Nutrition aspects in children receiving maintenance hemodialysis: impact on outcome

Children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have rates of mortality estimated to be 30-times higher than expected for age compared with those of healthy children. Physical manifestations of under-nutrition, such as body mass index (BMI) and low height standard deviation score (SDS), have been associated with increased risk of mortality. Traditional measures, such as height, weight and serum albumin concentration, may not be accurate indicators to assess the nutritional status of children receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) has emerged as a better marker of nutritional status of such children. Meeting the special nutritional needs of these children often requires nutritional supplementation, by either the enteral or the parenteral route. Recently, in children receiving maintenance hemodialysis who are malnourished, intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) has been utilized as a means to provide additional protein and calories. This article is a state-of-the-art review of malnutrition in children receiving maintenance hemodialysis, with special focus on outcome, nPCR and IDPN

Depressive Symptoms in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

To assess depression in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to determine associations with patient characteristics, intellectual and educational levels, and health related quality of life (HRQoL)

Reclassification of adolescent hypertension by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring using adult norms and association with left ventricular hypertrophy

Abstract 2017 pediatric blood pressure (BP) guidelines applied adult BP norms to define clinic hypertension (HTN) in patients ≥ 13 years. 2014 pediatric ambulatory BP monitor (ABPM) guidelines recommend age‐ and sex‐specific percentile norms for patients  51 g/m2.7. 272 patients had adequate ABPM. 124 patients also had echocardiogram. All adult norms resulted in significant reclassification of HTN. LVMI correlated significantly with systolic BP only. The odds of a patient with HTN having LVH was significant using AHA 2005 (OR: 8.75 [2.1, 36.4], p = .03) and ESH 2018 (OR: 4.94 [1, 24.3], p = .002). Significant reclassification of HTN occurs with all adult norms. HTN is significantly associated with LVH using AHA 2005 and ESH 2018. Applying pediatric norms for ABPM while using adult norms for clinic BP causes confusion. Guideline selection should balance misdiagnosis with over‐diagnosis

Hybrid Extracorporeal Therapies as a Bridge to Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Standard intensive care treatment is inadequate to keep children with liver failure alive without catastrophic complications to ensure successful transplant, as accumulation of endogenous protein-bound toxins often lead to hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, cardiovascular instability, and multiple organ failure. Given paucity of proven treatment modalities for liver failure, blood purification using different extracorporeal treatments as a bridge to transplantation is used, but studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of combination of these therapies, especially in pediatric liver failure, are lacking. We describe our experience at a major tertiary children's hospital, where a unique hybrid extracorporeal treatment protocol has been instituted and followed for acute liver failure or acute-on-chronic liver failure as a bridge to transplantation. This protocol combines high-flux continuous renal replacement therapy for hyperammonemia, therapeutic plasma exchange for coagulopathy, and albumin-assisted dialysis (molecular adsorbent recirculating system) for hepatic encephalopathy. Retrospective observational study. Freestanding tertiary children's hospital and liver transplant referral center. All patients with acute liver failure/acute-on-chronic liver failure receiving hybrid extracorporeal therapy over 24 months. Hybdrid extracorporeal therapy. Fifteen children (age 3 yr [0.7-9 yr]; 73% male) with acute liver failure/acute-on-chronic liver failure who were either listed or actively considered for listing and met our protocol criteria were treated with hybrid extracorporeal therapy; 93% were ventilated, and 80% were on vasoactive support. Of these, two patients recovered spontaneously, four died prior to transplant, and nine were successfully transplanted; 90-day survival post orthotopic liver transplant was 100%. Overall survival to hospital discharge was 73%. Hybrid extracorporeal therapies can be effectively implemented in pediatric liver failure as a bridge to transplantation. Overall complexity and heavy resource utilization need to be carefully considered in instituting these therapies in suitable candidates

Regional citrate anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in pediatric patients with liver failure.

Pediatric liver failure patients frequently develop multiple organ failure and require continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) as part of supportive therapy in the pediatric intensive care unit. While many centers employ no anticoagulation for fear of bleeding complications, balanced coagulation disturbance predisposes these patients to clotting as well as bleeding, making maintenance of longer circuit life to deliver adequate dialysis clearance challenging. Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) is an attractive option as it avoids systemic anticoagulation, but since citrate metabolism is impaired in liver failure, concerns about toxicity has limited its use. Pediatric data on RCA with liver failure is very scarce. We aimed to establish safety and efficacy of RCA in pediatric liver failure patients on CRRT. Retrospective review of pediatric patients with liver failure receiving CRRT over 30 months. Demographic data and CRRT related data were collected by chart review. Citrate accumulation (CA) was defined as total calcium (mg/dl) /ionized calcium (mmol/L) ratio >2.5 for > 48 hours. Efficacy was assessed by filter life. Safety was assessed by frequency of adverse events ((AEs) defined as bleeding, hemodynamic instability, arrhythmias). Fifty-one patients (median age 3.5 (IQR 0.75-14.2) years) received 861 CRRT days; 70% experienced at least one episode of CA, only 37% were recorded as such in the medical record. AE rate was 93/1000 CRRT days and did not differ between CA days and others. Median filter life was 66 hours (IQR 29-74); 63% filters lasted longer than 48 hrs. Though common, CA was not associated with increased AEs on in pediatric liver failure patients on CRRT receiving RCA. Filter life was adequate. RCA appears an effective anticoagulation for CRRT in pediatric liver failure. Application of a structured definition would increase recognition of CA to allow timely intervention

Entrustable professional activities for apheresis medicine education

BACKGROUND: Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are well-defined, executable, observable, and measurable activities that are performed by a trainee and can be performed independently as training progresses. The purpose of this study is to develop EPAs specific for the practice of apheresis medicine (AM). METHODS: Members of the American Society for Apheresis Graduate Medical Education subcommittee developed a list of 28 apheresis medical activities linked to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones and competencies in five areas: (a) consultation, (b) clinical care for therapeutic apheresis, (c) clinical care for donor collections, (d) test optimization, and (e) vascular access. Ten AM experts using a validated tool to measure the quality of the EPAs (QUEPA) evaluated these activities with use of a Likert scale. Per group consensus, an activity was considered acceptable for each domain if it had received an average score greater than 3.7, and it was rated 4 or 5 (agree or strongly agree) by at least 70% of experts. RESULTS: Of the 28 activities, 11 did not have acceptable QUEPA scores: 7 activities were rated as unobservable, 4 were rated unfocused, 2 were rated unrealistic and not generalizable, and 2 were rated as not addressing multiple competencies. Four activities had unacceptable scores in more than one domain. Subcommittee members edited these 11 activities over two review cycles to produce a final list of 26 activities. CONCLUSION: A set of practical, focused, and observable EPAs in AM were systematically developed. These EPAs can be used to assess and support trainee performance in AM

Multivariate analyses for citrate accumulation occurrence and duration.

<p>Multivariate analyses for citrate accumulation occurrence and duration.</p