Fluorophotometry as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of dry eye disease

BACKGROUND: Dry eye disease is a common debilitating ocular disease. Current diagnostic tests used in dry eye disease are often neither sensitive nor reproducible, making it difficult to accurately diagnose and determine end points for clinical trials, or evaluate the usefulness of different medications in the treatment of dry eye disease. The recently developed fluorophotometer can objectively detect changes in the corneal epithelium by quantitatively measuring its barrier function or permeability. The purpose of the study is to investigate the use of corneal fluorescein penetration measured by the fluorophotometer as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of dry eye patients. METHODS: Dry eye patients (16 eyes), who presented with a chief complaint of ocular irritation corresponding with dry eye, low Schirmer's one test (<10 mm after 5 minutes) and corneal fluorescein staining score of more than two, were included in the study. Normal subjects (16 eyes), who came for refraction error evaluation, served as controls. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved consent was obtained before enrolling the subjects in the study and all questions were answered while explaining the risks, benefits and alternatives. All Fluorophotometry of the central corneal epithelium was done utilizing the Fluorotron Master (TradeMark). Each eye had a baseline fluorescein scan performed, after which 50 l of 1% sodium fluorescein dye was instilled. Three minutes later, the fluorescein was washed with 50 ml of normal saline. Fluorescein scans were then started immediately after washing and were recorded at 10, 20, 40, and 60 minutes thereafter. The corneal peak values of fluorescein concentration were recorded within the central cornea in both dry eyes and in controls. RESULTS: Ten minutes after fluorescein installition, patients with dry eye disease averaged a five-fold increase in corneal tissue fluorescein concentration (mean = 375.26 ± 202.67 ng/ml) compared with that of normal subjects (mean = 128.19 ± 85.84 ng/ml). Sixty minutes after dye installation, patients with dry eye disease still revealed higher corneal tissue fluorescein concentration (mean = 112.87 ± 52.83 ng/ml) compared with that of controls (mean = 40.64 ± 7.96 ng/ml), averaging a three-fold increase. CONCLUSION: Patients with dry eye disease demonstrated an increased corneal permeability and a slower rate of elimination to topically administered fluorescein when measured by the fluorophotometer. This suggests that fluorophotometry may serve as a valuable quantitative and objective tool for the diagnosis of dry eye disease, and in following patients' response to new treatment modalities. Fluorophotometry may serve as an objective non-invasive tool for end-point analysis in clinical trials of new treatments for dry eye disease

Hepatitis C infection in dialysis

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects more than 170 million people worldwide and is recognised as both a cause and consequence of end-stage kidney failure. The incidence rates of HCV infection are considerably higher in dialysis patients than in the general population and are 3-fold higher in haemodialysis patients than peritoneal dialysis patients. Risk factors for HCV infection in dialysis patients include blood transfusion number, haemodialysis duration, dialysis unit HCV prevalence, prior kidney transplantation, intravenous drug use, male gender and older age. This book reviews the epidemiology of HCV in dialysis and discusses strategies for screening, transmission prevention, treatment and evaluation/management prior to kidney transplantation

Cardiac biomarkers in dialysis

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death, accounting for approximately 40 percent of all-cause mortality in patients receiving either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Cardiovascular risk stratification is an important aspect of managing dialysis patients as it enables early identification of high-risk patients, so therapeutic interventions can be optimized to lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Biomarkers can detect early stages of cardiac injury so timely intervention can be provided. The B-type natriuretic peptides (Brain Natriuretic peptide [BNP] and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) and troponins have been shown to predict mortality in dialysis patients. Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) and galectin-3 are new emerging biomarkers in the field of heart failure in both the general and dialysis populations. This article aims to discuss the current evidence regarding cardiac biomarker use to diagnose myocardial injury and monitor the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing dialysis

Study protocol for Better Evidence for Selecting Transplant Fluids (BEST-Fluids): A pragmatic, registry-based, multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of intravenous fluid therapy with Plasma-Lyte 148 versus 0.9% saline on delayed graft function in deceased donor kidney transplantation

Background: Delayed graft function, the requirement for dialysis due to poor kidney function post-transplant, is a frequent complication of deceased donor kidney transplantation and is associated with inferior outcomes and higher costs. Intravenous fluids given during and after transplantation may affect the risk of poor kidney function after transplant. The most commonly used fluid, isotonic sodium chloride (0.9% saline), contains a high chloride concentration, which may be associated with acute kidney injury, and could increase the risk of delayed graft function. Whether using a balanced, low-chloride fluid instead of 0.9% saline is safe and improves kidney function after deceased donor kidney transplantation is unknown. Methods: BEST-Fluids is an investigator-initiated, pragmatic, registry-based, multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The primary objective is to compare the effect of intravenous Plasma-Lyte 148 (Plasmalyte), a balanced, low-chloride solution, with the effect of 0.9% saline on the incidence of delayed graft function in deceased donor kidney transplant recipients. From January 2018 onwards, 800 participants admitted for deceased donor kidney transplantation will be recruited over 3 years in Australia and New Zealand. Participants are randomized 1:1 to either intravenous Plasmalyte or 0.9% saline peri-operatively and until 48 h post-transplant, or until fluid is no longer required; whichever comes first. Follow up is for 1 year. The primary outcome is the incidence of delayed graft function, defined as dialysis in the first 7 days post-transplant. Secondary outcomes include early kidney transplant function (composite of dialysis duration and rate of improvement in graft function when dialysis is not required), hyperkalemia, mortality, graft survival, graft function, quality of life, healthcare resource use, and cost-effectiveness. Participants are enrolled, randomized, and followed up using the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry. Discussion: If using Plasmalyte instead of 0.9% saline is effective at reducing delayed graft function and improves other clinical outcomes in deceased donor kidney transplantation, this simple, inexpensive change to using a balanced low-chloride intravenous fluid at the time of transplantation could be easily implemented in the vast majority of transplant settings worldwide. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12617000358347. Registered on 8 March 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03829488. Registered on 4 February 2019