Clinical Implications

Background: An acute increase in serum creatinine (AICr) after starting ACE inhibitor is frequently observed, and consideration of discontinuation has been recommended if creatinine values increased 30% or more. However, the long term effect of continuation or discontinuation of that therapy is unclear. Objective: To examine the association of AICr after starting a fixed combination of perindopril-indapamide and its continuation or discontinuation, with clinical outcomes using data from the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial. Research Design and Methods: A total of 11,140 diabetes patients were randomly assigned to a fixed combination of perindopril-indapamide or placebo after a 6-week active run-in period. These analyses included 11,066 patients with 2 measurements of serum creatinine, before and during the active run-in period (3 weeks apart). AICr was determined using these 2 measurements, classified into 4 groups: <10%, 10-19%, 20-29%, and ≥30%. Results: AICr after starting perindopril-indapamide in the run-in period was subsequently associated with an increased risk of a composite of major macrovascular events, new or worsening nephropathy, all-cause mortality, in both randomized groups (P for trend <0.for each). However, a consistent benefit of randomized treatment for the outcome was observed across subgroups defined by AICr, with no heterogeneity in the magnitude of the effects (P for heterogeneity = 0.94). Similar results were observed for major macrovascular events alone, new or worsening nephropathy alone, and all-cause mortality alone. Conclusions: AICr after starting ACE inhibitor was associated with an increased risk of clinical outcomes, irrespective of continuation or discontinuation of the therapy. However, randomized treatment effects are consistent and beneficial across subgroups defined by AICr. Disclosure T. Ohkuma: None. M. Jun: None. M. Woodward: None. J. Chalmers: Research Support; Self; Servier. Other Relationship; Self; Servier. V. Perkovic: Speaker's Bureau; Self; Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation. Advisory Panel; Self; Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.. Consultant; Self; AbbVie Inc.. Advisory Panel; Self; Janssen Global Services, LLC.. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc.. Advisory Panel; Self; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, AstraZeneca, Gilead Sciences, Inc.. Consultant; Self; Servier. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH. Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. A. Rodgers: Other Relationship; Self; George Health Enterprises.

Pharmacologic blockade of neurohormonal pathways in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) can result in acute changes in biomarkers of kidney function. We evaluated the effect of sacubitril/valsartan versus ramipril on initial changes in serum creatinine and the association of these changes with longer-term outcomes among participants in PARADISE-MI. In this randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, event-driven trial, 5661 patients with an acute MI were assigned to receive sacubitril/valsartan or ramipril, with no run-in. The frequency of an initial pre-specified increase in serum creatinine (≥26.5 or ≥44 μmol/L) from baseline to week 1 was compared between arms. Multivariable Cox regression models were fit to examine the association of acute changes in serum creatinine with the primary cardiovascular composite outcome (cardiovascular death, first heart failure hospitalization, or outpatient heart failure), all-cause mortality, and longer-term changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). An initial increase in serum creatinine ≥26.5 μmol/L occurred in 155 of 2604 (6.0%) patients assigned to sacubitril/valsartan and 120 of 2603 (4.6%) patients assigned to ramipril (odds ratio [OR] 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.68). The corresponding numbers for an increase ≥44 μmol/L were 57 (2.2%) and 42 (1.6%), respectively (OR 1.37; 95% CI 0.92-2.05). A higher odds of increased serum creatinine ≥26.5 and ≥44 μmol/L for sacubitril/valsartan versus ramipril appeared to be restricted to patients who had a greater decline in systolic blood pressure over the same period (p-interaction = 0.05 and 0.001, respectively). In multivariable analyses, neither an acute increase in serum creatinine ≥26.5 or ≥44 μmol/L was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular outcomes, all-cause mortality, or differences in longer-term eGFR slope. Findings were similar across the randomized treatment arms (p-interaction >0.6 for all). Following acute MI, patients assigned to sacubitril/valsartan had a higher frequency of initial increases in serum creatinine at 1 week, compared with ramipril. In adjusted models, initial increases in serum creatinine with either treatment were not associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes or changes in longer-term kidney function.

Renal function in severe congestive heart failure during treatment with enalapril (the Cooperative North Scandinavian Enalapril Survival Study [CONSENSUS] Trial)

Annals for Educators - 21 August 2018.

Warfarin-related nephropathy occurs in patients with and without chronic kidney disease and is associated with an increased mortality rate

A 34-year-old woman with liver insufficiency due to glycogen storage disease III underwent a living spousal liver transplantation. Soon after the successful operation, moderate hypercalcemia along with hyperbilirubinemia emerged without clarified reasons. The hypercalcemia persisted for over a month despite calcitonin treatment and the serum calcium level surged to 13.2 mg/dl with albumin correction. Renal dysfunction was indicated by an acute increase in serum creatinine (approximately 0.8 to approximately 2.8 mg/ml), which was assumed to be hypercalcemia-induced and was effectively treated with bisphosphonate, pamidronate (30 mg, i.v.). Recent topics related to transplantation-associated hypercalcemia are discussed.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) reduce blood pressure (BP) and provide end-organ protection, but may induce renal function deterioration. In these cases, serum creatinine (SCr) can be normalized by ACEI withdrawn. In some patients, it could be desirable to maintain the ACEI for the protection of the kidney and heart. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of Verapamil (V) on renal function added to patients with elevated SCr due to ACEI treatment. In 46 hypertensive patients without previous renal failure, in which ACEI treatment induced an acute increase in SCr (≥20% or 0.5 mg/dL), ACEI treatment was maintained and 180 mg/day of V was added for 12 weeks. Those patients showing further SCr increase or no BP control at four weeks were withdrawn. Patients under BP control were moved on the combination V 180 + Trandolapril 2 mg/day for eight weeks more. SCr decreased from 136 ± 49 µmol/L at baseline to 126 ± 49 at 12 weeks after adding V (p<0.001) and to 111 ± 31 µmol/L at 20 weeks (p<0.01). Creatinine clearance increased from 62 ± 22 mL/min at baseline to 68 ± 28 after 12 weeks of V (p<0.001). This article demonstrates than in patients with acute renal function impairment secondary to ACEI treatment, the addition of 180 mg/day of verapamil to ACEI reverses SCr towards previous values.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension are pregnancy complications which have been shown to increase women’s risk for development of CVD later in life. Pregnant women are predisposed to sleep disturbances which may contribute to risk of HDP; however, whether HDP are associated with poor sleep after delivery has not been well-studied. Hypotheses: We hypothesized that sleep quality would be worse among women with a history of HDP vs those with normotensive pregnancies in the years after delivery among women in harmonized AHA Go Red for Women SFRN Population Science cohorts from Columbia University and Magee Women’s Research Institute. Methods: Baseline data from combined AHA cohorts of 893 women (Magee, n=387; Columbia, n=506) were examined. Women completed a validated pregnancy history questionnaire (kappa=0.71 for self-reported preeclampsia compared to medical record) to list the dates of pregnancies lasting ≥ 24 wks. Women were categorized as having a history of HDP if they indicated they had preeclampsia, eclampsia, or hypertension during pregnancy. Sleep quality was assessed using the validated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); higher global sum (range 0-21) indicates worse sleep quality. Insomnia symptoms were assessed using the validated Insomnia Severity Index; higher score (range 0-28) indicates greater insomnia symptoms. Multivariable linear regression models were used to analyze relations between history of HDP and sleep. Models were adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, and education. Results: Overall, 59% of women had ≥1 pregnancy meeting inclusion criterion, with mean time since delivery 13.1±10.7y. Of those women (mean±SD age=41.4±10.6y, 53% racial/ethnic minority), 20% had a history of HDP. Mean sleep quality scores were worse among women who reported a history of HDP vs. those with normotensive pregnancies (6.6 vs. 5.8, p=0.04), and vs those who had never been pregnant (6.6 vs 5.0, p&lt;.0001). Sleep duration was lower in women who had HDP vs. those who had never pregnant (6.2 vs 7.0 h/night, p&lt;.0001), but not vs those with normotensive pregnancies (6.2 vs 6.3 h/night p=0.45). Women with history of HDP had significantly greater insomnia symptoms than those with normotensive pregnancies, after adjustment for confounders (β=4.4, P=0.04). Conclusions: In this diverse sample of women, having a history of HDP was related to poorer sleep in later life. These preliminary findings suggest that women with HDP may be at enhanced risk of CVD due to poor sleep. Analyses are ongoing to confirm these results in a larger sample with sleep data assessed in the short- and long-term post-partum periods. Future studies should also assess the directionality of this association. Sleep behavior may deserve further investigation as a potential target for intervention to reduce CVD risk in women with pregnancy complications.

Long-term outcomes after acute kidney injury (AKI) are poorly described. We hypothesized that one single episode of minimal (stage 1) AKI is associated with reduced long-term survival compared with no AKI after recovery from critical illness. A prospective cohort of 2,010 intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted to the ICU between years 2000 and 2009 at a provincial tertiary care hospital. Development of AKI was determined according to the KDIGO classification and mortality up to 10 years after ICU admission was recorded. Of the 1,844 eligible patients, 18.4% had AKI stage 1, 12.1% had stage 2, 26.5% had stage 3, and 43.0% had no AKI. The 28-day, 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates were 67.1%, 51.8%, 44.1%, and 36.3% in patients with mild AKI, which was significantly worse compared with the critically ill patients with no AKI at any time (P < 0.01). The unadjusted 10-year mortality hazard ratio was 1.53 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.0) for 28-day survivors with stage 1 AKI compared with critically ill patients with no AKI. Adjusted 10-year mortality risk was 1.26 (1.0-1.6). After propensity matching stage 1 AKI with no AKI patients, mild AKI was still significantly associated with decreased 10-year survival (P = 0.036). Patients with one episode of mild AKI have significantly lower long-term survival rates than critically ill patients with no AKI. Close medical follow-up of these patients may be warranted and mechanistic research is required to understand how AKI influences long-term events.

Relationship Between Autonomic Function and Progression of Renal Disease in Diabetic Proteinuria: Clinical Correlations and Implications for Blood Pressure Control

Early pregnancy maternal blood pressure and risk of preeclampsia: Does the association differ by parity? Evidence from 14,086 women across 7 countries

Expanding the kidney donor pool: Ethical and medical considerations

To determine whether gadodiamide is a safe and useful angiographic contrast agent for help in diagnosis and percutaneous treatment of renal artery stenosis in patients with renal insufficiency. Diagnostic renal angiography and percutaneous renal interventions were performed by using gadodiamide (total dose, 0.3 mmol/kg) and CO2 as intraarterial contrast agents in 25 procedures in 24 patients with renal insufficiency. Serum creatinine levels were obtained within 24 hours before and at 24 and 48 hours after the procedure. Increases in serum creatinine of more than 44 mumol/L were considered clinically important. Gadodiamide-enhanced angiograms were compared with CO2-enhanced angiograms. In 23 (92%) of 25 procedures, there was no increase in serum creatinine level at 48 hours. One patient with acute and chronic rejection of a renal transplant and one with evidence of cholesterol embolization had a clinically important increase in serum creatinine level at 48 hours. No marked increase in creatinine level was observed in patients with relatively low baseline levels (n = 19). Gadodiamide-enhanced angiograms appeared to be better than CO2-enhanced angiograms for help in identifying renal artery occlusions, visualizing renal vessels incompletely filled with CO2, and determining the progress of intervention. Gadodiamide appears to be a safe and useful intraarterial contrast agent in patients with renal insufficiency and can be used to supplement or confirm CO2-enhanced angiographic findings.

Extensive tumor implants secondary to sarcoma, sarcomatosis, or mesothelioma in children is rare. We conducted the first phase 1 trial of escalating doses of cisplatin during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in children with sarcomatosis. The most devastating complication of cisplatin therapy is nephrotoxicity. Here we present the anesthetic management and analysis of the impact of intraoperative fluid management on the incidence of renal failure. Of the 10 patients under 18 years of age who underwent HIPEC in the context of our phase 1 trial, six patients were under the age of 10 years. We reviewed the anesthetic management, intraoperative fluid and blood administration, and postoperative renal function in these patients. The average age and weight were 6 years and 20.9 kg, respectively. To avoid renal toxicity, urine output was maintained at an average of 3 ml/kg/h. Crystalloid and colloid were transfused at an average rate of 9 ml/kg/h. Percentage increase in creatinine postoperatively varied from 33 to 500 %. Volume of fluid administered did not correlate with percentage increase in creatinine. All patients had a temporary increase in their serum creatinine, but none required dialysis. Fluid administration at an average rate of 9 ml/kg/h was required to maintain satisfactory urine output. This rate of intraoperative fluid administration is similar to what is provided to adult HIPEC patients. There was no significant correlation in the volume or type of fluid delivered and the increase in serum creatinine. More studies are needed to determine optimal fluid management in children undergoing HIPEC with cisplatin.

Objective Women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), especially those with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, are more likely to develop hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease later in life. However, the risk of lifestyle-related diseases in the immediate postpartum period among Japanese women with preexisting HDP is unclear, and a follow-up system for women with preexisting HDP has not been established in Japan. The purpose of this study was to examine the risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases in Japanese women in the immediate postpartum period and the usefulness of HDP follow-up outpatient clinics based on the situation of the HDP follow-up outpatient clinic at our hospital. Method We included 155 women with a history of HDP who visited our outpatient clinic between April 2014 and February 2020. We examined the reasons for dropout during the follow-up period. We also examined the number of new cases of lifestyle-related diseases and compared Body Mass Index(BMI), blood pressure values, and blood and urine test results at 1 and 3 years postpartum in 92 women who had been continuously followed for more than 3 years postpartum. Results The average age of our patient cohort was 34.8 ± 4.5 years. A total of 155 women with previous HDP were continuously followed for more than 1 year, of whom 23 had new pregnancies, and eight had recurrent HDP (recurrence rate 34.8%). Of the 132 patients who were not newly pregnant, 28 dropped out during follow-up, the most common reason being that the patient did not show up. The patients in this study developed hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia within a short period. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were at normal high levels at 1-year postpartum, and BMI significantly increased at 3 years postpartum. Blood tests revealed significant deterioration in creatinine (Cre), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γGTP) levels. Conclusion In this study, women with preexisting HDP were found to have developed hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia several years postpartum. We also found a significant increase in BMI and worsening of Cre, eGFR, and γGTP levels at 1 and 3 years postpartum. Although the 3-year follow-up rate at our hospital was relatively good (78.8%), some women discontinued follow-up due to self-interruption or relocation, suggesting the need to establish a nationwide follow-up system.