Short-term effects of dietary supplementation with amino acids in dogs with proteinuric chronic kidney disease.

Treating proteinuria in dogs reduces the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD); renal diets and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitors are cornerstones of treatment. Whether different ACE-inhibitors have distinct kidney protective effects is unknown; it is therefore hypothesized that renal diets and enalapril or benazepril have different beneficial effects in proteinuric CKD dogs. Forty-four dogs with proteinuric CKD (IRIS stages 1-4) were enrolled in the study and were fed renal diet for 30 days. Thereafter, they were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups. Dogs in group A (n=22) received enalapril (0.5 mg/kg, q12h) and in group B (n=22) benazepril (0.5 mg/kg, q24h); in both groups, dogs were fed the same renal diet. After randomization, dogs were monitored for 120 days. Body weight and body condition score (BCS), serum concentrations of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin and total proteins, and urine protein-to-creatinine (UPC) ratio were compared at different time-points. After 30 days of renal diet, creatinine, BUN and UPC ratio decreased significantly (p<0.0001). Compared to randomization, body weight, BCS, albumin, total proteins, creatinine and BUN did not vary during follow-up in the 44 dogs and differences between group A and B were not observed. However, the UPC ratio of group A at day 60, 90 and 150 was significantly lower than in group B and compared to randomization (p<0.05). In group B it did not vary overtime. It is concluded that the renal diet is beneficial to decrease creatinine, BUN and UPC ratio in proteinuric CKD dogs. Enalapril further ameliorates proteinuria if administered along with renal diet.

C-reactive protein as an outcome predictor for maintenance hemodialysis patients

We measured basal Cortisol levels in 15 children with kwashiorkor, 15 children with marasmic kwashiorkor, and 21 children with marasmus, before and after nutritional rehabilitation, as wel...

The purpose of this study was to describe the population pharmacokinetics of gentamicin in patients with cancer, to identify possible relationships between clinical covariates and population pharmacokinetic parameter estimates and to examine the relevance of existing dosage nomograms in light of the population model developed in these patients. Data were collected prospectively from 210 patients with cancer and were analysed with package NONMEM. Data were split into two sets: a population data set and an evaluation set. Creatinine clearance was estimated using measured creatinine concentrations and using 'low' creatinines set to a minimum of 60 micromol l(-1), 70 micromol l(-1) or 88.4 micromol l(-1) A two compartment model was fitted to the concentration-time curve. Two best models were obtained, one that related clearance to estimated creatinine clearance (minimum creatinine value 60 micromol l(-1)) and the other that related clearance to age, creatinine concentration and body surface area. Volume of the central compartment was influenced by body surface area and albumin concentration. For both models 90% of measured concentrations lay within the 95% confidence interval of the simulated concentrations and the mean prediction errors were -7.2% and -6.6%, respectively. A final analysis performed in all patients identified the following relationship CL (1 h(-1))=0.88 x (1 + 0.043 x creatinine clearance) and central volume of distribution V1 (1)=8.59 x body surface area x (albumin/34)(-0.39). The mean population estimate of intercompartmental clearance (Q) was 1.301 h(-1) and peripheral volume of distribution (V2) was 9.801. Coefficient of variation was 18.5% on clearance and 28.2% on Q. Residual error expressed as a standard deviation was 0.36 mg l(-1) at 1.0 mg l(-1) and 1.32 mg l(-1) at 8.0 mg l(-1). The mean population estimate of clearance was 4.21 h(-1) and volume of distribution (Vss) was 24.61 (0.381 kg(-1)). The mean population estimates of half-lives were 1.8 h and 8.0 h. In the context of published nomograms this analysis indicated that both the traditional approach and the new, 'once daily' approach should achieve satisfactory concentrations in cancer patients although serum concentration monitoring is required to confirm optimal dosing in individual patients.

Comparison of glycated albumin and hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic subjects on hemodialysis

Background and Objectives: Low nutritional intake is common in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and poses a direct risk for malnutrition. Our study evaluated the effects of a renal specific oral nutrition (ONCE Renal) supplement concerning nutritional status, minerals and electrolytes among patients with stage IV CKD.&#x0D; Methods and Study Design: A total of 32 CKD patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate 16-29 mL/min/1.73 m2, well nourished subjects and anticipated good compliance with the diet received the ONCE Renal diet instead of 1 meal daily for 30 days. Dietary protein and energy intake, body compositions, and serum concentrations of urea, creatinine, calcium, magnesium, phosphate and albumin were assessed at baseline, and at 30 days. A dietary intake by three-day food record were also evaluated by a registered dietitian.&#x0D; Results: At the end of 30 days, significant improvements in energy, fat, fiber and magnesium intake by dietary interview were noted. In addition, the patients also increased body weight and body mass index after supplement. No significant changes in renal function, serum electrolytes, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium concentration and other nutritional markers including serum albumin, body compositions and protein equivalence of total nitrogen appearance were observedduring study. The compliance with the ONCE Renal diet was good among enrolled patients and no adverse reactions were found.&#x0D; Conclusions: Renal specific oral diet supplement can improve energy intake, body weight and maintain serum electrolytes concentrations among patients with stage IV CKD.

We conducted a prospective cohort study to detect any relationships between specific clinical features and laboratory indices at initiation of hemodialysis and long-term survival. One hundred and thirty-nine consecutive patients with chronic renal failure hospitalized to start maintenance hemodialysis between January 1990 and December 1994 were enrolled, and follow-up was completed through December 1995. At baseline, subjects were assigned to one of five groups based on their major indication for initiation of hemodialysis. The indications were: (a) nausea and vomiting; (b) severe weakness; (c) no major symptom (dialysis started because of ‘high’ serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen concentrations); (d) volume overload, and (e) miscellaneous (angina, pericarditis, seizure, pruritus, and hyperkalemia). Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and serum albumin concentrations were measured once before the first dialysis. The main outcome measure was death. The 139 study subjects included 77 women and 62 men comprising 116 Blacks (83%), 15 Hispanics (11%), and 8 Whites (6%) of mean age 54 ± 15 years. Mean length of follow-up was 39 months. At baseline, mean blood urea nitrogen concentration was 121 ± 38 mg/dl, mean serum creatinine concentration was 12.6 ± 5.2 mg/dl, and mean serum albumin concentration was 3.5 ± 0.62 g/dl. Forty-two subjects (30%) died during follow-up. Cox regression analysis showed that there was no significant association between mortality and any of the indicators evaluated (indication for initiation of dialysis (p = 0.2), serum creatinine concentration (<10 vs. ≥10 mg/dl) (p = 0.8), blood ure nitrogen concentration (<100 vs. ≥100 mg/dl) (p = 0.68) and serum albumin concentration (<4 vs. ≥4 g/dl) (p = 0.62). All analyses included adjustment for age and diabetes.We conclude that in patients with chronic renal failure, the clinical features and laboratory indices used as guidelines for initiation of renal replacement therapy do not correlate with survival. Objective parameters that will permit initiation of dialysis at a time that will maximize survival in patients with chronic renal failure are needed.

Efficacy and Safety of Dapagliflozin in Children With Inherited Proteinuric Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study

Why measure serum albumin levels?

Nutrition and chronic kidney disease

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ОБМІНУ РЕЧОВИН ЧИСТОПОРОДНОГО І ПОМІСНОГО МОЛОДНЯКУ СВИНЕЙ О. В

Protein carbamylation, a nonenzymatic posttranslational modification promoted during uremia, is linked to a poor prognosis. In the present study, carbamylation of serum albumin was assayed using the symmetry factor on a capillary electrophoresis instrument (Helena V8). The symmetry factor has been defined as the distance from the center line of the peak to the back slope, divided by the distance from the center line of the peak to the front slope, with all measurements made at 10% of the maximum peak height. Serum albumin, creatinine, and urea concentrations were assayed using routine methods, whereas uremic toxins were determined using HPLC. In vitro carbamylation induced a marked albumin peak asymmetry. Reference values for the albumin symmetry factor were 0.69-0.92. In kidney patients, albumin peak asymmetry corresponded to the chronic kidney disease stage (p<0.0001). The symmetry factor correlated well with serum urea (r=-0.5595, p<0.0001) and creatinine (r=-0.5986, p<0.0001) concentrations. Several protein-bound uremic toxins showed a significant negative correlation with the symmetry factor. Morphology of the albumin fraction was not affected by presence of glycated albumin and protein-bound antibiotics. In conclusion, the presented method provides a simple, practical way for monitoring protein carbamylation.

Intradialytic amino acids supplementation in hemodialysis patients with malnutrition: results of a multicenter cohort study

Phenytoin (DPH) is commonly used to treat seizures associated with acute head injury. Consequent to decreases in DPH protein binding in such patients, the DPH free fraction (DPHff) may increase and thereby produce symptoms compatible with DPH toxicity despite the presence of total serum concentrations within the usually accepted therapeutic range. We examined the effect of acute traumatic injury on DPH protein binding in 13 hospitalized pediatric patients. In addition to total and free DPH serum concentrations, biochemical variables including blood pH, total and direct bilirubin, serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, albumin, gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), and free fatty acid concentrations were measured serially over 10 days. The DPHff was compared between selected time intervals in hospitalized patients and data obtained in a control population of 27 epileptic outpatients who were maintained on DPH. Additionally, a multiple regression model was used to examine for covariance between the DPHff and the respective biochemical variables in the hospitalized patients. In the study patients, the DPHff progressively increased, attaining a maximum value (8.5 +/- 0.7%) on the fifth hospital day which was significantly greater (6.4 +/- 0.7%, p less than .05) than that on day 1 and also in the control group (6.1 +/- 0.3%; p less than .01). Blood pH, serum albumin, free fatty acids, creatinine and bilirubin concentrations did not change, but GGT did increase significantly over the 10-day sampling period. A significant (r = .51, p less than .0001) linear relationship was found between the DPHff and the serum albumin concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis, laboratory indices (such as serum albumin concentration) are predominantly utilized to assess well-being, while measures of functional status are rarely applied. However, the serum albumin concentration declines with advancing age, and the mean age of patients starting maintenance hemodialysis is now over 63 years. Using a 14-level modified Karnofsky activity scale, we measured baseline functional status in 522 randomly selected hemodialysis patients and prospectively monitored them for 3 years to determine the predictive value of our modified Karnofsky score for mortality. At onset of study, serum albumin and creatinine concentrations as well as hematocrit were measured and the comorbid conditions documented. At baseline, the 522 subjects (270 women and 252 men) included 327 blacks (63%), 154 whites (29%), 31 Hispanics (6%), and 10 Asians (2%) of mean age 59 ± (SD) 15 years. The mean duration of end-stage renal disease was 4 ± 3.6 years, and the mean serum albumin concentration was 3.7 ± 0.4 g/dl. 166 (32%) of the patients died during the observation period. Cox regression analysis revealed inverse relations between mortality and both our modified Karnofsky score (p = 0.0001) and serum albumin concentration (p = 0.001). The predictive value of a low modified Karnofsky score for mortality persisted after analysis of subjects stratified according to serum albumin concentration (<4 g/dl, n = 382, p = 0.0001 vs. ≥4 g/dl, n = 140, p = 0.008). With a modified Karnofsky score (<70 vs. ≥70), the relative risk of death during the 3-year follow-up period was 1.44 (95% confidence interval 1.236, 1.675; p < 0.0001). Forward stepwise Cox regression analysis showed that advanced age (p = 0.0005), white race (p = 0.0009), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.01), and a low serum albumin concentration (p = 0.003) were independently associated with an increased risk of mortality during follow-up after adjustment for other factors. A modified Karnofsky score (p = 0.14) did not predict survival in the Cox model when other independent variables were included. We conclude that in patients with end-stage renal disease sustained on maintenance hemodialysis, a poor functional status (measured on a modified Karnofsky activity scale) is associated with early mortality. Periodic measurement of modified Karnofsky score is a simple, low-cost, and reliable means of identifying patients on dialysis at risk for early death.