Journal Watch - Education Issues: For Patients And Professionals
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The Impact of AGEs on the Gut Microbiome in PD
The Impact of AGEs on the Gut Microbiome in PD Advanced glycation endpoints (AGEs) cause inflammation and are linked with heart disease. A new PLoS One paper reports on a pilot trial of 20 PD patients who routinely ate a high-AGE diet. Ten were randomized to eat as usual, while 10 had their meals AGE-restricted for a month. Gut bacteria analysis found major shifts in the experimental group that could have clinical importance.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-10-13)
Tags: Education Issues: For Patients And Professionals, Fistulas, Grafts And Catheters (including PD)
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More CMS Incentives Needed to Boost Home Dialysis
More CMS Incentives Needed to Boost Home Dialysis Have changes in the ESRD Prospective Payment System (“bundle”) designed to increase the use of home dialysis been successful? A new analysis of USRDS data from 2006 to 2013 found that bundling injectable medications and paying for home training did move the needle a bit—but not enough. Compared to patients with other insurance who had a 4.1% increase in home dialysis during this period, Medicare beneficiaries had a non-significant 5.8% rise.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-10-13)
Tags: Education Issues: For Patients And Professionals, Choosing The Right Path Through ‘The System’
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Obesity and PD Catheter Function
It is a common belief that obesity is a contraindication to PD—but a new study of 231 patients who were demographically similar except for weight found otherwise. Compared to normal weight patients, those who were overweight or obese had no signficant differences in catheter dysfunction or complications—regardless of the placement technique used.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-10-12)
Tags: Education Issues: For Patients And Professionals, Fistulas, Grafts And Catheters (including PD)
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Why Do Patients Think PD is Underused?
A survey of 920 HD patients in Saudi Arabia found that lack of appropriate counseling and education by nephrologists was an important reason why they did not choose PD.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-10-12)
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Predicting Cardiovascular Risk in PD
What are the cardiovascular risk factors in PD? In a small (N=112) retrospective study among incident PD patients followed for more than a year, traditional risk factors did not predict heart problems—however, excess blood volume, low serum albumin levels, and mitral valve calcification did.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-09-15)
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Bone Mineral Balance in Short Daily HD: A Cautionary Tale
A new case report suggests that bone mineral balance may need extra attention for those doing short daily HD. A patient who had multiple fractures and bone pain severe enough to require a wheelchair for more than a year was found on biopsy to have osteomalacia, likely due to chronically low levels of serum phosphorus and calcium. Increasing these minerals in the dialysate enabled the patient to leave the wheelchair and walk pain-free.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-09-15)
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PD in PKD?
There is yet more evidence that people with PDK can successfully do PD. Researchers in Peking analyzed survival data from people with PKD between1993 and 2015 on PD vs. HD. Additionally, they matched PD patients who did and did not have PKD. Neither PD nor PKD independently predicted mortality.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-09-15)
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Hydrogels as Scaffolding for Kidney Regeneration
This review article discusses the potential for hydrogels to be used as a structure and cell carrier for regenerating kidneys. Cutting-edge biofabrication approaches such as micromolding, microfluidics, and stem cells are also covered.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-08-17)
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Can PD Treat Alzheimer’s Disease?
A build up of amyloid beta (Aβ) is believed to cause dementia in Alzheimer’s disease, and the organs and tissues can help clear Aβ from the blood. Plasma Aβ levels were measured before and after PD in 30 new PD patients. Daily PD was also done in mice for one month, with Aβ levels measured. In both groups, PD significantly reduced Aβ levels.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-08-17)
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How Best to Disinfect PD Bag Ports
Which is better to clean PD bag ports: 70% alcohol or 2% chlorhexidine—and how long should each product be used? Among 300 PD bags inoculated with five microbes, a scrub with 2% chlorhexidine for at least 5 seconds had the best results, followed by an alcohol scrub for at least 10 seconds.
Read the abstract » | (added 2017-08-17)