Cognitive disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease: Approaches to prevention and treatment

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and early intervention may prevent the progression of this condition. Methods: Here, we review interventions for the complications of CKD (anemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, metabolic acidosis, harmful effects of dialysis, the accumulation of uremic toxins) and for prevention of vascular events, interventions that may potentially be protective against cognitive impairment. Furthermore, we discuss nonpharmacological and pharmacological methods to prevent cognitive impairment and/or minimize the latter's impact on CKD patients' daily lives. Results: A particular attention on kidney function assessment is suggested during work-up for cognitive impairment. Different approaches are promising to reduce cognitive burden in patients with CKD but the availabe dedicated data are scarce. Conclusions: There is a need for studies assessing the effect of interventions on the cognitive function of patients with CKD

Recovery of dialysis patients with COVID-19 : health outcomes 3 months after diagnosis in ERACODA

Background. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related short-term mortality is high in dialysis patients, but longer-term outcomes are largely unknown. We therefore assessed patient recovery in a large cohort of dialysis patients 3 months after their COVID-19 diagnosis. Methods. We analyzed data on dialysis patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2021 from the European Renal Association COVID-19 Database (ERACODA). The outcomes studied were patient survival, residence and functional and mental health status (estimated by their treating physician) 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. Complete follow-up data were available for 854 surviving patients. Patient characteristics associated with recovery were analyzed using logistic regression. Results. In 2449 hemodialysis patients (mean ± SD age 67.5 ± 14.4 years, 62% male), survival probabilities at 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis were 90% for nonhospitalized patients (n = 1087), 73% for patients admitted to the hospital but not to an intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 1165) and 40% for those admitted to an ICU (n = 197). Patient survival hardly decreased between 28 days and 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. At 3 months, 87% functioned at their pre-existent functional and 94% at their pre-existent mental level. Only few of the surviving patients were still admitted to the hospital (0.8-6.3%) or a nursing home (∼5%). A higher age and frailty score at presentation and ICU admission were associated with worse functional outcome. Conclusions. Mortality between 28 days and 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis was low and the majority of patients who survived COVID-19 recovered to their pre-existent functional and mental health level at 3 months after diagnosis

PowerPoint Slides for: Pharmacodynamic Effects of Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide and Sevelamer Carbonate on Vitamin D Receptor Agonist Bioactivity in Dialysis Patients

<i>Background:</i> Many patients with chronic kidney disease are prescribed vitamin D receptor agonists (VDRAs) for the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Oral phosphate binders may interact with, and potentially reduce the therapeutic activity of, oral VDRAs. This post hoc analysis of a Phase 3 study evaluated the pharmacodynamic effects of the iron-based phosphate binder sucroferric oxyhydroxide (SFOH) and sevelamer (SEV) carbonate on VDRA activity in dialysis patients. <i>Methods:</i> One thousand and fifty nine patients were randomized to SFOH 1.0-3.0 g/day (n = 710) or SEV 2.4-14.4 g/day (n = 349) for up to 52 weeks. Potential interactions of SFOH and SEV with VDRAs were assessed using serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) concentrations as a pharmacodynamic biomarker. Three populations of SFOH- and SEV-treated patients were analyzed: Population 1 (n = 187), patients taking concomitant stable doses of oral VDRAs only; Population 2 (n = 250), patients taking no concomitant VDRAs; Population 3 (n = 68), patients taking concomitant stable doses of intravenous paricalcitol only. Populations were compared using a mixed-effects model to obtain the least squares mean change in iPTH from baseline to Week 52. Differences between treatment groups were also compared. <i>Results:</i> In Population 1, iPTH decreased from baseline to Week 52 in the SFOH group (-25.3 pg/ml) but increased in the SEV group (89.8 pg/ml) (p = 0.02). In Population 2, iPTH increased to a similar extent in both treatment groups. In Population 3, iPTH concentrations in both treatment groups decreased to a similar degree (-29.6 and -11.4 pg/ml for SFOH and SEV, respectively; p = 0.87). <i>Conclusions:</i>In contrast with SEV, SFOH did not appear to impact the iPTH-lowering effect of oral VDRAs

Supplementary Material for: Pharmacodynamic Effects of Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide and Sevelamer Carbonate on Vitamin D Receptor Agonist Bioactivity in Dialysis Patients

<i>Background:</i> Many patients with chronic kidney disease are prescribed vitamin D receptor agonists (VDRAs) for the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Oral phosphate binders may interact with, and potentially reduce the therapeutic activity of, oral VDRAs. This post hoc analysis of a Phase 3 study evaluated the pharmacodynamic effects of the iron-based phosphate binder sucroferric oxyhydroxide (SFOH) and sevelamer (SEV) carbonate on VDRA activity in dialysis patients. <i>Methods:</i> One thousand and fifty nine patients were randomized to SFOH 1.0-3.0 g/day (n = 710) or SEV 2.4-14.4 g/day (n = 349) for up to 52 weeks. Potential interactions of SFOH and SEV with VDRAs were assessed using serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) concentrations as a pharmacodynamic biomarker. Three populations of SFOH- and SEV-treated patients were analyzed: Population 1 (n = 187), patients taking concomitant stable doses of oral VDRAs only; Population 2 (n = 250), patients taking no concomitant VDRAs; Population 3 (n = 68), patients taking concomitant stable doses of intravenous paricalcitol only. Populations were compared using a mixed-effects model to obtain the least squares mean change in iPTH from baseline to Week 52. Differences between treatment groups were also compared. <i>Results:</i> In Population 1, iPTH decreased from baseline to Week 52 in the SFOH group (-25.3 pg/ml) but increased in the SEV group (89.8 pg/ml) (p = 0.02). In Population 2, iPTH increased to a similar extent in both treatment groups. In Population 3, iPTH concentrations in both treatment groups decreased to a similar degree (-29.6 and -11.4 pg/ml for SFOH and SEV, respectively; p = 0.87). <i>Conclusions:</i>In contrast with SEV, SFOH did not appear to impact the iPTH-lowering effect of oral VDRAs

Sex differences in COVID-19 mortality risk in patients on kidney function replacement therapy

In the general population with COVID-19, the male sex is an established risk factor for mortality, in part due to a more robust immune response to COVID-19 in women. Because patients on kidney function replacement therapy (KFRT) have an impaired immune response, especially kidney transplant recipients due to their use of immunosuppressants, we examined whether the male sex is still a risk factor for mortality among patients on KFRT with COVID-19. From the European Renal Association COVID-19 Database (ERACODA), we examined patients on KFRT with COVID-19 who presented between February 1st, 2020, and April 30th, 2021. 1204 kidney transplant recipients (male 62.0%, mean age 56.4 years) and 3206 dialysis patients (male 61.8%, mean age 67.7 years) were examined. Three-month mortality in kidney transplant recipients was 16.9% in males and 18.6% in females (p = 0.31) and in dialysis patients 27.1% in males and 21.9% in females (p = 0.001). The adjusted HR for the risk of 3-month mortality in males (vs females) was 0.89 (95% CI 65, 1.23, p = 0.49) in kidney transplant recipients and 1.33 (95% CI 1.13, 1.56, p = 0.001) in dialysis patients (p = 0.02). In a fully adjusted model, the aHR for the risk of 3-month mortality in kidney transplant recipients (vs. dialysis patients) was 1.39 (95% CI 1.02, 1.89, p = 0.04) in males and 2.04 (95% CI 1.40, 2.97, p < 0.001) in females (p = 0.02). In patients on KFRT with COVID-19, the male sex is not a risk factor for mortality among kidney transplant recipients but remains a risk factor among dialysis patients. The use of immunosuppressants in kidney transplant recipients, among other factors, may have narrowed the difference in the immune response to COVID-19 between men and women, and therefore reduced the sex difference in COVID-19 mortality risk