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Background and objectives:The relationship between serum potassium (S K ) and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been systematically investigated.Design, setting, participants, & measurements: We examined the predictors and mortality association of S K in the Renal Research Institute CKD Study cohort, wherein 820 patients with CKD were prospectively followed at four US centers for an average of 2.6 years. Predictors of S K were investigated using linear and repeated measures regression models. Associations between S K and mortality, the outcomes of ESRD, and cardiovascular events in time-dependent Cox models were examined.Results: The mean age was 60.5 years, 80% were white, 90% had hypertension, 36% had diabetes, the average estimated GFR was 25.4 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 , and mean baseline S K was 4.6 mmol/L. Higher S K was associated with male gender, lower estimated GFR and serum bicarbonate, absence of diuretic and calcium channel blocker use, diabetes, and use of angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitors and/or statins. A U-shaped relationship between S K and mortality was observed, with mortality risk significantly greater at S K <4.0 mmol/L compared with 4.0 to 5.5 mmol/L. Risk for ESRD was elevated at S K <4 mmol/L in S K categorical models. Only the composite of cardiovascular events or death as an outcome was associated with higher S K (>5.5).Conclusions: Although clinical practice usually emphasizes greater attention to elevated S K in the setting of CKD, our results suggest that patients who have CKD and low or even low-normal S K are at higher risk for dying than those with mild to moderate hyperkalemia.

This study provides an overview of prescription practices in a cohort of CKD patients. Substantial underutilization of certain classes of cardioprotective medications is apparent, and systematic educational efforts in this direction may well prove worthwhile to impact outcomes.

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CA-AKI was found to be considerably more common than HA-AKI and had similar long-term consequences.

Objective To investigate the pharmacokinetic parameters of intermittent intraperitoneal (IP) cefazolin, and recommend a cefazolin dosing regimen in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Design Prospective nonrandomized open study. Setting CAPD outpatient clinic in Albany, New York. Patients Seven volunteer CAPD patients without peritonitis. Three of the patients were nonanuric while 4 were anuric. Interventions Cefazolin (15 mg/kg total body weight) was given to each patient during the first peritoneal exchange. Blood and dialysate samples were collected at times 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 6 (end of the first antibiotic-containing dwell), 24, and 48 hours after the administration of IP cefazolin. Urine samples were collected in nonanuric patients over the study period. Results The mean ± SD amount of cefazolin dose absorbed from the dialysate after the 6-hour dwell was 69.7% ± 8.0% of the administered dose. The cefazolin absorption rate constant from dialysate to serum was 0.21 ± 0.1 /hr (absorption half-life 3.5 ± 0.8 hr). The mean serum concentrations reached at 24 and 48 hours were 52.4 ± 3.7 mg/L and 30.3 ± 5.9 mg/L, respectively. The mean dialysate cefazolin concentrations reached at 24 and 48 hours were 15.1 ± 3.4 mg/L and 7.9 ± 1.4 mg/L, respectively. The cefazolin serum elimination rate constant was 0.02 ± 0.01 /hr (elimination half-life 31.5 ± 8.8 hr). The total cefazolin body clearance was 3.4 ± 0.6 mL/min. In the 3 nonanuric patients the mean renal clearance of cefazolin was 0.6 ± 0.4 mL/min. The peritoneal clearance of cefazolin was 1.0 ± 0.3 mL/min. The systemic volume of distribution of cefazolin was 0.2 ± 0.05 L/kg. No statistical difference was detected in pharmacokinetic parameters between anuric and nonanuric patients, although this may be due to the small number of patients in each group. Conclusion A single daily dose of cefazolin dosed at 15 mg/kg actual body weight in CAPD patients is effective in achieving serum concentration levels greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration for sensitive organisms over 48 hours, and dialysate concentration levels over 24 hours. Caution is warranted in extrapolation of dosing recommendations to patients who maintain a significant degree of residual renal function.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are prone to both hypo- and hypernatremia. Little has been published on the epidemiology of hypo- and hypernatremia in ambulatory patients with non-dialysis CKD. Methods: Data collected in two contemporaneous CKD cohort studies, the Renal Research Institute (RRI)-CKD study (n = 834) and the Study of Treatment of Renal Insufficiency: Data and Evaluation (STRIDE) (n = 1,348) were combined and analyzed to study the association between serum sodium (Na⁺) and clinical outcomes. Results: Baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and Na⁺ were 26 ± 11 ml/min/1.73 m² and 140.2 ± 3.4 mEq/l, respectively. The prevalence of Na⁺ ≤135 mEq/l and ≥144 mEq/l was 6 and 16%, respectively. Higher baseline Na⁺ was significantly associated with male sex, older age, systolic blood pressure, BMI, serum albumin, presence of heart failure, and lower eGFR. The risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was marginally significantly higher among patients with Na⁺ ≤135 mEq/l, compared with 140< Na⁺ <144 mEq/l (referent), in time-dependent models (adjusted hazard ratio, HR = 1.52, p = 0.06). Mortality risk was significantly greater at 135< Na⁺ ≤140 mEq/l (adjusted HR = 1.68, p = 0.02) and Na⁺ ≥144 mEq/l (adjusted HR = 2.01, p = 0.01). Conclusion: CKD patients with Na⁺ ≤135 mEq/l were at a higher risk for progression to ESRD, whereas both lower and higher Na⁺ levels were associated with a higher risk of mortality. While caring for CKD patients, greater attention to serum sodium levels by clinicians is warranted and could potentially help improve patient outcomes.

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