Safe Administration of ECT in a Suicidal Patient With a Space-Occupying Astrocytoma

ABSTRACT

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be lifesaving for patients suffering from treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions, especially acute suicidality or depression. However, space-occupying lesions pose risks associated with ECT use due in part to seizure-induced escalations in blood pressure with corresponding increases in cerebral blood flow and possibly intracranial pressure, subsequently increasing the risk of brain herniation. Here, we present the case of a patient with a left medial temporal lobe astrocytoma, worsening epileptic seizures, and nonepileptic seizures who underwent ECT for major depressive disorder and suicidality. The patient had improvement of depressive symptoms, resolution of suicidality, and brief cessation of nonepileptic seizures. Brief anterograde amnesia contributed to the termination of treatment. This case adds to the growing literature about the feasibility of ECT treatment in cerebral lesions prone to changes in intracranial pressure, such as the usually cystic astrocytomas.

Incidence and risk factors for HPV-associated cancers in women with end-stage renal disease

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the majority of cervical, anal/rectal, and oropharyngeal cancers in women. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is also associated with an increased risk of malignancy, but the incidence of and risk factors for HPV-associated cancers in US dialysis patients are not defined. We queried the US Renal Data System for women with HPV-associated cancers and assessed for incidence of cancer diagnosis and association of risk factors. From 2005 to 2011, a total of 1032 female patients with ESRD had 1040 HPV-associated cancer diagnoses. Patients had a mean age of 65 years, were mostly white (63%), and on hemodialysis (92%). Cervical cancer (54%) was the most common, followed by anal/rectal (34%), and oropharyngeal (12%). The incidence of HPV-associated cancers in patients with ESRD increased yearly, with up to a 16-fold increased incidence compared with the general population. Major risk factors associated with the development of any HPV-associated cancer included smoking (adjusted relative risk=1.89), alcohol use (1.87), HIV (2.21), and herpes infection (2.02). Smoking, HIV, and herpes infection were prominent risk factors for cervical cancer. The incidence of HPV-associated cancers in women with ESRD is rising annually and is overall higher than in women of the general population. Tobacco use is a universal risk factor. For cervical cancer, the presence of HIV and herpes are important comorbidities. Recognizing risk factors associated with these cancers may improve diagnosis and facilitate survival. The role of HPV vaccination in at-risk dialysis patients remains to be defined but warrants further study.

Cancer incidence and risk factors in dialysis patients with human immunodeficiency virus: a cohort study

Background

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or end-stage renal disease receiving dialysis have an increased risk of developing malignancies, but few data are available on cancer in patients with both conditions. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the incidence of selected malignancies and identify their potential risk factors in HIV-infected dialysis patients.

Methods

This study was a nationwide cohort analysis using the US Renal Data System. Participants included all HIV-infected patients starting dialysis from 2005 to 2011. HIV status, comorbidities and malignancies were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Descriptive statistics and generalized linear models quantifying risk factors were performed for the overall cohort and the three most common malignancies.

Results

Overall, 6641 HIV-infected dialysis patients were identified, with 543 (8.2%) carrying a malignancy diagnosis. The most common malignancies were non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL, 25%), Kaposi sarcoma (KS, 16%) and colorectal cancer (13%). Factors increasing the risk of any malignancy diagnosis included: history of cancer [adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 5.37], two or more acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining opportunistic infections (ADOIs) (aRR = 3.11), one ADOI (aRR = 2.23), cirrhosis (aRR = 2.20), male sex (aRR = 1.54) and hepatitis B (aRR = 1.52). For NHL and colorectal cancer, history of cancer (aRR = 7.05 and 9.80, respectively) was the most significant risk factor. For KS, two or more ADOIs (aRR = 6.78) was the largest risk factor.

Conclusions

Over 8% of HIV-infected dialysis patients developed a malignancy. History of cancer and ADOIs were major risk factors, underscoring the significance of immune dysregulation in malignancy development.

Is Dietary Protein Intake Predictive of 1-Year Mortality in Dialysis Patients?

BACKGROUND

High mortality in dialysis patients may be associated with protein-energy wasting (PEW) syndrome characterized by progressively depleted protein and energy stores. While early diagnosis and treatment of PEW can reduce mortality, clinically practical measures for its detection are lacking. Poor dietary protein intake (DPI) is associated with risk of malnutrition and PEW. However, the impact of DPI on mortality is unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of DPI to predict 1-year mortality in dialysis patients.

METHODS

This prospective, secondary study using data from the Comprehensive Dialysis Study and United States Renal Data System examined risk factors associated with 1-year mortality in dialysis patients.

RESULTS

Seventeen (7.5%) of the 227 subjects died within 1 year following baseline data collection. One year survivors were significantly younger (60 ± 13.6 versus 71 ± 12.8; P = 0.0043), had a lower Charlson Comorbidity Index score (1.6 ± 2.3 versus 4.0 ± 3.6; P = 0.0157), higher serum albumin level (3.5 ± 0.5 versus 3.3 ± 0.4; P = 0.0173) and had higher DPI (63 ± 33.7 versus 49.5 ± 21.5 g/day; P = 0.0386) than those who died. In multivariable Cox proportional hazards model analyses, only the Charlson Comorbidity Index adjusted hazard ratio for death (1.24) was significantly associated with increased mortality. The Comprehensive Dialysis Study data showed no association between DPI and 1-year mortality in dialysis patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies using more precise measures should further examine the impact of DPI on mortality given the known association of DPI with PEW syndrome and the definitive link between PEW syndrome and survival in dialysis patients.