Preoperative Serum Creatinine Concentration Research Articles

Perioperative serum syndecan-1 concentrations in patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and its association with the occurrence of postoperative acute kidney injury: a retrospective observational study

BackgroundVarious factors can cause vascular endothelial damage during cardiovascular surgery (CVS) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), which has been suggested to be associated with postoperative complications. However, few studies have specifically investigated the relationship between the degree of vascular endothelial damage and postoperative acute kidney injury (pAKI).The objectives of this study were to measure perioperative serum syndecan-1 concentrations in patients who underwent CVS with CPB, evaluate their trends, and determine their association with pAKI.MethodsThis was a descriptive and case‒control study conducted at the National University Hospital. Adult patients who underwent CVS with CPB at a national university hospital between March 15, 2016, and August 31, 2020, were included. Patients who were undergoing preoperative dialysis, had preoperative serum creatinine concentrations greater than 2.0 mg dl−1, who were undergoing surgery involving the descending aorta were excluded. The perioperative serum syndecan-1 concentration was measured, and its association with pAKI was investigated.ResultsFifty-two patients were included. pAKI occurred in 18 (34.6%) of those patients. The serum syndecan-1 concentration increased after CPB initiation and exhibited bimodal peak values. The serum syndecan-1 concentration at all time points was significantly elevated compared to that after the induction of anesthesia. The serum syndecan-1 concentration at 30 min after weaning from CPB and on postoperative day 1 was associated with the occurrence of pAKI (OR = 1.10 [1.01 to 1.21], P = 0.03]; OR = 1.16 [1.01 to 1.34], P = 0.04]; and the cutoff values of the serum syndecan-1 concentration that resulted in pAKI were 101.0 ng ml−1 (sensitivity = 0.71, specificity = 0.62, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.67 (0.51 to 0.83)) and 57.1 ng ml−1 (sensitivity = 0.82, specificity = 0.56, AUC = 0.71 (0.57 to 0.86)). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the serum syndecan-1 concentration on postoperative day 1 was associated with the occurrence of pAKI (OR = 1.02 [1.00 to 1.03]; P = 0.03).ConclusionThe serum syndecan-1 concentration at all time points was significantly greater than that after the induction of anesthesia. The serum syndecan-1 concentration on postoperative day 1 was significantly associated with the occurrence of pAKI.Trial registrationThis study is not a clinical trial and is not registered with the registry.

The Association Between Acute Kidney Injury and Mortality After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Was Similar in Women and Men

To assess sex differences in short- and long-term mortality in patients who develop acute kidney injury (AKI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). An observational cohort study. A multicenter, nationwide, population-based, observational cohort study. All patients (n=32,013) who underwent primary nonemergent isolated CABG in Sweden between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2013. AKI and its association with 90-day mortality were analyzed using logistic regression. AKI and its association with long-term mortality were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. AKI was defined as an absolute increase by 26 µmol/L or a relative increase by 50% postoperatively compared with the preoperative serum creatinine concentration. Ninety-day mortality was defined as death by any cause within 90 days after surgery. Long-term mortality was defined as death by any cause from day 91 after surgery to the end of the study period. In total, 13.9% of women and 14.4% of men developed AKI after CABG. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for death within 90 days in patients with AKI compared to those without AKI was 5.1 (3.6-7.2) and 5.2 (4.2-6.6) in women and men, respectively (p for interaction=0.74). The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) for long-term death in those with AKI compared to those without AKI was 1.4 (1.2-1.7) and 1.3 (1.2-1.4) in women and men, respectively (p for interaction=0.27). AKI after CABG was associated with a similar increase in 90-day and long-term mortality in both women and men.

Abstract P114: Statins, High-density Lipoprotein, And Acute Kidney Injury After Endovascular Aortic Repair

Acute kidney injury (AKI) after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) occurs in 20% of patients and is an independent predictor of death. Higher preoperative high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration before revascularization of chronic limb ischemia is associated with a lower risk of AKI. Further, preoperative statin use has been shown to be associated with a decreased risk of AKI after EVAR. We hypothesized that both preoperative statin use and higher preoperative HDL are associated with a lower risk of AKI in patients undergoing EVAR. Charts from adult patients that underwent EVAR were selected using the ICD codes (n=251). Each chart was reviewed for demographic and medical information, preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine concentrations, and preoperative HDL concentration. One hundred and three patients had available statin medication, serum creatinine, and HDL concentrations. The associations between statin dose, HDL concentration and maximum serum creatinine change from baseline in the first 48 postoperative hours was assessed using multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for AKI risk factors. Preoperative HDL concentration was not correlated with preoperative statin dose (Pearson’s R=0.0515, p=0.57). Higher preoperative statin doses (atorvastatin equivalents) and higher preoperative HDL concentrations were associated with lower serum creatinine rise (p=0.042 and 0.002 respectively, Figure). When both preoperative statin dose and preoperative HDL concentration were included in the model, both variables lost significance, suggesting HDL may mediate the relationship between preoperative statin dose and postoperative AKI. Higher preoperative HDL concentrations and statin doses were associated with less postoperative AKI. Future work involves identifying the biological mechanism underlying these associations as a first step towards developing new therapies to prevent AKI following EVAR.

Minimal renal pelvis dilation in cats diagnosed with benign ureteral obstruction by antegrade pyelography: a retrospective study of 82 cases (2012-2018).

The aim of the study was to describe renal pelvis (RP) and ureteral ultrasonographic measurements in a population of cats with confirmed benign ureteral obstruction (UO) by antegrade pyelography. The secondary objective was to further describe clinical findings associated with minimally dilated obstructed kidneys in an attempt to better understand its occurrence. Retrospective case series of cats diagnosed with benign UO were confirmed by antegrade pyelography. Medical records were reviewed and signalment, diagnostic imaging results, serum creatinine (SCr) concentration and urine culture results were recorded. Each obstructed kidney was categorized into two groups: group 1 included all RP measurements ⩽4 mm and group 2 included all RP measurements >4 mm. A total of 82 cats with 114 obstructed ureters met the inclusion criteria. Fifty (61%) cats had a unilateral UO and 32 (39%) had a bilateral UO. Thirty (26%) kidneys were included in group 1 while 84 (74%) were included in group 2. Nine (8%) kidneys had an RP dilation ⩽2 mm. Median RP and ureteral diameters were 6.6 mm (range 1.1-37.0 mm) and 3.2 mm (range 0.0-11.0 mm), respectively. RP size correlated positively with ureteral diameter in the study population (P <0.0001), but not in group 1 when analyzed separately (P = 0.47). UO was secondary to stones in 80 (70%) ureters. Seventeen (21%) cats had a positive urine culture. At admission, 79 (96%) cats were azotemic with a median preoperative SCr concentration of 444 µmol/l (range 108-1326 μmol/l). The mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) preoperative SCr concentration was significantly higher in group 1 (762 µmol/l [498-1165 μmol/l]) than in group 2 (409 µmol/l [333-502 μmol/l]). RP size in the two groups correlated negatively with preoperative SCr concentration (P = 0.0002). Feline UO may be associated with minimal RP dilation and the severity of RP and ureteral dilation can be highly variable. Absence of significant RP dilation does not rule out UO in cats.

Laparoscopic conversion to open surgery in radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy: causal analysis, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies

BackgroundWe aimed to explore the causal analysis, clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of laparoscopic conversion to open approach (LCTOA) in radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy.MethodsWe included all patients with Mayo level I–III renal tumors with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy as the first choice from May 2015 to July 2019.ResultsThere were 70 cases of renal tumor with IVC tumor thrombus treated with a laparoscopic approach as the first choice; 31 Mayo level I, 30 Mayo level II, and 9 Mayo level III. A completely laparoscopic approach was performed in 51 cases (72.9%), and 19 cases (27.1%) underwent active or passive LCTOA. The LCTOA group had higher median preoperative serum creatinine (110.0 μmol/L vs 92.0 μmol/L; P = 0.026), longer postoperative hospital stay (9 days vs 7 days; P = 0.008), longer median operation time (374 min vs 311 min; P = 0.017), higher median intraoperative hemorrhage volume (1300 vs 600 ml; P = 0.020), and higher proportion of male patients (94.7% vs 66.7%; P = 0.016) vs the completely laparoscopic group, respectively. Although preoperative serum creatinine and gender were risk factors in the univariate analysis, multivariate analysis revealed no independent risk factors for LCTOA. We divided the reasons for LCTOA into active conversion and passive conversion; 4 (21.1%) cases underwent active conversion, and 15 (78.9%) underwent passive conversion. Most of the patients undergoing passive conversion had multiple concurrent risk factors, among which perirenal adhesion (30.9%), organ invasion (16.4%), and IVC adhesion (25.5%) were the most common. Fourteen (73.7%) cases underwent renal treatment, and 5 (26.3%) cases underwent tumor thrombus treatment.ConclusionsThe LCTOA group had a higher median preoperative serum creatinine concentration, longer hospital stay, longer median operation time, and higher median intraoperative hemorrhage volume. However, none of the predictors in our study was an independent risk factor for LCTOA. Perirenal adhesion, organ invasion, and IVC adhesion were the most common causes of LCTOA. Considering the limitations of this study, studies with large sample sizes are required to validate our conclusions.

Prognostic Value of Creatinine Concentration and Glomerular Filtration Rate in Acute Kidney Injury Development in the Early Postoperative Period After Heart Transplantation

IntroductionRecipients of nonrenal organ transplants, including the heart, are at risk for developing acute kidney injury (AKI). This situation significantly jeopardized the outcome of patients. The most effective treatment is continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) AimThe goal of this project is to verify the prognostic value of preoperative serum creatinine concentration and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), calculated by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula, to determine the risk of renal failure after grafting ResultsIn the group of 39 patients, CRRT was needed in 7 patients (17.9%; group K); 32 patients were in the control group (group C). The pretransplant creatinine level in group K was 133.7 ± 31.3 μmol/L and in group C was 160.8 ± 97.6 μmol/L; P = .47. We did not find a difference between groups in GFR: group K 51 ± 6mL/min/1.73 m2 versus group C 43 ± 20 mL/min/1.73 m2; P = .65. Demographic data differed between groups. Patients in group C had significantly more often hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and previous neurologic disorders and were male. Patients with CRRT had longer intensive care unit (ICU) stays after transplantation than the control population: 25 ± 19 versus 12 ± 10 days; P = .02. Other results showed that primary graft dysfunction occurred in 2 patients in group K and 6 in the control group; 1 needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, and he died on the 12th day. The mean duration of renal replacement therapy was 9.8 days. There were 2 neurologic disorders—1 in each group—and 6 reoperations due to bleeding. ConclusionsDeveloping AKI requiring CRRT after heart transplantation prolonged the length of ICU stays. Preoperative creatinine concentration and glomerular filtration rate do not predict AKI.

Pre-operative level of FGF23 predicts severe acute kidney injury after heart surgery in children.

Early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery has improved recently with the discovery and validation of novel urinary biomarkers. However, objective tools to predict the risk of AKI before the insult are still missing. We tested the hypothesis that pre-operative serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) concentrations would be elevated in children who develop AKI after heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We also compared post-operative FGF23 concentrations to other biomarkers for early detection of AKI. Blood and urine samples were collected in a prospective observational study from 83 children with congenital heart disease. Severe AKI (sAKI) development (KDIGO stages II-III) in the first seven days after surgery was the primary outcome. Thirty of 76 (39.5%) and 11/76 (14.5%) of patients developed AKI and sAKI, respectively. Pre-operative serum creatinine, cystatin C, and urine biomarker concentrations did not differ between sAKI patients and controls. Pre-operative serum FGF23 levels were higher in patients who developed sAKI (median [IQR] value of 819RU/ml [397.7, 1196.8] vs. 324.3RU/ml [124.6, 679.8] (p = 0.02). FGF23 12-24h after the termination of CPB was also associated with sAKI in the first week after surgery (498RU/ml [226, 928] vs. 1435RU/ml [831, 12,996]). Pre- and post-operative FGF23 levels are higher in children who develop sAKI after cardiac surgery. We suggest FGF23 may be able to detect sub-clinical kidney injury and can be used with demographic AKI risk factors to enhance post-operative sAKI risk prediction.

Acute kidney injury after open and endovascular elective repair for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) after open and endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair according to the Aneurysm Renal Injury Score classification. We retrospectively evaluated 431 patients undergoing elective open aortic repair (OAR; n= 285) or endovascular repair (n= 146) for infrarenal aortic aneurysm. All data regarding preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine concentrations and postoperative outcomes were assessed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models investigated the association between AKI and different risk factors and complications. The incidence of AKI was significantly higher after OAR (26.3% vs 5.5%; P< .001). A significant share of patients who experienced AKI were restored to preoperative renal function at discharge (62.5% vs 77.5% in the endovascular and OAR groups, respectively; P= .37). Preoperative serum creatinine concentration was significantly higher in those patients who further developed AKI (1.25 vs 1.04mg/dL; P< .001). At the multivariate analysis, AKI was significantly associated with current smoking (odds ratio [OR], 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-3.52; P= .01), hypertension (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.21-4.3; P=.01), chronic renal disease (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.42-4.53; P< .001), OAR (OR, 7.3; 95% CI, 3.25-16.42; P< .001), and arrhythmias (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.09-9.13; P= .03). AKI stage did not affect postoperative outcomes, except for a longer hospital stay in patients in stage 2 and stage 3 compared with stage1. AKI is a common but often reversible complication, especially after OAR. There is an urgent need of a common classification for AKI after aortic surgery. New diagnostic markers for AKI should be evaluated in large-scale studies to assess their reliability.

Genome-wide association study of acute kidney injury after coronary bypass graft surgery identifies susceptibility loci

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common, serious complication of cardiac surgery. Since prior studies have supported a genetic basis for postoperative AKI, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for AKI following coronary bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The discovery dataset consisted of 873 non-emergent CABG surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass (PEGASUS), while a replication dataset had 380 cardiac surgical patients (CATHGEN). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data were based on Illumina Human610-Quad (PEGASUS) and OMNI1-Quad (CATHGEN) BeadChips. We used linear regression with adjustment for a clinical AKI risk score to test SNP associations with the postoperative peak rise relative to preoperative serum creatinine concentration as a quantitative AKI trait. Nine SNPs meeting significance in the discovery set were detected. The rs13317787 in GRM7|LMCD1-AS1 intergenic region (3p21.6) and rs10262995 in BBS9 (7p14.3) were replicated with significance in the CATHGEN data set and exhibited significantly strong overall association following meta-analysis. Additional fine-mapping using imputed SNPs across these two regions and meta-analysis found genome wide significance at the GRM7|LMCD1-AS1 locus and a significantly strong association at BBS9. Thus, through an unbiased GWAS approach, we found two new loci associated with post-CABG AKI providing new insights into the pathogenesis of perioperative AKI.

The Incidence and Risk Factors of Acute Kidney Injury After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Background: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a prevalent and important complication of cardiac surgery, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Identification of risk factors associated with AKI will help it’s prevent. Objectives: The objective of the present investigation was to identify risk factors for acute kidney injury in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery at a tertiary care center for cardiovascular patients in Iran. Patients and Methods: From March 2014 to April 2015, 490 consecutive patients who underwent On-pump CABG at Rajaie cardiovascular medical and research center were assessed. Baseline variables and perioperative data were collected and their association with the development of AKI was evaluated. Results: Patients’ mean age was of 67.9 (SD = 12.5) years. From these patients 353 (72%) were male and 137 (28%) were female. Six deaths (1.3%) occurred among patients. Thirteen patients (2%) had AKI. The baseline serum creatinine concentrations in patients with AKI were significantly higher than other patients (P = 0.04). Volume of transfused red blood cells and hemoglobin value were different, associated with AKI (P 0.05). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was not different in patients with AKI (P = 0.85). The mean pump time in patients with AKI was significantly higher than the other patients (P = 0.02). Postoperative Left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients who developed AKI was significantly reduced compared with patients without AKI (P = 0.01). The in-hospital mortality of patients who developed AKI was 7.69% compared with 1.04% among those who did not (P = 0. 01). Conclusions: Acute kidney injury is the important postoperative organ dysfunction in patients who underwent CABG and preoperative elevated serum creatinine concentration, cardiopulmonary bypass time > 120 minutes, intraoperative anemia and blood transfusion were serious risk factors associated with AKI.

How can we best predict acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery?

Several models for predicting acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery have been published, and various end-point definitions have been used. Our aim was to investigate how acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery could be most accurately predicted. Single-centre prospective observational study. St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, from 2000 to 2007. All 5029 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery were considered eligible for participation. Patients who required preoperative dialysis and patients with missing information on preoperative or maximum postoperative serum creatinine concentration were excluded (n=51). A total of 4978 patients were entered into the statistical analyses. Logistic regression with bootstrapping methods was applied for model development and validation, together with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test. We tested different end-points, exchanged serum creatinine concentration with creatinine clearance or estimated glomerular filtration rate and added intraoperative variables. The main end-point was at least 50% increase in serum creatinine concentration, an increase in concentration by at least 26.4 μmol l(-1) (0.3 mg dl(-1)) or a new requirement for dialysis after surgery. The final model consisted of 11 preoperative predictors of acute kidney injury: age, BMI, lipid-lowering treatment, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, haemoglobin concentration, serum creatinine concentration, previous cardiac surgery, emergency operation and operation type. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.819 (95% confidence interval 0.801 to 0.837), and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test P value was 0.17. Exchanging serum creatinine concentration with glomerular filtration rate or creatinine clearance slightly reduced model discrimination and the addition of intraoperative variables improved discrimination somewhat. Slight end-point definition changes had little impact. The risk of acute kidney injury can be accurately predicted using preoperative variables. Serum creatinine concentration was more accurate than estimated glomerular filtration rate or creatinine clearance. Intraoperative variables slightly improved the model, but did not seem to outweigh the advantages of a preoperative model.

Clinical analysis of 48 cases of kidney transplantation from cardiac death donors

To evaluate the recovery of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving kidney transplant from cardiac death donors, and to assess graft survival in China from this type of donor. A total of 48 cases of patients with ESRD have received the kidneys from cardiac death donors in our hospital between February 2010 and March 2012. We retrospectively analyzed data on the preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine concentrations, on the survival of recipients and allografts with a view to investigating prognoses after this type of kidney transplant. Primary non-function (PNF) did not occur in any of the 48 recipients. Delayed graft function (DGF) occurred in 18 of 48 (37.5%) of kidneys from cardiac death donors, but the occurrence of DGF did not adversely influence patient's survival (P=0.098) or graft survival (P=0.447). Seven of 48 (14.6%) recipients lost their graft. Over a median follow-up period of 8 months (range 0.5-23 months), 39 of 41(95.1%) recipients' graft function had fully recovered. The actuarial graft and patient's survival rates at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation were 95.7%, 93.0%, 90.0%, 87.5%, and 100%, 94.9%, 90%, 87.5%, respectively. As the legislation of donation after brain death (DBD) has not been ratified in China, the use of kidneys from cardiac death donors might be an effective way to increase the number of kidneys available for transplantation here. Our experience indicates good short- and mid-term outcomes with transplants from cardiac death donors.

Evaluating percutaneous nephrolithotomy-induced kidney damage by measuring urinary concentrations of β2-microglobulin.

To assess percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)-induced kidney tubular damage and the associated factors. One hundred and eight patients who have undergone PCNL from May 2007 to October 2007 were recruited in this study. Urinary level of β2-microglobulin (Uβ2MG) was measured on the day before the operation as well as on the 1st and 7th post PCNL days. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy was performed using standard method. Patients' demographic and peri-operative data were collected to evaluate factors influencing renal injury. Median urinary levels of β2-microglobulin on pre-operative, 1st, and 7th postoperative days were 0.2 mg/dL (range, 0.1 to 82), 0.4 mg/dL (range, 0.2 to 97), and 0.2 mg/dL (range, 0.2 to 114), respectively. High levels of Uβ2MG (> 2.3 mg/dL) were observed in 10 (9%), 20 (19%), and 10 (9%) patients pre-operatively and on the 1st, and 7th postoperative days, respectively. In multivariable analysis, Uβ2MG on the 1st postoperative day was associated with pre-operative serum creatinine level (P < .001) and diabetes mellitus (P = .05), while Uβ2MG on the 7th day after the operation was associated with pre-operative serum creatinine level (P = .01), diabetes mellitus (P = .01), and PCNL time (P = .02). Percutaneous nephrolithotomy does not cause kidney tubular injury beyond one week. In patients with pre-operative high serum creatinine concentration, diabetes mellitus, and/or long operation time, the likelihood of the kidney damage is higher than others.

Neurochemical measures co-vary with personality traits: Forensic psychiatric findings replicated in a general population sample

Neurobiological markers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in serum, previously found to co-vary with destructive personality traits in violent offenders, were explored in a general population sample of 21 patients undergoing knee surgery. Results on the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were compared with CSF/serum albumin ratios and serum concentrations of beta-trace protein (betaTP) (as markers for blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability), to CSF/serum albumin ratios between the dopamine and serotonin metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA)/5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HIAA) and to CSF and serum ratios between activated thyroid hormone (T3) and its precursor T4. Serum betaTP concentrations correlated with CSF/serum albumin ratios (P=0.018), but not with preoperative serum creatinine concentrations. Serum betaTP correlated significantly with Monotony Avoidance and Impulsiveness; CSF HVA/5-HIAA ratios with Irritability and low Cooperativeness. The betaTP is a potential serum marker for the integrity of the BBB that does not necessitate lumbar puncture. Thyroid hormones did not correlate with personality traits. As reported in forensic psychiatric patients, aggressive, unempathic personality traits were thus associated with increased dopaminergic activity in relation to the serotonergic activity and impulsivity to increased BBB permeability also in a general population group.

Awake Renal Transplantation; A Realistic Alternative to General Anesthesia

A 63-year-old man with profound phobia of general anesthesia recently underwent successful renal transplantation in our unit under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSEA). We believe that although this is not a novel technique, it is a realistic option for renal transplantation in patients in whom general anesthesia is not feasible. The use of CSEA for surgery below the umbilicus and its postoperative pain management has increased in popularity in recent years. Its use in renal transplantation is not widely reported; however, available articles suggest that it is a safe and useful alternative to general anesthesia, with no significant difference in anesthesia or surgical time, surgical conditions, hemodynamic stability, or early postoperative renal function. The procedure was performed with no alteration to the surgical technique usually adopted by the surgeon. The patient had a largely uneventful postoperative recovery, with good pain control and no significant complications. He has achieved good stable renal function, with a serum creatinine concentration of 105 μmol/L at 6 months (preoperative serum creatinine concentration, 832 μmol/L). We believe this case demonstrates that CSEA is a practical option for renal transplantation in the United Kingdom, and would recommend CSEA as a useful alternative to general anesthesia in patients with this type of phobia. Careful preoperative planning, patient selection, and consideration of a contingency plan meant that surgically the procedure proceeded as standard, with good results. Because of the success of this case, a second patient with phobia of general anesthesia has recently been placed on the regional transplantation waiting list.

The Effect of Aprotinin on Risk of Acute Renal Failure Requiring Dialysis after On-Pump Cardiac Surgery

The use of aprotinin in cardiac surgery to reduce perioperative bleeding and transfusion is controversial. We assessed the effect of aprotinin on the risk of acute renal failure in 423 patients who underwent on-pump cardiac surgery between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006. Of these 423 patients, 318 (75.2%) received aprotinin (median dose=3.0 million KIU, standard deviation=2.8 million KIU; interquartile range: 2 million KIU to 4 million KIU). Aprotinin was more likely to be used in patients who did not cease aspirin before surgery, in urgent or emergency surgery, who had impaired left ventricular function, a longer period of bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, and with both coronary artery bypass graft and valvular surgery performed. The overall incidence of acute renal failure requiring dialysis was 2.8%. The use of aprotinin was not associated with a reduction in transfusion nor an increased risk of renal failure requiring dialysis, atrial fibrillation, cerebrovascular accident or mortality in the univarate analyses. In the multivariate analysis, only preoperative serum creatinine concentration (odds ratio [OR] 1.06 per 10 micromol/l increment in creatinine, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.14, P=0.029) and urgency of the surgery (urgent vs. scheduled surgery: OR 12.8, CI: 2.3 to 70.8, P=0.004; emergency vs. scheduled surgery: OR 23.1, CI: 3.0 to 180.2, P=0.003) were significantly associated with an increased risk of acute renal failure requiring dialysis. The use of low-dose aprotinin did not significantly reduce perioperative transfusion requirements and was not a significant risk factor for acute renal failure requiring dialysis in our patients.

Impact of Renal Function on Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy

Adequate urine production and excretion may be important for clearance of stone fragments after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). This study evaluated the impact of renal function, measured by preoperative serum creatinine concentration, on the efficacy of SWL. From 1986 to 2001, 27,299 patients with urolithiasis were treated with Medstone STS lithotripters. Seven hundred ninety-eight of these patients (2.92%) had serum creatinine concentrations >or=2.0 mg/dL. Perioperative renal function (serum creatinine), treatment parameters, stone-free success rate (no residual fragments on plain film), and perioperative complications and procedures were recorded. The stone-free rate for patients with serum creatinine values from 2.0 to 2.9 mg/dL (56.69%) was significantly less than that seen in patients with a creatinine concentration <2.0 mg/dL (66.20%). The retreatment rate and secondary-procedure rate were significantly higher in patients with higher serum creatinine values (9.62% and 8.92%, respectively) than in those with serum creatinine within the normal range (6.07% and 4.27%, respectively). There was no significant difference in the stone-free rate, re-treatment rate, and secondary-procedure rate of patients with serum creatinine >or=3.0 mg/dL in comparison with patients with values <2 mg/dL. Complication rates were higher for patients with serum creatinine values >4.0 mg/dL (10.91%) than for patients with creatinine <2.0 mg/dL (2.62%). The efficacy of SWL is decreased in patients with serum creatinine concentrations of 2.0 to 2.9 mg/dL, and the complication rate is higher in patients with serum creatinine >4.0 mg/dL. Preoperative counseling may include a discussion of the impact of renal insufficiency on success and complication rates associated with SWL.

Creatinine clearance and risk of early mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

We sought to evaluate renal function assessed on the basis of calculated creatinine clearance as a predictor of early mortality and postoperative complications in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and to assess whether calculated creatinine clearance is superior to serum creatinine concentration in predicting early death postoperatively. Six thousand seven hundred eleven consecutive patients without dialysis-dependent renal insufficiency undergoing a first isolated coronary artery bypass grafting were included. Preoperative serum creatinine concentrations and creatinine clearance calculated by using the Cockroft-Gault formula were related to mortality within 30 days postoperatively. There were 136 early deaths. After adjustment for age and other confounders in multivariate analyses, moderate (calculated creatinine clearance 30-60 mL/min) and severe (calculated creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min) renal insufficiency predicted early mortality (odds ratio of 2.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.8] and odds ratio of 4.8 [95% confidence interval], 1.6-13.9, respectively) compared with normal (calculated creatinine clearance > or = 90 mL/min) renal function. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for calculated creatinine clearance and serum creatinine concentration was 0.71 and 0.62, respectively, yielding a difference of 0.08 (P = .0004). No increased risk of mediastinitis or bleeding was observed in patients with renal insufficiency. Moderate and severe renal insufficiency independently increase the risk of early death after coronary artery bypass grafting. Our results indicate that calculated creatinine clearance is a better predictor of early mortality postoperatively than serum creatinine concentration.

Cold visceral perfusion improves early survival in patients with acute renal failure after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Introduction Despite advances in organ protection during thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair, acute renal failure (ARF) remains a significant clinical problem, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We studied outcome of ARF after TAAA repair in patients who underwent either warm or cold visceral perfusion. Method Between 1991 and 2001 657 TAAA repairs were performed, of which 359 (55%) had either warm or cold visceral perfusion. Twelve patients with renal failure who had undergone preoperative dialysis were excluded from the study. Of the remaining 347 patients, ARF developed in 81 (23%) after TAAA repair. Forty-four (54%) of the 81 patients with ARF received cold visceral perfusion, and 37 (46%) patients received warm visceral perfusion. ARF was defined as either an increase of 1 mg/dL in serum creatinine (SCr) concentration per day for 2 consecutive days or dialysis requirement. Patient records were reviewed through hospital discharge. Results Twenty six (32%) of the 81 patients in whom ARF developed died, 17 of 37 (46%) patients in the warm perfusion group versus 9 of 44 (21%) patients in the cold perfusion group ( P < .02). Median onset of ARF was on postoperative day 1 in both groups. Twenty-six of 81 (32%) patients recovered renal function, 10 of 37 (27%) patients in the warm perfusion group versus 16 of 44 (36%) patients in the cold perfusion group. Preoperative SCr concentration was predictive of recovery of renal function (odds ratio, 4.5 per mg/dL increase; P < .03) in patients who received either warm or cold visceral perfusion. Conclusions ARF after TAAA repair remains a significant clinical problem. Recovery of renal function occurred in approximately one third of patients. Preoperative SCr concentration was the only significant determinant of recovered renal function. While cold visceral perfusion did not alter renal recovery, it significantly reduced hospital mortality.

Is elevated creatinine level a contraindication to endovascular aneurysm repair?

It is widely believed that chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) greatly increases the risk associated with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) and is a relative contraindication to the procedure and to the use of intra-arterial contrast agents (IACA). We reviewed a 5-year EVAR experience to determine whether the procedure and use of IACA have an important deleterious effect on renal function in patients with and without pre-existing CRI. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) was performed in 200 patients with a variety of endografts, with intra-arterial contrast agents. The patients were retrospectively assigned to three groups on the basis of preoperative serum creatinine concentration (Cr): group 1 (n = 108), Cr less than 1.5 mg/dL (normal range); group 2 (n = 65), Cr 1.5 to 2.0 mg/dL; group 3 (n = 27), Cr 2.1 to 3.5 mg/dL. No patients had undergone hemodialysis. In groups 2 and 3, patients received hydration perioperatively, and received mannitol intraoperatively; no nephrotoxic drugs were administered during the procedure, other than nonionic contrast agent (Omnipaque 350). The incidence of postoperative complications between the three study groups was not statistically different. In group 1 a transient increase in serum Cr (>30% over baseline and >1.4 mg/dL) was noted in three patients (2.7%), two of whom (1.9%) required temporary hemodialysis and one (0.9%) who died of renal failure. In group 2 a transient increase in serum Cr was noted in two patients (3.1%); both patients (3.1%) required temporary hemodialysis, and one patient (1.5%) died of renal failure. In group 3 a transient increase in serum Cr was noted in two patients (7.4%); one patient (3.7%) required temporary hemodialysis, and one patient (3.7%) died of renal failure. Perioperative hypotension significantly increased the risk for elevated serum Cr and death (P <.05), and larger contrast volume was associated with an increase in serum Cr (P <.05) during the postoperative period. EVAR with intra-arterial contrast agents can be accomplished in patients with chronic renal insufficiency who do not require dialysis, with limited and acceptable morbidity and mortality, similar to that observed with open aneurysm repair. Contrary to other reports in which perioperative precautions were not used, our study shows that with EVAR the risk for worsening renal failure, dialysis, and death is only slightly, and not significantly, greater in patients with preoperative chronic renal insufficiency compared with patients with normal renal function. Perioperative hypotension and increased contrast volume are significant risk factors for postoperative increase in serum Cr and death. With appropriate precautions such as averting perioperative hypotension and limiting the volume of nonionic contrast agents, elevated Cr need not be a contraindication to EVAR with intra-arterial contrast agents.