PURPOSE: It is very important to correct renal anemia by erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) because anemia is associated with poor outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We investigated whether once-biweekly (Q2W) treatment with epoetin-alpha (EPO-alpha) is as effective as Q2W darbepoetin-alpha (DA-alpha) in CKD patients who are not on dialysis. METHODS: Fifteen CKD patients not receiving dialysis with renal anemia (M:F 6:9, age 60.1+/-7.2 years, eGFR-MDRD 15.7+/-6.4 mL/min/1.73m2, DM 46.7%) were enrolled. All patients received Q2W subcutaneous DA-alpha (40 microgram) for 10 weeks. After 6 weeks of wash-out period, patients were switched to Q2W subcutaneous EPO-alpha (10,000 IU) for 10 weeks. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline parameters, such as hemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin, and transferrin saturation, between before DA-alpha therapy and before EPO-alpha therapy. Hb levels significantly increased after completion of ESA therapy (DA-alpha, 9.8+/-0.4 vs. 10.4+/-0.6 g/dL, p=0.001; EPO-alpha, 9.6+/-0.7 vs. 10.2+/-0.4 g/dL, p=0.003). After completion of ESA therapy, Hb levels did not reveal significant differences between two groups (p=0.123). Erythropoietin resistance index (8.2+/-1.6 vs. 8.4+/- 1.5 IU/kg weight/g hemoglobin/week, p=0.136) and % increase of Hb (106.7+/-5.5 vs. 106.8+/-6.4%, p=0.776) were not significantly different between DA-alpha therapy and EPO-alpha therapy. There were no significant adverse effects observed during study periods. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that Q2W high dose (10,000 IU) of EPO-alpha therapy in CKD patients who are not on dialysis may be effective in maintaining Hb levels as Q2W DA-alpha therapy.
Anemia ; Dialysis ; Erythropoietin ; Ferritins ; Hematinics ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Transferrin

Midazolam, a benzodiazepine derivatives, is widely used in intensive care unit for sedation of patients who require mechanical ventilation. Although midazolam has a short acting time, it might cause a prolonged sedation, especially in patients with renal failure. We report the case of a 76-year-old man who received peritoneal dialysis and showed prolonged sedation after stopping continuous infusion of midazolam. The patient who has received maintenance hemodialysis for five months admitted in intensive care unit to manage pneumonia and severe congestive heart failure. In ICU, hemodialysis was transferred to peritoneal dialysis due to severe cardiac dysfunction. He was treated with mechanical ventilation under sedation with midazolam. However, even though stopping midazolam, deep sedation by midazolam was not restored. The patient completely recovered from sedation after 280 hours.
Aged ; Benzodiazepines ; Deep Sedation ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Midazolam ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Pneumonia ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Respiration, Artificial

Arteriovenous vascular access infection associated with S. aureus bacteremia may cause metastatic complications, which relate to a poor outcome especially if proper diagnosis and treatment are delayed. We report a case of a 61-year-old male patient on maintenance hemodialysis who developed multiple metastatic infections associated with arteriovenous graft infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). At 7th hospital day, multiple metastatic infections, including osteomyelitis of clavicle, vertebral osteomyelitis, and tendinitis of the 5th finger proximal interphalangeal joint, were diagnosed by CT of chest, ultrasonography of hands, and whole body bone scan. Infected arteriovenous graft was removed and antibiotics was administrated for 18 weeks. Thereafter, MRSA bacteremia and clinical symptoms and signs related to metastatic infections were improved.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia ; Clavicle ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis ; Polymethacrylic Acids ; Renal Dialysis ; Tendinopathy ; Thorax ; Transplants

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Impaired responsiveness to clopidogrel is common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of a point-of-care assay to detect impaired responsiveness to clopidogrel after coronary stent implantation in patients with type 2 DM. METHODS: We measured P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) with the VerifyNow point-of-care assay in 544 consecutive patients undergoing dual or triple (i.e., dual plus cilostazol) anti-platelet therapy after coronary stent implantation. High platelet reactivity (HPR) was defined as a PRU value > or = 240. RESULTS: The mean PRU values were 233.5 +/- 83.2 and 190.3 +/- 85.5 in patients undergoing dual or triple anti-platelet therapy, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients with DM manifested higher post treatment PRU values (238.3 +/- 82.4 vs. 210.8 +/- 86.8, p = 0.001) and a higher frequency of HPR (44.8% vs. 31.0%, p = 0.003) as compared to patients without DM. We also found that higher PRU values and a higher frequency of HPR were present in patients with DM who were undergoing both triple and dual anti-platelet therapy. However, the higher post-treatment PRU values observed in patients with DM decreased with triple anti-platelet therapy (219.4 +/- 82.5 vs. 247.9 +/- 81.1, p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: A point-of-care assay can detect elevated platelet reactivity and impaired responsiveness to clopidogrel in patients with type 2 DM. The addition of cilostazol to dual anti-platelet therapy may decrease post-treatment PRU values in patients with type 2 DM.
Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary/adverse effects/*instrumentation ; Aspirin/administration & dosage ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Coronary Disease/blood/*therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Activation/*drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; *Platelet Function Tests ; *Point-of-Care Systems ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Purinergic P2Y Receptor Antagonists/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Registries ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; *Stents ; Tetrazoles/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Ticlopidine/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*analogs & derivatives ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite improvements in surgical techniques and postoperative patient care, bile leakage can occur after hepatobiliary surgery and may lead to serious complications. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic treatment of bile leakage after hepatobiliary surgery. METHODS: The medical records of 20 patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography because of bile leakage after hepatobiliary surgery from August 2009 to September 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Endoscopic treatment included insertion of an endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage stent after endoscopic sphincterotomy. RESULTS: Most cases of bile leakage presented as percutaneous bile drainage through a Jackson-Pratt bag (75%), followed by abdominal pain (20%). The sites of bile leaks were the cystic duct stump in 10 patients, intrahepatic ducts in five, liver beds in three, common hepatic duct in one, and common bile duct in one. Of the three cases of bile leakage combined with bile duct stricture, one patient had severe bile duct obstruction, and the others had mild strictures. Five cases of bile leakage also exhibited common bile duct stones. Concerning endoscopic modalities, endoscopic therapy for bile leakage was successful in 19 patients (95%). One patient experienced endoscopic failure because of an operation-induced bile duct deformity. One patient developed guidewire-induced microperforation during cannulation, which recovered with conservative treatment. One patient developed recurrent bile leakage, which required additional biliary stenting with sphincterotomy. CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic approach should be considered a first-line modality for the diagnosis and treatment of bile leakage after hepatobiliary surgery.
Abdominal Pain ; Bile Ducts ; Bile* ; Catheterization ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholestasis ; Common Bile Duct ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cystic Duct ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Humans ; Liver ; Medical Records ; Patient Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic ; Stents