Dialysis therapy for children with acute renal failure: survey results

We surveyed 123 pediatric nephrologists to investigate the current dialytic management of acute renal failure (ARF) in children. Data collected from 92 responding physicians revealed that hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) are currently used as the primary means of acute renal replacement therapy in a nearly equal percentage of centers. The preferential use of CRRT appears to be increasing, while PD usage is decreasing except for the youngest infants and those patients likely to develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Additional data correlating patient outcome to dialytic modality should be collected to compare the efficacy of the three techniques.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42302/1/467-15-1-2-11_00150011.pd

Effect of elevated blood pressure on quality of life in children with chronic kidney disease

Although hypertension is known to have an adverse impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults, little is known about the effects of hypertension and use of antihypertensive medications on HRQoL in hypertensive children with chronic kidney disease (CKD)

Association between clinical risk factors and progression of chronic kidney disease in children

Background and objectives: Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an increased risk of progression to ESRD. There is a need to identify treatments to slow the progression of CKD, yet there are limited data regarding clinical risk factors that may be suitable targets to slow progression. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the North American Pediatric Renal Trials and Cooperative Studies CKD database. There were 4166 pediatric subjects with CKD stages II to IV. Disease progression was defined as a GFR on follow-up of \u3c15 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 or termination in the registry because of dialysis or transplantation. We used Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards methods to describe progression rates and determine factors associated with CKD progression. Results: In the univariate analysis, CKD progression was associated with age, gender, race, primary disease, CKD stage, registration year, hematocrit, albumin, corrected calcium, corrected phosphorus, and use of certain medications. Factors that remained significant in the multivariate analysis were age, primary disease, CKD stage, registration year, hypertension, corrected phosphorus, corrected calcium, albumin, hematocrit, and medication proxies for anemia and short stature. Conclusions: There are multiple risk factors associated with disease progression in the pediatric CKD population. Factors that may be amenable to intervention include anemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, hypertension, and short stature. Because of the retrospective nature of our study, confirmation of our results from ongoing prospective studies is warranted before recommending prospective interventional trials. Copyright © 2010 by the American Society of Nephrology

Health Literacy Impact on National Healthcare Utilization and Expenditure

Background: Health literacy presents an enormous challenge in the delivery of effective healthcare and quality outcomes. We evaluated the impact of low health literacy (LHL) on healthcare utilization and healthcare expenditure. Methods: Database analysis used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2005-2008 which provides nationally representative estimates of healthcare utilization and expenditure. Health literacy scores (HLSs) were calculated based on a validated, predictive model and were scored according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). HLS ranged from 0-500. Health literacy level (HLL) and categorized in 2 groups: Below basic or basic (HLS <226) and above basic (HLS ≥226). Healthcare utilization expressed as a physician, nonphysician, or emergency room (ER) visits and healthcare spending. Expenditures were adjusted to 2010 rates using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). A P value of 0.05 or less was the criterion for statistical significance in all analyses. Multivariate regression models assessed the impact of the predicted HLLs on outpatient healthcare utilization and expenditures. All analyses were performed with SAS and STATA ® 11.0 statistical software. Results: The study evaluated 22 599 samples representing 503 374 648 weighted individuals nationally from 2005- 2008. The cohort had an average age of 49 years and included more females (57%). Caucasian were the predominant racial ethnic group (83%) and 37% of the cohort were from the South region of the United States of America. The proportion of the cohort with basic or below basic health literacy was 22.4%. Annual predicted values of physician visits, nonphysician visits, and ER visits were 6.6, 4.8, and 0.2, respectively, for basic or below basic compared to 4.4, 2.6, and 0.1 for above basic. Predicted values of office and ER visits expenditures were $1284 and$151, respectively, for basic or below basic and $719 and$100 for above basic ( P < .05). The extrapolated national estimates show that the annual costs for prescription alone for adults with LHL possibly associated with basic and below basic health literacy could potentially reach about $172 billion. Conclusion: Health literacy is inversely associated with healthcare utilization and expenditure. Individuals with below basic or basic HLL have greater healthcare utilization and expendituresspending more on prescriptions compared to individuals with above basic HLL. Public health strategies promoting appropriate education among individuals with LHL may help to improve health outcomes and reduce unnecessary healthcare visits and costs

Association of blood pressure variability and neurocognition in children with chronic kidney disease

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension have increased blood pressure variability (BPV). Increased BPV has been associated with lower neurocognitive test scores in adults. Children with CKD are at risk for decreased neurocognitive function. Our objective was to determine if children with CKD and increased BPV had worse performance on neurocognitive testing compared with children with CKD and lower BPV

Chronic Inflammation in Chronic Kidney Disease Progression: Role of Nrf2

Despite recent advances in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), morbidity and mortality rates in these patients remain high. Although pressure-mediated injury is a well-recognized mechanism of disease progression in CKD, emerging data indicate that an intermediate phenotype involving chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, senescence, and mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in the etiology, progression, and pathophysiology of CKD. A variety of factors promote chronic inflammation in CKD, including oxidative stress and the adoption of a proinflammatory phenotype by resident kidney cells. Regulation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors through NF-κB– and nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2)–mediated gene transcription, respectively, plays a critical role in the glomerular and tubular cell response to kidney injury. Chronic inflammation contributes to the decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in CKD. Whereas the role of chronic inflammation in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has been well-elucidated, there is now substantial evidence indicating unresolved inflammatory processes lead to fibrosis and eventual end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in several other diseases, such as Alport syndrome, autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In this review, we aim to clarify the mechanisms of chronic inflammation in the pathophysiology and disease progression across the spectrum of kidney diseases, with a focus on Nrf2

Pharmacokinetics of darbepoetin alfa in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease

Darbepoetin alfa is a novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein with a two- to threefold longer half-life than recombinant human erythropoietin (epoetin) in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This randomized, open-label, crossover study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of darbepoetin alfa in pediatric patients with CKD. Twelve patients 3–16 years of age with CKD were randomized and received a single 0.5 µg/kg dose of darbepoetin alfa administered intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC). After a 14- to 16-day washout period, patients received an identical dose of darbepoetin alfa by the alternate route. After IV administration, the mean clearance of darbepoetin alfa was 2.3 ml/h per kg, with a mean terminal half-life of 22.1 h. After SC administration, absorption was rate limiting, with a mean terminal half-life of 42.8 h and a mean bioavailability of 54%. Comparison of these results with those from a previous study of darbepoetin alfa in adult patients indicated that the disposition of darbepoetin alfa administered IV or SC is similar in adult and pediatric patients, although absorption may be slightly more rapid in pediatric patients after SC dosing. The mean terminal half-life of darbepoetin alfa in this study was approximately two- to fourfold longer than that previously reported for epoetin in pediatric patients.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42306/1/s00467-002-0932-0.pd

Neurocognitive, Social-Behavioral, and Adaptive Functioning in Preschool Children with Mild to Moderate Kidney Disease

The negative impact of End Stage Kidney Disease on cognitive function in children is well established, but no studies have examined the neurocognitive, social-behavioral, and adaptive behavior skills of preschool children with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD)

Renal and Cardiovascular Morbidities Associated with APOL1 Status among African-American and Non-African-American Children with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

Background and objectives: African American (AA) children with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) have later onset disease that progresses more rapidly than in non-AA children. It is unclear how APOL1 genotypes contribute to kidney disease risk, progression and cardiovascular morbidity in children. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: We examined the prevalence of APOL1 genotypes and associated cardiovascular phenotypes among children with FSGS in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) study; an ongoing multicenter prospective cohort study of children aged 1-16 years with mild to moderate kidney disease.Results: A total of 140 AA children in the CKiD study were genotyped. HR APOL1 genotypes were present in 24% of AA children (33/140) and were associated with FSGS, p 3 mg/L (33% vs. 15%, p=0.12) and obesity (48% vs. 19%, p=0.01). There were no differences in glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin, iPTH, or calcium-phosphate product. Conclusions: AA children with HR APOL1 genotype and FSGS have increase prevalence of obesity and LVH despite a later age of FSGS onset, while adjusting for socioeconomic status. Treatment of obesity may be an important component of CKD and LVH management in this population

Energy and protein requirements for children with CKD stages 2-5 and on dialysis-clinical practice recommendations from the Pediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce

Dietary management in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an area fraught with uncertainties and wide variations in practice. Even in tertiary pediatric nephrology centers, expert dietetic input is often lacking. The Pediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce (PRNT), an international team of pediatric renal dietitians and pediatric nephrologists, was established to develop clinical practice recommendations (CPRs) to address these challenges and to serve as a resource for nutritional care. We present CPRs for energy and protein requirements for children with CKD stages 2-5 and those on dialysis (CKD2-5D). We address energy requirements in the context of poor growth, obesity, and different levels of physical activity, together with the additional protein needs to compensate for dialysate losses. We describe how to achieve the dietary prescription for energy and protein using breastmilk, formulas, food, and dietary supplements, which can be incorporated into everyday practice. Statements with a low grade of evidence, or based on opinion, must be considered and adapted for the individual patient by the treating physician and dietitian according to their clinical judgment. Research recommendations have been suggested. The CPRs will be regularly audited and updated by the PRNT.Peer reviewe