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BackgroundIntradialytic hypotension, a complication of intermittent hemodialysis, decreases the efficacy of dialysis and increases long-term mortality. This study was aimed to determine whether different predialysis ultrasound cardiopulmonary profiles could predict intradialytic hypotension.MethodsThis prospective observational single-center study was performed in 248 critically ill patients with acute kidney injury undergoing intermittent hemodialysis. Immediately before hemodialysis, vena cava collapsibility was measured by vena cava ultrasound and pulmonary congestion by lung ultrasound. Factors predicting intradialytic hypotension were identified by multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsIntradialytic hypotension was observed in 31.9% (n = 79) of the patients, interruption of dialysis because of intradialytic hypotension occurred in 6.8% (n = 31) of the sessions, and overall 28-day mortality was 20.1% (n = 50). Patients were classified in four ultrasound profiles: (A) 108 with B lines > 14 and vena cava collapsibility > 11.5 mm m-2, (B) 38 with B lines  14 and vena cava collapsibility Di ≤ 11.5 mm m-2, and (D) 66 with B lines  11.5 mm m-2. There was an increased risk of intradialytic hypotension in patients receiving norepinephrine (odds ratios = 15, p = 0.001) and with profiles B (odds ratios = 12, p = 0.001) and C (odds ratios = 17, p = 0.001).ConclusionIn critically ill patients on intermittent hemodialysis, the absence of hypervolemia as assessed by lung and vena cava ultrasound predisposes to intradialytic hypotension and suggests alternative techniques of hemodialysis to provide better hemodynamic stability.

BackgroundThis study aimed to identify predictors of early (7-day) mortality in patients with septic acute kidney injury (AKI) who required continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).MethodsProspective cohort of 186 septic AKI patients undergoing CRRT at a tertiary hospital, from October 2005 to November 2010.ResultsAfter multivariate adjustment, five variables were associated to early mortality: norepinephrine utilization, liver failure, medical condition, lactate level, and pre-dialysis creatinine level. These variables were combined in a score, which demonstrated good discrimination, with a C-statistic of 0.82 (95% CI = 0.76-0.88), and good calibration (χ 2 = 4.3; p = 0.83). SAPS 3, APACHE II and SOFA scores demonstrated poor performance in this population.ConclusionsThe HEpatic failure, LactatE, NorepInephrine, medical Condition, and Creatinine (HELENICC) score outperformed tested generic models. Future studies should further validate this score in different cohorts.

Objectives: Prognostication is an essential ability to clinicians. Nevertheless, it has been shown to be quite variable in acutely ill patients, potentially leading to inappropriate care. We aimed to assess the accuracy of physician's prediction of hospital mortality in acutely deteriorating patients referred for urgent intensive care unit (ICU) admission., Methods: Prospective cohort of acutely ill patients referred for urgent ICU admission in an academic, tertiary hospital. Physicians' prognosis assessments were recorded at ICU referral. Prognosis was assessed as survival without severe disabilities, survival with severe disabilities or no survival. Prognosis was further dichotomised in good prognosis (survival without severe disabilities) or poor prognosis (survival with severe disabilities or no survival) for prediction of hospital mortality., Results: There were 2374 analysed referrals, with 2103 (88.6%) patients with complete data on mortality and physicians' prognosis. There were 593 (34.4%), 215 (66.4%) and 51 (94.4%) deaths in the groups ascribed a prognosis of survival without disabilities, survival with severe disabilities or no survival, respectively (p<0.001). Sensitivity was 31%, specificity was 91% and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.61 for prediction of mortality. After multivariable analysis, severity of illness, performance status and ICU admission were associated with an increased likelihood of incorrect classification, while worse predicted prognosis was associated with a lower chance of incorrect classification., Conclusions: Physician's prediction was associated with hospital mortality, but overall accuracy was poor, mainly due to low sensitivity to detect risk of poor prognosis., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The Latin American Society of Nephrology and Arterial Hypertension's Dialysis and Transplant Registry was chartered in 1991. It collects information on ESRD and its treatment in 20 countries of the region. The prevalence of patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) increased from 129 pmp in 1992 to 447 pmp in 2004; in 2004, 56% of the patients were on hemodialysis, 23% on peritoneal dialysis, and 21% had a functioning kidney graft. The highest rates of prevalence were reported in Puerto Rico (1027 pmp), Chile (686 pmp), and Uruguay (683 pmp). Hemodialysis was widely used, except in El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, where peritoneal dialysis predominated. Incidence rate increased from 27.8 pmp to 147 pmp in the same period of observation; the lowest rate was reported in Guatemala (11.4 pmp) and the highest in Puerto Rico (337.4 pmp). Diabetes mellitus was the leading cause of renal failure in incident patients; the highest rates were reported in Puerto Rico (62.2%) and Mexico (60%). Forty-four percent of the incident population were older than 65 years. Access to renal replacement therapy was universal in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela, while was restricted in other countries. Main causes of death in dialysis were cardiovascular (44%) and infectious disease (26%). The rate of renal transplantation increased from 3.7 pmp in 1987 to 14.5 in 2004; fifty-three percent of the organs came from cadavers. Overall, donation rate was 5.9 pmp. In conclusion, the prevalence and incidence rates have increased over the years, and diabetes mellitus has emerged as the leading cause of kidney disease in the region. Although the rate of kidney transplantation has increased, the number remains insufficient to match the growing demand. The implementation of renal health programs in the region is urgently needed.

Background: Studies conducted in several countries have indicated that the survival of patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (RRT) depends on the attributed cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD)., Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the association between attributed cause of ESRD and mortality risk in RRT patients in Brazil., Methods: We analyzed 88,881 patients from the Brazilian Ministry of Health Registry who were undergoing RRT between April 1997 and July 2000. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of death in patients with ESRD secondary to diabetes mellitus (DM), polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and primary glomerulopathies (GN) compared with a reference group comprised of patients with ESRD caused by hypertensive nephropathy. Patient's age, gender, and length of time (years) in RRT before inclusion in the registry (vintage) were included in the adjusted Cox model., Results: Compared with the reference group, the mortality risk was 27% lower in patients with PKD (RR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.65-0.83, p<0.0001); 29% lower in patients with GN (RR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.68-0.74, p<0.0001); and 100% greater in DM patients (RR=2.00, 95% CI: 1.92-2.10, p<0.0001). These relative risks remained statistically significant after adjustment for age, gender, and length of time in RRT before inclusion in the registry., Conclusions: Our data indicate that compared with the patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis as attributed cause of ESRD, patients undergoing RRT in Brazil with idiopathic glomerulopathy and polycystic kidney disease have a lower risk of mortality, and patients with diabetes mellitus have a greater risk of mortality.

Objective: To study different prognostic indexes in acute renal failure (ARF) patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU)., Design: Prospective, cohort study. Individual Severity Score-Acute Tubular Necrosis (ISS-ATN) obtained prospectively and retrospectively, Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) Score, APACHE II Risk, Lung Injury Score (LIS), and Number of Organ Failures (NOF) were calculated for each patient. The outcome analyzed was death in the ICU. Discrimination was evaluated by the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). For calibration analysis, the chi-square goodness-of-fit test was used to compare predicted mortality, calculated by ISS-ATN (obtained prospectively or retrospectively) and APACHE II risk, with observed mortality., Setting: ICU, São Rafael Hospital, Salvador-BA, Brazil., Patients: Seventy-six ARF patients admitted to the ICU within 6 months., Interventions: Surgical and medical procedures., Measurements and Results: The observed AUC was 0.69 for LIS, 0.73 for prospective ISS-ATN, 0.75 for retrospective ISS-ATN, 0.76 for APACHE II Score, 0.78 for APACHE II Risk, and 0.88 for NOF. These areas were significantly different from 0.5 (p < .001). There was no difference between the observed and expected death rate calculated by ISS-ATN. However, APACHE II underestimated the observed mortality (p < .001)., Conclusion: The prognostic indexes studied showed good discriminative power. However, APACHE II was not well calibrated in contrast to the good calibration of ISS-ATN.

Objective: To assess whether, in Brazil, the number of years on dialysis treatment in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, with and without diabetes mellitus, relates to mortality risk., Methods: Analysis of data from the Ministry of Health of Brazil of 25.952 patients older than 18 years who were on dialytic treatment in April 1997. Death cases that occurred from April 1997 to July 2000 were recorded. Cox models were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of the association between years on dialysis and mortality risk., Results: The mortality risk was significantly lower in patients on dialysis between 3 and <10 years as compared with 1 to <2 years (RR between 0.78 and 0.88). With adjustments for age and diabetes the effect of years on dialysis was reduced. In diabetics (n=2.952) the adjusted mortality risk showed a trend to decrease with more years on dialysis., Conclusions: In Brazil, the mortality risk for ESRD patients decreases with the increasing number of years on dialysis up to approximately 10 years. This finding can be partially explained by the lower mean age and prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with more years on dialysis treatment. The effect of years on dialysis on the mortality risk seems to be stronger in patients with diabetes.