Measurement Of Serum Creatinine Levels Research Articles

Analysis of Blood Urea-Nitrogen to Creatainine (BUN/CR) Ratio at Different Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease in Baiturahim Hospital Jambi

Background: Renal failure is a disease in which the function of the kidneys decreases until they are no longer able to work at all in terms of filtering the body's electrolyte disposal, maintaining the balance of fluids and body chemicals such as sodium and potassium in the blood or urine production. Decreased kidney function indicates an increase in creatinine and urea levels in the blood. GFR or the ability of the kidneys to filter blood can be assessed by measuring serum creatinine levels, blood urea nitrogen levels. Serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels are inversely proportional to GFR. The normal BUN/Creatinine ratio is 10-15:1. The aim of this study was to determine the difference in the average BUN/Creatinine ratio in patients with Chronic Kidney Failure and Stage V Kidney Failure patients undergoing routine hemodialysis.
 Method: This research is a quantitative descriptive study by taking secondary data from medical record data on 70 patients treated at Baiturrahim Hospital Jambi for the period February 2022-February 2023. Variables assessed in this study include the severity of kidney failure with the results of urea and creatinine examinations.
 Result: Based on research that has been carried out found that the average BUN/Creatinine ratio in patients at non-end stage of CKD was 11.97, while in ESRD patients it was 5.69.
 Conclusion: There was a significant difference between the results of the BUN/Creatinine ratio in patients with Chronic Kidney Failure and ESRD (P-value < 0.01) at Baiturrahim Hospital Jambi.

Serum and urinary angiotensinogen levels as prognostic indicators in acute kidney injury: a prospective study.

The delayed increase in serum creatinine levels poses challenges in the timely diagnosis of acute kidney injury. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum angiotensinogen and urinary angiotensinogen levels and the prognosis of renal function in patients diagnosed with acute kidney injury. A total of 79 newly diagnosed acute kidney injury patients aged 18 years and older were enrolled. Serum angiotensinogen and urinary angiotensinogen levels were measured at the onset of the disease, as well as on the 15th and 30th days of follow-up. After 3 months, renal function was evaluated by measuring serum creatinine levels. Among the acute kidney injury patients, those in Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes stage 3 exhibited significantly higher urinary angiotensinogen/urine creatinine levels compared with stages 1 and 2 patients at the time of diagnosis (p<0.05). Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the urinary angiotensinogen/urine creatinine level at the time of diagnosis and the serum creatinine level at the third month (r=0.408, p=0.048). The findings suggest that urinary angiotensinogen levels can serve as an indicator of the severity of acute kidney injury. Monitoring urinary angiotensinogen levels could potentially contribute to the prognosis assessment and management of acute kidney injury patients.

Biomarkers for early detection and predicting outcomes in acute kidney injury.

The current diagnosis of acute kidney injury relies on the measurement of serum creatinine levels and urine output. However, both measures are subject to considerable limitations; for example, change in serum creatinine levels ideally requires a knowledge of baseline function that is often not available. Furthermore, creatinine levels are influenced by many factors including diet, drug therapy, muscle mass, gender and ethnicity, which may lead to underestimation of the extent of renal dysfunction. Similarly, urine output lacks both specificity and sensitivity as a marker of acute kidney injury given that oliguria may be an appropriate physiological response to a multitude of stressors and that output may be maintained until significant renal damage has already occurred. Given the well-documented consequences of acute kidney injury and the considerable burden associated with its development, much attention has focused on early identification of patients at high risk to try and improve outcomes. Many studies have focused on the identification of candidate molecules that may enable the early detection of individuals at risk of developing acute kidney injury, including constitutive proteins associated with kidney damage, as well as molecules upregulated in response to injury, non-renal products that may be filtered, reabsorbed or secreted by the kidney, and markers of renal stress. Such biomarkers may also aid stratification for adverse events, such as the need for kidney replacement therapy or progression to chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. This article discusses some of these novel biomarkers and assesses the role they may have in the understanding, management, diagnosis and prognostication of acute kidney injury.

Association of serum creatinine with aortic arch calcification in middle-aged and elderly adults: an observational cross-sectional study from China

Background and aimsVascular calcification (VC) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Renal dysfunction is closely related to VC. Serum creatinine, as an important indicator of renal function in chronic kidney disease (CKD), is closely associated with increased VC. Here, to explore the potential role of serum creatinine in CVD, we examined the association between serum creatinine level and aortic arch calcification (AAC) presence in a larger general population.MethodsA total of 9067 participants aged > 45 years were included in this study. All participants underwent postero-anterior chest X-ray examination to diagnose AAC. According to the distribution characteristics, serum creatinine levels in male and female were divided into tertiles respectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the association between aortic calcification and serum creatinine.ResultsParticipants included 3776 men and 5291 women, and 611 and 990 AAC were detected, respectively. Serum creatinine level in the female AAC group was significantly higher than that in the non-AAC group (p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference in male serum creatinine between the two groups (p = 0.241). After logistic regression analysis excluded confounding factors, with the first tertile of serum creatinine as the reference, multivariable-adjusted ORs and 95% CIs of the second and the highest tertile of female and male were 1.045 (0.856–1.276), 1.263 (1.036–1.539); 0.953 (0.761–1.193), 0.948 (0.741–1.198), respectively.ConclusionElevated serum creatinine levels are independently associated with higher AAC incidence in female aged > 45 years old. Measuring serum creatinine levels may assist the early screening individuals at high risk of developing CVD. And higher attention should be given to female's serum creatinine levels in daily clinical practice.

Estimation of Baseline Serum Creatinine with Machine Learning

Introduction: Comparing current to baseline serum creatinine is important in detecting acute kidney injury. In this study, we report a regression-based machine learning model to predict baseline serum creatinine. Methods: We developed and internally validated a gradient boosting model on patients admitted in Mayo Clinic intensive care units from 2005 to 2017 to predict baseline creatinine. The model was externally validated on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC III) cohort in all ICU admissions from 2001 to 2012. The predicted baseline creatinine from the model was compared with measured serum creatinine levels. We compared the performance of our model with that of the backcalculated estimated serum creatinine from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. Results: Following ascertainment of eligibility criteria, 44,370 patients from the Mayo Clinic and 6,112 individuals from the MIMIC III cohort were enrolled. Our model used 6 features from the Mayo Clinic and MIMIC III datasets, including the presence of chronic kidney disease, weight, height, and age. Our model had significantly lower error than the MDRD backcalculation (mean absolute error [MAE] of 0.248 vs. 0.374 in the Mayo Clinic test data; MAE of 0.387 vs. 0.465 in the MIMIC III cohort) and higher correlation (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] of 0.559 vs. 0.050 in the Mayo Clinic test data; ICC of 0.357 vs. 0.030 in the MIMIC III cohort). Discussion/Conclusion: Using machine learning models, baseline serum creatinine could be estimated with higher accuracy than the backcalculated estimated serum creatinine level.

Creatinine correction to account for fluid overload in children with acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: an initial exploratory report

Creatinine is distributed between the intracellular and extracellular compartments, and as a result, the measurement of its concentration is strongly related to the fluid status of the patient. An interest has been shown in correcting measured serum creatinine levels according to the fluid balance in order to better specify the degree of acute kidney injury(AKI). We conducted a retrospective observational study of 33 children, aged 0 to 5years, admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit for acute respiratory distress syndrome treated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We compared measured and corrected creatinine and assessed the degree of agreement between these values using both Cohen's kappa and Krippendorff's alpha coefficient. In our cohort, 37% of the classifications made according to measured creatinine levels were erroneous and, in the majority of cases, the degree of AKI was underestimated. Correction of the measured creatinine value according to the degree of fluid overload may result in more accurate diagnosis of AKI. Graphical abstract A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Extracellular Vesicles in Acute Kidney Injury and Clinical Applications.

Acute kidney injury (AKI)––the sudden loss of kidney function due to tissue damage and subsequent progression to chronic kidney disease––has high morbidity and mortality rates and is a serious worldwide clinical problem. Current AKI diagnosis, which relies on measuring serum creatinine levels and urine output, cannot sensitively and promptly report on the state of damage. To address the shortcomings of these traditional diagnosis tools, several molecular biomarkers have been developed to facilitate the identification and ensuing monitoring of AKI. Nanosized membrane-bound extracellular vesicles (EVs) in body fluids have emerged as excellent sources for discovering such biomarkers. Besides this diagnostic purpose, EVs are also being extensively exploited to deliver therapeutic macromolecules to damaged kidney cells to ameliorate AKI. Consequently, many successful AKI biomarker findings and therapeutic applications based on EVs have been made. Here, we review our understanding of how EVs can help with the early identification and accurate monitoring of AKI and be used therapeutically. We will further discuss where current EV-based AKI diagnosis and therapeutic applications fall short and where future innovations could lead us.

A prediction model of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury based on antithrombin III.

The incidence of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) is on the rise. Recent studies have found a correlation between antithrombin III and AKI. We established a predictive model for sepsis-associated AKI based on plasma ATIII levels. A prospective study (March 2018-January 2020) was conducted in sepsis patients admitted to the Critical Care Medicine Department at Shanghai General Hospital. ATIII levels were obtained within 48h after admission to the ICU and before the diagnosis of sepsis-associated AKI was recorded. Renal function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine levels and urine volume. Male sex, other cardiovascular disease, and low ATIII levels were identified as independent risk factors for AKI. Age, immune disease, and low ATIII levels were identified as independent risk factors for death. Plasma ATIII levels in the non-AKI group were higher than those in the AKI group, plasma ATIII levels were higher in the survival group than in the non-survival group, plasma ATIII levels in the non-CRRT group were higher than those in the CRRT group, and plasma ATIII levels in the non-CKD group were higher than those in the CKD group. ATIII was significantly higher in the group with pulmonary infection than in the group without pulmonary infection. ATIII was significantly lower in the celiac infection group than in the nonceliac infection group. There was no statistically significant difference between the ATIII in the gram-positive group and the gram-negative group. ATIII was significantly higher in medical patients than in surgical patients. The predictive model of sepsis-associated AKI established based on ATIII was ln[P/(1 - p)] = -1.211 × sex - 0.017 × ATIII + 0.022 × Cr + 0.004 × BUN - 2.8192. The model goodness-of-fit test (p = 0.000) and the area under the ROC curve of the model (0.9862) suggested that the model has a high degree of discrimination and calibration. ATIII reduction was closely related to the prognosis of patients with sepsis. ATIII reduction was an independent risk factor for sepsis-associated AKI and an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with sepsis. ATIII reduction could predict sepsis-associated AKI. Low ATIII predicted a poor prognosis.

Measurement of serum creatinine levels with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: comparison with Jaffe and enzymatic methods

Abstract Objectives Our aim was to validate a mass spectrometric creatinine method and compare this method with Jaffe and enzymatic serum creatinine methods. Methods 90 samples were included. The levels were classified into three groups according to serum creatinine results as Group 1: Lower (n=30) (0.16–0.59 mg/dL), Group 2: Normal (n=30) (0.62–1.18 mg/dL) and Group 3: Higher (n=30) (1.33–3.88 mg/dL). Jaffe and enzymatic creatinine measurements were performed on the Beckman Coulter AU5800 autoanalyzer. Results Serum creatinine was linear from 0.039 up to 10 mg/dL, CV and bias values were ranged between 1.9–3.8% and 2–15%. Correlation coefficients were 0.990 (95% confidence interval 0.984–0.993), 0.992 (95% confidence interval 0.988–0.995) and 0.994 (95% confidence interval 0.991–0.996) for LC-MS/MS-Enzymatic, LC-MS/MS-Jaffe and Enzymatic-Jaffe, respectively. Conclusions Although, Jaffe method for serum creatinine measurement is still much more practical and cheap, so in use for routine practice, tandem mass spectrometric detection of serum creatinine can be used as an accurate and specific method for verification of discordant clinical results, existence of possible interferences and serum levels under 0.5 mg/dL creatinine results such as pediatric or pregnant populations.

A Prediction Model of Sepsis-Associated Acute Kidney Injury Based on Antithrombin III

Background: The incidence of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) is on the rise. Recent studies have found a correlation between antithrombin III and AKI. We established a predictive model for sepsis-associated AKI based on plasma ATIII levels. Methods: A prospective study (March 2018 to January 2020) was conducted in sepsis patients admitted to the Critical Care Medicine Department at Shanghai General Hospital. ATIII levels were obtained within 48 hours after admission to the ICU and before the diagnosis of sepsis-related AKI was recorded. Renal function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine levels and urine volume. Results: Male, cardiovascular disease, and low ATIII levels were identified as independent risk factors for AKI. Age, immune disease, and low ATIII levels were identified as independent risk factors for death. Plasma ATIII levels in the non-AKI group were higher than those in the AKI group, plasma ATIII levels were higher in the survival group than in the non-survival group, plasma ATIII levels in the non-CRRT group were higher than those in the CRRT group, and plasma ATIII levels in the non-CKD group were higher than those in the CKD group. ATIII was significantly higher in the group with pulmonary infection than in the group without pulmonary infection. ATIII was significantly lower in the celiac infection group than in the nonceliac infection group. The predictive model of sepsis-associated AKI established based on ATIII was ln[P/(1-p)]=-1.211×sex-0.017×ATIII+0.022×Cr+0.004×BUN-2.8192. The model goodness of fit test (P=0.000) and the area under the ROC curve of the model (0.9862) suggested that the model has a high degree of discrimination and calibration. Conclusions: ATIII reduction was an independent risk factor for sepsis-associated AKI and an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with sepsis. ATIII reduction could predict sepsis--associated AKI. Low ATIII predicted a poor prognosis. Funding Statement: The present study was supported by grants from Shanghai Science and Technology Committee Scientific and Technological Support Project (grant no. 18411950600 and 18411950602, respectively), Clinical Research Innovation Plan of Shanghai General Hospital (grant no. CTCCR2016B01) Wu Jieping Medical Foundation (grant no. 320.6750.18546) and Songjiang district science and technology project(19SJKJGG92). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethics approval was obtained from Shanghai General Hospital Institutional Review Board [approval no. (2018)KY004].

Allograft and patient survival after sequential HSCT and kidney transplantation from the same donor-A multicenter analysis.

Tolerance induction through simultaneous hematopoietic stem cell and renal transplantation has shown promising results, but it is hampered by the toxicity of preconditioning therapies and graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD). Moreover, renal function has never been compared to conventionally transplanted patients, thus, whether donor‐specific tolerance results in improved outcomes remains unanswered. We collected follow‐up data of published cases of renal transplantations after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from the same donor and compared patient and transplant kidney survival as well as function with caliper‐matched living‐donor renal transplantations from the Austrian dialysis and transplant registry. Overall, 22 tolerant and 20 control patients were included (median observation period 10 years [range 11 months to 26 years]). In the tolerant group, no renal allograft loss was reported, whereas 3 were lost in the control group. Median creatinine levels were 85 μmol/l (interquartile range [IQR] 72‐99) in the tolerant cohort and 118 μmol/l (IQR 99‐143) in the control group. Mixed linear‐model showed around 29% lower average creatinine levels throughout follow‐up in the tolerant group (P < .01). Our data clearly show stable renal graft function without long‐term immunosuppression for many years, suggesting permanent donor‐specific tolerance. Thus sequential transplantation might be an alternative approach for future studies targeting tolerance induction in renal allograft recipients.

Effect of Perioperative Blood Transfusions in Renal Transplant Patients

BackgroundIn patients eligible for organ transplantation, the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines specifically recommend avoiding red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) when possible to minimize the risk of allosensitization. ObjectiveTo assess the effect of perioperative RBCT on outcomes in living-related kidney transplantation (LRKT) recipients. MethodsWe retrospectively assessed 97 patients who underwent LRKT and whose data were evaluable at our institution between March 2009 and May 2016. We measured serum creatinine levels and calculated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after kidney transplantation (KTx). We evaluated the rejection rate within a year after KTx. We compared the renal function and rejection rate between those who received blood transfusions (n = 21) and those who did not (n = 76) during the perioperative period. ResultsAmong patient characteristics, the rate of ABO-incompatible KTx and the mean hemoglobin levels before KTx differed significantly between the groups. The serum creatinine levels and eGFR within 1 year after KTx did not differ significantly between the two groups. The rejection rate in those who received blood transfusions and those who did not was 28.6% (6/21 patients) and 25.0% (19/76 patients) (P = .741), respectively. ConclusionsWe found that the rejection rate was slightly higher in patients who received perioperative RBCT than in those who did not, but the difference was not significant within a year after KTx. Perioperative RBCT may not affect renal function within a year after KTx.

IMPACT OF RENAL DYSFUCNTION ON EARLY AND LONG TERM OUTCOMES AFTER CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING

The study is aimed at the comparative assessment of the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in the inhospital and long-term period in patients with initial renal dysfunction (RD) and without it after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Material and methods : 720 patients with clinical manifestations of coronary atherosclerosis, operated on between 2011 and 2012, were included in the study. All patients underwent preoperative measurement of serum creatinine levels, the estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using the MDRD formula, and the risk scoring using the additive EuroSCORE model. Results : The cut-off value for GFR was set at 60 mL / min / 1.73 m2 in this study, suggesting significant impact on the patients’ outcomes after CABG. There were differences in the preoperative clinical status among the patients with and without RD. Patients with decreased GFR were more likely to have chronic kidney disease, lower extremity arterial disease, extracranial arterial disease, compared to patients with normal GFR. Patients with RD reported higher rates of adverse cardiovascular and renal complications in the in-hospital period. Patients with decreased GFR &lt; 60 mL / min / 1,73m2 were more likely to have recurrent angina and progression of chronic heart failure one year after CABG. The assessment of the impact of renal dysfunction, defined by the levels of GFR, on the development of adverse outcome reported that patients with RD in the moderate risk group were more likely to have combined adverse outcome, compared to patients without RD one year after CABG. Conclusion : The presence of renal dysfunction has an adverse impact on the in-hospital outcome after CABG. Renal dysfunction had no predictive value on long-term outcome, but it increased the incidence of higher angina class and chronic heart failure.

Diabetic Nephropathy: from bench to bedside

Diabetes mellitus together with arterial hypertension are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Notably, diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains a major and independent risk for premature mortality. Therefore, continuous and accurate control of risk factors for the development of diabetic nephropathy is mandatory. Measurement of serum creatinine levels and calculation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) according to CKD-EPI equation must be performed annually, Also, measurement of urine albumin and calculation of the urine albumin to creatine ratio rate (uACR) is recommended to be performed annually, too, as uACR > 30 mg/g creatinine is considered to be a continuous risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Equally important is good glycemic control, as determined by glycated hemoglobin levels of < 7%, as well as control of hypertension, often with more than three anti-hypertensive drugs needed to achieve this goal. Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is not only effective in managing hypertension, but seems to reduce albuminuria levels among patients with diabetic nephropathy. However, combination of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE’s) with angiotensin receptor antagonists (AT2) or with direct renin inhibitors is not recommended due to the increased risk of hyperkalemia, hypotension and acute kidney injury. Other antihypertensive drugs which decrease albuminuria levels are the newer dihydropyridines calcium blockers manidipine and the latest b-blockers (carvedilol). Dyslipidemia parameters should be improved, too, especially the serum LDL-cholesterol levels <100 mg/dl. Vitamin D analogues have been shown to decrease albuminuria if eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 cm2 on account of a) inhibition of RAAS b) immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects and c) inhibition of interstitial fibrosis in conjunction with FGF-23 (Fibroblast Growth Factor-23). Besides, sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, which produce glucosuria seem to possess nephroprotective properties among type 2 diabetic patients. In particular, the EMPAREG study has documented that empagliflozin reduces the relative risk of serum creatinine doubling by 44%, while the relative risk of introducing hemoperfusion has been decreased by 55% within four years. It seems likely that atrasentan, a selective antagonist of the receptor of endothelin A also reduces albuminuria by approximately 35%. Moreover, the significance of substances with anti-inflammatory properties, such as oxidase inhibitors, pentoxyfilline, and N-acetyl-cysteine remains to be elucidated. It is noteworthy that weight loss together with dietary consultation, not only are implicated in better glycemic control and dyslipidemia management, but also in improving diabetic nephropathy per se.

Protective effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells against acute kidney injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex clinical condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality and lacking effective management. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains one of the leading causes of AKI in native and transplanted kidneys. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) in the prevention of renal IRI in rats. The study was conducted on male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=72) weighing 250–300 g. Rats were randomly assigned to three main groups: i) Sham-operated control group (n=24); ii) positive control group, in which rats were subjected to IRI and were administered culture media following 4 h of IRI (n=24); and iii) ADSC group (n=24), in which rats were administered 1×106 ADSCs via the tail vein following 4 h of IRI. Each main group was further divided according to the timing after IRI into four equal-sized subgroups. Renal function was tested via the measurement of serum creatinine levels and creatinine clearance. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in serum and renal tissue homogenate as an indicator of oxidative stress. Histopathological changes were analyzed in different regions of the kidney, namely the cortex, outer stripe of the outer medulla (OSOM), inner stripe of the outer medulla (ISOM) and inner medulla. In each region, the scoring system considered active injury changes, regenerative changes and chronic changes. The ADSCs were assessed and their differentiation capability was verified. IRI resulted in a significant increase in serum creatinine, serum and tissue MDA levels and a significant reduction in creatinine clearance compared with those in sham-operated rats,. These changes were attenuated by the use of ADSCs. The prominent histopathological changes in the cortex, ISOM and OSOM were reflected in the injury score, which was significantly evident in the positive control group. The use of ADSCs was associated with significantly lowered injury scores at days 1 and 3; however, no significant effect was observed on day 7. These results indicate that the use of ADSCs ameliorates renal injury and dysfunction associated with IRI in rats.

Serum creatinine measurements: evaluation of a questionnaire according to the ESUR guidelines.

The European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) propose measurements of serum creatinine levels in patients undergoing contrast-enhanced studies with a high probability of impaired renal function and therefore with a higher risk of CIN and NSF. To determine whether the recommended questionnaire is able to select these patients. Over a time period of 10 months the questionnaire was conducted in 1389 patients (725 women, 654 men) before contrast administration for computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. Serum creatinine (SCr) measurements and calculation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values were performed when one or more answers were positive. Eighty-one patients were excluded due to incomplete data. Statistical evaluation of the questionnaire was done retrospectively. Four hundred and ninety-nine patients (38%) gave one or more positive answers to the questionnaire. Of these, 71 (14%) had an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), 31 (6%) had an eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m(2), and five (1%) had an eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Only the question concerning previous renal disease showed a significant correlation to an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P < 0.05) and <45 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Slight correlations with some other risk factors (renal disease, family history of renal disease, arterial hypertension with medication, analgetic medication with nephrotoxic drugs) were found for either a threshold of 60 or 45 mL/min/1.73 m(2). In addition, there was a positive correlation with patient age. We propose to reduce the questionnaire to a smaller number of risk factors and consider a point-of-care (POC) SCr measurement for all patients aged >70 years without a recent eGFR value while referred for CT. For MRI a SCr measurement is not mandatory while using medium and lowest risk contrast agents.

Individualizing pharmacotherapy in patients with renal impairment: the validity of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula in specific patient populations with a glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml/min. A systematic review.

BackgroundThe Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula is widely used in clinical practice to assess the correct drug dose. This formula is based on serum creatinine levels which might be influenced by chronic diseases itself or the effects of the chronic diseases. We conducted a systematic review to determine the validity of the MDRD formula in specific patient populations with renal impairment: elderly, hospitalized and obese patients, patients with cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis and human immunodeficiency virus.Methods and FindingsWe searched for articles in Pubmed published from January 1999 through January 2014. Selection criteria were (1) patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 ml/min (/1.73m2), (2) MDRD formula compared with a gold standard and (3) statistical analysis focused on bias, precision and/or accuracy. Data extraction was done by the first author and checked by a second author. A bias of 20% or less, a precision of 30% or less and an accuracy expressed as P30% of 80% or higher were indicators of the validity of the MDRD formula. In total we included 27 studies. The number of patients included ranged from 8 to 1831. The gold standard and measurement method used varied across the studies. For none of the specific patient populations the studies provided sufficient evidence of validity of the MDRD formula regarding the three parameters. For patients with diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis, hospitalized patients and elderly with moderate to severe renal impairment we concluded that the MDRD formula is not valid. Limitations of the review are the lack of considering the method of measuring serum creatinine levels and the type of gold standard used.ConclusionIn several specific patient populations with renal impairment the use of the MDRD formula is not valid or has uncertain validity.

Body Weight Difference Between Donor and Recipient Is an Important Affector of Early Graft Function After Renal Transplantation

BackgroundPoor early graft function (EGF), a frequent complication of kidney transplantation, can be caused by many risk factors, including donor kidney and body weights. MethodsWe studied the relationship to early graft function in a rat kidney transplantation model among 3 indices: ratio of graft to body weight; ratio of native kidney to body weight, and weight difference/body weight of the recipient. We categorized 2 groups based on contralateral nephrectomy at day 1 (G1) or day 3 (G2) after transplantation. EGF was evaluated by measuring serum creatinine levels at day 1 after bilateral nephrectomy. ResultsThe 3 indices, ie, weight difference/body weight of recipient (G1 and G2: P < .0001), ratio of native kidney to body weight (G1: P < .0001; G2: P = .0013), and ratio of graft to body weight (G1: P = .0064; G2: P = .014) strongly correlated with EGF regardless of the time of contralateral nephrectomy. ConclusionsThe index of weight difference/body weight of recipient sensitively and predominantly influenced EGF, which probably reflects the systemic metabolic profile.

Impact of a new assay for measuring serum creatinine levels on carboplatin dosing

The impact of converting to the isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS)-traceable serum creatinine (SCr) assay for determining the calculated and delivered dose of carboplatin was studied. A single-center, retrospective, observational chart review of adult patients who received a dose of carboplatin within one month before and after implementation of the IDMS-traceable SCr assay was conducted using information available in medical records and chemotherapy orders. Patient-specific data were collected and used to calculate a carboplatin dose before and after the SCr assay change using the Cockcroft-Gault equation, with the Calvert et al. formula used to calculate the carboplatin dose based on the target area under the concentration-time curve in the chemotherapy order forms. The primary outcome was the difference in calculated carboplatin dose, assessed as the percent difference between the mean carboplatin dose before and after the assay change. Results Fifty-six patients were included in the data analysis. The mean calculated carboplatin dose was 9.6% greater when the IDMS-traceable assay was used compared with the previous institutional standard enzymatic assay. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.005). Nearly 50% of patients received a dose of carboplatin that was increased by >10% compared with the dose received before conversion to the IDMS-traceable assay for SCr measurement. After implementation of the IDMS-traceable assay, the mean calculated carboplatin dose was 9.6% larger than before implementation, and nearly 50% of patients received a dose of carboplatin that was increased by greater than 10% compared with the dose received before the assay change.

Is transureteroureterostomy performed during multi‐organ resection for non‐urothelial malignancy safe and effective?

Multi-organ resection in patients with non-urothelial cancer may include segmental ureteral resection. The resulting ureteral defect can be reconstructed with a transureteroureterostomy (TUU); however, whether TUU is safe and effective in this patient group remains unclear. In the current retrospective analysis, we evaluated renal function before and after complex multi-organ resection that included TUU to determine whether TUU is safe and effective. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who underwent TUU between 1995 and 2011. Renal imaging studies performed before and after TUU were used to determine whether hydronephrosis was present in either kidney. Kidney function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine levels and calculating the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before and after TUU. Twelve patients underwent TUU during multiorgan resection. Median follow-up time was 15 months. Three patients with cancer recurrence involving the TUU developed progressive hydronephrosis. Serum creatinine levels did not increase more than 0.5 mg/dl in any patient. Kidney function as assessed by eGFR was maintained in all patients (until the time of recurrence in the three patients with recurrence affecting the TUU). TUU during multi-organ resection for non-urothelial malignancy is safe and effective. Long-term renal function is maintained in the majority of patients.