Journal Watch

  • How to Prevent and Manage COVID-19 in PD Patients

    A comprehensive set of recommendations from China suggest reinforcing hygiene education, avoiding fear, and encourage patients to stay home—deferring clinic visits or using virtual ones when possible.  When clinic or hospital visits are necessary, safety steps are described in detail.  Covid-19 positive patients must be quarantined.  Download the article

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-05-12)

    Tags: Https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7198185/pdf/main.pdf

  • PD Catheter Placement Outcomes: Urgent- vs. Elective-start

    After analyzing 13 years of data comparing urgent-start (n=29) and elective-start (n=211) PD, the only significant difference between the mostly-comparable groups was a higher incidence of catheter leaks. Complication and catheter removal rates at 3 and 12 months were similar, as were days to first complication and 12-month patient survival. Catheter placement technique did not affect the outcomes.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-05-12)

    Tags: Https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32373364

  • Are PD eHealth Initiatives Ready for Prime Time?

    A review of 15 studies (n=1,334) of use of telemedicine and eHealth to support PD self-management found bias and low-quality evidence that made a metaanalysis impossible. While no adverse effects of eHealth interventions were reported, effectiveness was mixed. Better quality evidence is needed.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-05-12)

    Tags: Digital Health, EHealth, Peritoneal Dialysis, Evidence

  • Physical Activity and Survival in PD

    Among 79 PD patients, fat and muscle mass, strength, and physical performance were not different between patients who were alive 2 years later and those who were not. However, the odds of death were 7.4 times higher in those whose level of physical activity was below the group’s median.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-05-12)

    Tags: Muscle Mass, Group’s Median, Physical Activity

  • Impact of Assisted PD

    A retrospective look at 1,576 incident patients at one clinic between 2002 and 2017 examined the effects of offering assisted PD on the rates and cumulative incidence of PD starts. Those who used assisted PD tended to be older. Use of the program significantly increased the rate of PD initiation, but there was a fall in usage over time.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-04-13)

    Tags: Renal Replacement Therapy, Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis

  • Cardiovascular Benefits of Benefits

    A review considers the impact of nocturnal HD on cardiac remodeling, myocardial stunning, hypertension, heart rate variability, sleep apnea, coronary calcification, and endothelial dysfunction.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-04-13)

    Tags: Benefits, Cardiovascular, Home Hemodialysis, Myocardial Stunning, Nocturnal Hemodialysis, Vascular Calcification, Cardiovascular Disease

  • Effect of a Nurse-led Program on PD Nutritional Status

    In a controlled trial, 203 PD patients were randomly assigned to a study or control group. The study group received health education, treatments, case management, and nurse-led surveillance based on the Omaha system. The control group received usual care. After intervention, the study group had significantly more well-nourished patients (6.19% to 29.9%), and several other parameters were significantly improved as well. Hemoglobin, albumin, and pre-albumin were also significantly higher in the study group.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-04-13)

    Tags: Peritoneal Dialysis, Dialysis, Chronic Kidney Disease, Nursing, Nutritional Status, Omaha System

  • Outcomes Between Urgent-start PD and HD

    Urgent-start PD (n=93) and urgent-start HD (n=91) patients similar in age, diabetes and other comorbidities, and lab values, were followed for 6 months to 2 years. Rates of mechanical complications, bacteremia, and survival were comparable. Exit site/access infections were significantly higher in the PD patients, but those on PD had significantly better residual kidney function and phosphorus control, and used significantly less erythropoietin and antihypertensives

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-04-13)

    Tags: Haemodialysis, Renal Function Recovery, Peritoneal Dialysis, Urgent Start

  • Peritonitis with Diarrhea Could be C-diff

    Cloudy PD dialysate can signal infectious peritonitis from a variety of causes—including C-diff. But, use of cephalosporins could worsen a C-diff infection. A new article presents two case histories of C-diff peritonitis and suggests reexamining the traditional empiric treatment of peritonitis when diarrhea is present.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-03-16)

    Tags: PD Dialysate, Infectious Peritonitis, C diff, Cephalosporins, Empiric Treatment, Diarrhea

  • Nocturnal HD in Children

    There are very few studies of the impact of intensified hemodialysis regimens (days/hours) on children. This review addresses implementation challenges.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2020-03-16)

    Tags: Intensified Hemodialysis, Children, Implementation Challenges