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BACKGROUND: Knowledge of arrhythmias in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is mainly based on ambulatory electrocardiography (ECG) studies and observations during haemodialysis (HD). We used insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) to define the prevalence of arrhythmias, focusing on bradyarrhythmias, in ESRD patients treated with several dialysis modes including home therapies. Moreover, we assessed whether these arrhythmias were detected in baseline or ambulatory ECG recordings. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with a subcutaneous ICM were followed for up to 3 years. Asystole (≥4.0 s) and bradycardia (heart rate <30 bpm for ≥4 beats) episodes, ventricular tachyarrhythmias and atrial fibrillation (AF) were collected and verified visually. A baseline ECG and a 24- to 48-h ambulatory ECG were recorded at recruitment and once a year thereafter. RESULTS: At recruitment, 44 patients were treated in in-centre HD, 12 in home HD and 15 in peritoneal dialysis. During a median follow-up of 34.4 months, 18 (25.4%) patients had either an asystolic or a bradycardic episode. The median length of each patient's longest asystole was 6.6 s and that of a bradycardia 13.5 s. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias were detected in 16 (23%) patients, and AF in 34 (51%) patients. In-centre HD and Type II diabetes were significantly more frequent among those with bradyarrhythmias, whereas no bradyarrhythmias were found in home HD. No bradyarrhythmias were evident in baseline or ambulatory ECG recordings. CONCLUSIONS: Remarkably many patients with ESRD had bradycardia or asystolic episodes, but these arrhythmias were not detected by baseline or ambulatory ECG.

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BACKGROUND: Fluid overload and atrial fibrillation (AF) are frequently encountered in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We used subcutaneously insertable cardiac monitors (ICM) to detect AF and associated it with the hydration status, determined with a body composition monitor (BCM) in dialysis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 69 patients were recruited. Fluid overload was defined based on BCM measurements as a ratio of overhydration (OH) and extracellular water (OH/ECW) of > 15% at baseline. AF episodes lasting ≥ 2 minutes were collected. RESULTS: 45 in-center hemodialysis patients, 11 on peritoneal dialysis, 12 on home hemodialysis, and 1 predialysis-stage patient were followed up for a median of 2.9 years (25th - 75th percentile 1.9 - 3.1). 29% were overhydrated at baseline, and the percentage remained similar throughout the study. Overhydrated patients had a lower body mass index, a higher prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic nephropathy, higher systolic blood pressure, greater ultrafiltration (UF) during dialysis, and a smaller lean tissue index than normohydrated patients. Chronic or paroxysmal AF was known to occur in 20.3% at entry, and a further 33.3% developed AF during the study, with an overall prevalence 53.6%. In univariable logistic regression, OH/ECW > 15% was strongly associated with AF prevalence (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.7 - 26.5, p = 0.006), as were UF, age, coronary heart disease (CHD), DM, and the echocardiogram-derived ejection fraction and left atrial diameter. In multivariable analyses, OH/ECW > 15% remained an independent predictor of AF alongside age and CHD. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of AF is independently associated with BCM-measured fluid overload, which is common among ESRD patients.

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While the majority of kidney transplantations in Finland have been traditionally performed from deceased donors, the frequency of living donors should be increased. Kidney donation is a safe procedure for a carefully examined donor, and for the recipient living donation enables elective surgery and preemptive transplantation. Potential risks for the donor must be minimized, but according to current recommendations, mild hypertension or obesity are not absolute contraindications for donation. Guidelines for donor selection and examination have been updated to simplify the process for all parties. Legislation in Finland requires changes to optimize the use of all potential living donors.

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BACKGROUND/AIMS: We have found greater urinary protein excretion and higher glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and blood pressure in patients 6 years after acute nephropathia epidemica (NE) compared with seronegative controls. The present aim was to establish whether the long-term outcome is determined by the severity of acute illness. METHODS: Serial plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), creatinine, C-reactive protein, blood cell count as well as 24-hour urinary protein and overnight α(1)-microglobulin and albumin excretions were measured in 37 patients with acute NE. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B, HLA-DRB1, TNF-α(-308) and IL-6(-174) alleles were also analyzed. After 6 years, GFR, blood pressure and urinary protein excretion were examined. RESULTS: There were no associations between the clinical severity of acute NE or the genetic factors determined and the increased GFR, hypertension or 24-hour urinary protein excretion observed 6 years later. The degree of inflammation during the acute phase was higher in patients who had increased urinary excretion of α(1)-microglobulin 6 years later compared with those with no α(1)-microglobulin excretion. CONCLUSION: Neither the severity of acute NE nor the host genetic factors determined the predicted renal function, blood pressure or 24-hour urinary protein excretion 6 years later.

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BACKGROUND/AIMS: We previously found increased urinary protein excretion, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and blood pressure in a retrospective analysis of patients with previous nephropathia epidemica (NE). Here, we evaluated the long-term outcome after NE in a prospectively recruited patient group. METHODS: Proteinuria, GFR and ambulatory 24-hour blood pressure were assessed 4-7 years (mean 6) after acute NE in 37 patients, and these values were compared to those from 38 seronegative controls. RESULTS: Six years after NE, the prevalence of elevated urinary alpha(1)-microglobulin excretion was higher in the patients than controls (9/35 vs. 1/38; p = 0.005). The patients also had higher urinary protein excretion (0.17 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.14 +/- 0.04 g/day; p = 0.006), GFR (119 +/- 19 vs. 109 +/- 14 ml/min/1.73 m(2); p = 0.016) and mean systolic (123 +/- 11 vs. 117 +/- 9 mm Hg; p = 0.012), nighttime systolic (109 +/- 11 vs. 100 +/- 9 mm Hg; p = 0.001) and nighttime diastolic blood pressure (70 +/- 7 vs. 66 +/- 7 mm Hg; p = 0.035) than the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm our previous findings of a higher prevalence of tubular proteinuria and increased urinary protein excretion, GFR and systolic blood pressure 6 years after acute NE.

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We present a patient who had ingested sodium bicarbonate for treatment of alcoholic dyspepsia during forty years at increasing doses. During the last year he had used more than 50 grams daily. He presented with metabolic alkalosis, epileptic convulsions, subdural hematoma, hypertension and rhabdomyolysis with end stage renal failure, for which he had to be given regular intermittent hemodialysis treatment. Untreated hypertension and glomerulonephritis was probably present prior to all these acute incidents. Examination of the kidney biopsy revealed mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis and arterial wall thickening causing nephrosclerosis together with interstitial calcinosis. The combination of all these pathologic changes might be responsible for the development of progressive chronic renal failure ending up with the need for continuous intermittent hemodialysis treatment.