Renal complications of sickle cell disease

The nephropathy and renal complications of sickle cell disease are associated with various events such as hypoxic or ischemic conditions and reperfusion injury. Erythrocyte sickling occurs following these events and renal medullary acidosis.

Vitamin D and COVID-19 infection; recent findings

COVID-19 infection increases the risk of death in patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes or obesity. The exact role of vitamin D in COVID-19 infection is unknown and controversial. Furthermore, the exact prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is still unknown but it affects individuals worldwide regardless of ethnicity and age. Herein, we give an overview of vitamin D deficiency as a global public health problem, the role of vitamin D in COVID-19 infection, and the proper approach to treating vitamin D deficiency.

Post-COVID–19 complication and its effect on acute kidney injury

The novel coronavirus outbreak has become a global health emergency. The common symptoms of COVID-19 disease which have affected a large population are common cold, fatigue, headache and fever. However, complications such as multiple organ failure, acute respiratory syndrome and septic shock are seen in about 5% of patients with persisting severe symptoms and post-COVID syndrome. The COVID-19 acute kidney injury in patients displays damage in the kidney, proteinuria, hematuria and elevated serum creatinine. The symptoms of acute kidney injury vary from mild to severe, which necessitates proper clinical management and renal replacement therapy (RRT). Therefore, it is necessary to understand the pathophysiology of acute kidney injury involving infiltrated immune cells, thrombosis, and cytokine regulation. There is no definite treatment for acute kidney injury; the strategy for preventing the complications will only come through clinical experience. Therefore, more studies are needed for the proper understanding of the disease etiology in acute kidney injury patients with COVID-19. New strategies, International collaboration and multi-disciplinary research are needed to be implemented for the proper management.

Congestive kidney failure; recent knowledge and new trends

One of the possible causes of renal failure due to heart failure is congestive kidney failure (CKF). Venous congestion has a key role in the development of renal dysfunction and damage in patients with heart failure. This condition is named congestive nephropathy. In this mini-review the common causes of congestive kidney failure, its pathophysiology, histopathological changes and treatment are discussed.

Effect of oral vitamin C on serum hepcidin level, iron status and inflammation among hemodialysis patients with functional iron deficiency anaemia

Introduction: Hepcidin is a key regulatory peptide in iron homeostasis, the pathogenesis of functional iron deficiency (FID) anemia and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) resistance is contributed to the inflammatory mediated increase in the serum hepcidin levels among prevalent hemodialysis (HD) patients. Objectives: To test the reducing therapeutic effect of oral vitamin C supplements on hepcidin levels and iron status among HD patients with FID anemia. Patients and Methods: This study is an interventional prospective cohort study; 48 prevalent HD patients were enrolled. Group one: 31 patients who received the conventional treatment of erythropoietin stimulating agents together with oral supplementation of vitamin C 500 mg every other day dose for 3 months. Group two: 17 patients who received only the conventional therapy of erythropoietin stimulating agents. Patients with hemoglobin level <11 g/dL, ferritin level >200 ng/mL and transferrin saturation (TSAT) >20 % were included. Laboratory parameters: serum hepcidin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) titre, CBC, and iron indices were measured at baseline and after 3 months. Results: On comparing the two groups, oral vitamin C in group 1 resulted in a statistically significant reduction in hepcidin levels [mean 2506.456 ± 1320.53 pg/mL to 1748.396 ± 1432.28 pg/mL (P = 0.03)], and a significant reduction in hs-CRP level [mean 8603.236 ± 2547.77 ng/mL to 5611.296 ± 2829.27 ng/mL] (P = 0.001) after three months of treatment in comparison to control group. A decrease of EPO requirement and elevation of hemoglobin level were observed in a study group with oral vitamin C. Conclusion: Oral vitamin C may be a promising therapy in decreasing serum hepcidin and inflammatory markers among prevalent HD patients with FID anemia.

The relation between vitamin D status and anemia in patients with end stage renal disease on regular hemodialysis

Introduction: Anemia is a common complication in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on regular hemodialysis (HD). There has been a lot of interest recently in the non-classical effects of 25(OH) vitamin D (calcidiol), including its association with erythropoiesis and anemia pathogenesis. Objectives: To study the relation between anemia and vitamin D status in patients on regular HD Results: This study is a cross-sectional study that included 90 patients on regular HD. Vitamin D status was classified into deficient (<20 ng/ mL), insufficient (20-30 ng/mL) and sufficient (>30 ng/mL). The level of vitamin D measured in the patients ranged between 3.5 to 66 ng/mL with median of 16.35 ng/mL. There were statistically significant positive correlations between vitamin D levels and the level of hemoglobin (P<0.001), serum calcium levels (P<0.001) and serum PO4 levels (P=0.023). Higher hemoglobin levels were statistically related to both higher vitamin D values (P<0.001) and higher serum calcium concentration P<0.001). Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation was found between hemoglobin levels and serum PTH values (P<0.001). Conclusion: There was a significant association between the status of vitamin D and the level of hemoglobin in dialysis population who were studied, independent from iron status. other associations with hemoglobin levels included PTH level and calcium.

Frailty at the beginning of dialysis; is it a prognostic factor?

Introduction: Frailty (F) refers to the cumulative organic damage caused by aging, as a consequence of a diminished physiological reserve. Frailty’s prevalence is 73% in dialysis. Objectives: Our aim was to identify the prevalence of F in patients starting hemodialysis (HD) or hemodiafiltration online (HDF) treatment. To asses change in frailty during a six-month period of dialysis Patients and Methods: This prospective cohort study evaluated 67 incident patient starting-HD or HDF at one year, with a follow-up period of at least six months. The frailty was assessed by the Fried frailty method. According to this test, we divided the population in two groups: Pre-frail (0-2) and frail (3-5). Results: Mean age was 64 years, 64% were male and 92% were treated with HD. A total of 35.8% of the patients were admitted to dialysis with a prosthetic or native fistula. The prevalence of F at the beginning of dialysis was 65.7%. The mean value of Charlson index (CHI) was 5.2 ± 2. There was a significant correlation between CHI and frailty test (P<0.0001). Basal F score (n=67) improved after 6 month (n=52): 3 (2-4) versus1 (1-2) (P<0.0001). Hematocrit (28 versus 32% P=0.05) and calcium levels (8.6 and 8.9 mg/dL, P<0.002) also increased after sixth-month. Global mortality was 7.5%. In the multivariate analysis CHI (P<0.001) and albumin (P=0.003) were frailty predictors. Conclusion: The prevalence of F in patients who start dialysis therapy is high. There was an improvement in F score after six-month of dialysis treatment. Patients with higher F score had higher mortality with higher CHI

Outbreak and impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on dialysis patients; Al Khezam dialysis center experience, Kuwait

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an outbreak due to SARS-CoV-2, declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic in March 2020. Patients with underlying diseases, such as those with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis, are at greater risk. Objectives: The aim of our study to assess the outbreak and impact of COVID-19 on dialysis patients. Patients and Methods: Our study prospectively assessed and followed 442 patients with ESKD undergoing dialysis [390 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and 52 patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD)] for outbreak and impact of COVID-19 on these patients during the period from April 22, 2020 until March 23, 2021 in Al Khezam dialysis center, Kuwait. Age, gender, nationality, original kidney disease, history of hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), ischemic heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure (CHF), bronchial asthma (BA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), history of pulmonary embolism (PE) and source of infection were analyzed. Symptoms as fever, fatigue, cough, loss of smell and taste and chest pain were recorded, the need for ICU admission, mechanical ventilation (MV), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), medications were recorded. The need to shift to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and outcomes (complications and mortality) were analyzed. Results: Our study reported that 102 out of 442 (23%) dialysis patients [97 out of 390 (24.8%) HD patients and 5 out of 52 (9.6%) PD patients] got infected with COVID-19 and reinfection reported in 4 out of 97 (4%) COVID-19 HD patients. Around 27% of COVID-19 HD patients had fever, 19% had fatigue, 8% had cough, 4% had loss of smell, 4% had loss of taste, 4% had chest pain and 40% of COVID-19 PD patients had fever. Fifteen out of 97 (15 %) COVID-19 HD patients needed ICU admission, 12 out of 97 (12 %) COVID-19 HD patients needed MV. A 33 out of 97 (34%) COVID-19 HD patients and 4 out of 5 (80%) COVID-19 PD patients needed to switch to CRRT. Mortality was 17 (15 HD and 2 PD) out of 102 (16.6 %) COVID-19 dialysis patients and common causes of death were sepsis, myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure and PE. Conclusion: Outbreak and mortality of COVID-19 infection is high in ESKD patients undergoing dialysis compared with general populations. Strict protocol for prevention of COVID-19 should be undertaken in dialysis centers and encourage of home dialysis and highly protective COVID-19 vaccination priority for dialysis patients.

What about NSAID and secondary minimal change disease in adult’s people? A case report and review of the literature

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used in the management of inflammatory disease for decades. The spectrum of nephrotoxicity attributed to NSAIDs includes mainly acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. However, much less attention has been given to drug-induced glomerular injury. NSAIDs treating patients presenting with nephrotic syndrome may have a variety of glomerular changes indistinguishable from those found in idiopathic minimal change disease (MCD), for example. The clinical presentation is typically abrupt with nephrotic syndrome while in the elderly it can present as acute renal failure from the beginning. We present an MCD-NSAID induced in elderly patient and discuss possible pathogenic mechanism, thinking about on the indiscriminate use of NSAIDs. Here we report the case of a 66-year-old woman with a history of nephrotic syndrome and hypertension without an apparent secondary etiology. However, an exhaustive history showed and indiscriminate use of NSAIDs. Renal biopsy showed a MCD with a mild interstitial nephritis. To our knowledge the morphology of drug-induced diseases often does not differ from the primary forms, making the distinction difficult. There are subtle clues, although the dialogue between clinician and pathologist is essential to reach an etiological diagnosis. Physicians should suspect glomerulonephritis in patients who receive drugs and its management must be determined based on the histological characteristics of the disease. Although corticosteroid therapy seems to be of value, the effectiveness of this approach must still be tested in randomized and multicentric clinical trials.

Comparison of two insulin injection methods on control of type 2 diabetes; is the new protocol effective or not?

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease with a significant risk for developing late complications. Objectives: This study aimed to determine if the discharge NPH and regular insulin doses of conventional insulin therapy protocol in which optimal glycemic control can be achieved are similar to NPH and regular insulin doses at beginning of the insulin protocol or not. In other words, we aimed to compare two insulin injection methods on the control of type 2 diabetes. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on hospital records of type II diabetic patients admitted for insulin therapy with the conventional protocol from 2008-2013. Treatment was initiated with the following proportions; morning NPH: 44%, morning regular dosage: 22%, evening NPH dosage: 17% and evening regular dosage: 17%. Insulin doses of the discharge day in which optimal glycemic control has been achieved were recorded and based on their mean, a protocol was made. Finally, two groups were categorized. Group 1 consisted of patients whose discharge insulin dose was in the range of the mean data of the study (±2 IU/mL) and patients whose discharge insulin dose was in accordance with the conventional protocol (±2 IU/mL) participated in group 2. Results: At discharge day, the mean morning NPH dose was 34.2±6.69, morning regular: 23.8±6.36, evening NPH: 21.26±6.75 and evening regular: 20.74±5.51. The discharge insulin ratios of the conventional protocol were similar to that of the admission ratios in only 17.7% of the patients. Only 34.5% of the patients could include in the new protocol and 50% of them didn’t fit any protocol. Conclusion: It is suggested to inject one-third of the total daily insulin need as NPH in the morning and divide the remained two-thirds between morning regular, evening NPH and evening regular equally. This may decrease the length of hospital stay and decrease the time to reach the desired glycemic control.