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Giorgina B Piccoli

Publications and source records attributed to Giorgina B Piccoli.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Antibiotic treatment for acute 'uncomplicated' or 'primary' pyelonephritis: a systematic, 'semantic revision'.

The definition of acute pyelonephritis is controversial. There are two contrasting approaches: (1) acute pyelonephritis is a severe infectious disease involving the kidney parenchyma, and specific imaging techniques are required for diagnosis; (2) acute pyelonephritis is a urinary tract infection, and diagnosis and therapy follow simplified clinical and laboratory pathways. In this study, recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were systematically reviewed and the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to acute 'uncomplicated' pyelonephritis were analysed. Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCTR) and Chinal were searched employing Mesh, Emtree and free terms on 'pyelonephritis'. Limits included human, period (1995-2004), and trials-reviews (where available). In total, 904 references and 175 full-text were retrieved; 29 were pertinent RCTs. Seven RCTs were added from reference lists (indexed on urinary tract infections). Imaging examinations were performed in 11 of 14 studies on children (diagnostic requisite in two) and in two studies on adults; scarring was not analysed in adults. Clinical definitions varied widely (fever >37.8 to >39 degrees C, culture titres 10(4) >10(5)). Studies on adults were limited to short-term end-points (microbiological sterilization, clinical improvement). Duration of therapy was 4-20 days. The trend was towards shorter periods of therapy, mainly on an outpatient basis; intravenous therapy, if performed, was usually limited to the first 1-3 days. For acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, the tendency is towards 2 weeks of mainly oral antibiotic therapy. However, the recent literature on adults does not discriminate among different upper urinary tract infections nor does it provide data on renal scarring. While cost constraints point towards short-term therapies, further studies are needed to assess the prevalence and long-term effect of kidney scars.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Imaging data suggesting acute pyelonephritis in the kidney graft: report of five cases with atypical clinical presentation.

Acute pyelonephritis is a common complication of kidney transplantation, occurring in up to 1% of grafts. Diagnosis is mainly clinical and atypical presentations have seldom been reported. The diagnostic role of imaging techniques has not been defined. Five cases of acute graft pyelonephritis are reported (three kidney, two pancreas-kidney grafts). The patients (median age 48 years) comprised three females and two males. Median post-transplant follow-up was 3 months, with three patients having predisposing factors for diabetes and one for an enteric bladder. None of the patients presented the 'classic' diagnostic tetrad (i.e. fever, positive urine cultures, low urinary tract symptoms and serum creatinine increase); although, at diagnosis, two of five patients presented with fever, one had increased creatinine levels and one had positive urine cultures. Of note, three patients had leucocyte casts at urinary sediment analysis, thus raising clinical suspicion. Renal ultrasounds were negative in all patients. Renal (99m)Tc-MAG3 (mercaptoacetyltriglycine) scintigraphy, which was used for the definition of kidney function impairment (one patient) or because of the presence of urinary casts (three patients), or after the biopsy diagnosis to locate the parenchymal lesions (one patient), was positive in all patients. The presence and pyelonephritic origin of the parenchymal lesions was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance or computed tomography scans. Acute graft pyelonephritis may develop in the absence of a full-blown clinical picture. Smouldering symptoms may occur in the presence of large perfusion deficits. (99m)Tc-MAG3 scintigraphy could be an important diagnostic tool in such cases.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2005

Preferential allocation of marginal kidney allografts to elderly recipients combined with modified immunosuppression gives good results.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing tendency to allocate kidneys from marginal donors in older recipients. This combination optimizes the uses of an expanded donor pool but demands attention for the higher nephrotoxic sensitivity of the kidney and the increased immunosuppression vulnerability of the elderly recipients. We aimed to reduce these hazards by means of a calcineurin-free induction therapy followed by a maintenance regimen targeted to minimize/withdraw steroid. METHODS: Eighty-eight single (43%) or double (57%) transplant recipients (58.4+/-5.7 years) from 88 marginal donors (67+/-8.3 years) received monoclonal anti-IL-2 receptor antibodies, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and steroid. When serum creatinine was less than 2.6 mg/dL, tacrolimus was started and MMF was withdrawn when the tacrolimus trough level was above 15 ng/ml. Steroid was tapered to 5 mg at day 45 and then progressively reduced. RESULTS: Overall patient and graft survival at the first and fourth year were respectively 100 and 96%, and 98 and 79%. Acute rejection rate was 13.6% (12/88), creatinine clearance remained stable (48.2 ml/min at the sixth month, 50.9 ml/min at 48th month). At the first, second, third, and fourth years, 23, 69, 80, and 100% of recipients were off steroids. For those on steroids, mean dose was respectively 2.6 mg/day from month 12. No recipient re-assumed steroids CONCLUSIONS: In the "old-for-old" allocation, the calcineurin-inhibitor avoidance at induction and the steroid withdrawal/minimization during the tacrolimus-based maintenance regimen allow a low acute rejection rate, a stable renal function, and favorable recipient and graft outcomes.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Acute digital gangrene in a long-term dialysis patient -- a diagnostic challenge.

BACKGROUND: Vascular complications are frequent in long-term dialysis patients. The differential diagnosis is complex and includes immunological derangement (underlying disease, uremia), vasculopathic-atheroembolic diseases, calciphylaxis, infections, neoplasm, coagulation disorders, and adverse drug effects. CASE REPORT: We report on a 50-year-old male patient with a long follow-up on renal replacement therapy (20 years), currently on daily hemodialysis. The patient's history of kidney transplantation was complicated by seven acute rejection episodes and by Kaposi sarcoma; comorbidity included HLA-B27 positive ankylosing spondylitis, diffuse vascular disease, recurrent atrial fibrillation, chronic hypotension, HCV positivity. Ten days after the start of warfarin for an atrial fibrillation episode, the patient developed digital necrotising ulcerations, rapidly evolving into partial symmetric digital gangrene at distal phalanxes. The timing and evolution of the lesions and the finding of protein S deficiency were the clues for diagnosing warfarin-induced skin necrosis (WISN); the drug was discontinued and therapy with low-molecular weight heparin, plasma and prostacyclin achieved slow resolution of lesions. CONCLUSIONS: According to a combined MEDLINE and EMBASE search, this is the first report of WISN in a hemodialysis patient: underlining the clinical relevance of this uncommon problem, this case exemplifies the difficult differential diagnosis of acute vascular skin lesions in dialysis

Anticoagulants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ankylosing spondylitis: a difficult diagnosis in patients on long-term renal replacement therapy.

We report the case of a 48-year-old male, whose musculoskeletal manifestations, previously related to long-term renal replacement therapy (RRT), were diagnosed as ankylosing spondylitis when symptoms changed their pattern on daily hemodialysis (DHD). The patient started RRT in 1981; in 1985 he received a cadaver graft, which failed in 1987. Secondary hyperparathyroidism, amyloid geoids, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and high aluminium levels were present. Musculoskeletal pain, reported since 1986, involved feet, heels, hips, shoulders, hands, spine. Symptoms impairing daily life did not improve after parathyroidectomy. He developed chronic hypotension and recurrent atrial fibrillation. In 1994 and 1998, because of thoracic pain, coronarography was performed (normal on both occasions). In June 2000, DHD was started. Equivalent renal clearance increased from 9-12 to 15-17 mL/min. Well-being remarkably improved. In September 2000, musculoskeletal pain worsened and bilateral Achilles tendinitis occurred. The worsening of musculoskeletal symptoms despite the improvements in well-being and other dialysis related symptoms prompted a re-evaluation of the case. The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis was based on: history of plantar fasciitis, bilateral Achilles tendinitis, inflammatory spinal pain with limitation of lumbar spine mobility (positive Schober test), radiological evidence of grade 2 bilateral sacroiliitis, presence of HLA-B27. This diagnosis cast light on the episodes of chest pain, explained by enthesopathy at the costosternal and manubriosternal joints and atrial fibrillation, due to HLA-B27 associated impairment in heart conduction. This case exemplifies the difficulty of differential diagnosis of multisystem illness in patients with long RRT follow-up.

Atrial Fibrillation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Referral of type 1 diabetic patients to a nephrology unit: will pre-emptive transplantation change our life?

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetic patients are a small but challenging subset of chronic kidney disease. The new frontiers of pancreas-kidney transplantation may enhance the need for early referral. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the referral pattern of type 1 diabetics to a specialized Nephrology Unit, and to quantify the indications for pancreas or pre-emptive pancreas-kidney transplantation at referral in this population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Setting of study was a Nephrology Outpatient Unit, dedicated to diabetics, active since 1986; period of study 1991--2002. The main biochemical and clinical parameters were analyzed at referral. Indications for transplantation were put at: serum creatinine (sCr)> or =2 mg/dL or > or =3 mg/dL and/or nephrotic syndrome. Pancreas: lesser degrees of functional impairment without worsening after FK-506 challenge. RESULTS: 90 type 1 diabetics were referred: 48 males, 42 females; median age: 38 (18-65) years; median diabetological follow-up 20 (3-37) years; sCr 1.2 (0.6-7) mg/dL, proteinuria 0.9 (0-12.3) g/day; creatinine clearance: 58 (6-234) ml/min; Hbalc: 8.8% (5.9-14), diastolic blood pressure: 80 (55-100) mmHg, systolic blood pressure: 137.5 (70-180) mmHg. 85.6% had signs of end-organ damage due to diabetes. 67% of the patients had diabetic nephropathy, 20.7% hypertensive with or without diabetic nephropathy. According to the chosen criteria, 30.6% had indications for pancreas-kidney graft (sCr > or = 2 mg/dL), 25.9% considering sCr > or = 3 mg/dL; 28.2% further patients could be considered for isolated pancreas graft. CONCLUSIONS: At referral to the nephrologist, over 50% of type 1 diabetics may have indications for pancreas-kidney or pancreas graft; an earlier multidisciplinary work-up is needed to optimize an early pre-emptive transplant approach.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dialysis choice in the context of an early referral policy: there is room for self care.

BACKGROUND: Predialysis care is vital for the patient and is crucial for dialysis choice: empowered, early referred patients tend to prefer out-of-hospital and self-care treatment; despite these claims, early referral remains too often a program more than a reality. Aim of the study was to evaluate the pattern and reasons for RRT choice in patients treated in a long-standing outpatient network, presently following 850 chronic patients (about 80% diabetics), working with an early referral policy and offering a wide set of dialysis options (home hemo and PD; self care and limited care hemodialysis; hospital hemodialysis). METHODS: Prospective historical study. All patients who started RRT in January 2001-December 2003 were considered. Correlations between demographical (sex, age, educational level) or clinical variables (pre-RRT follow-up, comorbidity, SGA and Karnofsky) and treatment choice have been tested by univariate (chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis) and multivariate models (logistic regression), both considering all choices and dichotomising choice into "hospital" versus "out of hospital dialysis". RESULTS: Hospital dialysis was chosen by 32.6% of patients; out of hospital in 67.4% (PD 26.5%, limited-care 18.4%, home hemodialysis 4.1%, self-care 18.4%). Hospital dialysis and PD were chosen by elderly patients (median age: 67.5 and 70 years respectively) with multiple comorbidities (75% and 92.3%); no difference for age, comorbidity, Karnofsky, SGA and educational level. 6/13 PD patients needed the help of a partner. Self-care/home hemodialysis patients were younger (median age 52), had higher educational level (p = 0.014) and lower prevalence of comorbidity (63.6% vs 94.7% in the other dialysis patients, p = 0.006). In the context of a long follow-up period (3.9 years) a statistically significant difference was found comparing hospital dialysis (3.3 years) vs out of hospital dialysis (4.9 years) (p = 0.035). In a logistic regression model, only pre-RRT follow-up was correlated with dialysis "hospital vs "out of hospital" choice (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Early nephrological follow-up may enhance self and home-based dialysis care.

Adult↗