The mortality of critically ill patients with acute renal failure (ARF) requiring hemodialysis remains high (> 50%), even though major improvements in the management of this disorder have been made. Sepsis has been identified as a major cause of death in ARF. Experimental data have suggested that bioincompatible membranes aggravate uremia induced neutrophil dysfunction. In the following two combined prospective, randomized, clinical studies, the effects of the biocompatibility of dialysis membranes on the susceptibility to infection were compared in 72 surgical and medical patients with ARF. The group of patients treated with biocompatible polyacrylonitrile membranes had a significantly lower incidence of bacterial infections and a lower relative and absolute mortality rate due to sepsis, compared to patients treated with bioincompatible cuprophane membranes. These investigations identified bioincompatibility as a factor that adversely affects the prognosis of critically ill patients with ARF.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reversible MRI changes in a patient with uremic encephalopathy.

A 19-year-old patient on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis experienced severe neurologic disturbances caused by uremia. Increased signal intensity was seen bilaterally in the cortical and subcortical areas of the occipital and parietal lobe on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Insufficient peritoneal dialysis efficacy was documented and the patient was switched from peritoneal to hemodialysis. Cranial MRI indicated a marked regression of the lesions to nearly normal, confirming the diagnosis of uremic encephalopathy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Decreased excitability of renin secretion in patients with essential hypertension].

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Blood Pressure↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)

OBJECTIVE: To report on 3 patients with inflammatory demyelinating peripheral neuropathy in strong temporal coincidence with the initiation of peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. SETTING: Nephrology and Neurology Department of the University Hospital, Munich, Germany. PATIENTS: Three patients with end-stage renal failure presented with the clinical picture of inflammatory demyelinating peripheral neuropathy within 4 to 10 weeks after start of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). They had acute or subacute onset of lower extremity or generalized weakness, diminished reflexes, elevated spinal fluid protein levels, and signs of demyelinating neuropathy on electrophysiological testing. MEASURES: Clinical follow-up, nerve conduction studies, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). RESULTS: All patients did not improve under intensified PD therapy but took profit from immunomodulatory therapy. One bed-bound patient improved after change to hemodialysis and showed complete remission after renal transplantation. CONCLUSION: Because of strong temporal coincidence, a causal relationship between CAPD and inflammatory demyelinating peripheral neuropathies can be suspected in these 3 patients.

Adult↗