Adding creatinine to routine pregnancy tests: a decision tree for calculating the cost of identifying patients with CKD in pregnancy

Significant kidney disease in pregnancy: Feasibility and outcomes of a national population-based study using the Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System

BACKGROUND

Current understanding of clinical practice and care for maternal kidney disease in pregnancy in Australia is hampered by limitations in available renal-specific datasets.

AIMS

To capture the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of women with significant kidney disease in pregnancy and demonstrate feasibility of a national cohort study approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An Australian prospective study (2017-2018) using a new kidney disease-specific survey within the Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System (AMOSS). Women who gave birth with acute kidney injury (AKI), advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis dependence or a kidney transplant were included. Demographic data, renal and obstetric management, and perinatal outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

Among 58 case notifications from 12 hospitals in five states, we included 23 cases with kidney transplant (n = 12), pre-existing CKD (n = 8), newly diagnosed CKD (n = 2) and dialysis (n = 1). No cases of AKI were reported. Reporting rates were better in states with study investigators and, overall, cases were likely under-reported. Nearly 35% of women had a non-delivery-related antenatal admission. Nephrology involvement was 78.3% during pregnancy and 91% post-partum. Adverse events were increased, including pre-eclampsia (21.7%), and preterm birth (60.9%). Women had high rates of aspirin (82.6%) and antihypertensive (73.9%) use, indwelling catheter for labour/delivery (65.2%), caesarean delivery (60.9%), and blood transfusion (21.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

This first-ever Australian prospective study of significant kidney diseases in pregnancy provided novel insights into renal-specific clinical patterns and practices. However, under-reporting was likely. Future studies need to overcome the challenges of case identification and data collection burden.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, but the risk at different stages of CKD (defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR) compared with women without CKD has not been quantified in large cohorts.

OBJECTIVES

To quantify the association between CKD and adverse pregnancy outcomes according to CKD definition, CKD stage and presence or absence of diabetes.

SEARCH STRATEGY

A systematic search of EMBASE and MEDLINE from inception to 5 January 2023.

SELECTION CRITERIA

English-language randomised controlled trials as well as cohort and case-control studies investigating adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with CKD.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two reviewers conducted independent data extractions. A random-effects model was used to estimate risk.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 19 studies with 3 251 902 women. Defining CKD using eGFR or serum creatinine produced results with greater effect size but wider confidence intervals. Compared with CKD stages 1-2, women with CKD stages 3-5 have a greater risk, but also greater imprecision in the risk estimate, of the following outcomes: pre-eclampsia (OR 55.18, 95% CI 2.63-1157.68, vs OR 24.74, 95% CI 1.75-348.70), preterm birth (OR 20.24, 95% CI 2.85-143.75, vs OR 8.18, 95% CI 1.54-43.46) and neonatal intensive care unit admission (OR 19.32, 95% CI 3.07-121.68, vs OR 9.77, 95% CI 2.49-38.39). Women with diabetic kidney disease, compared with women without diabetic kidney disease, have higher risks of maternal mortality, small-for-gestational-age neonates, pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

There is heterogeneity in the definition of CKD in pregnancy. Future studies should consider ways to standardise its definition and measurement in pregnancy.

Pre-gestational counselling for women living with CKD: starting from the bright side

Pregnancy in women living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) was often discouraged due to the risk of adverse maternal-fetal outcomes and the progression of kidney disease. This negative attitude has changed in recent years, with greater emphasis on patient empowerment than on the imperative 'non nocere'. Although risks persist, pregnancy outcomes even in advanced CKD have significantly improved, for both the mother and the newborn. Adequate counselling can help to minimize risks and support a more conscious and informed approach to those risks that are unavoidable. Pre-conception counselling enables a woman to plan the most appropriate moment for her to try to become pregnant. Counselling is context sensitive and needs to be discussed also within an ethical framework. Classically, counselling is more focused on risks than on the probability of a successful outcome. 'Positive counselling', highlighting also the chances of a favourable outcome, can help to strengthen the patient-physician relationship, which is a powerful means of optimizing adherence and compliance. Since, due to the heterogeneity of CKD, giving exact figures in single cases is difficult and may even be impossible, a scenario-based approach may help understanding and facing favourable outcomes and adverse events. Pregnancy outcomes modulate the future life of the mother and of her baby; hence the concept of 'post partum' counselling is also introduced, discussing how pregnancy results may modulate the long-term prognosis of the mother and the child and the future pregnancies.

Any reduction in maternal kidney mass makes a difference during pregnancy in gestational and fetal outcome

Little is known about the effect tubulointerstitial nephropathies have in modulating maternal-fetal outcomes in pregnancy. Therefore, we analyzed the main outcomes of pregnancy in these women to gain a better understanding of the role of a reduction in maternal kidney mass. From the Torino Cagliari Observational Study (TOCOS) cohort, we selected 529 patients with a diagnosis of tubulointerstitial disease and focused on 421 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1, without hypertension but with proteinuria less than 0.5 g/day at referral. From a cohort of 2969 singleton deliveries from low-risk pregnancies followed in the same settings we selected a propensity score matched control cohort of 842 pregnancies match 2:1 for age, parity, body mass index, ethnicity, and origin. Time to delivery was significantly shorter in the study cohort 38.0 (Quartile 1-Quartile 3: 37.0-39.0) versus 39.0 (Q1-Q3 38.0-40.0) weeks, with respect to controls. Incidence of delivery of less than 37 gestational weeks significantly increased from controls (7.4%) to women with previous acute pyelonephritis (10.8%), other tubulointerstitial diseases (9.7%) and was the highest in patients with a single kidney (31.1%). Similarly, neonatal birthweight significantly and progressively decreased from controls (3260 g [Q1-Q3: 2980-3530]), previous acute pyelonephritis (3090 g [Q1-Q3: 2868-3405], other tubulointerstitial diseases (3110 g [Q1-Q3: 2840-3417]), and to solitary kidney (2910 g [Q1-Q3: 2480-3240]). Risk of developing preeclampsia was significantly higher in the CKD cohort (3.6% vs 1.7% in low-risk controls). Thus, even a small reduction in functional kidney mass, such as a pyelonephritic scar, is associated with a shorter duration of pregnancy and an increased risk of preterm delivery. The risk is proportional to the extent of parenchymal reduction and is highest in cases with a solitary kidney.

Roadmaps to green nephrology: a mediterranean point of view

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Green nephrology is a movement whose aim is to find ways to reduce the environmental impact of kidney care. The question is of particular concern in this field since haemodialysis is one of the major contributors to waste generation, energy use and water consumption in healthcare. Although several ways for improving sustainability have been advocated, they are all context sensitive. This review aims to analyse the interventions that have been proposed to improve the ecologic sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of nephrology care adapting to specific settings, and taking advantage of local expertise.

RECENT FINDINGS

Green hospitals are becoming a reality in several high-income settings, thanks to new building guidelines, with greater awareness of climate change and users' demands. Water saving is feasible, and is increasingly done, in different ways (improving hardware, reducing and adapting dialysate flows). Recycling noncontaminated plastic waste is feasible, but is still rarely performed. However, ecological transition has been slow even in high-income countries, while in low and middle-income countries lack of resources limit the ability to cope with the planet's urgent needs. Conversely, where man-power cost is low, some time-consuming tasks, such as separation of various components for recycling may be affordable. Theoretically, implementation of all clinical tasks aiming to avoid or retard dialysis, should be a priority.

SUMMARY

There is no single roadmap for achieving green nephrology. Each setting should start from those feasible interventions most in line with its specific needs and priorities.

Access to Nephrology Care for Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries: A Perspective

Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major public health problem with substantial maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Women with pregnancy-related AKI require immediate access to nephrology care to prevent deleterious kidney and health outcomes. Patients with pregnancy-related AKI in low-income and lower-middle-income countries experience disparities in access to comprehensive nephrology care for many reasons. In this perspective, we highlight the burden of pregnancy-related AKI and explore the challenges among different low-income and lower-middle-income countries. The lack of adequate nephrology workforce and infrastructure for kidney health care represents a fundamental component of the problem. A shortage of nephrologists hampers the care of patients with pregnancy-related AKI leading to poor outcomes. The lack of diagnostic tools and therapeutic options, including kidney replacement therapy, impedes the implementation of effective management strategies. International efforts are warranted to empower women to get the right services and support at the right time. Dedicated preventive and early care programs are urgently needed to decrease the magnitude of pregnancy-related AKI, a complication under-represented in the literature.

Chronic kidney disease, female infertility, and medically assisted reproduction: a best practice position statement by the Kidney and Pregnancy Group of the Italian Society of Nephrology

Fertility is known to be impaired more frequently in patients with chronic kidney disease than in the general population. A significant proportion of chronic kidney disease patients may therefore need Medically Assisted Reproduction. The paucity of information about medically assisted reproduction for chronic kidney disease patients complicates counselling for both nephrologists and gynaecologists, specifically for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and those on dialysis or with a transplanted kidney. It is in this context that the Project Group on Kidney and Pregnancy of the Italian Society of Nephrology has drawn up these best practice guidelines, merging a literature review, nephrology expertise and the experience of obstetricians and gynaecologists involved in medically assisted reproduction. Although all medically assisted reproduction techniques can be used for chronic kidney disease patients, caution is warranted. Inducing a twin pregnancy should be avoided; the risk of bleeding, thrombosis and infection should be considered, especially in some categories of patients. In most cases, controlled ovarian stimulation is needed to obtain an adequate number of oocytes for medically assisted reproduction. Women with chronic kidney disease are at high risk of kidney damage in case of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, and great caution should be exercised so that it is avoided. The higher risks associated with the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and the consequent risk of chronic kidney disease progression, should likewise be considered if egg donation is chosen. Oocyte cryopreservation should be considered for patients with autoimmune diseases who need cytotoxic treatment. In summary, medically assisted reproduction is an option for chronic kidney disease patients, but the study group strongly advises extensive personalised counselling with a multidisciplinary healthcare team and close monitoring during the chosen medically assisted reproduction procedure and throughout the subsequent pregnancy.

Glomerular diseases in pregnancy: pragmatic recommendations for clinical management

Our understanding of the various aspects of pregnancy in women with kidney diseases has significantly improved in the last decades. Nevertheless, little is known about specific kidney diseases. Glomerular diseases are not only a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease in young women, but combine many challenges in pregnancy: immunologic diseases, hypertension, proteinuria, and kidney tissue damage. An international working group undertook the review of available current literature and elicited expert opinions on glomerular diseases in pregnancy with the aim to provide pragmatic information for nephrologists according to the present state-of-the-art knowledge. This work also highlights areas of clinical uncertainty and emphasizes the need for further collaborative studies to improve maternal and fetal health.

The Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Focus on Definitions for Clinical Nephrologists

About 5-10% of pregnancies are complicated by one of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The women who experience these disorders have a greater risk of having or developing kidney diseases than women with normotensive pregnancies. While international guidelines do not provide clear indications for a nephrology work-up after pregnancy, this is increasingly being advised by nephrology societies. The definitions of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy have changed greatly in recent years. The objective of this short review is to gather and comment upon the main definitions of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as a support for nephrologists, who are increasingly involved in the short- and long-term management of women with these disorders.