Pre-existing Kidney Disease Research Articles

Glomerular Filtration Rate and Blood Urea Nitrogen Levels between Coastal and Desert Regions within Libya

Background: Limited research exists on how geographic location and environmental factors influence kidney function. This study investigates potential variations in Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) levels between individuals residing in the coastal and desert regions of Libya. Methods: An observational, retrospective analysis was conducted using medical records. Participants (n=260) were recruited from Benghazi (coastal) and Jalu/Samnu/Sabha (desert) regions. Inclusion criteria included age range (18-90 years) and residency in the designated location. Exclusion criteria focused on factors affecting GFR (e.g., pre-existing kidney disease). GFR was estimated using the CKD-EPI formula. BUN levels were obtained from medical records. T-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: The final sample size (after exclusions) and participant demographics was 134 participants. The study found no statistically significant difference in GFR between the coastal and desert groups (p-value = 0.238). However, BUN levels were significantly higher in the desert group (mean = 28.2 SD = 30.5) compared to the coastal group (mean = 15.5, SD = 10.5) with a p-value of (p-value = 0.026). Conclusion: This study did not identify a significant association between GFR and geographic location (coastal vs. desert) within Libya. However, BUN levels were significantly higher in the desert population, suggesting potential differences in kidney function or contributing factors that warrant further investigation.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on the course and outcome of COVID-19

COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease. However, patients with COVID-19 are at high risk for acute kidney injury or exacerbation of preexisting kidney disease, especially those with comorbidities such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and malignancies. We reviewed studies that assessed the association between chronic kidney disease and SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection and infection outcomes, including hospitalization, severe COVID-19, need for intensive care, COVID-19 progression, and death. The studies showed varied and often contradictory results, as the baseline data differ in many parameters, such as the period of the pandemic, quality and size of the sample, and degree of comorbidity. Nevertheless, the studies consistently revealed that chronic kidney disease is an unfavorable factor with regard to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, concomitant chronic kidney disease predisposes patients with COVID-19 to severe COVID-19, viral pneumonia, development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, and other complications, which in turn are negative prognostic factors for mortality. Patients with chronic kidney disease who survived COVID-19 are more likely to develop post-COVID syndromes with various persistent or recurrent symptoms than convalescents without renal comorbidity. These patients require long-term monitoring and optimization of therapy and are priority for vaccination.

Evaluating Renal Benefits of Rivaroxaban Versus Vitamin K Antagonists in Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Real-world Evidence.

AF is a global health concern, with systemic complications including renal dysfunction. This systematic review and meta-analysis compares the effects of rivaroxaban, a Factor Xa inhibitor, and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) on renal outcomes in AF patients. The study protocol is registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023462756). We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases from 1 January 2017 to 30 June 2023 for real-world studies comparing the effects of rivaroxaban and VKAs on renal outcomes in AF patients, including acute kidney injury, a .30% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate, doubling of serum creatinine and worsening renal function. Subgroup analyses targeted diabetes, pre-existing kidney disease, the elderly (age .65 years) and Asian populations. The risk of bias was assessed used the Robins-I tool. HRs and 95% CIs were synthesised through a random-effects model. Two sensitivity analyses were performed, using a fixed-effects model and excluding conference abstracts. We identified 1,666 records. After screening, 14 studies comparing rivaroxaban and VKAs were included. Rivaroxaban exhibited superiority over VKAs in preventing: acute kidney injury (HR 0.68; 95% CI [0.61.0.77]; p<0.00001); a .30% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (HR 0.71; 95% CI [0.60.0.84]; p<0.0001); doubling of serum creatinine (HR 0.50; 95% CI [0.36.0.70]; p<0.0001); and worsening renal function (HR 0.56; 95% CI [0.45.0.69]; p<0.00001). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses consistently confirmed rivaroxaban's favourable effects on renal outcomes in diabetes, pre-existing kidney disease, the elderly and Asian populations. Our findings support the preference of rivaroxaban over VKAs for renal outcomes in AF. The findings endorse rivaroxaban as the preferred anticoagulant to mitigate renal complications, offering clinicians valuable insights for tailored strategies.

#242 Incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury is twice as high in men than women following radical colorectal surgery—key findings from PROSACC

Abstract Background and Aims Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects approximately 8% of the general surgical population. Additionally, AKI increases the risk for morbidity and mortality by 8- and 3-fold respectively. It was earlier believed that women had a greater risk for postoperative AKI. However, recent literature indicates that the incidence of AKI is actually higher in hospitalized men than women (2.2 odds ratio). Hence the male sex is currently discussed to be a risk factor for AKI. We therefore hypothesized that the incidence of postoperative AKI will be higher amongst men than women after radical colorectal surgery. Method We conducted a post hoc analysis (PROSACC: Propofol or Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Colon Cancer, NCT05585866) on the database from the CAN-study (Cancer and Anesthesia: Survival After Radical Surgery, NCT01975064). The CAN-study included cancer patients undergoing radical surgery at several sites in China, Croatia, Poland, and Sweden. Patients included in PROSACC were those undergoing colorectal surgery at any predefined site. Primary outcome was incidence of AKI by changes in plasma creatinine, secondary outcome was AKI in association to gender (women/men). The KDIGO criteria was used for classifying AKI on postoperative days 1-3 and 4-10. Database management and statistical analysis was performed by Uppsala Research Centre. Men vs women AKI outcome at day 1-3 and 4-10 was statistically compared with the Pearson's chi-square test. Results A total of 3254 patients (n = 1900 men; n = 1354 women) were included in the analysis with their preoperative plasma creatinine. Demographics showed that of the women, 39% had hypertension, 12% had diabetes and 2% had pre-existing kidney disease. In comparison, amongst the men, 24% had hypertension, 9% had diabetes and 1% pre-existing kidney disease. Postoperative plasma creatinine values were obtainable from the database in 2741 patients (n = 1578 men; n = 1163 women) on postoperative day 1-3. One hundred and ninety patients (7%) of this group had developed AKI. Separated by gender, 6% of the women (n = 72) and 8% of the men (n = 118) had established AKI according to KDIGO (p = 0.190). Plasma creatinine values were obtainable in 986 patients (n = 582 men; n = 404 women) on postoperative day 4-10 whereas 87 patients (9%) in this group had developed AKI. Separated by gender, 6% of the women (n = 23) but 11% of the men (n = 64) had established AKI at this timepoint (p = 0.004). Conclusion With this post hoc analysis of a global, multicentre, randomized controlled trial we conclude that the incidence of postoperative AKI is twice as high in men compared with women after 4-10 postoperative days following radical colorectal surgery. Since the women had higher rate of pronounced preoperative risk factors yet still had lower incidence of AKI, this study aligns with the conclusion that the male sex is a risk factor for postoperative AKI.

#1410 Prognosis and mortality within 90 days in community-acquired acute kidney injury in the Southwest of Sweden

Abstract Background and Aims Community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is common among hospitalized patients and has a poor prognosis. Research is scarce on the impact of a CA-AKI episode among patients without preexisting kidney disease and has not previously been investigated in Sweden. The aim was to describe the outcomes of patients with normal pre-hospitalization kidney function, admitted with community-acquired AKI and to investigate the association between AKI severity with outcomes. Method A retrospective population-based study was applied including patients with CA-AKI according to KDIGO classification, admitted via emergency department (ED) 2017-2019 and with a 90-day follow-up period from the ED-admission, collecting data from the Regional Healthcare Informative Platform. Age, gender and AKI stages, mortality and follow-up regarding recovery and readmission was registered. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence Interval (CI) for mortality was analyzed using Cox regression adjusted for age, comorbidities, and medication. Results There were 1646 patients included, mean age was 77.5 years. CA-AKI stage 3 occurred in 51% of patients &amp;lt; 65 years of age and 34% among those &amp;gt;65 years. In this study, 578 (35%) patients died and 233 (22%) recovered their kidney function. Mortality rate peaked within the first two weeks and among those at AKI stage 3. Nephrology referral post discharge occurred in 3% and 29% were readmitted. HRs for mortality was 1.9 (CI 1.38-2.62) for those who are &amp;gt; 65 years, 1.56 (CI 1.30-1.88) for atherosclerotic-cardiovascular disease. Medication with RAASi related to a decreased HR 0.27 (95% CI 0.22-0.33). Conclusion CA-AKI is associated with high mortality within 90 days, increased risk for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and only one fifth recover their kidney function after hospitalization with an AKI. Nephrology referral was sparse. Patient follow-up after a hospitalization with AKI should be carefully planned during the first 90 days and focused on identifying those with a higher risk of developing CKD.

Incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury is twice as high in men than women following radical colorectal surgery — key findings from PROSACC, a posthoc analysis of a global, multicenter, randomized controlled trial

Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects approximately 8% of the general surgical population. Additionally, AKI increases the risk for morbidity and mortality by 8- and 3-fold respectively. It was earlier believed that women had a greater risk for postoperative AKI. However, recent literature indicates that the incidence of AKI is actually higher in hospitalized men than women (2.2 odds ratio). Hence the male sex is currently discussed to be a risk factor for AKI. We therefore hypothesized that the incidence of postoperative AKI will be higher amongst men than women after radical colorectal surgery. We conducted a posthoc analysis (PROSACC: Propofol or Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Colon Cancer, NCT05585866) on the database from the CAN-study (Cancer and Anesthesia: Survival After Radical Surgery, NCT01975064). The CAN-study included cancer patients undergoing radical surgery at several sites in China, Croatia, Poland, and Sweden. Patients included in PROSACC were those undergoing colorectal surgery at any predefined site. Primary outcome was incidence of AKI by changes in plasma creatinine, secondary outcome was AKI in association to gender (women/men). The KDIGO criteria was used for classifying AKI on postoperative days 1-3 and 4-10. Database management and statistical analysis was performed by Uppsala Research Centre. Men vs women AKI outcome at day 1-3 and 4-10 was statistically compared with the Pearson’s chi-square test. A total of 3254 patients (n=1900 men; n=1354 women) were included in the analysis with their preoperative plasma creatinine. Demographics showed that of the women, 39% had hypertension, 12% had diabetes and 2% had preexisting kidney disease. In comparison, amongst the men, 24% had hypertension, 9% had diabetes and 1% preexisting kidney disease. Postoperative plasma creatinine values were obtainable from the database in 2741 patients (n=1578 men; n=1163 women) on postoperative day 1-3. One hundred and ninety patients (7%) of this group had developed AKI. Separated by gender, 6% of the women (n=72) and 8% of the men (n=118) had established AKI according to KDIGO (p=0.190). Plasma creatinine values were obtainable in 986 patients (n=582 men; n=404 women) on postoperative day 4-10 whereas 87 patients (9%) in this group had developed AKI. Separated by gender, 6% of the women (n=23) but 11% of the men (n=64) had established AKI at this timepoint (p=0.004). With this posthoc analysis of a global, multicenter, randomized controlled trial we conclude that the incidence of postoperative AKI is twice as high in men compared with women after 4-10 postoperative days following radical colorectal surgery. Since the women had higher rate of pronounced preoperative risk factors yet still had lower incidence of AKI, this study aligns with the conclusion that the male sex is a risk factor for postoperative AKI. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (2014–02569 and 2014–07606). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease Worsen Outcomes in Experimental Sepsis.

Infection is a leading cause of morbidity in individuals with acute and chronic kidney disease (AKD, CKD). However, there is significant difficulty in modeling infection into an animal host with preexisting kidney disease. We report a novel method of peritoneal infection induced via cecal slurry inoculation deployed into mice with experimental aristolochic acid-induced AKD and CKD. AKD, CKD, and paired control mice were injected with sham, low, or higher doses of donor-recipient matched cecal slurry solution. Animal survival, sepsis severity, and change in glomerular filtration rate was tracked longitudinally throughout the study. Histology for kidney injury, flow cytometry, plasma cytokines, and evidence of indirect organ injury from sepsis were also assessed. Infected AKD mice experienced significantly heightened sepsis severity, with 100% mortality by 24 hours after high cecal slurry doses versus no mortality in control mice. Additionally, AKD mice receiving lower cecal slurry doses developed dramatically increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and persistent cytopenias. Infected CKD mice also had worse outcomes than paired CKD-controls, though less severe than in AKD mice. Interestingly, animals with AKD had worse outcomes than mice with CKD after any cecal slurry dose or time-point after inoculation, despite higher baseline kidney function and less uremic sequela. These data confirm that acute bacterial infection can be modeled in animals with established kidney disease; and suggest that the clinical state of kidney disease (AKD versus CKD) may influence host susceptibility to infection more than the degree of kidney failure alone.

Exploring the correlation between radial artery access and decreased occurrence of contrast-induced nephropathy.

Objective: To Investigate the Impact of Radial Artery Access on Contrast-Induced Nephropathy (CIN) Incidence. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Department of Cardiology, Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar. Period: January 2021 to June 2022. Material &amp; Methods: Patients aged ≥ 30 who have undergone cardiac catheterization procedures, with a focus on those who have undergone the procedure using radial artery access. Those patients who had pre-existing renal impairments or kidney diseases, with a history of contrast allergies, were included in the study. However, those patients who were under the age of &lt; 30, had undergone cardiac catheterization procedures using femoral artery access, and with incomplete medical records were excluded. All the data were analyzed in SPSS version 26. Results: In our study involving 164 participants. Individuals who experienced CIN exhibited a considerably greater average age of 69.89 years when contrasted with the 66.86 years of those in the non-CIN category (p=0.03). Furthermore, a higher percentage of patients in the CIN group were aged 65 or older (35.1% vs. 11%, p&lt;0.001), highlighting the increased vulnerability of older individuals to CIN. The timing of reperfusion therapy, indicated by the time-to-reperfusion, was significantly longer in the CIN group (6.2 ± 3.3 hours) compared to the non-CIN group (4.9 ± 3.7 hours, p=0.001), suggesting that delayed reperfusion may be a risk factor for CIN. Conclusion: Patients with anterior infarction, delayed reperfusion, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and higher serum creatinine levels were also more likely to develop CIN.

The range of haploidentical transplant protocols in sickle cell disease: all haplos are not created equally.

The ideal curative therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) must be applicable across all ages and include individuals with strokes and preexisting heart, lung, and kidney disease. Myeloablative, matched sibling donor hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) for children with SCD has shown excellent outcomes over the past 3 decades but has been restricted due to the limited availability of a human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling donor (10%-15%) and increased treatment-related death in adults with myeloablative conditioning. To overcome these 2 significant barriers to curative therapy in SCD, related haploidentical HCT has become an active area of research. The use of related haploidentical donors (first- and second-degree relatives) increases the donor pool to at least 90% of those eligible across the life span. Importantly, most adults, even with strokes or significant comorbidities, can tolerate the nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen without treatment-related death. Since 2013, at least 3 related haploidentical HCT strategies have emerged as potential curative therapies for SCD: (1) a nonmyeloablative, T-cell replete, bone marrow transplant with thiotepa and posttransplant cyclophosphamide with a goal of complete donor chimerism; (2) a nonmyeloablative, in vivo T-cell depletion, using peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) with a goal of stable mixed donor-recipient chimerism; and (3) a myeloablative, ex vivo T-cell depletion using PBSCs and advanced-technology graft manipulation, with a goal of complete donor chimerism. We review the similarities, differences, outcomes, and gaps in knowledge with these 3 haploidentical HCT approaches for SCD.

Pitfalls in anticoagulant-related nephropathy.

Anticoagulant-related nephropathy (ARN) is a rare but important disease and often misdiagnosed. The hallmark of the diagnosis is acute kidney injury (AKI) superimposed on preexisting kidney disease due to anticoagulation-induced glomerular hemorrhage with histologic features of widespread tubular obstruction by red blood cells and red cell casts. As ARN is a diagnosis of exclusion only proven by renal biopsy, the diagnosis is often unlikely to be confirmed histologically because of fear of biopsy-related bleeding during anticoagulant therapy. Given the large differential diagnosis in AKI, diagnosing ARN remains a challenge for clinicians. A case report and the pitfalls related to diagnosis and management will be discussed in this paper.

Early mobilisation in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a subanalysis of the ESICM-initiated UNITE-COVID observational study

BackgroundEarly mobilisation (EM) is an intervention that may improve the outcome of critically ill patients. There is limited data on EM in COVID-19 patients and its use during the first pandemic wave.MethodsThis is a pre-planned subanalysis of the ESICM UNITE-COVID, an international multicenter observational study involving critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020. We analysed variables associated with the initiation of EM (within 72 h of ICU admission) and explored the impact of EM on mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as discharge location. Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear mixed-effect models and ANOVAs.ResultsMobilisation data from 4190 patients from 280 ICUs in 45 countries were analysed. 1114 (26.6%) of these patients received mobilisation within 72 h after ICU admission; 3076 (73.4%) did not. In our analysis of factors associated with EM, mechanical ventilation at admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.25, 0.35; p = 0.001), higher age (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; p ≤ 0.001), pre-existing asthma (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98; p = 0.028), and pre-existing kidney disease (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71, 0.99; p = 0.036) were negatively associated with the initiation of EM. EM was associated with a higher chance of being discharged home (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08, 1.58; p = 0.007) but was not associated with length of stay in ICU (adj. difference 0.91 days; 95% CI − 0.47, 1.37, p = 0.34) and hospital (adj. difference 1.4 days; 95% CI − 0.62, 2.35, p = 0.24) or mortality (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.7, 1.09, p = 0.24) when adjusted for covariates.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that a quarter of COVID-19 patients received EM. There was no association found between EM in COVID-19 patients' ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality. However, EM in COVID-19 patients was associated with increased odds of being discharged home rather than to a care facility.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021).

Clinical and pathological features of omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2-associated kidney injury.

Kidney injury is common in patients with Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19), which is related to poor prognosis. We aim to summarize the clinical features, athological types, and prognosis of COVID-19 associated kidney injury caused by the Omicron strain. In this study, 46 patients with Omicron-associated kidney injury were included, 38 of whom performed renal biopsy. Patients were divided into twogroups: group A for patients with onset of kidney injury after SARS-CoV-2 infection; group B for patients with pre-existing kidney disease who experienced aggravation of renal insufficiency after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical, pathological, and prognostic characteristics of the patients were observed. Acute kidney injury (AKI) (35%) was the mostcommon clinical manifestation in group A. Patients in group B mainly presented with chronickidney disease(CKD)(55%)and nephroticsyndrome (NS)(40%). The pathological type was mainly IgA nephropathy (IgAN) (39% in group A and 45% in group B). Among all of them, one case presenting with thrombotic microangiopathyhad worse kidney function at biopsy time. Mean serum C3 levels were 1.2 ± 0.5 and 1.0 ± 0.2 g/L in group A and group B, respectively. In renal tissues, C3 deposits were observed in 71.1% of patients. 11.8% (n = 2) patients experienced deterioration of renal function after treatment, but no patients developed to end-stage renal disease. In our single-center study in China, the main clinical manifestations were AKI, CKD, and NS, while the main pathological type was IgAN. Compared with previous strains of SARS-CoV-2, patients with the Omicron infection had a favorable prognosis.

The effect of dehydration, hyperchloremia and volume of fluid resuscitation on acute kidney injury in children admitted to hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a recognized comorbidity in pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), although the exact etiology is unclear. The unique physiology of DKA makes dehydration assessments challenging, and these patients potentially receive excessive amounts of intravenous fluids (IVF). We hypothesized that dehydration is over-estimated in pediatric DKA, leading to over-administration of IVF and hyperchloremia that worsens AKI. Retrospective cohort of all DKA inpatients at a tertiary pediatric hospital from 2014 to 2019. A total of 145 children were included; reasons for exclusion were pre-existing kidney disease or incomplete medical records. AKI was determined by change in creatinine during admission, and comparison to a calculated baseline value. Linear regression multivariable analysis was used to identify factors associated with AKI. True dehydration was calculated from patients' change in weight, as previously validated. Fluid over-resuscitation was defined as total fluids given above the true dehydration. A total of 19% of patients met KDIGO serum creatinine criteria for AKI on admission. Only 2% had AKI on hospital discharge. True dehydration and high serumurea levels were associated with high serumcreatinine levels on admission (p = 0.042; p < 0.001, respectively). Fluid over-resuscitation and hyperchloremia were associated with delayed kidney recovery (p < 0.001). Severity of initial AKI was associated with cerebral edema (p = 0.018). Dehydration was associated with initial AKI in children with DKA. Persistent AKI and delay to recovery was associated with hyperchloremia and over-resuscitation with IVF, potentially modifiable clinical variables for earlier AKI recovery and reduction in long-term morbidity. This highlights the need to re-address fluid protocols in pediatric DKA.

Effect of therapeutic-dose heparin on severe acute kidney injury and death in noncritically ill patients hospitalized for COVID-19: a prespecified secondary analysis of the ACTIV4a and ATTACC randomized trial

BackgroundAcute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with COVID-19 is partly mediated by thromboinflammation. In noncritically ill patients with COVID-19, therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with heparin increased the probability of survival to hospital discharge with reduced use of cardiovascular or respiratory organ support. ObjectivesWe investigated whether therapeutic-dose heparin reduces the incidence of AKI or death in noncritically ill patients hospitalized for COVID-19. MethodsWe report a prespecified secondary analysis of the ACTIV4a and ATTACC open-label, multiplatform randomized trial of therapeutic-dose heparin vs usual-care pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis on the incidence of severe AKI (≥2-fold increase in serum creatinine or initiation of kidney replacement therapy (KDIGO stage 2 or 3) or all-cause mortality in noncritically ill patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Bayesian statistical models were adjusted for age, sex, D-dimer, enrollment period, country, site, and platform. ResultsAmong 1922 enrolled, 23 were excluded due to pre-existing end stage kidney disease and 205 were missing baseline or follow-up creatinine measurements. Severe AKI or death occurred in 4.4% participants assigned to therapeutic-dose heparin and 5.5% assigned to thromboprophylaxis (adjusted relative risk [aRR]: 0.72; 95% credible interval (CrI): 0.47, 1.10); the posterior probability of superiority for therapeutic-dose heparin (relative risk < 1.0) was 93.6%. Therapeutic-dose heparin was associated with a 97.7% probability of superiority to reduce the composite of stage 3 AKI or death (3.1% vs 4.6%; aRR: 0.64; 95% CrI: 0.40, 0.99) compared to thromboprophylaxis. ConclusionTherapeutic-dose heparin was associated with a high probability of superiority to reduce the incidence of in-hospital severe AKI or death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Short-term outcome of patients with adult IgA vasculitis: a single-center experience.

Follow-up data on IgA vasculitis (IgAV) in adults are scarce. We aimed to investigate the outcome of adult IgAV in a well-defined cohort. Data from histologically proven patients diagnosed between January 2010 and July 2022 with at least a 3-month follow-up were analyzed. The frequency and type of relapses and information on kidney function were extracted. Risk factors for IgAV relapse and decline in renal function were studied using the Cox hazards regression analysis. Mortality in IgAV was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). In total, 265 patients were followed for a median of 24 months. At baseline, 38.9, 29.8, and 44.5% had articular, gastrointestinal, and renal involvement, respectively. Initially, 189 (71.3%) patients received systemic glucocorticoids, and 32 (12.1%) patients received an additional immunomodulator. During follow-up, 42 (15.8%) patients relapsed. Relapses were more common in younger patients (HR 1.03 [95%CI 1.01-1.05]) and those without baseline glucocorticoid treatment (HR 3.70 [95%CI 2.0-6.67]). Furthermore, 74 (27.9%) patients had persistent abnormal urinalysis and a substantial (≥20%) decline in glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was recorded in 41 (15.5%) patients. The factors associated with persistent abnormal urinalysis were an absence of IgAV joint involvement and baseline immunomodulatory treatment. Pre-existent chronic kidney disease and heart failure were associated with eGFR decline. The overall SMR was 1.4 (95%CI 1.14-1.71) compared to the Slovenian general population. IgAV relapses occurred in 15% of patients, with younger patients with symptomatically managed IgAV experiencing it more frequently. Heart failure emerged as a predictor of persistent abnormal urinalysis and a decline in eGFR. Adults with IgAV had increased mortality compared to the general population.

Pregnancy outcome in patients with a medical history of immunoglobulin A vasculitis: a case–control study

Objective Data on obstetric outcomes in patients with a history of immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgA-V) are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess maternal, neonatal, and vasculitis outcomes during pregnancy. Method We conducted a French retrospective case–control study. Pregnancies of patients with a history of IgA-V (cases) were retrospectively studied and compared to pregnancies in women who developed IgA-V after their pregnancies and to pregnancies in healthy women (controls). Results Twenty-six pregnancies in patients with a history of IgA-V were included and compared to 15 pregnancies in women who later developed IgA-V and 52 pregnancies in healthy women. Both gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia were more frequent in the case group than in the other groups (23% vs 0% vs 0%, p < 0.01; 12% vs 7% vs 0%, p = 0.04). Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy occurred more frequently in patients with pre-existing kidney disease (78% vs 12%, p < 0.01). Caesarean section was more often performed in the case group than in the other groups (27% vs 0% vs 10%, p = 0.04). No foetal loss or maternal deaths occurred. There were no differences in delivery term or birth weight. No vasculitis flares were observed during pregnancy. Conclusion Women with a history of IgA-V appear to be at higher risk for gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia, especially in cases with renal involvement; however, both mother and newborn outcomes appear to be favourable.

Early Pregnancy Systolic Blood Pressure Patterns Predict Early- and Later-Onset Preeclampsia and Gestational Hypertension Among Ostensibly Low-to-Moderate Risk Groups.

Background Clinical risk factors, a single blood pressure (BP) measurement, current biomarkers, and biophysical parameters can effectively identify risk of early-onset preeclampsia but have limited ability to predict later-onset preeclampsia and gestational hypertension. Clinical BP patterns hold promise to improve early risk stratification for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Methods and Results After excluding preexisting hypertension, heart, kidney, or liver disease, or prior preeclampsia, the retrospective cohort (n=249 892) all had systolic BP <140 mm Hg and diastolic BP <90 mm Hg or a single BP elevation ≤20 weeks' gestation, prenatal care at <14 weeks' gestation, and a still or live birth delivery at Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals (2009-2019). The sample was randomly split into development (N=174 925; 70%) and validation (n=74 967; 30%) data sets. Predictive performance of multinomial logistic regression models for early-onset (<34 weeks) preeclampsia, later-onset (≥34 weeks) preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension was evaluated in the validation data set. There were 1008 (0.4%), 10 766 (4.3%), and 11 514 (4.6%) patients with early-onset preeclampsia, later-onset preeclampsia, and gestation hypertension, respectively. Models with 6 systolic BP trajectory groups (0-20 weeks' gestation) plus standard clinical risk factors performed substantially better than risk factors alone to predict early- and later-onset preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, with C-statistics (95% CIs) of 0.747 (0.720-0.775), 0.730 (0.722-0.739), and 0.768 (0.761-0.776) versus 0.688 (0.659-0.717), 0.695 (0.686-0.704) and 0.692 (0.683-0.701), respectively, with excellent calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow P=0.99, 0.99, and 0.74, respectively). Conclusions Early pregnancy BP patterns up to 20 weeks' gestation plus clinical, social, and behavioral factors more accurately discriminate hypertensive disorders of pregnancy risk among low-to-moderate risk pregnancies. Early pregnancy BP trajectories improve risk stratification to reveal higher-risk individuals hidden within ostensibly low-to-moderate risk groups and lower-risk individuals considered at higher risk by US Preventive Services Task Force criteria.

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease (KD): A Retrospective Investigation in a Rural Southwestern Missouri Region Patient Population.

Studies have linked pre-existing kidney disease (KD) to higher rates of mortality due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. In the rural Midwest, where KD is prevalent, the impact of COVID-19 has been significant in a population that includes many patients on Medicare or Medicaid. A retrospective cohort study was performed assessing patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD), with and without COVID-19. International Classification of Diseases 10thRevision codes were submitted by physicians into Freeman Health System's Electronic Medical Records and gathered from April 2020 to January 2021. The data were analyzed and compared to determine whether the mortality rate in patients with varying stages of KD and COVID-19 was higher than the mortality rate in patients with KD alone, excluding variables such as sex and age. The 95% confidence interval (CI) of the mortality rate of patients with COVID-19 and any degree of KD, encompassing both AKI and CKD, was between 30.21% and 37.63%.This metric was significantly higher than the 95% CI of COVID-19 infection (6.70%-9.96%, p<0.0001) or KD alone (10.89%-13.01%, p<0.0001). Within those with COVID-19 and KD, the highest rate of mortality was in patients with AKI (38.13% and 49.02%). There was not sufficient statistical support in our sample to assert that COVID-19 increased mortality in ESRD patients. Based on our results, patients with KD and COVID-19 are at higher risk for mortality when compared to patients with KD alone. Further studies are warranted into individual comorbidities affecting KD patient outcomes with COVID-19.

Impact of timing of urgent coronary artery bypass grafting following coronary angiography on acute kidney injury

ObjectivesPrior studies have examined the association between timing of cardiac surgery after coronary angiography with risk of acute kidney injury, but this remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between interval from coronary angiography to urgent coronary artery bypass grafting with acute kidney injury, and to examine this possible effect in patients with preexisting kidney disease. MethodsPatients from a single institution undergoing urgent, isolated coronary artery bypass grafting within 7 days of coronary angiography were included. Patients were subdivided by chronic kidney disease stage and angiography-to-surgery interval. Locally estimated scatterplot smoothing was used to evaluate the functional relationship of the probability of acute kidney injury and time interval. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated for each time interval group compared against the Day 0 to 1 interval group, controlling for multiple covariates. Analyses were repeated for each chronic kidney disease subgroup. ResultsA total of 2249 patients were included in this study. There were 271 (12.0%) patients with postoperative acute kidney injury. Plots demonstrated a decreasing risk of kidney injury from Day 0 to 1 to Day 3 following coronary angiography. Adjusted odds ratios also showed a significant decrease in risk of kidney injury on Day 3 compared with Day 0 to 1. Analyses repeated for each chronic kidney disease stage showed similar trends. ConclusionsFor patients undergoing urgent coronary artery bypass grafting, there is a decreased risk of kidney injury in those having surgery on day 3 after coronary angiography compared with those having surgery on Day 0 to 1, regardless of preexisting kidney disease.

Association between maternal use of spray formulations and offspring urological anomalies: The Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Concerns exist regarding the effects of maternal inhalation of household products on fetal health. This study aimed to clarify the impact of maternal exposure to household products, including spray formulations, on urological anomalies in offspring up to the age of 1 year. This study included data from 84 237 children from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, an ongoing nationwide cohort study. Using maternal self-report questionnaires, information on the use of organic solvents, waterproof sprays, insect-repellent sprays, insecticide sprays, and herbicides from implantation until the second or third trimester of pregnancy and data on urological anomalies were collected 1 year after delivery. Urological anomalies occurred in 799 infants. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for maternal age, pregnancy body mass index, gestational diabetes, pre-existing maternal kidney disease, and preterm birth revealed no association between maternal exposure to organic solvents and the prevalence of offspring urological anomalies. Nevertheless, we observed significant associations between waterproof spray use during pregnancy and urological anomalies in boys (odds ratio [OR]: 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.59) and between the use of insecticide spray during pregnancy and urological anomalies in girls (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 0.98-2.22). Sub-analysis revealed significant associations between waterproof spray use during pregnancy and vesicoureteral reflux in boys (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.02-4.49) and between the use of insecticide spray during pregnancy and hydronephrosis in girls (OR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.11-4.47). Spray formulation use during pregnancy might increase the risk of urological anomalies in the offspring.