Objective To study the effect of long-term salmon calcitonin on bone mineral density (BMD), bone metabolism biochemical indicators and subjective score of bone pain in maintenance hemedialysis (MHD) patients with osteopenia. Methods Thirty-four MHD patients diagnosed as osteopenia by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXEA) were enrolled in this study. All the patients were treated with hypodermic injection of salmon calcitonin (50 U, thrice a week) for 12 months. The detecting parameters were as follows: BMD with DEXA in lumbar spine (L1-L4), femoral neck, troch, inter, and Ward's triangle before and after the study;serum bone metabolism biochemical indicators before and 6 and 12 months after the study;subjective scores of bone pain before and 1, 6, and 12 months after the study. Results Thirty-two patients were followed-up successfully. As compared to BMD parameters before study, the total T-score (-1.98± 2.20 vs 1.26±1.88, P=0.009) and total Z-score (-0.90±2.15 vs 0.08±2.05, P=0.002) of lumbar spine, the total T-score (-1.72±1.53 vs 1.06±1.58, P=0.016) and totle Z-score (-0.66±0.80 vs 0.08±1.08, P=0.029) of hip, the T-score of L3 (-2.02±2.51 vs 1.24±2.02, P=0.033), the Z-score of L2 (-0.44±1.82 vs 0.06±1.63, P=0.016), the Z-score of femoral troch (-0.65±1.11 vs 0.48±1.12, P=0.034) and the Z-score of inter (-0.58±0.94 vs 0.02±1.12, P=0.006) were increased significantly after study. But there were no significant differences in other examined regions and serum biochemical parameters. The subjective scores of bone pain were decreased rapidly for 41.7% after 1 month (P<0.01) and 76.6% after 6 months (P<0.01). The subjective score of bone pain after 12 months was similar to 6 months. The side effects of salmon calcitonin included nausea and vomitting in 5 cases (14.71%, 5/34), dizziness, blushing and flustered in 1 case respectively (3.13%,1/32). Conclusions Long-term hypodermic injection of salmon calcitonin can improve BMD and bone pain for MHD patients with osteopenia but has no significant effect on serum bone metabolism biochemical indicators. Salmon calcitonin is safe for MHD patients with seldom side effects, such as nausea and vomitting.

Objective To evaluate the effects of continuous quality improvement (CQI) management on nutritional status,renal function progression,and compliance of low protein diet in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods Totally 115 CKD patients who were regularly followed up in CKD clinic services were recruited in this study.Plan,Do,Check,and Act (PDCA) method was adopted to manage the dietary of these patients for 12 months.The clinical indicators and diet compliance before and after receiving CQI management were compared.Results After receiving the CQI management,the nutritional status of patients was well maintained;meanwhile,the average hand strength and the hemoglobin,serum albumin,total cholesterol,and triglyceride levels showed no significant changes (all P ＞ 0.05).Subjective feelings of patients were improved.The modified Subjective Global Assessment of Nutrition (mSGA) score was decreased from 7.0 (7.0,8.0) to 7.0 (7.0,7.0) (P =0.000).The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated by formula of modified MDRD was decreased from (40.74 ± 14.49) to (37.94 ± 16.86) ml/(min · 1.73 m2) (P =0.000),and the average descended speed was (2.81 ±7.42) ml/(min · 1.73 m2) per year.The creatinine clearance rate had no statistical difference between pre-and post management (P =0.910),and the average descended speed was (0.19 ± 17.01) ml/min per year.The daily protein intake (DPI) and protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance rate (PNA) were both significandy descended:DPI/kg decreased from (0.79 ± 0.27) to (0.64 ± 0.15) g/ (24 h · kg) (P =0.000),and PNA/kg dropped from (1.02 ± 0.32) to (0.82 ± 0.24) g/ (24 h · kg) (P =0.000).The scores of awareness and compliance of patients on low protein diet were significantly increased after CQI management (P =0.000).Conculsion Applying CQI on dietary and nutrition management in CKD patients can maintain the good nutritional status and improve the compliance of low protein diet.

Objective To clarify the clinical significance of visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure (BP) of stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with hypertension.Methods One hundred and fifty-two cases of stage 3-4 CKD patients with hypertension were enrolled in the study.Variability in BP was defined as the standard deviation (SD) in BP.For each patient,SD and mean BP from BP measurements were calculated at all the visits.Correlations between the decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and SD in BP were analyzed by multivariable regression.Results Visit-to-visit variability in BP was significantly associated with renal function decline (P ＜ 0.05),in addition,baseline eGFR,baseline albuminuria and mean SBP during follow-up were significantly associated with renal function decline as well (all P ＜ 0.05).The percentage of CCBs used in low SD of the SBP group was higher than that in high SD of the SBP (76.1％ vs 58.2％,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Visit-to-visit variability in BP is significantly associated with renal function decline.Drugs which can decrease the variability of blood pressure should be the first choice in the treatment of hypertension.

Objective To evaluate the effect of cardiovascular disease (CVD) on the healthcare costs associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods A total of 96 patients with stage 3-4 CKD treated at CKD clinic of Beijing Friendship Hospital,Capital Medical University were enrolled in the study.Their mean age was (61.6±9.5) years including 65 male and 31 female patients.A retrospective analysis of clinical material and health claims between January 2010 and October 2010 was conducted.Firstly,patients were grouped according to median CKD-associated healthcare cost and clinical characteristics were compared between two groups.Secondly,patients were stratified into three categories based on CVD prevalence (with acute cardiovascular events,with CVD but no acute events,and without CVD),and CKD-associated healthcare costs were assessed among the groups.Finally,the potential factors influencing CKD-associated healthcare costs were evaluated by optimal scaling regression analysis.Results During January to October in 2010,median CKD-associated healthcare costs was 13960.5 yuan (interquartile range 10226.5,19667.2 yuan).In the group with higher healthcare costs,more females,greater urine albumin-creatinine ratio,more emergency observations and/or hospitalizations caused by acute cardiovascular events,higher diabetes mellitus prevalence and calcium-phosphorus products,and lower eGFR and hemoglobin levels were found (P＜0.05,respectively).In contrast,the total prevalence of CVD was not significantly different between the groups (P=0.386).When grouping by CVD prevalence,significant differences of CKD-associated healthcare costs were observed only between patients with acute cardiovascular events and the other two groups (P＜0.01,respectively).The median healthcare cost of the former was approximately twice as higher as that of the other two groups,and the maximal cost was also found in the acute-cardiovascular-event group.For the optimal scaling regression analysis,both emergency observations and/or hospitalizations caused by acute cardiovascular events and diabetes mellitus entered the equation,and standardized coefficients were -0.538 and -0.217 respectively (P＜0.01 and P＜0.05).Conclusions Emergency observations and/or hospitalizations caused by acute cardiovascular events are important factors inducing high CKD-associated healthcare costs in patients with stage 3-4 CKD.Therefore,the prevention of acute cardiovascular events may be favorable to reduce CKD-associated healthcare costs.Larger and longer-time perspective studies are required to confirm it.In addition,diabetes mellitus also influences CKD-associated healthcare costs.