apenas na questão de o médico querer advogar a saúde do doente, as respostas são consonantes entre doentes e médicos. Conclusões: boa avaliação da consulta nos 11 fatores estudados. Os médicos revelam baixa capacidade de avaliação correta da satisfação dos pacientes na consulta, apenas estando médico e doente de acordo quanto à disponibilidade do médico para advogar a saúde do paciente.

One of the criteria for evaluating medical activity in the field of Family and General Practice, in Brazil known as Family and Community Practice, is the satisfaction obtained in the doctor-patient encounter. The general practitioner, while performing his activity based on the fundamental pillars context, science and attitude, has to consider that quality is something that has to be seen from the viewpoint of the patient as well. Objectives: verify the degree of satisfaction of patients with the general practice consultation and the capacity of the practitioners to correctly predict the satisfaction of their patients with the consultation. An observational transverse study was carried out with the intent to analyze this question. The subjects ans material used in the study consisted of: three general practitioners from a Primary Care Unit, a validated questionnaire and users of consultations on two distinct workdays. Method: during two specific days, only revealed in the beginning of each work shift, the doctors asked the patients to answer a questionnaire containing 11 statements. In the end of each consultation, after the patient had left, the doctors answered the same questionnaire from their own perspective. Criteria for inclusion in the study: over 16 years of age, ability to read and write and consensual participation. Data were submitted to descriptive and inferential statistical analysis (chi square and students t test). The differences in the answers to the statements contained in the questionnaire were analyzed with a bivariable correlation model using Kendalls tau-b coefficient with sensibility of 5%. Results: Forty three (64,2%) of the distributed questionnaires were returned. The age mean of responders was 42,7±16,8 years, most of them of feminine sex (72,1 %). 51,3% of the sample claimed that they were not given the chance to speak about their health concerns, 50% seem not to have received instructions about healthier life styles in relation to their disease and in the opinion of 56,1% the consultation was too short. The answers showed no significant differences in relation to sex, age group and educational level of the responders. The only question in which doctors and patients agreed was that the doctors were ready to care for the health of the patients. Conclusions: the consultations were considered good with regard to the 11 factors studied. The doctors reveal low capacity for correctly predicting the satisfaction of their patients with the consultation. Doctors and patients only agree with respect to the doctors readiness to care for the patients health.