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Background: Tacrolimus exposure is estimated by trough levels (C0). Recent studies suggest that C0 may not accurately reflect the area under the curve (AUC) and may not correlate with clinical events like acute rejection (AR) and nephrotoxicity. Materials and Methods: In an open, prospective, single-center study, 29 consecutive recipients of renal transplantation underwent C0 along with 2-h (C2), 4-h (C4), and 6-h (C6) estimation of blood tacrolimus levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, 72 h after initiation with tacrolimus or after a change in its dosage. AUC was estimated by trapezoidal method. C0, C2, C4, and C6 levels were correlated with the AUC. Results: Thirty-six AUC estimations were made over a 2-year period. The best correlate was C6. Correlation coefficients were C0 – 0.868, C2 – 0.788, C4 – 0.839, and C6 – 0.904. C6 values accounted for 79% of the variability of the AUC. Six patients experienced AR, with 5 having C0 within the target range. C6 values correlated best with AUC in these patients (C0 – 0.970, C2 – 0.833, C4 – 0.942, and C6 – 0.970). This was statistically significant. Three patients developed tacrolimus toxicity. In these patients, the correlation coefficients were C0 – 0.551, C2 – 0.556, C4 – 0.77, and C6 – 0.941. By regression analysis, we developed predictive equations. The equation AUC = 12.126 + 2.81 × C0 + 2.92 × C6 best predicted the AUC. Conclusions: Overall C6 levels were more predictive of the AUC, accurately predicting AR and nephrotoxicity. Incorporating C6 may improve tacrolimus therapeutic drug monitoring.

Background/Aims: Initiating renal replacement therapy in late referred patients with central venous catheter (CVC) hemodialysis (HD) causes serious complications. In urgent start peritoneal dialysis, initiating peritoneal dialysis (PD) within 14 days of catheter insertion still needs HD with CVC. We initiated Emergent start PD (ESPD) with Automated PD (APD) at our center within 48 h from the time of presentation. Methods: A prospective, case-controlled, intention-to-treat study with 56 patients was conducted between March 2016 and August 2017. Group A (24 patients) underwent conventional PD 14 days after catheter insertion. Group B (32 patients), underwent ESPD with APD. Exit site leak (ESL), catheter blockage, and peritonitis at 90 days were primary outcomes. Technique survival was secondary outcome. Results: Baseline characteristics were similar with 3 episodes of ESLs (9.4%) in the study group and none in the control group (p = 0.123). Catheter blockage (16.7%-Group A, 25%-Group B) and peritonitis (none vs. 9.4% in study group) were similar in terms of statistical details just as technique survival (95%-Group A, 88.2%-Group B at 90 days). Conclusion: ESPD with APD in the unplanned patient is an appropriate approach.

Background: South Asian countries have a population of 1.7 billion and are classified as low-middle to poor income nations. Their health care systems cannot presently meet the growing need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), provided as haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis (PD). Most patients cannot afford the treatment and quickly default. Furthermore, most of the population is located in rural areas, where there are few treatment centres; therefore, there is a huge gap between those treated and those in need. Summary: PD can bridge this gap and can serve as a first line of therapy if it becomes more affordable. Government reimbursement schemes, the Once-in-a-Lifetime Payment Scheme, and PD insurance all provide strong impetus to dialysis programmes. Local manufacturing of PD fluid has also reduced the cost of therapy to some extent. PD may be preferable for patients with cardiovascular morbidity and it also obviates the risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. In our own centre, automated PD is being used as initial RRT for acute kidney injury with good results. In prospective transplant recipients, PD has been found to decrease the risk of posttransplant graft dysfunction. Key Messages: Remote PD and home visits by PD clinical coordinators have brought faraway patients and their nephrologists closer with the use of technology. For these reasons, the current pressing need is to bring PD to the forefront of RRT in resource-poor countries in South Asia to enable universal treatment of patients with renal disease.

Fungal peritonitis (FP) significantly alters the outcome of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Exposure to antibiotics is a risk factor for subsequent FP. Antifungal prophylaxis has been tried, with varying success, to prevent the occurrence of antibiotic-related fungal peritonitis (AR-FP). We aimed to evaluate the effect of prophylaxis with a low dose of fluconazole, in preventing AR-FP.In this retrospective review, we examined the incidence of FP in a cohort of 115 patients, who had received antibiotics for bacterial peritonitis and received a co-prescription of fluconazole, 50 mg/day for the duration of antibiotic therapy. The incidence of bacterial peritonitis and FP for up to 3 months after antibiotic therapy was noted.One hundred and fifteen patients were followed up over a 6-year period, for 2549 patient-months. We observed 82 episodes of bacterial peritonitis and a total of 137 antibiotic prescriptions. The peritonitis rate was 1 episode per 31.08 patient-months (1 per 2.58 patient-year, 0.38 episodes every patient-year). We had six episodes of FP. There were no episodes of AR-FP.We observed very low rates of both bacterial peritonitis and FP, and prophylaxis with low-dose fluconazole seemed to confer protection against AR-FP. We did not encounter any adverse effects with its use.

Background and objectives: Insertion of dialysis catheters (DCs) is a prerequisite for successful initiation of hemodialysis. We attempted to determine if ultrasonography-guided (USG) insertion was superior and safer than the anatomical landmark-guided technique (ALT) for the femoral vein (FV). Design, setting, participants, & measurements: This was a randomized prospective study on 110 patients requiring FV DCs in a tertiary care hospital. Patients were randomized into two groups: USG and ALT. Data were collected on demography, operator experience, and side of insertion. The USG group had their catheters inserted under USG guidance, whereas the ALT group had their DC inserted by ALT. Outcome measures included successful insertion of DC, number of attempts, and complications. Results: Both groups were comparable regarding age and gender of patients, operator experience, and the side of catheterization. The overall success rate was 89.1%, with 80% using ALT and 98.2% under USG guidance (P = 0.002). First attempt success rate was 54.5% in the ALT group as compared with 85.5% in the USG group (P = 0.000). The complication rate was 18.2% in the ALT group and 5.5% in the USG group (P = 0.039). The odds ratio (OR) for complications with two or more attempts was 10.73 with a relative risk (RR) of 3.2. The OR for successful insertion using USG was 13.5 (95% CI: 1.7 to 108.7). Conclusions: USG significantly improves success rate, reduces number of attempts, and decreases the incidence of complications related to FV DC insertion.

Anemia is a significant cause of morbidity and lowers the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). Iron deficiency is the most important cause of erythropoietin (EPO) hyporesponsiveness in CKD. EPO administration significantly increases the costs of CKD management. It follows that paramount importance must be given to enhancing responsiveness to EPO thereby ensuring that the patient derives maximum benefit. Intravenous iron (IVI) administration has been used for decades to replenish body iron stores. Multiple preparations of Iron are available in the market. However, IVI administration is fraught with dangers like adverse drug reactions, susceptibility to infection, and, as recently postulated, direct cellular toxicity. Traditional approaches to IVI administration have focused on multiple administrations of lower doses for fear of adverse reactions. However, recent studies have demonstrated that higher doses can be safely administered in a single infusion, thereby reducing hospitalization costs and patient inconvenience. Newer preparations of IVI are relatively safer, easier to administer and efficacious. Preparations like Iron sucrose, ferumoxytol, ferric carboxymaltose and iron isomaltoside do not require test doses and allow higher doses to be administered at a time with cost and effect benefits

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is acknowledged worldwide as a well-accepted form of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Ideally, PD should be the preferred modality of RRT fo

Summary Peritoneal dialysis as a modality can offer its patients several advantages including increased independence, no need for regular hospital or center visits, and fewer lost work hours. However some, disadvantages such as leaving the complete onus on the patient to do his own therapy and being far away from the nephrologist can lead to unwillingness or a fear of choosing PD. Over the last few years, our PD unit has developed a PD remote monitoring protocol using simple and easily available, technology like digital cameras, and mobile telecommunication along with a regular home visit, schedule. The aim of this protocol is to reduce the mental burden of PD, to reduce the complexity of the, procedure, to keep the nephrologist well informed about the patient status, and to ensure adherence to, the proper technique. In this article we explain our process and corroborate its usefulness with the, help of two studies conducted in our center.