Risk of heparin lock-related bleeding when using indwelling venous catheter in haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: The indwelling venous catheter such as Dual-Cath or Twin-Cath is widely used in haemodialysis. Although the manufacturer recommends filling the catheter lumen with heparin after the dialysis session to prevent clotting, little is known about the systemic effects of such a procedure. METHODS: Twenty haemodialysis patients with Dual-Cath were studied. Dialysis anticoagulation was achieved by injecting a bolus of dalteparin. The patient/control ratio of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was determined at the end of the session immediately before and 10 min after locking with 2 ml of undiluted heparin (10,000 U/catheter). We also determined the catheter volume for each patient and measured aPTT immediately before and 10 min after heparin locking with this patient-specific volume. Catheter patency was followed over a 2-week period. RESULTS: The aPTT values determined at the end of two consecutive dialysis sessions were nearly normal, respectively 1.29 (+/-0.17) and 1.33 (+/-0.22), whereas all patients had uncoagulable blood (aPTT >3.75) 10 min after locking with 2 ml of heparin. When catheter volumes were individually calculated, they were found to be substantially lower than 2.0 ml (1.21+/-0.12 for the arterial branch and 1.27+/-0.13 for the venous branch). aPTT was only 2.42+/-0.73 10 min after locking with the estimated volumes except in one patient (aPTT >3.75). No catheter clotting was observed despite these smaller locking volumes. CONCLUSIONS: A risk of inducing serious bleeding does indeed exist with Dual-Cath heparin locking, especially in postoperative patients. This risk can be reduced by measuring catheter length at the time of placement in order to ensure an appropriate lock volume. Sodium citrate, polygeline, or urokinase are possible alternatives to heparin.

213 elderly uremic patients over 75 years of age treated with long-term peritoneal dialysis: a French multicenter study.

UNLABELLED: We report our experience in 213 elderly patients over 75 years treated by peritoneal dialysis (PD) as first and exclusive dialysis therapy. The mean age at start of PD was 79.4 +/- 3.6 years, and the cumulative time on PD was 4551 months (mean time: 21.4 +/- 19.8 months). Twenty-six patients lived in institutions and 187 lived at home. Thirty patients had an effective autonomy with the ability to carry on normal activities. One hundred and two patients were cared for by a private nurse at home, and 46 patients were cared for in a family environment. Most cases were treated by three exchanges per day (152 cases) and used a nondisconnect system (175 cases) on account of absence of autonomy. The rate of peritonitis per patient-month was one episode per 16.8 patient-months. Patient survival (Kaplan-Meier curves) was 74%, 59%, 45%, and 19% at one, two, three, and five years, respectively. The causes of death were various with a higher frequency of cardiovascular causes (48.3% of the 116 deaths). Thirty-three patients died in less than six months including 18 patients in less than three months. IN CONCLUSION: elderly uremic patients can be treated with long-term PD with relatively good results. Mortality is high but essentially due to age and poor general status-the dedication of private home nursing is very important in treating elderly PD patients. This fact often is a necessary condition in maintaining these elderly patients at home.

[Vaccination against hepatitis B virus. Value of intradermal administration in dialysed patients non responsive to intramuscular approach]. / Vaccination contre le virus de l'hépatite B. Intérêt de l'administration intradermique chez les dialysés non répondeurs par voie intramusculaire.

OBJECTIVES: Approximately 16-27% of dialysis patients (DP) have no detectable antibodies after 5 intramuscular injections of hepatitis B vaccine and represent a group at high risk to contract hepatitis B virus. We report the efficacy of the intradermal route of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (r-HBV) in non-responsive dialysis patients in our dialysis unit. METHODS: Intradermal vaccinations were performed in 20 dialysis patients (mean age 62 years) non-responsive to the intramuscular injections (mean 6.8). Five micrograms of r-HBV (Engerix B, SK and F) were administered intradermally every two weeks (maximum 70 micrograms) until a level of anti-HBV antibodies (anti-HBs) arbitrarily choosen of > or = 230 mUI/ml was attained. Anti-HBs was determined after the fourth and subsequent intradermal injections (IMX, Abbott). RESULTS: Fourteen dialysis patients (70%) developed anti-HBs > 10 mUI/ml (geometric mean titers of 330 mIU/ml). Among these, 9 developed seroprotective levels before the fifth injection. Five patients developed anti-HBs > or = 1000 mUI/ml and 6 others developed anti-HBs > or = 230 mUI/ml. After the intradermal injections were discontinued, 11 patients were monthly monitored for at least 3 months, and 6 for one year. The geometric mean antibody level was at 3 months: 157 (n = 11), at 6 months: 122 (n = 8), at nine months: 117 (n = 6), and at 12 months: 66 mIU/ml (n = 6). The age and the sex, haemodialysis duration, albumin levels or treatment by erythropoietin did not seem to play a role in appearance of anti-HBs. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience in 20 dialysis patients shows that repeated low-dose intradermal injections resulted in long-term seroprotection in a substantial number of dialysis patients non-responsive to the intramuscular vaccinations.

[Peritoneal dialysis in people more than 75 years old]. / Dialyse péritonéale chez les personnes âgées de plus de 75 ans.

Over 75 years old peritoneal dialysis patients can be treated with at least as good results as those of hemodialysis. Peritoneal dialysis is the only method used to treat old patients at home with psychological profits. Regarding the lack of references on nutritional state of uremic old patients and on early death forecast factors geriatric peritoneal dialysis knowledges are not yet well established.

[Chylous ascites in 12 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis]. / Ascite chyleuse chez douze patients traités par dialyse péritonéale.

Chylous ascites is a rare clinical entity often secondary to a lymphoma. In peritoneal dialysis even mild chylous ascites can cause cloudiness of the peritoneal effluent and thus lead to early diagnosis. Twelve cases of chylous ascites (defined by the presence of chylomicrons) among 230 patients with chronic renal failure treated in two peritoneal dialysis centers (Limoges and Saint-Pierre de la Réunion) are reported. A malignancy was encountered in only two cases (a B-cell lymphoma and an ovarian cancer). In the other cases, a precise diagnosis was difficult to establish and was only presumed. Thus chylous effusion in seven cases seemed secondary to cirrhosis, chronic pancreatitis, systemic amyloïdosis or cardiac failure. In three cases the cause was unknown, although microtrauma due to the Tenckhoff catheter was highly suspected. Chylous ascites lasted more than two years in four cases. The long-term nutritional consequences did not justify a change in the method of dialysis.

Pharmacokinetics of propofol and its conjugates after continuous infusion in normal and in renal failure patients: a preliminary study.

The pharmacokinetics of propofol, 2,6 diisopropylphenol, were compared in 6 end-stage renal failure patients aged 66.3 +/- 12.1 years and in 5 normal patients aged 45.5 +/- 13.5 years. Anesthesia was induced with propofol (2 and 2.5 mg.kg-1 respectively) and fentanyl (0.1 mg). Anesthesia was maintained with propofol (9 and 10 mg.kg-1 x h-1 respectively). Patients breathed spontaneously a 50 per cent oxygen in nitrous oxide mixture. Two ml blood samples were taken during anesthesia and at regular intervals until up to 24 hours after infusion. Plasma levels of propofol were determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Propofol conjugates were determined after hydrolysis with beta glucuronidase or HCl. Results were expressed as median [lower-upper percentiles]. Propofol clearance (1.53 [1.02-2.10] L.min-1 x kg-1 versus 1.65 [1.39-1.78] L.min-1 x kg-1 in normal patients), and half-lives elimination were not modified by renal failure. Renal failure patients exhibited a higher volume of distribution at steady state as compared to normal patients (19.28 [11.71-76.81] L.kg-1 versus 8.60 [6.58-9.81] L.kg-1, p < 0.05). Renal failure did not affect the production of conjugates but they accumulated in blood of renal failure patients. Despite this, no difference in time to eyes opening and propofol concentration were observed, confirming the absence of clinical effect of these metabolites.

[Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in patients over 75 years]. / Dialyse péritonéale continue ambulatoire chez les patients âgés de plus de 75 ans.

In a clinical retrospective study, the authors report their chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) experience in 31 patients, aged more than 75 years. All present 3.7 diseases associated with continuous renal failure. CAPD lasted 24 months/patient and was adapted to the patient's clinical situation and residual kidney function. Twenty patients require help to perform CAPD. The clinical and biological results are good. The nutritional status is acceptable, so is the peritonitis rate: 1 ep/17 patients months. Because the patients stay in hospital 19 days/year, there is a need of backup facilities.

[Peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: diagnosis and treatment]. / Les péritonites en dialyse péritonéale continue ambulatoire: diagnostic et traitement.

Several antibiotic regimens to treat CAPD related peritonitis have been published. Some of them do not have any severe side effect. But they are efficient in less than 2/3 of the cases. Other treatments (2 antibiotics, one of them is an aminoglycoside) are more frequently efficient, but they seem to have severe ototoxicity. We propose the use of cephalosporins and quinolones for first line treatment of CAPD peritonitis. This regimen seem highly efficient without severe side effect.

[Treatment of peritonitis in kidney failure patients under continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis by pefloxacine. Results and pharmacokinetics]. / Traitement des péritonites des insuffisants rénaux en dialyse péritonéale continue ambulatoire par la péfloxacine. Résultats et pharmacocinétique.

Pefloxacin was used as monotherapy in 15 cases of peritonitis occurring in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Antibiotic administration was made intravenously on day 1 (800 mg) and from day 2 to day 4 (400 mg/day), then orally during 10 days (400 mg/day). The dosage of 400 mg gave a mean serum concentration peak (11.2 mg/l) and valley (5.4 mg/l) on the second day and a mean dialysate level of 5 mg/l. The last mean serum concentration (J14) were 5.5 mg/l (peak) and 2.5 mg/l (valley) and the mean dialysate level was 2.6 mg/l. Ten of these patients were cured. We explained pefloxacin therapy failure in two cases by resistant strains (S. sanguis and S. bovis), in one case by an acquired resistance during treatment (S. epidermidis), in an other case by catheter contamination; and in the last case, clinical failure occur despite good sensitivity with in vitro-test (Acinetobacter).

[Pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in chronic renal failure patients in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) after intra-abdominal administration]. / Pharmacocinétique de la vancomycine chez les patients insuffisants rénaux chroniques en dialyse péritonéale continue ambulatoire (DPCA) aprés administration intra-abdominale.

Peritonitis is one of the most serious complication concerning patients under continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). A Staphylococcus (aureus, epidermidis) is the causative pathogen in nearly 60% of cases. This prompted a study of vancomycin, a potent antistaphylococcal agent (MIC less than or equal to 3 micrograms/ml) in 13 patients with peritonitis. Vancomycin was used as single drug therapy. Kinetics were studied after a single injection of 1 g into the dialysate bag. Serum and peritoneal concentrations exceeding 3-4 micrograms/ml were found to persist for four days; half-life was 62.3 and 54.8 h in the dialysate and serum respectively. Peritoneum to serum diffusion varied widely across individuals. In 15% of patients, serum concentration exceeded the potentially ototoxic level (80 micrograms/ml) for a few hours.

Fungal peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Three recoveries in 5 cases without catheter removal.

We attempted to treat 5 patients on CAPD with fungal peritonitis without removing the catheter. In 1 case, amphotericin B caused a severe chemical peritonitis. The other 4 patients received amphotericin B intravenously and miconazole or flucytosine intraperitoneally. Recovery was obtained in 3 cases without removing the catheter and in 1 case the patient died.

[5 years of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) (multicenter study of 345 patients)]. / Bilan de cinq années de dialyse péritonéale continue ambulatoire (DPCA) (étude multicentrique de 345 patients).

A retrospective survey has been undertaken in 7 different centers: 345 patients trained to CAPD between 1978 and 1983 were studied: technic success and survival rate were analysed using actuarial methods. Drop-out has dramatically decreased after May 1981 due to a lower mortality whatever the age. For all patients the actuarial survival at two years after 1981 is 87.1%. Related to a lower mortality, better results are obtained in patients younger than 55. However peritonitis is the main complication since they are involved in 1/3 of drop-out causes. It is concluded that CAPD might be used in almost 30% of chronic renal failure patients and that patients waiting for a kidney transplantation represent the best indication. In aged patients, nutritional status and psychosocial background must be carefully analysed before starting CAPD.

[Chronology of vascular access in hemodialysis. Apropos of 244 accesses in 150 hemodialysis patients]. / Chronologie des abords vasculaires en hémodialyse. A propos de 244 abords chez 150 hémodialysés.

Out of an experience of 244 vascular access in 150 patients the authors try do find the best chronology of the angioaccess procedures. 68% of the patients see their need in vascular access definitely resolved by the first classical forearm internal arterio-venous fistula and everything must be done in the dialysis population to avoid the failure of the fistula. This would lead to internal shunt procedures using graft materials of which we know the limited potency, leading to periodic operations. Emergency situations are approached by use of the femoral vein catheterization for hemodialysis. Only the impossibility of femoral or jugular catheterization would lead to the use of the external A.V. Shunt which would be placed on the leg to preserve the vessels of the arms. For some patients the repeated failure of the successive A.V. fistula and shunts have drived us towards either peritoneal dialysis or "hemasite" vascular access system.