Hepatitis C virus genotypes in chronic hemodialysis patients

PubMedID: 10754418[No abstract available

Arm circumference: Its importance for dialysis patients in the obesity era

PubMedID: 22752452Purpose: The purposes of this study were to investigate the association between arm circumference and body mass index (BMI) and to discuss problems, mainly arm circumference and cuff size mismatch, that could affect the reliability of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) among peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: 525 PD and 502 HD patients from 16 centers were included in the study. A two-part questionnaire was used to gather information from the participants. Arm circumferences were categorized into four groups according to the British Hypertension Society cuff size recommendations. Results: Mean BMI and arm circumference of all participants were 25.0 kg/m2 and 27.6 cm, respectively. There was a significant correlation between BMI and arm circumference. The mean BMI and arm circumference values were higher in PD patients than in HD patients. Requirement of a large-sized adult cuff was more common among PD patients compared to HD patients (14 % vs 8 %, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Since HBPM is a useful tool for clinicians to improve BP control, nephrologists should be aware of the problems related to HBPM in dialysis patients and take an active role to increase the reliability of HBPM. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, B.V

What is the optimal dwell time for maximizing ultrafiltration with icodextrin exchange in automated peritoneal dialysis patients?

PubMedID: 16722026? Background: Icodextrin is increasingly being used in automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) for the long dwell exchange to maintain adequate ultrafiltration (UF). However, the UF reported in the literature varies with different dwell times: from 200 to 500 mL with 12 - 15 hour dwells. In order to maximize UF, it is important to know the relationship between dwell time and UF when using icodextrin in APD patients. With this knowledge, decisions can be made with respect to dwell period, and adjustments to the dialysis prescription can be made accordingly. ? Methods: We prospectively studied this relationship in 36 patients from Canada and Turkey. All patients did the icodextrin day exchange manually after disconnecting themselves from overnight cycler dialysis. Dwell period was increased by 1 hour every week, from 10 to 14 hours. Ultra-filtration was noted for each icodextrin exchange. Mean UF for each week (i.e., dwell period) was compared by repeated measures ANOVA. ? Results: We found no difference in mean UF with increasing dwell time: 351.73 ± 250.59 mL at 10 hours versus 371.75 ± 258.25 mL at 14 hours (p = 0.83). We also compared mean UF between different subgroups and found that males (p = 0.02 vs females) and high transporters (p = 0.04 vs low) had higher mean UF. Further analysis of maximal UF showed no correlation to age, sex, diabetic status, transport category, creatinine clearance, Kt/V, duration on peritoneal dialysis, or duration of icodextrin use. ? Conclusion: Icodextrin-related UF in APD patients is not related to demographic factors and does not increase significantly beyond 10 hours. © 2006 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis

Ocular side effects associated with systemic isotretinoin

Purpose. To evaluate ocular side effects associated with systemic isotretinoin. Patients and Method. Thirty-five patients with severe recalcitrant acne were enrolled in this prospective study. Isotretinoin was administered at a dose of 0.5-1 mg/kg/day in two divided doses with food for 16 weeks. In all patients, visual acuity, anterior segment examination, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, Schirmer I test, tear film break-up time (BUT), and color vision by Famsworth-Munsell (FM) 100 Hue color test were evaluated and microbiological investigation of conjunctival flora and anterior nares were performed. All these eye examinations were repeated before, during, and after treatment with isotretinoin by the same examiner. Results. There was no difference in visual acuity, and fundus examination in any of the cases after administration of the drug. No statistically significant difference was found between averages of IOP measurements and refraction (NS). On the other hand, the differences between FM 100 Hue test scores, Schirmer values, and BUT measurements that were evaluated before and during treatment were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Subjective symptoms such as dryness, itching, and contact lens intolerance occurred in 34% of the patients. Colonization of the conjunctiva and anterior nares by Staphylococcus increased significantly during treatment. All abnormal findings disappeared I month after stopping therapy. Conclusion. There are ocular side effects of isotretinoin that are treatable and they disappear after discontinuation of therapy

Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control of Hypertension in Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease in Turkey: Results From the Credit Study

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Nonrelated living-donor kidney transplantation: medical and ethical aspects.

Several patients with end-stage renal disease went to Bombay for renal transplantation from nonrelated living donors and then returned to Turkey for posttransplantation follow-up. The aims of this study are to evaluate the long-term results of renal transplantation from nonrelated living donors in Turkish patients with end-stage renal disease and to discuss the ethical and social aspects of nonrelated kidney donation. One hundred and twenty-seven patients (89 males, 38 females; mean age 38.1, range 17-63 years) were investigated retrospectively. None of the patients went to Bombay on our advice. All transplantations were performed between 1991 and 1995. The mean follow-up period after transplantation was 34.2 (range 1-68) months. Graft survival rates were 85, 83, and 57% after 3 months and 1 and 5 years, respectively. Patient survival rates were 94, 93, and 92% after 3 months and 1 and 5 years, respectively. Seven patients died within the first 3 months after the transplantation. Surgical problems, infections, acute rejection, ciclosporin nephrotoxicity, and hepatic problems were common complications. We conclude that medical and surgical complications occur frequently in paid kidney transplantation, but most of these complications can be prevented by adequate preoperative management, and precautionary measures should be taken to prevent commercialization of renal transplantation before the spread of emotionally related living kidney donation

Nonrelated living-donor kidney transplantation: Medical and ethical aspects

Several patients with end-stage renal disease went to Bombay for renal transplantation from nonrelated living donors and then returned to Turkey for posttransplantation follow-up. The aims of this study are to evaluate the long-term results of renal transplantation from nonrelated living donors in Turkish patients with end-stage renal disease and to discuss the ethical and social aspects of nonrelated kidney donation. One hundred and twenty-seven patients (89 males, 38 females; mean age 38.1, range 17-63 years) were investigated retrospectively. None of the patients went to Bombay on our advice. All transplantations were performed between 1991 and 1995. The mean follow-up period after transplantation was 34.2 (range 1-68) months. Graft survival rates were 85, 83, and 57% after 3 months and 1 and 5 years, respectively. Patient survival rates were 94, 93, and 92% after 3 months and 1 and 5 years, respectively. Seven patients died within the first 3 months after the transplantation. Surgical problems, infections, acute rejection, ciclosporin nephrotoxicity, and hepatic problems were common complications. We conclude that medical and surgical complications occur frequently in paid kidney transplantation, but most of these complications can be prevented by adequate preoperative management, and precautionary measures should be taken to prevent commercialization of renal transplantation before the spread of emotionally related living kidney donation