Management of abdominal aortic and iliac artery aneurysms by stent-graft implantation in a patient on CAPD.

We present the case of a 76-year-old male patient, who - after 2.5 years of CAPD treatment - underwent aorto-biiliac aneurysm reconstruction for aorto-biiliac aneurysm by bifurcational stent-graft implantation. To our knowledge this is the first case presentation of a stent-graft implantation and uninterrupted continuation of CAPD treatment in a patient on peritoneal dialysis.

Infections related to prosthetic materials in patients on chronic dialysis.

Access to dialysis is the most infection prone part of any dialysis system. The prophylactic management of the exit site, the various access systems and their role in infections is discussed. Methods are suggested to avoid or control infections.

Structural changes in silicon rubber peritoneal dialysis catheters in patients using mupirocin at the exit site.

Structural damage to polyurethane PD (peritoneal dialysis) catheters in patients using mupirocin ointment is widely appreciated, but damage to silicon rubber PD catheters is less well described. Ten catheters (6.6%) out of 152 were found to have structural alterations such as opacification, ballooning, thinning, and rupture. The duration of PD in these 10 patients ranged from 23 months to 80 months (mean duration 51.1 months). The frequency of mupirocin application varied from daily (2 cases) to 2-3 times per week (7 cases). In eight catheters opacification occurred at the exit site whereas one catheter showed opacification midway between the exit site and the titanium adaptor. One catheter showed opacification, ballooning, and thinning at the exit site ruptured in the form of two slit-like openings. In conclusion, various structural changes such as opacification, ballooning or thinning were seen in 6.6% of silicon rubber PD catheters in patients using mupirocin at the exit site. Although the mechanism remains elusive, mupirocin or the antiseptic solution alone or in combination may be contributory. We believe that this is an under-reported complication and encourage other health care givers to incorporate a search for such changes during clinic visits.

Renal cell carcinoma in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Renal cell carcinoma is a rare but serious complication in ESRD patients. In these patients the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is 20-40 times higher than in the general population. We performed a retrospective study to measure the incidence rate, prevalence, characteristics and survival among our peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. The study was carried out among 607 patients who were on the PD program from January 1997 to June 2002. RCC was detected in eight patients (four males and four females) with mean age of 52.1 +/- 10.6 years. Among these eight patients four were new cases that were diagnosed before the patients were started on dialysis (three in native kidneys and one in a transplanted kidney). In the other four patients the RCC was diagnosed after they had been on dialysis for 33-204 months (mean 60.75 +/- 50.48). We found an incidence rate of 1.3 per 1000 patients per year and a prevalence of 1.3%. Six of the eight patients had renal cysts. Tumor size was less than 7 cm in seven patients and in the other patient it was 8.5 cm. Seven of eight patients were alive at the time of study with a survival time ranging from 3-138 months (mean 122.25 +/- 88.2) months. In one patient, the RCC metastasised to the scalp, and, in two other patients, the tumors subsequently involved the second kidney. A cardiovascular complication was the cause of one death. Two patients received a renal transplant 36 and 66 months after diagnosis. We conclude that despite the low rate of metastases and mortality in our study, regular ultrasonography should be added to the follow-up of PD patients. Renal transplantation can be considered in these ESRD patients with RCC; however, close follow-up for metastases is recommended.

Long-term blood pressure control in a cohort of peritoneal dialysis patients and its association with residual renal function.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the prime contributor for cardiovascular mortality in the dialysis population. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been thought to improve blood pressure (BP) control in the short term, but the long-term benefits are not conclusively proven. We aimed to evaluate the degree of BP control in PD patients in the long term and analyse the factors associated with poor control. METHODS: Data of all patients who were initiated on PD at one centre between July 1994 and July 1998 and completed at least 1 year of PD were analysed retrospectively at initiation of PD, at 6 months, and annually thereafter until 5 years or until discontinuation of therapy. Hypertension was defined as per WHO/ISH criteria. A 'Blood Pressure Control Index' was empirically defined to account for the effect of antihypertensives on measured BP. Factors associated with poor BP control were analysed. RESULTS: Out of 207 patients (age 57.0+/-16.0 years, 103 male, 104 female) 91.3% were hypertensive at the start of PD. About 33.8% had diabetic nephropathy. Systolic and mean arterial pressure index improved in early phase reaching a nadir between 6 months and 1 year followed by steady progressive worsening through out the rest of follow up. On multiple linear regression analysis age (P<0.001), duration of hypertension prior to dialysis (P<0.001), and declining residual renal function, expressed as both average of urea and creatinine clearance (P=0.002) and residual urine output (P<0.001) were independently associated with poor BP control. Diabetes (P=0.836), peritoneal transport (D/P 4 of creatinine at start) (P=0.218), peripheral oedema (P=0.479) and dose of erythropoetin (P=0.488) were not associated. CONCLUSIONS: Initiation of PD results in early improvement of hypertension in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). BP control thereafter deteriorates steadily with time and this is associated with age, duration of hypertension, and declining residual renal function. This suggests that hypertension in ESRD patients is a progressive disease primarily related to falling glomerular filtration rate, the preservation of which might improve BP control and possibly modify cardiovascular risk.

Chronic peritoneal dialysis in octogenarians.

BACKGROUND: During the past few decades the pattern of end-stage renal failure disease has changed with increasing number of elderly patients admitted for dialysis. In spite of their increasing number, little is known about the optimal mode of therapy of the 'old old' (those >or=80 years) patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analysed the results of treatment of 31 non-institutionalized 'old old' patients at Toronto Western Hospital (17) and Scarborough General Hospital (14) and seven institutionalized patients in chronic care, Riverdale Hospital. The patients were on CAPD with Twin-bag Baxter (28) or Home Choice, Baxter or Fresenius CCPD system (10). Patients were screened at the CAPD clinic when routine blood investigations were done. Patient and technique survival, initial and final laboratory data (last visit or before death) and complications related/unrelated to dialysis method are presented. RESULTS: Multiple comorbid conditions were present at the start of the treatment and new added during treatment; very few were dialysis-related. The majority of non-institutionalized patients required assistance of home-care nurse to perform dialysis. Peritonitis (1/28.6 patient months) and exit-site infection rate (1/75.1 patient months) were low and responded to treatment. Incidence of peritonitis was higher among institutionalized debilitated patients (1/5.3 patient months). Incidence of hospitalization was 1/14.7 patient months and patients spent in hospital 7.5 days/patient year. Forty-seven per cent of patients survived 24 months; 39% survived 30 months. Technique survival was 91.5% at 12 months and 81.4% at 30 months. Poor appetite and malnutrition were frequent among very old patients. Patients and their families were motivated for treatment and discontinuation of dialysis was not higher than described elsewhere in literature. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that chronic peritoneal dialysis could be recommended as a safe and suitable modality of treatment of end-stage renal failure in old old patients.

Infections in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Considering experience acquired in the past years, it seems as though physicians have reached a plateau in the frequency of peritonitis. A peritonitis rate of 1 every 2 patient years may be acceptable. Further reduction of this peritonitis rate will require inordinately large efforts on all fronts. One will have to consider what are the acceptable costs and risks of peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis. New developments in catheter technology, improved connections, better understanding of patient selection and training programs, improved diagnostic and therapeutic methods in the management of peritonitis, and understanding of the infectious and immune processes are eagerly awaited developments.

Experience with a large dose (500 mg) of intravenous iron dextran and iron saccharate in peritoneal dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy in anemia correction and side effects of large doses of intravenous (IV) iron dextran and iron saccharate preparations in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. SETTING: Tertiary-care teaching hospital of University of Toronto. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of 379 PD patients who attended PD clinics in past 5 years. Of these 379 patients, 62 were selected to receive IV iron based on ferrokinetic markers of iron deficiency, noncompliance to or ineffectiveness of oral iron, or increased erythropoietin (EPO) requirement. INTERVENTION: Sixty-one patients received two IV iron injections of 500 mg each, 1 week apart, 33 patients received iron dextran, 23 received iron saccharate, and 5 received both iron dextran and iron saccharate. One patient developed anaphylaxis to a test dose of iron dextran and was excluded from further therapy. Blood samples were collected before and 3 and 6 months after iron infusions. RESULTS: At 3 months, the group's average hemoglobin rose from 98.3+/-18.3 g/L to 110.6+/-16.4 g/L (p < 0.0001). Ferritin rose from 104.9+/-115.4 microg/L to 391.5+/-294.1 microg/L (p < 0.0001), and transferrin saturation from 0.17+/-0.07 to 0.26+/-0.19 (p < 0.0001). Erythropoietin requirements fell from 7278.7 IU/week to 5900 IU/week (p < 0.01). Five of the 34 patients who received iron dextran developed minor side effects and 1 patient had anaphylaxis to the test dose. Of the 23 patients who received iron saccharate, 1 had an anaphylactic reaction and 2 had transient chest pain, which subsided without therapy. Overall, there were more side effects with iron dextran (7.4% of injections) compared to the iron saccharate group (4.3% of injections), but this difference was statistically insignificant. Although statistically insignificant, there was an increase in the number of peritonitis episodes during the 6 months after IV iron infusion, especially with iron dextran, compared to the peritonitis episodes during the 6 months before iron infusions. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that IV iron in PD patients is effective in restoring iron stores and in decreasing EPO requirements. One anaphylactic reaction occurred in each group. Our data suggest that as much caution be exercised with iron saccharate as with iron dextran. The slight trend toward increased peritonitis rates after iron infusions needs to be investigated in a larger group of patients.

Excessive weight gain during peritoneal dialysis.

The authors carried out a retrospective chart review in 114 patients treated for at least two years at the Toronto Western Hospital Peritoneal Dialysis Unit and identified eight, who gained an "excessive" amount of weight equal to or greater than 10 kg of their initial weight. These patients had gained an average of 13.1 kg over the preceding two years. They are mostly males and their average age is 51 years. They are well-nourished normotenseive nondiabetics with mostly normal cardiac function. They are adequately dialyzed (per KT/V urea), have little residual renal function and typically have peritoneal membranes characterized by high average transport. According to BIA analysis, this weight gain was likely due to an increase in fat mass accompanied by a trend toward decreasing body-cell mass. This weight gain may be due to increased caloric intake secondary to dialysate glucose absorption in the setting of high average (peritoneal membrane) transport. Such excessive weight gain also may occur if these patients have polymorphism of the UCP-2 gene, which can alter metabolic rate.

Emergence of mupirocin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients using mupirocin prophylaxis to prevent exit-site infection.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of the carriage of Staphylococcus aureus (SA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and mupirocin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MuRSA) in chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) patients after 4 years of prophylactic mupirocin application to the exit site, in a peritoneal dialysis unit. METHODS: Three swabs were collected from the nares, axillae/groin, and exit site, respectively, from 149 patients on CPD between May and July 2001. All swabs were cultured on solid selective agar (mannitol salt agar) and in mannitol salt broth. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were tested for methicillin resistance using oxacillin screening plates, and mupirocin resistance using E-test strips. Low-level MuRSA was defined as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 mg/mL or more, and high-level MuRSA as MIC of 256 mg/mL or more. RESULTS: Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 26 (17%) patients (25 from nares/axilla/groin, and 1 from the exit site). High-level MuRSA was isolated from 4 patients (3% of the total study population; 15% of total SA isolates). No MRSA was detected. One patient with high-level MuRSA had peritonitis due to SA, resulting in treatment failure and catheter loss, soon after the swabs were collected for the study. CONCLUSION: We report the emergence of high-level MuRSA in CPD patients after a 4-year practice of continuous use of mupirocin in a small number of patients in our unit. Our results may have significant implications for the future practice of prophylactic use of mupirocin by CPD patients to prevent exit-site infection.

Rate of decline of residual renal function in patients on continuous peritoneal dialysis and factors affecting it.

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed residual renal function (RRF) in a large number of new peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients to prospectively define the time course of decline of RRF and to evaluate the risk factors assumed to be associated with faster decline. STUDY DESIGN: Single-center, prospective cohort study. SETTING: Home PD unit of a tertiary care University Hospital. PATIENTS: The study included 242 patients starting continuous PD between January 1994 and December 1997, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months and at least three measurements of RRF. MEASUREMENT: All patients had data on demographic and laboratory variables, episodes of peritonitis and the use of aminoglycoside (AG) antibiotics, temporary hemodialysis, and number of radiocontrast studies. Adequacy of PD was measured from 24-hour urine and dialysate collection and peritoneal equilibration test using standard methodology. Further data on RRF was collected every 3 to 4 months until the patient became anuric (urine volume < 100 mL/day or creatinine clearance < 1.0 mL/min) or until the end of study in December 1998. OUTCOME MEASURE: The slope of the decline of residual glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (an average of renal urea and creatinine clearance) was the main outcome measure. Risk factors associated with faster decline were evaluated by a comparative analysis between patients in the highest and the lowest quartiles of the slopes of GFR, and a multivariate analysis using a stepwise option within linear regression and general linear models. RESULTS: There was a gradual deterioration of residual GFR with time on PD, with 40% of patients developing anuria at a mean of 20 months after the initiation of PD. On multivariate analysis, use of a larger volume of dialysate (p = 0.0001), higher rate of peritonitis (p = 0.0005), higher use of AG (p = 0.0006), presence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.005), larger body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.01), and no use of antihypertensive medications (p = 0.04) independently predicted the steep slope of residual GFR. Male gender, higher grades of left ventricular dysfunction, and higher 24-hour proteinuria were associated with faster decline on univariate analysis only. CONCLUSION: Faster decline of residual GFR corresponds with male gender, large BMI, presence of diabetes mellitus, higher grades of congestive heart failure, and higher 24-hour proteinuria. Higher rate of peritonitis and use of AG for the treatment of peritonitis is also associated independently with faster decline of residual GFR. Whether the type of PD (CAPD vs CCPD/NIPD) is associated with faster decline of residual GFR remains speculative.

High prevalence of hyperparathyroidism among peritoneal dialysis patients: a review of 176 patients.

OBJECTIVES: Parathyroid dysfunction continues to produce significant morbidity in dialysis patients. Since the introduction of low calcium dialysate for peritoneal dialysis (PD), no large studies have been done to determine the prevalence of parathyroid dysfunction in these patients. This study was done to assess the prevalence of parathyroid disease in the PD population and to determine the risk factors associated with this dysfunction. DESIGN: We analyzed data on 176 patients who received PD at a single center between August 1998 and February 1999. Clinical data, laboratory variables related to parathyroid function, and data pertaining to dialysis treatment and weekly drug dosing were obtained for each patient on two different occasions, approximately 3 months apart. Variables predictive of the development of parathyroid dysfunction were calculated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the patients surveyed had an abnormal intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level: 47% had an iPTH level more than three times normal, the mean was 54.6+/-35.4 pmol/L; 23% had an iPTH value below the upper limit of normal, here the mean was 3.6+/-1.8 pmol/L. Diabetic patients had lower iPTH levels (22.2+/-28.4 pmol/L) than nondiabetics (33.9+/-34.8 pmol/L) (p = 0.02). On multivariate regression analysis, we found that age, duration of dialysis, Kt/V, serum bicarbonate, and serum ionized calcium levels did not significantly affect parathyroid function. Hyperphosphatemia was the only factor that was associated with the development of secondary hyperparathyroidism in this study population (p = 0.029). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of hyperparathyroidism in the current PD population. Phosphate control is suboptimal and hyperphosphatemia is an independent risk factor for the development of hyperparathyroidism.

The effect of small solute clearances on survival of anuric peritoneal dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: Primarily, to determine whether peritoneal small solute clearance is related to patient and technique survival among anuric peritoneal dialysis [continuous ambulatory (CAPD) and automated peritoneal dialysis (APD)] patients. A secondary goal was to describe the ability to attain Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (DOQI) targets among anuric patients on peritoneal dialysis. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study via chart reviews. SETTING: Peritoneal Dialysis Unit of Toronto Hospital (Western Division). PATIENTS: The study included 122 CAPD and APD patients between January 1992 and September 1997, with 24-hour urine volume less than 100 mL, or renal creatinine clearance (CCr) less than 1 mL/minute. Adequacy data were available for 115 patients. OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality and technique failure (TF). Regression analysis was used to estimate the mortality and TF rate ratios (RR) for peritoneal Kt/V urea (pKt/V) and pCCr, adjusting for age, gender, diabetes, months of follow-up prior to anuria, albumin, transport status, coronary artery disease, cardiovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease. RESULTS: Fifty seven per cent (51/89) of patients on CAPD and 81% (21/26) on APD had a weekly pKt/V > or = 2 and > or = 2.2, respectively (DOQI targets); whereas only 35% on CAPD (31/89) and 35% (9/26) on APD had a weekly pCCr > or = 60 U1.73 m2 and 66 L/1.73 m2, respectively. Median follow-up times among patients were 16.5 and 19.5 months pre- and postanuria, respectively. Patients with pKt/V > or = 1.85 experienced a strong decrease in patient mortality (RR = 0.54, p= 0.10); the effect was less pronounced for pCCr > or = 50 L/1.73 m2 (RR = 0.63, p = 0.25). No relationship was observed between pKt/V or pCCr and TF. CONCLUSION: Mortality was noticeably less frequent among patients with a pKt/V > or = 1.85 compared with those with a Kt/W < 1.85 (p = 0.10). Given the magnitude of the association, the failure to observe statistical significance relates to the size of the patient cohort. Our results imply that it is, in fact, possible to achieve DOQI targets among anuric patients on peritoneal dialysis.