Explore the vast range of titles available.

Several studies have suggested that patients with kidney failure may benefit from high-dose hemodiafiltration as compared with standard hemodialysis. However, given the limitations of the various published studies, additional data are needed. We conducted a pragmatic, multinational, randomized, controlled trial involving patients with kidney failure who had received high-flux hemodialysis for at least 3 months. All the patients were deemed to be candidates for a convection volume of at least 23 liters per session (as required for high-dose hemodiafiltration) and were able to complete patient-reported outcome assessments. The patients were assigned to receive high-dose hemodiafiltration or continuation of conventional high-flux hemodialysis. The primary outcome was death from any cause. Key secondary outcomes were cause-specific death, a composite of fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular events, kidney transplantation, and recurrent all-cause or infection-related hospitalizations. A total of 1360 patients underwent randomization: 683 to receive high-dose hemodiafiltration and 677 to receive high-flux hemodialysis. The median follow-up was 30 months (interquartile range, 27 to 38). The mean convection volume during the trial in the hemodiafiltration group was 25.3 liters per session. Death from any cause occurred in 118 patients (17.3%) in the hemodiafiltration group and in 148 patients (21.9%) in the hemodialysis group (hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.65 to 0.93). In patients with kidney failure resulting in kidney-replacement therapy, the use of high-dose hemodiafiltration resulted in a lower risk of death from any cause than conventional high-flux hemodialysis. (Funded by the European Commission Research and Innovation; CONVINCE Dutch Trial Register number, NTR7138.).

Prior small studies have shown multiple benefits of frequent nocturnal hemodialysis compared to conventional three times per week treatments. To study this further, we randomized 87 patients to three times per week conventional hemodialysis or to nocturnal hemodialysis six times per week, all with single-use high-flux dialyzers. The 45 patients in the frequent nocturnal arm had a 1.82-fold higher mean weekly stdKt/Vurea, a 1.74-fold higher average number of treatments per week, and a 2.45-fold higher average weekly treatment time than the 42 patients in the conventional arm. We did not find a significant effect of nocturnal hemodialysis for either of the two coprimary outcomes (death or left ventricular mass (measured by MRI) with a hazard ratio of 0.68, or of death or RAND Physical Health Composite with a hazard ratio of 0.91). Possible explanations for the left ventricular mass result include limited sample size and patient characteristics. Secondary outcomes included cognitive performance, self-reported depression, laboratory markers of nutrition, mineral metabolism and anemia, blood pressure and rates of hospitalization, and vascular access interventions. Patients in the nocturnal arm had improved control of hyperphosphatemia and hypertension, but no significant benefit among the other main secondary outcomes. There was a trend for increased vascular access events in the nocturnal arm. Thus, we were unable to demonstrate a definitive benefit of more frequent nocturnal hemodialysis for either coprimary outcome.

Among patients with severe antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–associated vasculitis, plasma exchange did not reduce the incidence of death or end-stage kidney disease. A reduced-dose regimen of oral glucocorticoids was noninferior to a standard-dose regimen with respect to death or ESKD.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most frequent genetically determined renal disease. In affected patients, renal function may progressively decline up to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and approximately 10% of those with ESRD are affected by ADPKD. The somatostatin analog octreotide long-acting release (octreotide-LAR) slows renal function deterioration in patients in early stages of the disease. We evaluated the renoprotective effect of octreotide-LAR in ADPKD patients at high risk of ESRD because of later-stage ADPKD. We did an internally funded, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial to assess octreotide-LAR in adults with ADPKD with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 15-40 ml/min/1.73 m2. Participants were randomized to receive 2 intramuscular injections of 20 mg octreotide-LAR (n = 51) or 0.9% sodium chloride solution (placebo; n = 49) every 28 days for 3 years. Central randomization was 1:1 using a computerized list stratified by center and presence or absence of diabetes or proteinuria. Co-primary short- and long-term outcomes were 1-year total kidney volume (TKV) (computed tomography scan) growth and 3-year GFR (iohexol plasma clearance) decline. Analyses were by modified intention-to-treat. Patients were recruited from 4 Italian nephrology units between October 11, 2011, and March 20, 2014, and followed up to April 14, 2017. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Compared to placebo, octreotide-LAR reduced median (95% CI) TKV growth from baseline by 96.8 (10.8 to 182.7) ml at 1 year (p = 0.027) and 422.6 (150.3 to 695.0) ml at 3 years (p = 0.002). Reduction in the median (95% CI) rate of GFR decline (0.56 [-0.63 to 1.75] ml/min/1.73 m2 per year) was not significant (p = 0.295). TKV analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and baseline TKV. Over a median (IQR) 36 (24 to 37) months of follow-up, 9 patients on octreotide-LAR and 21 patients on placebo progressed to a doubling of serum creatinine or ESRD (composite endpoint) (hazard ratio [HR] [95% CI] adjusted for age, sex, baseline serum creatinine, and baseline TKV: 0.307 [0.127 to 0.742], p = 0.009). One composite endpoint was prevented for every 4 treated patients. Among 63 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4, 3 on octreotide-LAR and 8 on placebo progressed to ESRD (adjusted HR [95% CI]: 0.121 [0.017 to 0.866], p = 0.036). Three patients on placebo had a serious renal cyst rupture/infection and 1 patient had a serious urinary tract infection/obstruction, versus 1 patient on octreotide-LAR with a serious renal cyst infection. The main study limitation was the small sample size. In this study we observed that in later-stage ADPKD, octreotide-LAR slowed kidney growth and delayed progression to ESRD, in particular in CKD stage 4. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01377246; EudraCT: 2011-000138-12.

BackgroundAcute kidney injury is the most frequent complication in patients with septic shock and is an independent risk factor for death. Although renal-replacement therapy is the standard of care for severe acute kidney injury, the ideal time for initiation remains controversial.MethodsIn a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, we assigned patients with early-stage septic shock who had severe acute kidney injury at the failure stage of the risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) classification system but without life-threatening complications related to acute kidney injury to receive renal-replacement therapy either within 12 hours after documentation of failure-stage acute kidney injury (early strategy) or after a delay of 48 hours if renal recovery had not occurred (delayed strategy). The failure stage of the RIFLE classification system is characterized by a serum creatinine level 3 times the baseline level (or ≥4 mg per deciliter with a rapid increase of ≥0.5 mg per deciliter), urine output less than 0.3 ml per kilogram of body weight per hour for 24 hours or longer, or anuria for at least 12 hours. The primary outcome was death at 90 days.ResultsThe trial was stopped early for futility after the second planned interim analysis. A total of 488 patients underwent randomization; there were no significant between-group differences in the characteristics at baseline. Among the 477 patients for whom follow-up data at 90 days were available, 58% of the patients in the early-strategy group (138 of 239 patients) and 54% in the delayed-strategy group (128 of 238 patients) had died (P=0.38). In the delayed-strategy group, 38% (93 patients) did not receive renal-replacement therapy. Criteria for emergency renal-replacement therapy were met in 17% of the patients in the delayed-strategy group (41 patients).ConclusionsAmong patients with septic shock who had severe acute kidney injury, there was no significant difference in overall mortality at 90 days between patients who were assigned to an early strategy for the initiation of renal-replacement therapy and those who were assigned to a delayed strategy. (Funded by the French Ministry of Health; IDEAL-ICU ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01682590.)

In a multicenter, randomized trial, 2776 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis who were not currently taking a statin were randomly assigned to rosuvastatin or placebo. At a median of 3.8 years of follow-up, rates of the composite primary end point of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke did not differ significantly between the two study groups. Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis were randomly assigned to rosuvastatin or placebo. At a median of 3.8 years of follow-up, rates of the composite primary end point of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke did not differ significantly between the two study groups. Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis have a greatly increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease. 1 , 2 However, the pattern of cardiovascular disease in such patients differs from that in the general population, and although the risk of myocardial infarction is increased, other cardiovascular events, such as sudden cardiac death and heart failure, predominate. 1 – 3 Moreover, the relationship between cardiovascular disease and conventional risk factors is inconsistent, inverse, or U-shaped. 1 , 2 , 4 Since low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels may be low or normal in patients with advanced renal disease, there is particular uncertainty regarding the use of lipid-lowering therapy. 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 Statin . . .

Among patients with type 2 diabetes and stage 4 chronic kidney disease, bardoxolone methyl, as compared with placebo, did not reduce the risk of end-stage renal disease or cardiovascular death. Cardiovascular events in the bardoxolone group prompted trial termination. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most important cause of progressive chronic kidney disease in the developed and developing worlds. Various therapeutic approaches to slow progression, including restriction of dietary protein, glycemic control, and control of hypertension, have yielded mixed results. 1 – 3 Several randomized clinical trials have shown that inhibitors of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system significantly reduce the risk of progression, 4 – 6 although the residual risk remains high. 7 None of the new agents tested during the past decade have proved effective in late-stage clinical trials. 8 – 12 Oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant capacity intensify with the progression of chronic kidney disease. 13 In . . .

Medium cut-off (MCO) dialyzers help remove larger middle molecules associated with symptoms related to the accumulation of uremic retention solutes. We investigated the effect of an MCO dialyzer on the improvement of quality of life (QOL) in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients. Forty-nine HD patients with high-flux dialysis were randomly assigned to either an MCO (Theranova 400, Baxter) or a high-flux (FX CorDiax 80 or 60, Fresenius Medical Care) dialyzer and completed the study. QOL was assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form-36, and pruritus was assessed using a questionnaire and visual analog scale. The reduction ratios of middle molecules were also evaluated. Laboratory markers, including serum albumin, did not differ between the two groups after 12 weeks. Removals of kappa and lambda free light chains were greater for MCO dialyzer than high-flux dialyzer. The MCO group had higher scores than the high-flux group in the domains of physical functioning and physical role (75.2 ± 20.8 vs. 59.8 ± 30.1, P  = 0.042; 61.5 ± 37.6 vs. 39.0 ± 39.6, P  = 0.047, respectively), and the MCO group had lower mean scores for morning pruritus distribution and the frequency of scratching during sleep (1.29 ± 0.46 vs. 1.64 ± 0.64, P  = 0.034; 0.25 ± 0.53 vs. 1.00 ± 1.47, P  = 0.023, respectively). MCO dialyzers may improve patient-reported outcomes, particularly the physical components of QOL and uremic pruritus, in patients with high-flux dialyzers.

This double-blind, randomized trial compared canagliflozin with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and evidence of kidney disease that was treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The canagliflozin group had a lower risk of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular events than the placebo group.

In this trial, patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism who were undergoing dialysis were assigned to receive either the calcimimetic agent cinacalcet or placebo. Cinacalcet did not significantly reduce the risk of death or major cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular disease is very common among patients with chronic kidney disease, including those treated with hemodialysis, among whom the risk of death from cardiovascular disease is increased by a factor of 10 or more as compared with the risk in the general population. 1 , 2 Cardiovascular risk factors that have been linked to chronic kidney disease include heightened states of inflammation, 3 oxidative stress, 4 activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system 5 and the sympathetic nervous system, 6 endothelial dysfunction, 7 retention of uremic toxins promoting atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, 8 abnormalities in platelet aggregation, 9 anemia, 10 and disorders of bone and mineral metabolism, including hyperphosphatemia, hypercalcemia, and secondary hyperparathyroidism. . . .