Background:Optimal fluid status is an important issue in hemodialysis. Clinical evaluation of volume status and different diagnostic tools are used to determine hydration status in these patients. However, there is still no accurate method for this assessment. Purpose:To propose and evaluate relative lean water signal (LWSrel) as a water-fat MRI-based tissue hydration measurement. Study Type:Prospective. Population:A total of 16 healthy subjects (56 & PLUSMN; 6 years, 0 male) and 11 dialysis patients (60.3 +/- 12.3 years, 9 male; dialysis time per week 15 +/- 3.5 hours, dialysis duration 31.4 +/- 27.9 months). Field Strength/Sequence:A 3 T; 3D spoiled gradient echo. Assessment:LWSrel, a measurement of the water concentration of tissue, was estimated from fat-referenced MR images. Segmentations of total adipose tissue as well as thigh and calf muscles were used to measure LWSrel and tissue volumes. LWSrel was compared between healthy subjects and dialysis patients, the latter before and after dialysis. Bioimpedance-based body composition monitor over hydration (BCM OH) was also measured. Statistical Tests:T-tests were used to compare differences between the healthy subjects and dialysis patients, as well as changes between before and after dialysis. Pearson correlation was calculated between MRI and non-MRI biomarkers. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The LWSrel in adipose tissue was significantly higher in the dialysis cohort compared with the healthy cohort (246.8% +/- 60.0% vs. 100.0% +/- 10.8%) and decreased significantly after dialysis (246.8 +/- 60.0% vs. 233.8 +/- 63.4%). Thigh and calf muscle volumes also significantly decreased by 3.78% +/- 1.73% and 2.02% +/- 2.50% after dialysis. There was a significant correlation between changes in adipose tissue LWSrel and ultrafiltration volume (r = 87), as well as with BCM OH (r = 0.66). Data Conclusion:MRI-based LWSrel and tissue volume measurements are sensitive to tissue hydration changes occurring during dialysis.

Aims and objectives The aim of this study was to describe the basis for choosing a cannulation technique for arteriovenous fistula. Background Four cannulation techniques are relevant to cannulating an arteriovenous fistula: rope ladder, area puncture and buttonhole using blunt or sharp needles. The chosen technique may affect both the patency and number of complications. Design The study used a convergent mixed methods design and inductive approach. Methods A questionnaire and an inquiry of local guidelines were sent to nurses in all dialysis units in Sweden. Questionnaires were answered by nurses from 37 units, and 29 units included their local guidelines. The questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis, and the guidelines were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The different analyses were combined in a final result. The study is based on GRAMMS guidelines. Results Local guidelines, patients and nurses own judgement, and consultation with colleagues were found to greatly influence the choice of cannulation technique. Buttonhole was the most preferred cannulation technique in the participating units and was favoured by nurses when choosing a cannulation technique. The process of choosing a cannulation technique was found to be influenced by the dedication to good cannulation technique and healthy arteriovenous fistulas, whether the technique is perceived as being easy to use and is expected to prevent complications and based on the experienced-based knowledge of each dialysis unit. Conclusions Choosing a cannulation technique is a process based on the nurse, local guidelines and the patient. Most dialysis nurses and units in Sweden consider buttonhole to be a good cannulation technique and use it as their standard technique. Relevance to clinical practice The results provide insight into why cannulation techniques are chosen differently in different units. The results also show the importance of evidence in making decisions on cannulation technique.

Background The prognosis for kidney survival is poor in patients presenting with circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies and severe kidney injury. It is unknown if treat-ment with an endopeptidase that cleaves circulating and kidney bound IgG can alter the prognosis.& nbsp;Methods An investigator-driven phase 2a one-arm study (EudraCT 2016-004082-39) was performed in 17 hospitals in five European countries. A single dose of 0.25 mg/kg of imlifidase was given to 15 adults with circulating anti-GBM antibodies and an eGFR < 15 ml/min per 1.73m(2). All patients received standard treatment with cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids, but plasma exchange only if autoantibodies rebounded. The primary outcomes were safety and dialysis independency at 6 months.& nbsp;Results At inclusion, ten patients were dialysis dependent and the other five had eGFR levels between 7 and 14 ml/min per 1.73m(2). The median age was 61 years (range 19-77), six were women, and six were also positive for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Then 6 hours after imlifidase infusion, all patients had anti-GBM antibodies levels below the reference range of a prespecified assay. At 6 months 67% (ten out of 15) were dialysis independent. This is significantly higher compared with 18% (nine out of 50) in a historical control cohort (P < 0.001, Fishers exact test). Eight serious adverse events (including one death) were reported, none assessed as probably or possibly related to the study drug.& nbsp;Conclusions In this pilot study, the use of imlifidase was associated with a better outcome compared with earlier publications, without major safety issues, but the findings need to be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial.

Background Safe health care of good quality depends on structured and unceasing efforts to progress, promoting strategies tailored to the context, including elements such as patients preferences. Although patient participation is a common concept in health care, there is yet limited understanding of the factors that facilitate and hinder it in a healthcare context. Aims This paper identifies what patients and health professionals depict in terms of enablers and barriers for patient participation in dialysis care. Methods An explorative qualitative design was applied with seven focus group discussions with patients, staff, and managers across different types of hospitals, with the texts analyzed with content analysis. Results The dialysis context represents three key elements-people, resources, and interactions-that can both enable and hinder patient participation. Both barriers and facilitators for patient participation were found to reside at individual, team, and organizational levels, with a greater number of enabling factors implied by both patients and staff. Linking Evidence to Action While the dialysis context comprises opportunities for progress in favor of patient participation, a shared understanding of the concept is needed, along with how contextual factors can facilitate conditions for participation by patient preferences. In addition, the most favorable strategy for implementing person-centered care is not yet known, but to facilitate patient participation from a patient perspective, creating opportunities to enable staff and patients to share a common understanding is needed, along with tools to facilitate a dialogue on patient participation.

Tryptophan is an essential dietary amino acid that originates uremic toxins that contribute to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patient outcomes. We evaluated serum levels and removal during haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration of tryptophan and tryptophan-derived uremic toxins, indoxyl sulfate (IS) and indole acetic acid (IAA), in ESKD patients in different dialysis treatment settings. This prospective multicentre study in four European dialysis centres enrolled 78 patients with ESKD. Blood and spent dialysate samples obtained during dialysis were analysed with high-performance liquid chromatography to assess uremic solutes, their reduction ratio (RR) and total removed solute (TRS). Mean free serum tryptophan and IS concentrations increased, and concentration of IAA decreased over pre-dialysis levels (67%, 49%, -0.8%, respectively) during the first hour of dialysis. While mean serum total urea, IS and IAA concentrations decreased during dialysis (-72%, -39%, -43%, respectively), serum tryptophan levels increased, resulting in negative RR (-8%) towards the end of the dialysis session (p < 0.001), despite remarkable Trp losses in dialysate. RR and TRS values based on serum (total, free) and dialysate solute concentrations were lower for conventional low-flux dialysis (p < 0.001). High-efficiency haemodiafiltration resulted in 80% higher Trp losses than conventional low-flux dialysis, despite similar neutral Trp RR values. In conclusion, serum Trp concentrations and RR behave differently from uremic solutes IS, IAA and urea and Trp RR did not reflect dialysis Trp losses. Conventional low-flux dialysis may not adequately clear Trp-related uremic toxins while high efficiency haemodiafiltration increased Trp losses.

Background

People with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) often have elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels. It remains unclear how cTnT levels develop over time in those with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to prospectively study the association between cTnT and GFR over time in older advanced‐stage CKD patients not on dialysis.

Methods and Results

The EQUAL (European Quality Study) study is an observational prospective cohort study in stage 4 to 5 CKD patients aged ≥65 years not on dialysis (incident estimated GFR, <20 mL/min/1.73 m²). The EQUAL cohort used for the purpose of this study includes 171 patients followed in Sweden between April 2012 and December 2018. We used linear mixed models, adjusted for important groups of confounders, to investigate the effect of both measured GFR and estimated GFR on high‐sensitivity cTnT (hs‐cTnT) trajectory over 4 years. Almost all patients had at least 1 hs‐cTnT measurement elevated above the 99th percentile of the general reference population (≤14 ng/L). On average, hs‐cTnT increased by 16%/year (95% CI, 13–19; P<0.0001). Each 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 lower mean estimated GFR was associated with a 23% (95% CI, 14–31; P<0.0001) higher baseline hs‐cTnT and 9% (95% CI, 5–13%; P<0.0001) steeper increase in hs‐cTnT. The effect of estimated GFR on hs‐cTnT trajectory was somewhat lower than a previous myocardial infarction (15%), but higher than presence of diabetes mellitus (4%) and male sex (5%).

Conclusions

In CKD patients, hs‐cTnT increases over time as renal function decreases. Lower CKD stage (each 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 lower) is independently associated with a steeper hs‐cTnT increase over time in the same range as other established cardiovascular risk factors.

Rapid progression of vascular calcification (VC) in hemodialysis (HD) patients is caused by several factors including inflammation and an imbalance between active inducers and inhibitors of VC. Growing evidence shows that online hemodiafiltration (ol-HDF), a combination of diffusive and convective solute transport, has positive effects on the uremic environment that affects patients on dialysis. However, we recently reported that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) decreased after a switch from HD to ol-HDF. As a consequence of this finding, the present study was undertaken to investigate if inducers and inhibitors of VC (i.e. the inactive matrix Gla protein fractions dp-ucMGP and t-ucMGP, fetuin-A, Gla-rich protein (GRP), osteopontin (OPN), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), and osteoprotegerin (OPG)) also are affected by ol-HDF. This non-comparative prospective study comprised 35 prevalent patients who were investigated 6, 12, and 24 months after their switch from HD to ol-HDF. Most patients had increased levels of the calcification inhibitors OPN and OPG; and of the inactive calcification inhibitor dp-ucMGP during the study period irrespective of the dialysis modality. BALP and t-ucMGP were mostly within the reference interval, but fetuin-A was mostly below the reference interval during the study period. OPN was significantly associated with BALP and parathyroid hormone, r = 0.62 and r = 0.65 (p amp;lt; .001), respectively. In conclusion, in contrast to decreased 25(OH)D levels, no differences were found for any of the measured biomarkers of VC following the switch from HD to ol-HDF. Further studies are needed to elucidate how these biomarkers can contribute to calcification risk assessment.

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in sleep quality, fatigue, mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over a two-year period among patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis treatment at home. We further explored the extent to which sleep quality, fatigue, and mental health predicted health-related quality of life outcomes. This prospective study included 55 patients. Sleep parameters changed over two years, independently of treatment. Sleep variables at baseline, to some extent, predicted sleep quality after two years. Daytime sleepiness can be a long-term problem. Findings indicate improvements in nocturnal sleep over a two-year time period, independently of dialysis treatment. In contrast, fatigue remained unchanged over the same time period Dansplantation seems to generally benefit the outcome of HRQoL. Strategies to improve sleep and HRQoL may include systematic risk factor modification and efforts to optimise symptomatic treatment.

A method for computer-aided assessment of blood vessel geometries based on shape-fitting algorithms from metric vision was evaluated. Acoustic images of cross sections of the radial artery and cephalic vein were acquired, and medical practitioners used a computer application to measure the wall thickness and nominal diameter of these blood vessels with a caliper method and the shape-fitting method. The methods performed equally well for wall thickness measurements. The shape-fitting method was preferable for measuring the diameter, since it reduced systematic errors by up to 63% in the case of the cephalic vein because of its eccentricity.