Pulmonary hypertension in hemodialysis patients

Introduction Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a recognized complication in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). PH is commonly found in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and ESRD. PH is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with CKD. Methodology This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of PH and its associated risk factors in MHD patients. A total of 220 ESRD patients on MHD patients at The Kidney Center, Karachi, Pakistan, aged 18-70 were included...

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is the primary therapeutic option for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). Gastrointestinal symptoms and cutaneous rash are common side effects, with hyperkalemia being uncommon in patients without kidney dysfunction, and myelotoxicity being even rarer. We present the case of a male patient with hypertension and a recent diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, undergoing rituximab treatment for two months. He was admitted to the intensive care unit due to dyspnea, tachypnea, and pleuritic pain, requiring mechanical ventilation...

A 27-year-old female at 20th week of pregnancy was admitted with edema, foamy urine, but normal blood pressure. Her blood count was normal, she had proteinuria of 3 g/day, creatinine 0.4 mg/dl, albumin 2.4 g/dl, and cholesterol 355 mg/dl. Antinuclear antibodies 1/160, but Anti-DNA, anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant were negative, with normal serum C3 and C4. A renal biopsy showed secondary membranous glomerulopathy, most likely lupus class V pure. Steroids, azathioprine, and aspirin were initiated, up to 28 weeks of pregnancy, when she developed severe hypertension, photopsia, headache, anasarca, extensive bruising of the extremities, severe anemia, thrombocytopenia, and creatinine rose to 2...

Transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) is a well-recognized vascular complication after kidney transplantation, with an incidence ranging from 1% to 23%. TRAS often presents with clinical features such as refractory hypertension, de novo hypertension, allograft dysfunction, and the presence of a bruit over the graft. A rare manifestation of TRAS is flash pulmonary edema. Here, we present a case of a 37-year-old male who received a living donor kidney. Four years after the transplant, he presented with acute kidney injury, hypertensive crisis, and flash pulmonary edema...

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis reactions (HDRs) are similar to complement activation-related pseudo allergy (CARPA), a hypersensitivity reaction that occurs when administering certain (nano)drugs intravenously. The pathomechanism of CARPA was described based on animal experiments. Typical CARPA-like dialysis reactions, which occur at the start of hemodialysis, have been reported using polysulfone dialyzers. However, to our knowledge, this is the first dialysis reaction that occurred towards the end of hemodialysis treatment...

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sacubitril valsartan (SV) on heart failure (HF) hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality in patients on hemodialysis with HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF; HFpEF). METHODS: This single-center, prospective study enrolled 155 stable hemodialysis patients with EF > 40% who were followed up for 12 months. Fifty-nine patients were treated with SV; the others were matched for EF (57.89 ± 9...

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a sequela of arteriovenous (AV) fistulas (AVF) or AV grafts (AVG) in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) due to the creation of shunt physiology and increased pulmonary blood flow. PH has been consistently associated with increased mortality but there is a paucity of data regarding management. RESEARCH QUESTION: The objective of this study was to identify risk factors and outcomes in patients who develop PH after AVF or AVG creation for hemodialysis access...

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing arteriovenous (AV) access creation for hemodialysis often have significant comorbidities. Our goal was to quantify the long-term survival and associated risks factors for long-term mortality in these patients to aid in optimization of goals and expectations. METHODS: The Vascular Implant Surveillance and Interventional Outcomes Network Vascular Quality Initiative Medicare linked data was used to assess long-term survival in the HD registry...

The use of intraoperative mechanical support during lung transplantation has traditionally been a controversial topic. Trends for intraoperative mechanical support strategies swing like a pendulum. Historically, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was the modality of choice during transplantation. It provides full hemodynamic support including oxygenation and decarboxylation. Surgical exposure is improved by permitting the drainage of the heart and provides more permissive retraction. CPBs contain drainage reservoirs with hand-held pump suction catheters promoting blood conservation through collection and re-circulation...

OBJECTIVE: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis access is traditionally considered superior to grafts due to infection resistance and purported improved patency. However, challenges to AVF maturation and limited patient survival may reduce AVF benefits. The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with risk of AVF requiring revision before maturation and/or mortality within 2 years of creation. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 250 AVFs created between May 2017 and November 2020 at a single institution...

BACKGROUND: The fluid status and rate of blood flow through the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) are two important factors affecting hemodynamic in hemodialysis patients; however, their effects on pulmonary hypertension have rarely been studied. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the effects of these factors in hemodialysis patients with pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional survey included 219 maintenance hemodialysis patients (139 [63.5%] male)...

Late presentations of liver failure were previously rare in clinical practice given the high mortality of sickle cell disease (SCD) and shorter life expectancy compared to the general population. With advancements in therapeutics for SCD, patients with SCD have increased lifespans, and with them, patients are placed at increased risk for differing patterns of chronic and end-organ failures. We describe a case of an elderly patient who had multiple chronic complications from her years of SCD, including end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis, acquired hemochromatosis, cirrhosis, and pulmonary hypertension...

Peritonitis is the Achilles heel of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) leading to significant morbidity and mortality. We report a 57 year old lady with coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension and diabetic kidney disease on CAPD for four years, who presented with Salmonella typhi peritonitis. As response to intraperitoneal antibiotics was unsatisfactory, the peritoneal dialysis catheter was removed after five days and shifted to maintenance hemodialysis. Following resolution of infection after a prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics, a swan neck catheter was re-implanted after eight weeks...

Hypertension induces vascular damage followed by organ damage, including heart failure in hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and nephrosclerosis (the resultant renal pathologic change from long-standing hypertension affecting renal vascular supply), ultimately causing renal failure. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors are well known as effective drugs for the treatment of hypertension and the anti-remodeling of affected organs. A 52-year-old male was evaluated. Right atrophic kidney and proteinuria were noted in his high school years; however, he had no symptoms for about 35 years...

Goodpasture's disease and anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis (anti-GBM nephritis) are rare autoimmune small vessel vasculitis predominantly affecting young men. Goodpasture's disease plays an important part in differential diagnosis of pulmonary - renal syndrome. The evidence of circulating autoantibodies, a typical histological appearance of the kidney biopsy with finding of the crescent glomerulonephritis and clinical presentation of nephritic syndrome play an important role in diagnosis. Our case report describes a case of a young male with anti-GBM nephritis that presents as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) with progression to dialysis-dependent renal failure...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Volume overload mediates worse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on hemodialysis (HD), leading to increased acute care utilization. Understanding the presence of pulmonary congestion, which is often clinically silent, could be instrumental in predicting acute care needs and mitigating risks through appropriate therapy. This review provides an overview of the existing literature on lung ultrasound in ESKD patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Quantitative lung ultrasound predicts adverse cardiovascular outcomes in ESKD patients on HD...

We present a rare case of a patient with toluene exposure manifesting as anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease on a background of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2 R)-associated membranous nephropathy. A 23-year-old man presented to the emergency department with hypertension, headache, hemoptysis, anemia, acute kidney injury, glomerular hematuria, and proteinuria. He endorsed repeated exposure to toluene-containing products while repairing dirt bikes. Serologies were positive for anti-GBM antibodies...

INTRODUCTION: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterized by hemolytic anemia, bone marrow failure, thrombophilia. COVID-19, caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with many variants including Omicron. METHODS: This study collected demographic and clinical data of 20 PNH patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection. RESULTS: They all were with high disease activity, and LDH level exceeded any documented since the diagnosis of PNH, and those reported in the literature for previously stable treatment with complement inhibitors...

INTRODUCTION: Patients with end-stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis (HD) have a high morbidity and mortality rate associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH). A nomogram was developed to predict all-cause mortality in HD patients with PH. In this study, we aimed to validate the usefulness of this nomogram. METHODS: A total of 274 HD patients with PH were hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University between January 2014 and June 2019 and followed up for 3 years...

We present a case of a 67-year-old male with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis who was admitted to the hospital after recurrent falls secondary to postural hypotension. He was not able to tolerate fluid removal on dialysis due to persistent hypotension despite maximal doses of midodrine and developed severe edema. A right heart catheterization revealed raised biventricular filling pressure consistent with right heart failure with low systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary hypertension. Duplex ultrasound of the left arm cephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) revealed a blood flow of 5...