Cohort profile: Alliance for Quality Assessment in Healthcare-Dialysis (AQuAH-D) prospective cohort study of patients on haemodialysis in Japan

PURPOSE: The global burden of kidney failure is increasing, but the treatment of kidney failure varies widely between patients, between dialysis facilities and over time. The Alliance for Quality Assessment in Healthcare-Dialysis (AQuAH-D) aims to conduct efficient and timely cohort studies on associations between those variations and clinical and patient-reported outcomes. PARTICIPANTS: Included are outpatients aged 20 years old or older who are undergoing haemodialysis and have consented to participate. A total of 2895 patients were enrolled from 25 facilities in Japan between August 2018 and July 2020 and are to be followed until 31 December 2026. Chart review and annual questionnaires are used to collect data on patient characteristics and on outcomes including quality of life. Data on medications, haemodialysis prescriptions and blood tests are obtained from existing electronic records. Data are collected retrospectively from 1 January 2017 to patient enrolment, and prospectively from patient enrolment until the end of December 2026. FINDINGS TO DATE: To date, the mean age is 68.3 (SD 12.2) years and 35.2% are female. The most common cause of kidney failure is diabetic nephropathy (37.4%). In January 2020, the facilities' median weekly doses of erythropoietin stimulating agent (ESA) and of intravenous vitamin D ranged from 1846 to 9692 IU (epoetin alfa equivalent) and 0.78 to 2.25 µg (calcitriol equivalent), respectively. The facilities' percentages of patients to whom calcimimetics are prescribed varied from 19% to 79%. During the retrospective period (averaging 1.85 years per participant), the incidence rates of any hospitalisation and of hospitalisation due to cardiovascular disease were 67.2 and 12.0 per 100 person-years, respectively. FUTURE PLANS: AQuAH-D data will be updated every 6 months and will be available for studies addressing a wide range of research questions, using the advantages of granular data and quality-of-life measurement of ageing patients on haemodialysis

Tumor Localization Studies and Surgical Treatment in Patients with Insulinoma

In the present study, we retrospectively reviewed thirteen consecutive patients with insulinomas including 2 reoperations at our department for insulinomas, from the viewpoint of preoperative localization studies, surgery and long term follow-up. The results of the preoperative localization studies proved to be percutaneous transhepatic portal venous sampling (PTPVS) 6/7, angiography 8/15, ultrasonography (US) 6/11, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) 4/4, computed tomography (CT) 3/10, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2/2. The tumor was visualized by intraoperative ultrasonography CIUS) in 6 of 6 patients (100%). Six patients underwent enucleation, 6 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy, 2 patients underwent subtotal (80%) distal pancreatectomy, and one patient a pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD). Two patients, one of whom belonged to the MEN-I group, underwent reoperations because they had multiple adenomas. The development of iatrogenic diabetes occurred in the case of 3 patients. These results suggest that the use of selected preoperative localization studies (PTPVS and probably EUS) may be very helpful for detecting insulinoma, and that IUS is an essential part of the operative exploration for insulinoma. Our data may further indicate the need for an aggressive surgical procedure in the case of multiple adenoma or insulinoma in MEN-

Effect of the Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitor Enalapril on Post-transplant Erythrocytosis

Post-transplant erythrocytosis (PTE) is increasingly recognized as a complication of kidney transplantation. In this study we report the effect of the angiotesin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril on hematocrit (Ht) and erythropoietin in four patients with PTE. Four renal allograft recipients with Ht greater than 51 % were studied. Treatment was initiated with enalapril administered orally at a dose of 2.5 mg/day. All the patients had an increase of hemoglobin (Hb) (17.7 ± 0.64 g/dl), Ht (54.5 ± 1.29 %) and red blood cell count (REC) (584 ± 19.2 × 10⁴/μl). All patients responded to enalapril in 8 weeks with a significant decrease of Hb, Ht, and REC. In one patient, the downward trend was more rapid and sustained, and treatment had to be discontinued to prevent the development of anemia. Serum erythropoietin showed normal in all four patients and remained unchanged during the study, even after discontinuation of enalapril treatment. Serum creatinine remained relatively stable throughout the study. These results suggest that PTE may not be dependent upon circulating erythropoietin and that enalapril treatment may be an effective treatment of PTE without renal dysfunction

A Case of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A case of abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is reported. A 45-year-old woman with a 18-year history of SLE was admitted with severe lumbago radiating to the bilateral inguinal region. CT and DSA showed a dumbbell shaped true aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. An aorto-biiliac Y shaped graft replacement was performed. SLE is rarely associated with aneurysm of the great arteries. We could find only 4 reports of abdominal aneurysm associated with SLE. Common features were the young age of the patient, the long term of the systemic disease, and administration of corticosteroid therapy for a relatively long period of time. We speculate that atherosclerosis, hypertension, and corticosteroid may all work in concert, possibly together with aortic wall involvement or vasculitic damage, to produce the rare abdominal aneurysm in SLE

Comparison of baseline characteristics between post-stroke seizure patients with and without recurrence.

<p>Data are expressed as median (IQR: interquartile range) or number of patients (%). Abbreviations: PSS, post-stroke seizures; TIA, transient ischemic attack; mRS, modified Rankin Scale.</p><p>* The Mann—Whitney <i>U</i> test was used to compare continuous variables and Pearson’s χ² test to compare categorical variables.</p><p>^§ The time calculated from the last stroke onset to the index (study entry) seizure, except for 35 patients for whom we could not obtain the exact date of last stroke onset.</p><p>^<b>†</b> Previous seizure: history of at least one episode of late seizure when enrolled in this study.</p><p>Comparison of baseline characteristics between post-stroke seizure patients with and without recurrence.</p

Predictors of recurrent PSS from log-rank analysis.

<p>Abbreviations: PSS, post-stroke seizures; mRS, modified Rankin Scale; EEG, electroencephalogram; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; DWI, diffusion weighted imaging; AEDs, antiepileptic drugs; VPA, valproic acid; CBZ, carbamazepine; PHT, phenytoin.</p><p>^†Previous seizure: history of at least one episode of seizure when enrolled in this study.</p><p>Predictors of recurrent PSS from log-rank analysis.</p

Therapeutic strategies for pseudoaneurysm following blunt liver and spleen injuries: a multicenter cohort study in the pediatric population

BACKGROUND: Little guidance exists for the treatment of pseudoaneurysm following pediatric blunt liver and/or spleen injuries (BLSI). We aimed to describe the incidence of delayed pseudoaneurysm development and the subsequent clinical course of pseudoaneurysm in pediatric BLSI. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study from Japan included pediatric patients (≤16 years old) who sustained BLSI from 2008 to 2019. The cohort was divided into four groups based on hemostatic intervention within 48 hours of admission, namely non-operative management (NOM), NOM with interventional radiology (IR), operative management (OM), and combined IR/OM. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the incidence of delayed pseudoaneurysm among the groups and to characterize the clinical course of any pseudoaneurysms. RESULTS: A total of 1, 407 children (median age, 9 years) from 83 institutions were included. The overall number (incidence) of cases of delayed pseudoaneurysm formation was 80 (5.7%), and the number with delayed pseudoaneurysm rupture was 16 (1.1%) cases in the entire cohort. Patients treated with NOM (1056), NOM with IR (276), OM (53), and combined IR/OM (22) developed 43 (4.1%), 32 (12%), 2 (3.8%), and 3 (14%) delayed pseudoaneurysms, respectively. Among patients who developed any pseudoaneurysms, 39% of patients underwent prophylactic IR for unruptured pseudoaneurysm, while 13% required emergency angioembolization for delayed pseudoaneurysm rupture, with one ruptured case requiring total splenectomy. At least 45% of patients experienced spontaneous resolution of pseudoaneurysm without any interventions. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the risk of delayed pseudoaneurysm still exists even after acute phase IR as an adjunct to NOM for BLSI in children, indicating the necessity of a period of further observation. While endovascular interventions are usually successful for pseudoaneurysm management, including rupture cases, given the high incidence of spontaneous resolution, the ideal management of pseudoaneurysm remains to be investigated in future studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4; Therapeutic/Care management