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In adults treated with hemodialysis, poorer dental health was associated with early death, whereas preventive dental health practices were associated with longer survival.

Our results suggest that the pure bicarbonate-buffered peritoneal dialysis fluid appears to reduce the frequency of peritonitis in CAPD patients possibly in relation to greater biocompatibility and maintenance of peritoneal membrane structural integrity. Similar results can probably relate to all low-GDP solutions.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) develops early in chronic renal failure (CRF) at a time when plasma calcitriol levels are normal. At this time, PTH are higher than normal controls and serum phosphorous levels are lower. A decrement in total serum Ca is noted, after an oral phosphate load, only in patients with ERF. These data suggest that factors, other than a decrease in calcitriol synthesis, may be involved in the pathogenesis of HPT. A hypothesis is forwarded suggesting that an alteration in the newly cloned calcium sensor receptor may be the earliest abnormality in the HPT, preceding a decrease in plasma calcitriol levels.

Online hemodiafiltration (online HDF) is a new hemodialysis technique combining convection and diffusion and thus also enabling the purification of large molecules. As yet, only a small number of clinical experiences have been published about the effectiveness and safety of online HDF. We present a prospective and observational study conducted on 31 patients treated with online HDF in our center in the last 4 years. The purpose of the study is to compare the evolution of the following aspects before and after starting online HDF: dose of dialysis, purification of medium-sized/large molecules, inflammation, nutrition, Ca-P metabolism, anemia, and intradialytic complications. Online HDF increased Kt/V to 31.0% (p > 0.001) and reduced postdialysis beta(2)-M to 66.4% (p > 0.001). The rest of the parameters analyzed did not vary significantly. During online HDF, episodes of symptomatic hypotension fell by 45% in relation to conventional hemodialysis, and no relevant complication occurred. Online HDF is very useful in patients in whom we need to increase replacement therapy, such as patients with a large body surface, those in whom we suspect a residual syndrome or those who have been receiving dialysis for a long time and for whom we wish to prevent amyloidosis. Online HDF is safe and better tolerated than conventional hemodialysis.

Evaluation of the Losartan in Hemodialysis (ELHE) Study.Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) have been shown to be effective in the treatment of dialysis patients with high blood pressure, however, they also have been associated with anaphylactoid reactions at the start of dialysis, when they have been used concomitantly with AN69 membranes. A multicenter, open six-month study was designed to test the tolerability and efficacy of losartan as antihypertensive in patients under hemodialysis (HD), with particular emphasis on the appearance of anaphylactoid reactions. HD patients with systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels Ն 140 and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) Ն 90 mm Hg, previously nontreated, treated but uncontrolled, or treated with a poor tolerability, were included. The study performed three controls: baseline, at month 3, and at study completion. DBP and SBP levels were measured on the six HD sessions previous to the three visits in addition to biochemical and hematology measurements. Four hundred and six patients were included. The mean age was 55 years, 42% were women, and 23.6% of the patients were dialyzed with AN69 membranes. There was a significant reduction in pre-and postdialysis SBP and DBP at three and six months. Fifteen patients discontinued the study due to adverse reactions related to losartan, and in seven of them the adverse reaction was hypotension. Only two patients have reported a possible anaphylactoid reaction on treatment with AN69, in one of them the HD session had to be stopped and losartan was discontinued. On the contrary, nine patients with a history of previous anaphylactoid reaction, with ACEIs and AN69, have not shown this complication with losartan and AN69. We conclude that losartan is a well tolerated antihypertensive by HD patients, with a very low incidence of adverse reactions, and a lower prevalence of anaphylactoid reactions than those detected with ACEIs and AN69.

Background Protein-energy malnutrition is prevalent in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Objective To evaluate the impact of prophylactic treatment with an oral protein-energy supplement (Protenplus; Fresenius AG, Bad Homburg, Germany) on nutritional parameters in patients starting PD. Design Prospective, multicenter, randomized study of group A patients (Protenplus, n = 35) and group B (controls, n = 30), with evaluations at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Statistical Methods: Efficacy of factors by linear mixed model analysis for repeated measurements, chi-square, t-test, and Mann–Whitney test. Outcome Parameters Patient compliance, serum albumin, and other nutritional parameters. Results No significant differences were found at baseline evaluation. During follow-up, a significant number of group A patients abandoned intake of the supplement due to noncompliance ( n = 7) or side effects ( n = 8) (χ2 p < 0.01). Patients with lower residual renal function were less likely to comply. The mixed model in the “intention to treat” analysis showed a significant increase related to supplement intake only in total lymphocyte count in group A. The “as treated” analysis of the 29 patients who fulfilled the study (9 in group A, 20 in group B) disclosed that belonging to group A constituted an independent factor for increased lymphocyte count ( p < 0.001), body weight ( p < 0.03), tricipital skinfold thickness ( p < 0.01), middle-arm muscle circumference ( p < 0.025), lean body mass (LBM) ( p < 0.002), creatinine LBM related to body surface area ( p < 0.001), and creatinine generation rate ( p < 0.002). However, these data may have been biased by the high rate of noncompliance in group A. Conclusions Protenplus proved to be unsuitable as a long term, oral protein-energy supplement in PD patients due to a high rate of noncompliance and intolerance, primarily among patients with lower residual renal function. The question of whether other products, better-tolerated as nutritional supplements, could compensate for daily protein peritoneal losses in long-term PD remains open.