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Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) resembles bacterial DNA and potentially triggers local and systemic inflammation. We evaluate the prognostic implications of PD effluent mtDNA level in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.We measured mtDNA in the PD effluent (PDE) sediment and supernatant of 168 incident PD patients. All patients were followed for hospitalization, technique and overall survival.The median PD effluent supernatant and sediment mtDNA levels were 255.4 unit (interquartile range [IQR] 157.5-451.3) and 201.6 unit (IQR 147.8-267.3), respectively. Serum C-reactive protein level closely with PDE sediment mtDNA level (r = 0.471, p 0.001) and less with supernatant mtDNA level (r = 0.156, p = 0.044). PDE supernatant mtDNA level correlates with dialysate-to-plasma creatinine ratio at 4 h (D/P4) (r = 0.361, p 0.001) but not with any clinical outcome. PDE sediment mtDNA was an independent predictor of technique survival (p = 0.011) and the duration of hospitalization (p = 0.044) after adjusting for clinical confounding factors.PDE sediment mtDNA level significantly correlated with systemic inflammation, while PDE supernatant mtDNA level correlated with peritoneal transport. PDE sediment mtDNA level also independently predicted technique survival and duration of hospitalization. The mechanism of the different implications between PDE sediment and supernatant mtDNA levels deserves further investigations.

Background The global prevalence of both obesity and end-stage kidney diseases (ESKDs) has increased in recent decades. Given the complicated interaction between obesity and ESKD, we examined the change in the prevalence of obesity in incident Chinese peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients over the past 25 years. Methods We reviewed the anthropometric measures of incident PD patients in a single Hong Kong center from 1995 to 2019. The results are reported in five 5-year periods. Patients with and without diabetes were analyzed separately, and the incidence of new-onset diabetes after PD was explored. Results We reviewed 1681 patients. Their mean age was 58.4 ± 12.5 years; 931 patients (55.4%) had pre-existing diabetes. From 1995–99 to 2015–19, the prevalence of obesity or overweight at the initiation of PD increased progressively for every 5-year period (from 21.9% to 26.2, 37.9, 42.7 and 47.3%, P < 0.001 for linearity). The increase in the prevalence of obesity or overweight was more pronounced in diabetic patients (from 33.7% to 59.6%) than non-diabetic ones (from 13.2% to 32.3%). Among nondiabetics patients, the incidence of new-onset diabetes after started on PD showed an insignificant rising trend during that period (from 18.0, 19.7, 17.8 and 22.4% to 23.3%, P = 0.106). The incidence of new-onset impaired fasting glucose or diabetes was significantly higher in obese or overweight patients than the others (56.9% versus 51.4%, P < 0.001). Conclusions The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially in both diabetic and nondiabetic new PD patients in Hong Kong over the past 25 years. The incidence of new-onset diabetes was significantly higher in new PD patients with pre-existing obesity or overweight than those without obesity. The prognostic implication and impacts on the healthcare system deserve further studies., GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT Graphical Abstract

BackgroundRelapsing and recurrent peritonitis episodes are major causes of technique failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD). We examined the efficacy of extended antibiotic therapy for the prevention of relapsing and recurrent peritonitis.MethodsFrom February 2016 to November 2018 we recruited 254 PD patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PD peritonitis. They were randomized to a standard group, with the duration of intraperitoneal (IP) antibiotic treatment following the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) guideline according to the causative microorganisms, and an extended group, with 1 extra week of IP antibiotics. The primary endpoint was relapsing, recurrent or repeat peritonitis episodes within 6 months.ResultsThe primary endpoint developed in 36 and 29 patients of the extended and standard groups, respectively (28.3% versus 22.8%; P = 0.34). The rate of complete cure, without relapsing, recurrent or repeat peritonitis within 6 months, was 63.8 and 69.3% for the extended and standard groups, respectively (P = 0.35). Repeat peritonitis episodes were more common in the extended than the standard group (15.0% versus 5.5%; P = 0.013).ConclusionsIn patients with PD-related peritonitis, extending the antibiotic therapy for 1 extra week beyond the ISPD protocol should not be recommended. Extending the treatment does not reduce the risk of relapsing or recurrent peritonitis episodes but rather is associated with a higher risk of repeat peritonitis episodes.

In 2018, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) published a clinical practice guideline on the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The guideline synthesized recent advances, especially in HCV therapeutics and diagnostics, and provided clinical recommendations and suggestions to aid healthcare providers and improve care for CKD patients with HCV. To gain insight into the extent that the 2018 guideline has been adopted in Asia, KDIGO convened an HCV Implementation Summit in Hong Kong. Participants included nephrologists, hepatologists, and nurse consultants from 8 Southeast Asian countries or regions with comparable high-to-middle economic ranking by the World Bank: mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Through presentations and discussions, meeting participants described regional practice patterns related to the KDIGO HCV in CKD guideline, identified barriers to implementing the guideline, and developed strategies for overcoming the barriers in Asia and around the world.

Rationale & Objective Despite a recent meta-analysis favoring straight catheters, the clinical benefits of straight versus coiled peritoneal dialysis catheters remain uncertain. We conducted a randomized controlled study to compare the complication rates associated with these 2 types of double-cuffed peritoneal dialysis catheters. Study Design Multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled trial. Setting & Participants 308 adult continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to receive either straight or coiled catheters. Outcomes The primary outcome was the incidence of catheter dysfunction requiring surgical intervention. Secondary outcomes included time to catheter dysfunction requiring intervention, catheter migration with dysfunction, infusion pain measured using a visual analogue scale, peritonitis, technique failure, and peritoneal catheter survival. Results 153 patients were randomly assigned to straight catheters; and 155, to coiled catheters. Among randomly assigned patients who underwent peritoneal dialysis, during a mean follow-up of 21 months, the primary outcome of catheter dysfunction or drainage failure occurred in 9 (5.8%) patients who received a coiled catheter and 1 (0.7%) patient who received a straight catheter. Straight catheters had 5.1% lower risk for catheter dysfunction (95% CI, 1.2%-9.1%; P = 0.02). The HR of the primary outcome for coiled versus straight catheters was 8.69 (95% CI, 1.10-68.6; P = 0.04). Patients who received a coiled catheter had similar risk for peritonitis but reported higher infusion pain scores than those who received straight catheters. Limitations Generalizability to other peritoneal dialysis centers with lower volumes and other races and nationalities. Conclusions Use of straight Tenckhoff catheters compared with coiled catheters reduced the rate of catheter dysfunction requiring surgical intervention. Funding Funded by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Trial Registration Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with study number NCT02479295 .

Background:There is an increasing number of elderly patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) who could not perform dialysis exchange themselves and require assistance. We examine the outcome of Chinese CAPD patients who required helper-assisted dialysis and compare the outcome between different types of helper.Methods:We reviewed 133 incident patients on helper-assisted CAPD and 266 incident patients who performed self-CAPD exchanges (self-peritoneal dialysis (PD) group). Outcome measures included patient survival, peritonitis-free survival, and overall peritonitis rate.Results:At 24 months, patient survival of the helper-assisted and self-PD groups were 56.0% and 80.6%, respectively ( p < 0.0001). Within the helper-assisted group, patient survival at 24 months was 55.5%, 63.2%, and 27.2% for the patients with domestic helper, family member, and nursing home staff as their helpers, respectively ( p = 0.037). Peritonitis-free survival of the helper-assisted and self-PD groups were 54.2% and 64.9%, respectively ( p = 0.039). Within the helper-assisted group, peritonitis-free survival at 24 months was 59.4%, 55.4%, and 37.2% for the patients with domestic helper, family member, and nursing home staff as their helpers, respectively ( p = 0.06). There was no significant difference in peritonitis rate between patients with domestic helper, family member, and nursing home staff as their helpers (0.54, 0.57, and 0.94 episodes per patient-year, respectively, p = 0.2).Conclusions:Helper-assisted CAPD patients had worse patient survival and peritonitis-free survival than the self-PD group. Assistance by nursing home staff was associated with worse patients’ survival and peritonitis-free survival than assistance by family members or domestic maids.

The scarcity of donor organs for transplant results in long waiting times for kidney transplantation and low transplant rate worldwide. Utilization of kidneys from donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the strategies that has attracted attention recently. This article reviewed the outcomes of transplanted renal allografts from donors with acute kidney injury. Key findings about the transplant outcomes included a higher incidence of delayed graft function and primary non function, but respectable outcomes in the context of similar acute rejection rates, and graft function and graft survival. Against this background and with evidence of high mortality for patients remaining on waiting list of transplant, we advocate consideration of AKI donors for kidney transplantation.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are difficult to diagnose, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and clinical course remains unclear. We determined the prevalence and clinical course of peritonitis caused by these organisms through our kidney registry over 20-year period. Method: We reviewed all patients with NTM peritonitis identified in our tertiary centre between July 2000 and July 2020. The demographic characteristics, microbiological and clinical outcomes were examined. Result: Among 27 patients identified, 20 patients presented with abdominal pain and all had cloudy peritoneal fluid. Twenty-one cases had concomitant exit site infection and 14 cases had prior antibiotic use. The majority of the cases are caused by Mycobacterium chelonae (37%) and Mycobacterium fortuitum (29.7%), with most being resistant to fluoroquinolones (59.3%) and cefoxitin (73.1%). They are all sensitive to amikacin otherwise. None of the cases achieve primary response at day 10 and 20 cases resulted in Tenckhoff catheter removal. Only two of them were able to resume PD. Eight patients died in our cohort. The presence of exit site infection, the use of prior antibiotics and topical disinfectants did not associate with a poorer outcome. Conclusion: NTM peritonitis remains difficult to treat and often with a delay in diagnosis. Refractory peritonitis with negative culture and a poor response to standard antibiotics should raise a possibility of NTM infection and prompt catheter removal and an expert with experience treating NTM infections should be consulted.

Background: Cross-sectional studies showed that fluid overload (FO) measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) predicted adverse outcomes in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). We aimed to describe the longitudinal change in volume status in Chinese PD patients and determine its relation with clinical outcomes. Methods: We performed a single-centre, retrospective analysis of all PD patients who underwent repeated BIS from 2010 to 2015. FO was defined by relative hydration index (RHI; volume of overhydration adjusted by extracellular water >7%). Variability of volume status (VVS) was denoted by the standard deviation of all RHI. The association of time-averaged RHI and VVS on patient and technique survival was explored by a competing risk model. Results: A total of 269 patients were followed for a median of 47.1 months. Mean time-averaged RHI was 17.6 ± 10.2%. Multivariable mixed linear regression revealed that RHI was significantly associated with diabetes, time-varying systolic blood pressure, and inversely with time-varying albumin level, lean tissue index and fat tissue index ( p Conclusions: Persistent FO was a strong predictor of patient and technique failure. Repeated bioimpedance measurements to monitor volume status may provide additional prognostic information in PD patients.

Background There are limited data on the association of adipose microRNA expression with body composition and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to evaluate the association of adipose miR-130b and miR-17-5p expressions with body composition, functional state, cardiovascular outcome and mortality in incident dialysis patients. Methods We performed a single-center prospective cohort study. Patients who were planned for peritoneal dialysis were recruited. miR-130b and miR-17-5p expressions were measured from subcutaneous and pre-peritoneal fat tissue obtained during peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion. Body composition and physical function were assessed by bioimpedance spectroscopy and Clinical Frailty Scale. Primary outcome was 2-year survival. Secondary outcomes were 2-year technique survival and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) rate. Results Adipose expression of miR-130b and miR-17-5p correlated with parameters of muscle mass including intracellular water (miR-130b: r = 0.191, P = 0.02; miR-17-5p: r = 0.211, P = 0.013) and lean tissue mass (miR-17-5p: r = 0.176, P = 0.04; miR-17-5p: r = 0.176, P = 0.004). miR-130b expression predicted frailty significantly (P = 0.017). Adipose miR-17-5p expression predicted 2-year all-cause survival (P = 0.020) and technique survival (P = 0.036), while miR-130b expression predicted incidence of MACE (P = 0.015). Conclusions Adipose miR-130b and miR-17-5p expressions correlated with body composition parameters, frailty, and predicted cardiovascular events and mortality in advanced CKD patients.

Background: Physical frailty contributes to adverse clinical outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Little has been reported about frailty transitions in this population. We aimed to describe the transitions of frailty in PD patients and identify factors that predicted changes in frailty state. Methods: In a prospective observational study, we recruited 267 PD patients. Frailty was assessed by a validated frailty score. Depression was graded by PHQ-9 score, and nutritional status was evaluated by serum albumin, Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and comprehensive Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS). The primary outcome was the change in frailty score at follow-up compared to baseline. Results: At baseline, 194 (72.7%) patients were classified as frail. With time, their frailty scores significantly increased (p < 0.001), and 93 of the surviving subjects (78.2%) were classified as frail. There was a modest significant correlation between change in MIS (p < 0.001), change in SGA score (p < 0.001), and change in PHQ-9 score (p < 0.001) with change in frailty score. An increase in PHQ-9 score (p < 0.001) and MIS (p = 0.001), as well as longer duration of hospitalization (p = 0.001), was independently associated with a greater change in frailty score after adjustment for confounding factors. Frailty score was also improved in patients who were converted to hemodialysis (p = 0.048) and received renal transplantation (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that frailty transitions were common in PD patients. Worsening in nutrition and depression, together with a longer duration of hospitalization, were associated with worsening in frailty.

Summary Background & aims Frailty and body composition contribute to adverse pre-transplant outcomes including hospitalization and waitlist mortality, but the interaction between frailty and body composition remains uncertain. Methods Frailty was diagnosed by Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and a standard Frailty Questionnaire (FQ). Nutrition was evaluated by serum albumin level, subjective global assessment (SGA) and comprehensive malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS). Body composition was assessed by bioimpedance spectroscopy. All patients were followed up for three years. Primary outcome measure was a composite of death and permanent removal from waitlist. Secondary outcomes were emergency room attendance and hospitalization. Results 432 prevalent peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients were recruited. 148 (34.3%) were listed on transplant waitlist. Frailty, age and comorbidity load predicted waitlisting. With time, 47 patients were delisted. Frailty by FQ (p = 0.028), serum albumin level (p = 0.005) and waist circumference (p = 0.010) predicted delisting after adjustment for confounders. Frailty significantly interacted with lean tissue wasting (FQ: p = 0.002, CFS: p = 0.048), and MIS (FQ: p = 0.004; CFS: p = 0.014) on delisting. Lean tissue wasting caused 2.56 times risk of delisting among frail individuals identified by FQ (p = 0.016), while serum albumin and the presence of diabetes mellitus predicted the risk of delisting among non-frail individuals. Lean tissue wasted and frail subjects had a higher all-cause and infection-related hospitalization. Conclusion Frailty predicted both kidney transplant waitlisting and subsequent delisting. Frailty interacted with body composition on transplant waitlist delisting. Lean tissue wasting and malnutrition independently predicted delisting in frail and non-frail listed subjects respectively.

Ion-exchange resins, sodium or calcium polystyrene sulfonate, are commonly used medications for management of hyperkalaemia. However, the drug can be associated with serious bowel injury. We report a case of a renal transplant recipient who developed duodenal ulcer perforation secondary to the use of calcium polystyrene sulfonate. Characteristic eosinophilic non-polarisable rhomboid shaped crystals were evident in the affected area of ulceration on histologic examination in addition to features of cytomegalovirus inclusions. We also hypothesised that gastroparesis secondary to autonomic dysfunction could have led to prolonged luminal contact time with polystyrene, further predisposing to bowel injury.

Background Urinary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragment level has been proposed as a biomarker of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study, we determine the relation between urinary mtDNA level and rate of renal function deterioration in non-diabetic CKD. Methods We recruited 102 non-diabetic CKD patients (43 with kidney biopsy that showed non-specific nephrosclerosis). Urinary mtDNA level was measured and compared to baseline clinical and pathological parameters. The patients were followed 48.3 ± 31.8 months for renal events (need of dialysis or over 30% reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]). Results The median urinary mtDNA level was 1519.42 (inter-quartile range 511.81–3073.03) million copy/mmol creatinine. There were significant correlations between urinary mtDNA level and baseline eGFR (r = 0.429, p

Background. Cryoglobulinemia is a systemic disease and the clinical involvement is variable. The long-term renal outcome of cryoglobulinemia remains unclear, and most published series are from the western world with a high proportion of chronic hepatitis C. The objective was to determine the prevalence, causes and renal outcome of cryoglobulinemia in Hong Kong. Method. We reviewed 289 patients with cryoglobulinemia in the public hospital database of Hong Kong between 2000 and 2019. The renal event-free survival, dialysis-free survival, and overall survival were analysed according to the underlying aetiologies and compared to 7483 patients with cryoglobulin tested negative during the same period. Result. Among the cryoglobulinemic patients, 68 (23.5%) had chronic hepatitis B, 69 (23.9%) had hepatitis C, and 14 (4.8%) paraproteinemia. They were followed for 62.7 ± 58.0 months. The 5-year dialysis-free survival was 68.3%, 70.1%, 66.8%, and 82.9% for patients with cryoglobulinemia attributed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, paraproteinemia, and unknown aetiology, respectively (p = 0.048), and their 5-year overall survival was 61.3%, 57.5%, 22.2%, and 72.4%, respectively (p = 0.002). Among hepatitis B patients, the group with cryoglobulin had a worse renal event-free survival than those without (36.4% vs 43.2%, p = 0.005), although their dialysis-free survival and all-cause mortality were similar. For patients with hepatitis C or paraproteinemia, the presence of cryoglobulin did not affect the renal outcome. Conclusion. Hepatitis B is a common cause of cryoglobulinemia in southeast Asia, and the presence of cryoglobulinemia in them is associated with a worse renal event-free survival. The renal prognosis of cryoglobulinemia appears to be affected by the underlying cause, with hepatitis B having a worse renal outcome and patients with paraproteinemia having a worse overall survival than those with other causes of cryoglobulinemia.

ObjectiveAlthough COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness, there is mounting evidence suggesting that the GI tract is involved in this disease. We investigated whether the gut microbiome is linked to disease severity in patients with COVID-19, and whether perturbations in microbiome composition, if any, resolve with clearance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.MethodsIn this two-hospital cohort study, we obtained blood, stool and patient records from 100 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Serial stool samples were collected from 27 of the 100 patients up to 30 days after clearance of SARS-CoV-2. Gut microbiome compositions were characterised by shotgun sequencing total DNA extracted from stools. Concentrations of inflammatory cytokines and blood markers were measured from plasma.ResultsGut microbiome composition was significantly altered in patients with COVID-19 compared with non-COVID-19 individuals irrespective of whether patients had received medication (pFaecalibacterium prausnitzii, Eubacterium rectale and bifidobacteria were underrepresented in patients and remained low in samples collected up to 30 days after disease resolution. Moreover, this perturbed composition exhibited stratification with disease severity concordant with elevated concentrations of inflammatory cytokines and blood markers such as C reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase.ConclusionAssociations between gut microbiota composition, levels of cytokines and inflammatory markers in patients with COVID-19 suggest that the gut microbiome is involved in the magnitude of COVID-19 severity possibly via modulating host immune responses. Furthermore, the gut microbiota dysbiosis after disease resolution could contribute to persistent symptoms, highlighting a need to understand how gut microorganisms are involved in inflammation and COVID-19.

Background Depression and frailty contribute to the adverse clinical outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. However, the interaction between depression and frailty in PD patients remains uncertain. We determined the prevalence of depression and frailty in prevalent Chinese PD patients, dissected the internal relationship between depression and frailty, and determined their relative contribution to the adverse clinical outcome in PD patients. Methods In a prospective observational study, we recruited 267 prevalent PD patients. Depression was identified by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Frailty was identified by a validated Frailty Score. All cases were followed for one year. Outcome measures included number and duration of hospitalization, peritonitis rate, and all-cause mortality. Results Of the 267 patients, 197 patients (73.8%) were depressed, and 157 (58.8%) were frail. There was a substantial overlap between depression and frailty. Although depression and frailty were associated the number and duration of hospitalization by univariate analysis, the association became insignificant after adjusting for confounding factors by multivariate analysis. Both depression and frailty were associated with one-year mortality by univariate analysis. One-year patient survival was 95.9, 86.5, 82.4 and 71.0% for patients with nil, mild, moderate and severe frailty, respectively (p = 0.001). Frailty was an independent predictor of patient survival by multivariate analysis (adjusted hazard ratio 1.424, 95% confidence interval 1.011–2.005. p = 0.043), while the prognostic effect of depression disappears after adjusting for frailty score. Conclusion Depression and frailty were common among Chinese PD patients. Frailty, but not depression, was an independent predictor of one-year mortality.

We report a patient with chronic diabetes and was referred for recent onset proteinuria. Light microscopy of the renal biopsy specimen showed mildly expanded mesangium with mesangial hypercellularity and segmental sclerosis, features compatible with diabetic glomerulosclerosis. However, crystalglobulin-induced nephropathy with crystal deposit was identified on electron microscopy. Renal biopsy is often performed for diabetic patients who present with proteinuria and light microscopy often shows features of diabetic glomerulosclerosis. Additional information may occasionally be revealed on electron microscopy, altering the subsequent plan of management.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a serious complication of PD, but routine microbiological culture is slow and could not identify the organism in 15% cases. We examine the accuracy of polymerase chain reaction/electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS), a PCR-based method developed for the direct detection of bacteria in blood, for rapid identification of microorganisms from PD effluent. Methods: We recruited 73 consecutive patients with PD-related peritonitis. Dialysis effluent was collected for routine bacterial culture, PCR/ESI-MS, and bacterial DNA quantification before initiation of antibiotic therapy. Results: By digital PCR with universal bacterial primers, bacterial DNA was detectable in all PD effluent specimens. For the entire cohort, taking standard bacterial culture as the gold standard, the PCR/ESI-MS assay correctly identified 34.3% of the causative organisms, failed to identify any organism in 52.1% cases, and identified a different organism in 8.2% cases. For the 14 episodes of peritonitis that were culture negative by conventional bacterial culture, the PCR/ESI-MS assay identified an organism in only four cases. The detection rate of the IRIDICA BAC BSI assay was not affected by the use of biocompatible PD solution or concomitant exit-site infection. Conclusions: The PCR/ESI-MS assay could not identify the causative organism in over 50% of the PD effluent samples in patients with PD-related peritonitis and should be not used for such purpose. The reason for the poor performance needs further investigation.

BackgroundExtracellular volume overload is a common problem in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and is associated with excessive mortality. We determine the effectiveness of treating PD patients with extracellular volume overload by a structured nurse-led intervention program.MethodsThe hydration status of PD patients was screened by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS). Fluid overload was defined as overhydration volume ≥ 2 L. Patients were classified into Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Groups and were managed by a structured nurse-led intervention protocol that focused on education and motivation. Hypertonic cycles were given for short term symptom relief for the Symptomatic group. Patients were followed for 12 weeks for the change in volume status, blood pressure, knowledge and adherence as determined by standard questionnaires.ResultsWe recruited 103 patients (53 Symptomatic, 50 Asymptomatic Group. There was a significant reduction in overhydration volume 4 weeks after intervention, which was sustained by week 12; the overall reduction in overhydration volume was 0.96 ± 1.43 L at 4 weeks, and 1.06 ± 1.70 L at 12 weeks (p p = 0.037) but not Symptomatic group. The scores of knowledge, adherence to dietary control and advices on daily habit at week 4 were all significantly increased, and the improvement was sustained at week 12.ConclusionsThe structured nurse-led intervention protocol has a lasting benefit on the volume status of PD patients with extracellular volume overload. BIS screening allows prompt identification of volume overload in asymptomatic patients, and facilitates a focused effort on this high risk group.

Background The reported causes of nephrotic syndrome (NS) varied between different countries. Less is known about the causes of nephrotic-range proteinuria (NPU). Methods In this single-centre, retrospective study of adult patients who underwent renal biopsy between 1983-2015 in a tertiary referral hospital in Hong Kong, we aimed to evaluate the underlying causes of NS and NPU. We also determined the distribution of histopathological diagnoses with regard to the age subgroups and time periods Results Among 7,456 patients who underwent renal biopsy, 982 and 838 patients had NS and NPU, respectively. The most common diagnosis in NS was minimal change disease (MCD) (33.3%), followed by membranous nephropathy (MN) (23.6%) and lupus nephritis (LN) (12.8%); whereas the most common diagnosis in NPU was LN (27.4%), followed by immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) (21.4%) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) (9.3%). In the NS group, MCD was the most common diagnosis in young adults while MN was the leading cause in the elderly. On the other hand, LN was the most common pathology in NPU group until the age of 60. Over the past three decades, there was a trend of decrease in the proportion of IgAN in both NS and NPU group, while a combined pathology of hypertensive nephrosclerosis and diabetic nephropathy (HTNS & DN) increased significantly. Conclusions The causes of NS and NPU in Chinese adults were different and may represent two distinct pathological identities. The spectrum of renal histopathology among these two groups changed significantly over time.

Background Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We study the relation between urinary and intra-renal mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) levels and renal dysfunction in DN. Methods We recruited 92 patients with biopsy-proven DN. Urinary sediment, urinary supernatant and intra-renal mtDNA levels were measured and compared with baseline renal biopsy, kidney scarring and renal function decline in the subsequent 24 months. Results mtDNA could be detected in all urine supernatant, urine sediment and renal biopsy specimens. There was a modest but statistically significant inverse correlation between urinary supernatant and intra-renal mtDNA levels (r = -0.453, P = 0.012). Urinary supernatant mtDNA level had modest but statistically significant correlations, inversely with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.214, P = 0.04), and positively with interstitial fibrosis (r = 0.300, P = 0.005). Intra-renal mtDNA had significant inverse correlation with interstitial fibrosis (r = -0.537, P = 0.003). However, there was no significant relation between renal function decline and urinary supernatant, urinary sediment or intra-renal mtDNA levels. Conclusions mtDNA is readily detectable in urinary supernatant and kidney tissue, and their levels correlate with renal function and scarring in DN. Further studies are needed to determine the accuracy of urinary supernatant mtDNA level as a prognostic indicator of DN, as well as its role in other kidney diseases.

Several comorbidity scoring systems have been developed and validated, mostly in western hemodialysis patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. The performance of comorbidity scoring, however, depends on the patient population. In this study, we determine the optimal comorbidity scoring system for predicting survival of incident Chinese PD patients. We studied 461 incident PD patients. The performance of Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Hemmelgarn score, and Liu score as the survival predictor was compared. The mean age was 57.7 ± 13.7 years. The median CCI, Hemmelgarn, and Liu scores were 4 [inter-quartile range (IQR) 2–5], 1 (IQR 0–2), and 4 (IQR 2–5), respectively. Patients were followed for 45.5 ± 33.0 months. All 3 comorbidity scores were predictors of patient survival by univariate analysis. After adjusting for confounding factors, CCI was the best predictor of patient survival among the 3 indices, with each point increase in CCI conferring 31% excess in mortality risk [95% confidence interval (CI) 21–41%, p

Aim Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a synthetic anti-fibrinolytic agent commonly used for the prevention and treatment of bleeding disorders. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical manifestation of TXA toxicity in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Methods From 2005 to 2014, we encountered four CKD patients who experienced severe complications related to TXA. Clinical manifestations and outcome of these patients were recorded. We then performed a qualitative literature review of published cases of TXA toxicity in CKD patients in the PubMed database from 1 January 1972 to 31 December 2015. Results In our centre, two peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients developed neurotoxicity after intravenous TXA use for surgical bleeding and one PD patient developed neurotoxicity after oral TXA use for post-polypectomy colonic bleeding. One kidney transplant recipient developed acute obstructive uropathy due to retention of blood clot at the pelvi-ureteric junction of graft kidney after taking oral TXA for menorrhagia. Dosage of TXA was not adjusted according to renal function in all cases. All of them recovered without permanent disability after TXA was stopped. From our literature search, we identified two cases of neurotoxicity (one PD, one stage 4 CKD patient), one case of retinal toxicity in a haemolysis (HD) patient, one case of ligneous conjunctivitis in a CKD patient, and one case of toxic epidermal necrolysis in a CKD patient. Conclusion Neurotoxicity is a very common clinical manifestation of TXA toxicity in CKD patients. Thrombotic complication is rare. Dosage adjustment of TXA is essential in CKD patients.

AIM C-reactive protein (CRP) is a mediator of systemic inflammation. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is known to cause peritoneal inflammation and fibrosis. We compare the degree of peritoneal inflammation and fibrosis in wild-type (WT) and CRP-transgenic (Tg) mice after PD treatment. METHODS WT (n = 7) and CRP-Tg (n = 10) C57BL/6 J mice (all male, 10-12 weeks old) were injected intra-peritoneally with 4.25% dextrose PD solution (3 mL/mouse) daily for 28 days, followed by a 2-h peritoneal equilibration test (PET). The mice were then killed. Parietal peritoneal and omental tissues were collected for the assessment of inflammation and fibrosis. RESULTS After 28 days of PD treatment, CRP-Tg mice had higher dialysate-to-plasma (D/P) creatinine ratio than that of WT mice. Parietal peritoneum of the CRP-Tg mice was more cellular and thicker than that of the WT mice. CRP-Tg mice also had higher connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) RNA expressions as well as immunohistochemical staining in the parietal peritoneum than that of the WT mice. CONCLUSIONS CRP-Tg mice have significantly more inflammation and fibrosis than WT mice after PD treatment. Our results suggest that CRP play a role in inflammation and fibrosis induced by PD. The implication of our results to human PD therapy needs further investigations.

The success of peritoneal dialysis as renal-replacement therapy depends on a well-functioning peritoneal catheter. Knowledge of best practices in catheter insertion can minimize the risk of catheter complications that lead to peritoneal dialysis failure. The catheter placement procedure begins with preoperative assessment of the patient to determine the most appropriate catheter type, insertion site, and exit site location. Preoperative preparation of the patient is an instrumental step in facilitating the performance of the procedure, avoiding untoward events, and promoting the desired outcome. Catheter insertion methods include percutaneous needle-guidewire with or without image guidance, open surgical dissection, peritoneoscopic procedure, and surgical laparoscopy. The insertion technique used often depends on the geographic availability of material resources and local provider expertise in placing catheters. Independent of the catheter implantation approach, adherence to a number of universal details is required to ensure the best opportunity for creating a successful long-term peritoneal access. Finally, appropriate postoperative care and catheter break-in enables a smooth transition to dialysis therapy.

As the global burden of chronic kidney disease continues to increase, so does the need for a cost-effective renal replacement therapy. In many countries, patient outcomes with peritoneal dialysis are comparable to or better than those with haemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis is also more cost-effective. These benefits have not, however, always led to increased utilization of peritoneal dialysis. Use of this therapy is increasing in some countries, including China, the USA and Thailand, but has proportionally decreased in parts of Europe and in Japan. The variable trends in peritoneal dialysis use reflect the multiple challenges in prescribing this therapy to patients. Key strategies for facilitating peritoneal dialysis utilization include implementation of policies and incentives that favour this modality, enabling the appropriate production and supply of peritoneal dialysis fluid at a low cost, and appropriate training for nephrologists to enable increased utilization of the therapy and to ensure that rates of technique failure continue to decline. Further growth in peritoneal dialysis use is required to enable this modality to become an integral part of renal replacement therapy programmes worldwide.

Peritonitis is the major complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). The aim of our present study is to explore the prognostic value of endotoxin level in PD effluent for the prediction of treatment failure in PD-related peritonitis. We studied 325 peritonitis episodes in 223 patients. PD effluent (PDE) was collected every 5 days for endotoxin level and leukocyte count. Patients were followed for relapsing or recurrent peritonitis. We found 20 episodes (6.2%) had primary treatment failure; 41 (12.6%) developed relapsing, 19 (5.8%) had recurrent, and 22 (6.8%) had repeat episodes. Endotoxin was detectable in the PDE of 19 episodes (24.4%) caused by Gram negative organisms, 4 episodes (6.8%) of mixed bacterial growth, and none of the culture negative episodes or those by Gram positive organisms. For episodes caused by Gram negative bacteria, a detectable endotoxin level in PDE on day 5 had a sensitivity and specificity of 66.7% and 83.3%, respectively, for predicting primary treatment failure. In contrast, PDE leukocyte count > 1000 per mm3 on day 5 had a sensitivity and specificity of 88.9% and 89.1%, respectively; the addition of PDE endotoxin assay did not improve the sensitivity or specificity. We conclude that detectable endotoxin in PDE 5 days after antibiotic therapy might predict primary treatment failure in peritonitis episodes caused by Gram negative organisms. However, the sensitivity and specificity of PDE endotoxin assay was inferior to PDE leukocyte count.

Background: Endocan is associated with endothelial dysfunction. In peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, cardiovascular disease is a common cause of mortality. We examined the relationship between serum endocan level and clinical outcome of PD patients. Methods: We recruited 193 new PD patients (118 males, mean age 58.8 ± 11.6 years). Serum endocan levels were determined and stratified into tertile 1 (lowest) to 3 (highest). Nutritional status, arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. The patients were followed for at least 4 years for clinical outcomes. Results: For the whole cohort, patients with higher serum endocan levels had lower serum albumin and subjective global assessment score, higher carotid-femoral PWV, and higher serum CRP. For patients with suboptimal blood pressure (BP) control, cardiovascular event-free survival was 95.0, 95.5, and 78.5% for tertiles 1, 2, and 3 at 60 months respectively (p = 0.019). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that serum endocan level was an independent predictor of cardiovascular event-free survival. No association with cardiovascular event-free survival was found for patients with adequate BP control (95.0, 92.3, and 100% for tertile 1, 2, and 3 at 60 months, respectively, p = 0.6). Conclusions: Higher serum endocan level is associated with unfavourable nutritional, arterial and inflammatory conditions in PD patients. In patients with suboptimal BP control, higher serum endocan is also associated with worse cardiovascular outcome.

Background: Despite the increasing use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) in patients receiving dialysis, few studies have examined the benefits of ESA for patients with chronic kidney disease receiving palliative care. Objective: We designed a retrospective observational study to evaluate the effect of ESA in treating anemia of renal disease among adult patients receiving palliative care instead of dialysis. The primary objective was to assess whether ESA can reduce the transfusion burden and hospitalization. Results: Thirty-nine patients receiving ESA were matched with a control group of 39 patients without ESA. Their mean age and glomerular filtration rates were 76.7 (10.2) years and 11.6 (5.7) mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively. Baseline hemoglobin levels were comparable in the ESA and control groups; their corresponding values were 10.2 (1.5) and 10.1 (1.4) g/dL. During 1-year observation period, 34 units of red cell transfusion occurred in patients receiving ESA, whereas 128 units of red cell were transfused to patients in control group. Patients in the control group had higher transfusion rate (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 3.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.49-5.31; P < .00001) and higher admission rates (IRR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.80-3.03; P < .000001) than the ESA group even after adjustment for comorbidities. Conclusions: High disease burden of palliative care among patients with stage 4 to 5 chronic kidney disease was reflected by transfusion requirement and hospitalization rates, both of which were shown to be significantly ameliorated by ESA treatment.

Background IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Urinary micro-RNA (miRNA) level is increasingly reported to as non-invasive markers of various kidney diseases. We aim to identify urinary miRNA targets for the diagnosis of IgAN. Methods In the development cohort, we performed complete miRNA profiling of urinary sediment in 22 patients with IgAN and 11 healthy controls (CTL). Potential miRNA targets were quantified by a separate validation cohort of 33 IgAN patients and 9 healthy controls. Results In the development cohort, we identified 39 miRNA targets that have significantly different expression between IgAN and CTL (14 up-regulated, and 25 down-regulated). Among the 8 miRNA targets chosen for validation study, urinary miR-204, miR-431 and miR-555 remained significantly reduced, and urinary miR-150 level was significantly increased in the IgAN as compared to CTL. The area-under-curve of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for urinary mi-204 level for the diagnosis of IgAN was 0.976, and the diagnostic performance of combining additional miRNA targets was not further improved. At the cut-off 1.70 unit, the sensitivity and specificity of urinary miR-204 was 100 and 55.5%, respectively, for diagnosing IgAN. Conclusions Urinary miR-150, miR-204, miR-431 and miR-555 levels are significantly different between IgAN and healthy controls; urinary miR-204 level alone has the best diagnostic accuracy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12882-019-1267-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The success of peritoneal dialysis (PD) as renal replacement therapy depends upon a safe, functional, and durable catheter access to the peritoneal cavity provided in a timely fashion. Catheter complications often lead to catheter loss and contribute to technique failure. With improvements in prevention and treatment of peritonitis, the impact of catheter-related infections and mechanical problems on PD technique survival has become more apparent. Guideline committees under the sponsorship of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) periodically update best practices for optimal peritoneal access (1–4). Recent advances in our understanding of the key aspects of providing successful placement and maintenance of peritoneal catheters compels the current update. Assessment of evidence for guidelines recommendations is made using a modification of the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system for classification of the level of evidence and grade of recommendations (5). Where scientific evidence is not available, recommendations are based on a consensus opinion. The bibliography supporting the recommendations is not intended to be comprehensive. When there are multiple similar reports on the same subject, the committee prefers to cite the more recent publications. Within each recommendation, strength is indicated as Level 1 (we recommend), Level 2 (we suggest), or not graded, and the quality of the supporting evidence is shown as A (high quality), B (moderate quality), C (low quality), or D (very low quality). The recommendations are not meant to be implemented indiscriminately in every instance but adapted as necessary according to local circumstances and the clinical situation. While many of the general principles presented here may be applied to pediatric patients, the focus of these guidelines is on adults. Clinicians who take care of pediatric PD patients should refer to the latest ISPD guidelines covering this patient group (6).

There are an estimated 14,000 randomized trials published in chronic kidney disease. The most frequently reported outcomes are biochemical endpoints, rather than clinical and patient-reported outcomes including cardiovascular disease, mortality, and quality of life. While many trials have focused on optimizing kidney health, the heterogeneity and uncertain relevance of outcomes reported across trials may limit their policy and practice impact. The international Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG) Initiative was formed to identify core outcomes that are critically important to patients and health professionals, to be reported consistently across trials. We convened a SONG Implementation Workshop to discuss the implementation of core outcomes. Eighty-two patients/caregivers and health professionals participated in plenary and breakout discussions. In this report, we summarize the findings of the workshop in two main themes: socializing the concept of core outcomes, and demonstrating feasibility and usability. We outline implementation strategies and pathways to be established through partnership with stakeholders, which may bolster acceptance and reporting of core outcomes in trials, and encourage their use by end-users such as guideline producers and policymakers to help improve patient-important outcomes. ispartof: pages:1053-1068 ispartof: Kidney Int vol:94 issue:6 pages:1053-1068 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Rationale & Objective Previous studies have suggested that microRNA-21 (miR-21) plays an important role in kidney fibrosis. We examined the relationship between intrarenal miR-21 level and rate of kidney function loss in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting & Participants 40 patients with IgAN and 10 with hypertensive nephrosclerosis as controls. Predictors miR-21 levels in kidney biopsy specimen and urinary sediment, quantified as ratio to the housekeeping gene. Outcomes Kidney event–free survival and rate of kidney function decline. Analytic Approach Time-to-event and correlation analysis. Results The IgAN group had significantly higher intrarenal miR-21 expression compared with the hypertensive nephrosclerosis group (1.71 [IQR, 0.99-2.77] vs 0.31 [IQR, 0.25-1.32]; P, Graphical abstract

BackgroundFrailty and obesity contribute to the adverse clinical outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, but the interaction between frailty and obesity remains uncertain.ObjectiveTo examine the interaction between frailty and obesity on the clinical outcome of PD patients.DesignSingle centre prospective observational cohort study.Patients267 prevalent Chinese PD patients were recruited.MeasurementsFrailty was identified by a standard score. General and central obesity were determined by body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR), respectively. Body composition was assessed by bioimpedance spectroscopy. All patients were followed for two years. Outcome measures included all-cause as well as cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization.ResultsOf the 267 patients, 120 (44.9%) were frail. Frail individuals were more likely to have central obesity (p < 0.001) but not general obesity. Although WHR did not predict patient survival, there was a significant interaction between WHR and frailty on patient survival and cardiovascular survival (p = 0.002 and p = 0.038, respectively). For patients without frailty, the two-year cardiovascular survival was 91.3% and 74.4% for those with and without central obesity, respectively (p = 0.002). For patients with frailty, however, the two-year cardiovascular survival was 64.6% and 66.7% for those with and without central obesity, respectively (p = 0.6). For patients without frailty, the number of hospital admission for cardiovascular disease over 2 years were 0.12 ± 0.37 and 0.34 ± 0.72 for those with and without central obesity, respectively (p = 0.03). For frail patients, however, the number of hospital admission was similar between those with and without central obesity.ConclusionThere is a significant interaction between frailty and central obesity on the outcome of PD patients. The protective role of central obesity is only apparent in PD patients without frailty but not the frail ones, and there is a little prognostic value of general (non-central) obesity.

Peritonitis is a debilitating infectious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Drug-resistant bacterial peritonitis typically has a lower response rate to antibiotics. In the past 15 years, newer antibiotics with activities against drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria have been developed. In most circumstances, peritonitis due to methicillin-resistant staphylococci responds to vancomycin. If vancomycin cannot be used due to allergy and/or non-susceptibility, there is increasing evidence that linezolid and daptomycin are the drugs of choice. It is reasonable to start linezolid orally or intravenously, but subsequent dose reduction may be necessary in case of myelosuppression. Daptomycin can be given intravenously or intraperitoneally and has excellent anti-biofilm activity. Other treatment options for drug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial peritonitis include teicoplanin, tigecycline and quinupristin/dalfopristin. Teicoplanin is not available in some countries (e.g. the USA). Tigecycline can only be given intravenously. Quinupristin/dalfopristin is ineffective against Enterococcus faecalis and there is only low-quality evidence to support its efficacy in the treatment of peritonitis. Effective newer antibiotics against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are lacking. Polymyxins can be considered, but evidence on its efficacy is limited. In this review, we will discuss the potential use of newer antibiotics in the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial peritonitis in PD patients.

Background Glomerular and tubulointerstitial fibrosis play important roles in the progression of chronic kidney disease. We determine whether urinary mRNA levels of extracellular matrix proteins reflect the degree of kidney fibrosis and predict renal function decline in adult nephrotic patients. Methods We studied 56 adult nephrotic patients and 20 controls. Urinary mRNA levels of collagen I A1 chain (COL1A1), collagen IV A3 chain (COL4A3), and fibronectin were measured. Results Urinary sediment mRNA levels of COL1A1 and fibronectin were significantly higher in nephrotic patients as compared to the control, irrespective to the pathological diagnosis. Urinary COL1A1 mRNA level correlates with proteinuria, glomerular and interstitial fibrosis, and inversely with estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR); urinary fibronectin mRNA level significantly correlates with glomerular and interstitial fibrosis, and inversely with estimated GFR. After 42.4 ± 12.6 months follow-up, the rate of GFR decline inversely correlates with urinary mRNA level of COL1A1 (r = − 0.273, p = 0.044). Multivariate analysis confirmed that urinary COL1A1 mRNA level is an independent predictor of serum creatinine doubling or progressing to end stage renal disease; for each 10-fold increase in urinary COL1A1 mRNA level, there is 15.1% excess in risk (95% confidence interval, 1.9% to 30.4%, p = 0.022). Conclusions Urinary COL1A1 mRNA level is elevated in nephrotic patients irrespective to the pathological diagnosis, and it correlates with proteinuria, histological scarring, and inversely with renal function. Furthermore, urinary COL1A1 mRNA level predicts renal function loss during follow-up. Our results suggest that urinary COL1A1 mRNA level may be used for risk stratification of adult nephrotic syndrome.

Background/Purpose The employment status of peritoneal-dialysis patients could have been related to selection bias. This study examined the employment rate and associated factors in a population with peritoneal-dialysis-first policy. Methods We performed a single-center cross-sectional survey on the employment status of prevalent peritoneal-dialysis patients between January and September 2013 in Hong Kong. Results The survey included 383 prevalent peritoneal-dialysis patients, with 128 of them in the labor force. Among the patients in the labor force, the employment rates were 65.8% and 18.9% for automated peritoneal-dialysis patients and continuous-ambulatory-peritoneal-dialysis patients, respectively, whereas 39.1% of patients in the labor force had expressed that they were able to work, but were unemployed. In adjusted analysis, the use of automated peritoneal dialysis (adjusted odds ratio of 7.93; 95% confidence interval 2.92–21.74) was independently associated with employment, whereas older age was associated with lower likelihood of employment (adjusted odds ratio of 0.53 for each 10 years old; 95% confidence interval 0.38–0.72). Conclusion The employment rate in peritoneal-dialysis patients is very low when compared to that in the general population. Patients on automated peritoneal dialysis were more likely to be employed. 背景 腹膜透析患者就業狀況的研究，有可能會受到選擇性偏倚的影響。這項調查 是在一個採納了 e腹膜透析第一u 政策的地區，進行就業率及其相關因素的研究。 方法 在2013年1月至9月期間，我們在香港一個腹膜透析中心對現存的腹膜透析患者的就業狀況進行了一次橫斷面調查。 結果 本次調查包括383名現存的腹膜透析患者，其中有128人被納入勞動力人口。在勞動力人口的患者中，自動腹膜透析的使用者就業率為65.8 %，連續性家居腹膜透析的使用者就業率為18.9 % 。另一方面，39.1%的勞動力人口患者，表示他們有能力工作，但並未受僱用。在調整後的分析，使用自動腹膜透析與就業率有獨立關聯，另外，較年長的患者與較低就業率有關聯。 結論 相比一般香港人，腹膜透析患者的就業率非常低。自動腹膜透析的患用者較易就業。

Background/Aims: Previous studies showed that frailty is prevalent in both pre-dialysis and dialysis patients. However, the prevalence and prognostic implication of frailty in Chinese peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients remain unknown. Methods: We used a validated questionnaire to determine the Frailty Score of 193 unselected prevalent PD patients. All patients were then followed for 2 years for their need of hospitalization and mortality. Results: Amongst the 193 patients, 134 (69.4%) met the criteria of being frail. Frailty Score significantly correlated with Charlson's comorbidity score (r = 0.40, p < 0.0001), Malnutrition Inflammation Score (r = 0.59, p < 0.0001), and inversely with Subjective Global Assessment score (r = -0.44, p < 0.0001). Frailty was closely associated with the need of hospitalization. Patients with nil, mild, moderate, and severe frailty required 2.4 ± 6.0, 1.6 ± 1.6, 2.7 ± 2.5, 5.2 ± 4.8 hospital admissions per year, respectively (p < 0.0001), and they stayed in hospital for 6.4 ± 9.2, 5.3 ± 6.2, 10.0 ± 10.4, 12.9 ± 20.1 days per hospital admission, respectively (p < 0.0001). However, Frailty Score was not an independent predictor of patient or technique survival. Conclusions: Frailty is prevalent among Chinese PD patients. Frail PD patients have a high risk of requiring hospitalization and their hospital stay tends to be prolonged. Early identification may allow timely intervention to prevent adverse health outcomes in this group of patients.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Background: Kidney transplantation confers substantial survival and quality of life benefits for many patients with end-stage kidney disease compared with dialysis but complications and side-effects of immunosuppression can impair participation in daily life activities. Life participation is a critically important patient-reported outcome for kidney transplant recipients but it is inconsistently and infrequently measured in trials. We convened a consensus workshop on establishing a core outcome measure for life participation for use in all trials in kidney transplantation. Methods: Twenty-five (43%) kidney transplant recipients/caregivers and 33 (57%) health professionals from eight countries participated in six facilitated breakout group discussions. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. Results: Four themes were identified. Returning to normality conveyed the patients’ goals to fulfill their given roles (i.e. in their family, work, and community) and re-establish a normal lifestyle after transplant. Recognizing the diverse meaning and activities of ‘life’ explicitly acknowledged life participation as a subjective concept that could refer to different activities (e.g. employment, recreation, family duties) for each individual patient. Capturing vulnerability and fluctuations post-transplant (e.g. due to complications and side-effects) distinguished between experiences in the first year post-transplant and the long-term impact of transplantation. Having a scientifically rigorous, feasible and meaningful measure was expected to enable consistent and frequent assessment of life participation in trials in kidney transplantation. Conclusions: A feasible and validated core outcome measure for life participation is needed so critically important patient-reported outcome can be consistently and meaningfully assessed in trials in kidney transplantation to inform decision-making and care of recipients.

Peritoneal protein clearance has been suggested to be a marker of peritoneal inflammation and systemic endothelial dysfunction. We enrolled 711 consecutive incident PD patients. Baseline peritoneal protein clearance and other clinical information were reviewed. All patients were followed for at least 1 year for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The average PD effluent protein loss was 6.41 ± 2.16 g/day; peritoneal protein clearance was 97.15 ± 41.55 mL/day. The average duration of follow-up was 50.8 ± 36.2 months. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that serum albumin, C-reactive protein, and mass transfer area coefficients of creatinine were independently associated with peritoneal protein clearance. By multivariate Cox regression analysis, age, Charlson comorbidity score, volume of overhydration and peritoneal protein clearance were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Every 10 mL/day increase in peritoneal protein clearance confers 10.4% increase in risk of all-cause mortality (95% confidence interval 2.6–18.7%, p = 0.008). Peritoneal protein clearance was also associated with cardiovascular mortality by univariate analysis, but the association became insignificant after adjusting for confounding factors Cox regression analysis. Baseline peritoneal protein clearance is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in incident PD patients. Routine measurement of peritoneal protein clearance may facilitate patient risk stratification.

Background Pseudomonas peritonitis is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, the clinical course of Pseudomonas peritonitis following the adoption of international guidelines remains unclear. Methods We reviewed the clinical course and treatment response of 153 consecutive episodes of PD peritonitis caused by Pseudomonas species from 2001 to 2015. Results Pseudomonas peritonitis accounted for 8.3% of all peritonitis episodes. The bacteria isolated were resistant to ceftazidime in 32 cases (20.9%), and to gentamycin in 18 cases (11.8%). In 20 episodes (13.1%), there was a concomitant exit site infection (ESI); in another 24 episodes (15.7%), there was a history of Pseudomonas ESI in the past. The overall primary response rate was 53.6%, and complete cure rate 42.4%. There was no significant difference in the complete cure rate between patients who treated with regimens of 3 and 2 antibiotics. Amongst 76 episodes (46.4%) that failed to respond to antibiotics by day 4, 37 had immediate catheter removal; the other 24 received salvage antibiotics, but only 6 achieved complete cure. Conclusions Antibiotic resistance is common amongst Pseudomonas species causing peritonitis. Adoption of the treatment guideline leads to a reasonable complete cure rate of Pseudomonas peritonitis. Treatment with three antibiotics is not superior than the conventional two antibiotics regimen. When there is no clinical response after 4 days of antibiotic treatment, early catheter removal should be preferred over an attempt of salvage antibiotic therapy.

Background Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We study the relation between urinary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels and renal dysfunction in non-diabetic CKD. Methods We recruited 32 CKD patients (20 had hypertensive nephrosclerosis, 12 had IgA nephropathy). Urinary supernatant mtDNA level was measured and compared to baseline clinical and pathological parameters. The patients were followed 57.8 ± 30.5 months for renal function decline. Results The average urinary supernatant mtDNA level was 222.0 ± 210.3 copy/μL. There was a modest but significant correlation between urinary mtDNA level and proteinuria (Spearman's r = 0.387, p = 0.035), but not any other baseline clinical or pathological parameter. Urinary mtDNA level had a significant inverse correlation with the slope of GFR decline (r = −0.402, p = 0.023). Urinary mtDNA level is a predictor of renal survival even after adjusting for baseline proteinuria with multivariate Cox analysis. In this model, every increase in urinary mtDNA by 100 copy/μL confers a 25.0% increase in risk of doubling of serum creatinine or need of dialysis (95%CI, 0.7% to 55.1%). Conclusion Mitochondrial DNA is readily detectable in the urinary supernatant of non-diabetic CKD, and its level correlates with the rate of renal function decline and predicts the risk of doubling of serum creatinine or need of dialysis. Further studies are needed to determine the value of urinary supernatant mtDNA level as a prognostic indicator of non-diabetic CKD

Background Fluid overload is common among asymptomatic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We aim to determine the prevalence and prognostic significance of fluid overload, as measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy, in asymptomatic incident PD patients. Methods We performed a single-center study on 311 incident PD patients. Volume status was represented by the volume of overhydration (OH), OH/extracellular water (ECW) ratio, ECW/total body water (TBW) ratio, and ECW to intracellular water (ICW) ratio (E:I ratio). Patient survival, technique survival and cardiovascular event-free survival were determined. Results The median period of follow up was 27.3 months. Fluid overload was present in 272 patients (87.5%) when defined as OH volume over 1.1L. All hydration parameters significantly correlated with Charlson Comorbidity Index, and inversely with total Kt/V, and serum albumin. Multivariate cause-specific Cox analysis showed that volume status independently predicted patient survival; every 0.1 unit increase in E:I ratio was associated with 24.5% increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio [ACSHR] 1.245, p = 0.002). Hydration status was also an independent predictor of cardiovascular event-free survival after excluding hospital admission for congestive heart failure; each 0.1 unit increase in E:I ratio was associated with 18.7% decrease in cardiovascular event-free survival (ACSHR 1.187, p = 0.011). In contrast, hydration parameters were not associated with technique survival. Conclusions Fluid overload is common in asymptomatic incident PD patients and is a strong predictor of patient survival and cardiovascular event. The impact of bioimpedance spectroscopy-guided fluid management on the outcome of PD patients deserves further study.