Rationale: Sucroferric oxyhydroxide is an iron-based phosphate-binding medication that has been approved for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Given the low overall iron release from the polynuclear iron(III)-oxyhydroxide molecule, recommendations regarding its use prior to colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy have not been developed.
Presenting concerns of the patient: A 51-year-old male with a known history of end-stage renal disease treated with hemodialysis was referred to Gastroenterology for consideration of colonoscopy to rule out malignancy because of a history of rectal bleeding. This was to be completed prior to proceeding with a living-donor kidney transplant.
Diagnoses: Flexible sigmoidoscopy done after non-diagnostic colonoscopy demonstrated diffuse "charcoal-like" material that prevented adequate visualization of the bowel despite standard bowel preparation. The findings were believed to be secondary to the use of sucroferric oxyhydroxide prescribed for hyperphosphatemia.
Interventions: The patient was subsequently instructed to discontinue sucroferric oxyhydroxide for 2 weeks prior to his repeat sigmoidoscopy procedure.
Outcomes: The patient's repeat sigmoidoscopy after discontinuing sucroferric oxyhydroxide allowed for adequate bowel visualization that revealed only a benign lipoma.
Teaching points: This case demonstrates the potential for sucroferric oxyhydroxide use to result in poor bowel preparation and resulting inadequate visualization on lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. It serves to highlight the clinical implications leading to the need for repeated procedures, which contributes to resource waste and unnecessary costs to the healthcare system, as well as delays in diagnostic evaluation required for transplantation; patient frustration was evident.
Importance: Hospital admission for a critical illness episode creates communication breakpoints and can lead to medication discrepancies during hospital stays. Due to the patient's underlying condition and the care setting, chronic medications such as cardiovascular medication are often held, discontinued, or changed to alternative administration routes. Unfortunately, data on the optimal timing of cardiovascular drug reinitiation among intensive care unit (ICU) survivors are lacking.
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of chronic cardiovascular medication taken before hospital admission and discontinued at ICU discharge and hospital discharge for critically ill patients. A secondary objective was to assess factors associated with medication discontinuation.
Design setting and participants: We conducted a multicentered retrospective cohort study at 2 tertiary academic hospitals in Canada. All adult patients taking cardiovascular medication before ICU admission and surviving to hospital discharge between April 1, 2016, and April 1, 2017, were eligible.
Main outcomes and measures: The main outcome of the study was the discontinuation of cardiovascular medication prescribed before ICU admission. The outcome was assessed through participants' chart review.
Results: We included 352 patients with a median age of 71.0 years. A total of 155 patients (44.03%) had at least 1 cardiovascular medication discontinued during their stay. Our adjusted model uncovered 3 factors associated with cardiovascular medication discontinuation: male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 0.564, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.346-0.919), number of cardiovascular medications taken preadmission (OR = 1.669, 95% CI = 1.003-2.777 for 2 medications and OR = 3.170, 95% CI = 1.325-7.583), and the use of vasopressors (OR = 1.770, 95% CI = 1.045-2.997).
Conclusion: Our study uncovered that cardiovascular medication discontinuation for ICU patients is frequent, especially for renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers. Data from our study could be used to reinforce site-specific protocols of medication reconciliation and optimization, as well as inform future protocols aimed at RAS blocker reinitiation follow-up.
Background: Symptom burden among long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients is high, and addressing symptoms has been identified as a key research priority by patients. Acupressure has shown some effectiveness in management of symptoms in patients with HD.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility and the effect of implementing a self-administered acupressure intervention on symptom burden and quality of life for in-center HD patients.
Design: A pilot randomized controlled study.
Setting: Two outpatient community HD clinics between in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Patients or sample or participants: Patients on HD for at least 3 months and with at least one symptom score rated greater than moderate were eligible for the study.
Methods: Participants were randomized into either the (1) self-acupressure + usual care or (2) usual care alone group. Participants in the acupressure group were given a wooden acupressure tool and taught how to self-administer protocol on 6 acupressure sites for the 4-weeek study duration. Feasibility outcomes were assessed through satisfaction surveys and attrition. Other outcomes included quality of life and symptom scores by validated questionnaires (EQ-5D-5L and Integrated Palliative Outcome Score-Renal [IPOS-Renal]).
Results: Thirty-two participants were successfully enrolled in the study; acceptability was high with study completion at 98% in the intervention group and 82% adherence rate to the 4-week protocol. Participants in the intervention group reported an improved change score in quality of life (EQ-5D-5L Index Score change = +0.053; EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale score change = +6.7). Participants in the intervention group also reported improved symptom scores (IPOS-Renal overall change = -2.8).
Limitations: Small sample size and intervention duration are limitations of this pilot study.
Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that self-acupressure was acceptable and feasible in this sample of HD patients. Self-acupressure may have a role for supporting the management of symptoms in HD patients. These pilot results can be used to inform larger more definitive investigations.
Background: Sarcopenia, commonly observed in patients treated with hemodialysis, correlates with low serum phosphate levels. Although normophosphatemia is desired, dietary phosphate restriction is difficult to achieve and may result in undesirable protein restriction.
Objective: We aimed to evaluate whether hyperphosphatemia is associated with higher muscle strength in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.
Design: A single-center prospective observational study.
Setting: Ambulatory prevalent patients undergoing hemodialysis treatments in a dialysis unit of a tertiary hospital.
Patients: Participants included prevalent patients treated with hemodialysis. All patients were above 18 years. Only patients with residual kidney function below 200 mL/24 hours were included to avoid bias.
Measurements: Muscle strength was measured by handgrip strength (HGS). Each patient repeated 3 measurements, and the highest value was recorded. Handgrip strength cutoffs for low muscle strength were defined as <27 kg in men and <16 kg in women. Biochemical parameters, including serum phosphate level, were driven from routine monthly blood tests. Hyperphosphatemia was defined as serum phosphate above 4.5 mg/dL.
Methods: Handgrip strength results were compared to nutritional, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters-in particular phosphate level. Long-term mortality was recorded.
Results: Seventy-four patients were included in the final analysis. Handgrip strength was abnormally low in 33 patients (44.5%). Patients with abnormal HGS were older and more likely to have diabetes mellitus and lower albumin and creatinine levels. There was no correlation between HGS and phosphate level (r = 0.008, P = .945). On multivariable analysis, predictors of higher HGS were body mass index and creatinine. Diabetes mellitus and female sex predicted lower HGS. Hyperphosphatemia correlated with protein catabolic rate, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine. On multivariable analysis, predictors of hyperphosphatemia were higher creatinine level, normal albumin level, and heart failure. During mean follow-up time of 7.66 ± 3.9 months, 11 patients died. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with abnormally low HGS compared with normal HGS (odds ratio = 9.32, P = .02).
Limitations: A single-center study. All measurements were performed at one time point without repeated assessments. Direct dietary intake, degree of physical activity, and medication compliance were not assessed.
Conclusion: Hyperphosphatemia correlated with increased protein intake as assessed by protein catabolic rate in patients treated with hemodialysis; however, neither correlated with higher muscle strength as measured by HGS.Trial registration: MOH 202125213.
Background: There is a gap between the number of patients waiting for a transplant and the number of kidneys available. Some deceased donor kidneys are currently nonutilized, as medical teams fear that they will experience suboptimal graft survival. However, these organs could provide an acceptable therapeutic option if they were allocated for preemptive kidney transplantation in elderly candidates.
Objective: This project aims to gather patients' perspectives on the allocation of kidneys with lower longevity for preemptive kidney transplantation in elderly patients.
Design: Individual interviews.
Setting: The Center hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) chronic kidney disease (CKD) clinic.
Participants: Patients aged between 64 and 75 years with CKD G4-5 ND, followed at the CHUM and who have not initiated dialysis yet.
Methods: Between March and July 2023, we conducted 14 individual interviews with patients aged between 64 and 75 years who had CKD G4-5 ND and were followed at the CHUM. The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was conducted.
Results: Most participants were in favor of using kidneys with lower longevity to increase their access to transplantation, improve their quality of life, enable accelerated transplantation, and avoid dialysis. Patients also wanted to be engaged in the decision-making process, underlining the importance of informed consent. Although the use of kidneys with lower longevity offers the hope of returning to "normal" life, some patients were concerned about the risk of reduced graft survival and the need for a subsequent kidney transplant. In these cases, patients were interested in using mitigation strategies, such as prioritization for kidney transplantation from standard donors in case of early graft loss associated with receiving kidneys with lower longevity. They also recommended the development of a separate waiting list for patients consenting to preemptive transplantation with kidneys with lower longevity.
Limitations: This study was conducted in only 1 nephrology clinic in the province of Quebec with French-speaking patients. Consequently, the results may not be generalizable to other populations, including ethnic minorities.
Conclusion: The use of kidneys with lower longevity for preemptive kidney transplantation appears to be an interesting option for elderly kidney transplant candidates. However, patient information and participation in the decision-making process are essential. Moreover, organ donation organizations and transplant programs should develop a separate waitlist for transplant candidates who have preconsented to receive organ offers of deceased donor kidneys with lower longevity.
Trial registration: Not registered.
Background: Living with kidney failure can interfere with life participation (ie, participation in valued life activities). Life participation has recently been identified as a top-priority health outcome of people on peritoneal dialysis therapy, but it is a relatively unexplored topic in peritoneal dialysis.
Objective: The objective is to describe the interventions that have been used to promote life participation in the peritoneal dialysis population and highlight research gaps warranting further investigation.
Design: A scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
Setting: Six electronic databases (MEDLINE [OVID], EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL Plus, SCOPUS) were searched.
Patients: Adults aged 18+ years on peritoneal dialysis therapy.
Measurements: Any dedicated scale or subscale that measured life participation as an isolated outcome.
Methods: Title/abstract screening was completed independently after adequate inter-rater reliability (kappa > 0.8) was achieved among reviewers. Full-text review and data extraction were conducted in duplicate. Extracted data were analyzed using counts, percentages, and narrative synthesis to describe patterns in the literature.
Results: After identifying 13 874 results, 17 studies met eligibility criteria. Eight studies were conducted within the past 5 years, with China as the most common study location. Only 2 studies investigated life participation as a primary study outcome. Eight studies targeted personal-physical barriers to life participation, 8 targeted multiple barriers, and 1 targeted an environmental-institutional barrier. Life participation was assessed within a subdomain of a broader quality of life assessment (The Kidney Disease Quality of Life [KDQOL]-36 or the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36]) in 11 studies. The majority of assessments captured life participation in all major domains of participation (self-care, work, and leisure).
Limitations: Eligibility screening at title/abstract stage was not performed in duplicate; articles not available in English were excluded.
Conclusions: Life participation has infrequently been prioritized as a health outcome in peritoneal dialysis (PD). Interventions have been narrow in focus given the range of challenges faced by people on PD and the holistic approaches used in other clinical populations. Future research should prioritize life participation as a key health outcome in PD and investigate the impact of interventions that address cognitive, affective, and environmental barriers to participation.