Introduction:Malnutrition is a common manifestation in patients with dialysis and is a major cause of mortality in these patients. Various biochemical parameters are used to detect and monitor malnutrition in these patients. Confounding variables present in hemodialysis have an effect on the sensitivity and specificity of these tests.Methods:We studied hand grip strength (HGS) as a monitoring tool for protein malnutrition in these patients.Results:In a prospective observational study over 18 months, 83 patients (60 males) consented to be part of the study. The biochemical parameters showed the mean (±sd) of haemoglobin and albumin as 10.(±1.9) gm/dl and 3.5 (±0.5) gm/dl respectively. Majority of the patients (54/83) were well nourished according to subjective global assessment (SGA). The hand grip score in the cohort was weak in the majority of patients. It is interesting to note that majority of the males have weak HGS as compared with the general population of the same age group. The female patients had HGS which were in the normal range of values that of the population. A multiple regression analysis showed that there was a significant association with serum creatinine and HGS.Conclusions:No correlation between albumin and HGS was noted. Of the anthropometric variables a significant correlation was noted between mid arm muscle circumference and HGS.

A 32-year-old female presented to us with worsening cough and expectoration, low-grade fever, and malaise for 3 months. She gave a history of pregnancy loss secondary to urinary tract infection (UTI) a year back. At that time, she was told to have an obstructive right renal calculus. She also had a history of recurrent UTI in the past 1 year. She had no other comorbidities. Her clinical evaluation revealed an enlarged right kidney and reduced air entry in the right hemithorax. Radiological investigations revealed a large right kidney invading into the inferior surface of the right lobe of the liver and the right pleural space. A clinical diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis was made, and she was advised nephrectomy. Intraoperatively, the right kidney was found to invade both the right lobe of the liver and the right pleural cavity through a right diaphragmatic defect. Histopathology of the kidney revealed the presence of foamy histiocytes suggestive of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. Invasive xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is known, however, invasion into the extra-abdominal structures has not been reported in the literature. Our case is a rare manifestation of a rare clinical entity – xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis.

Conclusions: This novel technique allows for preservation of the catheter, exit site and tunnel. This reduces costs and duration of hospital stay and does not require specialized surgical expertise, operating room time or a dedicated anaesthetist.

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