Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a state of chronic inflammation. This study aimed to investigate effects of Ramadan fasting on the markers of chronic inflammation and gut bacterial endotoxin levels in maintenance hemodialysis.
Method: A prospective self-controlled observational study included 45 patients. Serum levels of High Sensitive CRP (hsCRP), indoxyl sulfate, and trimethylamine-n-levels were measured within a week before and a week after Ramadan fasting.
Results: Twenty-seven patients have fasted more than 15 days (29 ± 2.2 days). The levels of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (median of 62 mg/L vs. 91 mg/L), trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO) (median of 4.5 μmoL/L vs. 17 μmoL/L), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (mean of 98.9 mg/L vs. 111.8 mg/L) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (median of 1.56 vs. 1.59) were significantly lower after Ramadan fasting with p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.04, respectively.
Conclusion: A beneficial effect of Ramadan fasting on levels of bacterial endotoxins and markers of chronic inflammation in hemodialysis patients was observed.
Background: The objective of this study is to examine the association between the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and overall mortality in this population.
Methods: GNRI values were calculated by using the serum albumin levels and body weight and the GNRI variability reflects the changes in GNRI change slopes in the follow-up.
Results: GNRI values showed a decrease from the median baseline GNRI of 106.3 (IQR, 95.0,113.4) to 98.4 (interquartile range [IQR], 91.9108.9) (p < 0.001). The median GNRI variability was 4.7 (IQR, 2.5, 10.3). Both baseline GNRI levels (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93, 0.99, p = 0.04) and more profoundly GNRI variability (adjusted OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.44, p = 0.03) were independently associated with mortality.
Conclusion: The monitorization of the changes in GNRI values as a variability index is an easy tool that might improve the predictive accuracy of mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.
Introduction: Primarily, this study aimed to investigate the effect of TPE (therapeutic plasma exchange) treatment on successful ECMO weaning in severe COVID-19 ARDS patients treated with V-V ECMO.
Methods: The study was applied retrospectively on patients over the age of 18 who were hospitalized in the ICU between January 1, 2020 and March 1, 2022.
Results: The study was performed on 33 patients, 36.3% (n: 12) of whom received TPE treatment. The rate of successful ECMO weaning was statistically higher in the TPE treatment group (without TPE: 14.3% [n: 3], with TPE: 50% [n: 6], p = 0.044). The 1-month mortality was also statistically lower in the TPE treatment group (p = 0.044). In the logistic analysis, It was found that the risk of unsuccessful ECMO weaning increased 6 times in those who did not receive TPE treatment (OR; 6.0, 95% CI; 1.134-31.735, p = 0.035).
Conclusion: TPE treatment may increase the success rate of V-V ECMO weaning in severe COVID-19 ARDS patients treated with V-V ECMO.
Introduction: To evaluate the impact of hemodialysis on the duration of viral shedding in middle-aged and elderly patients with the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Methods: The study was a descriptive, paired cohort study. Hemodialysis participants (the HD group) aged 45-99 years infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were matched (in a 1:2 ratio) with patients not undergoing hemodialysis (the non-HD group) according to age, gender, vaccination doses, and comorbidity. The duration of viral shedding and clinical data were collected.
Results: Ninety-nine patients met the inclusion criteria. The duration of recovery was significantly longer for HD patients than for non-HD patients (p < 0.05). Lower counts for CD45+ cells and lymphocytes, along with lower levels of albumin and hemoglobin were associated with a longer duration of viral shedding (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Hemodialysis patients with immunocompromised state, anemia, and hypoalbuminemia might lead to prolongation of the duration of viral shedding.
Introduction: Predictive markers and prognosis remain unclear in hospitalized hemodialysis (HD) patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the Omicron epidemic.
Methods: We evaluated characteristics, laboratory parameters, and outcomes in hospitalized HD patients with COVID-19 (n = 102) at two centers between January and April 2022.
Results: The 30-day mortality rate was higher in moderate-critical group (n = 43) than mild group (n = 59) (16.3% vs. 1.7%; p = 0.007), and higher in patients with lower CC chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17) levels (<95.0 pg/mL) compared with normal CCL17 levels (19.0% versus 4.9%; p = 0.03). In multivariate analyses, a low CCL17 level (p = 0.003) was associated with moderate-critical conditions, and moderate-critical conditions (p = 0.04) were associated with 30-day mortality, whereas CCL17 was not associated with 30-day mortality.
Conclusions: COVID-19 remains a fatal complication, and CCL17 was a predictive marker of severity in hospitalized HD patients during the Omicron epidemic.
Objective: To observe the effect of ticagrelor on the function of a tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.
Methods: Eighty MHD patients (control group: 39 cases, observation group: 41 cases) using TCC as vascular access were enrolled from January 2019 to October 2020 in this prospective study. Patients in the control group were routinely treated with aspirin for antiplatelet therapy, while patients in the observation group were treated with ticagrelor. The catheter life time, catheter dysfunction, coagulation function, and antiplatelet drug-related adverse events of the two groups were recorded.
Results: The median life time of TCC in the control group was significantly higher than that in the observation group. Moreover, the log rank test showed that the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Ticagrelor may reduce the incidence of catheter dysfunction and prolong the life time of the catheter by preventing and reducing the thrombosis of TCC in MHD patients, without obvious side effects.
Introduction: Our study investigated leukapheresis's effect on delayed induction therapy outcomes in patients with acute leukemia presenting with symptomatic hyperleukocytosis.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 30 adult patients diagnosed with acute leukemia who underwent leukapheresis for leukostasis. The patients were divided into the first 24 h and >24 h groups, according to the time from diagnosis to induction therapy (TDT).
Results: There was no significant difference between the TDT groups regarding complete remission (CR), 4-week mortality, and overall survival (OS) at a median follow-up of 409 days. Tumor lysis syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and hemoglobin levels were significant in early mortality. In univariate analysis, age, hemoglobin levels, patients' eligibility for intensive chemotherapy, and achieving CR were critical factors for OS.
Conclusion: The study findings suggest that waiting for the clinical and laboratory results may be a safe and reasonable approach before assigning patients the best treatment option with leukapheresis.

