Evaluation of role of heart rate variability with holter monitoring in chronic kidney disease

Background: Chronic kidney disease is prevalent disease even in absence of diabetes and hypertension in 12% adults over 65 yrs of age. Autonomic imbalance is not studied in detail which could be a risk factor for chronic kidney disease.Methods: This Study was observational study in a tertiary care Hospital in pune, india and was conducted for a period of 1 year with sample size of 52. All subjects were known cases of chronic kidney disease from stage III to VD. All individuals of age >18yrs and eGFR ≤60ml/min/1.73m2 according to CKD- EPI equation were included in the study and who were not giving consent were excluded. 24 hrs Holter monitoring was done in stages from ckd stages III to V, for ckd stage VD on both Hemodialysis day and Non hemodialysis. Analysis was done using SPSS version 20 (IBM SPSS Statistics Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) Windows software program. The paired t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square test were used. Level of significance was set at p≤0.05.Results: In this study when Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters were compared in different stages of ckd from stage III to VD (on Hemodialysis day) SDNN, SDNN Index were found to be statistically significant and on non Hemodialysis day SDNN Index was found to be statistically significant. In each subgroup of ckd stage V when diabetic subjects were compared with non-diabetic subjects, HRV parameters like ratio of P/S which was found to be low and significant in ckd stage V diabetic subjects.Conclusions: Chronic kidney disease itself can affect the HRV parameters. Causal relationship between HRV and chronic kidney diseases can be vice versa and further needs larger and prospective studies

Psychosocial Factors in End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients at a Tertiary Hospital in Australia

Aim. This study seeks to review the psychosocial factors affecting patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) from a tertiary hospital in Australia. Methods. We audited patients with ESKD, referred to social work services from January 2012 to December 2014. All patients underwent psychosocial assessments by one, full-time renal social worker. Patient demographics, cumulative social issues, and subsequent interventions were recorded directly into a database. Results. Of the 244 patients referred, the majority were >60 years (58.6%), male (60.7%), born in Australia (62.3%), on haemodialysis (51.6%), and reliant on government financial assistance (88%). Adjustment issues (41%), financial concerns (38.5%), domestic assistance (35.2%), and treatment nonadherence (21.3%) were the predominant reasons for social work consultation. Younger age, referral prior to start of dialysis, and unemployment were significant independent predictors of increased risk of adjustment issues ( = 0.004, <0.001, and =0.018, resp.). Independent risk factors for treatment nonadherence included age and financial and employment status ( = 0.041, 0.052, and 0.008, resp.). Conclusion. Psychosocial and demographic factors were associated with treatment nonadherence and adjustment difficulties. Additional social work support and counselling, in addition to financial assistance from government and nongovernment agencies, may help to improve adjustment to the diagnosis and treatment plans as patients approach ESKD

Correlation of serum parathyroid hormone with mineral bone disease in chronic kidney disease patients

Background: Mineral bone disease (MBD) is a systemic disorder of mineral and bone metabolism due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Bone disease in CKD is due to secondary hyperparathyroidism. Serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level estimation is a potential noninvasive method for the diagnosis of MBD at early stage. Aim: Treating renal bone disease should be one of the primary aims of therapy for CKD. Evaluation of the biochemical parameters of CKD-MBD (primarily phosphorus, calcium, parathyroid hormone, and Vitamin D levels) as early as CKD stage 3, and an assessment of bone status (by the best means available), should be used to guide treatment decisions. The adverse effects of high phosphorus intake relative to renal clearance (including stimulation of hyperparathyroidism) precede hyperphosphatemia, which presents late in CKD. Early reduction of phosphorus load may ameliorate these adverse effects. Evidence that calcium load may influence progression of vascular calcification with effects on mortality, should also be considered when choosing the type and dose of phosphate binder to be used. MBD in CKD has high morbidity and mortality and hence it is important to detect it at an early stage. iPTH levels can be highly sensitive and it is one of the useful noninvasive biochemical parameters to detect MBD in CKD. Materials and Methods: This was an observational study carried out in a tertiary care teaching hospital. The study involved 60 patients of CKD. Detailed history, physical examination, and biochemical parameters were assessed in all of them. Results: There was a significant association between hypertension, diabetes with nephropathy, and highly significant association between serum iPTH and raised blood urea levels in MBD group, however there was no significant association between duration of CKD, hemoglobin, creatinine, uric acid, phosphorous, calcium, and alkaline phosphatase with MBD. Conclusions: MBD in CKD can be detected at early stage by the use of noninvasive methods of estimation of serum iPTH levels

Psychosocial Factors in End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients at a Tertiary Hospital in Australia

Aim. This study seeks to review the psychosocial factors affecting patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) from a tertiary hospital in Australia. Methods. We audited patients with ESKD, referred to social work services from January 2012 to December 2014. All patients underwent psychosocial assessments by one, full-time renal social worker. Patient demographics, cumulative social issues, and subsequent interventions were recorded directly into a database. Results. Of the 244 patients referred, the majority were >60 years (58.6%), male (60.7%), born in Australia (62.3%), on haemodialysis (51.6%), and reliant on government financial assistance (88%). Adjustment issues (41%), financial concerns (38.5%), domestic assistance (35.2%), and treatment nonadherence (21.3%) were the predominant reasons for social work consultation. Younger age, referral prior to start of dialysis, and unemployment were significant independent predictors of increased risk of adjustment issues (p=0.004