Early introduction of peritoneal dialysis may improve survival in severe sepsis

Peritoneal dialysis in children with sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI): an experience in a low- to middle-income country

Background: In critically ill children, sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) has significant morbidity and mortality.Aim: To estimate whether early initiation of peritoneal dialysis (PD) has a better short-term outcome than standard PD.Methods: Early PD (n = 25) was defined as a need for PD in Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage 2 AKI, while those fulfilling the criteria for stage 3 KDIGO were categorised as a standard PD group (n = 25). The primary outcome measure was the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at discharge or at 4 weeks after initiation of PD, whichever occurred earlier.Results: A prospective cohort of 50 children (32 boys) aged 2 months to 16 years with SA-AKI who underwent PD were recruited. The most frequent indication for PD was fluid overload (40%), followed by persistent metabolic acidosis (36%). Children in the early PD group had lower creatinine and higher eGFR at discharge/4-week follow-up (p < 0.001). The duration of PD was less if it was commenced early (p < 0.04); 24 of 25 (96%) children in the early PD group were off PD within 6 days of initiation compared with 13 of 25 (52%) in the standard PD group (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Compared with standard PD, early PD in SA-AKI resulted in a favourable renal outcome, decreased duration of PD and early discontinuation of dialysis.Abbreviations : AKI: acute kidney injury; CRRT: continuous renal replacement therapy; CS-AKI: cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; ELAIN: early versus late initiation of renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury; ESCAPE: effect of strict blood pressure control and ACE inhibition on the progression of chronic kidney disease in paediatric patients; HIC: high-income countries; ISN: international society of nephrology; KDIGO: Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes; LMIC: low- to middle-income countries; PD: peritoneal dialysis; PICU: paediatric intensive care unit; RRT: renal replacement therapy; SA-AKI: sepsis-associated acute kidney injury; SYL: Saving Young Lives; SOFA: sequential (sepsis-related) organ failure assessment score; STARRT-AKI: standard versus accelerated initiation of renal replacement therapy in acute kidney injury.

Can we use interleukin-6 (IL-6) blockade for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced cytokine release syndrome (CRS)?

The emergent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiorgan dysfunction are among the leading causes of death in critically ill patients with COVID-19. The elevated inflammatory cytokines suggest that a cytokine storm, also known as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), may play a major role in the pathology of COVID-19. However, the efficacy of corticosteroids, commonly utilized antiinflammatory agents, to treat COVID-19-induced CRS is controversial. There is an urgent need for novel therapies to treat COVID-19-induced CRS. Here, we discuss the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-induced CRS, compare the CRS in COVID-19 with that in SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and summarize the existing therapies for CRS. We propose to utilize interleukin-6 (IL-6) blockade to manage COVID-19-induced CRS and discuss several factors that should be taken into consideration for its clinical application.

Peritoneal dialysis treatment for severe lupus nephritis patients complicated with essential organ dysfunction

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in patients with severe lupus nephritis (LN) complicated with organ dysfunction. In total, 13 severe LN patients complicated with multiple-organ dysfunction, who underwent PD treatment between November 2003 and September 2010, were enrolled in the study. Six patients received methylprednisolone pulse therapy due to lupus activity and progressive renal failure. These patients were complicated with severe edema, cardiac insufficiency and severe hypoalbuminemia. PD was applied to the patients, followed by the administration of immunosuppressants. Patients were followed-up to review the parameters of renal function, the immunological indexes and the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index. The results indicated that the general state of health was markedly improved following PD treatment, with edema abatement and improvement of heart function and physical strength. Serum creatinine levels significantly decreased from 6.3±1.6 to 2.6±1.0 mg/dl. A total of 10 cases ceased PD treatment during the follow-up, while three cases continued PD to the end of the follow-up period. The levels of albumin and hemoglobin exhibited a marked increase from 29.7±5.7 to 35.2±5.5 g/l and 8.7±1.8 to 9.8±1.8 g/l, respectively. There was one case of peritonitis, one case of peritoneal leakage and two cases of pneumonia. Therefore, PD may be a successful treatment method for severe LN patients complicated with essential organ dysfunction. PD not only improved the symptoms of edema and heart failure, but also played an important role in preserving residual renal function and improving the nutritional state of the patients. Thus, PD can be considered as a treatment option for patients with severe LN associated with acute kidney injury, however, selecting a suitable immunosuppressant during PD treatment is essential.