The Association of Lower Levels of Baseline Proteinuria With Earlier Remission in Primary Membranous Nephropathy.

Aim To study the clinical profile and course and to assess the outcome of patients with biopsy-proven primary membranous nephropathy (MN). Methods This study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital between December 2017 and December 2021 on four-year retrospective biopsy-proven patients with membranous nephropathy (MN). Urinary proteins, serum albumin, and serum creatinine were the baseline investigations that were performed. Special tests were done whenever necessary. Patients were treated with a modified Ponticelli (MP) regimen whenever needed. Patients were followed up after treatment administration for a minimum of a year. Results The study was done in 48 biopsy-proven MN patients. Thirty-six patients had primary MN with a mean age of 47+/-11.7 years. The male-female ratio was 2.6:1. Hypertension was present in 39% (14 patients), microscopic hematuria in 28% (10 patients), and acute kidney injury in 22% (8 patients). The mean 24-hour urinary protein was 11.2+/-2.9 g/day. PLA2R was positive in 78% (28 patients) of primary MN patients. Spontaneous remission was noted in 13.8% (5 patients) who were treated conservatively. Spontaneous remission was associated with lower baseline proteinuria (p<0.001), higher baseline serum albumin (p<0.001), and PLA2R negativity (p=0.04). Complete or partial treatment response was noted in 74.2% (23 patients). Treatment remission was associated with lower baseline proteinuria (p=0.018). Secondary membranous nephropathy (secondary MN) was diagnosed in 12 patients. Eleven were class V lupus nephritis, all women, and one male person living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Conclusions The majority of our primary MN patients were PLA2R positive on renal biopsy. Statistically significant factors associated with spontaneous remission were lower proteinuria, higher serum albumin at baseline, and PLA2R negativity. Treatment response was associated with lower proteinuria at presentation. The most common cause of secondary MN was lupus nephritis.

Frailty in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Stage Five.

Aim To study the prevalence of frailty in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 (CKD5) and to assess coexisting factors associated with frailty in chronic kidney disease. Patients and methods We studied the prevalence of frailty in CKD5 patients from November 2021 to November 2022. CKD5 patients over 18 years of age were included. Patients on maintenance hemodialysis and CKD5 patients on pre-dialysis care were included. Patients with active infection and significant morbidity were excluded. We performed a history and clinical examination and recorded laboratory data. We performed frailty assessments using modified Fried's criteria. Frailty was defined based on previously validated Fried's criteria, which included 1. Slowness, 2. Weakness, 3. Unintentional weight loss, 4. Exhaustion, 5. Low physical activity. A patient is considered frail if three or more components are present. We evaluated the prevalence of frailty in pre-dialysis and dialysis care participants and the association of frailty with coexisting factors. Results Of the 139 patients, 84 were on thrice-weekly hemodialysis, and 55 were on pre-dialysis care. We found the prevalence of frailty to be 41%. The prevalence of frailty was similar in patients on pre-dialysis care and hemodialysis. The prevalence of frailty in hemodialysis patients and those in pre-dialysis care was 43% and 40%, respectively. The prevalence of frailty among the elderly (over 55) was 82%. The prevalence of frailty among diabetes patients was 75%. Factors with a statistically significant association with frailty included old age (p < 0.005), native kidney disease (p < 0.005), edema (p < 0.001), intradialytic hypotension (p = 0.002), and various comorbidities like diabetes (p < 0.001), heart failure (p < 0.001), coronary artery disease (p = 0.001), and cerebrovascular accidents (p = 0.016). We observed no significant association with the duration of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (p = 0.458), duration of dialysis (p = 0.838), or body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.267). The most commonly reported frailty components were exhaustion (61.9%), low physical activity (61.2%), and weak handgrip (55.4%). Conclusion Frailty is a marker of increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes. A significant proportion, 41% of CKD5 patients, are frail. Dialysis does not affect the prevalence of frailty in CKD5 patients. Old age, native kidney disease, edema, intradialytic hypotension, and comorbidities like diabetes, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and cerebrovascular accident are significantly associated with frailty in CKD5 patients. CKD patients with those conditions should receive special care to reduce the development of frailty.

Clinical significance of frusemide stress test in predicting the severity of acute kidney injury / Significância clínica do teste de estresse com furosemida na predição da gravidade da lesão renal aguda

Abstract Introduction: The outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) remain dismal even today, owing in part due to the lack of an ideal biomarker for detecting renal damage early enough. We conducted this pilot study to determine the clinical significance of Frusemide Stress Test (FST) to predict the severity of AKI. Methods: A total of 80 patients with AKI-KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) stage 1 or stage 2 underwent FST by administering a bolus dose of frusemide (1mg/kg for frusemide naïve and 1.5mg/kg for prior frusemide exposure in the past week), and urine output was then measured for the next two hours with volume replacement as desirable. The progression to AKI-KDIGO stage 3 within 14 days of FST was studied as the primary outcome. The composite end point of achieving AKI-KDIGO stage 3 or death within 14 days of FST was studied as the secondary outcome. Results: Out of 80 patients, 28(35%) patients met the primary outcome, and 34(42.5%) patients met the secondary composite outcome. Except for baseline Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) status (p=0.018), other demographic characteristics were comparable between progressors and non-progressors group. Using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, a cumulative 2-hour post-FST urine output of ≤300 mL predicted progression to stage 3 AKI with 82.14% sensitivity, 82.69% specificity, and AUC of 0.89±0.03 (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The FST showed promising results as a novel tubular biomarker to identify progression to severe AKI with good predictive ability.

Resumo Introdução: Os desfechos da Lesão Renal Aguda (LRA) permanecem desanimadores ainda hoje, em parte pela falta de um biomarcador ideal para detectar danos renais com a devida antecedência. Realizamos este estudo piloto para determinar a importância clínica do Teste de Estresse com Furosemida (TEF) em prever a gravidade da LRA. Métodos: Um total de 80 pacientes com LRA-KDIGO estágio 1 ou 2 foram submetidos ao TEF pela administração de uma dose em bolus de furosemida (1mg/kg para pacientes virgens de furosemida e 1,5mg/kg para exposição prévia à furosemida na semana anterior). O débito urinário foi então medido durante as duas horas seguintes com reposição de volume conforme desejável. A progressão para LRA-KDIGO estágio 3 dentro de 14 dias de TEF foi estudada como principal desfecho. O desfecho composto de atingir a LRA-KDIGO estágio 3 ou óbito em 14 dias após TEF foi estudado como desfecho secundário. Resultados: Dos 80 pacientes, 28 (35%) atingiram desfecho primário, e 34 (42,5%) pacientes atingiram o desfecho composto secundário. Exceto pelo estado basal da Doença Renal Crônica (DRC) (p=0,018), outras características demográficas foram comparáveis entre o grupo progressores e não progressores. Usando a análise da Curva Característica de Operação do Receptor (ROC), um débito urinário cumulativo de 2 horas pós-TEF de ≤300 mL previu a progressão para estágio 3 da LRA com 82,14% de sensibilidade, 82,69% de especificidade, e AUC de 0,89±0,03 (p<0,0001). Conclusão: O TEF mostrou resultados promissores como novo biomarcador tubular para identificar progressão para LRA grave com boa capacidade preditiva.

Clinical significance of frusemide stress test in predicting the severity of acute kidney injury.

INTRODUCTION: The outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) remain dismal even today, owing in part due to the lack of an ideal biomarker for detecting renal damage early enough. We conducted this pilot study to determine the clinical significance of Frusemide Stress Test (FST) to predict the severity of AKI. METHODS: A total of 80 patients with AKI-KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) stage 1 or stage 2 underwent FST by administering a bolus dose of frusemide (1mg/kg for frusemide naïve and 1.5mg/kg for prior frusemide exposure in the past week), and urine output was then measured for the next two hours with volume replacement as desirable. The progression to AKI-KDIGO stage 3 within 14 days of FST was studied as the primary outcome. The composite end point of achieving AKI-KDIGO stage 3 or death within 14 days of FST was studied as the secondary outcome. RESULTS: Out of 80 patients, 28(35%) patients met the primary outcome, and 34(42.5%) patients met the secondary composite outcome. Except for baseline Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) status (p=0.018), other demographic characteristics were comparable between progressors and non-progressors group. Using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, a cumulative 2-hour post-FST urine output of ≤300 mL predicted progression to stage 3 AKI with 82.14% sensitivity, 82.69% specificity, and AUC of 0.89±0.03 (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The FST showed promising results as a novel tubular biomarker to identify progression to severe AKI with good predictive ability.