Randomized, clinical trial comparison of trisodium citrate 30% and heparin as catheter-locking solution in hemodialysis patients

Interdialytic hemodialysis catheter-locking solutions could contribute to a reduction of catheter-related complications, especially infections. However, they can cause side effects because of leakage from the tip of the catheter. Recently, trisodium citrate (TSC) has been advocated because of its antimicrobial properties and local anticoagulation. In a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, TSC 30% was compared with unfractionated heparin 5000 U/ml for prevention of catheter-related infections, thrombosis, and bleeding complications. The study was stopped prematurely because of a difference in catheter-related bacteremia (CRB; P < 0.01). Of 363 eligible patients, 291 could be randomized. The study included 98 tunneled cuffed catheters and 193 untunneled. There were no significant differences in patient and catheter characteristics on inclusion. In the heparin group, 46% of catheters had to be removed because of any complication compared with 28% in the TSC group (P = 0.005). CRB rates were 1.1 per 1000 catheter-days for TSC versus 4.1 in the heparin group (P < 0.001). For tunneled cuffed catheters, the risk reduction for CRB was 87% (P < 0.001) and for untunneled catheters was 64% (P = 0.05). Fewer patients died from CRB in the TSC group (0 versus 5; P = 0.028). There were no differences in catheter flow problems and thrombosis (P = 0.75). No serious adverse events were encountered. Major bleeding episodes were significantly lower in the TSC group (P = 0.010). TSC 30% improves overall patency rates and reduces catheter-related infections and major bleeding episodes for both tunneled and untunneled hemodialysis catheters. Flow problems are not reduced

A highly virulent variant of HIV-1 circulating in the Netherlands

We discovered a highly virulent variant of subtype-B HIV-1 in the Netherlands. One hundred nine individuals with this variant had a 0.54 to 0.74 log10 increase (i.e., a ~3.5-fold to 5.5-fold increase) in viral load compared with, and exhibited CD4 cell decline twice as fast as, 6604 individuals with other subtype-B strains. Without treatment, advanced HIV-CD4 cell counts below 350 cells per cubic millimeter, with long-term clinical consequences-is expected to be reached, on average, 9 months after diagnosis for individuals in their thirties with this variant. Age, sex, suspected mode of transmission, and place of birth for the aforementioned 109 individuals were typical for HIV-positive people in the Netherlands, which suggests that the increased virulence is attributable to the viral strain. Genetic sequence analysis suggests that this variant arose in the 1990s from de novo mutation, not recombination, with increased transmissibility and an unfamiliar molecular mechanism of virulence