Renal replacement therapies in the aftermath of the catastrophic Marmara earthquake

Renal replacement therapies in the aftermath of the catastrophic Marmara earthquake.BackgroundRenal replacement therapy is of vital importance in the treatment of crush syndrome victims, who are frequently encountered after catastrophic earthquakes. The Marmara earthquake, which struck Northwestern Turkey in August 1999, was characterized by 477 victims who needed dialysis.MethodWithin the first week of the disaster, questionnaires containing 63 clinical and laboratory variables were sent to 35 reference hospitals that treated the victims. Information considering the features of dialyses obtained through these questionnaires was submitted to analysis.ResultsOverall, 639 casualties with renal complications were registered, 477 of whom (mean age 32.3 ± 13.7 years, 269 male) needed dialysis. Among these, 452 were treated by a single dialysis modality (437 intermittent hemodialysis, 11 continuous renal replacement therapy and 4 peritoneal dialysis), while 25 victims needed more than one type of dialysis. In total, 5137 hemodialysis sessions were performed (mean 11.1 ± 8.0 sessions per patient) and mean duration of hemodialysis support was 13.4 ± 9.0 days; this duration was shorter in the non-survivors (7.0 ± 8.7 vs. 10.0 ± 9.8 days, P = 0.005). Thirty-four victims who underwent continuous renal replacement therapy had higher mortality rates (41.2 vs. 13.7%, P < 0.0001). Only eight victims were treated by peritoneal dialysis, four of whom also required hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy. The mortality rate in the dialyzed victims was 17.2%, a significantly higher figure compared to the mortality rate of the non-dialyzed patients with renal problems (9.3%; P = 0.015).ConclusionSubstantial amounts of dialysis support may be necessary for treating the victims of mass disasters complicated with crush syndrome. Dialyzed patients are characterized by higher rates of morbidity and mortality

Trends in Renal Replacement Therapy in Turkey, 1996-2008

Background: National renal registry studies providing data for incidence, prevalence, and characteristics of end-stage renal disease and renal replacement therapy (RRT) serve as a basis to determine national strategies for the prevention and treatment of these diseases and identify new areas for special studies

Ultrasonographic maturation of native arteriovenous fistulae: A follow-up study

Background/aims. Ideal time needed for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation is still. controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate the natural course of AVF maturation and also investigated the factors affecting AVF maturation. Methods. We studied 31 (21M/10F, mean age 55.8 +/- 16.2) chronic renal failure patients. We evaluated the patients with color Doppler ultrasound examination before the fistula operation, at the first day, and at the first, second, third, and sixth months. Radial artery (RA) diameter, flow velocity, flow, resistance index, fistula vein diameter, flow velocity, and flow were measured. Results. Patency rates at the first post-operative day and the sixth month,here 87.1% and 67.1%, respectively. Cephalic vein flow was 451.2 +/- 248.6 mL/min at the first month and 528.6 +/- 316.5 mL/ min at the sixth month. Baseline RA diameter was lower in failing fistulas than that of patent fistulas. Failing fistulas were more common in women. Conclusion. Blood flow was enough for hemodialysis at the end of the first month. However, fistula maturation had continued until the end of the study; women and patients with low RA diameter are particularly prone to fistula failure. Therefore, especially in these patients, AVF must be created at least three or four months before the predicted hemodialysis initiation time

Renoprotective effects of valsartan and enalapril in STZ-induced diabetes in rats

Effects of the angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor antagonist valsartan and the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril were studied in streptozotocine (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats on the basis of microalbuminuria (Ma) and renal morphology. Five groups of Wistar rats were used, one group was the non-diabetic control, one group consisted of untreated STZ-diabetics and 3 groups of STZ-diabetics were treated with either enalapril and/or valsartan for 30 days. Blood glucose (BG) and Ma levels, body and kidney weight and glomerular size were measured. Immunohistochemical staining with an anti-transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) antibody was performed as well. In STZ-diabetics, BG and Ma levels were significantly increased when compared with the non-diabetic group. Although Ma levels in the valsartan-treated group was found to be higher than those in the non-diabetics group after 15 days of treatment, in all treated diabetic groups Ma levels were significantly decreased as compared with STZ-diabetics at the end of the experiment. Thickening of the glomerular and tubular basement membranes, increased mesangial matrix and glomerular size were found in the untreated diabetic group. All these changes were less in the treated groups. A significant increase in TGF-beta1 immunoreactivity was found in glomeruli of untreated STZ-diabetics as compared with non-diabetics. Again, TGF-beta1 expression was decreased in the treated groups as compared with untreated STZ-diabetics. We conclude that valsartan and enalapril have renoprotective effects in diabetic nephropathy. A combined therapy has an advantage because lower dosages of these drugs can be used. Their beneficial effects are related to a blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and a decrease in TGF-beta1 expression in glomeruli