Introduction: Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is prevalent and associated with high hospitalization and mortality rates. The purpose of this study was to explore the risk factors for IDH and use artificial intelligence to establish an early alert system before hemodialysis sessions to identify patients at high risk of IDH.
Materials and methods: We obtained data on 314,534 hemodialysis sessions conducted at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from the renal disease treatment information system. IDH was defined as a systolic blood pressure drop ≥20 mm Hg, a mean arterial pressure drop ≥10 mm Hg during dialysis, or the occurrence of clinical hypotensive events requiring nursing intervention. After pre-processing, the data were randomly divided into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets. Four interpolation methods, three feature selection methods, and 18 machine learning algorithms were used to construct predictive models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was the main indicator for evaluating the performance of the models, while Shapley Additive ExPlanation was used to explain the contribution of each variable to the best predictive model.
Results: A total of 3,906 patients and 314,534 dialysis sessions were included, of which 142,237 cases showed IDH (incidence rate, 45.2%). Nineteen parameters were identified through artificial intelligence feature screening. They included age, pre-dialysis weight, dry weight, pre-dialysis blood pressure, heart rate, prescribed ultrafiltration, blood cell counts (neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts), hematocrit, serum calcium, creatinine, urea, glucose, and uric acid. Random forest, gradient boosting, and logistic regression were the three best models, and the AUCs were 0.812 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.811-0.813), 0.748 (95% CI, 0.747-0.749), and 0.743 (95% CI, 0.742-0.744), respectively.
Conclusion: Our dialysis software-based artificial intelligence alert system can be used to predict IDH occurrence, enabling the initiation of relevant interventions.
Background: An aging population living with chronic kidney disease and progressing to kidney failure, subsequently receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) is growing. A significant proportion of these patients are also living with multi-morbidities and some degree of frailty. Recent practice recommendations from the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis advocate for high-quality, goal-directed PD prescription, and the Standardized Outcomes of Nephrology-PD initiative emphasized the need for an individualized, goal-based care approach in all patients receiving PD treatment. In older patients, this approach to PD care is even more important. A frailty screening assessment, followed by a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) prior to PD initiation and when dictated by change in relevant circumstances is paramount in tailoring PD care and prescription according to the needs, life goals, as well as clinical status of older patients with kidney failure.
Summary: Our review aimed to summarize the different dimensions to be taken into account when delivering PD care to the older patient - from frailty screening and CGA in older patients receiving PD to employing a personalized, goal-directed PD prescription strategy, to preserving residual kidney function, optimizing blood pressure (BP) control, and managing anemia, to addressing symptom burden, to managing nutritional intake and promoting physical exercise, and to explore telehealth opportunities for the older PD population.
Key messages: What matters most to older PD patients may not be simply extending survival, but more importantly, to be living comfortably on PD treatment with minimal symptom burden in a home environment and to minimize treatment complications.
Background: Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is caused by various disruptions to the secretion of H+ by distal renal tubules and/or dysfunctional reabsorption of HCO3- by proximal renal tubules, which causes renal acidification dysfunction, ultimately leading to a clinical syndrome characterized by hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis with a normal anion gap. With the development of molecular genetics and gene sequencing technology, inherited RTA has also attracted attention, and an increasing number of RTA-related pathogenic genes have been discovered and reported.
Summary: This paper focuses on the latest progress in the research of inherited RTA and systematically reviews the pathogenic genes, protein functions, clinical manifestations, internal relationship between genotypes and clinical phenotypes, diagnostic clues, differential diagnosis, and treatment strategies associated with inherited RTA. This paper aims to deepen the understanding of inherited RTA and reduce the missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of RTA.
Key messages: This review systematically summarizes the pathogenic genes, pathophysiological mechanisms, differential diagnosis, and treatment of different types of inherited RTA, which has good clinical value for guiding the diagnosis and treatment of inherited RTA.
Introduction: This study was designed to explore the associations between impaired cognition in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and the dysfunction of the glymphatic system.
Method: Data were obtained from 77 CKD patients and 50 age-matched healthy control individuals from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. CKD patients were stratified into with and without impaired cognitive function. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging results were used to assess area ratios for the perivascular space and ventricles in participants, while the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Mini-Mental State Examination were employed to measure cognitive function. Correlations between the perivascular space or ventricle area ratios and cognitive impairment were assessed in CKD patients.
Results: Significant increases in the burden of enlarged perivascular spaces in the frontal cortex and basal ganglia were observed in CKD patients with cognitive impairment relative to those without such impairment, with a concomitant increase in analyzed ventricle area ratios. Enlarged perivascular spaces in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia and increased area ratios of lateral ventricles and 4th ventricle exhibited relatively high sensitivity and specificity as means of differing between the CKD patients with and without cognitive impairment.
Conclusion: These results indicate that the burden of enlarged perivascular spaces in the frontal cortex and basal ganglia and increases in ventricle area ratio values may offer utility as biomarkers that can aid in detection of even mild cognitive decline in individuals with CKD. The dysfunction of the glymphatic system may play a key role in the pathogenesis of CKD-related cognitive impairment.
Introduction: This study aimed to explore the association of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) use with in-hospital mortality among Chinese patients with hypertension hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Methods: This study was conducted from January 2014 to January 2017, and data from patients with hypertension hospitalized with CAP were analyzed retrospectively. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were used to investigate any association.
Results: 1,510 patients were included in this study. The crude in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients with ARBs use (4.2% vs. 12.5%, p < 0.001). In the extended multivariable logistic models, the odds ratios (ORs) of ARBs use were consistently significant in all six models (OR range 0.27-0.48, p < 0.05 for all). After subgroup analysis, ARBs use remained a potentially protective factor against in-hospital mortality, and no interaction was detected. After PSM, the in-hospital mortality remained significantly lower in the ARBs use group (4.2% vs. 10.9%, p = 0.002). In the univariate analysis, using ARBs was associated with in-hospital mortality (PSM OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.19-0.68; p = 0.002). Additionally, compared with the control group, ARBs use did not significantly increase the risk of acute kidney injury (12.4% vs. 10.9%, p = 0.628), renal replacement therapy (0.6% vs. 0.3%, p = 1.000), and hyperkalemia (1.8% vs. 2.1%, p = 1.000).
Conclusion: Although residual confounding cannot be excluded, the use of ARBs was associated with lower in-hospital mortality in Chinese patients with hypertension hospitalized with CAP.
Introduction: Due to the wide variation in the prognosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), prediction of risk of renal survival in ADPKD patients is a tough challenge. We aimed to establish a nomogram for the prediction of renal survival in ADPKD patients.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study in 263 patients with ADPKD. The patients were randomly assigned to a training set (N = 198) and a validation set (N = 65), and demographic and statistical data at baseline were collected. The total kidney volume was measured using stereology. A clinical prediction nomogram was developed based on multivariate Cox regression results. The performance and clinical utility of the nomogram were assessed by calibration curves, the concordance index (C-index), and decision curve analysis (DCA). The nomogram was compared with the height-adjusted total kidney volume (htTKV) model by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and DCA.
Results: The five independent factors used to construct the nomogram for prognosis prediction were age, htTKV, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hypertension, and hemoglobin. The calibration curve of predicted probabilities against observed renal survival indicated excellent concordance. The model showed very good discrimination with a C-index of 0.91 (0.83-0.99) and an area under the curve of 0.94, which were significantly higher than those of the htTKV model. Similarly, DCA demonstrated that the nomogram had a better net benefit than the htTKV model.
Conclusion: The risk prediction nomogram, incorporating easily assessable clinical parameters, was effective for the prediction of renal survival in ADPKD patients. It can be a useful clinical adjunct for clinicians to evaluate the prognosis of ADPKD patients and provide individualized decision-making.
Background: The formation of biomolecular condensates via phase separation has emerged as a fundamental principle underlying the spatiotemporal coordination of biological activities in cells. Aberrant biomolecular condensates often directly regulate key cellular process involved in the pathogenesis of human diseases, including kidney diseases.
Summary: In this review, we summarize the physiological roles of phase separation and methodologies for phase separation studies. Taking autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease as an example, we discuss recent advances toward elucidating the multiple mechanisms involved in kidney pathology arising from aberrant phase separation. We suggest that dysregulation of phase separation contributes to the pathogenesis of other important kidney diseases, including kidney injury and fibrosis.
Key messages: Phase separation provides a useful new concept to understand the mechanisms underlying kidney disease development. Targeting aberrant phase-separated condensates offers new therapeutic avenues for combating kidney diseases.