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Maintaining homeostasis is an integral part of all physiological processes both in health and disease including critically ill patients and may impact clinical outcomes. The present study was designed to assess prevalence of serum calcium, phosphate, vitamin-D3, FGF-23, and PTH levels abnormalities in AKI.Single-center, prospective, observational study in a tertiary care hospital. Patients meeting KDIGO criteria for AKI were included. Paired blood samples were drawn from eligible patients-first sample within 24 hours of AKI diagnosis and second after 5 days or at time of hospital discharge, whichever was earlier for measuring serum calcium (albumin corrected), phosphate, PTH, 25(OH)Vit-D, and FGF-23 levels. Clinical outcomes analyzed included survival status, utilization of RRT, and hospital stay.Of the 50 patients with AKI, about three-fourths were males. Mean age of the participants was 57.32 ± 11.47 years. Around half of patients had hypocalcemia and four-fifths had low serum phosphate. Nearly 82% had low 25(OH)Vit-D and 52% cases had high PTH level. Patients who underwent RRT had numerically higher but not significant serum calcium and PTH levels. FGF-23 levels (pg/mL) were significantly higher in patients on RRT (81.70 ± 17.30 vs non-RRT, 72.43 ± 20.27,The present study found high prevalence of calcium and phosphate disorders in AKI with dysregulated phosphate homeostasis as evidenced from elevated FGF-23 levels linked with morbidity and mortality in AKI.Singh NP, Panwar V, Aggarwal NP, Chhabra SK, Gupta AK, Ganguli A. Regulation of Calcium Homeostasis in Acute Kidney Injury: A Prospective Observational Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(3):302-306.

Anemia is a major complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that leads to many symptoms of this disease and worsens cardiovascular health. Treatment of this condition was revolutionized three decades ago by the commercial availability of recombinant human erythropoietin which held the promise of completely eliminating the need for red blood cell transfusion (RBCT). Despite specific therapy now available for anemia in CKD, clinical data accumulated in the last 2 decades suggests that there is a continued need for RBCT, which, we surmise, is due to underutilization of Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESA) or clinical settings such as active bleed, bone marrow resistance such as myelofibrosis or infections where ESAs are ineffective. The purpose of this narrative review is to highlight the adverse effects and summarize the current patterns of RBCT use in all stages of CKD while elaborating on the clinical characteristics of patients that increases their risks of transfusion exposure. We discuss, briefly, salient features of the pathophysiology of anemia in CKD and its contemporary therapies while presenting our perspectives on how to optimize transfusion strategies without compromising patient safety.

Aims To determine the incidence, risk factors, etiology, and associations of hyponatremia in community-dwelling elderly with geriatric morbidity and mortality. Materials Elderly participants of a single center home-based primary care program were included. Method Retrospective chart review was conducted on demographic and clinical variables, comorbid diseases, frailty by Fried criteria and biochemical tests over a 1-year period. Primary outcome measure was a composite of falls, fractures due to falls, and hospitalization witnessed within the first year of enrollment into the program. Secondary outcome was all-cause mortality. Results The study population (n = 608) had a mean age of 84.3 ± 9.3 years and was largely female (77.1%) and African-American (89.5%). Mean follow-up was 41.5 months. Frailty was seen in 44.4%. Incidence of allcause mortality was 26.9%. Initial hyponatremia occurred in 8.71% (n = 53), and persistent hyponatremia (> 6 months of low serum sodium) in 4.1% (n = 25) of the study population. The major causes of hyponatremia included multiple potential causes, idiopathic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and medications (thiazides and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)). Primary outcome was independently associated with frailty (Odds ratio (OR) of 2.33) and persistent but not initial hyponatremia (OR 3.52). Secondary outcome was independently associated with age > 75 years (OR 2.88) and Afro-American race (OR 2.09) only but not to frailty or hyponatremia. Conclusions Hyponatremia is common in home-bound elderly patients and its persistence independently contributes to falls, fractures, and hospitalization but not mortality. Our study highlights a new association of hyponatremia with frailty and underscores the need to study time-dependent association of hyponatremia with epidemiological outcomes.

Improved survival of patients with haematological malignancies owing to advancements in therapy emphasizes the need for heightened awareness of renal complications that can occur as a result of such malignancies or their treatment. Here, the authors examine the incidences, aetiologies, mechanisms and treatment options for a variety of renal disorders associated with haematological malignancies. As haematopoietic stem cell transplantation emerges as an important therapy for haematological malignancies, they also consider the renal complications of this procedure. Advances in chemotherapy for haematological malignancies, resulting from a greater understanding of the complex pathophysiology of these diseases, have improved the survival of patients with these disorders. Clinicians must now, therefore, be more aware of the issues related to fluid, electrolyte, and acid–base disorders, as well as acute and chronic kidney injuries that can develop in such patients as a result of the underlying malignancy and its treatment. Patients with acute kidney injury associated with haematological malignancy have a worse prognosis than do other patients with acute kidney injury. Glomerular diseases associated with haematological malignancies are thought to be paraneoplastic syndromes with variable histological presentations. Some of the newest therapeutic agents used to treat haematological malignancies have adverse renal effects that can preclude continuation of treatment, often leading to difficult clinical decisions when patients have advanced disease and alternative treatment options are limited. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation has an expanding role as a therapy for haematological malignancies but is also associated with important renal complications. Here, we review the literature that examines the incidences, aetiologies, mechanisms and treatment options for renal disorders associated with haematological malignancies.

Background: Measurements obtained by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), such as nocturnal dipping and 24-hour blood pressure variability, are strongly associated with long-term renal and cardiovascular outcomes. Sparse data exist about how these parameters change after resection of catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of patients who underwent resection of catecholamine-secreting NETs at Penn between January 2014 and December 2016. Patients underwent 24-hour ABPM 1-3 weeks prior to and 6-8 weeks following resection. Results: Of the 32 patients who underwent resection, median age was 56 years, with 44% males (14 of 32), 78% Caucasians (25 of 32), and 84% (27 of 32) on at least one antihypertensive medication pre-operatively. Following resection, 50% (16 of 32) were on no antihypertensive medications and 74% (20 of 27) were on less medications than at baseline. There was a significant decline in clinic systolic blood pressure ([SBP] 134.6 vs. 122.5 mmHg, p Conclusion: Following resection of catecholamine-secreting NETs, patients had a significant decline in 24-hour blood pressure variability and many experienced resolution of white coat, masked, and sustained hypertension, on less antihypertensive medications compared to baseline. There was no significant decline in non-dipping. NET resection may have greater prognostic significance than appreciated by changes in in-office blood pressure measurements and related parameters.

Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a rare hematological disorder associated with progressive cytopenia and extra-medullary hematopoiesis. Acute kidney injury in this disease has been reported from diverse etiologies such as renal and peri-renal extramedullary hematopoiesis and tumor lysis syndrome. We report a patient who presented with obstructive uropathy from uric acid stones who was incidentally diagnosed with PMF during workup for persistent thrombocytosis and leukocytosis. Marrow histopathology was unique in presenting features of early PMF despite clinical picture mimicking essential thrombocythemia. Despite a common background of hyperuricemia in myeloproliferative neoplasms, AKI resulting from urate nephrolithiasis has seldom been reported in PMF. Published data on this association and clinical management is reviewed briefly.