Background: Refractory congestive heart failure (RCHF) is associated with a high mortality rate and is a major contributor to hospital admissions. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an option to control volume overload and perhaps improve outcomes in this challenging patient population. The aim of this systematic review is to describe the relative risk-benefit ratio based on data reported regarding the use of PD in RCHF. This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. An electronic search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed to identify relevant studies published from January 1951 to February 2014. Eligible studies selected were prospective or retrospective adult population studies on PD in the setting of RCHF. The following clinical outcomes were used to assess PD therapy: (1) hospitalization rates; (2) heart function; (3) renal function; (4) fluid overload, and (5) adverse clinical outcomes. Summary: Of 864 citations, we excluded 843 citations and included 21 studies (n = 673 patients). After PD, hospitalization days declined significantly (p = 0.0001), and heart function improved significantly (left ventricular ejection fraction: p = 0.0013; New York Heart Association classification: p = 0.0000). There were no statistically significant differences in glomerular filtration rate after PD treatment in non-chronic kidney disease stage 5D patients (p = 0.1065). Among patients treated with PD, body weight decreased significantly (p = 0.0006). The yearly average peritonitis rate was 14.5%, and the average yearly mortality was 20.3%. Key Messages: This systematic review suggests that PD may be an effective and safe therapeutic tool for patients with RCHF.

Objective: The main aim of this study is to investigate the incidence and prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) and to clarify the risk factors associated with the prognosis of AKI in hospitalized patients. Method: All patients hospitalized from January 1st to December 31st 2012 in Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University were screened by the Lab Administration Network. All the patients with an intact medical history of AKI according to the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) were enrolled in the study cohort. AKI's incidence and etiology, as well as the patient's characteristics and prognosis, were retrospectively analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors on the patient prognosis and renal outcome. Results: 934 AKI patients were enrolled. The incidence of AKI in hospitalized patients was 2.41%. The ratio of males to females of patients was 1.88:1 and the mean age was 60.82 w 16.94. The incidence of AKI increased with increase in age. Among hospitalized patients, 63.4% were from the surgical department, 35.4% from the internal medicine department, and 1.2% from the obstetric and gynecologic department. Regarding the cause of AKI, pre-renal AKI, acute tubular necrosis (ATN), acute glomerulonephritis and vasculitis (AGV), acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), and post-renal AKI contributed with 51.7, 37.7, 3.8, 3.5, and 3.3%, respectively. The survival rate on the day 28 after AKI was 71.8%. In addition, 65.7% patients got complete renal recovery, while 16.9% got partial renal recovery and 17.4% got renal loss. The mortality of AKI in hospitalized patients at Stage I, Stage II and Stage III was 24.8, 31.2 and 43.7%, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that use of nephrotoxic drugs, [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.313], hypotension in the previous week (OR = 4.482), oliguria (OR = 5.267), the number of extra-renal organ failures (OR = 1.376), and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) (OR = 4.221) were independent risk factors for mortality. The number of extra-renal organ failures (OR = 1.529) and RRT (OR = 2.117) were independent risk factors for renal loss. Conclusion: AKI is one of the most common complications in hospitalized patients. The mortality is high and renal prognosis is poor after AKI. The prognosis is closely associated with the severity of AKI. Nephrotoxic drugs, hypotension within the last week, oliguria, the number of extra-renal organ failures, and RRT are independent risk factors for mortality, while the number of extra-renal organ failures and RRT are independent risk factors for renal loss. i 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Backgound: This study was aimed at evaluating the presepsin and procalcitonin levels to predict adverse postoperative complications and mortality in cardiac surgery patients. Methods: A total of 122 cardiac surgery patients were enrolled for the study. Presepsin and procalcitonin levels were measured 48 h after the procedure. The primary endpoints were adverse renal, respiratory, and cardiovascular outcomes and mortality. Results: Presepsin and procalcitonin levels were significantly higher in patients with adverse renal and respiratory outcome (p < 0.001 and 0.0081). The presepsin levels were significantly higher in patients with adverse cardiovascular outcome (p = 0.023) and the procalcitonin values in patients with sepsis (p = 0.0013). Presepsin levels were significantly higher in patients who died during hospitalization (382 pg/mL, interquartile range [IQR] 243–717.5 vs. 1,848 pg/mL, IQR 998–5,451.5, p = 0.049). In addition, the predictive value for in-hospital, 30-days, and 6-months mortality was higher for presepsin, with a significant difference between the 2 biomarkers (p = 0.025, p = 0.035, p = 0.003; respectively). Presepsin and procalcitonin seem to have comparable predictive value for adverse renal, cardiovascular, and respiratory outcome in cardiac surgery patients. Although a positive trend was notable for presepsin and adverse renal outcome (area under the ROC [receiver operating characteristic] curves [AUC] of 0.760, 95% CI 0.673–0.833 versus procalcitonin: AUC 0.692; 95% CI 0.601–0.773): no statistically significant difference was evident between the AUC of the 2 biomarkers (p = 0.25). Conclusions: Presepsin and ­procalcitonin seem to have comparable predictive value for ­adverse renal, cardiovascular, and respiratory outcome in cardiac surgery patients. Also, presepsin possesses a better predictive value for in-hospital, 30-days, and 6-months mortality.

Background/Aim: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury is an independent predictor of chronic renal disease and mortality. The scope of this study was to determine the utility of procalcitonin (PCT) and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in predicting renal outcome and mortality in these patients. Methods: PCT and plasma IL-6 levels of 122 cardiac surgery patients were measured at 48 h after the surgical procedure. Primary endpoints were adverse renal outcome and mortality. Secondary endpoints were length of stay, bleeding, and number of transfusions. Results: PCT was found to be a better predictor of adverse renal outcome than IL-6. IL-6 seemed to be a better predictor of both 30-day and overall mortality than PCT. Neither PCT nor IL-6 levels were found to be good predictors of intensive care unit stay and bleeding. Conclusion: PCT may be considered a good predictor of adverse renal outcome in cardiac surgery patients, whereas IL-6 seems to possess a good predictive value for mortality in this population of patients.