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Sample records for renal supportive care

  1. Renal telemedicine through video-as-a-service delivered to patients on home dialysis: A qualitative study on the renal care team members' experience.

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    Ditchburn, Jae-Llane; Marshall, Alison

    2017-09-01

    The Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in the UK has been providing renal care through video-as-a-service (VAAS) to patients since 2013, with support from the North West NHS Shared Infrastructure Service, a collaborative team that supports information and communication technology use in the UK National Health Service. Renal telemedicine offered remotely to patients on home dialysis supports renal care through the provision of a live high-quality video link directly to unsupported patients undergoing haemodialysis at home. Home haemodialysis is known to provide benefits to patients, particularly in making them more independent. The use of a telemedicine video-link in Lancashire and South Cumbria, UK, further reduces patient dependence on the professional team. The purpose of this paper is to present the perspectives of the renal care team members using the renal telemedicine service to understand the perceived benefits and issues with the service. Ten semi-structured interviews with members of the renal care team (two renal specialists, one matron, two renal nurses, one business manager, one renal technical services manager, two IT technicians and one hardware maintenance technician) were conducted. Thematic analysis was undertaken to analyse the qualitative data. A range of incremental benefits to the renal team members were reported, including more efficient use of staff time, reduced travel, peace of mind and a strong sense of job satisfaction. Healthcare staff believed that remote renal care through video was useful, encouraged concordance and could nurture confidence in patients. Key technological issues and adjustments which would improve the renal telemedicine service were also identified. The impact of renal telemedicine was positive on the renal team members. The use of telemedicine has been demonstrated to make home dialysis delivery more efficient and safe. The learning from staff feedback could inform development of services elsewhere. © 2017

  2. Activity-based funding model provides foundation for province-wide best practices in renal care.

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    Levin, Adeera; Lo, Clifford; Noel, Kevin; Djurdjev, Ogjnenka; Amano, Erlyn C

    2013-01-01

    British Columbia has a unique funding model for renal care in Canada. Patient care is delivered through six health authorities, while funding is administered by the Provincial Renal Agency using an activity-based funding model. The model allocates funding based on a schedule of costs for every element of renal care, excluding physician fees. Accountability, transparency of allocation and tracking of outcomes are key features that ensure successful implementation. The model supports province-wide best practices and equitable care and fosters innovation. Since its introduction, the outpatient renal services budget has grown less than the population, while maintaining or improving clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Longwoods Publishing.

  3. A nationwide survey of healthcare personnel’s attitude, knowledge, and interest toward renal supportive care in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hung-Bin Tsai

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background Renal supportive care (RSC is an important option for elderly individuals reaching end-stage renal disease; however, the frequency of RSC practice is very low among Asian countries. We evaluated the attitude, the knowledge, and the preference for specific topics concerning RSC among participants who worked in different medical professions in Taiwan. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was employed. Healthcare personnel (N = 598 who were involved in caring for end-stage renal disease patients at more than 40 facilities in Taiwan participated in this study. Participants were asked about their motivation for learning about RSC, the topics of RSC they were most and least interested in, their willingness to provide RSC, and to rate their knowledge and perceived importance of different topics. Results The vast majority of respondents (81.9% were self-motivated about RSC, among whom nephrologists (96.8% and care facilitators (administrators/volunteers (45% exhibited the highest and the least motivation, respectively (p < 0.01. Overall, respondents indicated that they had adequate knowledge about the five pre-specified RSC topics between medical professions (p = 0.04. Medical professions and institutional size exerted significant influence on the willingness to provide RSC. Conclusions Our results facilitate the understanding of the knowledge and attitude toward different RSC topics among varied medical professions, and can guide the design of RSC education content for healthcare personnel.

  4. C-A4-01: Computerized Clinical Decision Support During Drug Ordering for Long-term Care Residents With Renal Insufficiency

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    Field, Terry S; Rochon, Paula; Lee, Monica; Gavendo, Linda; Baril, Joann L; Gurwitz, Jerry H

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To determine whether a computerized clinical decision support system (CDSS) providing patient specific recommendations in real- time improves the quality of prescribing for long-term care residents with renal insufficiency. Design: A randomized trial within the long-stay units of a large long-term care facility. Randomization was within blocks by unit type. Alerts related to medication prescribing for residents with renal insufficiency were displayed to prescribers in the intervention units and hidden but tracked in control units. Measurement: The proportions of final drug orders that were appropriate were compared between intervention and control units within alert categories: recommended medication doses; recommended administration frequencies; recommendations to avoid the drug; 4) warnings of missing information. Results: The rates of alerts were nearly equal in the intervention and control units: 2.5 per 1000 resident days in the intervention units and 2.4 in the control units. The proportions of dose alerts for which the final drug orders were appropriate were similar between the intervention and control units (relative risk 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.83, 1.1). For the remaining alert categories significantly higher proportions of final drug orders were appropriate in the intervention units: relative risk 2.4 for maximum frequency (1.4, 4.4); 2.6 for drugs that should be avoided (1.4, 5.0); and 1.8 for alerts to acquire missing information (1.1, 3.4). Overall, final drug orders were appropriate significantly more often than a relative risk 1.2 (1.0, 1.4). By tracking personnel time and expenditures, we estimated the cost of developing the CDSS as $48,668.57. Drug costs saved during the 12 months of the trial are estimated at $2,137. Conclusion: Clinical decision support for physicians prescribing medications for long-term care residents with renal insufficiency can improve the quality of prescribing decisions. However, patient well-being and

  5. Understanding the continuous renal replacement therapy circuit for acute renal failure support: a quality issue in the intensive care unit.

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    Boyle, Martin; Baldwin, Ian

    2010-01-01

    Delivery of renal replacement therapy is now a core competency of intensive care nursing. The safe and effective delivery of this form of therapy is a quality issue for intensive care, requiring an understanding of the principles underlying therapy and the functioning of machines used. Continuous hemofiltration, first described in 1977, used a system where blood flowed from arterial to venous cannulas through a small-volume, low-resistance, and high-flux filter. Monitoring of these early systems was limited, and without a machine interface, less nursing expertise was required. Current continuous renal replacement therapy machines offer user-friendly interfaces, cassette-style circuits, and comprehensive circuit diagnostics and monitoring. Although these machines conceal complexity behind a user-friendly interface, it remains important that nurses have sufficient knowledge for their use and the ability to compare and contrast circuit setups and functions for optimal and efficient treatment.

  6. Renal Function Recovery with Total Artificial Heart Support.

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    Quader, Mohammed A; Goodreau, Adam M; Shah, Keyur B; Katlaps, Gundars; Cooke, Richard; Smallfield, Melissa C; Tchoukina, Inna F; Wolfe, Luke G; Kasirajan, Vigneshwar

    2016-01-01

    Heart failure patients requiring total artificial heart (TAH) support often have concomitant renal insufficiency (RI). We sought to quantify renal function recovery in patients supported with TAH at our institution. Renal function data at 30, 90, and 180 days after TAH implantation were analyzed for patients with RI, defined as hemodialysis supported or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m. Between January 2008 and December 2013, 20 of the 46 (43.5%) TAH recipients (age 51 ± 9 years, 85% men) had RI, mean preoperative eGFR of 48 ± 7 ml/min/1.73 m. Renal function recovery was noted at each follow-up interval: increment in eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m) at 30, 90, and 180 days was 21 ± 35 (p = 0.1), 16.5 ± 18 (p = 0.05), and 10 ± 9 (p = 0.1), respectively. Six patients (30%) required preoperative dialysis. Of these, four recovered renal function, one remained on dialysis, and one died. Six patients (30%) required new-onset dialysis. Of these, three recovered renal function and three died. Overall, 75% (15 of 20) of patients' renal function improved with TAH support. Total artificial heart support improved renal function in 75% of patients with pre-existing significant RI, including those who required preoperative dialysis.

  7. Organising care for people with diabetes and renal disease.

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    Dean, John

    2012-02-01

    Diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are two of the commonest long-term conditions. One-fifth of patients with diabetes will have CKD, and diabetes is the commonest cause of advanced kidney disease. For most patients these comorbidities will be managed in primary care with the focus on cardiovascular prevention. Many patients with more advanced disease and complications require joint care from multidisciplinary specialist teams in diabetes and renal disease to ensure that care is consistent and coordinated. Models of joint speciality care, include joint registry management, parallel clinics, shared consulting and case discussion, but require more evaluation than has currently been performed. These underpin more informal interactions between the specialist teams. A local model of care for diabetes and renal disease that incorporates the roles of primary care, members of multidisciplinary teams and speciality care should be agreed, resourced appropriately and its effectiveness monitored. © 2012 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  8. Life on Facebook: self-care in renal transplantation patients.

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    Roso, Camila Castro; Kruse, Maria Henriqueta Luce

    2017-07-06

    To analyze self-care in renal transplantation patients. Qualitative research, inspired in the post-structuralism. The empirical material was composed by the posts of a Facebook group of Renal Transplantation Patients, collected from February to May of 2016, totaling 53 posts from 35 participants. The research data were analyzed under the perspective of cultural analysis, using theories derived from Foucault. Self-care in renal transplantation patients was identified by the preoccupation with themselves and others, habits and lifestyles, restrictions and limitations that the disease imposes, such as lessons, ways of living and lifestyles after the procedure. This experience forces people that have been submitted to renal transplantation to reflect on the lifestyle they follow. The group also stimulates adhesion to treatment.

  9. A quality improvement management model for renal care.

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    Vlchek, D L; Day, L M

    1991-04-01

    The purpose of this article is to explore the potential for applying the theory and tools of quality improvement (total quality management) in the renal care setting. We believe that the coupling of the statistical techniques used in the Deming method of quality improvement, with modern approaches to outcome and process analysis, will provide the renal care community with powerful tools, not only for improved quality (i.e., reduced morbidity and mortality), but also for technology evaluation and resource allocation.

  10. The development and piloting of the REnal specific Advanced Communication Training (REACT) programme to improve Advance Care Planning for renal patients.

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    Bristowe, Katherine; Shepherd, Kate; Bryan, Liz; Brown, Heather; Carey, Irene; Matthews, Beverley; O'Donoghue, Donal; Vinen, Katie; Murtagh, Fliss E M

    2014-04-01

    In recent years, the End-Stage Kidney Disease population has increased and is ever more frail, elderly and co-morbid. A care-focused approach needs to be incorporated alongside the disease focus, to identify those who are deteriorating and improve communication about preferences and future care. Yet many renal professionals feel unprepared for such discussions. To develop and pilot a REnal specific Advanced Communication Training (REACT) programme to address the needs of End-Stage Kidney Disease patients and renal professionals. Two-part study: (1) development of the REnal specific Advanced Communication Training programme informed by multi-professional focus group and patient survey and (2) piloting of the programme. The REnal specific Advanced Communication Training programme was piloted with 16 participants (9 renal nurses/health-care assistants and 7 renal consultants) in two UK teaching hospitals. The focus group identified the need for better information about end-of-life phase, improved awareness of patient perspectives, skills to manage challenging discussions, 'hands on' practice in a safe environment and follow-up to discuss experiences. The patient survey demonstrated a need to improve communication about concerns, treatment plans and decisions. The developed REnal specific Advanced Communication Training programme was acceptable and feasible and was associated with a non-significant increase in confidence in communicating about end-of-life issues (pre-training: 6.6/10, 95% confidence interval: 5.7-7.4; post-training: 6.9/10, 95% confidence interval: 6.1-7.7, unpaired t-test - p = 0.56), maintained at 3 months. There is a need to improve end-of-life care for End-Stage Kidney Disease patients, to enable them to make informed decisions about future care. Challenges include prioritising communication training among service providers.

  11. Effect of aging on renal function plus monitoring and support.

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    Baldea, Anthony J

    2015-02-01

    Several anatomic changes and physiologic alterations occur in the aging kidney, awareness of which is essential for the early recognition of acute kidney injury (AKI) to improve outcomes in hospitalized geriatric patients. There are no unique diagnostic methods or treatment modalities in the care of the geriatric patient with AKI. Therapy is mainly supportive, and the full spectrum of treatment options, including renal replacement therapy (RRT), should not be withheld from a patient based on age. More studies need to be performed to determine the optimal timing, intensity, and modality of RRT in the geriatric population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. [Survival in acute renal failure with conventional therapy or continuous replacement therapy].

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    Santibáñez-Velázquez, Martín; Sánchez-Montoya, Felipe; Alvirde-Gutiérrez, Luis

    2014-01-01

    To know the survival rate in patients with RIFLE I and II stages on acute renal failure, treated with supportive care or continuous renal replacement therapy with PRISMA machine, at an intensive care unit. There were included patients of both sexes, aged 16 to 69 years, with acute renal failure in RIFLE I and II stages and score of scale APACHE II lower than 36 points. The sample studied was divided in two groups: a group was treated with supportive care, and the other group received continuous renal replacement therapy via PRISMA machine. We compared mortality between both groups and the association with the RIFLE stages with Pearson's chi-squared test. The average score of the scale APACHE I was 14 points, and the probability of death was 15 %. The patients with acute renal failure RIFLE I were 54.5 % and RIFLE II 45.5 %, with mortality of 30.4 % and 38.8 %, respectively. Patients in RIFLE I stage who received supportive care and continuous replacement therapy had non-statistical differences in mortality (p = 0.356). The mortality in patients with acute renal failure in RIFLE II stage treated with continuous replacement therapy was higher (p = 0.000). Because of its accessibility and lower mortality, supportive care should be the initial procedure in patients with acute renal failure in RIFLE I and II stages.

  13. Value-based integrated (renal) care: setting a development agenda for research and implementation strategies.

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    Valentijn, Pim P; Biermann, Claus; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

    2016-08-02

    Integrated care services are considered a vital strategy for improving the Triple Aim values for people with chronic kidney disease. However, a solid scholarly explanation of how to develop, implement and evaluate such value-based integrated renal care services is limited. The aim of this study was to develop a framework to identify the strategies and outcomes for the implementation of value-based integrated renal care. First, the theoretical foundations of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care and the Triple Aim were united into one overarching framework through an iterative process of key-informant consultations. Second, a rapid review approach was conducted to identify the published research on integrated renal care, and the Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, and Business Source Premier databases were searched for pertinent articles published between 2000 and 2015. Based on the framework, a coding schema was developed to synthesis the included articles. The overarching framework distinguishes the integrated care domains: 1) type of integration, 2) enablers of integration and the interrelated outcome domains, 3) experience of care, 4) population health and 5) costs. The literature synthesis indicated that integrated renal care implementation strategies have particularly focused on micro clinical processes and physical outcomes, while little emphasis has been placed on meso organisational as well as macro system integration processes. In addition, evidence regarding patients' perceived outcomes and economic outcomes has been weak. These results underscore that the future challenge for researchers is to explore which integrated care implementation strategies achieve better health and improved experience of care at a lower cost within a specific context. For this purpose, this study's framework and evidence synthesis have set a developmental agenda for both integrated renal care practice and research. Accordingly, we plan further work to develop an implementation

  14. A health record integrated clinical decision support system to support prescriptions of pharmaceutical drugs in patients with reduced renal function: design, development and proof of concept.

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    Shemeikka, Tero; Bastholm-Rahmner, Pia; Elinder, Carl-Gustaf; Vég, Anikó; Törnqvist, Elisabeth; Cornelius, Birgitta; Korkmaz, Seher

    2015-06-01

    To develop and verify proof of concept for a clinical decision support system (CDSS) to support prescriptions of pharmaceutical drugs in patients with reduced renal function, integrated in an electronic health record system (EHR) used in both hospitals and primary care. A pilot study in one geriatric clinic, one internal medicine admission ward and two outpatient healthcare centers was evaluated with a questionnaire focusing on the usefulness of the CDSS. The usage of the system was followed in a log. The CDSS is considered to increase the attention on patients with impaired renal function, provides a better understanding of dosing and is time saving. The calculated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the dosing recommendation classification were perceived useful while the recommendation texts and background had been used to a lesser extent. Few previous systems are used in primary care and cover this number of drugs. The global assessment of the CDSS scored high but some elements were used to a limited extent possibly due to accessibility or that texts were considered difficult to absorb. Choosing a formula for the calculation of eGFR in a CDSS may be problematic. A real-time CDSS to support kidney-related drug prescribing in both hospital and outpatient settings is valuable to the physicians. It has the potential to improve quality of drug prescribing by increasing the attention on patients with renal insufficiency and the knowledge of their drug dosing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Integrating emotional and psychological support into the end-stage renal disease pathway: a protocol for mixed methods research to identify patients' lower-level support needs and how these can most effectively be addressed.

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    Taylor, Francesca; Taylor, Celia; Baharani, Jyoti; Nicholas, Johann; Combes, Gill

    2016-08-02

    As a result of difficulties related to their illness, diagnosis and treatment, patients with end-stage renal disease experience significant emotional and psychological problems, which untreated can have considerable negative impact on their health and wellbeing. Despite evidence that patients desire improved support, management of their psychosocial problems, particularly at the lower-level, remains sub-optimal. There is limited understanding of the specific support that patients need and want, from whom, and when, and also a lack of data on what helps and hinders renal staff in identifying and responding to their patients' support needs, and how barriers to doing so might be overcome. Through this research we therefore seek to determine what, when, and how, support for patients with lower-level emotional and psychological problems should be integrated into the end-stage renal disease pathway. The research will involve two linked, multicentre studies, designed to identify and consider the perspectives of patients at five different stages of the end-stage renal disease pathway (Study 1), and renal staff working with them (Study 2). A convergent, parallel mixed methods design will be employed for both studies, with quantitative and qualitative data collected separately. For each study, the data sets will be analysed separately and the results then compared or combined using interpretive analysis. A further stage of synthesis will employ data-driven thematic analysis to identify: triangulation and frequency of themes across pathway stages; patterns and plausible explanations of effects. There is an important need for this research given the high frequency of lower-level distress experienced by end-stage renal disease patients and lack of progress to date in integrating support for their lower-level psychosocial needs into the care pathway. Use of a mixed methods design across the two studies will generate a holistic patient and healthcare professional perspective that

  16. Incompletely characterized incidental renal masses: emerging data support conservative management.

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    Silverman, Stuart G; Israel, Gary M; Trinh, Quoc-Dien

    2015-04-01

    With imaging, most incidental renal masses can be diagnosed promptly and with confidence as being either benign or malignant. For those that cannot, management recommendations can be devised on the basis of a thorough evaluation of imaging features. However, most renal masses are either too small to characterize completely or are detected initially in imaging examinations that are not designed for full evaluation of them. These masses constitute a group of masses that are considered incompletely characterized. On the basis of current published guidelines, many masses warrant additional imaging. However, while the diagnosis of renal cancer at a curable stage remains the first priority, there is the additional need to reduce unnecessary healthcare costs and radiation exposure. As such, emerging data now support foregoing additional imaging for many incompletely characterized renal masses. These data include the low risk of progression to metastases or death for small renal masses that have undergone active surveillance (including biopsy-proven cancers) and a better understanding of how specific imaging features can be used to diagnose their origins. These developments support (a) avoidance of imaging entirely for those incompletely characterized renal masses that are highly likely to be benign cysts and (b) delay of further imaging of small solid masses in selected patients. Although more evidence-based data are needed and comprehensive management algorithms have yet to be defined, these recommendations are medically appropriate and practical, while limiting the imaging of many incompletely characterized incidental renal masses.

  17. Acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit: impact on prognostic assessment for shared decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Robert F; Gustin, Jillian

    2011-07-01

    A 69-year-old female was receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) for acute renal failure (ARF) in an intensive care unit (ICU). Consultation was requested from the palliative medicine service to facilitate a shared decision-making process regarding goals of care. Clinician responsibility in shared decision making includes the formulation and expression of a prognostic assessment providing the necessary perspective for a spokesperson to match patient values with treatment options. For this patient, ARF requiring RRT in the ICU was used as a focal point for preparing a prognostic assessment. A prognostic assessment should include the outcomes of most importance to a discussion of goals of care: mortality risk and survivor functional status, in this case including renal recovery. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to document published data regarding these outcomes for adult patients receiving RRT for ARF in the ICU. Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. The combined mean values for short-term mortality, long-term mortality, renal-function recovery of short-term survivors, and renal-function recovery of long-term survivors were 51.7%, 68.6%, 82.0%, and 88.4%, respectively. This case example illustrates a process for formulating and expressing a prognostic assessment for an ICU patient requiring RRT for ARF. Data from the literature review provide baseline information that requires adjustment to reflect specific patient circumstances. The nature of the acute primary process, comorbidities, and severity of illness are key modifiers. Finally, the prognostic assessment is expressed during a family meeting using recommended principles of communication.

  18. Family caregiver's experiences of providing care to patients with End-Stage Renal Disease in South-West Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyegbile, Yemisi Okikiade; Brysiewicz, Petra

    2017-09-01

    To describe the experiences of family caregivers providing care for patients living with End-Stage Renal Disease in Nigeria BACKGROUND: Family caregiving is where an unpaid volunteer, usually a close family member, attends to the needs of a loved one with a chronic, disabling illness within the home. Much research has been conducted in the area of family caregiving in high-income countries. However, the same cannot be said for many of the low-resource, multicultural African countries. Qualitative descriptive study. This qualitative descriptive study used manifest content analysis to analyse data from semi-structured, individual interviews, with 15 purposively selected family caregivers. Two tertiary institutions providing renal care in South-Western Nigeria: the research setting for this study. Five categories were identified, and these included disconnectedness with self and others, never-ending burden, 'a fool being tossed around', obligation to care and promoting a closer relationship. Experiences associated with the caregiving of patients diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease evoked a number of emotions from the family caregivers, and the study revealed that caregiving imposed some burdens that are specific to low-resource countries on participants. Nurses need to engage family caregivers on disease-specific teachings that might promote understanding of the disease process and role expectation. Family caregivers may benefit from social support services. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Renal complications in multiple myeloma and related disorders: survivorship care plan of the International Myeloma Foundation Nurse Leadership Board.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faiman, Beth M; Mangan, Patricia; Spong, Jacy; Tariman, Joseph D

    2011-08-01

    Kidney dysfunction is a common clinical feature of symptomatic multiple myeloma. Some degree of renal insufficiency or renal failure is present at diagnosis or will occur during the course of the disease and, if not reversed, will adversely affect overall survival and quality of life. Chronic insults to the kidneys from other illnesses, treatment, or multiple myeloma itself can further damage renal function and increase the risk for additional complications, such as anemia. Patients with multiple myeloma who have light chain (Bence Jones protein) proteinuria may experience renal failure or progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and require dialysis because of light chain cast nephropathy. Kidney failure in patients with presumed multiple myeloma also may result from amyloidosis, light chain deposition disease, or acute tubular necrosis caused by nephrotoxic agents; therefore, identification of patients at risk for kidney damage is essential. The International Myeloma Foundation's Nurse Leadership Board has developed practice recommendations for screening renal function, identifying positive and negative contributing risk and environmental factors, selecting appropriate therapies and supportive care measures to decrease progression to ESRD, and enacting dialysis to reduce and manage renal complications in patients with multiple myeloma.

  20. Morbidity, mortality and economic burden of renal impairment in cardiac intensive care.

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    Chew, D P; Astley, C; Molloy, D; Vaile, J; De Pasquale, C G; Aylward, P

    2006-03-01

    Moderate to severe impairment of renal function has emerged as a potent risk factor for adverse short- and long-term outcomes among patients presenting with cardiac disease. We sought to define the clinical, late mortality and economic burden of this risk factor among patients presenting to cardiac intensive care. A clinical audit of patients presenting to cardiac intensive care was undertaken between July 2002 and June 2003. All patients presenting with cardiac diagnoses were included in the study. Baseline creatinine levels were assessed in all patients. Late mortality was assessed by the interrogation of the National Death Register. Renal impairment was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate modelling, adjusting for known confounders. A matched analysis and attributable risk calculation were undertaken to assess the proportion of late mortality accounted for by impairment of renal function and other known negative prognostic factors. The in-hospital total cost associated with renal impairment was assessed by linear regression. Glomerular filtration rate risk ratio 13.2; 95% CI 3.0-58.1; P risk, renal function accounts for a substantial proportion of the burden of late mortality. The burden of risk suggests a greater potential opportunity for improvement of outcomes through optimisation of therapeutic strategies.

  1. Seeking optimal renal replacement therapy delivery in intensive care units.

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    Kocjan, Marinka; Brunet, Fabrice P

    2010-01-01

    Globally, critical care environments within health care organizations strive to provide optimal quality renal replacement therapy (RRT), an artificial replacement for lost kidney function. Examination of RRT delivery model literature and a case study review of the multidisciplinary-mixed RRT delivery model utilized within a closed medical surgical intensive care unit illustrates the organizational and clinical management of specialized resource and multidisciplinary roles. The successful utilization of a specific RRT delivery model is dependent upon resource availability.

  2. Shared decision-making in end-stage renal disease: a protocol for a multi-center study of a communication intervention to improve end-of-life care for dialysis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eneanya, Nwamaka D; Goff, Sarah L; Martinez, Talaya; Gutierrez, Natalie; Klingensmith, Jamie; Griffith, John L; Garvey, Casey; Kitsen, Jenny; Germain, Michael J; Marr, Lisa; Berzoff, Joan; Unruh, Mark; Cohen, Lewis M

    2015-06-12

    End-stage renal disease carries a prognosis similar to cancer yet only 20 % of end-stage renal disease patients are referred to hospice. Furthermore, conversations between dialysis team members and patients about end-of-life planning are uncommon. Lack of provider training about how to communicate prognostic data may contribute to the limited number of end-of-life care discussions that take place with this chronically ill population. In this study, we will test the Shared Decision-Making Renal Supportive Care communication intervention to systematically elicit patient and caretaker preferences for end-of-life care so that care concordant with patients' goals can be provided. This multi-center study will deploy an intervention to improve end-of-life communication for hemodialysis patients who are at high risk of death in the ensuing six months. The intervention will be carried out as a prospective cohort with a retrospective cohort serving as the comparison group. Patients will be recruited from 16 dialysis units associated with two large academic centers in Springfield, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Critical input from patient advisory boards, a stakeholder panel, and initial qualitative analysis of patient and caretaker experiences with advance care planning have informed the communication intervention. Rigorous communication training for hemodialysis social workers and providers will ensure that standardized study procedures are performed at each dialysis unit. Nephrologists and social workers will communicate prognosis and provide advance care planning in face-to-face encounters with patients and families using a social work-centered algorithm. Study outcomes including frequency and timing of hospice referrals, patient and caretaker satisfaction, quality of end-of-life discussions, and quality of death will be assessed over an 18 month period. The Shared Decision-Making Renal Supportive Care Communication intervention intends to improve discussions

  3. NURSE STAFFING AND RENAL ANAEMIA OUTCOMES IN HAEMODIALYSIS CARE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erlingmark, Julia; Hedström, Mariann; Lindberg, Magnus

    2016-09-01

    Current trends in renal anaemia management place greater emphasis, and thus increased workload, on the role of the nurse in haemodialysis settings. However, there is little evidence that demonstrates the relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes. To describe nurse staffing in haemodialysis settings, its relationship with target levels of renal anaemia management and to describe target level achievement for different ways of organising anaemia management. Cross-sectional audit. Forty (out of 78) haemodialysis centres in Sweden reported quality assurance data. The numbers of bedside registered nurses, licensed nurse assistants and patients undergoing haemodialysis during a predefined morning shift; type of anaemia management and achieved target levels of anaemia management. The mean patient:registered nurse ratio was 2.4 and the mean patient:nurse assistant ratio was 12.8. There were no significant relationships between registered nurse staffing and target level achievement. On average, 45.6% of the patients had haemoglobin within the target levels at centres applying nurse-driven anaemia management, compared with 47.3% at physician-driven centres. These cross-sectional data suggest that renal anaemia outcomes are unrelated to the patient:registered nurse ratio. There is, however, room for improvement in renal anaemia management in the units included in this study, particularly the achievement of target levels of haemoglobin and transferrin saturation. © 2016 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  4. Lower Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease but Suboptimal Pre-Dialysis Renal Care in Schizophrenia: A 14-Year Nationwide Cohort Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yueh-Han Hsu

    Full Text Available Schizophrenia is closely associated with cardiovascular risk factors which are consequently attributable to the development of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease (ESRD. However, no study has been conducted to examine ESRD-related epidemiology and quality of care before starting dialysis for patients with schizophrenia. By using nationwide health insurance databases, we identified 54,361 ESRD-free patients with schizophrenia and their age-/gender-matched subjects without schizophrenia for this retrospective cohort study (the schizophrenia cohort. We also identified a cohort of 1,244 adult dialysis patients with and without schizophrenia (1:3 to compare quality of renal care before dialysis and outcomes (the dialysis cohort. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR for dialysis and death. Odds ratio (OR derived from logistic regression models were used to delineate quality of pre-dialysis renal care. Compared to general population, patients with schizophrenia were less likely to develop ESRD (HR = 0.6; 95% CI 0.4-0.8, but had a higher risk for death (HR = 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3. Patients with schizophrenia at the pre-ESRD stage received suboptimal pre-dialysis renal care; for example, they were less likely to visit nephrologists (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.8 and received fewer erythropoietin prescriptions (OR = 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6-0.9. But they had a higher risk of hospitalization in the first year after starting dialysis (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.8, P < .05. Patients with schizophrenia undertaking dialysis had higher risk for mortality than the general ESRD patients. A closer collaboration between psychiatrists and nephrologists or internists to minimize the gaps in quality of general care is recommended.

  5. Integrating kidney transplantation into value-based care for people with renal failure.

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    Hippen, Benjamin E; Maddux, Franklin W

    2018-01-01

    Healthcare reimbursement is increasingly tied to value instead of volume, with special attention paid to resource-intensive populations such as patients with renal disease. To this end, Medicare has sponsored pilot projects to encourage providers to develop care coordination and population health management strategies to provide quality care while reducing resource utilization. In this Personal Viewpoint essay, we argue in favor of expanding one such pilot project-the Comprehensive ESRD Care (CEC) initiative-to include patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and kidney transplant recipients. The implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) offers a time-sensitive incentive for transplant centers in particular to align with extant CECs. An "expanded" CEC model proffers opportunity for robust cooperation between general nephrology practices, dialysis providers, and transplant centers to develop care coordination strategies for all patients with renal disease, realign incentives for all clinical stakeholders to increase kidney transplantation rates, and reduce total costs of care. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  6. Enhancing patient engagement and blood pressure management for renal transplant recipients via home electronic monitoring and web-enabled collaborative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aberger, Edward W; Migliozzi, Daniel; Follick, Michael J; Malick, Tom; Ahern, David K

    2014-09-01

    Effective management of hypertension in chronic kidney disease and renal transplantation is a clinical priority and has societal implications in terms of preserving and optimizing the value of scarce organs. However, hypertension is optimally managed in only 37% of people with chronic kidney disease, and poor control can contribute to premature graft loss in renal transplant recipients. This article describes a telehealth system that incorporates home electronic blood pressure (BP) monitoring and uploading to a patient portal coupled with a Web-based dashboard that enables clinical pharmacist collaborative care in a renal transplant clinic. The telehealth system was developed and implemented as a quality improvement initiative in a renal transplant clinic in a large, 700-bed, urban hospital with the aim of improving BP in posttransplant patients. A convenience sample of 66 posttransplant patients was recruited by the clinical pharmacist from consecutive referrals to the Transplant Clinic. Preliminary results show statistically significant reductions in average systolic and diastolic BP of 6.0 mm Hg and 3.0 mm Hg, respectively, at 30 days after enrollment. Two case reports describe the instrumental role of home BP monitoring in the context of medication therapy management. Optimizing BP control for both pre- and post-renal transplant patients is likely to benefit society in terms of preserving scarce resources and reducing healthcare costs due to premature graft failure. Connected health systems hold great promise for supporting team-based care and improved health outcomes.

  7. Nutritional support in the tertiary care of patients affected by chronic renal insufficiency: report of a step-wise, personalized, pragmatic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cupisti, Adamasco; D'Alessandro, Claudia; Di Iorio, Biagio; Bottai, Anna; Zullo, Claudia; Giannese, Domenico; Barsotti, Massimiliano; Egidi, Maria Francesca

    2016-09-06

    Dietary treatment is helpful in CKD patients, but nutritional interventions are scarcely implemented. The main concern of the renal diets is its feasibility with regards to daily clinical practice especially in the elderly and co-morbid patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a pragmatic, step-wise, personalized nutritional support in the management of CKD patients on tertiary care. This is a case-control study. It included 823 prevalent out-patients affected by CKD stage 3b to 5 not-in-dialysis, followed by tertiary care in nephrology clinics; 305 patients (190 males, aged 70 ± 12 years) received nutritional support (nutritional treatment Group, NTG); 518 patients (281 males, aged 73 ± 13 years) who did not receive any dietary therapy, formed the control group (CG). In the NTG patients the dietary interventions were assigned in order to prevent or correct abnormalities and to maintain a good nutritional status. They included manipulation of sodium, phosphate, energy and protein dietary intakes while paying special attention to each patient's dietary habits. Phosphate and BUN levels were lower in the NTG than in the CG, especially in stage 4 and 5. The prevalence of hyperphosphatemia was lower in the NTG than in CG in stage 5 (13.3 % vs 53.3 %, p < 001, respectively), in stage 4 (4.1 % vs 18.3 % vs, p < 0.001) and stage 3b (2.8 % vs 9.5 % p < 0.05). Serum albumin was higher in NTG than in CG especially in stage 5 . The use of calcium-free intestinal phosphate binders was significantly lower in NTG than in CG (11 % vs 19 % p < 0.01), as well as that of Erythropoiesis stimulating agents (11 % vs 19 %, p < 0.01), and active Vitamin D preparations (13 % vs 21 %, p < 0.01). This case-control study shows the usefulness of a nutritional support in addition to the pharmacological good practice in CKD patients on tertiary care. Lower phosphate and BUN levels are obtained together with maintenance of serum albumin

  8. 78 FR 8535 - Medicare Program: Comprehensive End-Stage Renal Disease Care Model Announcement

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-06

    ... develop and test innovative health care payment and service delivery models that show promise of reducing... test innovative payment and service delivery models that reduce spending under Medicare, Medicaid or...] Medicare Program: Comprehensive End-Stage Renal Disease Care Model Announcement AGENCY: Centers for...

  9. Renal cell carcinoma in patient with crossed fused renal ectopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozgur Cakmak

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Primary renal cell carcinomas have rarely been reported in patients with crossed fused renal ectopia. We presented a patient with right to left crossed fused kidney harbouring renal tumor. The most frequent tumor encountered in crossed fused renal ectopia is renal cell carcinoma. In this case, partial nephrectomy was performed which pave way to preservation of the uninvolved both renal units. Due to unpredictable anatomy, careful preoperative planning and meticulous delineation of renal vasculature is essential for preservation of the uninvolved renal units.

  10. A comparative study of renal care in Brazil and Mexico: hemodialysis treatment from the perspective of ESRD sufferers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercado-Martinez, Francisco J; da Silva, Denise Guerreiro V; Correa-Mauricio, Mauricio E

    2017-04-01

    Renal replacement therapy is the indicated treatment for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to survive. However, not all sick people have access to the same treatment. This study compares renal care in two developing countries with different health systems. Specifically, it explores hemodialysis treatment from the perspective of low-income individuals. A qualitative, comparative study was performed in Brazil and Mexico. Using purposive sampling, the research was based on open-ended interviews with nineteen participants with kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis treatment in public hospitals and ten relatives. According to our results, Brazilian participants perceived hemodialysis care as satisfactory because of health personnel courtesy as well as free access to dialysis treatment, prescription drugs, hospitalization and transportation. However, they reported deficiencies in the care they were receiving due to shortages of specialists, prescription drugs, laboratory tests and transportation. Mexican participants, in contrast, highlighted the catastrophic costs of medical care because they had no free access to renal therapy, nor adequate financial resources. Our findings suggest that low-income Brazilian CKD sufferers experience renal care differently, as they are more satisfied and face less obstacles with hemodialysis compared with those of Mexico. More studies on the topic are needed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Readiness to participate in advance care planning: A qualitative study of renal failure patients, families and healthcare providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchison, Lauren A; Raffin-Bouchal, Donna S; Syme, Charlotte A; Biondo, Patricia D; Simon, Jessica E

    2017-09-01

    Objectives Advance care planning is the process by which people reflect upon their wishes and values for healthcare, discuss their choices with family and friends and document their wishes. Readiness represents a key predictor of advance care planning participation; however, the evidence for addressing readiness is scarce within the renal failure context. Our objectives were to assess readiness for advance care planning and barriers and facilitators to advance care planning uptake in a renal context. Methods Twenty-five participants (nine patients, nine clinicians and seven family members) were recruited from the Southern Alberta Renal Program. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed using interpretive description. Results Readiness for advance care planning was driven by individual values perceived by a collaborative encounter between clinicians and patients/families. If advance care planning is not valued, then patients/families and clinicians are not ready to initiate the process. Patients and clinicians are delaying conversations until "illness burden necessitates," so there is little "advance" care planning, only care planning in-the-moment closer to the end of life. Discussion The value of advance care planning in collaboration with clinicians, patients and their surrogates needs reframing as an ongoing process early in the patient's illness trajectory, distinguished from end-of-life decision making.

  12. Hospitalized hemorrhagic stroke patients with renal insufficiency: clinical characteristics, care patterns, and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ovbiagele, Bruce; Schwamm, Lee H; Smith, Eric E; Grau-Sepulveda, Maria V; Saver, Jeffrey L; Bhatt, Deepak L; Hernandez, Adrian F; Peterson, Eric D; Fonarow, Gregg C

    2014-10-01

    There is a paucity of information on clinical characteristics, care patterns, and clinical outcomes for hospitalized intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We assessed characteristics, care processes, and in-hospital outcome among ICH patients with CKD in the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) program. We analyzed 113,059 ICH patients hospitalized at 1472 US centers participating in the GWTG-Stroke program between January 2009 and December 2012. In-hospital mortality and use of 2 predefined ICH performance measures were examined based on glomerular filtration rate. Renal dysfunction was categorized as a dichotomous (+CKD = estimated glomerular filtration rate mortality was also higher for those with CKD (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-1.52), mild dysfunction (adjusted OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.08-1.16), moderate dysfunction (adjusted OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.39-1.53), severe dysfunction (adjusted OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.81-2.12), and kidney failure (adjusted OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 2.04-2.43) relative to those with normal renal function. Chronic kidney disease is present in nearly a third of patients hospitalized with ICH and is associated with slightly worse care and substantially higher mortality than those with normal renal function. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Characteristics and outcomes of end-stage renal disease patients with active tuberculosis followed in intensive care units

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ulasli, Sevinc Sarinc; Ulubay, Gaye; Arslan, Nevra Gullu; Akcay, Sule; Eyuboglu, Fusun Oner; Sezer, Siren; Haberal, Mehmet

    2009-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) remains a common problem in patients with chronic renal failure. In intensive care units, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of TB is common. Therefore, a description of characteristics of active TB in patients with renal failure followed in intensive care units is important to reduce mortality and transmission of the disease. This study was performed to describe the characteristics of patients with renal failure admitted to the intensive care units and having active TB and evaluate predictive factors for in hospital mortality. The hospital records of 24 patients (11 women, 13 men) having ESRD and TB between 2001-2006 were reviewed. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory data on admission were recorded. Possible parameters contributing to in-hospital mortality were obtained from the medical records. In-hospital mortality rate was 66.6%. Factors associated with mortality were decreased partial pressure of oxygen and malnutrition. Fever was reported in 8 patients and hemoptysis was reported in 3 patients. Eight patients had consolidation on chest radiograph, while 4 had normal findings Seventeen patients had pulmonary involvement, and 11 had extra pulmonary involvement. The mortality rate in TB patients followed in intensive care units is high, with 3 factors contributing to in-hospital mortality. Clinicians should consider active TB in renal failure patients being followed in the intensive care unit, even when results of a chest radiograph are normal especially in patients with unexplained poor general health or respiratory failure. (author)

  14. Clinical Decision Support and Optional Point of Care Testing of Renal Function for Safe Use of Antibiotics in Elderly Patients : A Retrospective Study in Community Pharmacy Practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heringa, Mette; Floor-Schreudering, Annemieke; De Smet, Peter A G M; Bouvy, Marcel L

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the management of drug therapy alerts on safe use of antibiotics in elderly patients with (potential) renal impairment and the contribution of optional creatinine point of care testing (PoCT) in community pharmacy practice. METHODS: Community pharmacists used a

  15. Proteção renal na unidade de terapia intensiva cirúrgica Renal protection in a surgical intensive care unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Moraes dos Santos

    2006-09-01

    increase of life expectancy, older patients with more co-morbidity are being submitted to high risk surgical procedures, what make clinical practice related to organ protection possible modifier of short and long term survival. This review about renal protection in surgical intensive care unit points risk factors and discusses scientific evidence related to reduction of renal dysfunction in perioperative. CONTENTS: Although low extraction and adequate renal reserve of oxygen, the kidney is extremely sensible to hypoperfusion being renal acute insufficiency a frequent complication of hemodynamic instability. This apparent paradox, high oxygen content and reduced extraction with high incidence of renal damage to hypotension reflects the intra-renal gradient of oxygen, what makes renal medulla highly susceptible to ischemia. Factors associated with renal lesion are observed in all fases of perioperative period: fasting, contrast use, hypovolemia, hypotension, catecholamine and cytokine release, extracorporeal circulation, trauma, rabdomiolisys and aortic clamp. CONCLUSIONS: Management of renal damage is based in principals of perioperative renal physiology and glomerular hemodynamic. Clinical practice directed to organic protection should be implemented to minimize the impact this dysfunction.

  16. Renal Support for Acute Kidney Injury in the Developing World

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeev A. Annigeri

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available There is wide variation in the management of acute kidney injury (AKI and the practice of renal replacement therapy (RRT around the world. Clinicians in developing countries face additional challenges due to limited resources, reduced availability of trained staff and equipment, cultural and socioeconomic aspects, and administrative and governmental barriers. In this article, we report the consensus recommendations from the 18th Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative conference in Hyderabad, India. We provide the minimal requirements for provision of acute RRT in developing countries, including patient selection, choice of RRT modality and monitoring, transition, and termination of acute RRT. We also discuss areas of uncertainty and propose themes for future research. These recommendations can serve as a foundation for clinicians to implement renal support for AKI in low resource settings.

  17. Caring for a patient with delirium in an acute hospital: The lived experience of cardiology, elderly care, renal, and respiratory nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooke, Joanne; Manneh, Claire

    2018-03-12

    To explore the lived experience of caring for a patient during an acute episode of delirium by nurses working in cardiology, elderly care, renal, or respiratory specialities. A missed or delayed diagnosis of delirium in an acute hospital setting adversely impacts on patient outcomes. Nurses are the best placed health care professionals to identify a change in patient's cognitive status but struggle to do so. Inductive interpretative phenomenology. Semi-structured interviews with nurses working in an acute hospital in England between November 2016 and March 2017 (n = 23). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: (i) "sometimes delirium is confusing", difficultly in differentiating between delirium and dementia; (ii) "everyone in the ward was looking after him", a need for collaborative working to provide harm free care; and (iii) "he was aggressive with us, but after treatment he was a gentleman", acceptance and tolerance of aggression. The need for education across specialities, with a combination of classroom and simulation teaching. Alongside, the development of structures to support the development of nursing teamwork and reporting of near miss incidents that occur with patients during an episode of delirium. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  18. ACUTE RENAL FAILURE IN THE NEWBORNS HOSPITALIZED AT THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, UNIVERSITY CLINICAL CENTRE TUZLA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zulić Evlijana

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Reasons for acute renal failure in hospitalized infants were sepsis, hypovolemia, asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome, surgical interventions and congenital heart defects. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and and main etiologies, and early outcome of neonatal acute renal failure. Materials and Methods: At Intensive Care Unit, Clinical Center Tuzla, from 15. 01. 2013 to 15. 01. 2015 in 21 newborn was diagnosed renal failure, based on the amount of excreted urine and serum creatinine. Results: The prevalence of renal failure was 6.84%, with a higher incidence of female. 33.3% of infants were term neonates. Oliguria was diagnosed in 71.4% of newborns. Sepsis was the most common predisposing factor for the development of renal failure, associated with high mortality. Other causes of renal failure were perinatal hypoxia, RDS, surgical interventions and congenital heart defects. There was a positive correlation between the gestational age of the newborn and serum creatinine. Discussion: Early prevention of risk factors with rapid diagnosis and effective treatment, can affect further outcome of acute renal failure in infants.

  19. Ineffectiveness and adverse events of nitrofurantoin in women with urinary tract infection and renal impairment in primary care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geerts, A.F.; Eppenga, W.L.; Heerdink, R.; Derijks, H.J.; Wensing, M.J.P.; Egberts, T.C.; Smet, P.A.G.M. de

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: To determine whether treatment with nitrofurantoin in women with urinary tract infection (UTI) and renal impairment in primary care is associated with a higher risk of ineffectiveness and/or serious adverse events than in women without renal impairment. METHODS: A cohort of 21,317 women

  20. Improving the quality of communication and service provision for renal patients of South Asian origin: the contribution of a cultural and health improvement officer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhtar, Tahira; Hipkiss, Vicki; Stoves, John

    2014-09-01

    A large number of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease in Bradford, UK are of South Asian origin. Effective delivery of care for these patients demands a consistently high standard of communication between patients, their families and renal unit staff. Communication may be problematic for a number of reasons, including language barriers and an incomplete appreciation of important cultural or religious beliefs. In 2010, we received charitable funding for an Ethnic Liaison Support Worker, renamed Cultural and Health Improvement Officer (CHIO). The CHIO is able to engage with and support patients, relatives and other members of the multidisciplinary renal team. Core responsibilities include ensuring that patients and their families feel at ease whenever they are in communication with the renal services team in Bradford; contributing to formal discussion and explanation of important clinical issues in the patient's first language (typically Urdu or Punjabi), thereby encouraging patients to feel more involved in decisions about their care; listening to ad hoc patient queries and concerns and addressing these directly or indirectly through timely involvement of other members of the renal team; cultivating a greater awareness of and empathy towards the holistic needs of patients and their families within the renal MDT; and strengthening the links between renal and social care services. The involvement of the CHIO is especially important when discussing sensitive and complex issues such as conservative and end-of-life care with patients and their families, as communication needs to be detailed, precise and unequivocal. This is crucial to providing a bespoke supportive service for our all patients, especially those who have opted for conservative management. The significant contribution of the CHIO to the quality of renal services in Bradford has been recognised and a permanent CHIO post has now been established. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses

  1. Distal Embolic Protection for Renal Arterial Interventions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dubel, Gregory J.; Murphy, Timothy P.

    2008-01-01

    Distal or embolic protection has intuitive appeal for its potential to prevent embolization of materials generated during interventional procedures. Distal protection devices (DPDs) have been most widely used in the coronary and carotid vascular beds, where they have demonstrated the ability to trap embolic materials and, in some cases, to reduce complications. Given the frequency of chronic kidney disease in patients with renal artery stenosis undergoing stent placement, it is reasonable to propose that these devices may play an important role in limiting distal embolization in the renal vasculature. Careful review of the literature reveals that atheroembolization does occur during renal arterial interventions, although it often goes undetected. Early experience with DPDs in the renal arteries in patients with suitable anatomy suggests retrieval of embolic materials in approximately 71% of cases and renal functional improvement/stabilization in 98% of cases. The combination of platelet inhibition and a DPD may provide even greater benefit. Given the critical importance of renal functional preservation, it follows that everything that can be done to prevent atheroembolism should be undertaken including the use of DPDs when anatomically feasible. The data available at this time support a beneficial role for these devices

  2. Measuring the quality of renal care: things to keep in mind when selecting and using quality indicators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Veer, Sabine N.; van Biesen, Wim; Couchoud, Cécile; Tomson, Charles R. V.; Jager, Kitty J.

    2014-01-01

    This educational paper discusses a variety of indicators that can be used to measure the quality of care in renal medicine. Based on what aspect of care they reflect, indicators can be grouped into four main categories: structure, process, surrogate outcome and outcome indicators. Each category has

  3. Communication as care at end of life: an emerging issue from an exploratory action research study of renal end-of-life care for ethnic minorities in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, Emma; Randhawa, Gurch; Brown, Edwina A; Da Silva Gane, Maria; Stoves, John; Warwick, Graham; Akhtar, Tahira; Magee, Regina; Sharman, Sue; Farrington, Ken

    2014-09-01

    South Asian people have a higher risk of developing kidney disease, are disproportionately represented in the patient population requiring renal replacement therapy and wait longer to receive a kidney transplant, compared with white Europeans. As a result, there is a demand for end-of-life care, which meets the needs of this group of patients. Providing end-of-life care to patients from different cultures is a challenge for renal services as there can be barriers to communication in the form of language, delegated decision-making within families and reluctance to discuss death. To explore end-of-life care for South Asians with kidney disease, 16 interviews with patients and 14 focus groups with care providers were conducted at four research sites in the UK with large South Asian populations. Using an action research design the data were analysed thematically and fed back to inform the research in a cyclical manner. If patients are not fully aware of their condition or of what end-of-life care is, it is less likely that they will be able to be involved in decision-making about their care and this is compounded where there are communication barriers. Variations in care provider awareness and experience of providing end-of-life care to South Asian patients, in turn, contributes to lack of patient awareness of end-of-life care. Communication as care at the end of life should be explored further. Researching the South Asian patient experience of end of life highlights many relevant and generalisable issues. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  4. OBSTETRIC RENAL FAILURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeshwari

    2015-11-01

    common reasons were pregnancy induced hypertension, HELLP syndrome and obstetric haemorrhage and resulted in high risk condition for fetal and maternal mortality. The most effective measures still remain the careful prevention and the aggressive management of the obstetric complications. Ideal care for women with acute renal failure in pregnancy or post-partum requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes maternal-fetal medicine, critical care medicine, nephrology and neonatology specialties.

  5. Outcomes of cryptococcosis in renal transplant recipients in a less-resourced health care system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponzio, Vinicius; Camargo, Luis F A; Medina-Pestana, José O; Perfect, John R; Colombo, Arnaldo L

    2018-04-20

    Cryptococcosis is the second most common cause of invasive fungal infections in renal transplant recipients in many countries, and data on graft outcome after treatment for this infection is lacking in less-resourced health care settings. Data from 47 renal transplant recipients were retrospectively collected at a single institution during a period of 13 years. Graft dysfunction, graft loss and mortality rates were evaluated. Predictors of mortality and graft loss were estimated. A total of 38 (97.4%) patients treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate (AMBd) showed graft dysfunction after antifungal initiation and 8 (18.2%) had kidney graft loss. Graft loss within 30 days after cryptococcosis onset was significantly associated with disseminated infection, greater baseline creatinine levels and graft dysfunction concomitant to AMBd therapy and an additional nephrotoxic condition. The 30-day mortality rate was 19.2% and it was significantly associated with disseminated and pulmonary infections, somnolence at admission, high CSF opening pressure, positive CSF India ink, creatinine levels greater than 2.0 mg/dL at admission, graft dysfunction in patients treated with AMBd and an additional nephrotoxic condition and graft loss within 30 days. Graft dysfunction was common in renal transplant recipients with cryptococcosis treated with AMBd. The rate of graft loss rate was high, most frequently in patients with concomitant nephrotoxic conditions. Therefore, the clinical focus should be on the use of less nephrotoxic lipid formulations of amphotericin B in this specific population requiring a polyene induction regimen for treatment of severe cryptococcosis in all health care systems caring for transplantation recipients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  6. Peritoneal dialysis in the neonatal intensive care unit. Management of acute renal failure after a severe subgaleal hemorrhage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coe, Kristi; Lail, Candace

    2007-08-01

    Acute renal failure is common in the neonatal intensive care unit but is often not recognized in its early phases, when it is potentially reversible. The typical patient with acute renal failure is premature, but many term infants are also at risk. One such group is those with severe bleeding, such as a subgaleal hemorrhage. In these cases, hypovolemia can quickly progress to ischemia, which affects many organs but has profound effects on the kidney. In term infants, acute renal failure is most commonly diagnosed in those with perinatal depression. This article presents a unique case of an infant with subgaleal and intracranial bleeding that resulted in acute renal failure requiring peritoneal dialysis in the hopes of the eventual restoration of kidney function.

  7. Barriers to Advance Care Planning in End-Stage Renal Disease: Who is to Blame, and What Can be Done?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelley, Alan Taylor; Turner, Jeffrey; Doolittle, Benjamin

    2018-07-01

    Patients with end-stage renal disease experience significant mortality and morbidity, including cognitive decline. Advance care planning has been emphasized as a responsibility and priority of physicians caring for patients with chronic kidney disease in order to align with patient values before decision-making capacity is lost and to avoid suffering. This emphasis has proven ineffective, as illustrated in the case of a patient treated in our hospital. Is this ineffectiveness a consequence of failure in the courtroom or the clinic? Through our own experience we affirm what has been written before: that legal precedent favors intensive treatment in virtually all cases without 'clear and convincing evidence' of a patient's previously declared wishes to the contrary. Equally clear is that more than 20 years of support in the clinical literature suggesting advance care planning early in the course of disease can address challenges in the legal system for those lacking capacity. However, many physicians fail to recognize the need for advance care planning in a timely manner and lack the necessary training to provide it. The need for more training and new tools to recognize opportunities for advance care planning in daily practice remains unmet.

  8. Redesigning ambulatory care business processes supporting clinical care delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, C; Sinkewich, M; Short, J; Callas, E

    1997-04-01

    The first step in redesigning the health care delivery process for ambulatory care begins with the patient and the business processes that support the patient. Patient-related business processes include patient access, service documentation, billing, follow-up, collection, and payment. Access is the portal to the clinical delivery and care management process. Service documentation, charge capture, and payment and collection are supporting processes to care delivery. Realigned provider networks now demand realigned patient business services to provide their members/customers/patients with improved service delivery at less cost. Purchaser mandates for cost containment, health maintenance, and enhanced quality of care have created an environment where every aspect of the delivery system, especially ambulatory care, is being judged. Business processes supporting the outpatient are therefore being reexamined for better efficiency and customer satisfaction. Many health care systems have made major investments in their ambulatory care environment, but have pursued traditional supporting business practices--such as multiple access points, lack of integrated patient appointment scheduling and registration, and multiple patient bills. These are areas that are appropriate for redesign efforts--all with the customer's needs and convenience in mind. Similarly, setting unrealistic expectations, underestimating the effort required, and ignoring the human elements of a patient-focused business service redesign effort can sabotage the very sound reasons for executing such an endeavor. Pitfalls can be avoided if a structured methodology, coupled with a change management process, are employed. Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group has been involved in several major efforts, all with ambulatory care settings to assist with the redesign of their business practices to consider the patient as the driver, instead of the institution providing the care.

  9. Continuous renal replacement therapy improves renal recovery from acute renal failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacka, Michael J; Ivancinova, Xenia; Gibney, R T Noel

    2005-03-01

    Acute renal failure (ARF) occurs in up to 10% of critically ill patients, with significant associated morbidity and mortality. The optimal mode of renal replacement therapy (RRT) remains controversial. This retrospective study compared continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) for RRT in terms of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital mortality, and renal recovery. We reviewed the records of all patients undergoing RRT for the treatment of ARF over a 12-month period. Patients were compared according to mode of RRT, demographics, physiologic characteristics, and outcomes of ICU and hospital mortality and renal recovery using the Chi square, Student's t test, and multiple logistic regression as appropriate. 116 patients with renal insufficiency underwent RRT during the study period. Of these, 93 had ARF. The severity of illness of CRRT patients was similar to that of IHD patients using APACHE II (25.1 vs 23.5, P = 0.37), but they required significantly more intensive nursing (therapeutic intervention scale 47.8 vs 37.6, P = 0.0001). Mortality was associated with lower pH at presentation (P = 0.003) and increasing age (P = 0.03). Renal recovery was significantly more frequent among patients initially treated with CRRT (21/24 vs 5/14, P = 0.0003). Further investigation to define optimal timing, dose, and duration of RRT may be beneficial. Although further study is needed, this study suggests that renal recovery may be better after CRRT than IHD for ARF. Mortality was not affected significantly by RRT mode.

  10. World Foundation for Renal Care: helping acute and chronic renal failure patients and their families worldwide: an interview with Geraldine Biddle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biddle, G

    2000-12-01

    In this interview, Geraldine Biddle, president and co-founder of the World Foundation for Renal Care (WFRC), describes the organization's beginnings and the progress it has made toward its mission and vision. Ms. Biddle also details the historic involvement of ANNA informing WFRC and participating in its activities. Founded in 1997, the WFRC has its world headquarters in London and currently has three ANNA past presidents on its Board of Directors.

  11. Supportive care needs of Iranian cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azad Rahmani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: A supportive needs assessment is an essential component of any care program. There is no research evidence regarding the supportive care needs of cancer patients in Iran or other Middle Eastern countries. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the supportive care needs of Iranian cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in a referral medical center in the northwest of Iran. A total of 274 cancer patients completed the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS-59. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results: In 18 items of the SCNS, more than 50% of the participants reported that their needs were unmet. Most frequently, unmet needs were related to the health system, information, physical, and daily living domains, and most met needs were related to sexuality, patient care, and support domains. Conclusions: Iranian cancer patients experience many unmet needs and there is an urgent need for establishing additional supportive care services in Iran.

  12. Comparison of survival analysis and palliative care involvement in patients aged over 70 years choosing conservative management or renal replacement therapy in advanced chronic kidney disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Jamilla A; Mooney, Andrew; Russon, Lynne

    2013-10-01

    There are limited data on the outcomes of elderly patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing renal replacement therapy or conservative management. We aimed to compare survival, hospital admissions and palliative care access of patients aged over 70 years with chronic kidney disease stage 5 according to whether they chose renal replacement therapy or conservative management. Retrospective observational study. Patients aged over 70 years attending pre-dialysis clinic. In total, 172 patients chose conservative management and 269 chose renal replacement therapy. The renal replacement therapy group survived for longer when survival was taken from the time estimated glomerular filtration rate management, in patients older than 80 years or with a World Health Organization performance score of 3 or more. There was also a significant reduction in the effect of renal replacement therapy on survival in patients with high Charlson's Comorbidity Index scores. The relative risk of an acute hospital admission (renal replacement therapy vs conservative management) was 1.6 (p management patients died in hospital, compared to 69% undergoing renal replacement therapy (Renal Registry data). Seventy-six percent of the conservative management group accessed community palliative care services compared to 0% of renal replacement therapy patients. For patients aged over 80 years, with a poor performance status or high co-morbidity scores, the survival advantage of renal replacement therapy over conservative management was lost at all levels of disease severity. Those accessing a conservative management pathway had greater access to palliative care services and were less likely to be admitted to or die in hospital.

  13. Effects of Structured Versus Usual Care on Renal Endpoint in Type 2 Diabetes: The SURE Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Juliana C.; So, Wing-Yee; Yeung, Chun-Yip; Ko, Gary T.; Lau, Ip-Tim; Tsang, Man-Wo; Lau, Kam-Piu; Siu, Sing-Chung; Li, June K.; Yeung, Vincent T.; Leung, Wilson Y.; Tong, Peter C.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Multifaceted care has been shown to reduce mortality and complications in type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that structured care would reduce renal complications in type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 205 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients from nine public hospitals who had plasma creatinine levels of 150–350 μmol/l were randomly assigned to receive structured care (n = 104) or usual care (n = 101) for 2 years. The structured care group was managed according to a prespecified protocol with the following treatment goals: blood pressure triglyceride 500 μmol/l or dialysis). RESULTS Of these 205 patients (mean ± SD age 65 ± 7.2 years; disease duration 14 ± 7.9 years), the structured care group achieved better control than the usual care group (diastolic blood pressure 68 ± 12 vs. 71 ± 12 mmHg, respectively, P = 0.02; A1C 7.3 ± 1.3 vs. 8.0 ± 1.6%, P structured care (23.1%, n = 24) and usual care (23.8%, n = 24; NS) groups had similar end points, but more patients in the structured care group attained ≥3 treatment goals (61%, n = 63, vs. 28%, n = 28; P < 0.001). Patients who attained ≥3 treatment targets (n = 91) had reduced risk of the primary end point (14 vs. 34; relative risk 0.43 [95% CI 0.21–0.86] compared with that of those who attained ≤2 targets (n = 114). CONCLUSIONS Attainment of multiple treatment targets reduced the renal end point and death in type 2 diabetes. In addition to protocol, audits and feedback are needed to improve outcomes. PMID:19460913

  14. Hepatic and renal function with successful long-term support on a continuous flow left ventricular assist device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deo, Salil V; Sharma, Vikas; Altarabsheh, Salah E; Hasin, Tal; Dillon, John; Shah, Ishan K; Durham, Lucian A; Stulak, John M; Daly, Richard C; Joyce, Lyle D; Park, Soon J

    2014-03-01

    Data regarding the long-term clinical effects of a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) on hepato-renal function is limited. Hence our aim was to assess changes in hepato-renal function over a one-year period in patients supported on a CF-LVAD. During the study period 126 patients underwent CF-LVAD implant. Changes in hepato-renal laboratory parameters were studied in 61/126 patients successfully supported on a CF-LVAD for period of one year. A separate cohort of a high-risk group (HCrB) of patients (56/126) with a serum creat>1.9 mg/dL (168 μmol/L) (75th percentile) or a serum bil>1.5 mg/dL (25.65 μmol/L) (75th percentile) was created. Changes in serum creatinine and bilirubin were analysed at regular intervals for this group along with the need for renal replacement therapy. Baseline creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) for the entire cohort was 1.4[1.2,1.9 mg/dL] [123.7(106,168) μmol/L) and 27[20,39.5 mg/dL] [9.6(7.1,14.1) mmol/L] respectively. After an initial reduction at the end of one month [1(0.8,1.2) mg/dL; 88(70,105) μmol/L] (passist device support for one year. High-risk patients demonstrate a higher 30-day mortality and temporary need for renal replacement therapy. Yet even in this cohort, improvement is present over a period of one year on the device, with a minimal need for permanent haemodialysis. Copyright © 2013 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Pediatric Renal Transplantation: Focus on Current Transition Care and Proposal of the "RISE to Transition" Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raina, Rupesh; Wang, Joseph; Krishnappa, Vinod; Ferris, Maria

    2018-01-16

    The transition from pediatric to adult medical services is an important time in the life of an adolescent or young adult with a renal transplant. Failure of proper transition can lead to medical non-adherence and subsequent loss of graft and/or return to dialysis. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and survey to assess the challenges and existing practices in transition of renal transplant recipient children to adult services, and to develop a transition protocol. We conducted a literature review and performed a survey of pediatric nephrologists across the United States to examine the current state of transition care. A structured transition protocol was developed based on these results. Our literature review revealed that a transition program has a positive impact on decline in renal function and acute rejection episodes, and may improve long-term graft outcomes in pediatric kidney transplant patients. With a response rate of 40% (60/150) from nephrologists in 56% (49/87) of centers, our survey shows inconsistent use of validated tools despite their availability, inefficient communication between teams, and lack of use of dedicated clinics. To address these issues, we developed the "RISE to Transition" protocol, which relies on 4 competency areas: Recognition, Insight, Self-reliance, and Establishment of healthy habits. The transition program decreases acute graft rejection episodes, and the main challenges in transition care are the communication gap between health care providers and inconsistent use of transition tools. Our RISE to transition protocol incorporates transition tools, defines personnel, and aims to improve communication between teams.

  16. Pediatric Supportive Care (PDQ®)—Patient Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pediatric supportive care is an important aspect of cancer care as children and adolescents face unique challenges compared to adult patients. Learn more about supportive care for pediatric patients during and after treatment in this expert-reviewed summary.

  17. Definition of supportive care: does the semantic matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hui, David

    2014-07-01

    'Supportive care' is a commonly used term in oncology; however, no consensus definition exists. This represents a barrier to communication in both the clinical and research settings. In this review, we propose a unifying conceptual framework for supportive care and discuss the proper use of this term in the clinical and research settings. A recent systematic review revealed several themes for supportive care: a focus on symptom management and improvement of quality of life, and care for patients on treatments and those with advanced stage disease. These findings are consistent with a broad definition for supportive care: 'the provision of the necessary services for those living with or affected by cancer to meet their informational, emotional, spiritual, social, or physical needs during their diagnostic, treatment, or follow-up phases encompassing issues of health promotion and prevention, survivorship, palliation, and bereavement.' Supportive care can be classified as primary, secondary, and tertiary based on the level of specialization. For example, palliative care teams provide secondary supportive care for patients with advanced cancer. Until a consensus definition is available for supportive care, this term should be clearly defined or cited whenever it is used.

  18. The dietary management of patients with diabetes and renal disease: challenges and practicalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willingham, Fiona

    2012-02-01

    Diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Diet and lifestyle modification are vital components of optimal treatment for both conditions. This paper will address appropriate and often diverse treatment for each individual, understanding that advising changes which positively impact both conditions is a major challenge for health care professionals working within either speciality. It will also highlight where overlap can be contradictory rather than complementary, and offers practical guidance to support patients in making the necessary lifestyle changes to have maximal positive impact upon both conditions and their overall health. © 2012 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  19. Nursing procedures during continuous renal replacement therapies: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricci, Zaccaria; Benelli, Sonia; Barbarigo, Fabio; Cocozza, Giulia; Pettinelli, Noemi; Di Luca, Emanuela; Mettifogo, Mariangela; Toniolo, Andrea; Ronco, Claudio

    2015-01-01

    The current role of nurses in the management of critically ill patients needing continuous renal replacement therapies is clearly fundamental. The care of these complex patients is typically shared by critical care and dialysis nurses: their precise duties may vary from country to country. To clarify this issue we conducted a national-level survey at a recent Italian course on nursing practices during continuous renal replacement therapies. A total of 119 questionnaires were analysed. The participants, who were equally divided between critical care and dialysis nurses, came from 44 different hospitals and 35 Italian cities. Overall, 23% of participants answered that "the dialysis staff" were responsible for continuous renal replacement therapies in the Intensive Care Unit, while 39% answered "the critical care nurse", and 38% "a shared organization". Interestingly, less than the half of participants claimed specific continuous renal replacement therapies training was provided to employees before handling an acute dialysis machine. Finally, about 60% of participants had experience of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation machines used in conjunction with continuous renal replacement therapies. Workload coordination and management of critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapies in Italy is not standardized. At present, the duties of critical care and dialysis nurses vary significantly across the country. They frequently overlap or leave gaps in the assistance received by patients. The role of nurses involved in the care of continuous renal replacement therapies patients in Italy currently requires better organization, possibly starting with intensive standardized training and educational programs.

  20. Palliative Care Specialist Consultation Is Associated With Supportive Care Quality in Advanced Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walling, Anne M; Tisnado, Diana; Ettner, Susan L; Asch, Steven M; Dy, Sydney M; Pantoja, Philip; Lee, Martin; Ahluwalia, Sangeeta C; Schreibeis-Baum, Hannah; Malin, Jennifer L; Lorenz, Karl A

    2016-10-01

    Although recent randomized controlled trials support early palliative care for patients with advanced cancer, the specific processes of care associated with these findings and whether these improvements can be replicated in the broader health care system are uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of palliative care consultation and its association with specific processes of supportive care in a national cohort of Veterans using the Cancer Quality ASSIST (Assessing Symptoms Side Effects and Indicators of Supportive Treatment) measures. We abstracted data from 719 patients' medical records diagnosed with advanced lung, colorectal, or pancreatic cancer in 2008 over a period of three years or until death who received care in the Veterans Affairs Health System to evaluate the association of palliative care specialty consultation with the quality of supportive care overall and by domain using a multivariate regression model. All but 54 of 719 patients died within three years and 293 received at least one palliative care consult. Patients evaluated by a palliative care specialist at diagnosis scored seven percentage points higher overall (P specialist consultation is associated with better quality of supportive care in three advanced cancers, predominantly driven by improvements in information and care planning. This study supports the effectiveness of early palliative care consultation in three common advanced cancers within the Veterans Affairs Health System and provides a greater understanding of what care processes palliative care teams influence. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Supportive care in radiation oncology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rotman, M.; John, M.

    1987-01-01

    The radiation therapist, concerned with the disease process and all the technical intricacies of treatment, has usually not been involved in managing the supportive aspects of caring for the patient. Yet, of the team of medical specialists and allied health personnel required in oncology, the radiation therapist is the one most responsible for overseeing the total care of the cancer patient. At times this might include emotional support, prevention and correction of tissue dysfunction, augmentation of nutrition, metabolic and electrolyte regulation, rehabilitation, and vocational support. This chapter is a brief overview of a considerable volume of literature that has occupied the interest of a rather small group of physicians, nutritionists, and psychologists. The discussion highlights the special management problems of the normal-tissue effects of radiation, the related nutritional aspects of cancer care, and certain emotional and pathologic considerations

  2. Searching for the optimal renal prescription. Fresenius, Kaiser Permanente team up to offer new options in dialysis care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, M E

    1999-01-01

    The goals are simple: Improve well-being of the dialysis patient and reduce hospitalizations. The tools are diverse: Ultrapure dialysate. On-line blood monitoring. Biocompatible membranes. No reuse. Daily, in-center dialysis and possibly nocturnal dialysis at home. Reimbursement: Full-risk capitation, With Medicare and commercial payor rates varying on a patient-by-patient basis. Create an incubator with approximately 1,000 end-stage renal disease patients, treated at both capitated payment-exclusive dialysis units and mingled in at traditional fee-for-service clinics. Establish a team of nurses and renal care staff to direct the care plan, and put the program in place. After the first year, analyze the data and see if the end--hopefully, improved outcomes and resulting reduced hospitalizations--justifies the means--the higher cost for "optimal technologies."

  3. Interactive CaringTV® supporting elderly living at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehto, Paula

    2013-01-01

    Interactive CaringTV® is a Finnish innovation that was developed by Laurea University of Applied Sciences in 2006. CaringTV was developed through action research during three research projects. The aim of interactive CaringTV is to support the health and well-being of elderly people living in their own homes. The Safe Home project was based on action research, userdriven methods, and a case study. User-driven methods were applied in planning, implementing and evaluating the programme and eServices e.g. testing and evaluating peer support, including eConsultation as the methods for supporting clients´ coping with life in their own homes. Costeffectiveness and process modelling were studied through the case study. The user-driven approach and the collected data formed the basis for the interactive programme. The online CaringTV programme included content to: support everyday life for the elderly, safety, and activities of daily living, support social relationships, participate in rehabilitation and physical exercises, manage self-care, and health issues. Active participation in the CaringTV programme provided functional ability and everyday coping as well as a meaningful activity in everyday life. CaringTV is an interactive platform to support elderly in their everyday life and help them cope at home. User-driven methods enable participants´ active involvement in planning interactive and online programmes and eServices via CaringTV. The ultimate goal of the CaringTV is to support elderly´s health, wellbeing and interaction. CaringTV empowers elderly people to take responsibility for their own health care as part of healthy ageing.

  4. [Update in continuous renal replacement techniques].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero-García, M; de la Cueva-Ariza, L; Delgado-Hito, P

    2013-01-01

    Acute renal failure affects 25% of patients hospitalized in intensive care units. Despite technological advances, the mortality of these patients is still high due to its associated complications. Continuous renal replacement techniques are one of the treatments for acute renal failure because they make it possible to treat the complications and decrease mortality. The nurse's knowledge and skills regarding these techniques will be decisive for the success of the therapy. Consequently, the nurse's experience and training are key components. The objective of this article is to update the knowledge on continuous renal replacement techniques. Keeping this in mind, a review has been made of the physical and chemical principles such as diffusion and convection, among others. A description of the different continuous renal replacement techniques, a presentation of the main vascular access, and a description of the nursing cares and complications related to techniques used have also been provided. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEEIUC. All rights reserved.

  5. Subgroup analysis of continuous renal replacement therapy in severely burned patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaechul Yoon

    Full Text Available Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT is administered to critically ill patients with renal injuries as renal replacement or renal support. We aimed to identify predictors of mortality among burn patients receiving CRRT, and to investigate clinical differences according to acute kidney injury (AKI status. This retrospective observational study evaluated 216 Korean burn patients who received CRRT at a burn intensive care unit. Patients were categorized by AKI status. Data were collected regarding arterial pH, laboratory results, ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen (PF ratio, and urine production. Among surviving patients, CRRT duration and the sequential organ failure assessment score were 6.5 days and 4.7 in the non-AKI group and 23.4 days and 7.4 in the AKI group, respectively (p = 0.003 and p = 0.008. On logistic regression analyses, mortality was significantly associated with a pH of 5.0 mEg/L (p = 0.045, creatinine levels of >2.0 mg/dL (p = 0.011, lactate levels of >2 mmol/L (p2 mmol/L, and a platelet count of 2 mg/dL. In the non-AKI group, poor outcomes were associated with lactate levels of >1.5 mmol/L, a PF ratio of 1.2 mg/dL. Duration of the CRRT application and the requirement for either renal replacement or renal support at the initiation of CRRT application are important considerations depending on its application.

  6. Preemptive Renal Transplantation-The Best Treatment Option for Terminal Chronic Renal Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arze Aimaretti, L; Arze, S

    2016-03-01

    Renal transplantation is the best therapeutic option for end-stage chronic renal disease. Assuming that it is more advisable if performed early, we aimed to show the clinical, social, and economic advantages in 70% of our patients who were dialyzed only for a short period. For this purpose, we retrospectively collected data over 28 years in 142 kidney transplants performed in patients with renal transplantation with renal failure, especially in developing countries such as Bolivia, where until last year, full public support for renal replacement therapy was unavailable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Describing and analysing primary health care system support for chronic illness care in Indigenous communities in Australia's Northern Territory – use of the Chronic Care Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stewart Allison

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Indigenous Australians experience disproportionately high prevalence of, and morbidity and mortality from chronic illness such as diabetes, renal disease and cardiovascular disease. Improving the understanding of how Indigenous primary care systems are organised to deliver chronic illness care will inform efforts to improve the quality of care for Indigenous people. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 Indigenous communities in Australia's Northern Territory. Using the Chronic Care Model as a framework, we carried out a mail-out survey to collect information on material, financial and human resources relating to chronic illness care in participating health centres. Follow up face-to-face interviews with health centre staff were conducted to identify successes and difficulties in the systems in relation to providing chronic illness care to community members. Results Participating health centres had distinct areas of strength and weakness in each component of systems: 1 organisational influence – strengthened by inclusion of chronic illness goals in business plans, appointment of designated chronic disease coordinators and introduction of external clinical audits, but weakened by lack of training in disease prevention and health promotion and limited access to Medicare funding; 2 community linkages – facilitated by working together with community organisations (e.g. local stores and running community-based programs (e.g. "health week", but detracted by a shortage of staff especially of Aboriginal health workers working in the community; 3 self management – promoted through patient education and goal setting with clients, but impeded by limited focus on family and community-based activities due to understaffing; 4 decision support – facilitated by distribution of clinical guidelines and their integration with daily care, but limited by inadequate access to and support from specialists; 5 delivery system

  8. Cross-sectorial cooperation and supportive care in general practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundstrøm, Louise Hyldborg; Johnsen, Anna Thit; Ross, Lone

    2011-01-01

    Background. Cancer care usually involves several health professionals from different parts of the health care system. Often, the GP has an important role. Patients’ experiences of continuity and support may be related to characteristics of health care, disease or patients. Objectives. To investig......Background. Cancer care usually involves several health professionals from different parts of the health care system. Often, the GP has an important role. Patients’ experiences of continuity and support may be related to characteristics of health care, disease or patients. Objectives...... patients experienced suboptimal cross-sectorial cooperation and supportive care. Efforts to improve cancer care cooperation may focus on the possible supportive role of the...

  9. Prostate cancer in renal transplant recipients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin A. Sherer

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT As patients with end-stage renal disease are receiving renal allografts at older ages, the number of male renal transplant recipients (RTRs being diagnosed with prostate cancer (CaP is increasing. Historically, the literature regarding the management of CaP in RTR's is limited to case reports and small case series. To date, there are no standardized guidelines for screening or management of CaP in these complex patients. To better understand the unique characteristics of CaP in the renal transplant population, we performed a literature review of PubMed, without date limitations, using a combination of search terms including prostate cancer, end stage renal disease, renal transplantation, prostate cancer screening, prostate specific antigen kinetics, immuno-suppression, prostatectomy, and radiation therapy. Of special note, teams facilitating the care of these complex patients must carefully and meticulously consider the altered anatomy for surgical and radiotherapeutic planning. Active surveillance, though gaining popularity in the general low risk prostate cancer population, needs further study in this group, as does the management of advance disease. This review provides a comprehensive and contemporary understanding of the incidence, screening measures, risk stratification, and treatment options for CaP in RTRs.

  10. Concepts and definitions for "supportive care," "best supportive care," "palliative care," and "hospice care" in the published literature, dictionaries, and textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hui, David; De La Cruz, Maxine; Mori, Masanori; Parsons, Henrique A; Kwon, Jung Hye; Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Kim, Sun Hyun; Dev, Rony; Hutchins, Ronald; Liem, Christiana; Kang, Duck-Hee; Bruera, Eduardo

    2013-03-01

    Commonly used terms such as "supportive care," "best supportive care," "palliative care," and "hospice care" were rarely and inconsistently defined in the palliative oncology literature. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to further identify concepts and definitions for these terms. We searched MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and CINAHL for published peer-reviewed articles from 1948 to 2011 that conceptualized, defined, or examined these terms. Two researchers independently reviewed each citation for inclusion and then extracted the concepts/definitions when available. Dictionaries/textbooks were also searched. Nine of 32 "SC/BSC," 25 of 182 "PC," and 12 of 42 "HC" articles focused on providing a conceptual framework/definition. Common concepts for all three terms were symptom control and quality-of-life for patients with life-limiting illness. "SC" focused more on patients on active treatment compared to other categories (9/9 vs. 8/37) and less often involved interdisciplinary care (4/9 vs. 31/37). In contrast, "HC" focused more on volunteers (6/12 vs. 6/34), bereavement care (9/12 vs. 7/34), and community care (9/12 vs. 6/34). Both "PC" and "SC/BSC" were applicable earlier in the disease trajectory (16/34 vs. 0/9). We found 13, 24, and 17 different definitions for "SC/BSC," "PC," and "HC," respectively. "SC/BSC" was the most variably defined, ranging from symptom management during cancer therapy to survivorship care. Dictionaries/textbooks showed similar findings. We identified defining concepts for "SC/BSC," "PC," and "HC" and developed a preliminary conceptual framework unifying these terms along the continuum of care to help build consensus toward standardized definitions.

  11. IT-Support for Shared Care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bansler, Jørgen P.; Havn, Erling C.; Kensing, Finn

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes work-in-progress to explore how informa-tion and communication technologies (ICT) can be designed and implemented to provide effective support of shared care programs. The purpose of the project is to develop generic models of shared care applications as well as organizational...

  12. [Renal oncocytoma in the single kidney after previous surgery of renal carcinoma. Apropos of 2 cases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veneroni, L; Canclini, L; Berti, G L; Giola, V; Leidi, G L; Maccaroni, A; Raimoldi, A; Sironi, M; Assi, A; Bacchioni, A M

    1997-12-01

    Renal oncocytoma is a neoplasm which rarely occurs in patients with solitary kidney, the other being absent because of a previous nephrectomy performed for renal cancer. We present two case reports and a literature review. We have studied some important problems such as the histogenesis, the potential for malignancy, the diagnosis, the treatment and the follow up. The high incidence of coexistence of renal oncocytoma and renal cell carcinoma has important clinical implications. We would like to emphasize the importance of preoperatory FNAB, nephron sparing surgery and very careful follow up.

  13. Risk factors for development of impaired renal function in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in primary care.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Naushahi, M.J.; Grauw, W.J.C. de; Avery, A.J.; Gerwen, W.H.E.M. van; Lisdonk, E.H. van de; Weel, C. van

    2004-01-01

    AIMS: To evaluate risk factors for the development of an impaired renal function, defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by Cockcroft-Gault formula < 50.5 ml/min, in primary care patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A case-control study of Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with

  14. Echo and BNP serial assessment in ambulatory heart failure care: Data on loop diuretic use and renal function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dini, Frank Lloyd; Simioniuc, Anca; Carluccio, Erberto; Ghio, Stefano; Rossi, Andrea; Biagioli, Paolo; Reboldi, Gianpaolo; Galeotti, Gian Giacomo; Lu, Fei; Zara, Cornelia; Whalley, Gillian; Temporelli, Pier Luigi

    2016-12-01

    We compared the follow-up data on loop diuretic use and renal function, as assessed by serum creatinine levels, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), of two groups of consecutive ambulatory HF patients: 1) the clinically-guided group, in which management was clinically driven based on the institutional protocol of the HF Unit of the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Department of Pisa (standard of care) and 2) the echo and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) guided group (patients conforming to the protocol of the Network Labs Ultrasound (NEBULA) in HF Study Group: Pisa, Perugia, Pavia; Verona, Auckland, and Veruno), in which therapy was delivered according to the serial assessment of BNP and echocardiography. Patients whose follow-up was based on standard of care had a significant higher prevalence of worsening renal function, that was likely related to higher diuretic dosages, whilst, a better management of renal function was observed in the echo-BNP-guided group. The data is related to "Echo and natriuretic peptide guided therapy improves outcome and reduces worsening renal function in systolic heart failure: An observational study of 1137 outpatients" (A. Simioniuc, E. Carluccio, S. Ghio, A. Rossi, P. Biagioli, G. Reboldi, G.G. Galeotti, F. Lu, C. Zara, G. Whalley, P.G. Temporelli, F.L. Dini, 2016; K.J. Harjai, H.K. Dinshaw, E. Nunez, M. Shah, H. Thompson, T. Turgut, H.O. Ventura, 1999; A. Ahmed, A. Husain, T.E. Love, G. Gambassi, L.J. Dell׳Italia, G.S. Francis, M. Gheorghiade, R.M. Allman, S. Meleth, R.C. Bourge, 2006) [1], [2], [3].

  15. The Nephrocare project: referral, patient case-mix, follow-up and quality of renal care in Nordic renal centres

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergrem, H.; Goransson, L.G.; Asmundsson, P.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Few studies have focused on patients actually attending renal units for their follow-up over time. This study reports the type of prevalent patients (case-mix) with a renal condition being followed up by 19 renal units in the Nordic countries during 1998-99. MATERIAL AND METHODS...

  16. Pattern of Care Study in Metastatic Renal-Cell Carcinoma in the Preimmunotherapy Era in Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandmeier, Nadja; Rothschild, Sacha I; Rothermundt, Christian; Cathomas, Richard; Schardt, Julian; Berthold, Dominik; von Burg, Philippe; Müller, Beat; Beyer, Jörg; Vogt, Deborah R; Stenner, Frank

    2018-02-02

    In metastatic renal-cell carcinoma (mRCC), physicians have a plethora of therapeutic choices, with the latest addition of checkpoint inhibitors. However, many questions regarding the best use of the respective drugs remain unanswered. Therefore, it is important to examine and summarize the outcome of real-world experiences to understand the practical value of the various drugs in daily use and foster optimal treatment algorithms for patients with renal-cell carcinoma. We sought to describe the pattern of care in mRCC under circumstances with access to all therapeutic options for patients. We examined the outcome of patients with mRCC who were treated at 8 major centers in Switzerland, mainly with vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors. Data from 110 patients with mRCC who had undergone more than one systemic therapy were collected and analyzed. We assessed the pattern of care for patients with mRCC in an unrestricted health care system and outcomes with regard to the respective treatment sequences. We also studied the compliance of individual therapies with published guidelines and correlated the adherence to outcome. Finally, immediate versus deferred treatment and the number of received therapeutic drug lines were analyzed. Median survival of patients treated with targeted agents for mRCC was 2.0 years. Exposure to more than 2 lines of systemic drugs did not improve outcome of patients with mRCC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Cost-Effectiveness of Everolimus for Second-Line Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in Serbia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mihajlovic, Jovan; Pechlivanoglou, Petros; Sabo, Ana; Tomic, Zdenko; Postma, Maarten J.

    2013-01-01

    Background: New targeted therapeutics for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) enable an increment in progression-free survival (PFS) ranging from 2 to 6 months. Compared with best supportive care, everolimus demonstrated an additional PFS of 3 months in patients with mRCC whose disease had

  18. Decision support for patient care: implementing cybernetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozbolt, Judy; Ozdas, Asli; Waitman, Lemuel R; Smith, Janis B; Brennan, Grace V; Miller, Randolph A

    2004-01-01

    The application of principles and methods of cybernetics permits clinicians and managers to use feedback about care effectiveness and resource expenditure to improve quality and to control costs. Keys to the process are the specification of therapeutic goals and the creation of an organizational culture that supports the use of feedback to improve care. Daily feedback on the achievement of each patient's therapeutic goals provides tactical decision support, enabling clinicians to adjust care as needed. Monthly or quarterly feedback on aggregated goal achievement for all patients on a clinical pathway provides strategic decision support, enabling clinicians and managers to identify problems with supposed "best practices" and to test hypotheses about solutions. Work is underway at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to implement feedback loops in care and management processes and to evaluate the effects.

  19. Type of Referral, Dialysis Start and Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy Modality in an International Integrated Care Setting.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Belén Marrón

    Full Text Available Integrated Care Settings (ICS provide a holistic approach to the transition from chronic kidney disease into renal replacement therapy (RRT, offering at least both types of dialysis.To analyze which factors determine type of referral, modality provision and dialysis start on final RRT in ICS clinics.Retrospective analysis of 626 patients starting dialysis in 25 ICS clinics in Poland, Hungary and Romania during 2012. Scheduled initiation of dialysis with a permanent access was considered as planned RRT start.Modality information (80% of patients and renal education (87% were more frequent (p8.2 ml/min, >2 months between information and RRT initiation and with vascular etiology after adjustment for age and gender. "Optimal care," defined as ICS follow-up >12 months plus modality information and P start, occurred in 23%.Despite the high rate of late referrals, information and education were widely provided. However, NP start was high and related to late referral and may explain the low frequency of PD.

  20. Ultrasound scan in the diagnosis of neonatal renal candidiasis; Ecografia en el diagnostico de la candidiasis renal neonatal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muro, D.; Sanguesa, C.; Torres, D.; Berbel, O.; Andres, V. [Hospital Infantil La Fe. Valencia (Spain)

    2003-07-01

    To describe the most pertinent echographic findings regarding systemic and renal candidiasis in high-risk neonates. Echographic findings and clinical histories of 40 neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-eight presented systemic candidiasis with renal participation, while two showed only renal candidiasis. Ultrasound scans were performed using 7.5 MHz probes. Alterations in renal echo structure, presence of echogenic material without acoustic shadowing in the excretory system (mycetoma), presence of lithiasis, pyonephrosis and associated renal malformations were all evaluated. Ten patients presented renal alterations in ultrasound scan. Six children had originally shown increased eye-catching in the renal parenchyma which was resolved after medical treatment. Four children presented renal mycetoma, and in two there were renal malformations. Both of these exhibited a profile for pyonephrosis. One patient with renal mycetoma without urological abnormalities developed a lithiasis. Surgical intervention was unnecessary in all cases. The most common echographic findings in immature high-risk low-weight patients with systemic and renal candidiasis were alterations in the eye-catching of renal parenchyma and the presence of mycetoma. (Author) 22 refs.

  1. Echo and BNP serial assessment in ambulatory heart failure care: Data on loop diuretic use and renal function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank Lloyd Dini

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available We compared the follow-up data on loop diuretic use and renal function, as assessed by serum creatinine levels, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, of two groups of consecutive ambulatory HF patients: 1 the clinically-guided group, in which management was clinically driven based on the institutional protocol of the HF Unit of the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Department of Pisa (standard of care and 2 the echo and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP guided group (patients conforming to the protocol of the Network Labs Ultrasound (NEBULA in HF Study Group: Pisa, Perugia, Pavia; Verona, Auckland, and Veruno, in which therapy was delivered according to the serial assessment of BNP and echocardiography. Patients whose follow-up was based on standard of care had a significant higher prevalence of worsening renal function, that was likely related to higher diuretic dosages, whilst, a better management of renal function was observed in the echo-BNP-guided group. The data is related to “Echo and natriuretic peptide guided therapy improves outcome and reduces worsening renal function in systolic heart failure: An observational study of 1137 outpatients” (A. Simioniuc, E. Carluccio, S. Ghio, A. Rossi, P. Biagioli, G. Reboldi, G.G. Galeotti, F. Lu, C. Zara, G. Whalley, P.G. Temporelli, F.L. Dini, 2016; K.J. Harjai, H.K. Dinshaw, E. Nunez, M. Shah, H. Thompson, T. Turgut, H.O. Ventura, 1999; A. Ahmed, A. Husain, T.E. Love, G. Gambassi, L.J. Dell׳Italia, G.S. Francis, M. Gheorghiade, R.M. Allman, S. Meleth, R.C. Bourge, 2006 [1–3].

  2. Consensus Report by the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators and Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium Joint Working Committees on Supportive Care Guidelines for Management of Veno-Occlusive Disease in Children and Adolescents: Part 2-Focus on Ascites, Fluid and Electrolytes, Renal, and Transfusion Issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahadeo, Kris M; McArthur, Jennifer; Adams, Roberta H; Radhi, Mohamed; Angelo, Joseph; Jeyapalan, Asumthia; Nicol, Kathleen; Su, Leon; Rabi, Hanna; Auletta, Jeffery J; Pai, Vinita; Duncan, Christine N; Tamburro, Robert; Dvorak, Christopher C; Bajwa, Rajinder P S

    2017-12-01

    Even though hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a potentially fatal complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), there is paucity of research on the management of associated multiorgan dysfunction. To help provide standardized care for the management of these patients, the HCT Subgroup of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators and the Supportive Care Committee of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium, collaborated to develop evidence-based consensus guidelines. After conducting an extensive literature search, in part 2 of this series we discuss the management of fluids and electrolytes, renal dysfunction; ascites, pleural effusion, and transfusion and coagulopathy issues in patients with VOD. We consider the available evidence using the GRADE criteria. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Participation, Care and Support

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prof. dr. Jean Pierre Wilken

    2017-01-01

    The research group Participation, Care and Support is part of the Research Centre for Social Innovation of Utrecht University for Applied Sciences. This is a transdisciplinary research centre, doing practice based research focused on relevant social issues, connecting different fields like social

  4. Development of a clinical decision support system for diabetes care: A pilot study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Livvi Li Wei Sim

    Full Text Available Management of complex chronic diseases such as diabetes requires the assimilation and interpretation of multiple laboratory test results. Traditional electronic health records tend to display laboratory results in a piecemeal and segregated fashion. This makes the assembly and interpretation of results related to diabetes care challenging. We developed a diabetes-specific clinical decision support system (Diabetes Dashboard interface for displaying glycemic, lipid and renal function results, in an integrated form with decision support capabilities, based on local clinical practice guidelines. The clinical decision support system included a dashboard feature that graphically summarized all relevant laboratory results and displayed them in a color-coded system that allowed quick interpretation of the metabolic control of the patients. An alert module informs the user of tests that are due for repeat testing. An interactive graph module was also developed for better visual appreciation of the trends of the laboratory results of the patient. In a pilot study involving case scenarios administered via an electronic questionnaire, the Diabetes Dashboard, compared to the existing laboratory reporting interface, significantly improved the identification of abnormal laboratory results, of the long-term trend of the laboratory tests and of tests due for repeat testing. However, the Diabetes Dashboard did not significantly improve the identification of patients requiring treatment adjustment or the amount of time spent on each case scenario. In conclusion, we have developed and shown that the use of the Diabetes Dashboard, which incorporates several decision support features, can improve the management of diabetes. It is anticipated that this dashboard will be most helpful when deployed in an outpatient setting, where physicians can quickly make clinical decisions based on summarized information and be alerted to pertinent areas of care that require

  5. Etiology, diagnosis and treatment of renal colic during pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grasso, Angelica Anna Chiara; Cozzi, Gabriele

    2014-01-01

    To assess the incidence and causes of renal stones in pregnant women, investigate the reliability and accuracy of diagnostic investigations and to consider the various therapeutic options available. A review of the literature was conducted, searching for relevant papers on the physiology of urinary apparatus changes during pregnancy, as well as the etiology, diagnosis and management of renal colic in pregnant women. Standards of care in renal colic during pregnancy include accurate diagnosis primarily with ultrasound, or MRI if necessary, conservative therapy and careful surgical approach for urinary drainage in the first place or ureterorenoscopy when needed. Renal colic during pregnancy is potentially troublesome and likely to lead to serious adverse effects on both mother and fetus. A multi-disciplinary approach is needed, which includes experts in the fields of Urology, Obstetrics, Radiology and Anesthesiology, to ensure the optimal care of this delicate cohort of patients.

  6. Effective peer-to-peer support for young people with end-stage renal disease: a mixed methods evaluation of Camp COOL

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background The Camp COOL programme aims to help young Dutch people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) develop self-management skills. Fellow patients already treated in adult care (hereafter referred to as ‘buddies’) organise the day-to-day program, run the camp, counsel the attendees, and also participate in the activities. The attendees are young people who still have to transfer to adult care. This study aimed to explore the effects of this specific form of peer-to-peer support on the self-management of young people (16–25 years) with ESRD who participated in Camp COOL (CC) (hereafter referred to as ‘participants’). Methods A mixed methods research design was employed. Semi-structured interviews (n = 19) with initiators/staff, participants, and healthcare professionals were conducted. These were combined with retrospective and pre-post surveys among participants (n = 62), and observations during two camp weeks. Results Self-reported effects of participants were: increased self-confidence, more disease-related knowledge, feeling capable of being more responsible and open towards others, and daring to stand up for yourself. According to participants, being a buddy or having one positively affected them. Self-efficacy of attendees and independence of buddies increased, while attendees’ sense of social inclusion decreased (measured as domains of health-related quality of life). The buddy role was a pro-active combination of being supervisor, advisor, and leader. Conclusions Camp COOL allowed young people to support each other in adjusting to everyday life with ESRD. Participating in the camp positively influenced self-management in this group. Peer-to-peer support through buddies was much appreciated. Support from young adults was not only beneficial for adolescent attendees, but also for young adult buddies. Paediatric nephrologists are encouraged to refer patients to CC and to facilitate such initiatives. Together with nephrologists in adult

  7. Development of a renal transplant clinical pathway: one hospital's journey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darrikhuma, I M

    1999-05-01

    Mounting pressures to resolve multiple challenges related to quality, cost, and access in a resource-driven, customer-focused health care environment have compelled clinicians to develop innovative strategies to provide cost-effective, state-of-the-art care. Targeted patient groups include those associated with high cost, high volume, or high resource use. Patients undergoing renal transplantation fall into one or more of these categories. Recently, the management of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has come under national focus, as evidenced by the fact that Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has commissioned an ESRD managed care demonstration project. The purpose of this article is to describe how one case management tool--the clinical pathway--can be used to decrease costs and improve outcomes associated with renal transplantation. This discussion will include a review of the origins and components of clinical pathways and a description of how one institution developed, implemented, evaluated, and refined a renal transplantation clinical pathway.

  8. Pediatric Supportive Care (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pediatric supportive care includes managing issues from the cancer diagnosis, through treatment, and into adult survivorship. Get detailed information addressing pediatric supportive care including psychologic, family, and end-of-life concerns in this clinician summary.

  9. Using continuous renal replacement therapy to manage patients of shock and acute renal failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soni Sachin

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The incidence of acute renal failure (ARF in the hospital setting is increasing. It portends excessive morbidity and mortality and a considerable burden on hospital resources. Extracorporeal therapies show promise in the management of patients with shock and ARF. It is said that the potential of such therapy goes beyond just providing renal support. The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical setting and outcomes of critically ill ARF patients managed with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT. Patients and Methods: Ours was a retrospective study of 50 patients treated between January 2004 and November 2005. These 50 patients were in clinical shock and had concomitant ARF. All of these patients underwent CVVHDF (continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration in the intensive care unit. For the purpose of this study, shock was defined as systolic BP < 100 mm Hg in spite of administration of one or more inotropic agents. SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score before initiation of dialysis support was recorded in all cases. CVVHDF was performed using the Diapact ® (Braun CRRT machine. The vascular access used was as follows: femoral in 32, internal jugular in 8, arteriovenous fistula (AVF in 4, and subclavian in 6 patients. We used 0.9% or 0.45% (half-normal saline as a prefilter replacement, with addition of 10% calcium gluconate, magnesium sulphate, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride in separate units, while maintaining careful monitoring of electrolytes. Anticoagulation of the extracorporeal circuit was achieved with systemic heparin in 26 patients; frequent saline flushes were used in the other 24 patients. Results: Of the 50 patients studied, 29 were males and 21 females (1.4:1. The average age was 52.88 years (range: 20-75 years. Causes of ARF included sepsis in 24 (48%, hemodynamically mediated renal failure (HMRF in 18 (36%, and acute over chronic kidney disease in 8 (16% patients. The overall mortality was

  10. X-ray signals in renal osteopathy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rieden, K.

    1984-10-01

    Chronic renal insufficiency is associated with metabolic disturbances which ultimately lead to typical, partly extremely painful changes in the skeletal system the longer the disease persists. Regular X-ray control of certain skeletal segments allows early detection of renal oesteopathy if the radiological findings described in this article are carefully scrutinised and interpreted.

  11. The Challenge of Providing Renal Replacement Therapy in Developing Countries: The Latin American Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obrador, Gregorio T; Rubilar, Ximena; Agazzi, Evandro; Estefan, Janette

    2016-03-01

    The costs of health care place developing countries under enormous economic pressure. Latin America is a region characterized by wide ethnic and per capita gross domestic product variations among different countries. Chronic kidney failure prevalence and incidence, as well as provision of renal replacement therapy (RRT), have increased in all Latin American countries over the last 20 years. From an ethical point of view, life-sustaining therapies such as RRT should be available to all patients with chronic kidney disease who might benefit. However, even among Latin American countries with similar per capita incomes and health care expenditures, only some have been able to achieve universal access to RRT. This indicates that it is not just a problem of wealth or distribution of scarce health care resources, but one of social justice. Strategies to increase the availability of RRT and renal palliative-supportive care, as well as implementation of interventions to prevent chronic kidney disease development and progression, are needed in Latin America and other developing countries. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. [Clinical study of influential factors on renal scarring after ESWL monotherapy for renal stone disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishito, Noritaka; Takamoto, Hitoshi; Kunitomi, Kimito; Satoh, Eiichi; Ishii, Ayano; Shiotuka, Youichi; Sako, Shinichi; Ohta, Naoki; Araki, Tohru

    2002-11-01

    ESWL is now widely used for the treatment of renal stone disease. Although ESWL has many advantages for patients' quality of life, few reports have demonstrated the long-term outcomes of the alterations of renal morphology after ESWL. We reported renal scarring after ESWL monotherapy in patients with renal calyceal stones. In this study, we evaluated a large series of patients' cohort treated at our institution, and assessed the causal effect of ESWL on the late occurrence of renal scar formation. ESWL was performed with EDAP (LT-01,02) that generates shock wave energy by piezoelectric discharge. We analyzed the records of 285 kidneys treated between Dec. 1986 and Nov. 1998. Renal scarring was noted in 44 kidneys and not in 241 kidneys with periodical ultrasonography. We compared the backgrounds of the two groups using chi-square or non-parametric analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model determined the analysis of renal scar formation. Univariate and multiple regression analysis revealed that the total amount of ESWL emission and hyperuricemia independently affected the probability of renal scar formation. Over-emission of ESWL (over 10,000 shots) must be care for the prevention of renal scarring in patients with renal calyceal calculi, especially when associated with hyperuricemia. After ESWL, periodical checkups with ultrasonography will provide useful information for the clinical diagnosis of renal scarring.

  13. 'It's a regional thing': financial impact of renal transplantation on live donors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGrath, Pam; Holewa, Hamish

    2012-01-01

    There has been no research exploring the financial impact on the live renal donor in terms of testing, hospitalisation and surgery for kidney removal (known as nephrectomy). The only mention of financial issues in relation to live renal transplantation is the recipients' concerns in relation to monetary payment for the gift of a kidney and the recipients' desire to pay for the costs associated with the nephrectomy. The discussion in this article posits a new direction in live renal donor research; that of understanding the financial impact of live renal donation on the donor to inform health policy and supportive care service delivery. The findings have specific relevance for live renal donors living in rural and remote locations of Australia. The findings are presented from the first interview (time 1: T1) of a set of four times (time 1 to time 4: T1-T4) from a longitudinal study that explored the experience of live renal donors who were undergoing kidney removal (nephrectomy) at the Renal Transplantation Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. A qualitative methodological approach was used that involved semi-structured interviews with prospective living kidney donors (n=20). The resulting data were analysed using the qualitative research methods of coding and thematic analysis. The findings indicate that live renal donors in non-metropolitan areas report significant financial concerns in relation to testing, hospitalisation and surgery for nephrectomy. These include the fact that bulk billing (no cost to the patient for practitioner's service) is not always available, that individuals have to pay up-front and that free testing at local public hospitals is not available in some areas. In addition, non-metropolitan donors have to fund the extra cost of travel and accommodation when relocating for the nephrectomy to the specialist metropolitan hospital. Live renal transplantation is an important new direction in medical care that has excellent

  14. COPD self-management supportive care: chaos and complexity theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornforth, Amber

    This paper uses the emergent theories of chaos and complexity to explore the self-management supportive care of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients within the evolving primary care setting. It discusses the concept of self-management support, the complexity of the primary care context and consultations, smoking cessation, and the impact of acute exacerbations and action planning. The author hopes that this paper will enable the acquisition of new insight and better understanding in this clinical area, as well as support meaningful learning and facilitate more thoughtful, effective and high quality patient-centred care within the context of primary care.

  15. Using continuous renal replacement therapy to manage patients of shock and acute renal failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soni, Sachin S; Nagarik, Amit P; Adikey, Gopal Kishan; Raman, Anuradha

    2009-01-01

    Background: The incidence of acute renal failure (ARF) in the hospital setting is increasing. It portends excessive morbidity and mortality and a considerable burden on hospital resources. Extracorporeal therapies show promise in the management of patients with shock and ARF. It is said that the potential of such therapy goes beyond just providing renal support. The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical setting and outcomes of critically ill ARF patients managed with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Patients and Methods: Ours was a retrospective study of 50 patients treated between January 2004 and November 2005. These 50 patients were in clinical shock and had concomitant ARF. All of these patients underwent CVVHDF (continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration) in the intensive care unit. For the purpose of this study, shock was defined as systolic BP magnesium sulphate, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride in separate units, while maintaining careful monitoring of electrolytes. Anticoagulation of the extracorporeal circuit was achieved with systemic heparin in 26 patients; frequent saline flushes were used in the other 24 patients. Results: Of the 50 patients studied, 29 were males and 21 females (1.4:1). The average age was 52.88 years (range: 20–75 years). Causes of ARF included sepsis in 24 (48%), hemodynamically mediated renal failure (HMRF) in 18 (36%), and acute over chronic kidney disease in 8 (16%) patients. The overall mortality was 74%. The average SOFA score was 14.31. The variables influencing mortality on multivariate analysis were: age [odds ratio (OR):1.65; 95% CI: 1.35 to 1.92; P = 0.04], serum creatinine (OR:1.68; 95% CI: 1.44 to 1.86; P = 0.03), and serum bicarbonate (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.55 to 0.94; P = 0.01). On univariate analysis the SOFA score was found to be a useful predictor of mortality. Conclusions: Despite advances in treating critically ill patients with newer extracorporeal therapies, mortality is dismally high

  16. Scleroderma renal crisis and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome related to the use of clomiphene in a patient with scleroderma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobak, Senol; Hacivelioglu, Servet; Gungor, Selen

    2014-01-01

    This paper presented a 28-year-old female with systemic sclerosis who developed scleroderma renal crisis and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome following clomiphene administration. Urgent therapy including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and supportive care resulted in regression and eventually resolution of all the clinical and laboratory symptoms. Although scleroderma renal crisis is a fatal complication of high-dose corticosteroids, rarely is this seen with the use of ACE inhibitors. This case report aimed to investigate the potential capacity of the selective oestrogen receptor modulator clomiphene to induce scleroderma renal crisis as well as corticosteroids. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  17. X-ray signals in renal osteopathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rieden, K.

    1984-01-01

    Chronic renal insufficiency is associated with metabolic disturbances which ultimately lead to typical, partly extremely painful changes in the skeletal system the longer the disease persists. Regular X-ray control of certain skeletal segments allows early detection of renal oesteophaty if the radiological findings described in this article are carefully scrutinised and interpreted. (orig.) [de

  18. Effects of structured versus usual care on renal endpoint in type 2 diabetes: the SURE study: a randomized multicenter translational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Juliana C; So, Wing-Yee; Yeung, Chun-Yip; Ko, Gary T; Lau, Ip-Tim; Tsang, Man-Wo; Lau, Kam-Piu; Siu, Sing-Chung; Li, June K; Yeung, Vincent T; Leung, Wilson Y; Tong, Peter C

    2009-06-01

    Multifaceted care has been shown to reduce mortality and complications in type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that structured care would reduce renal complications in type 2 diabetes. A total of 205 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients from nine public hospitals who had plasma creatinine levels of 150-350 micromol/l were randomly assigned to receive structured care (n = 104) or usual care (n = 101) for 2 years. The structured care group was managed according to a prespecified protocol with the following treatment goals: blood pressure triglyceride 500 micromol/l or dialysis). Of these 205 patients (mean +/- SD age 65 +/- 7.2 years; disease duration 14 +/- 7.9 years), the structured care group achieved better control than the usual care group (diastolic blood pressure 68 +/- 12 vs. 71 +/- 12 mmHg, respectively, P = 0.02; A1C 7.3 +/- 1.3 vs. 8.0 +/- 1.6%, P structured care (23.1%, n = 24) and usual care (23.8%, n = 24; NS) groups had similar end points, but more patients in the structured care group attained >or=3 treatment goals (61%, n = 63, vs. 28%, n = 28; P or=3 treatment targets (n = 91) had reduced risk of the primary end point (14 vs. 34; relative risk 0.43 [95% CI 0.21-0.86] compared with that of those who attained renal end point and death in type 2 diabetes. In addition to protocol, audits and feedback are needed to improve outcomes.

  19. Inhibiting aerobic glycolysis suppresses renal interstitial fibroblast activation and renal fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Hao; Jiang, Lei; Xu, Jing; Bai, Feng; Zhou, Yang; Yuan, Qi; Luo, Jing; Zen, Ke; Yang, Junwei

    2017-09-01

    Chronic kidney diseases generally lead to renal fibrosis. Despite great progress having been made in identifying molecular mediators of fibrosis, the mechanism that governs renal fibrosis remains unclear, and so far no effective therapeutic antifibrosis strategy is available. Here we demonstrated that a switch of metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) in renal fibroblasts was the primary feature of fibroblast activation during renal fibrosis and that suppressing renal fibroblast aerobic glycolysis could significantly reduce renal fibrosis. Both gene and protein assay showed that the expression of glycolysis enzymes was upregulated in mouse kidneys with unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO) surgery or in transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-treated renal interstitial fibroblasts. Aerobic glycolysis flux, indicated by glucose uptake and lactate production, was increased in mouse kidney with UUO nephropathy or TGF-β1-treated renal interstitial fibroblasts and positively correlated with fibrosis process. In line with this, we found that increasing aerobic glycolysis can remarkably induce myofibroblast activation while aerobic glycolysis inhibitors shikonin and 2-deoxyglucose attenuate UUO-induced mouse renal fibrosis and TGF-β1-stimulated myofibroblast activation. Furthermore, mechanistic study indicated that shikonin inhibits renal aerobic glycolysis via reducing phosphorylation of pyruvate kinase type M2, a rate-limiting glycolytic enzyme associated with cell reliance on aerobic glycolysis. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the critical role of aerobic glycolysis in renal fibrosis and support treatment with aerobic glycolysis inhibitors as a potential antifibrotic strategy. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  20. Redesigning Care Delivery with Patient Support Personnel: Learning from Accountable Care Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorbenko, Ksenia O.; Fraze, Taressa; Lewis, Valerie A.

    2017-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are a value-based payment model in the United States rooted in holding groups of healthcare providers financially accountable for the quality and total cost of care of their attributed population. To succeed in reaching their quality and efficiency goals, ACOs implement a variety of care delivery changes, including workforce redesign. Patient support personnel (PSP)—non-physician staff such as care coordinators, community health workers, and others—are critical to restructuring care delivery. Little is known about how ACOs are redesigning their patient support personnel in terms of responsibilities, location, and evaluation. METHODS We conducted semi-structured one-hour interviews with 25 executives at 16 distinct ACOs. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes, using a qualitative coding and analysis process. RESULTS ACOs deployed PSP to perform four clusters of responsibilities: care provision, care coordination, logistical help with transportation, and social and emotional support. ACOs deployed these personnel strategically across settings (primary care, inpatient services, emergency department, home care and community) depending on their population needs. Most ACOs used personnel with the same level of training across settings. Few ACOs planned to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their PSP to optimize their value. DISCUSSION ACO strategies in workforce redesign indicate a shift from a physician-centered to a team-based approach. Employing personnel with varying levels of clinical training to perform different tasks can help further optimize care delivery. More robust evaluation of the deployment of PSP and their performance is needed to demonstrate cost-saving benefits of workforce redesign. PMID:28217305

  1. Renal artery pseudoaneurysm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Inácio Roman

    Full Text Available Abstract The renal artery pseudoaneurysm embody a rare vascular complication coming of percutaneous procedures, renal biopsy, nephrectomy, penetrating traumas and more rarely blunt traumas. The clinical can be vary according the patient, the haematuria is the symptom more commom. Is necessary a high level of clinical suspicion for your diagnosis, this can be elucidated by through complementary exams as the eco-color Doppler and the computed tomography scan (CT. This report is a case of a patient submitted a right percutaneous renal biopsy and that, after the procedure started with macroscopic haematuria, urinary tenesmus and hypogastric pain. The diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm was given after one week of evolution when the patient was hospitalized because gross haematuria, tachycardia, hypotension and hypochondrium pain. In the angiotomography revealed a focal dilation of the accessory right renal inferior polar artery, dilation of renal pelvis and all the ureteral course with presence hyperdenso material (clots inside the middle third of the ureter. The treatment for the majority of this cases are conservative, through arterial embolization, indicated for thouse of smaller dimensions in patients who are hemodynamically stable. However, it was decided by clinical treatment with aminocaproic acid 1 g, according to previous studies for therapy of haematuria. The patient received discharge without evidence of macroscopic haematuria and with normal renal ultrasound, following ambulatory care.

  2. Type of Referral, Dialysis Start and Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy Modality in an International Integrated Care Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marrón, Belén; Ostrowski, Janusz; Török, Marietta; Timofte, Delia; Orosz, Attila; Kosicki, Andrzej; Całka, Alicja; Moro, Daniela; Kosa, Dezider; Redl, Jenö; Qureshi, Abdul Rashid; Divino-Filho, Jose Carolino

    2016-01-01

    Integrated Care Settings (ICS) provide a holistic approach to the transition from chronic kidney disease into renal replacement therapy (RRT), offering at least both types of dialysis. To analyze which factors determine type of referral, modality provision and dialysis start on final RRT in ICS clinics. Retrospective analysis of 626 patients starting dialysis in 25 ICS clinics in Poland, Hungary and Romania during 2012. Scheduled initiation of dialysis with a permanent access was considered as planned RRT start. Modality information (80% of patients) and renal education (87%) were more frequent (pregression analysis, P start (p≤0.05) was associated with early referral, eGFR >8.2 ml/min, >2 months between information and RRT initiation and with vascular etiology after adjustment for age and gender. "Optimal care," defined as ICS follow-up >12 months plus modality information and P start, occurred in 23%. Despite the high rate of late referrals, information and education were widely provided. However, NP start was high and related to late referral and may explain the low frequency of PD.

  3. Challenges for IT-supported shared care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Granlien, Maren Fich; Simonsen, Jesper

    2007-01-01

    : (1) Poor integration with the general practitioners' existing IT systems; (2) low compatibility with general practitioners' work ethic; (3) and discrepancy between the number of diabetes patients and the related need for shared care. We conclude that development of IT-supported shared care must...... the same challenges that led to the same problem: The secondary care sector quickly adopted the system while the primary sector was far more sceptical towards using it. In both cases, we observe a discrepancy of needs satisfied, especially with regard to the primary care sector and its general...

  4. Care Partnerships: Toward Technology to Support Teens’ Participation in Their Health Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Matthew K.; Wilcox, Lauren; Machado, Daniel; Olson, Thomas A.; Simoneaux, Stephen F.

    2016-01-01

    Adolescents with complex chronic illnesses, such as cancer and blood disorders, must partner with family and clinical caregivers to navigate risky procedures with life-altering implications, burdensome symptoms and lifelong treatments. Yet, there has been little investigation into how technology can support these partnerships. We conducted 38 in-depth interviews (15 with teenage adolescents with chronic forms of cancer and blood disorders, 15 with their parents, and eight with clinical caregivers) along with nine non-participant observations of clinical consultations to better understand common challenges and needs that could be supported through design. Participants faced challenges primarily concerning: 1) teens’ limited participation in their care, 2) communicating emotionally-sensitive information, and 3) managing physical and emotional responses. We draw on these findings to propose design goals for sociotechnical systems to support teens in partnering in their care, highlighting the need for design to support gradually evolving partnerships in care. PMID:28164178

  5. Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmann, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    Over 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States, and more than 100,000 of them are waiting to be adopted. Yet many will age out of foster care into adulthood without an adoptive family. Teens and young adults aging out of foster care, even those with preparation and training for the transition, often do not fare well in young adulthood. Many face challenges in areas of education, employment, homelessness, finances, the criminal justice system, and meeting health and mental healthcare needs. Research demonstrates what only makes sense: teens with tangible support from meaningful adult relationships fare better than those without. This article describes an innovative program that connects teens in foster care with supportive adults through social events that can lead to meaningful long-term teen-adult connections - including friendships, mentoring, and even, in some cases, adoption. Pediatric nurses, aware of the challenges these teens face adjusting to adulthood, can begin to explore referral and support options for such teens in their own locales using the resources herein.

  6. Adherence to Antihypertensive Treatment and the Blood Pressure-Lowering Effects of Renal Denervation in the Renal Denervation for Hypertension (DENERHTN) Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azizi, Michel; Pereira, Helena; Hamdidouche, Idir; Gosse, Philippe; Monge, Matthieu; Bobrie, Guillaume; Delsart, Pascal; Mounier-Véhier, Claire; Courand, Pierre-Yves; Lantelme, Pierre; Denolle, Thierry; Dourmap-Collas, Caroline; Girerd, Xavier; Michel Halimi, Jean; Zannad, Faiez; Ormezzano, Olivier; Vaïsse, Bernard; Herpin, Daniel; Ribstein, Jean; Chamontin, Bernard; Mourad, Jean-Jacques; Ferrari, Emile; Plouin, Pierre-François; Jullien, Vincent; Sapoval, Marc; Chatellier, Gilles

    2016-09-20

    The DENERHTN trial (Renal Denervation for Hypertension) confirmed the blood pressure-lowering efficacy of renal denervation added to a standardized stepped-care antihypertensive treatment for resistant hypertension at 6 months. We report the influence of adherence to antihypertensive treatment on blood pressure control. One hundred six patients with hypertension resistant to 4 weeks of treatment with indapamide 1.5 mg/d, ramipril 10 mg/d (or irbesartan 300 mg/d), and amlodipine 10 mg/d were randomly assigned to renal denervation plus standardized stepped-care antihypertensive treatment, or the same antihypertensive treatment alone. For standardized stepped-care antihypertensive treatment, spironolactone 25 mg/d, bisoprolol 10 mg/d, prazosin 5 mg/d, and rilmenidine 1 mg/d were sequentially added at monthly visits if home blood pressure was ≥135/85 mm Hg after randomization. We assessed adherence to antihypertensive treatment at 6 months by drug screening in urine/plasma samples from 85 patients. The numbers of fully adherent (20/40 versus 21/45), partially nonadherent (13/40 versus 20/45), or completely nonadherent patients (7/40 versus 4/45) to antihypertensive treatment were not different in the renal denervation and the control groups, respectively (P=0.3605). The difference in the change in daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure from baseline to 6 months between the 2 groups was -6.7 mm Hg (P=0.0461) in fully adherent and -7.8 mm Hg (P=0.0996) in nonadherent (partially nonadherent plus completely nonadherent) patients. The between-patient variability of daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure was greater for nonadherent than for fully adherent patients. In the DENERHTN trial, the prevalence of nonadherence to antihypertensive drugs at 6 months was high (≈50%) but not different in the renal denervation and control groups. Regardless of adherence to treatment, renal denervation plus standardized stepped-care antihypertensive treatment resulted in

  7. Withdrawal from long-term hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Chun-Fu; Tsai, Hung-Bin; Hsu, Su-Hsuan; Chiang, Chih-Kang; Huang, Jenq-Wen; Huang, Sheng-Jean

    2013-10-01

    Withdrawal from dialysis is ethically appropriate for some patients with multiple comorbidities and a shortened life expectancy. Taiwan has the highest prevalence of dialysis patients in the world, and the National Health Insurance (NHI) program offers renal replacement therapy free of charge. In this review, we discuss its current status and many background issues related to withdrawing dialysis from patients with advanced renal failure in Taiwan. Compared with dialysis therapy, the medical resources for hospice care are relatively sparse. Since the announcement of the Statute for Palliative Care in 2000, there has been a gradual improvement in the laws and health polices supporting dialysis withdrawal. Culture and social customs also have a significant impact on the practice of hospice care. Based on current evidence and in accordance with the local environment, we propose recommendations for the clinical practice of dialysis withdrawal and hospice care. There remains a need to expand upon the community-based hospice care and home care systems to better serve patients. In conclusion, there are cross-cultural differences relating to dialysis withdrawal between Taiwan and Western countries. Our experience and clinical recommendations may be helpful for the countries with NHI systems or for the Eastern countries. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Patterns of severe acute renal failure in a referral center in Sudan: Excluding intensive care and major surgery patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaballo, Babikir G.; Khogali, Mohamed S.; Khalifa, Eman H.; Khalil, Eltahir A.G.; El-Hasaan, Ahmad M.; Abu-Aisha, H.

    2007-01-01

    Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common health problem worldwide. There is limited data on the pattern of ARF in Sudan. Moreover, glomerular diseases, which are a well known cause of ARF, have not been accurately and adequately diagnosed previously. A retrospective study on the patterns of ARF was carried out in a general nephrology referral center in Sudan during the period from February 2003 to February 2004.Patients from intensive care units with ARF and those who developed ARF after massive surgery were excluded from the study. Renal biopsy was performed when indicated and studied with light and immunofluorescent microscopy. Eighty-nine patients (57 (64%) cases were males and mean age was 39+-19.4 years) fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of advanced renal failure requiring renal function replacement therapy. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) was diagnosed in 50 (56%) patients; 33 (66%) ATN patients had renal failure as a complication of volume depletion, fulminant infections (particularly malaria and typhoid fever) or snakebites, and 12 (13.4%) patients ingested paraphenylene-diamine (PPD) (hair/Henna dye) in suicidal attempts. Eight (9%) patients of the total study group had glomerural diseases and 11 (12.3%) had obstructive uropathy associated with ARF; cause of ARF could not be determined in 17 (19%) patients. Fifty-three (60%) patients recovered their renal function, six (6.7%) patients progressed to chronic kidney disease (CKD), 16(18%) died and 14(16%) were lost to follow-up. In conclusion, patients with ARF associated with ATN had a favorable prognosis except when ATN was associated PPD poisoning. (author)

  9. Patterns of severe acute renal failure in a referral center in Sudan: Excluding intensive care and major surgery patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaballo, Babikir G; Khogali, Mohamed S [Nephrology Unit, Military Hospital, Omdurman (Sudan); Khalifa, Eman H [Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Univ. of Khartoum (Sudan); Khalil, Eltahir A.G.; El-Hasaan, Ahmad M [Institute of Endemic Diseases, Univ. of Khartoum (Sudan); Abu-Aisha, H [The National Ribat Univ., Khartoum (Sudan)

    2007-07-01

    Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common health problem worldwide. There is limited data on the pattern of ARF in Sudan. Moreover, glomerular diseases, which are a well known cause of ARF, have not been accurately and adequately diagnosed previously. A retrospective study on the patterns of ARF was carried out in a general nephrology referral center in Sudan during the period from February 2003 to February 2004.Patients from intensive care units with ARF and those who developed ARF after massive surgery were excluded from the study. Renal biopsy was performed when indicated and studied with light and immunofluorescent microscopy. Eighty-nine patients (57 (64%) cases were males and mean age was 39+-19.4 years) fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of advanced renal failure requiring renal function replacement therapy. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) was diagnosed in 50 (56%) patients; 33 (66%) ATN patients had renal failure as a complication of volume depletion, fulminant infections (particularly malaria and typhoid fever) or snakebites, and 12 (13.4%) patients ingested paraphenylene-diamine (PPD) (hair/Henna dye) in suicidal attempts. Eight (9%) patients of the total study group had glomerural diseases and 11 (12.3%) had obstructive uropathy associated with ARF; cause of ARF could not be determined in 17 (19%) patients. Fifty-three (60%) patients recovered their renal function, six (6.7%) patients progressed to chronic kidney disease (CKD), 16(18%) died and 14(16%) were lost to follow-up. In conclusion, patients with ARF associated with ATN had a favorable prognosis except when ATN was associated PPD poisoning. (author)

  10. [Critical care nurse learning of continuous renal replacement therapy: the efficacy of a self-learning manual].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yi-Chen; Hsu, Li-Ling

    2011-02-01

    Many nurses have difficulty learning to use the complex, non-traditional, and regularly-updated critical care equipment. Failure to use such equipment properly can seriously compromise treatment and endanger patient health and lives. New self-learning materials for novice nurses are necessary to provide essential and effective guidance as a part of formal nursing training. Such materials can enhance the capabilities of critical care nurses and, thus, improve the general quality of critical care. The purpose of this research was to develop a continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)-themed self-learning manual that would provide easily absorbed and understood knowledge in an easy-to-carry format for ICU nursing staff. This study also investigated CCRT skill learning efficacy. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design with pretests and posttests. Purposive sampling generated a sample of 66 critical care nurses currently working at one hospital in Taipei City. Participants submitted a completed self-assessment survey that rated their command of continuous renal replacement therapy before and after the self-learning manual intervention. Survey data were analyzed using SPSS Version 17.0 for Windows. The two major findings derived from the study included: (1) The mean response score from the self-assessment survey filled out after the intervention was 91.06 and 79.75 (SD = 9.49 and 11.65), respectively, for experimental and control groups. Such demonstrated significant difference. (2) The mean posttest score after the intervention for the experimental group was 91.06 ± 9.49. This represents a significant increase of 10.35 ± 10.35 over their mean pretest score (80.71 ± 11.82). The experimental group showed other significant differences in terms of the CRRT self-assessment survey posttest. Self-learning manuals may be introduced in nursing education as useful aids and catalysts to achieve more effective and satisfying learning experiences.

  11. Supportive Housing in Foster Care: The Views of Young People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinkkonen, Hanna-Maija; Kyttälä, Minna

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated Finnish young people's experiences of supportive housing. Supportive housing is an after-care programme that should support the transition from foster care to independent adulthood. It is directed mainly at young people who have been taken into foster care by social workers. The sample consisted of 39 young people (23…

  12. Thoracoscopic repair of renal ectopia associated with congenital ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    R.S. Kamble

    2015-12-04

    Dec 4, 2015 ... During plication of the diaphragm, care must be taken to avoid renal injury. Following, we present two rare variants of CDH with concomitant renal ectopia managed thoracoscopically. Post- operative recovery was uneventful. Doppler ultrasound study performed one month after surgery confirmed.

  13. Liraglutide and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mann, Johannes F E; Ørsted, David D; Brown-Frandsen, Kirstine

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: In a randomized, controlled trial that compared liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue, with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk who were receiving usual care, we found that liraglutide resulted in lower risks of the primary end point (nonfatal...... patients were assigned to receive liraglutide or placebo. The secondary renal outcome was a composite of new-onset persistent macroalbuminuria, persistent doubling of the serum creatinine level, end-stage renal disease, or death due to renal disease. The risk of renal outcomes was determined with the use...

  14. Effect of Shenkang injection combined with hemodialysis treatment on renal function, renal anemia and cytokine levels in patients with chronic renal failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui Liu

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of Shenkang injection combined with hemodialysis treatment on renal function, renal anemia and cytokine levels in patients with chronic renal failure. Methods: A total of 68 patients with chronic renal failure who received hemodialysis treatment in our hospital during between October 2013 and February 2016 were selected and randomly divided into two groups, the observation group received Shenkang injection treatment in the process of dialysis, and the control group only received conventional symptomatic and supportive treatment. 8 weeks after treatment, serum was collected to determine the levels of renal function indexes, nutritional status indexes, anemia indexes and cytokines, and urine was collected to determine renal function indexes. Results: β2-MG, UA, Cr, phosphorus, IL-17, IL-23, CTGF, TGF-β1, FGF-2 and FGF-23 levels in serum as well as NGAL, KIM-1 and RBP levels in urine of observation group were significantly lower than those of control group, and TP, Alb, PA, calcium, Hb, EPO, Fe, TRF and FER levels in serum were significantly higher than those of control group. Conclusion: Shenkang injection combined with hemodialysis treatment helps to improve renal function, nutritional status and renal anemia, and reduce the synthesis of inflammation and renal interstitial fibrosis-related cytokines in patients with chronic renal failure.

  15. Supportive care organisation in France: an in depth study by the French speaking association for supportive care in cancer (AFSOS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scotté, F; Hervé, C; Oudard, S; Bugat, M E; Bugat, R; Farsi, F; Namer, M; Tourani, J M; Tournigand, C; Yazbek, G; Richard, S; Krakowski, I

    2013-03-01

    Supportive care in cancer (SCC) was further enhanced in the Second National Cancer Act decreed in December 2009. The aim of our study was to assess current SCC efficacy. The French speaking association for supportive care in cancer (AFSOS) conducted an observational study to evaluate practices, organisations and information given to patients. A specific 32 point questionnaire was sent to 1621 French physicians (MDs) caring for cancer patients. Three different organisations were evaluated: the individual MDs, the transversal team and its particular structure specialised in global patient care specifically developed at comprehensive cancer centres - CCC. During their disease, 68% of patients received SCC, which was more available during the palliative period (90%) than at the diagnosis (44%). Our results found that 71% of cancer departments had a specific interdisciplinary cross-team to provide SCC, particularly in CCC (62%; p=0.01) while 37% had specific inpatient units. A specific organisation dedicated to home care was greater in CCC than in public or private centres (69%, 45%, 20% respectively; p=0.01). Adverse event information was performed more by an oncologist than other specialists (p=0.01). Our results suggest that the specific SCC organisation could be a useful management tool to improve supportive care for cancer patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Quality indicators of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) care in critically ill patients: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rewa, Oleksa G; Villeneuve, Pierre-Marc; Lachance, Philippe; Eurich, Dean T; Stelfox, Henry T; Gibney, R T Noel; Hartling, Lisa; Featherstone, Robin; Bagshaw, Sean M

    2017-06-01

    Renal replacement therapy is increasingly utilized in the intensive care unit (ICU), of which continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is most common. Despite CRRT being a relatively invasive and resource intensive technology, there remains wide practice variation in its application. This systematic review appraised the evidence for quality indicators (QIs) of CRRT care in critically ill patients. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and performed in five citation databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PubMed) and select grey literature sources. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted data using standardized forms. Each retrieved citation was appraised for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Cochrane risk of bias tool. Data were summarized narratively. Our search yielded 8374 citations, of which 133 fulfilled eligibility. This included 97 cohort studies, 24 randomized controlled trials, 10 case-control studies, and 2 retrospective medical audits. The quality of retrieved studies was generally good. In total, 18 QIs were identified that were mentioned in 238 instances. Identified QIs were classified as related to structure (n = 4, 22.2 %), care processes (n = 9, 50.0 %), and outcomes (n = 5, 27.8 %). The most commonly mentioned QIs focused on filter lifespan (n = 98), small solute clearance (n = 46), bleeding (n = 30), delivered dose (n = 19), and treatment interruption (n = 5). Across studies, the definitions used for QIs evaluating similar constructs varied considerably. When identified, QIs were most commonly described as important (n = 144, 48.3 %), scientifically acceptable (n = 32, 10.7 %), and useable and/or feasible (n = 17, 5.7 %) by their primary study authors. We identified numerous potential QIs of CRRT care, characterized by heterogeneous definitions, varying quality of derivation, and limited evaluation. Further study is needed to prioritize a concise

  17. Hypogonadism and renal failure: An update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thirumavalavan, Nannan; Wilken, Nathan A; Ramasamy, Ranjith

    2015-01-01

    The prevalence of both hypogonadism and renal failure is increasing. Hypogonadism in men with renal failure carries with it significant morbidity, including anemia and premature cardiovascular disease. It remains unclear whether testosterone therapy can affect the morbidity and mortality associated with renal failure. As such, in this review, we sought to evaluate the current literature addressing hypogonadism and testosterone replacement, specifically in men with renal failure. The articles chosen for this review were selected by performing a broad search using Pubmed, Embase and Scopus including the terms hypogonadism and renal failure from 1990 to the present. This review is based on both primary sources as well as review articles. Hypogonadism in renal failure has a multifactorial etiology, including co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, old age and obesity. Renal failure can lead to decreased luteinizing hormone production and decreased prolactin clearance that could impair testosterone production. Given the increasing prevalence of hypogonadism and the potential morbidity associated with hypogonadism in men with renal failure, careful evaluation of serum testosterone would be valuable. Testosterone replacement therapy should be considered in men with symptomatic hypogonadism and renal failure, and may ameliorate some of the morbidity associated with renal failure. Patients with all stages of renal disease are at an increased risk of hypogonadism that could be associated with significant morbidity. Testosterone replacement therapy may reduce some of the morbidity of renal failure, although it carries risk.

  18. VHA Support Service Center Primary Care Management Module (PCMM)

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Veterans Affairs — The Primary Care Management Module (PCMM) was developed to assist VA facilities in implementing Primary Care. PCMM supports both Primary Care and non-Primary Care...

  19. Telemedicine and Palliative Care: an Increasing Role in Supportive Oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worster, Brooke; Swartz, Kristine

    2017-06-01

    With the emergence of telemedicine as a routine form of care in various venues, the opportunities to use technology to care for the most vulnerable, most ill cancer patients are extremely appealing. Increasingly, evidence supports early integration of palliative care with standard oncologic care, supported by recent NCCN guidelines to increase and improve access to palliative care. This review looks at the use of telemedicine to expand access to palliative care as well as provide better care for patients and families where travel is difficult, if not impossible. When telemedicine has been used, often in Europe, for palliative care, the results show improvements in symptom management, comfort with care as well as patient and family satisfaction. One barrier to use of telemedicine is the concerns with technology and technology-related complications in population that is often elderly, frail and not always comfortable with non-face-to-face physician care. There remain significant opportunities to explore this intersection of supportive care and telemedicine.

  20. Perspectives on clinical use of bioimpedance in hemodialysis: focus group interviews with renal care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stenberg, Jenny; Henriksson, Catrin; Lindberg, Magnus; Furuland, Hans

    2018-05-23

    Inadequate volume control may be a main contributor to poor survival and high mortality in hemodialysis patients. Bioimpedance measurement has the potential to improve fluid management, but several dialysis centers lack an agreed fluid management policy, and the method has not yet been implemented. Our aim was to identify renal care professionals' perceived barriers and facilitators for use of bioimpedance in clinical practice. Qualitative data were collected through four focus group interviews with 24 renal care professionals: dieticians, nephrologists and nurses, recruited voluntarily from a nation-wide selection of hemodialysis centers, having access to a bioimpedance-device. The participants were connected to each other and a moderator via equipment for telemedicine and the sessions were recorded. The interviews were semi-structured, focusing on the participants' perceptions of use of bioimpedance in clinical practice. Thematic content analysis was performed in consecutive steps, and data were extracted by employing an inductive, interactive, comparative process. Several barriers and facilitators to the use of bioimpedance in clinical practice were identified, and a multilevel approach to examining barriers and incentives for change was found to be applicable to the ideas and categories that arose from the data. The determinants were categorized on five levels, and the different themes of the levels illustrated with quotations from the focus groups participants. Determinants for use of bioimpedance were identified on five levels: 1) the innovation itself, 2) the individual professional, 3) the patient, 4) the social context and 5) the organizational context. Barriers were identified in the areas of credibility, awareness, knowledge, self-efficacy, care processes, organizational structures and regulations. Facilitators were identified in the areas of the innovation's attractiveness, advantages in practice, and collaboration. Motivation, team processes and

  1. Parenteral nutrition in patients with renal failure – Guidelines on Parenteral Nutrition, Chapter 17

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Druml, W.

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Partial EN (enteral nutrition should always be aimed for in patients with renal failure that require nutritional support. Nevertheless PN (parenteral nutrition may be necessary in renal failure in patient groups with acute or chronic renal failure (ARF or CRF and additional acute diseases but without extracorporeal renal replacement therapy, or in patients with ARF or CRF with additional acute diseases on extracorporeal renal replacement therapy, haemodialysis therapy (HD, peritoneal dialysis (PD or continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT, or in patients on HD therapy with intradialytic PN. Patients with renal failure who show marked metabolic derangements and changes in nutritional requirements require the use of specifically adapted nutrient solutions. The substrate requirements of acutely ill, non-hypercatabolic patients with CRF correspond to those of patients with ARF who are not receiving any renal replacement patients therapy (utilisation of the administered nutrients has to be monitored carefully. In ARF patients and acutely ill CRF patients on renal replacement therapy, substrate requirements depend on disease severity, type and extent/frequency of extracorporeal renal replacement therapy, nutritional status, underlying disease and complications occurring during the course of the disease. Patients under HD have a higher risk of developing malnutrition. Intradialytic PN (IDPN should be used if causes of malnutrition cannot be eliminated and other interventions fail. IDPN should only be carried out when modifiable causes of malnutrition are excluded and enhanced oral (like i.e. additional energy drinks or enteral supply is unsuccessful or cannot be carried out.

  2. Eligibility for renal denervation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Persu, Alexandre; Jin, Yu; Baelen, Marie

    2014-01-01

    -resistant hypertension (ENCOReD). The analysis included 731 patients. Age averaged 61.6 years, office blood pressure at screening was 177/96 mm Hg, and the number of blood pressure-lowering drugs taken was 4.1. Specialists referred 75.6% of patients. The proportion of patients eligible for renal denervation according...... undetected secondary causes of hypertension (11.1%). In conclusion, after careful screening and treatment adjustment at hypertension expert centers, only ≈40% of patients referred for renal denervation, mostly by specialists, were eligible for the procedure. The most frequent cause of ineligibility...... (approximately half of cases) was blood pressure normalization after treatment adjustment by a hypertension specialist. Our findings highlight that hypertension centers with a record in clinical experience and research should remain the gatekeepers before renal denervation is considered....

  3. Renal replacement therapy in sepsis-induced acute renal failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajapakse Senaka

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute renal failure (ARF is a common complication of sepsis and carries a high mortality. Renal replacement therapy (RRT during the acute stage is the mainstay of therapy. Va-rious modalities of RRT are available. Continuous RRT using convective methods are preferred in sepsis-induced ARF, especially in hemodynamically unstable patients, although clear evidence of benefit over intermittent hemodialysis is still not available. Peritoneal dialysis is clearly inferior, and is not recommended. Early initiation of RRT is probably advantageous, although the optimal timing of dialysis is yet unknown. Higher doses of RRT are more likely to be beneficial. Use of bio-compatible membranes and bicarbonate buffer in the dialysate are preferred. Anticoagulation during dialysis must be carefully adjusted and monitored.

  4. Social support, flexible resources, and health care navigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gage-Bouchard, Elizabeth A

    2017-10-01

    Recent research has focused attention on the role of patients' and clinicians' cultural skills and values in generating inequalities in health care experiences. Yet, examination of how social structural factors shape people's abilities to build, refine, and leverage strategies for navigating the health care system have received less attention. In this paper I place focus on one such social structural factor, social support, and examine how social support operates as a flexible resource that helps people navigate the health care system. Using the case of families navigating pediatric cancer care this study combines in-depth interviews with parents of pediatric cancer patients (N = 80), direct observation of clinical interactions between families and physicians (N = 73), and in-depth interviews with pediatric oncologists (N = 8). Findings show that physicians assess parental visibility in the hospital, medical vigilance, and adherence to their child's treatment and use these judgments to shape clinical decision-making. Parents who had help from their personal networks had more agility in balancing competing demands, and this allowed parents to more effectively meet institutional expectations for appropriate parental involvement in the child's health care. In this way, social support served as a flexible resource for some families that allowed parents to more quickly adapt to the demands of caring for a child with cancer, foster productive interpersonal relationships with health care providers, and play a more active role in their child's health care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Anatomic variations of the renal vessels: focus on the precaval right renal artery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouali, Ourdia; Labarre, David; Molinier, François; Lopez, Raphaël; Benouaich, Vincent; Lauwers, Frédéric; Moscovici, Jacques

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of precaval right renal artery and to investigate the distribution of renal arteries and veins. We discuss a theory of development of renal vascular variants. We retrospectively reviewed 120 arterial phase contrast material-enhanced spiral computerized tomography scans of the abdomen (1- to 2-mm section thickness) performed during a two-month period. Forty percent of the study group (48 patients) had one artery and one vein on each side, with typical course. There was a 9.17% prevalence of precaval right renal artery: 10 patients had a lower pole accessory artery in precaval position and one patient had the main and the accessory arteries that pass anterior to the inferior vena cava. In these cases, associated variations of renal vessels were higher than in the patients without precaval artery variant. There were multiple arteries in 28.3% of the right kidneys and in 26.7% of the left ones. Variants of the right renal vein consisted in multiple veins in 20% (24 cases). We detected no case of multiple left renal veins, but we described variations of its course (circum- or retroaortic vein) in 9.17% (11 cases). Twenty-six patients (21.7%) had associated variations of the renal pedicle. The current technical support allows for a minimally invasive study of vessels anatomy. In our study the prevalence of a precaval right renal artery appears to be higher than previously reported (9.17%). Knowledge on anatomical variations of right renal artery and associated renal vessels variations has major clinical implications.

  6. Renal and post-renal causes of acute renal failure in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jamal, A.; Ramzan, A.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To identify the causes of acute renal failure (ARF) in pediatric population along with the identification of the age and gender most affected by the failure. Subjects and Methods: The study included children under the age of 12 years who presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of ARF (oliguria/anuria, vomiting, acidotic breathing etc.) along with raised blood urea nitrogen (BUN) serum creatinine and metabolic acidosis as shown by arterial blood gases (ABGs). Patients were divided into two group on the basis of age; group A consisting of 0-2 years and group B from >2 years. Patients presenting with transient pre-renal azotaemia were excluded from the study. After providing initial emergency cover, detailed history, physical examination and investigations were carried out according to a proforma specially designed to ascertain the cause of ARF. Patients were managed for ARF as per standard recommendations and investigations completed or repeated as and when required. Results: A total of 119 patients with ARF were admitted in the ward over a period of two years constituting 1.36% of the total admissions and 16.39% of the admissions due to renal pathology. Mean age of presentation was 4.5 years 16.7% of the patients under the age of 5 years. Male predominance was noted in all ages with an overall male to female ratio of 2.3:1. Most common cause leading to ARF in younger age group was found to be hemolytic uremic syndrome [25(54.34%)] followed by septicemia [7(15.21 %)]. In older patients renal calculus disease was the most common [22(30.13%)] underlying pathology followed by pre-existing, undiagnosed chronic renal failure [16(21.91 %)]. Conclusion: ARF is fairly cotton in children especially under the age of 5 years showing a male predominance. More than 90% of the cases can be prevented by improving primary health care and by early and prompt treatment of infections. (author)

  7. Nature-based supportive care opportunities: a conceptual framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaschke, Sarah; O'Callaghan, Clare C; Schofield, Penelope

    2018-03-22

    Given preliminary evidence for positive health outcomes related to contact with nature for cancer populations, research is warranted to ascertain possible strategies for incorporating nature-based care opportunities into oncology contexts as additional strategies for addressing multidimensional aspects of cancer patients' health and recovery needs. The objective of this study was to consolidate existing research related to nature-based supportive care opportunities and generate a conceptual framework for discerning relevant applications in the supportive care setting. Drawing on research investigating nature-based engagement in oncology contexts, a two-step analytic process was used to construct a conceptual framework for guiding nature-based supportive care design and future research. Concept analysis methodology generated new representations of understanding by extracting and synthesising salient concepts. Newly formulated concepts were transposed to findings from related research about patient-reported and healthcare expert-developed recommendations for nature-based supportive care in oncology. Five theoretical concepts (themes) were formulated describing patients' reasons for engaging with nature and the underlying needs these interactions address. These included: connecting with what is genuinely valued, distancing from the cancer experience, meaning-making and reframing the cancer experience, finding comfort and safety, and vital nurturance. Eight shared patient and expert recommendations were compiled, which address the identified needs through nature-based initiatives. Eleven additional patient-reported recommendations attend to beneficial and adverse experiential qualities of patients' nature-based engagement and complete the framework. The framework outlines salient findings about helpful nature-based supportive care opportunities for ready access by healthcare practitioners, designers, researchers and patients themselves. © Article author(s) (or their

  8. Ultrasound scan in the diagnosis of neonatal renal candidiasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muro, D.; Sanguesa, C.; Torres, D.; Berbel, O.; Andres, V.

    2003-01-01

    To describe the most pertinent echographic findings regarding systemic and renal candidiasis in high-risk neonates. Echographic findings and clinical histories of 40 neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-eight presented systemic candidiasis with renal participation, while two showed only renal candidiasis. Ultrasound scans were performed using 7.5 MHz probes. Alterations in renal echo structure, presence of echogenic material without acoustic shadowing in the excretory system (mycetoma), presence of lithiasis, pyonephrosis and associated renal malformations were all evaluated. Ten patients presented renal alterations in ultrasound scan. Six children had originally shown increased eye-catching in the renal parenchyma which was resolved after medical treatment. Four children presented renal mycetoma, and in two there were renal malformations. Both of these exhibited a profile for pyonephrosis. One patient with renal mycetoma without urological abnormalities developed a lithiasis. Surgical intervention was unnecessary in all cases. The most common echographic findings in immature high-risk low-weight patients with systemic and renal candidiasis were alterations in the eye-catching of renal parenchyma and the presence of mycetoma. (Author) 22 refs

  9. Pre-End-Stage Renal Disease Care and Early Survival among Incident Dialysis Patients in the US Military Health System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nee, Robert; Fisher, Evan; Yuan, Christina M; Agodoa, Lawrence Y; Abbott, Kevin C

    2017-01-01

    Previous reports showed an increased early mortality after chronic dialysis initiation among the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population. We hypothesized that ESRD patients in the Military Health System (MHS) would have greater access to pre-ESRD care and hence better survival rates during this early high-risk period. In this retrospective cohort study, using the US Renal Data System database, we identified 1,256,640 patients initiated on chronic dialysis from January 2, 2004 through December 31, 2014, from which a bootstrap sample of 3,984 non-MHS incident dialysis patients were compared with 996 MHS patients. We assessed care by a nephrologist and dietitian, erythropoietin administration, and vascular access use at dialysis initiation as well as all-cause mortality as outcome variables. MHS patients were significantly more likely to have had pre-ESRD nephrology care (adjusted OR [aOR] 2.9; 95% CI 2.3-3.7) and arteriovenous fistula used at dialysis initiation (aOR 2.2; 95% CI 1.7-2.7). Crude mortality rates peaked between the 4th and the 8th week for both cohorts but were reduced among MHS patients. The baseline adjusted Cox model showed significantly lower death rates among MHS vs. non-MHS patients at 6, 9, and 12 months. This survival advantage among MHS patients was attenuated after further adjustment for pre-ESRD nephrology care and dialysis vascular access. MHS patients had improved survival within the first 12 months compared to the general ESRD population, which may be explained in part by differences in pre-ESRD nephrology care and vascular access types. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Supportive care for children with acute leukemia - Report of a survey on supportive care by the Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group. Part I

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postma, A; Van Leeuwen, EF; Gerritsen, EJA; Roord, JJ; De vries-Hospers, HG

    1998-01-01

    The Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group celebrated its 20th anniversary by conducting a nationwide survey on supportive care for children with leukemia. Pediatricians were asked about daily practice and current perceptions with regard to supportive care. The results are discussed and compared to

  11. Case report: Thoracoscopic repair of renal ectopia associated with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    During plication of the diaphragm, care must be taken to avoid renal injury. Following, we present two rare variants of CDH with concomitant renal ectopia managed thoracoscopically. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Doppler ultrasound study performed one month after surgery confirmed normal vascularity of the ...

  12. [Renal colic in pregnancy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negru, Irina; Pricop, C; Costăchescu, Gh

    2010-01-01

    Renal colic in pregnant women is a serious condition, mainly when is associated with fever. Our retro-prospective study analyzes 111 cases managed conservatively or with endourological procedures for renal colic--insertion of JJ stents and percutaneous nephrostomy. Clinical evolution determined the insertion of JJ stents in 60 cases and the failure of this procedure imposed percutaneous nephrostomy in 5 cases. In 56 cases urinary tract infection was associated and in 2 cases, despite all efforts, the patients deceased due to sever sepsis. The immediate drainage of the upper urinary tract for renal colic in pregnancy is the recommended treatment, especially when the pain is associated with fever. JJ stens were well tolerated, even when they were replaced after 3 months. Pregnant women with a history of UTI or stone disease should be carefully followed-up.

  13. Toward a Broader Role for Occupational Therapy in Supportive Oncology Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duker, Leah I. Stein

    2016-01-01

    Supportive care in oncology helps people cope with cancer and its psychological, physical, and emotional side effects. However, cancer survivors report dissatisfaction with supportive care and a need for more psychosocial and self-management services. Occupational therapy practitioners represent an integral part of the supportive care team because their scope of practice emphasizes function. Through a focus on function, practitioners address the full spectrum of physical and psychosocial care. Currently, conceptualizations of occupational therapy for cancer survivors often focus solely on physical interventions and, therefore, do not represent the unique involvement of the profession in supportive oncology care. We advocate for a focused framework for occupational therapy practitioners in oncology as experts in function and providers of both physical and psychosocial treatments. Barriers to a focus on function are identified, and strategies are suggested for expanding involvement for the profession in supportive oncology care. PMID:27295001

  14. IgG4 related renal disease: A wolf in sheep′s clothing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Rohan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available IgG4 related disease is a fibro-inflammatory condition with involvement of renal and extra renal organs, characterized by lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with organ dysfunction. We describe three cases of IgG4 related renal disease from a tertiary care hospital in south India.

  15. Haemodialysis for post-traumatic acute renal failure – factors ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Post-traumatic acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy in an intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with high mortality. Objective. To assess indicators of improved survival. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of 64 consecutive trauma patients (penetrating and blunt trauma and burns) ...

  16. Accessory renal arteries: Prevalence in resistant hypertension and an important role in nonresponse to radiofrequency renal denervation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VonAchen, Paige; Hamann, Jason; Houghland, Thomas; Lesser, John R; Wang, Yale; Caye, David; Rosenthal, Kristi; Garberich, Ross F; Daniels, Mary; Schwartz, Robert S

    The aim of this study was to understand the role of accessory renal arteries in resistant hypertension, and to establish their role in nonresponse to radiofrequency renal denervation (RDN) procedures. Prior studies suggest a role for accessory renal arteries in hypertensive syndromes, and recent clinical trials of renal denervation report that these anomalies are highly prevalent in resistant hypertension. This study evaluated the relationships among resistant hypertension, accessory renal arteries, and the response to radiofrequency (RF) renal denervation. Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 58 patients with resistant hypertension undergoing RF renal denervation (RDN) were evaluated. Results were compared with CT scans in 57 healthy, normotensive subjects undergoing screening as possible renal transplant donors. All scans were carefully studied for accessory renal arteries, and were correlated with long term blood pressure reduction. Accessory renal arteries were markedly more prevalent in the hypertensive patients than normotensive renal donors (59% vs 32% respectively, p=0.004). RDN had an overall nonresponse rate of 29% (response rate 71%). Patients without accessory vessels had a borderline higher response rate to RDN than those with at least one accessory vessel (83% vs 62% respectively, p=0.076) and a higher RDN response than patients with untreated accessory arteries (83% vs 55%; p=0.040). For accessory renal arteries and nonresponse, the sensitivity was 76%, specificity 49%, with positive and negative predictive values 38% and 83% respectively. Accessory renal arteries were markedly over-represented in resistant hypertensives compared with healthy controls. While not all patients with accessory arteries were nonresponders, nonresponse was related to both the presence and non-treatment of accessory arteries. Addressing accessory renal arteries in future clinical trials may improve RDN therapeutic efficacy

  17. Toward a Broader Role for Occupational Therapy in Supportive Oncology Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleight, Alix G; Duker, Leah I Stein

    2016-01-01

    Supportive care in oncology helps people cope with cancer and its psychological, physical, and emotional side effects. However, cancer survivors report dissatisfaction with supportive care and a need for more psychosocial and self-management services. Occupational therapy practitioners represent an integral part of the supportive care team because their scope of practice emphasizes function. Through a focus on function, practitioners address the full spectrum of physical and psychosocial care. Currently, conceptualizations of occupational therapy for cancer survivors often focus solely on physical interventions and, therefore, do not represent the unique involvement of the profession in supportive oncology care. We advocate for a focused framework for occupational therapy practitioners in oncology as experts in function and providers of both physical and psychosocial treatments. Barriers to a focus on function are identified, and strategies are suggested for expanding involvement for the profession in supportive oncology care. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  18. Acute renal failure in acute poisoning: prospective study from a tertiary care centre of South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweni, Shah; Meenakshisundaram, Ramachandran; Sakthirajan, R; Rajendiran, Chinnasamy; Thirumalaikolundusubramanian, Ponniah

    2012-03-01

    Cases of people presenting with poisoning are likely to develop acute renal failure (ARF), which may be due to multiple mechanisms/aetiologies. These cases need careful observation and appropriate treatment. To find the risk of ARF among acute poisoning cases, identify the underlying causes and to analyse the outcome. In this prospective study with nested case control, 1,250 cases admitted to the Poison Control, Training and Research Centre of Government General Hospital, Madras Medical College were monitored and evaluated for development of ARF. Patients with history of diabetes/hypertension, known chronic kidney disease, chronic NSAID therapy, those on drugs that increase serum creatinine by inhibiting creatinine secretion and other co-morbid illnesses were excluded. Data were interpreted after subjecting them to bivariate logistic regression and then step wise multivariate analysis. Thirty-two cases developed ARF. Twenty-four were due to snake bite, the rest due to chemical poisons. Chances of developing ARF were greater (6.15%) among the poisoning due to bites and stings than chemical poisoning (0.9%). Five in the former and seven in the latter expired. Among cases bitten by snakes, only 22 (7%) cases bitten by Russell Viper Daboia russelii developed renal failure. Copper sulphate and rat killer poisonings were the commonest causes of chemical induced ARF, dichromate, indigenous medicines and vasmol 33 (paraphenelyne diamine) were the least causes for ARF. None of the patients with organophosphate developed ARF nor did any of the 150 admitted for overdose of medicines developed ARF. The risk of ARF among the cases of poisoning was 2.5%. The outcome of ARF among bites and stings was better than chemical poisoning, and the difference was highly significant (p= 0.005, OR = 0.04-1.0, 95% CI = 0.004-0.38). Early recognition and appropriate measures reduce the occurrence of ARF. © 2011 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care

  19. Supporting a caring fatherhood in cyberspace - an analysis of communication about caring within an online forum for fathers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eriksson, Henrik; Salzmann-Erikson, Martin

    2013-03-01

    Today's parents seek out social support on the Internet. A key motivation behind the choice to go online is the need for more experience based information. In recent years, new fathers have increasingly taken on an active parental role. Men's support for their caring activities for infants on the Internet needs attention. The aim was to describe communication about caring activities for infants among men who visited an Internet-based forum for fathers and elaborate on the dimensions of support available in the forum. An archival and cross-sectional observational forum study was undertaken using principles for conducting ethnographic research online: "nethnography". A total of 1203 pages of data from an Internet forum for fathers were gathered and analysed. Support for a caring fatherhood in cyberspace can be understood as fathers' communicating encouragement, confirmation and advice. The findings show that important ways of providing support through the forum included a reciprocal sharing of concerns - how to be a better father - in relation to caring for an infant. Concerns for their child's well-being and shared feelings of joy and distress in everyday life were recurrent supportive themes in the communication. Information gained from contacting others in similar situations is one important reason for the fathers' use of the Internet. Support offered in this kind of forum can be considered as a complement to formal support. Professionals can use it to provide choices for fathers who are developing themselves as caregivers without downplaying the parental support offered by formal health care regimes. FURTHER RESEARCH: Online support will probably be one of the main supporting strategies for fathers in Scandinavia. Caring and nursing researchers need to closely monitor support activities that develop, and over time, as these ill likely become an important source of support for people. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic

  20. FAMILY BEHAVIOR IN MAINTENANCE STATUS HB CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE PATIENTS THROUGH FAMILY CENTERED CARE APPROACH OF DIET FE MANAGEMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anggia Fajar Hardianti

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Erythropoietic agent as standard practice for anemia treatment, which has a function to increase the value of hemoglobin (Hb to 12 g/dl in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF, who receiving dialysis treatment. The use of erythropoietin has to keep of the iron/Fe amount in the body. Family who have a duty of care should have knowledge, attitude, and behavior to maintain patient’s Hb by giving support to the patient to obey the Fe diet. The aimed of this study was to investigate the effect of family centered care approach in management Fe diet toward family’s behaviour in maintenance Hb level of CRF patients in hemodialysis ward, Gambiran Hospital, Kediri. Method: This study was used a pre experimental design. Total sample were 10 respondents, who met to inclusion criteria. The independent variables were knowledge, attitude, and psychomotor of family in maintenance of Hb level in CRF’s patients. The dependent variable was Fe diet management with family centered care approach. Data was collected by using a structured questionnaire and home visit observation. Result: Data was analyzed by using Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test with significance level α≤0.05. Results showed that Fe diet management with family centered care approach took effect to family’s knowledge (p=0.011, family’s attitude (p=0.005 and family’s psychomotor (p=0.005 in maintenance Hb level of CRF patients. Discussion: Family’s knowledge, attitude, and psychomotor were effected by experiences during the care of a patient, not affordable to access information and patient’s own decision. The strengths and weaknesses in the family to got a better plan of care can be made by discuss and sharing among researcher, patient and his family. It can be concluded that Fe diet management with family centered care approach took effect to family’s behaviour. Further studies should involve larger respondents and better measurement tools to obtain more accurate results.

  1. Patients' and parents' views regarding supportive care in childhood cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenniglo, L J A; Loeffen, E A H; Kremer, L C M; Font-Gonzalez, A; Mulder, R L; Postma, A; Naafs-Wilstra, M C; Grootenhuis, M A; van de Wetering, M D; Tissing, W J E

    2017-10-01

    Intensive therapies in pediatric malignancies increased survival rates but also occurrence of treatment-related morbidities. Therefore, supportive care fulfills an increasingly important role. In planning development of guidelines with incorporation of shared decision making, we noticed that little is known about the needs and preferences of patients and their parents. Our goals were therefore to investigate (1) which supportive care topics patients and parents regard as most important and (2) the preferred role they wish to fulfill in decision making. This qualitative study consisted of three focus groups (two traditional, one online) with patients and parents of two Dutch pediatric oncology centers. Data were transcribed as simple verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Eleven adolescent patients and 18 parents shared detailed views on various aspects of supportive care. Themes of major importance were communication between patient and physician (commitment, accessibility, proactive attitude of physicians), well-timed provision of information, and the suitability and accessibility of psychosocial care. In contrast to prioritized supportive care topics by medical professionals, somatic issues (e.g., febrile neutropenia) were infrequently addressed. Patients and parents preferred to be actively involved in decision making in selected topics, such as choice of analgesics and anti-emetics, but not in, e.g., choice of antibiotics. Children with cancer and parents were provided a valuable insight into their views regarding supportive care and shared decision making. These results have important implications towards improving supportive care, both in selecting topics for guideline development and incorporating preferences of patients and parents herein.

  2. Early home-based group education to support informed decision-making among patients with end-stage renal disease: a multi-centre randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massey, Emma K; Gregoor, Peter J H Smak; Nette, Robert W; van den Dorpel, Marinus A; van Kooij, Anthony; Zietse, Robert; Zuidema, Willij C; Timman, Reinier; Busschbach, Jan J; Weimar, Willem

    2016-05-01

    The aim was to test the effectiveness of early home-based group education on knowledge and communication about renal replacement therapy (RRT). We conducted a randomized controlled trial using a cross-over design among 80 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Between T0 and T1 (weeks 1-4) Group 1 received the intervention and Group 2 received standard care. Between T1 and T2 (weeks 5-8) Group 1 received standard care and Group 2 received the intervention. The intervention was a group education session on RRT options held in the patient's home given by social workers. Patients invited members from their social network to attend. Self-report questionnaires were used at T0, T1 and T2 to measure patients' knowledge and communication, and concepts from the Theory of Planned Behaviour such as attitude. Comparable questionnaires were completed pre-post intervention by 229 attendees. Primary RRT was registered up to 2 years post-intervention. Multilevel linear modelling was used to analyse patient data and paired t-tests for attendee data. Statistically significant increases in the primary targets knowledge and communication were found among patients and attendees after receiving the intervention. The intervention also had a significant effect in increasing positive attitude toward living donation and haemodialysis. Of the 80 participants, 49 underwent RRT during follow-up. Of these, 34 underwent a living donor kidney transplant, of which 22 were pre-emptive. Early home-based group education supports informed decision-making regarding primary RRT for ESRD patients and their social networks and may remove barriers to pre-emptive transplantation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

  3. Child Care Is Good Business: A Manual on Employer Supported Child Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haas, Karen S.

    Many companies today consider employer-sponsored child care a viable solution to problems facing employees who are also parents. Companies can choose from many program options, each with particular benefits for employer and employees. This manual highlights what is presently happening in employer-supported child care, particularly the cost…

  4. Perceived support from a caregiver's social ties predicts subsequent care-recipient health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dannielle E. Kelley

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Most social support research has examined support from an individual patient perspective and does not model the broader social context of support felt by caregivers. Understanding how social support networks may complement healthcare services is critical, considering the aging population, as social support networks may be a valuable resource to offset some of the demands placed on the healthcare system. We sought to identify how caregivers' perceived organizational and interpersonal support from their social support network influences care-recipient health.We created a dyadic dataset of care-recipient and caregivers from the first two rounds of the National Health and Aging Trends survey (2011, 2012 and the first round of the associated National Study of Caregivers survey (2011. Using structural equation modeling, we explored how caregivers' perceived social support is associated with caregiver confidence to provide care, and is associated with care-recipient health outcomes at two time points. All data were analyzed in 2016.Social engagement with members from caregivers' social support networks was positively associated with caregiver confidence, and social engagement and confidence were positively associated with care-recipient health at time 1. Social engagement positively predicted patient health at time 2 controlling for time 1. Conversely, use of organizational support negatively predicted care-recipient health at time 2.Care-recipients experience better health outcomes when caregivers are able to be more engaged with members of their social support network. Keywords: Informal caregiving, Social support, Social support network, Patient-caregiver dyads

  5. Renal impairment as a surgical indication in primary hyperparathyroidism: do the data support this recommendation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendrickson, Chase D; Castro Pereira, Daniel J; Comi, Richard J

    2014-08-01

    Management of primary hyperparathyroidism has evolved over the past two decades, yet impaired renal function has consistently been a surgical indication. This recommendation has been based upon the historical association between primary hyperparathyroidism and renal impairment, and a review of the literature is needed to determine whether such a recommendation is warranted. PubMed was utilized to identify English-language articles published between January 1990 and February 2014 using keywords related to hyperparathyroidism and renal function. The keywords were "primary hyperparathyroidism," "surgery," "parathyroidectomy," "kidney," "renal," "glomerular filtration rate," and "creatinine." Of the 1926 articles obtained with this search, all articles germane to the topic that quantified the relationship between primary hyperparathyroidism and renal function were included. All references within these articles were investigated for inclusion. When helpful, data tables were constructed to summarize the results succinctly. A secondary elevation of PTH levels has not been consistently shown to occur at the threshold currently indicated for surgical intervention. While renal impairment is seen with more significant disease, mild asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism has not been conclusively associated with renal impairment. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that surgically curing primary hyperparathyroidism via a parathyroidectomy has any impact upon renal function.

  6. Accessory renal arteries: Prevalence in resistant hypertension and an important role in nonresponse to radiofrequency renal denervation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    VonAchen, Paige [Minneapolis Heart Institute and Foundation at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Hamann, Jason [Boston Scientific Corporation, Maple Grove, MN (United States); Houghland, Thomas; Lesser, John R.; Wang, Yale; Caye, David; Rosenthal, Kristi; Garberich, Ross F. [Minneapolis Heart Institute and Foundation at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Daniels, Mary [Vital Images/Toshiba, Minnetonka, MN (United States); Schwartz, Robert S., E-mail: rss@rsschwartz.com [Minneapolis Heart Institute and Foundation at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

    2016-10-15

    Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the role of accessory renal arteries in resistant hypertension, and to establish their role in nonresponse to radiofrequency renal denervation (RDN) procedures. Background: Prior studies suggest a role for accessory renal arteries in hypertensive syndromes, and recent clinical trials of renal denervation report that these anomalies are highly prevalent in resistant hypertension. This study evaluated the relationships among resistant hypertension, accessory renal arteries, and the response to radiofrequency (RF) renal denervation. Methods: Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 58 patients with resistant hypertension undergoing RF renal denervation (RDN) were evaluated. Results were compared with CT scans in 57 healthy, normotensive subjects undergoing screening as possible renal transplant donors. All scans were carefully studied for accessory renal arteries, and were correlated with long term blood pressure reduction. Results: Accessory renal arteries were markedly more prevalent in the hypertensive patients than normotensive renal donors (59% vs 32% respectively, p = 0.004). RDN had an overall nonresponse rate of 29% (response rate 71%). Patients without accessory vessels had a borderline higher response rate to RDN than those with at least one accessory vessel (83% vs 62% respectively, p = 0.076) and a higher RDN response than patients with untreated accessory arteries (83% vs 55%; p = 0.040). For accessory renal arteries and nonresponse, the sensitivity was 76%, specificity 49%, with positive and negative predictive values 38% and 83% respectively. Conclusions: Accessory renal arteries were markedly over-represented in resistant hypertensives compared with healthy controls. While not all patients with accessory arteries were nonresponders, nonresponse was related to both the presence and non-treatment of accessory arteries. Addressing accessory renal arteries in

  7. Accessory renal arteries: Prevalence in resistant hypertension and an important role in nonresponse to radiofrequency renal denervation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    VonAchen, Paige; Hamann, Jason; Houghland, Thomas; Lesser, John R.; Wang, Yale; Caye, David; Rosenthal, Kristi; Garberich, Ross F.; Daniels, Mary; Schwartz, Robert S.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the role of accessory renal arteries in resistant hypertension, and to establish their role in nonresponse to radiofrequency renal denervation (RDN) procedures. Background: Prior studies suggest a role for accessory renal arteries in hypertensive syndromes, and recent clinical trials of renal denervation report that these anomalies are highly prevalent in resistant hypertension. This study evaluated the relationships among resistant hypertension, accessory renal arteries, and the response to radiofrequency (RF) renal denervation. Methods: Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 58 patients with resistant hypertension undergoing RF renal denervation (RDN) were evaluated. Results were compared with CT scans in 57 healthy, normotensive subjects undergoing screening as possible renal transplant donors. All scans were carefully studied for accessory renal arteries, and were correlated with long term blood pressure reduction. Results: Accessory renal arteries were markedly more prevalent in the hypertensive patients than normotensive renal donors (59% vs 32% respectively, p = 0.004). RDN had an overall nonresponse rate of 29% (response rate 71%). Patients without accessory vessels had a borderline higher response rate to RDN than those with at least one accessory vessel (83% vs 62% respectively, p = 0.076) and a higher RDN response than patients with untreated accessory arteries (83% vs 55%; p = 0.040). For accessory renal arteries and nonresponse, the sensitivity was 76%, specificity 49%, with positive and negative predictive values 38% and 83% respectively. Conclusions: Accessory renal arteries were markedly over-represented in resistant hypertensives compared with healthy controls. While not all patients with accessory arteries were nonresponders, nonresponse was related to both the presence and non-treatment of accessory arteries. Addressing accessory renal arteries in

  8. Recirculation zone length in renal artery is affected by flow spirality and renal-to-aorta flow ratio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javadzadegan, Ashkan; Fulker, David; Barber, Tracie

    2017-07-01

    Haemodynamic perturbations such as flow recirculation zones play a key role in progression and development of renal artery stenosis, which typically originate at the aorta-renal bifurcation. The spiral nature of aortic blood flow, division of aortic blood flow in renal artery as well as the exercise conditions have been shown to alter the haemodynamics in both positive and negative ways. This study focuses on the combinative effects of spiral component of blood flow, renal-to-aorta flow ratio and the exercise conditions on the size and distribution of recirculation zones in renal branches using computational fluid dynamics technique. Our findings show that the recirculation length was longest when the renal-to-aorta flow ratio was smallest. Spiral flow and exercise conditions were found to be effective in reducing the recirculation length in particular in small renal-to-aorta flow ratios. These results support the hypothesis that in renal arteries with small flow ratios where a stenosis is already developed an artificially induced spiral flow within the aorta may decelerate the progression of stenosis and thereby help preserve kidney function.

  9. Assessment of renal function in routine care of people living with HIV on ART in a resource-limited setting in urban Zambia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deckert, Andreas; Neuhann, Florian; Klose, Christina; Bruckner, Thomas; Beiersmann, Claudia; Haloka, John; Nsofwa, Mannie; Banda, Greg; Brune, Maik; Reutter, Helmut; Rothenbacher, Dietrich; Zeier, Martin

    2017-01-01

    Data on renal impairment in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains scarce, determination of renal function is not part of routine assessments. We evaluated renal function and blood pressure in a cohort of people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) in the Renal Care Zambia project (ReCaZa). Using routine data from an HIV outpatient clinic from 2011-2013, we retrospectively estimated the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, CKD-Epi formula) of PLWH on ART in Lusaka, Zambia. Data were included if adults had had at least one serum creatinine recorded and had been on ART for a minimum of three months. We investigated the differences in eGFR between ART subgroups with and without tenofovir disproxil fumarate (TDF), and applied multivariable linear models to associate ART and eGFR, adjusted for eGFR before ART initiation. Among 1118 PLWH (63,3% female, mean age 41.8 years, 83% ever on TDF; median duration 1461 [range 98 to 4342] days) on ART, 28.3% had an eGFR ART had an initial eGFR lower 60ml/min. Nineteen percent had first-time hypertensive readings at their last visit. The multivariable models suggest that physicians acted according to guidelines and replaced TDF-containing ART if patients developed moderate/severe renal impairment. Assessment of renal function in SSA remains a challenge. The vast majority of PLWH benefit from long-term ART, including improved renal function. However, approximately 5% of PLWH on ART may have clinically relevant decreased eGFR, and 27% hypertension. While a routine renal assessment might not be feasible, strategies to identify patients at risk are warranted. Targeted monitoring prior and during ART is recommended, however, should not delay ART access.

  10. Massive hematuria due to a congenital renal arteriovenous malformation mimicking a renal pelvis tumor: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sountoulides P

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Congenital renal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs are very rare benign lesions. They are more common in women and rarely manifest in elderly people. In some cases they present with massive hematuria. Contemporary treatment consists of transcatheter selective arterial embolization which leads to resolution of the hematuria whilst preserving renal parenchyma. Case presentation A 72-year-old man, who was heavy smoker, presented with massive hematuria and flank pain. CT scan revealed a filling defect caused by a soft tissue mass in the renal pelvis, which initially led to the suspicion of a transitional cell carcinoma (TCC of the upper tract, in view of the patient's age and smoking habits. However a subsequent retrograde study could not depict any filling defect in the renal pelvis. Selective right renal arteriography confirmed the presence of a renal AVM by demonstrating abnormal arterial communication with a vein with early visualization of the venous system. At the same time successful selective transcatheter embolization of the lesion was performed. Conclusion This case highlights the importance of careful diagnostic work-up in the evaluation of upper tract hematuria. In the case presented, a congenital renal AVM proved to be the cause of massive upper tract hematuria and flank pain in spite of the initial evidence indicating the likely diagnosis of a renal pelvis tumor.

  11. Stent sizing strategies in renal artery stenting: the comparison of conventional invasive renal angiography with renal computed tomographic angiography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadziela, Jacek; Michalowska, Ilona; Pregowski, Jerzy; Janaszek-Sitkowska, Hanna; Lech, Katarzyna; Kabat, Marek; Staruch, Adam; Januszewicz, Andrzej; Witkowski, Adam

    2016-01-01

    Randomized trials comparing invasive treatment of renal artery stenosis with standard pharmacotherapy did not show substantial benefit from revascularization. One of the potential reasons for that may be suboptimal procedure technique. To compare renal stent sizing using two modalities: three-dimensional renal computed tomography angiography (CTA) versus conventional angiography. Forty patients (41 renal arteries), aged 65.1 ±8.5 years, who underwent renal artery stenting with preprocedural CTA performed within 6 months, were retrospectively analyzed. In CTA analysis, reference diameter (CTA-D) and lesion length (CTA_LL) were measured and proposed stent diameter and length were recorded. Similarly, angiographic reference diameter (ANGIO_D) and lesion length (ANGIO_LL) as well as proposed stent dimensions were obtained by visual estimation. The median CTA_D was 0.5 mm larger than the median ANGIO_D (p < 0.001). Also, the proposed stent diameter in CTA evaluation was 0.5 mm larger than that in angiography (p < 0.0001). The median CTA_LL was 1 mm longer than the ANGIO_LL (p = NS), with significant correlation of these variables (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001). The median proposed stent length with CTA was equal to that proposed with angiography. The median diameter of the implanted stent was 0.5 mm smaller than that proposed in CTA (p < 0.0005) and identical to that proposed in angiography. The median length of the actual stent was longer than that proposed in angiography (p = 0.0001). Renal CTA has potential advantages as a tool adjunctive to angiography in appropriate stent sizing. Careful evaluation of the available CTA scans may be beneficial and should be considered prior to the planned procedure.

  12. The impact of a multidisciplinary self-care management program on quality of life, self-care, adherence to anti-hypertensive therapy, glycemic control, and renal function in diabetic kidney disease: A Cross-over Study Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helou, Nancy; Talhouedec, Dominique; Shaha, Maya; Zanchi, Anne

    2016-07-19

    Diabetic kidney disease, a global health issue, remains associated with high morbidity and mortality. Previous research has shown that multidisciplinary management of chronic disease can improve patient outcomes. The effect of multidisciplinary self-care management on quality of life and renal function of patients with diabetic kidney disease has not yet been well established. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary self-care management program on quality of life, self-care behavior, adherence to anti-hypertensive treatment, glycemic control, and renal function of adults with diabetic kidney disease. A uniform balanced cross-over design is used, with the objective to recruit 40 adult participants with diabetic kidney disease, from public and private out-patient settings in French speaking Switzerland. Participants are randomized in equal number into four study arms. Each participant receives usual care alternating with the multidisciplinary self- care management program. Each treatment period lasts three months and is repeated twice at different time intervals over 12 months depending on the cross-over arm. The multidisciplinary self-care management program is led by an advanced practice nurse and adds nursing and dietary consultations and follow-ups, to the habitual management provided by the general practitioner, the nephrologist and the diabetologist. Data is collected every three months for 12 months. Quality of life is measured using the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life scale, patient self-care behavior is assessed using the Revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, and adherence to anti-hypertensive therapy is evaluated using the Medication Events Monitoring System. Blood glucose control is measured by the glycated hemoglobin levels and renal function by serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio. Data will be analyzed using STATA version 14. The cross

  13. Principles of medical ethics in supportive care: a reflection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Hare, Daniel G

    2004-02-01

    The possibility of medical-moral controversy in contemporary health care delivery is occasioned by the interfacing of expanding technology with both professional and personal value systems, frequent and significant knowledge deficits on the part of health care consumers, and increased circumspection of and economic constraints experienced by health care providers. Particularly in an era of increasing regulatory mandates and the frequent and lamentable decrease in the availability of human, natural, and institutional resources, an understanding of the function of ethical analysis is indigenous to care, which is simultaneously medically appropriate and morally indicated. But while a familiarity with and an appreciation of the potential contribution of ethical reasoning is essential in all health care delivery, it assumes critical importance in supportive care. In that venue, where the rigors and demands of aggressively therapeutic interventions have ceased and the goal and the demeanor of care have shifted to the palliative mode, heightened attention to the principles of medical ethics is necessary for the balancing of rights and responsibilities for health care consumers and providers alike. This issue ultimately can be singularly salient in providing care that is patient centered and directed. Individuals acting as moral agents, suggesting what "ought" to be done in a given situation, either for themselves or as they are involved in rendering or supporting decisions proffered for or by other moral agents, particularly those in extremis, those in the throes of terminal illness following the collapse of the curative mode, need recourse to principles to facilitate their reasoning. Although the employment of each principle of medical ethics offers guidelines for reflection on the most comprehensive and appropriate care, it is attention to autonomy, informed consent, and beneficence that promotes the most effective supportive care. For even as the question of medical

  14. Care and supportive measures in school-aged children with prenatal substance exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandtorv, Lisbeth B; Haugland, Siren; Elgen, Irene

    2017-12-01

    Prenatal exposure to substances, including alcohol, opiates, and a number of illicit drugs, may have a negative impact on fetal development. Studies have shown that substance exposure can influence a child's neurodevelopment and the need for care and supportive measures. In this study, we aimed to investigate the care status and the level of supportive measures in school-aged children prenatally exposed to alcohol and other substances. This study included children aged between 6 and 14 years who were referred to Haukeland University Hospital in Norway with developmental impairment and a history of prenatal substance exposure. Participants were classified according to their main prenatal exposure to either alcohol or other substances. Information on care status and supportive measures was obtained from medical records and participants' caregivers. We also compared the use of supportive measures for children placed into foster care before and after 1 year of age. A total of 111 (87% of 128 referrals) eligible children participated in the study. Of these 111 children, 96 (86%) were in foster care, of whom 29 (30%) were placed into foster care during their first year of life and 83 out of 90 (92%) had supportive measures, including reinforced foster care and school or social support. A high proportion of the sample lived in foster care and received supportive measures. Findings may reflect an increased need of care and support in school-aged children with prenatal substance exposure, highlighting the importance of awareness among caregivers and public agencies.

  15. Risk factors for acute renal failure: inherent and modifiable risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leblanc, Martine; Kellum, John A; Gibney, R T Noel; Lieberthal, Wilfred; Tumlin, James; Mehta, Ravindra

    2005-12-01

    Our purpose is to discuss established risk factors in the development of acute renal failure and briefly overview clinical markers and preventive measures. Findings from the literature support the role of older age, diabetes, underlying renal insufficiency, and heart failure as predisposing factors for acute renal failure. Diabetics with baseline renal insufficiency represent the highest risk subgroup. An association between sepsis, hypovolemia, and acute renal failure is clear. Liver failure, rhabdomyolysis, and open-heart surgery (especially valve replacement) are clinical conditions potentially leading to acute renal failure. Increasing evidence shows that intraabdominal hypertension may contribute to the development of acute renal failure. Radiocontrast and antimicrobial agents are the most common causes of nephrotoxic acute renal failure. In terms of prevention, avoiding nephrotoxins when possible is certainly desirable; fluid therapy is an effective prevention measure in certain clinical circumstances. Supporting cardiac output, mean arterial pressure, and renal perfusion pressure are indicated to reduce the risk for acute renal failure. Nonionic, isoosmolar intravenous contrast should be used in high-risk patients. Although urine output and serum creatinine lack sensitivity and specificity in acute renal failure, they remain the most used parameters in clinical practice. There are identified risk factors of acute renal failure. Because acute renal failure is associated with a worsening outcome, particularly if occurring in critical illness and if severe enough to require renal replacement therapy, preventive measures should be part of appropriate management.

  16. Perceived support from a caregiver's social ties predicts subsequent care-recipient health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelley, Dannielle E; Lewis, Megan A; Southwell, Brian G

    2017-12-01

    Most social support research has examined support from an individual patient perspective and does not model the broader social context of support felt by caregivers. Understanding how social support networks may complement healthcare services is critical, considering the aging population, as social support networks may be a valuable resource to offset some of the demands placed on the healthcare system. We sought to identify how caregivers' perceived organizational and interpersonal support from their social support network influences care-recipient health. We created a dyadic dataset of care-recipient and caregivers from the first two rounds of the National Health and Aging Trends survey (2011, 2012) and the first round of the associated National Study of Caregivers survey (2011). Using structural equation modeling, we explored how caregivers' perceived social support is associated with caregiver confidence to provide care, and is associated with care-recipient health outcomes at two time points. All data were analyzed in 2016. Social engagement with members from caregivers' social support networks was positively associated with caregiver confidence, and social engagement and confidence were positively associated with care-recipient health at time 1. Social engagement positively predicted patient health at time 2 controlling for time 1. Conversely, use of organizational support negatively predicted care-recipient health at time 2. Care-recipients experience better health outcomes when caregivers are able to be more engaged with members of their social support network.

  17. Renal hemodynamics: the influence of the renal artery ostium flow diverter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossmann, Jenn Stroud; Albert, Scott; Balaban, Robert

    2013-11-01

    The recently identified renal artery ostium flow diverter may preferentially direct blood flow to the renal arteries, and may also influence flow patterns and recirculation known to be involved in atherogenesis. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of steady and pulsatile blood flow are performed to investigate the influence of diverter size and position, and vascular geometry, on the flow patterns and fluid mechanical forces in the neighborhood of the diverter. CFD results show that the flow diverter does affect the blood distribution: depending on the diverter's position, the flow to the renal arteries may be increased or reduced. The results of simulations also show the diverter's effect on the Wall Shear Stress (WSS) distribution, and suggest that the diverter contributes to an atherogenic environment in the abdominal aorta, while being atheroprotective in the renal arteries themselves. These results support previous clinical findings, and suggest directions for further clinical study. The results of this work have direct implications in understanding the physiological significance of the diverter, and its potential role in the pathophysiological development of atherosclerosis.

  18. Chemotherapy versus supportive care alone in pediatric palliative care for cancer: comparing the preferences of parents and health care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomlinson, Deborah; Bartels, Ute; Gammon, Janet; Hinds, Pamela S; Volpe, Jocelyne; Bouffet, Eric; Regier, Dean A; Baruchel, Sylvain; Greenberg, Mark; Barrera, Maru; Llewellyn-Thomas, Hilary; Sung, Lillian

    2011-11-22

    The choice between palliative chemotherapy (defined as the use of cytotoxic medications delivered intravenously for the purpose of our study) and supportive care alone is one of the most difficult decisions in pediatric oncology, yet little is known about the preferences of parents and health care professionals. We compared the strength of these preferences by considering children's quality of life and survival time as key attributes. In addition, we identified factors associated with the reported preferences. We included parents of children whose cancer had no reasonable chance of being cured and health care professionals in pediatric oncology as participants in our study. We administered separate interviews to parents and to health care professionals. Visual analogue scales were shown to respondents to illustrate the anticipated level of the child's quality of life, the expected duration of survival and the probability of cure (shown only to health care professionals). Respondents were then asked which treatment option they would favour given these baseline attributes. In addition, respondents reported what factors might affect such a decision and ranked all factors identified in order of importance. The primary measure was the desirability score for supportive care alone relative to palliative chemotherapy, as obtained using the threshold technique. A total of 77 parents and 128 health care professionals participated in our study. Important factors influencing the decision between therapeutic options were child quality-of-life and survival time among both parents and health care professionals. Hope was particularly important to parents. Parents significantly favoured chemotherapy (42/77, 54.5%) compared with health care professionals (20/128, 15.6%; p parents' desire for supportive care; for health care professionals, the opinions of parents and children were significant factors influencing this decision. Compared with health care professionals, parents more

  19. The self-care with arteriovenous Fistula conducted by chronic renal failure.patients in the southern region of Mato Grosso.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Aoki Reinas

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study is know the care with the arteriovenous fistula carried by the patient with chronic renal and the role of a nurse care to such. Is a descriptive, exploratory study of qualitative approach, developed with 20 patients in a dialysis clinic in Rondonópolis (MT, through individual interviews using a semi structured questionnaire. The analysis of the data was content analysis as categorical recommended by Bardin, resulting in two categories: self care with arteriovenous fistula and nurses in health education. In the category of self-care with the arteriovenous fistula, 70% received guidance about the care of the fistula with the nurse, the care most often mentioned was "no catch weight." However, when asked about the reason for the realization of such care, a large part could not explain. In the category of the nurse in health education, the nurse was quoted once as exclusively responsible for the guidelines on caring for the FAV. Considering the results, there was lack of information of these patients, regarding the reasons for the need to care of it, which is more worrying.

  20. The supportive care needs of parents caring for a child with a rare disease: A scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelentsov, Lemuel J; Laws, Thomas A; Esterman, Adrian J

    2015-10-01

    Parents caring for a child with a rare disease report unmet needs, the origins of which are varied and complex. Few studies have systematically attempted to identify the supportive care needs of parents with a child with a rare disease comprehensively. We have used the widely accepted Supportive Care Needs Framework (SCNF) as the structure for this review. The purpose of the current review was to identify the supportive care needs of parents with a child with a rare disease, irrespective of condition. We conducted a scoping study review comprising 29 studies (1990-2014) to identify and examine the research literature related to the supportive care needs of parents, and to compare these needs with the seven domains outlined in the SCNF. Most common needs cited were social needs (72% of papers), followed by informational needs (65% of papers) and emotional needs (62% of papers), with the most common parental needs overall being information about their child's disease, emotional stress, guilt and uncertainty about their child's future health care needs, parents own caring responsibilities and the need for more general support. A paucity of studies exists that explore the supportive care needs of parents of a child with a rare disease. The SCNF only partially reflects the breadth and type of needs of these parents, and a preliminary revised framework has been suggested. Further research is required in this area, particularly empirical research to amend or confirm the suggested new framework. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Measuring the quality of renal care: things to keep in mind when selecting and using quality indicators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Veer, Sabine N; van Biesen, Wim; Couchoud, Cécile; Tomson, Charles R V; Jager, Kitty J

    2014-08-01

    This educational paper discusses a variety of indicators that can be used to measure the quality of care in renal medicine. Based on what aspect of care they reflect, indicators can be grouped into four main categories: structure, process, surrogate outcome and outcome indicators. Each category has its own advantages and disadvantages, and we give some pointers on how to balance these pros and cons while taking into account the aim of the measurement initiative. Especially within initiatives that link payment or reputation to indicator measurement, this balancing should be done with utmost care to avoid potential, unintended consequences. Furthermore, we suggest consideration of (i) a causal chain-i.e. subsequent aspects of care connected by evidence-based links-as a starting point for composing a performance indicator set and (ii) adequate case-mix adjustment, not only of (surrogate) outcomes, but also of process indicators in order to obtain fair comparisons between facilities and within facilities over time. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

  2. Renal PTA stenting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsetis, D.

    2012-01-01

    direction, refinement of the devices and techniques for renal artery revascularization, along with careful patient selection could possibly improve the clinical outcome after endovascular revascularization of RAS

  3. Supportive care for children with cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Wetering, Marianne D.; Schouten-van Meeteren, Netteke Y. N.

    2011-01-01

    In developed countries the survival rate of children with cancer exceeds 75%. Optimal supportive care is necessary to deliver the burdensome treatment protocols. As the intensity of primary treatment has escalated, so have the side effects like myelosuppression and infection. Children who receive

  4. Health care development: integrating transaction cost theory with social support theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajli, M Nick; Shanmugam, Mohana; Hajli, Ali; Khani, Amir Hossein; Wang, Yichuan

    2014-07-28

    The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies has already been influential in many industries, and Web 2.0 applications are now beginning to have an impact on health care. These new technologies offer a promising approach for shaping the future of modern health care, with the potential for opening up new opportunities for the health care industry as it struggles to deal with challenges including the need to cut costs, the increasing demand for health services and the increasing cost of medical technology. Social media such as social networking sites are attracting more individuals to online health communities, contributing to an increase in the productivity of modern health care and reducing transaction costs. This study therefore examines the potential effect of social technologies, particularly social media, on health care development by adopting a social support/transaction cost perspective. Viewed through the lens of Information Systems, social support and transaction cost theories indicate that social media, particularly online health communities, positively support health care development. The results show that individuals join online health communities to share and receive social support, and these social interactions provide both informational and emotional support.

  5. Skin Examination: An Important Diagnostic Tool in Renal Failure Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van de Velde-Kossmann, Karen M

    2018-01-01

    Renal failure is common in the United States with an estimated prevalence of 660,000 treated end-stage renal disease patients in 2015 [1]. Causes of renal failure are many, and complications from renal failure, underlying disease, and treatment are not infrequent. Examples of common skin manifestations include xerosis, pigmentary change, and nail dystrophies. Frequent disease-specific skin changes may be helpful in the diagnosis of primary disorders leading to renal disease or severity of disease including bullosis diabeticorum, sclerodactyly, or leukoctoclastic vasculitis. Some cutaneous changes, such as the multiple angiokeratomas of Fabry disease or the plexiform neurofibromas of neurofibromatosis, are pathognomonic of genetic disorders, which often lead to renal failure. Careful examination of the skin can provide crucial clues to diagnosis of renal failure causation and aid in monitoring complications. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Reversal of end-stage renal disease after aortic dissection using renal artery stent: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parikh Chirag R

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical management is the conventional treatment for Stanford Type B aortic dissections as surgery is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The advent of endovascular interventional techniques has revived interest in treating end-organ complications of Type B aortic dissection. We describe a patient who benefited from endovascular repair of renal artery stenosis caused by a dissection flap, which resulted in reversal of his end-stage renal disease (ESRD. Case presentation A 69 y/o male with a Type B aortic dissection diagnosed two months earlier was found to have a serum creatinine of 15.2 mg/dL (1343.7 μmol/L on routine visit to his primary care physician. An MRA demonstrated a rightward spiraling aortic dissection flap involving the origins of the celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery, and both renal arteries. The right renal artery arose from the false lumen with lack of blood flow to the right kidney. The left renal artery arose from the true lumen, but an intimal dissection flap appeared to be causing an intermittent stenosis of the left renal artery with compromised blood flow to the left kidney. Endovascular reconstruction with of the left renal artery with stent placement was performed. Hemodialysis was successfully discontinued six weeks after stent placement. Conclusion Percutaneous intervention provides a promising alternative for patients with Type B aortic dissections when medical treatment will not improve the likelihood of meaningful recovery and surgery entails too great a risk. Nephrologists should therefore be aggressive in the workup of ischemic renal failure associated with aortic dissection as percutaneous intervention may reverse the effects of renal failure in this population.

  7. [Prevalence of renal involvement in a population of type Ii diabetics followed up in primary care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín, R; Coca, A; Tranche, S; Rodríguez Mañas, L; Abellán, J; Moyá, A

    2002-01-01

    Patients with type 2 diabetes use to be managed in their primary care settings during the early stages of the disease. The main objective of the study was to determine renal impairment prevalence, and to assess its significance, within type 2 diabetics controlled by their family physicians. Transverse observation of patients with type 2 diabetes who were the first 20 unselected cases seen by 183 family physicians from 16 of the 17 Autonomic Communities of our country. The following variables were determined: serum creatinine, glucose, and HbA1c concentrations, proteinuria (dipstick test in a first-voided morning urine sample), blood pressure levels, and associated cardiovascular disease. Data from 3,583 type 2 diabetic subjects were evaluated. Mean age was 64 +/- 10 years and 45% were male. A serum creatinine > or = 1.2 mg/dl was observed in 523 (15.5%) patients. Proteinuria was present in 794 (23.5%) cases, being > or = 2 + in 215 (6.5%) subjects. Patients with a serum creatinine > or = 1.2 mg/dl were older, shower higher blood pressure levels, and suffered from more cardiovascular disease (32.0 vs 19.5%) than those with a serum creatinine or = 2 + proteinuria (p or = 140/90 mmHg in 69% of the cases, being < 130/85 mmHg in only 8% of the subjects. There is a high prevalence of renal impairment, approximately of 25% within type 2 diabetic patients seen at the primary care level. Optimal blood pressure level seems to be extremely infrequent bearing in mind the diagnosis of diabetes and the associated cardiovascular disease.

  8. Cancer Supportive and Survivorship Care in Singapore: Current Challenges and Future Outlook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiley Wei-Jen Loh

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Despite being a relatively young nation, Singapore has established itself as a leading multifaceted medical hub, both regionally and globally. Although Singapore continues to pursue excellence in oncology care, cancer supportive care and survivorship care remain in the infancy stage. In an effort to advance this important aspect of oncology care in Singapore, the first cancer supportive and survivorship care forum was held in December 2016, involving 74 oncology practitioners. The primary goals of this forum were to raise awareness of the importance of cancer supportive and survivorship care and to provide a platform for oncology practitioners of diverse backgrounds to converge and address the challenges associated with the delivery of cancer supportive and survivorship care in Singapore. Key challenges identified during this forum included, but were not limited to, care fragmentation in an oncologist-centric model of care, poor integration of allied health and rehabilitation services, passive engagement of community partners, lack of specialized skill sets and knowledge in supportive and survivorship care, and patient-related barriers such as poor health literacy. The survivorship care model commonly used in Singapore places an imbalanced emphasis on surveillance for cancer recurrence and second primary cancers, with little attention given to the supportive and survivorship needs of the survivors. In summary, these challenges set the stage for the development and use of a more survivor-centric model, one that focuses not only on cancer surveillance, but also on the broad and unique physical and psychosocial needs of survivors of cancer in Singapore.

  9. Optimum and stepped care standardised antihypertensive treatment with or without renal denervation for resistant hypertension (DENERHTN): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azizi, Michel; Sapoval, Marc; Gosse, Philippe; Monge, Matthieu; Bobrie, Guillaume; Delsart, Pascal; Midulla, Marco; Mounier-Véhier, Claire; Courand, Pierre-Yves; Lantelme, Pierre; Denolle, Thierry; Dourmap-Collas, Caroline; Trillaud, Hervé; Pereira, Helena; Plouin, Pierre-François; Chatellier, Gilles

    2015-05-16

    Conflicting blood pressure-lowering effects of catheter-based renal artery denervation have been reported in patients with resistant hypertension. We compared the ambulatory blood pressure-lowering efficacy and safety of radiofrequency-based renal denervation added to a standardised stepped-care antihypertensive treatment (SSAHT) with the same SSAHT alone in patients with resistant hypertension. The Renal Denervation for Hypertension (DENERHTN) trial was a prospective, open-label randomised controlled trial with blinded endpoint evaluation in patients with resistant hypertension, done in 15 French tertiary care centres specialised in hypertension management. Eligible patients aged 18-75 years received indapamide 1·5 mg, ramipril 10 mg (or irbesartan 300 mg), and amlodipine 10 mg daily for 4 weeks to confirm treatment resistance by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring before randomisation. Patients were then randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either renal denervation plus an SSAHT regimen (renal denervation group) or the same SSAHT alone (control group). The randomisation sequence was generated by computer, and stratified by centres. For SSAHT, after randomisation, spironolactone 25 mg per day, bisoprolol 10 mg per day, prazosin 5 mg per day, and rilmenidine 1 mg per day were sequentially added from months two to five in both groups if home blood pressure was more than or equal to 135/85 mm Hg. The primary endpoint was the mean change in daytime systolic blood pressure from baseline to 6 months as assessed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The primary endpoint was analysed blindly. The safety outcomes were the incidence of acute adverse events of the renal denervation procedure and the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline to 6 months. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01570777. Between May 22, 2012, and Oct 14, 2013, 1416 patients were screened for eligibility, 106 of those were randomly assigned to treatment

  10. Supportive care for older people with frailty in hospital: An integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholson, Caroline; Morrow, Elizabeth M; Hicks, Allan; Fitzpatrick, Joanne

    2017-01-01

    Growing numbers of older people living with frailty and chronic health conditions are being referred to hospitals with acute care needs. Supportive care is a potentially highly relevant and clinically important approach which could bridge the practice gap between curative models of care and palliative care. However, future interventions need to be informed and underpinned by existing knowledge of supportive care. To identify and build upon existing theories and evidence about supportive care, specifically in relation to the hospital care of older people with frailty, to inform future interventions and their evaluation. An integrative review was used to identify and integrate theory and evidence. Electronic databases (Cochrane Medline, EMBASE and CIHAHL) were searched using the key term 'supportive care'. Screening identified studies employing qualitative and/or quantitative methods published between January 1990 and December 2015. Citation searches, reference checking and searches of the grey literature were also undertaken. Literature searches identified 2733 articles. After screening, and applying eligibility criteria based on relevance to the research question, studies were subject to methodological quality appraisal. Findings from included articles (n=52) were integrated using synthesis of themes. Relevant evidence was identified across different research literatures, on clinical conditions and contexts. Seven distinct themes of the synthesis were identified, these were: Ensuring fundamental aspects of care are met, Communicating and connecting with the patient, Carer and family engagement, Building up a picture of the person and their circumstances, Decisions and advice about best care for the person, Enabling self-help and connection to wider support, and Supporting patients through transitions in care. A tentative integrative model of supportive care for frail older people is developed from the findings. The findings and model developed here will inform

  11. Citation analysis of Canadian psycho-oncology and supportive care researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hack, Thomas F; Crooks, Dauna; Plohman, James; Kepron, Emma

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a historical review of psycho-oncology and supportive care research in Canada using citation analysis and to review the clinical impact of the research conducted by the most highly cited researchers. The lifetime journal publication records of 109 psycho-oncology and supportive care researchers in Canada were subject to citation analysis using the Scopus database, based on citations since 1996 of articles deemed relevant to psychosocial oncology and supportive care, excluding self-citations. Three primary types of analysis were performed for each individual: the number of citations for each journal publication, a summative citation count of all published articles, and the Scopus h-index. The top 20 psycho-oncology/supportive care researchers for each of five citation categories are presented: the number of citations for all publications; the number of citations for first-authored publications; the most highly cited first-authored publications; the Scopus h-index for all publications; and the Scopus h-index for first-authored publications. The three most highly cited Canadian psycho-oncology researchers are Dr. Kerry Courneya (University of Alberta), Dr. Lesley Degner, (University of Manitoba), and Dr. Harvey Chochinov (University of Manitoba). Citation analysis is useful for examining the research performance of psycho-oncology and supportive care researchers and identifying leaders among them.

  12. A fixed protocol for outpatient clinic routines in the care of patients with severe renal failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadimeri, Henrik; Frisenette-Fich, Carsten; Deurell, Sven-Ingemar; Svensson, Lars; Carlsson-Bjering, Lena; Fernström, Anders; Almroth, Gabriel; Melander, Stefan; Haarhaus, Mattias; Andersson, Per-Olof; Cassel, Agneta; Mauritz, Nils-Johan; Ståhl-Nilsson, Agneta; Wilske, Jan; Nordström, Kataryna; Oruda, Pavel; Eriksson, Marie; Larsson, Annelie Inghilesi; Stegmayr, Bernd

    2013-07-01

    The primary aim of this study was to assess whether a fixed protocol, using a specially trained team, for intermediate follow-up to fulfillment of guideline targets is non-inferior to conventional follow-up in the care of uraemic patients. A secondary aim was to investigate possible impact on patient outcome. The cohort comprised 424 patients from seven centers. Inclusion criteria were either serum creatinine exceeding 200 µmol/l or calculated clearance below 30 ml/min, representing CKD 4 or 5a. Six centers followed a standardized protocol (group 1). One center provided controls (group 2). The study design was prospective and interventional. The variables measured were blood hemoglobin, bicarbonate, calcium, phosphate, intact parathyroid hormone, albumin, renal function variables, blood pressure and RAAS blockade. The number of patients achieving the set goals was analyzed as a time trend to determine if the intervention resulted in an improvement. At baseline, group 1 had significantly lower GFR and higher serum creatinine, calcium, phosphate, calcium × phosphate product and bicarbonate, lower mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressures and less use of RAAS. During the intervention, group 1 improved in the direction of guidelines for blood hemoglobin, albumin, bicarbonate and MAP. Outcome of secondary endpoints gave a risk of death of 30% in both groups, while the risk of renal replacement therapy was higher in group 1. However, the time to renal replacement therapy was significantly shorter in the intervention group, indicating that other variables than guideline achievements are important for the patient.

  13. Helsinn: 20 years in primary cancer supportive care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantoreggi, Sergio

    2016-11-01

    Sergio Cantoreggi speaks to Henry Ireland, Commissioning Editor: Sergio Cantoreggi, PhD, is the Chief Scientific Officer and Global Head of Research and Development of the Helsinn Group, a mid-sized pharmaceutical company headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, and focused on providing cancer supportive care solutions to oncology patients worldwide. Dr Cantoreggi has overall responsibility for all R&D activities of the Helsinn Group and has contributed to six major regulatory approvals of cancer supportive care agents in the USA, Europe and Japan. Dr Cantoreggi joined Helsinn Healthcare in 2000 as drug development scientist and was appointed Head of R&D in 2005. In 2010, he was promoted to his current role. From 1994 to 2000 he worked as toxicologist and regulatory scientist for Du Pont, Sandoz and Novartis. Prior to joining industry, Dr Cantoreggi completed a postdoctoral fellowship and earned a Master of Science degree in chemistry and a Doctoral degree in natural sciences with a thesis on the mechanism of chemical carcinogenesis from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland. Sergio Cantoreggi discusses Helsinn's role in cancer supportive care, describing current treatment options for patients, the company's pipeline and Helsinn's work in supporting the field as a whole.

  14. Late renal toxicity of treatment for childhood malignancy: risk factors, long-term outcomes, and surveillance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Roderick

    2018-02-01

    Chronic glomerular and tubular nephrotoxicity is reported in 20-50% and 20-25%, respectively, of children and adolescents treated with ifosfamide and 60-80% and 10-30%, respectively, of those given cisplatin. Up to 20% of children display evidence of chronic glomerular damage after unilateral nephrectomy for a renal tumour. Overall, childhood cancer survivors have a ninefold higher risk of developing renal failure compared with their siblings. Such chronic nephrotoxicity may have multiple causes, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy exposure to kidneys, renal surgery, supportive care drugs and tumour-related factors. These cause a wide range of chronic glomerular and tubular toxicities, often with potentially severe clinical sequelae. Many risk factors for developing nephrotoxicity, mostly patient and treatment related, have been described, but we remain unable to predict all episodes of renal damage. This implies that other factors may be involved, such as genetic polymorphisms influencing drug metabolism. Although our knowledge of the long-term outcomes of chronic nephrotoxicity is increasing, there is still much to learn, including how we can optimally predict or achieve early detection of nephrotoxicity. Greater understanding of the pathogenesis of nephrotoxicity is needed before its occurrence can be prevented.

  15. MediCaring: development and test marketing of a supportive care benefit for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynn, J; O'Connor, M A; Dulac, J D; Roach, M J; Ross, C S; Wasson, J H

    1999-09-01

    To develop an alternative healthcare benefit (called MediCaring) and to assess the preferences of older Medicare beneficiaries concerning this benefit, which emphasizes more home-based and supportive health care and discourages use of hospitalization and aggressive treatment. To evaluate the beneficiaries' ability to understand and make a choice regarding health insurance benefits; to measure their likelihood to change from traditional Medicare to the new MediCaring benefit; and to determine the short-term stability of that choice. Focus groups of persons aged 65+ and family members shaped the potential MediCaring benefit. A panel of 50 national experts critiqued three iterations of the benefit. The final version was test marketed by discussing it with 382 older people (men > or = 75 years and women > or = 80 years) in their homes. Telephone surveys a few days later, and again 1 month after the home interview, assessed the potential beneficiaries' understanding and preferences concerning MediCaring and the stability of their responses. Focus groups were held in community settings in New Hampshire, Washington, DC, Cleveland, OH, and Columbia, SC. Test marketing occurred in New Hampshire, Cleveland, OH; Columbia, SC, and Los Angeles, CA. Focus group participants were persons more than 65 years old (11 focus groups), healthcare providers (9 focus groups), and family decision-makers (3 focus groups). Participants in the in-home informing (test marketing group) were persons older than 75 years who were identified through contact with a variety of services. Demographics, health characteristics, understanding, and preferences. Focus group beneficiaries between the ages of 65 and 74 generally wanted access to all possible medical treatment and saw MediCaring as a need of persons older than themselves. Those older than age 80 were mostly in favor of it. Test marketing participants understood the key points of the new benefit: 74% generally liked it, and 34% said they would

  16. Quality care as ethical care: a poststructural analysis of palliative and supportive district nursing care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagington, Maurice; Walshe, Catherine; Luker, Karen A

    2016-03-01

    Quality of care is a prominent discourse in modern health-care and has previously been conceptualised in terms of ethics. In addition, the role of knowledge has been suggested as being particularly influential with regard to the nurse-patient-carer relationship. However, to date, no analyses have examined how knowledge (as an ethical concept) impinges on quality of care. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 patients with palliative and supportive care needs receiving district nursing care and thirteen of their lay carers. Poststructural discourse analysis techniques were utilised to take an ethical perspective on the current way in which quality of care is assessed and produced in health-care. It is argued that if quality of care is to be achieved, patients and carers need to be able to redistribute and redevelop the knowledge of their services in a collaborative way that goes beyond the current ways of working. Theoretical works and extant research are then used to produce tentative suggestions about how this may be achieved. © 2015 The Authors Nursing Inquiry Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Factors predicting the outcome of acute renal failure in pregnancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khana, N.; Akhtar, F.

    2010-01-01

    To determine the factors predicting renal outcome in patients developing acute renal failure in pregnancy. Study Design: Descriptive cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at Nephrology Unit of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, from October 2006 to March 2007. Methodology: Patients with acute renal failure due to complications of pregnancy, with normal size of both the kidneys on ultrasound were enrolled, and followed for a period of 60 days or until recovery of renal function. Patient's age and parity, presence of antenatal care, type of complication of pregnancy, foetal outcome and duration of oliguria were compared between patients who remained dialysis dependent and those who recovered renal function. Chi-square/Fisher's exact test and student's t-test, were used for determining the association of categorical and continuous variables with dialysis dependency. Results: The mean age was 29 +- 6 years. Most patients came from rural areas of interior Sindh. Sixty eight percent did not have antenatal checkups. Antepartum haemorrhage (p=0.002) and prolonged duration of oliguria (35 +- 15.7 days, p= < 0.001) were associated with dialysis dependency, which was observed in 50% of the study group. Conclusion: Ante-partum haemorrhage and prolonged oliguria were strong predictors of irreversible renal failure. This highlights the need for early recognition and referral, and the importance of trained birth attendants and antenatal care. (author)

  18. The course and outcome of Renal Transplant Recipients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Dawood, A.

    2007-01-01

    Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for most patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). This procedure provides a survival benefit compared to hemodialysis and is also cost effective. The aim of this study is to identify the types and incidence rates of complications that effect renal transplant recipients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during long-term follow-up and to examine the impact of these complications on the length of hospital stay as well as mortality in a tertiary closed ICU in Saudi Arabia. We reviewed the data of all adult renal transplant recipients who were admitted to the ICU at the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh between May 1999 and October 2006. During the stay period, 80 patients had a total of 96 ICU admissions; 49% were females. The admission APACHE II score and expected mortality was 25+7 and 48+23 respectively. The hospital mortality rate was 42%. Sepsis was major indication for ICU admission and pneumonia was the main cause of sepsis. In multivariate analysis the following variables were introduced in the model: APACHE II score, age, Glasgow Coma Score and need for hemodialysis in the ICU. We found only the need for hemodialysis during the ICU as an independent risk factor for mortality (P<0.02). We found in this study that the main reason for ICU admissions among renal transplant recipients was infections. Mortality rates for this particular population are relatively high and are primarily linked to the need for dialysis. (author)

  19. Ethics support in institutional elderly care: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Dam, Sandra; Molewijk, Bert; Widdershoven, Guy A M; Abma, Tineke A

    2014-09-01

    Clinical ethics support mechanisms in healthcare are increasing but little is known about the specific developments in elderly care. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic literature review on the characteristics of existing ethics support mechanisms in institutional elderly care. A review was performed in three electronic databases (Pubmed, CINAHL/PsycINFO, Ethxweb). Sixty papers were included in the review. The ethics support mechanisms are classified in four categories: 'institutional bodies' (ethics committee and consultation team); 'frameworks' (analytical tools to assist care professionals); 'educational programmes and moral case deliberation'; and 'written documents and policies'. For each category the goals, methods and ways of organising are described. Ethics support often serves several goals and can be targeted at various levels: case, professional or organisation. Over the past decades a number of changes have taken place in the development of ethics support in elderly care. Considering the goals, ethics support has become more outreaching and proactive, aiming to qualify professionals to integrate ethics in daily care processes. The approaches in clinical ethics support have become more diverse, more focused on everyday ethical issues and better adapted to the concrete learning style of the nursing staff. Ethics support has become less centrally organised and more connected to local contexts and primary process within the organisation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  20. Family support and family-centered care in the neonatal intensive care unit: origins, advances, impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gooding, Judith S; Cooper, Liza G; Blaine, Arianna I; Franck, Linda S; Howse, Jennifer L; Berns, Scott D

    2011-02-01

    Family-centered care (FCC) has been increasingly emphasized as an important and necessary element of neonatal intensive care. FCC is conceptualized as a philosophy with a set of guiding principles, as well as a cohort of programs, services, and practices that many hospitals have embraced. Several factors drive the pressing need for family-centered care and support of families of infants in NICUs, including the increase in the number of infants in NICUs; growth in diversity of the population and their concurrent needs; identification of parental and familial stress and lack of parenting confidence; and gaps in support for families, as identified by parents and NICU staff. We explore the origins of and advances in FCC in the NICU and identify various delivery methods and aspects of FCC and family support in the NICU. We examine the research and available evidence supporting FCC in the NICU and offer recommendations for increased dissemination and for future study. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Initiative

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Initiative promotes ongoing CMS strategies to improve the quality of care provided to ESRD patients. This initiative...

  2. [Mobile single-pass batch hemodialysis system in intensive care medicine. Reduction of costs and workload in renal replacement therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopf, H-B; Hochscherf, M; Jehmlich, M; Leischik, M; Ritter, J

    2007-07-01

    This paper describes the introduction of a single-pass batch hemodialysis system for renal replacement therapy in a 14 bed intensive care unit. The goals were to reduce the workload of intensive care unit physicians using an alternative and simpler method compared to continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) and to reduce the costs of hemofiltrate solutions (80,650 EUR per year in our clinic in 2005). We describe and evaluate the process of implementation of the system as well as the achieved and prospective savings. We conclude that a close cooperation of all participants (physicians, nurses, economists, technicians) of a hospital can achieve substantial benefits for patients and employees as well as reduce the economic burden of a hospital.

  3. Guidelines for supportive care in multiple myeloma 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snowden, John A; Ahmedzai, Sam H; Ashcroft, John; D'Sa, Shirley; Littlewood, Timothy; Low, Eric; Lucraft, Helen; Maclean, Rhona; Feyler, Sylvia; Pratt, Guy; Bird, Jennifer M

    2011-07-01

    Supportive care plays an increasingly important role in the modern management of multiple myeloma. While modern treatments have significantly prolonged overall and progression free survival through improved disease control, the vast majority of patients remain incurable, and live with the burden of the disease itself and the cumulative side effects of treatments. Maintenance of quality of life presents challenges at all stages of the disease from diagnosis through the multiple phases of active treatment to the end of life. Written on behalf of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) and the UK Myeloma Forum (UKMF), these evidence based guidelines summarize the current national consensus for supportive and symptomatic care in multiple myeloma in the following areas; pain management, peripheral neuropathy, skeletal complications, infection, anaemia, haemostasis and thrombosis, sedation, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, constipation, diarrhoea, mucositis, bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw, complementary therapies, holistic needs assessment and end of life care. Although most aspects of supportive care can be supervised by haematology teams primarily responsible for patients with multiple myeloma, multidisciplinary collaboration involving specialists in palliative medicine, pain management, radiotherapy and surgical specialities is essential, and guidance is provided for appropriate interdisciplinary referral. These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the BCSH/UKMF Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Multiple Myeloma 2011. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. Serum levels of CA15-3, AFP, CA19-9 and CEA tumor markers in cancer care and treatment of patients with impaired renal function on hemodialysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estakhri, Rasoul; Ghahramanzade, Ali; Vahedi, Amir; Nourazarian, Alireza

    2013-01-01

    Since renal failure causes decrease in tumor marker excretion, use of these markers in cancer care and treatment in patients with renal insufficiency or hemodialysis is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate differences of serum levels of tumor markers CA15-3, AFP, CA19-9 and CEA in patients with impaired renal function. A total of 100 patients referred to the Tabriz Immam Reza and Amiralmomenin hospital from June 2010 to November 2011 were selected for study. Subjects were divided to 3 groups of healthy, dialysis and renal failure but non hemodialysis cases, the last category being re-grouped based on creatinine clearance. No significant relationship between different groups in serum levels of CEA (P=0.99) and CA19-9 (P=0.29) tumor markers was found. A significant correlation was observed between serum levels of AFP (PCEA (r=0.05, P=0.625). Creatinine clearance significantly correlated with AFP (Ptumor markers in patients with impaired renal function should be performed with special precautions.

  5. A review of dietary supplement-induced renal dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabardi, Steven; Munz, Kristin; Ulbricht, Catherine

    2007-07-01

    Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a multibillion-dollar industry. Almost half of the American population uses some form of CAM, with many using them in addition to prescription medications. Most patients fail to inform their health care providers of their CAM use, and physicians rarely inquire. Annually, thousands of dietary supplement-induced adverse events are reported to Poison Control Centers nationwide. CAM manufacturers are not responsible for proving safety and efficacy, because the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate them. However, concern exists surrounding the safety of CAM. A literature search using MEDLINE and EMBASE was undertaken to explore the impact of CAM on renal function. English-language studies and case reports were selected for inclusion but were limited to those that consisted of human subjects, both adult and pediatric. This review provides details on dietary supplements that have been associated with renal dysfunction and focuses on 17 dietary supplements that have been associated with direct renal injury, CAM-induced immune-mediated nephrotoxicity, nephrolithiasis, rhabdomyolysis with acute renal injury, and hepatorenal syndrome. It is concluded that it is imperative that use of dietary supplements be monitored closely in all patients. Health care practitioners must take an active role in identifying patients who are using CAM and provide appropriate patient education.

  6. Communication elements supporting patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanerva, A; Kivinen, T; Lammintakanen, J

    2015-06-01

    Communication is important for safe and quality health care. The study provides needed insight on the communication elements that support patient safety from the psychiatric care view. Fluent information transfer between the health care professionals and care units is important for care planning and maintaining practices. Information should be documented and implemented accordingly. Communication should happen in an open communication culture that enables discussion, the opportunity to have debriefing discussions and the entire staff can feel they are heard. For effective communication, it is also important that staff are active themselves in information collecting about the essential information needed in patient care. In mental health nursing, it is important to pay attention to all elements of communication and to develop processes concerning communication in multidisciplinary teams and across unit boundaries. The study aims to describe which communication elements support patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care from the viewpoint of the nursing staff. Communication is an essential part of care and one of the core competencies of the psychiatric care. It enables safe and quality patient care. Errors in health care are often connected with poor communication. The study brings needed insight from the psychiatric care view to the topic. The data were gathered from semi-structured interviews in which 26 nurses were asked to describe the elements that constitute patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care. The data were analysed inductively from the viewpoint of communication. The descriptions connected with communication formed a main category of communication elements that support patient safety; this main category was made up of three subcategories: fluent information transfer, open communication culture and being active in information collecting. Fluent information transfer consists of the practical implementation of communication; open communication

  7. Implementing Information and Communication Technology to Support Community Aged Care Service Integration: Lessons from an Australian Aged Care Provider.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Heather E; Georgiou, Andrew; Tariq, Amina; Prgomet, Mirela; Warland, Andrew; Armour, Pauline; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2017-04-10

    There is limited evidence of the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to support integrated aged care services. We undertook a case study to describe carelink+, a centralised client service management ICT system implemented by a large aged and community care service provider, Uniting. We sought to explicate the care-related information exchange processes associated with carelink+ and identify lessons for organisations attempting to use ICT to support service integration. Our case study included seventeen interviews and eleven observation sessions with a purposive sample of staff within the organisation. Inductive analysis was used to develop a model of ICT-supported information exchange. Management staff described the integrated care model designed to underpin carelink+. Frontline staff described complex information exchange processes supporting coordination of client services. Mismatches between the data quality and the functions carelink+ was designed to support necessitated the evolution of new work processes associated with the system. There is value in explicitly modelling the work processes that emerge as a consequence of ICT. Continuous evaluation of the match between ICT and work processes will help aged care organisations to achieve higher levels of ICT maturity that support their efforts to provide integrated care to clients.

  8. Understanding cost of care for patients on renal replacement therapy: looking beyond fixed tariffs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bernadette; Cairns, John A; Fotheringham, James; Tomson, Charles R; Forsythe, John L; Watson, Christopher; Metcalfe, Wendy; Fogarty, Damian G; Draper, Heather; Oniscu, Gabriel C; Dudley, Christopher; Johnson, Rachel J; Roderick, Paul; Leydon, Geraldine; Bradley, J Andrew; Ravanan, Rommel

    2015-10-01

    In a number of countries, reimbursement to hospitals providing renal dialysis services is set according to a fixed tariff. While the cost of maintenance dialysis and transplant surgery are amenable to a system of fixed tariffs, patients with established renal failure commonly present with comorbid conditions that can lead to variations in the need for hospitalization beyond the provision of renal replacement therapy. Patient-level cost data for incident renal replacement therapy patients in England were obtained as a result of linkage of the Hospital Episodes Statistics dataset to UK Renal Registry data. Regression models were developed to explore variations in hospital costs in relation to treatment modality, number of years on treatment and factors such as age and comorbidities. The final models were then used to predict annual costs for patients with different sets of characteristics. Excluding the cost of renal replacement therapy itself, inpatient costs generally decreased with number of years on treatment for haemodialysis and transplant patients, whereas costs for patients receiving peritoneal dialysis remained constant. Diabetes was associated with higher mean annual costs for all patients irrespective of treatment modality and hospital setting. Age did not have a consistent effect on costs. Combining predicted hospital costs with the fixed costs of renal replacement therapy showed that the total cost differential for a patient continuing on dialysis rather than receiving a transplant is considerable following the first year of renal replacement therapy, thus reinforcing the longer-term economic advantage of transplantation over dialysis for the health service. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

  9. Prenatal care: associations with prenatal depressive symptoms and social support in low-income urban women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidebottom, Abbey C; Hellerstedt, Wendy L; Harrison, Patricia A; Jones-Webb, Rhonda J

    2017-10-01

    We examined associations of depressive symptoms and social support with late and inadequate prenatal care in a low-income urban population. The sample was prenatal care patients at five community health centers. Measures of depressive symptoms, social support, and covariates were collected at prenatal care entry. Prenatal care entry and adequacy came from birth certificates. We examined outcomes of late prenatal care and less than adequate care in multivariable models. Among 2341 study participants, 16% had elevated depressive symptoms, 70% had moderate/poor social support, 21% had no/low partner support, 37% had late prenatal care, and 29% had less than adequate prenatal care. Women with both no/low partner support and elevated depressive symptoms were at highest risk of late care (AOR 1.85, CI 1.31, 2.60, p care (AOR 0.74, CI 0.54, 1.10, p = 0.051). Women with moderate/high depressive symptoms were less likely to experience less than adequate care compared to women with low symptoms (AOR 0.73, CI 0.56, 0.96, p = 0.022). Social support and partner support were negatively associated with indices of prenatal care use. Partner support was identified as protective for women with depressive symptoms with regard to late care. Study findings support public health initiatives focused on promoting models of care that address preconception and reproductive life planning. Practice-based implications include possible screening for social support and depression in preconception contexts.

  10. Improving care in care homes: a qualitative evaluation of the Croydon care home support team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Vanessa; Banerjee, Sube

    2010-05-01

    The Croydon care home support team (CHST) was developed in response to reports of patient abuse within long-term care. It presents a novel strategy for improving standards of care within care homes. A qualitative methodology was used to assess the perceived impact of the CHST. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 care home managers and 24 members of care home staff across 14 care homes. Grounded theory principles guided the collection and analysis of the data. Reports of improved communication between staff, improved staff development and confidence, and improved quality of care point towards the effectiveness of the CHST model. The collaborative approach of the CHST was considered pivotal to its success and presented as an effective method of engaging care home managers and staff. The CHST adopted a systemic approach that placed an equal emphasis on the social, mental health and nursing needs of residents and aimed to address the whole culture of care within the individual homes. The data demonstrate the potential for specialist multi-disciplinary teams to raise standards of care across long-term care settings. Increased awareness of safeguarding issues, improved staff morale and communication and ongoing opportunities for discussion and problem solving promised to sustain improvements. Such services could be instrumental in meeting the government priority of preventing abuse among vulnerable adults.

  11. Using eHealth to Increase Autonomy Supportive Care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnsen, Helle; Blom, Karina Fischer; Lee, Anne

    2018-01-01

    eHealth solutions are increasingly implemented in antenatal care to enhance women's involvement. The main aim of this study was to evaluate women's assessment of autonomy supportive care during the antenatal care visits among low-risk pregnant women. An intervention study was conducted including...... a control group attending standard antenatal care and an intervention group having access to an eHealth knowledge base, in addition to standard care. A total of 87 women were included in the control group and a total of 121 women in the intervention group. Data were collected using an online questionnaire 2...... weeks after participants had given birth. Data were analyzed using χ tests and Wilcoxon rank sums. Use of an eHealth knowledge base was associated with statistically significant higher scores for women's overall assessment of antenatal care visits, the organization of antenatal care visits, confidence...

  12. The financial hazard of personalized medicine and supportive care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carrera, Percivil Melendez; Olver, Ian

    2015-01-01

    Personalized medicine is revolutionizing the delivery of oncological care, promising benefits both at the patient and health system levels. The cost of targeted therapies, unfortunately, is becoming more expensive and unaffordable. Where supportive care in cancer concerns the prevention and

  13. Care and caring in the intensive care unit: Family members' distress and perceptions about staff skills, communication, and emotional support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Eve B; Spain, David A; Muhtadie, Luma; McDade-Montez, Liz; Macia, Kathryn S

    2015-06-01

    Family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients are sometimes highly distressed and report lower satisfaction with communication and emotional support from staff. Within a study of emotional responses to traumatic stress, associations between family distress and satisfaction with aspects of ICU care were investigated. In 29 family members of trauma patients who stayed in an ICU, we assessed symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during ICU care. Later, family members rated staff communication, support, and skills and their overall satisfaction with ICU care. Ratings of staff competence and skills were significantly higher than ratings of frequency of communication, information needs being met, and support. Frequency of communication and information needs being met were strongly related to ratings of support (rs = .75-.77) and staff skills (rs = .77-.85), and aspects of satisfaction and communication showed negative relationships with symptoms of depression (rs = -.31 to -.55) and PTSD (rs = -.17 to -.43). Although satisfaction was fairly high, family member distress was negatively associated with several satisfaction variables. Increased understanding of the effects of traumatic stress on family members may help staff improve communication and increase satisfaction of highly distressed family members. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Risks and benefits of citrate anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shum, H P; Yan, W W; Chan, T M

    2015-04-01

    Heparin, despite its significant side-effects, is the most commonly used anticoagulant for continuous renal replacement therapy in critical care setting. In recent years, citrate has gained much popularity by improving continuous renal replacement therapy circuit survival and decreasing blood transfusion requirements. However, its complex metabolic consequences warrant modification in the design of the citrate-based continuous renal replacement therapy protocol. With thorough understanding of the therapeutic mechanism of citrate, a simple and practicable protocol can be devised. Citrate-based continuous renal replacement therapy can be safely and widely used in the clinical setting with appropriate clinical staff training.

  15. Factors associated with integrating self-management support into primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crespo, Richard; Shrewsberry, Molly

    2007-06-01

    The purpose of this article is to expand the understanding of self-management support by describing factors that contribute to implementing a comprehensive self-management program in primary care. Four rural health centers in medically underserved areas participated in a study to document the implementation of a self-management program. This program consisted of a social marketing plan and decision-making tools to guide patients in making self-management behavior changes. The stages of change constructs of the transtheoretical model were used to design the social marketing plan. Key informant interviews were conducted at 6-month and 9-month intervals to document the implementation process. A standardized set of questions was used in the interviews. The data from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis techniques. One of the principle findings is that self-management support requires putting a system in place, not just adding a new component to primary care. The health centers that fully implemented the self-management program made an organizational commitment to keep self-management on the agenda in management meetings, clinical staff set the example by adopting self-management behaviors, and patient self-management support was implemented in multiple patient care venues. Primary care centers with limited financial resources are able to integrate self-management support into their system of chronic illness care.

  16. An Overview Of Specialist Nurse Role In Patients With Stroke Caring And Their Care-Givers Support

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elham Navab

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: The practical difficulties for patients with stroke include lack of information about their condition, poor knowledge of the services and benefits available. Specialist Stroke nurses provide education and support services for people with Stroke  in many health care systems. A key goal is helping and empowering unable people to self-manage their stroke and supporting caregivers of these valnurable population, too. Objective: The objective of this review was to assess the role of specialist nurse in care for patients following a stroke and their caregivers support. Search methods: The databases CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct and Synergy were searched from 1988 to 2017 using the keywords Stroke, Specialist Nurse, Care, Caregivers and support. Bibliographies of relevant papers were searched, and hand searching of relevant publications was undertaken to identify additional Studies. Selection criteria: All studies of the effects of a specialist nurse practitioner on short and long term stroke outcomes were included in the review. Data collection and analysis: Three investigators performed data extraction and quality scoring independently; any discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Findings:  Stroke, Specialist Nurse, Care, Caregivers concepts and labels are defined and measured in different and often contradictory ways by using 31 founded study. Conclusions: The findings indicate a dissonance in the views of different stakeholders within the care system. The division of labour associated with nursing care and specialist nurse requires further exploration. The contrasting paradigms of health care professionals and people with stroke regarding models of disability were highlighted.  Stroke, like other chronic illnesses, requires substantial nursing care. There is a growing number of specialist nurses in the workforce, however, little is known how their role interfaces with other nurses.

  17. Update in the classification and treatment of complex renal injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Leonardo Oliveira; Kim, Fernando J; Moore, Ernest E; Hirano, Elcio Shiyoiti; Fraga, Gustavo Pereira; Nascimento, Barto; Rizoli, Sandro

    2013-01-01

    The "Evidence-Based Telemedicine - Trauma and Acute Care Surgery" (EBT-TACS) Journal Club performed a critical review of the literature and selected three up-to-date articles on the management of renal trauma defined as American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) injury grade III-V. The first paper was the proposal for the AAST grade 4renal injury substratification into grades 4a (Low Risk) and 4b (High Risk). The second paper was a revision of the current AAST renal injury grading system, expanding to include segmental vascular injuries and to establish a more rigorous definition of severe grade IV and V renal injuries.The last article analyses the diagnostic angiography and angioembolization in the acute management of renal trauma using a national data set in the USA. The EBT-TACS Journal Club elaborated conclusions and recommendations for the management of high-grade renal trauma.

  18. Renal alterations in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats: a natural model of lentivirus-induced renal disease changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poli, Alessandro; Tozon, Natasa; Guidi, Grazia; Pistello, Mauro

    2012-09-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with several renal syndromes including acute and chronic renal failures, but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. HIV and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) share numerous biological and pathological features, including renal alterations. We investigated and compared the morphological changes of renal tissue of 51 experimentally and 21 naturally infected cats. Compared to the latter, the experimentally infected cats exhibited some mesangial widening and glomerulonephritis, milder proteinuria, and lower tubular and interstitial alterations. The numbers of giant protein tubular casts and tubular microcysts were also lower. In contrast, diffuse interstitial infiltrates and glomerular and interstitial amyloidosis were detected only in naturally infected cats. Similar alterations are found in HIV infected patients, thus supporting the idea of a causative role of FIV infection in renal disease, and underlining the relevance of the FIV and its natural host as an animal model for investigating lentivirus-associated nephropathy.

  19. Implementing Information and Communication Technology to Support Community Aged Care Service Integration: Lessons from an Australian Aged Care Provider

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather E Douglas

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: There is limited evidence of the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT to support integrated aged care services. Objectives: We undertook a case study to describe carelink+, a centralised client service management ICT system implemented by a large aged and community care service provider, Uniting. We sought to explicate the care-related information exchange processes associated with carelink+ and identify lessons for organisations attempting to use ICT to support service integration. Methods: Our case study included seventeen interviews and eleven observation sessions with a purposive sample of staff within the organisation. Inductive analysis was used to develop a model of ICT-supported information exchange. Results: Management staff described the integrated care model designed to underpin carelink+. Frontline staff described complex information exchange processes supporting coordination of client services. Mismatches between the data quality and the functions carelink+ was designed to support necessitated the evolution of new work processes associated with the system. Conclusions: There is value in explicitly modelling the work processes that emerge as a consequence of ICT. Continuous evaluation of the match between ICT and work processes will help aged care organisations to achieve higher levels of ICT maturity that support their efforts to provide integrated care to clients.

  20. Implementing Information and Communication Technology to Support Community Aged Care Service Integration: Lessons from an Australian Aged Care Provider

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgiou, Andrew; Tariq, Amina; Prgomet, Mirela; Warland, Andrew; Armour, Pauline; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: There is limited evidence of the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to support integrated aged care services. Objectives: We undertook a case study to describe carelink+, a centralised client service management ICT system implemented by a large aged and community care service provider, Uniting. We sought to explicate the care-related information exchange processes associated with carelink+ and identify lessons for organisations attempting to use ICT to support service integration. Methods: Our case study included seventeen interviews and eleven observation sessions with a purposive sample of staff within the organisation. Inductive analysis was used to develop a model of ICT-supported information exchange. Results: Management staff described the integrated care model designed to underpin carelink+. Frontline staff described complex information exchange processes supporting coordination of client services. Mismatches between the data quality and the functions carelink+ was designed to support necessitated the evolution of new work processes associated with the system. Conclusions: There is value in explicitly modelling the work processes that emerge as a consequence of ICT. Continuous evaluation of the match between ICT and work processes will help aged care organisations to achieve higher levels of ICT maturity that support their efforts to provide integrated care to clients. PMID:29042851

  1. Self-management-support in dementia care: A mixed methods study among nursing staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verkaik, Renate; van Antwerpen-Hoogenraad, Paulien; de Veer, Anke; Francke, Anneke; Huis In Het Veld, Judith

    2017-11-01

    Background Self-management in patients and family caregivers confronted with dementia is not self-evident. Self-management skills may be limited because of the progressive cognitive decline of the patient and because family caregivers are often also very aged. Self-management support by nursing staff is therefore of paramount importance. Objectives To gain insight into how nursing staff perceive their self-management support tasks, and how they put them into practice. Research questions are: 'What are the opinions and experiences of Dutch nursing staff working in home care or residential elderly care regarding self-management support for people with dementia and their family caregivers?' and 'Do nursing staff feel sufficiently trained and skilled for self-management support?'. Methods A mixed methods approach was used, combining cross-sectional quantitative survey data from 206 Dutch nursing professionals with qualitative interviews among 12 nursing staff working in home care or residential elderly care in The Netherlands. Results Nursing staff working in home care experienced self-management support of people with dementia as a part of their job and as an attractive task. They consider 'helping people with dementia to maintain control over their lives by involving them in decisions in daily care' the essence of self-management support. Nursing staff saw family caregivers as their main partners in providing self-management support to the patient. They were less aware that family caregivers themselves might also need self-management support. Nursing staff often felt insufficiently trained to give adequate self-management support. RN's and CNA's did not differ in their opinions, experiences and training needs. Conclusions Nursing staff in home care do consider self-management support an important and attractive task in dementia care. Their skills for providing self-management support to patients with dementia and family caregivers need improvement. Recommendations

  2. Impact of caregivers' unmet needs for supportive care on quality of terminal cancer care delivered and caregiver's workforce performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sang Min; Kim, Young Jin; Kim, Samyong; Choi, Jong Soo; Lim, Ho-Yeong; Choi, Youn Seon; Hong, Young Seon; Kim, Si-Young; Heo, Dae Seog; Kang, Ki Moon; Jeong, Hyun Sik; Lee, Chang Geol; Moon, Do Ho; Choi, Jin-Young; Kong, In Sik; Yun, Young Ho

    2010-06-01

    Family caregivers play an important role in caring for cancer patients, but the impact of caregivers' unmet needs on the quality of end-of-life (EOL) care they deliver and on their workplace performance are less understood. We identified 1,662 family caregivers of cancer patients who had died at any of 17 hospitals in Korea during 2004. The caregivers answered a telephone questionnaire about needs that were not met when they delivered terminal cancer care and how those unmet their needs affected their workplace performance; they also answered the Quality Care Questionnaire-End of Life (QCQ-EOL). Compared with caregivers who did not have unmet needs, caregivers who had unmet needs for symptom management, financial support, or community support showed poorer QCQ-EOL scores (P < 0.01). Caregivers who had unmet needs for financial support (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 7.55; 95% confidential interval (CI) 3.80-15.00), psychosocial support (aOR = 6.24; 95% CI 2.95-13.05), symptom management (aOR = 3.21; 95% CI 2.26-4.54), community support (aOR = 3.82; 95% CI 2.38-6.11), or religious support (aOR = 4.55; 95% CI 1.84-11.26) were more likely to experience work limitations. Caregivers of patients receiving conventional hospital care were more likely to have unmet needs for symptom management (aOR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.00-1.47), psychosocial support (aOR = 1.99; 95% CI 1.37-2.88), and religious support (aOR = 1.73; 95% CI 1.08-2.78) than those of patients receiving palliative hospice care. Caregivers' unmet needs negatively affected both the quality of EOL care they delivered and their workplace performance. More investment in caregiver support and public policies that meet caregiver needs are needed, and hospice use should be encouraged.

  3. sup(99m)Tc-DMSA renal scintigraphy in renal failure due to various renal diseases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hosokawa, S; Daijo, K; Okabe, T; Kawamura, J; Hara, A [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Hospital

    1979-08-01

    Renal contours in renal failure were studied by means of sup(99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renoscintigraphy. Renal cortical images were obtained even in renal failure cases. Causes of renal failure were chronic glomerulonephritis in 7, bilateral renal tuberculosis in 2, chronic pyelonephritis in 3, bilateral renal calculi in 3, diabetic nephropathy in 2, polycystic kidney disease in 2 and stomach cancer in 1.

  4. sup(99m)Tc-DMSA renal scintigraphy in renal failure due to various renal diseases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosokawa, Shin-ichi; Daijo, Kazuyuki; Okabe, Tatsushiro; Kawamura, Juichi; Hara, Akira

    1979-01-01

    Renal contours in renal failure were studied by means of sup(99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renoscintigraphy. Renal cortical images were obtained even in renal failure cases. Causes of renal failure were chronic glomerulonephritis in 7, bilateral renal tuberculosis in 2, chronic pyelonephritis in 3, bilateral renal calculi in 3, diabetic nephropathy in 2, polycystic kidney disease in 2 and stomach cancer in 1. (author)

  5. Renal Sympathetic Denervation: Hibernation or Resurrection?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papademetriou, Vasilios; Doumas, Michael; Tsioufis, Costas

    The most current versions of renal sympathetic denervation have been invented as minimally invasive approaches for the management of drug-resistant hypertension. The anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of renal sympathetic innervation provide a strong background supporting an important role of the renal nerves in the regulation of blood pressure (BP) and volume. In addition, historical data with surgical sympathectomy and experimental data with surgical renal denervation indicate a beneficial effect on BP levels. Early clinical studies with transcatheter radiofrequency ablation demonstrated impressive BP reduction, accompanied by beneficial effects in target organ damage and other disease conditions characterized by sympathetic overactivity. However, the failure of the SYMPLICITY 3 trial to meet its primary efficacy end point raised a lot of concerns and put the field of renal denervation into hibernation. This review aims to translate basic research into clinical practice by presenting the anatomical and physiological basis for renal sympathetic denervation, critically discussing the past and present knowledge in this field, where we stand now, and also speculating about the future of the intervention and potential directions for research. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Malignant hypertension in a patient with end of stage renal disease (esrd) treated by renal transplant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gondal, M.; Farook, K.; Moin, S.; Bano, Z.

    2007-01-01

    Control of hypertension is often a problem in the management of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Multiple modalities of treatment are required to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality and morbidity. These include fluid and salt restriction, multidrug regimes and dialysis. We report a case of young 25 years old patient, admitted with chronic renal failure, complicated by malignant and refractory hypertension, not responding to hemodialysis and antihypertensive agent. During stay in hospital, patient also had intracerebral hemorrhage, fits due to uncontrolled hypertension requiring ventilatory support followed. Renal transplant was considered to be the final therapeutic modality. After gradual recovery, a successful live-related renal transplant was performed. As soon as good graft was established, the blood pressure settled and 4 of the 5 antihypertensives were withdrawn. After 2 weeks, patient was discharged in a stable condition with a total stay of about 2 months. (author)

  7. CYP3A5 genotyping may reduce the cost of care and guide dosing in paediatric renal transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus: A report of two paediatric renal transplant cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen M. Roper

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Therapeutic tacrolimus blood levels are often difficult to achieve immediately after transplant. Pharmacogenetic testing is an option to predict the metabolism of tacrolimus; however the clinical benefits of this approach have not been extensively studied. We describe two paediatric renal transplant recipients who were initially treated with a standard dosing equation for tacrolimus, but required increased frequency of therapeutic drug monitoring and multiple dose adjustments leading to increased cost of hospitalization. A novel perspective is that pharmacogenetic testing is appropriate to reduce length of hospitalization and the total cost of care.

  8. Opportunities to Support Medication Intake across Boundaries of Care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verdezoto, Nervo; Grönvall, Erik

    This paper depicts findings from a project focusing on designing medicine management support for nonclinical settings. In particular, we discuss how we can support older adults across boundaries of care in planning, informing, reminding and documenting activities. Additionally, we present...

  9. Twelve evidence-based principles for implementing self-management support in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battersby, Malcolm; Von Korff, Michael; Schaefer, Judith; Davis, Connie; Ludman, Evette; Greene, Sarah M; Parkerton, Melissa; Wagner, Edward H

    2010-12-01

    Recommendations to improve self-management support and health outcomes for people with chronic conditions in primary care settings are provided on the basis of expert opinion supported by evidence for practices and processes. Practices and processes that could improve self-management support in primary care were identified through a nominal group process. In a targeted search strategy, reviews and meta-analyses were then identifed using terms from a wide range of chronic conditions and behavioral risk factors in combination with Self-Care, Self-Management, and Primary Care. On the basis of these reviews, evidence-based principles for self-management support were developed. The evidence is organized within the framework of the Chronic Care Model. Evidence-based principles in 12 areas were associated with improved patient self-management and/or health outcomes: (1) brief targeted assessment, (2) evidence-based information to guide shared decision-making, (3) use of a nonjudgmental approach, (4) collaborative priority and goal setting, (5) collaborative problem solving, (6) self-management support by diverse providers, (7) self-management interventions delivered by diverse formats, (8) patient self-efficacy, (9) active followup, (10) guideline-based case management for selected patients, (11) linkages to evidence-based community programs, and (12) multifaceted interventions. A framework is provided for implementing these principles in three phases of the primary care visit: enhanced previsit assessment, a focused clinical encounter, and expanded postvisit options. There is a growing evidence base for how self-management support for chronic conditions can be integrated into routine health care.

  10. Renal computed angiography. Part I: Renal CT phlebography. Renal veins variants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Amin, M.; Krupev, M.; Hadjidekov, V.; Plachkov, I.

    2012-01-01

    The changing trend in renal surgery, transplantation and minimal invasive urology implies preprocedure evaluation of renal veins. Development of imaging methods offers new possibilities for venographic visualization. The goal of this study is to present authors experience in visualization of renal veins using 64 MDCT and to evaluate the utility in assessments of their variants. 128 patients (68 females and 60 males, mean age 53,3) with urological complaints underwent 64MDCT examination including CT angiography. Contrast enhancement includes 3-4ml/sec injection flow of 90 ml contrast medium followed by 20 ml saline at the same rate. In 23 out of 128 examined patients some of the common variants of the renal vein is found. 64 MDCT angiography visualize very well renal veins and becomes method of choice in preoperative assessment of renal vein anatomy. (authors)

  11. Open heart surgery after renal transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamura, Mitsuhiro; Miyamoto, Yuji; Mitsuno, Masataka; Tanaka, Hiroe; Ryomoto, Masaaki; Fukui, Shinya; Tsujiya, Noriko; Kajiyama, Tetsuya; Nojima, Michio

    2014-09-01

    to evaluate the strategy for open heart surgery after renal transplantation performed in a single institution in Japan. we reviewed 6 open heart surgeries after renal transplantation in 5 patients, performed between January 1992 and December 2012. The patients were 3 men and 2 women with a mean age of 60 ± 11 years (range 46-68 years). They had old myocardial infarction and unstable angina, aortic and mitral stenosis, left arterial myxoma, aortic stenosis, and native valve endocarditis followed by prosthetic valve endocarditis. Operative procedures included coronary artery bypass grafting, double-valve replacement, resection of left arterial myxoma, 2 aortic valve replacements, and a double-valve replacement. Renal protection consisted of steroid cover (hydrocortisone 100-500 mg or methylprednisolone 1000 mg) and intravenous immunosuppressant infusion (cyclosporine 30-40 mg day(-1) or tacrolimus 1.0 mg day(-1)). 5 cases were uneventful and good renal graft function was maintained at discharge (serum creatinine 2.1 ± 0.5 mg dL(-1)). There was one operative death after emergency double-valve replacement for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-associated prosthetic valve endocarditis. Although the endocarditis improved after valve replacement, the patient died of postoperative pneumonia on postoperative day 45. careful perioperative management can allow successful open heart surgery after renal transplantation. However, severe complications, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, may cause renal graft loss. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  12. Renal Alterations in Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV-Infected Cats: A Natural Model of Lentivirus-Induced Renal Disease Changes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro Pistello

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV is associated with several renal syndromes including acute and chronic renal failures, but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. HIV and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV share numerous biological and pathological features, including renal alterations. We investigated and compared the morphological changes of renal tissue of 51 experimentally and 21 naturally infected cats. Compared to the latter, the experimentally infected cats exhibited some mesangial widening and glomerulonephritis, milder proteinuria, and lower tubular and interstitial alterations. The numbers of giant protein tubular casts and tubular microcysts were also lower. In contrast, diffuse interstitial infiltrates and glomerular and interstitial amyloidosis were detected only in naturally infected cats. Similar alterations are found in HIV infected patients, thus supporting the idea of a causative role of FIV infection in renal disease, and underlining the relevance of the FIV and its natural host as an animal model for investigating lentivirus-associated nephropathy.

  13. Patients' experiences of care and support at home after a family member's participation in an intervention during palliative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norinder, Maria; Goliath, Ida; Alvariza, Anette

    2017-06-01

    Patients who receive palliative home care are in need of support from family members, who take on great responsibility related to caregiving but who often feel unprepared for this task. Increasing numbers of interventions aimed at supporting family members in palliative care have been described and evaluated. It is not known whether and how these interventions actually affect the care or support provided to a patient, even though it has been suggested that family members would be likely to provide better care and support and thus allow for positive experiences for patients. However, this has not been studied from the perspective of the patients themselves. The objective of our study was to explore patients' experiences of care and support at home after family members' participation in a psychoeducational intervention during palliative care. Our study took a qualitative approach, and interviews were conducted with 11 patients whose family members had participated in a psychoeducational intervention during palliative home care. The interviews were analyzed employing interpretive description. Patients' experiences were represented by three themes: "safe at home," "facilitated and more honest communication," and "feeling like a unit of care." Patients felt that their needs were better met and that family members became more confident at home without risking their own health. Patients felt relieved when family members were given the opportunity to talk and reflect with others and hoped that the intervention would contribute to more honest communications between themselves and their family members. Further, it was of great importance to patients that family members receive attention from and be confirmed and supported by healthcare professionals. Our findings show how an intervention targeted at family members during palliative home care also benefits the patients.

  14. Comprehensive maternity support and shared care in Switzerland: Comparison of levels of satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floris, Lucia; Irion, Olivier; Bonnet, Jocelyne; Politis Mercier, Maria-Pia; de Labrusse, Claire

    2018-04-01

    According to the woman-centred care model, continuous care by a midwife has a positive impact on satisfaction. Comprehensive support is a model of team midwifery care implemented in the large Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland, which has organised shared care according to the biomedical model of practice. This model of care insures a follow up by a specific group of midwives, during perinatal period. The goal of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction and outcomes of the obstetric and neonatal care of women who received comprehensive support during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and compare them to women who received shared care. This was a prospective comparative study between two models of care in low risk pregnant women. The satisfaction and outcomes of care were evaluated using the French version of the Women's Experiences Maternity Care Scale, two months after giving birth. In total, 186 women in the comprehensive support group and 164 in the control group returned the questionnaire. After adjustment, the responses of those in the comprehensive support programme were strongly associated with optimal satisfaction, and they had a significantly lower epidural rate. No differences were observed between the two groups in the mode of delivery. The satisfaction relative to this support programme was associated with a birth plan for intrapartum and postnatal care. Team midwifery had a positive impact on satisfaction, with no adverse effects on the obstetric and neonatal outcomes, when compared to shared care. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Full protein alimentation and nitrogen equilibrium in a renal failure patient treated with continuous hemodiafiltration: a case report of 67 days of continuous hemodiafiltration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, H N; Borg, U; Frankenfield, D

    1992-01-01

    Standard care for patients with renal failure while in an intensive care unit involves traditional hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis and protein restriction. We present a case of a patient with renal failure supported with continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration with dialysis (CAVH-D) who was given full protein alimentation. Total daily urea clearance was measured from the CAVH-D output. Protein load was 196 +/- 34 g/day while receiving total parenteral nutrition and 164 +/- 30 g/day while receiving enteral alimentation. Serum blood urea nitrogen was controlled between 40 and 75 mg/dL, except during septic episodes. Nitrogen balance was estimated based upon known alimentation protein load and measurable and estimated nitrogenous losses. The patient was potentially in nitrogen equilibrium during most of the dialysis period. The cumulative nitrogen balance was positive by 5.2 g after 67 days of dialysis. Volume of alimentation was 3.49 +/- 0.7 liters/day. With CAVH-D, the renal failure patient can receive full alimentation without volume or protein load limitations. Furthermore, nitrogen balances can be estimated easily while the patient is on CAVH-D.

  16. Support network and social support for children with special health care need

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thaís Araújo Barbosa

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to understand and identify the support network and social support from the perspective of families of children with chronic conditions. Methods: a qualitative study, with content analysis of 134 records, followed by ten semi-structured interviews. Results: the analysis has revealed that the primary caregiver, the mother, participates in a network of limited support, only with the help of her husband, children, grandparents and the child´s godparents. They also have a social network through a multidisciplinary team, which in some cases is not effective. Conclusion: families have a deficient and limited support network and the demand for care rely only on the support of the husband, grandparents, children, and godparents. Social networking refers to the philanthropic institutions, while the aid of public service, basic health unit is basic.

  17. Core measures for developmentally supportive care in neonatal intensive care units: theory, precedence and practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coughlin, Mary; Gibbins, Sharyn; Hoath, Steven

    2009-10-01

    This paper is a discussion of evidence-based core measures for developmental care in neonatal intensive care units. Inconsistent definition, application and evaluation of developmental care have resulted in criticism of its scientific merit. The key concept guiding data organization in this paper is the United States of America's Joint Commission's concept of 'core measures' for evaluating and accrediting healthcare organizations. This concept is applied to five disease- and procedure-independent measures based on the Universe of Developmental Care model. Electronically accessible, peer reviewed studies on developmental care published in English were culled for data supporting the selected objective core measures between 1978 and 2008. The quality of evidence was based on a structured predetermined format that included three independent reviewers. Systematic reviews and randomized control trials were considered the strongest level of evidence. When unavailable, cohort, case control, consensus statements and qualitative methods were considered the strongest level of evidence for a particular clinical issue. Five core measure sets for evidence-based developmental care were evaluated: (1) protected sleep, (2) pain and stress assessment and management, (3) developmental activities of daily living, (4) family-centred care, and (5) the healing environment. These five categories reflect recurring themes that emerged from the literature review regarding developmentally supportive care and quality caring practices in neonatal populations. This practice model provides clear metrics for nursing actions having an impact on the hospital experience of infant-family dyads. Standardized disease-independent core measures for developmental care establish minimum evidence-based practice expectations and offer an objective basis for cross-institutional comparison of developmental care programmes.

  18. Knowledge, perceived skills and activities of nursing staff to support oral home care among older domiciliary care clients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmi, Riikka; Tolvanen, Mimmi; Suhonen, Riitta; Lahti, Satu; Närhi, Timo

    2018-04-25

    Increasing number of older adults lives in their own homes, but needs help in many daily routines. Domiciliary care nursing staff (DCNS) is often needed to support oral home care. However, information of nursing staff's knowledge, skills and activity in this task is sparse. The study aimed to assess DCNS knowledge, perceived skills and activities to support oral home care of older domiciliary care clients. The study was conducted among DCNS in one of the largest cities in Finland. All DCNS members (n = 465) received a questionnaire with 14 multiple choice and open questions regarding the perceived skills, knowledge and activities of oral health guidance of older domiciliary care clients. In total, 115 (25%) DCNS members returned the questionnaires. Frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations were used to describe the samples and study variables. DCNS was categorised according to age and working years for group comparisons, which were assessed with chi-squared test. Knowledge concerning oral health was mostly on a high level. Around 50% of DCNS considered their knowledge regarding dental prosthesis hygiene as sufficient. Of the DCNS, 67% informed that they had received education on oral health care. However, over 50% of the DCNS had a need for further education in issues related to oral home care. DCNS were active in supporting most oral and prosthesis hygiene means, yet less in guidance concerning toothbrushing. Activity to support cleaning the interdental spaces was the weakest, in which only 12% of the respondents considered having average or excellent skills. Younger DCNS had better knowledge on oral home care due to recent education, but older staff members were more skilful in performing oral hygiene measures. There is a need for structured instructions and training on oral home care for DCNS. Oral home care should be taken into account more often and regularly. © 2018 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  19. Outcome and prognostic factors of critically ill patients with acute renal failure requiring continuous renal replacement therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aldawood Abdulaziz

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT has proved to be beneficial for the treatment of critically ill patients with acute renal failure (ARF. The aim of this study is to determine the outcome and identify the predictors of mortality of critically ill patients treated with CRRT for ARF in the intensive care unit (ICU. This prospective cohort study of critically ill patients with ARF requiring CRRT admitted to the ICU was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia from 2002 to 2008. A total of 644 of 7173 patients with ARF required CRRT were studied. About 9% of the ARF patients required CRRT and comprised mainly those with medical causes, carrying a mortality of 64%. Multivariate analysis found high serum creatinine as an independent factor for better outcome and requirement of mechanical ventilation (MV as an independent factor for worse outcome. In our cohort study, ARF requiring CRRT in the ICU was associated with a high mortality.

  20. Types and delivery of emotional support to promote linkage and engagement in HIV care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cook CL

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Christa L Cook,1 Shantrel Canidate,2 Nicole Ennis,3 Robert L Cook4 1Department of Family, Community, and Health System Science, College of Nursing, 2Social and Behavioral Science, College of Public Health and Health Profession, 3Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, 4Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions and College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA Purpose: Despite recommendations for early entry into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV care, many people diagnosed with HIV delay seeking care. Multiple types of social support (ie, cognitive, emotional, and tangible are often needed for someone to transition into HIV care, but a lack of emotional support at diagnosis may be the reason why some people fail to stay engaged in care. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify how people living with HIV conceptualized emotional support needs and delivery at diagnosis. Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data from 27 people living with HIV, many of whom delayed entry into HIV care. Results: Participants described their experiences seeking care after an HIV diagnosis and identified components of emotional support that aided entry into care – identification, connection, and navigational presence. Many participants stated that these types of support were ideally delivered by peers with HIV. Conclusion: In clinical practice, providers often use an HIV diagnosis as an opportunity to educate patients about HIV prevention and access to services. However, this type of social support may not facilitate engagement in care if emotional support needs are not met. Keywords: linkage to care, engagement in care, social support, qualitative

  1. Informal care givers’ experiences with support in primary palliative care when a case manager is involved: a descriptive study in the Netherlands.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Plas, A.G.M. van der; Francke, A.L.; Deliens, L.; Jansen, W.J.J.; Vissers, K.C.; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B.D.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Case managers have been introduced in primary palliative care in the Netherlands; these are nurses with expertise in palliative care who offer support to patients and informal care givers. The case manager provides support in addition to the care provided by the home care nurse and

  2. Relationship between parent–infant attachment and parental satisfaction with supportive nursing care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akram Ghadery-Sefat

    2016-01-01

    Conclusions: The results of the study showed that mother–infant attachment improved by increasing mothers' satisfaction of supportive nursing care. Therefore, it seems necessary to increase maternal satisfaction through given nursing care support, in order to promote mother–infant attachment.

  3. Improving Support Services for Family Child Care through Relationship-Based Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bromer, Juliet; Bibbs, Tonya

    2011-01-01

    Family child care (FCC) providers often experience isolation from other early childhood and child care professionals. Yet, research suggests that providers who network with other providers, engage with community resources, and belong to support groups tend to offer higher quality child care. For example, the Family Child Care Network Impact Study…

  4. Being adolescent with chronic renal failure: a view through existential phenomenology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcela Astolphi de Souza

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To understand adolescent's experiences with chronic renal failure disease, attended in a pubic teaching hospital at São Paulo state. Method: Phenomenological study, based on the philosophical reference of Martin Heidegger, with six adolescents interviewed by the following question: "What is it like to be an adolescent with chronic renal failure?" Results: Three ontological categories emerged: feeling different; experiencing renal insufficiency through renal replacement therapy; seeking normality. Conclusion: It was evidenced that the experiences of these adolescents were demonstrated by their behaviors of acceptance and denial, both related to chronic renal failure as a peculiar condition of their lives. Implications for practice: It is crucial that nursing directs a more careful look at adolescents with chronic renal failure, going beyond the disease and also considering the particularities of the adolescents necessary to face the adversities that arise from this experience.

  5. [Proposal of a conceptual method of supportive care for co-active patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abidli, Yamine; Piette, Danielle; Casini, Annalisa

    2015-01-01

    There is a broad consensus on the importance for health professionals to support co-active patients. However, in practice, very few "patient care partnership" approaches have been developed. We hypothesized that the lack of investment in supporting patient care partnerships is due to the lack of interest in the skills needed by caregivers to provide such support. This paper intends to address thisgap. The patient care partnership method is studied, adapted and developed from existing models. It complements, harmonizes and integrates various schools of thought arising from the need to place the patient at the center of care and life in general. The patient care partnership method includes 7 stages during which the professional accompanies the patient through the process of care. The methodological approach for training professionals is designed to ensure that professionals experience the change as well as its difficulties of the change they expect from the patient in the care relationship. This method now needs to be validated by the experience of other professionals in order define the limits of application and to allow further development.

  6. When health systems are barriers to health care: challenges faced by uninsured Mexican kidney patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kierans, Ciara; Padilla-Altamira, Cesar; Garcia-Garcia, Guillermo; Ibarra-Hernandez, Margarita; Mercado, Francisco J

    2013-01-01

    Chronic Kidney Disease disproportionately affects the poor in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Mexico exemplifies the difficulties faced in supporting Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) and providing equitable patient care, despite recent attempts at health reform. The objective of this study is to document the challenges faced by uninsured, poor Mexican families when attempting to access RRT. The article takes an ethnographic approach, using interviewing and observation to generate detailed accounts of the problems that accompany attempts to secure care. The study, based in the state of Jalisco, comprised interviews with patients, their caregivers, health and social care professionals, among others. Observations were carried out in both clinical and social settings. In the absence of organised health information and stable pathways to renal care, patients and their families work extraordinarily hard and at great expense to secure care in a mixed public-private healthcare system. As part of this work, they must navigate challenging health and social care environments, negotiate treatments and costs, resource and finance healthcare and manage a wide range of formal and informal health information. Examining commonalities across pathways to adequate healthcare reveals major failings in the Mexican system. These systemic problems serve to reproduce and deepen health inequalities. A system, in which the costs of renal care are disproportionately borne by those who can least afford them, faces major difficulties around the sustainability and resourcing of RRTs. Attempts to increase access to renal therapies, therefore, need to take into account the complex social and economic demands this places on those who need access most. This paper further shows that ethnographic studies of the concrete ways in which healthcare is accessed in practice provide important insights into the plight of CKD patients and so constitute an important source of evidence in that effort.

  7. RENAL INVOLVEMENT IN SUBJECTS WITH PERIPHERAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    FAWZY, A.; IBRAHIM, S.

    2008-01-01

    Ischemic nephropathy is an important cause of renal failure.Sub-clinical renal function abnormalities may exist in patients with extra renal atherosclerosis and may precede the onset of overt ischemic nephropathy. To assess the impact of extrarenal atherosclerosis on the kidney, the study evaluated renal function in 50 subjects with differing degrees of peripheral atherosclerosis without manifest clinical or laboratory signs of ischemic nephropathy and renovascular hypertension.All laboratory testing including total LDL and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, ultrasonography with Doppler analysis for the localization of peripheral vascular disease (carotid and lower limb arteries), and non-invasive evaluation of renal function by radionuclide studies of renal plasma flow (MAG3 clearance) and glomerular filtration (DTPA clearance) were determined as well as smoking habit was recorded. By combining sonographic data on arterial tree stenosis (ATS), the subjects were grouped according to the atherosclerotic vascular damage (ATS involvement). The results showed no change in plasma creatinine while DTPA clearance was increased from 91.58±26.53 to 93.47±24.82 ml/min/1.73 m. MAG3 clearance was progressively declined with the severity of vascular damage from 244.86 ± 60.60 to 173.59±58.74 ml/min/1.73 m.Stepwise, multiple regression analysis indicated that MAG3 clearance was best explained by ATS involvement (standardized B coefficient -0.40; P< 0.001), smoking habit (-0.34;P=0.004) and serum LDL-cholesterol (-0.24; P<0.035).It could be concluded that the renal hemodynamic profile in atherosclerotic patients might constitute functional evidence of the silent phase of ischemic renal disease. The findings suggest that renal function should be carefully assessed in patients with extrarenal atherosclerosis, particularly in those with classic cardiovascular risk factors

  8. The clinical factors associated with benign renal tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamashita, Ryo; Nakamura, Masafumi; Matsuzaki, Masato; Matsui, Takashi; Yamaguchi, Raizo; Niwakawa, Masashi; Tobisu, Kenichi; Asakura, Koiku; Ito, Ichiro

    2009-01-01

    In this study, we sought to define the incidence of benign renal tumors in our institute and to clarify the clinical factors associated with benign renal tumors, in order to assist in forming preoperative differential diagnoses. From October 2002 to July 2007, we performed 157 nephrectomies in patients preoperatively diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. We chose 81 tumors, all of which were less than 5 cm, for further study. We reviewed double-phase helical CT imaging retrospectively, specifically focusing on attenuation patterns and homogeneity. We also compared clinical factors, including age, sex and tumor size, between the benign and malignant renal tumors. The patient's median age was 67 years (mean age, 63 years), and the median tumor diameter was 3.0 cm (mean, 3.2 cm). Benign renal tumors were found in 10 (12%) of the 81 tumors; these included seven cases of oncocytoma and three cases of angiomyolipoma with minimal fat. Several factors were significant clinical determinants of differentiation between benign and malignant renal tumors: homogeneity in CT, female gender, and small tumor size all predominated in cases of benign tumors. Attenuation pattern in CT, however, was not a significant factor (p=0.344). When a patient, especially a female, presents with a small and homogeneous renal tumor, careful consideration should be given to the possibility of a benign process, which needs further consideration before performing excessive surgery. (author)

  9. Social support and delays seeking care after HIV diagnosis, North Carolina, 2000-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCoy, Sandra I; Strauss, Ronald P; MacDonald, Pia D M; Leone, Peter A; Eron, Joseph J; Miller, William C

    2009-09-01

    Many adults in the USA enter primary care late in the course of HIV infection, countering the clinical benefits of timely HIV services and missing opportunities for risk reduction. Our objective was to determine if perceived social support was associated with delay entering care after an HIV diagnosis. Two hundred and sixteen patients receiving primary care at a large, university-based HIV outpatient clinic in North Carolina were included in the study. Dimensions of functional social support (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction) were quantified with a modified Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale and included in proportional hazards models to determine their effect on delays seeking care. The median delay between diagnosis and entry to primary care was 5.9 months. Levels of social support were high but only positive social interaction was moderately associated with delayed presentation in adjusted models. The effect of low perceived positive social interaction on the time to initiation of primary care differed by history of alcoholism (no history of alcoholism, hazard ratio (HR): 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88, 2.34; history of alcoholism, HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.40, 1.28). Ensuring timely access to HIV care remains a challenge in the southeastern USA. Affectionate, tangible, and emotional/informational social support were not associated with the time from diagnosis to care. The presence of positive social interaction may be an important factor influencing care-seeking behavior after diagnosis.

  10. Using Mobile Health to Support the Chronic Care Model: Developing an Institutional Initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shantanu Nundy

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Self-management support and team-based care are essential elements of the Chronic Care Model but are often limited by staff availability and reimbursement. Mobile phones are a promising platform for improving chronic care but there are few examples of successful health system implementation. Program Development. An iterative process of program design was built upon a pilot study and engaged multiple institutional stakeholders. Patients identified having a “human face” to the pilot program as essential. Stakeholders recognized the need to integrate the program with primary and specialty care but voiced concerns about competing demands on clinician time. Program Description. Nurse administrators at a university-affiliated health plan use automated text messaging to provide personalized self-management support for member patients with diabetes and facilitate care coordination with the primary care team. For example, when a patient texts a request to meet with a dietitian, a nurse-administrator coordinates with the primary care team to provide a referral. Conclusion. Our innovative program enables the existing health system to support a de novo care management program by leveraging mobile technology. The program supports self-management and team-based care in a way that we believe engages patients yet meets the limited availability of providers and needs of health plan administrators.

  11. Scientific Evidence on the Supportive Cancer Care with Chinese Medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William CS CHO

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Complementary and alternative medicine has been increasingly utilized by cancer patients in developed countries. Among the various forms of complementary and alternative medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the few that has a well constructed theoretical framework and established treatment approaches for diseases including cancer. Recent research has revealed growing evidence suggesting that Traditional Chinese Medicine is effective in the supportive care of cancer patients during and after major conventional cancer treatments. This paper succinctly summarizes some published clinical evidence and meta-analyses which support the usage of various Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment strategies including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and Qigong in supportive cancer care.

  12. Electronic health records and support for primary care teamwork

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draper, Kevin; Gourevitch, Rebecca; Cross, Dori A.; Scholle, Sarah Hudson

    2015-01-01

    Objective Consensus that enhanced teamwork is necessary for efficient and effective primary care delivery is growing. We sought to identify how electronic health records (EHRs) facilitate and pose challenges to primary care teams as well as how practices are overcoming these challenges. Methods Practices in this qualitative study were selected from those recognized as patient-centered medical homes via the National Committee for Quality Assurance 2011 tool, which included a section on practice teamwork. We interviewed 63 respondents, ranging from physicians to front-desk staff, from 27 primary care practices ranging in size, type, geography, and population size. Results EHRs were found to facilitate communication and task delegation in primary care teams through instant messaging, task management software, and the ability to create evidence-based templates for symptom-specific data collection from patients by medical assistants and nurses (which can offload work from physicians). Areas where respondents felt that electronic medical record EHR functionalities were weakest and posed challenges to teamwork included the lack of integrated care manager software and care plans in EHRs, poor practice registry functionality and interoperability, and inadequate ease of tracking patient data in the EHR over time. Discussion Practices developed solutions for some of the challenges they faced when attempting to use EHRs to support teamwork but wanted more permanent vendor and policy solutions for other challenges. Conclusions EHR vendors in the United States need to work alongside practicing primary care teams to create more clinically useful EHRs that support dynamic care plans, integrated care management software, more functional and interoperable practice registries, and greater ease of data tracking over time. PMID:25627278

  13. Electronic health records and support for primary care teamwork.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Malley, Ann S; Draper, Kevin; Gourevitch, Rebecca; Cross, Dori A; Scholle, Sarah Hudson

    2015-03-01

    Consensus that enhanced teamwork is necessary for efficient and effective primary care delivery is growing. We sought to identify how electronic health records (EHRs) facilitate and pose challenges to primary care teams as well as how practices are overcoming these challenges. Practices in this qualitative study were selected from those recognized as patient-centered medical homes via the National Committee for Quality Assurance 2011 tool, which included a section on practice teamwork. We interviewed 63 respondents, ranging from physicians to front-desk staff, from 27 primary care practices ranging in size, type, geography, and population size. EHRs were found to facilitate communication and task delegation in primary care teams through instant messaging, task management software, and the ability to create evidence-based templates for symptom-specific data collection from patients by medical assistants and nurses (which can offload work from physicians). Areas where respondents felt that electronic medical record EHR functionalities were weakest and posed challenges to teamwork included the lack of integrated care manager software and care plans in EHRs, poor practice registry functionality and interoperability, and inadequate ease of tracking patient data in the EHR over time. Practices developed solutions for some of the challenges they faced when attempting to use EHRs to support teamwork but wanted more permanent vendor and policy solutions for other challenges. EHR vendors in the United States need to work alongside practicing primary care teams to create more clinically useful EHRs that support dynamic care plans, integrated care management software, more functional and interoperable practice registries, and greater ease of data tracking over time. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

  14. Next generation terminology infrastructure to support interprofessional care planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Sarah; Klinkenberg-Ramirez, Stephanie; Tsivkin, Kira; Mar, Perry L; Iskhakova, Dina; Nandigam, Hari; Samal, Lipika; Rocha, Roberto A

    2017-11-01

    Develop a prototype of an interprofessional terminology and information model infrastructure that can enable care planning applications to facilitate patient-centered care, learn care plan linkages and associations, provide decision support, and enable automated, prospective analytics. The study steps included a 3 step approach: (1) Process model and clinical scenario development, and (2) Requirements analysis, and (3) Development and validation of information and terminology models. Components of the terminology model include: Health Concerns, Goals, Decisions, Interventions, Assessments, and Evaluations. A terminology infrastructure should: (A) Include discrete care plan concepts; (B) Include sets of profession-specific concerns, decisions, and interventions; (C) Communicate rationales, anticipatory guidance, and guidelines that inform decisions among the care team; (D) Define semantic linkages across clinical events and professions; (E) Define sets of shared patient goals and sub-goals, including patient stated goals; (F) Capture evaluation toward achievement of goals. These requirements were mapped to AHRQ Care Coordination Measures Framework. This study used a constrained set of clinician-validated clinical scenarios. Terminology models for goals and decisions are unavailable in SNOMED CT, limiting the ability to evaluate these aspects of the proposed infrastructure. Defining and linking subsets of care planning concepts appears to be feasible, but also essential to model interprofessional care planning for common co-occurring conditions and chronic diseases. We recommend the creation of goal dynamics and decision concepts in SNOMED CT to further enable the necessary models. Systems with flexible terminology management infrastructure may enable intelligent decision support to identify conflicting and aligned concerns, goals, decisions, and interventions in shared care plans, ultimately decreasing documentation effort and cognitive burden for clinicians and

  15. The supportive care needs for prostate cancer patients in Sarawak.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheah, Whye Lian; Ling, Ngok Chuo; Chang, Kam Hock

    2016-02-01

    This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of unmet supportive care needs among prostate cancer patients. The cross-sectional study was conducted among all prostate cancer patients at the Sarawak General Hospital. Interview was done using the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form (SCNS-SF) and the Health Service Utilization Questionnaires (HSUQ). Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20. A total of ninety-five patients participated, with majority were aged 65 and above and of primary educational level. The two most frequently reported unmet supportive care needs were "informed about cancer which is under control or diminishing" and "informed about things you can do to help yourself to get well" under the domain Health System and Information. Respondents who were older (65 years and above) had significant lower unmet needs in psychology (P<0.01), and sexuality compared to the younger group below 65 years (P<0.01). Except for physical and daily living, respondents with primary school level had significant lower unmet needs in all domains compared to secondary school level. Respondents with known stages of cancer had higher unmet needs in all domains compared to those who did not know. Healthcare providers should provide more responsive, emotionally sensitive and client-centered care to patients with prostate cancer, particularly in the area of Health System and Information, and psychological support.

  16. Multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in nursing home and home-care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beck, Anne Marie; Gøgsig Christensen, Annette; Stenbæk Hansen, Birthe

    2016-01-01

    Objective To assess the effect of multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in older adults in nursing home and home-care identified with the validated Eating Validation Scheme (EVS). Methods An 11 wk cluster randomized trial with a home-care (3 clusters) or nursing home (3 clusters.......3] versus 1.3 [0.5], P = 0.021) was observed. There was a almost significant difference in mortality (2% versus 13%, P = 0.079). Conclusions Multidisciplinary nutritional support in older adults in nursing home and home-care could have a positive effect on quality of life, muscle strength, and oral care....... means of EuroQol-5D-3L), physical performance (30-seconds chair stand), nutritional status (weight and hand-grip strength), oral care, fall incidents, hospital admissions, rehabilitation stay, moving to nursing homes (participants from home-care), and mortality. Results Respectively, 55 (46 from 2 home...

  17. Social support and its association with diet self-care in patients with diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia Alarcón-Mora

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem with many elements, such as self-care and social support, that could be interacting with its evolution. Nevertheless, there is no evidence of association between these two elements. Thus, this study aims to determine the relationship between medical, nutritional and physical activity self-care, perceived social support and duration of the disease. A cross-sectional Study was conducted on 126 people with diabetes with a mean age of 55 (±10.4 years old. The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Scale and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS Social Support Survey were applied. Social support, specifically the instrumental one, may generate negative effects by limiting self-care behavior of a person. Based on these findings, it is possible to conclude that social support does not always turn out to be beneficial for people: having more instrumental support generates dependency and no responsibility on the diet.

  18. Renal denervation by intravascular ultrasound: Preliminary in vivo study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinelnikov, Yegor; McClain, Steve; Zou, Yong; Smith, David; Warnking, Reinhard

    2012-10-01

    Ultrasound denervation has recently become a subject of intense research in connection with the treatment of complex medical conditions including neurological conditions, development of pain management, reproduction of skin sensation, neuropathic pain and spasticity. The objective of this study is to investigate the use of intravascular ultrasound to produce nerve damage in renal sympathetic nerves without significant injury to the renal artery. This technique may potentially be used to treat various medical conditions, such as hypertension. The study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Ultrasound was applied to renal nerves of the swine model for histopathological evaluation. Therapeutic ultrasound energy was delivered circumferentially by an intravascular catheter maneuvered into the renal arteries. Fluoroscopic imaging was conducted pre-and post-ultrasound treatment. Animals were recovered and euthanized up to 30 hours post procedure, followed by necropsy and tissue sample collection. Histopathological examination showed evidence of extensive damage to renal nerves, characterized by nuclear pyknosis, hyalinization of stroma and multifocal hemorrhages, with little or no damage to renal arteries. This study demonstrates the feasibility of intravascular ultrasound as a minimally invasive renal denervation technique. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of this technique and its related clinical significance.

  19. Social support, self-care, and quality of life in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy in Thailand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanucharurnkul, S.

    1988-01-01

    The purpose of the study was two-fold: (1) to examine the relationships among self-care, social support, and quality of life in adult cancer patients receiving radiotherapy while the selected basic conditioning factors of age, marital and socio-economic status, living arrangement, stage and site of cancer were statistically controlled; and (2) to test a theoretical model which postulated that (a) quality of life was predicted jointly by the selected basic conditioning factors, social support and self-care, and (b) self-care was predicted jointly by the selected basic conditioning factors and social support. A convenience sample of 112 adult cervical and head/neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy was obtained from radiotherapy outpatient clinic in three hospitals located in Bangkok, Thailand. Results of the study indicated positive relationships among self-care, social support, and quality of life. Socio-economic status, site of cancer, and self-care were significant predictors for reported quality of life. Social support appeared to be a significant predictor of quality of life indirectly through self-care. Socio-economic status and social support were also significant predictors of self-care, whereas, stage and site of cancer seemed to predict self-care indirectly through social support

  20. Digital Technologies Supporting Person-Centered Integrated Care - A Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Øvretveit, John

    2017-09-25

    Shared electronic health and social care records in some service systems are already showing some of the benefits of digital technology and digital data for integrating health and social care. These records are one example of the beginning "digitalisation" of services that gives a glimpse of the potential of digital technology and systems for building coordinated and individualized integrated care. Yet the promise has been greater than the benefits, and progress has been slow compared to other industries. This paper describes for non-technical readers how information technology was used to support integrated care schemes in six EU services, and suggests practical ways forward to use the new opportunities to build person-centered integrated care.

  1. Renal cell carcinoma presenting as mandibular metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Ahmadnia

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Renal clear cell carcinoma (RCC has different manifestations, including uncommon metastasis and paraneoplastic syndromes. Here we report a rare case of RCC presenting as metastasis to the mandible. A 57-year-old patient with mandibular swelling was referred to the dentist. After necessary evaluations, an incisional biopsy of mandible showed metastatic RCC. The patient was referred to the urologist. The patient underwent right radical nephrectomy. Pathological examination showed clear renal cell carcinoma. Every abnormal bone lesion in the oral cavity should be evaluated carefully and the possibility of a malignant lesion should always be considered.

  2. "It's like a puzzle": Pregnant women's perceptions of professional support in midwifery care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bäckström, Caroline A; Mårtensson, Lena B; Golsäter, Marie H; Thorstensson, Stina A

    2016-12-01

    Pregnant women are not always satisfied with the professional support they receive during their midwifery care. More knowledge is needed to understand what professional support pregnant women need for childbirth and parenting. Childbearing and the transition to becoming a parent is a sensitive period in one's life during which one should have the opportunity to receive professional support. Professional support does not always correspond to pregnant women's needs. To understand pregnant women's needs for professional support within midwifery care, it is crucial to further illuminate women's experiences of this support. To explore pregnant women's perceptions of professional support in midwifery care. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Fifteen women were interviewed during gestational weeks 36-38. Data was analysed using phenomenography. The women perceived professional support in midwifery care to be reassuring and emotional, to consist of reliable information, and to be mediated with pedagogical creativity. The professional support facilitated new social contacts, partner involvement and contributed to mental preparedness. The findings of the study were presented in six categories and the category Professional support contributes to mental preparedness was influenced by the five other categories. Pregnant women prepare for childbirth and parenting by using several different types of professional support in midwifery care: a strategy that could be described as piecing together a puzzle. When the women put the puzzle together, each type of professional support works as a valuable piece in the whole puzzle. Through this, professional support could contribute to women's mental preparedness for childbirth and parenting. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Taking Care of You: Support for Caregivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... For Parents / Taking Care of You: Support for Caregivers What's in this article? The Caregiver's Dilemma Tips for Caregivers More Tips Getting Help ... there are moments when the sheer magnitude of what you're up against is so ... not alone. The Caregiver's Dilemma When you're the caregiver of a ...

  4. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flavio L. Heldwein

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To assess the current treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, focusing on medical treatment options. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The most important recent publications have been selected after a literature search employing PubMed using the search terms: advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma, anti-angiogenesis drugs and systemic therapy; also significant meeting abstracts were consulted. RESULTS: Progress in understanding the molecular basis of renal cell carcinoma, especially related to genetics and angiogenesis, has been achieved mainly through of the study of von Hippel-Lindau disease. A great variety of active agents have been developed and tested in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC patients. New specific molecular therapies in metastatic disease are discussed. Sunitinib, Sorafenib and Bevacizumab increase the progression-free survival when compared to therapy with cytokines. Temsirolimus increases overall survival in high-risk patients. Growth factors and regulatory enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase IX may be targets for future therapies. CONCLUSIONS: A broader knowledge of clear cell carcinoma molecular biology has permitted the beginning of a new era in mRCC therapy. Benefits of these novel agents in terms of progression-free and overall survival have been observed in patients with mRCC, and, in many cases, have become the standard of care. Sunitinib is now considered the new reference first-line treatment for mRCC. Despite all the progress in recent years, complete responses are still very rare. Currently, many important issues regarding the use of these agents in the management of metastatic renal cancer still need to be properly addressed.

  5. The Renal Allograft Donor with Isolated Microhematuria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karkar Ayman

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, there has been extensive debate about extending the criteria for accepting living donors to include the presence of mild renal abnormalities such as isolated microhematuria. Hematuria defined as the detection of greater than five red blood cells per high power field can be associated with abnormalities throughout the urinary tract. Detection of casts or dysmorphic red blood cells in the urine sediment with or without proteinuria could indicate underlying intrinsic renal disease. Anatomic causes, such as stones and tumors, should be excluded; cystoscopy may be indicated to exclude bladder pathology. Obviously, urinary tract infection, uncontrolled hypertension and latent diabetes mellitus must be excluded. Microscopic hematuria could be associated with mesangial IgA deposits; as 10% of first-degree relatives of patients with IgA glomerulonephritis suffer from microhematuria and/or proteinuria that may require consideration of renal biopsy. Microhematuria could also be associated with other known hereditary renal diseases such as C3 deposits disease, IgM nephropathy, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, Alport′s syndrome or thin basement membrane disease. In conclusion, careful assessment of isolated microhematuria, in the context of living kidney donation, is mandatory as results may reveal occult renal disease that may contraindicate kidney donation.

  6. [Long-term outcomes of children treated with continuous renal replacement therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almarza, S; Bialobrzeska, K; Casellas, M M; Santiago, M J; López-Herce, J; Toledo, B; Carrillo, Á

    2015-12-01

    The objective of this study is to analyze long-term outcomes and kidney function in children requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) after an acute kidney injury episode. A retrospective observational study was performed using a prospective database of 128 patients who required CRRT admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit between years 2006 and 2012. The subsequent outcomes were assessed in those surviving at hospital discharge. Of the 128 children who required RRT in the pediatric intensive care unit, 71 survived at hospital discharge (54.4%), of whom 66 (92.9%) were followed up. Three patients had chronic renal failure prior to admission to the NICU. Of the 63 remaining patients, 6 had prolonged or relapses of renal function disturbances, but only one patient with atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome developed end-stage renal failure. The rest had normal kidney function at the last check-up. Most of surviving children that required CRRT have a positive outcome later on, presenting low mortality rates and recovery of kidney function in the medium term. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  7. Stress, Social Support, and Burnout Among Long-Term Care Nursing Staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodhead, Erin L; Northrop, Lynn; Edelstein, Barry

    2016-01-01

    Long-term care nursing staff are subject to considerable occupational stress and report high levels of burnout, yet little is known about how stress and social support are associated with burnout in this population. The present study utilized the job demands-resources model of burnout to examine relations between job demands (occupational and personal stress), job resources (sources and functions of social support), and burnout in a sample of nursing staff at a long-term care facility (N = 250). Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that job demands (greater occupational stress) were associated with more emotional exhaustion, more depersonalization, and less personal accomplishment. Job resources (support from supervisors and friends or family members, reassurance of worth, opportunity for nurturing) were associated with less emotional exhaustion and higher levels of personal accomplishment. Interventions to reduce burnout that include a focus on stress and social support outside of work may be particularly beneficial for long-term care staff. © The Author(s) 2014.

  8. Epidemiologic characteristics and risk factors for renal cell cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loren Lipworth

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Loren Lipworth1,2, Robert E Tarone1,2, Lars Lund2,3, Joseph K McLaughlin1,21International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, MD, USA; 2Department of Medicine (JKM, RET and Preventive Medicine (LL, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; 3Department of Urology, Viborg Hospital, Viborg, DenmarkAbstract: Incidence rates of renal cell cancer, which accounts for 85% of kidney cancers, have been rising in the United States and in most European countries for several decades. Family history is associated with a two- to four-fold increase in risk, but the major forms of inherited predisposition together account for less than 4% of renal cell cancers. Cigarette smoking, obesity, and hypertension are the most consistently established risk factors. Analgesics have not been convincingly linked with renal cell cancer risk. A reduced risk of renal cell cancer among statin users has been hypothesized but has not been adequately studied. A possible protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption is the only moderately consistently reported dietary finding, and, with the exception of a positive association with parity, evidence for a role of hormonal or reproductive factors in the etiology of renal cell cancer in humans is limited. A recent hypothesis that moderate levels of alcohol consumption may be protective for renal cell cancer is not strongly supported by epidemiologic results, which are inconsistent with respect to the categories of alcohol consumption and the amount of alcohol intake reportedly associated with decreased risk. For occupational factors, the weight of the evidence does not provide consistent support for the hypotheses that renal cell cancer may be caused by asbestos, gasoline, or trichloroethylene exposure. The established determinants of renal cell cancer, cigarette smoking, obesity, and hypertension, account for less than half of these cancers. Novel epidemiologic approaches

  9. Community Health Workers as Support for Sickle Cell Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Lewis L.; Green, Nancy S.; Ivy, E. Donnell; Neunert, Cindy; Smaldone, Arlene; Johnson, Shirley; Castillo, Sheila; Castillo, Amparo; Thompson, Trevor; Hampton, Kisha; Strouse, John J.; Stewart, Rosalyn; Hughes, TaLana; Banks, Sonja; Smith-Whitley, Kim; King, Allison; Brown, Mary; Ohene-Frempong, Kwaku; Smith, Wally R.; Martin, Molly

    2016-01-01

    Community health workers are increasingly recognized as useful for improving health care and health outcomes for a variety of chronic conditions. Community health workers can provide social support, navigation of health systems and resources, and lay counseling. Social and cultural alignment of community health workers with the population they serve is an important aspect of community health worker intervention. Although community health worker interventions have been shown to improve patient-centered outcomes in underserved communities, these interventions have not been evaluated with sickle cell disease. Evidence from other disease areas suggests that community health worker intervention also would be effective for these patients. Sickle cell disease is complex, with a range of barriers to multifaceted care needs at the individual, family/friend, clinical organization, and community levels. Care delivery is complicated by disparities in health care: access, delivery, services, and cultural mismatches between providers and families. Current practices inadequately address or provide incomplete control of symptoms, especially pain, resulting in decreased quality of life and high medical expense. The authors propose that care and care outcomes for people with sickle cell disease could be improved through community health worker case management, social support, and health system navigation. This report outlines implementation strategies in current use to test community health workers for sickle cell disease management in a variety of settings. National medical and advocacy efforts to develop the community health workforce for sickle cell disease management may enhance the progress and development of “best practices” for this area of community-based care. PMID:27320471

  10. SGLT2 inhibitors and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes with or without renal impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seidu, Samuel; Kunutsor, Setor K; Cos, Xavier; Gillani, Syed; Khunti, Kamlesh

    2018-06-01

    inhibition prevents further renal function deterioration and death from kidney disease in these patients. Copyright © 2018 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Patient Segmentation Analysis Offers Significant Benefits For Integrated Care And Support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vuik, Sabine I; Mayer, Erik K; Darzi, Ara

    2016-05-01

    Integrated care aims to organize care around the patient instead of the provider. It is therefore crucial to understand differences across patients and their needs. Segmentation analysis that uses big data can help divide a patient population into distinct groups, which can then be targeted with care models and intervention programs tailored to their needs. In this article we explore the potential applications of patient segmentation in integrated care. We propose a framework for population strategies in integrated care-whole populations, subpopulations, and high-risk populations-and show how patient segmentation can support these strategies. Through international case examples, we illustrate practical considerations such as choosing a segmentation logic, accessing data, and tailoring care models. Important issues for policy makers to consider are trade-offs between simplicity and precision, trade-offs between customized and off-the-shelf solutions, and the availability of linked data sets. We conclude that segmentation can provide many benefits to integrated care, and we encourage policy makers to support its use. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  12. Hypokalaemia and Renal Tubular Acidosis due to Abuse of Nurofen Plus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Blackstock

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Nurofen Plus is a common analgesic containing ibuprofen and codeine. We present a case of a 38-year-old lady who developed renal tubular acidosis with severe hypokalaemia, after chronic abuse of Nurofen Plus tablets. She presented with confusion and profound biochemical abnormalities requiring critical care admission for electrolyte replacement. Ibuprofen causes renal tubular acidosis due to its effects on carbonic anhydrase activity.

  13. Changing roles in community health care: Delegation of insulin injections to health care support workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutton, Julie; McCaskill, Kelly; Alton, Sarah; Levesley, Maria; Hemingway, Cath; Farndon, Lisa

    2018-01-02

    Diabetes is a common long-term condition affecting many people many of whom require support with their insulin injections at home. These injections are often carried out by community nurses if individuals are unable to self-manage their condition. This paper describes a pilot project where health care support workers were trained to administer insulin at home for suitable patients. Four patients took part in the pilot study and two support workers were trained to give the insulin injections. The project was evaluated well by all those who took part. It freed up 80 hours of nursing time while also providing the support workers with an extended scope of practice and associated increased in job satisfaction. No untoward medication errors were reported as a result of this initiative. This project will now be rolled out to the wider nursing teams with a staggered approach to the delivery of the training to ensure there is not a detrimental effect on patient care.

  14. Chronic renal failure due to unilateral renal agenesis and total renal dysplasia (=aplasia)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroepelin, T.; Ziupa, J.; Wimmer, B.

    1983-01-01

    Three adult patients with unilateral renal agenesis/total dysplasia (= aplasia) and with an early chronic renal failure are presented. One patient had renal agenesis without ureter bud and ureteric ostium on one side, and reflux pyelonephritis on the other; one had small compact total renal dysplasia (= aplasia) on one side, while chronic uric acid nephropathy (chronic renal disease as a cause of gout) was diagnosed on the other; the third patient had a total large multicystic dysplasia on one side, and on the other a segmental large multicystic dysplasia. Radiological steps and radiodiagnostic criteria are discussed and the combination of urogenital and extraurogenital anomalies is referred to. (orig.)

  15. Efficacy of ultrasonography-guided renal biopsy for the evaluation of renal dysfunction following renal transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Young Jae; Choi, Chul Soon; Min, Seon Jeong; Lee, Gyung Kyu; Lee, Eil Seong; Kang, Ik Won; Bae, Sang Hoon

    2003-01-01

    To evaluate the usefulness and complications of renal biopsy under ultrasonography-guidance in renal dysfunction after renal transplantation. Ultrasonography-guided renal biopsy was done in 47 patients with the transplanted kidney. The subjects consisted of 30 males and 17 females, age ranged from 16 to 66 years (average age=38 years). Biopsies were done once in 27 patients, twice in 17 patients, three times in 3 patients, a total of 70 biopsies. The success rate of renal biopsy for the accurate pathologic diagnosis and the incidence and types of complications following biopsy were evaluated. The success rate of renal biopsy for the accurate pathologic diagnosis was 96%(67/70). Pathologic diagnosis included 27 cases of acute rejection (39%), 8 cases of acute tubular necrosis (11%), 4 cases of acute rejection and acute tubular necrosis (6%), 4 cases of cyclosporin toxicity (6%), 4 cases of primary disease recurrence (6%), 4 cases of infection (6%) and others. Complications after renal biopsy included 15 cases of microscopic hematuria (21%), 1 case of gross hematuria with spontaneous cessation and 1 case of life threatening hemorrhage. Ultrasonography-guided renal biopsy is a safe and effective diagnostic method for the evaluation of renal dysfunction following renal transplantation.

  16. Is renal medullary carcinoma the seventh nephropathy in sickle cell ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: Previous studies had enlisted renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) as the seventh nephropathy in sickle cell disease (SCD). Clinical experience has contradicted this claim and this study is targeted at refuting or supporting this assumption. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of RMC and describe other renal ...

  17. Role-based support for intensive care nursing : A designer's perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Melles, M.

    2011-01-01

    Design goals and design directions are formulated for the (digital) support of non-technical nursing tasks and skills in the intensive care unit (ICU), such as organizing work, evaluating care, coping with stress and dealing with poor team dynamics. A conceptual framework for ICU nursing was

  18. Cancers as wounds that do not heal: differences and similarities between renal regeneration/repair and renal cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riss, Joseph; Khanna, Chand; Koo, Seongjoon; Chandramouli, Gadisetti V R; Yang, Howard H; Hu, Ying; Kleiner, David E; Rosenwald, Andreas; Schaefer, Carl F; Ben-Sasson, Shmuel A; Yang, Liming; Powell, John; Kane, David W; Star, Robert A; Aprelikova, Olga; Bauer, Kristin; Vasselli, James R; Maranchie, Jodi K; Kohn, Kurt W; Buetow, Ken H; Linehan, W Marston; Weinstein, John N; Lee, Maxwell P; Klausner, Richard D; Barrett, J Carl

    2006-07-15

    Cancers have been described as wounds that do not heal, suggesting that the two share common features. By comparing microarray data from a model of renal regeneration and repair (RRR) with reported gene expression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we asked whether those two processes do, in fact, share molecular features and regulatory mechanisms. The majority (77%) of the genes expressed in RRR and RCC were concordantly regulated, whereas only 23% were discordant (i.e., changed in opposite directions). The orchestrated processes of regeneration, involving cell proliferation and immune response, were reflected in the concordant genes. The discordant gene signature revealed processes (e.g., morphogenesis and glycolysis) and pathways (e.g., hypoxia-inducible factor and insulin-like growth factor-I) that reflect the intrinsic pathologic nature of RCC. This is the first study that compares gene expression patterns in RCC and RRR. It does so, in particular, with relation to the hypothesis that RCC resembles the wound healing processes seen in RRR. However, careful attention to the genes that are regulated in the discordant direction provides new insights into the critical differences between renal carcinogenesis and wound healing. The observations reported here provide a conceptual framework for further efforts to understand the biology and to develop more effective diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for renal tumors and renal ischemia.

  19. Educación para la salud renal en personas mayores desde un centro de atención primaria Renal health education older people from a center primary care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pilar Peña Amaro

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Realizamos un programa de educación para la salud enfocado a la prevención primaria y secundaria de la enfermedad renal en personas mayores desde un centro de atención primaria. Ponemos un póster en la sala de espera del centro con los contenidos sobre los que queremos incidir (hábitos de vida renosaludables. Cuando el paciente acude a consulta evaluamos los conocimientos que tenía y los que ha adquirido y los comentamos por si hay preguntas o dudas. Las personas mayores asocian la ingesta de sal y algunos alimentos (mariscos con problemas renales, y como un factor de protección la ingesta de agua. Creemos que en los/as ancianos y aún más en las poblaciones de riesgo (hipertensos y diabéticos debería haber una mayor información sobre las conductas o hábitos saludables renoprotectores.We make a program of education for the health focused on the primary and secondary prevention of the renal disease in major persons from a center of primary care. We put a poster in the waiting room of the center with the contents we want to affect (habits of healthy life reindeer. When the patient enters to consultation we will evaluate the knowledge on that tape-worm and those he has acquired and we ask him/her if there are questions or doubts. The major persons associate the ingestion of salt and some food (seafood with kidney problems and as a protection factor the water ingestion. We believe that in the elders and furthermore in the populations of risk (hypertense and diabetic there should be a major information about the conducts or healthy habits reindeer.

  20. Renal flagellate infections in reptiles: 29 cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juan-Sallés, Caries; Garner, Michael M; Nordhausen, Robert W; Valls, Xavier; Gallego, Miguel; Soto, Sara

    2014-03-01

    Renal infection with flagellated protozoa was retrospectively evaluated in 29 reptiles, including 12 turtles, 7 tortoises, and 6 chameleons; overall, 20 species of reptiles were represented. Most cases presented with nonspecific clinical signs or a combination of several concurrent diseases. Nineteen of 29 reptiles had tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with flagellates, and this lesion was considered contributory to death in 15 cases, although concurrent diseases were frequent. Infection was invasive into the renal interstitium in three reptiles due to tubular rupture and in one chameleon also spread to adjacent tissues, coelomic cavity, and blood vessels due to renal rupture. Cytologic or ultrastructural evaluation of trophozoites in two cases was consistent with diplomonad flagellates. Renal disease was often complicated with soft-tissue mineralization and/or gout. Gastrointestinal and cloacal infection with flagellates and inflammation were frequent in reptiles in which the digestive tract was available for histopathologic examination, and this supports the possibility of infections ascending the urinary tract from the cloaca. Renal disease associated with flagellate protozoa is rare in vertebrates but appears to be relevant in reptiles, particularly chelonians and chameleons.

  1. Complications and characteristics of patients referred to a joint diabetes renal clinic in Ireland.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Thabit, H

    2012-12-01

    Joint diabetes renal (JDR) clinics are recommended as the appropriate model of care to manage advanced diabetic-associated renal failure. We performed a retrospective review of clinical data and records of the first 60 patients who attended our service and their follow-up at 12 months.

  2. Public support for social financing of health care in Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perneger, Thomas V; Hudelson, Patricia M

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the public's preference for financing health care according to people's ability to pay. The authors compared voters' support in 26 Swiss cantons for a legislative proposal to replace regionally rated health insurance premiums (current system) with premiums proportional to income and wealth, and co-financed through the value added tax. The vote took place in May 2003, and the initiative was rejected, with only 27 percent of support nationwide. However, support varied more than threefold, from 13 to 44 percent, among cantons. In multivariate analysis, support was most strongly correlated with the approval rate of the 1994 law on health insurance, which strengthened solidarity between the sick and the healthy. More modest associations were seen between support for the initiative and the health insurance premium of 2003, and proportions of elderly and urban residents in the population. Hence support for more social financing of health care was best explained by past preference for a social health insurance system in the local community.

  3. Successful pregnancy following single blastocyst transfer in a renal transplant recipient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthuvel, V Arun; Ravindran, Manipriya; Chander, Aravind; Veluswamy, Chandralekha

    2016-01-01

    Numerous spontaneous pregnancies have been reported in renal transplant recipients; however, only a few pregnancies after the use of assisted reproductive techniques. The authors report a case of renal transplant recipient with secondary infertility who delivered a healthy baby without any complications. The report highlights the importance of minimal stimulation protocol during ovarian stimulation, single embryo transfer, and the need for multispecialty care for these patients. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the present report is the first such case from India and also the second in the world to report a blastocyst transfer among renal transplant recipients.

  4. Renal failure in lithium-treated bipolar disorder: a retrospective cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen Close

    Full Text Available Lithium users are offered routine renal monitoring but few studies have quantified the risk to renal health. The aim of this study was to assess the association between use of lithium carbonate and incidence of renal failure in patients with bipolar disorder.This was a retrospective cohort study using the General Practice Research Database (GPRD and a nested validation study of lithium exposure and renal failure. A cohort of 6360 participants aged over 18 years had a first recorded diagnosis of bipolar disorder between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 2007. Data were examined from electronic primary care records from 418 general practices across the UK. The primary outcome was the hazard ratio for renal failure in participants exposed to lithium carbonate as compared with non-users of lithium, adjusting for age, gender, co-morbidities, and poly-pharmacy.Ever use of lithium was associated with a hazard ratio for renal failure of 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.6 to 4.0 adjusted for known renal risk factors. Absolute risk was age dependent, with patients of 50 years or older at particular risk of renal failure: Number Needed to Harm (NNH was 44 (21 to 150.Lithium is associated with an increased risk of renal failure, particularly among the older age group. The absolute risk of renal failure associated with lithium use remains small.

  5. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the nasopharynx.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atar, Yavuz; Topaloglu, Ilhan; Ozcan, Deniz

    2013-01-01

    Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses can be misdiagnosed as primary malignant or benign diseases. A 33-year-old male attended our outpatient clinic complaining of difficulty breathing through the nose, bloody nasal discharge, postnasal drop, snoring, and discharge of phlegm. Endoscopic nasopharyngeal examination showed a vascularized nasopharyngeal mass. Under general anesthesia, multiple punch biopsies were taken from the nasopharynx. Pathologically, the tumor cells had clear cytoplasm and were arranged in a trabecular pattern lined by a layer of endothelial cells. After the initial pathological examination, the pathologist requested more information about the patient's clinical status. A careful history revealed that the patient had undergone left a nephrectomy for a kidney mass diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier. Subsequently, nasopharyngeal metastatic renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining with CD10 and vimentin. Radiotherapy was recommended for treatment.

  6. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the nasopharynx

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yavuz Atar

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses can be misdiagnosed as primary malignant or benign diseases. A 33-year-old male attended our outpatient clinic complaining of difficulty breathing through the nose, bloody nasal discharge, postnasal drop, snoring, and discharge of phlegm. Endoscopic nasopharyngeal examination showed a vascularized nasopharyngeal mass. Under general anesthesia, multiple punch biopsies were taken from the nasopharynx. Pathologically, the tumor cells had clear cytoplasm and were arranged in a trabecular pattern lined by a layer of endothelial cells. After the initial pathological examination, the pathologist requested more information about the patient′s clinical status. A careful history revealed that the patient had undergone left a nephrectomy for a kidney mass diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier. Subsequently, nasopharyngeal metastatic renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining with CD10 and vimentin. Radiotherapy was recommended for treatment.

  7. Comparison of Overridden Medication-related Clinical Decision Support in the Intensive Care Unit between a Commercial System and a Legacy System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Adrian; Wright, Adam; Seger, Diane L; Amato, Mary G; Fiskio, Julie M; Bates, David

    2017-08-23

    Electronic health records (EHRs) with clinical decision support (CDS) have shown to be effective at improving patient safety. Despite this, alerts delivered as part of CDS are overridden frequently, which is of concern in the critical care population as this group may have an increased risk of harm. Our organization recently transitioned from an internally-developed EHR to a commercial system. Data comparing various EHR systems, especially after transitions between EHRs, are needed to identify areas for improvement. To compare the two systems and identify areas for potential improvement with the new commercial system at a single institution. Overridden medication-related CDS alerts were included from October to December of the systems' respective years (legacy, 2011; commercial, 2015), restricted to three intensive care units. The two systems were compared with regards to CDS presentation and override rates for four types of CDS: drug-allergy, drug-drug interaction (DDI), geriatric and renal alerts. A post hoc analysis to evaluate for adverse drug events (ADEs) potentially resulting from overridden alerts was performed for 'contraindicated' DDIs via chart review. There was a significant increase in provider exposure to alerts and alert overrides in the commercial system (commercial: n=5,535; legacy: n=1,030). Rates of overrides were higher for the allergy and DDI alerts (pcommercial system. Geriatric and renal alerts were significantly different in incidence and presentation between the two systems. No ADEs were identified in an analysis of 43 overridden contraindicated DDI alerts. The vendor system had much higher rates of both alerts and overrides, although we did not find evidence of harm in a review of DDIs which were overridden. We propose recommendations for improving our current system which may be helpful to other similar institutions; improving both alert presentation and the underlying knowledge base appear important.

  8. Malignant renal tumors in pediatrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pena, C.; Torterolo, J.; Irigoyen, B.; Bel, M.; Elias, E.

    2004-01-01

    Introduction: Professionals who work in pediatric oncology, we see childhood cancer as a common disease, but in fact constitutes about 2% of all cancers diagnosed worldwide. Wilms tumor accounts for 6% of all childhood tumors and presentation bilateral accounts for 4-6% of all Wilms tumors diagnosed. Theoretical Framework: In the period between the year 1994-2003 period were attended in the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Center, a total of 29 cases of malignant renal tumors, corresponding to 86% (25 cases) to Wilms tumor or nephroblastoma tumor. The Wilms is of embryonic origin, capable of metastatic spread, (85% lungs 15% liver). Very sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which confers high cure rates (85%); having a multidisciplinary treatment model, combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The role of nursing in comprehensive cancer care child is essential in the prevention and early detection of side effects or complications. Case report: S.D. currently 10 years old. In 10/1994, at 8 months of age, was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms tumor. On admission her weight was 8200gr with abdominal circumference 50cm. Conducted pre-operative MDT and 02/1995 nephrectomy of the left kidney and right kidney lumpectomy (tumor nodule 420gr. and a 250gr.). MDT begins in 03/1995 01/1996 ending. 09/2003 with abdominal pain and vomiting, and kidney failure. 10/2003 lumpectomy biopsy (sclerotic nodule associated with maturation nephroblastoma). Currently severe renal insufficiency plan enters dialysis. Nursing process: Objectives: 1) To prepare the child and family to the side effects and possible complications of chemotherapy and / or radiotherapy 2) Prevent and minimize related complications tumor and / or treatment. Care Plan comprises four stages: A) rating and customer income. B) Implement care chemotherapy C) post-operative Care D) Implement radiation care

  9. Supporting parents following childhood traumatic brain injury: a qualitative study to examine information and emotional support needs across key care transitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirk, S; Fallon, D; Fraser, C; Robinson, G; Vassallo, G

    2015-03-01

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and acquired disability in childhood. Research has demonstrated that TBI can lead to long-term physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties for children and parental stress. Less is known about how parents experience a childhood brain injury and their information and support needs. This study aimed to examine parents' experiences and support needs following a childhood TBI from the time of the accident to their child's discharge home. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 parents/carers of children who had experienced a severe TBI. Participants were recruited from one children's tertiary centre in the UK. Data were analysed using the Framework approach. Parents had unmet information and emotional support needs across the care trajectory from the time of the accident to their child's return home. Information needs related to the impact of the TBI on their child; current and future treatment/rehabilitation plans; helping their child and managing their behaviour; accessing services/support. They lacked information and support for care transitions. In different settings parents faced particular barriers to having their information needs met. Parents' felt they needed emotional support in coming to terms with witnessing the accident and the loss of their former child. Lack of community support related not only to service availability but to a general lack of understanding of the impact of TBI on children, particularly when this was invisible. Overall parents felt unsupported in coping with children's behavioural and psychological difficulties. Taking a holistic approach to examining parents' experiences and support needs has enabled their changing needs to be highlighted across key care transitions within hospital and community settings and the service implications identified. Improvements in care co-ordination across care transitions are needed to ensure continuity of care

  10. A dashboard-based system for supporting diabetes care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagliati, Arianna; Sacchi, Lucia; Tibollo, Valentina; Cogni, Giulia; Teliti, Marsida; Martinez-Millana, Antonio; Traver, Vicente; Segagni, Daniele; Posada, Jorge; Ottaviano, Manuel; Fico, Giuseppe; Arredondo, Maria Teresa; De Cata, Pasquale; Chiovato, Luca; Bellazzi, Riccardo

    2018-05-01

    To describe the development, as part of the European Union MOSAIC (Models and Simulation Techniques for Discovering Diabetes Influence Factors) project, of a dashboard-based system for the management of type 2 diabetes and assess its impact on clinical practice. The MOSAIC dashboard system is based on predictive modeling, longitudinal data analytics, and the reuse and integration of data from hospitals and public health repositories. Data are merged into an i2b2 data warehouse, which feeds a set of advanced temporal analytic models, including temporal abstractions, care-flow mining, drug exposure pattern detection, and risk-prediction models for type 2 diabetes complications. The dashboard has 2 components, designed for (1) clinical decision support during follow-up consultations and (2) outcome assessment on populations of interest. To assess the impact of the clinical decision support component, a pre-post study was conducted considering visit duration, number of screening examinations, and lifestyle interventions. A pilot sample of 700 Italian patients was investigated. Judgments on the outcome assessment component were obtained via focus groups with clinicians and health care managers. The use of the decision support component in clinical activities produced a reduction in visit duration (P ≪ .01) and an increase in the number of screening exams for complications (P < .01). We also observed a relevant, although nonstatistically significant, increase in the proportion of patients receiving lifestyle interventions (from 69% to 77%). Regarding the outcome assessment component, focus groups highlighted the system's capability of identifying and understanding the characteristics of patient subgroups treated at the center. Our study demonstrates that decision support tools based on the integration of multiple-source data and visual and predictive analytics do improve the management of a chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes by enacting a successful

  11. [Information system for supporting the Nursing Care Systematization].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malucelli, Andreia; Otemaier, Kelly Rafaela; Bonnet, Marcel; Cubas, Marcia Regina; Garcia, Telma Ribeiro

    2010-01-01

    It is an unquestionable fact, the importance, relevance and necessity of implementing the Nursing Care Systematization in the different environments of professional practice. Considering it as a principle, emerged the motivation for the development of an information system to support the Nursing Care Systematization, based on Nursing Process steps and Human Needs, using the diagnoses language, nursing interventions and outcomes for professional practice documentation. This paper describes the methodological steps and results of the information system development - requirements elicitation, modeling, object-relational mapping, implementation and system validation.

  12. Care and support for older adults in The Netherlands living independently.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verver, Didi; Merten, Hanneke; Robben, Paul; Wagner, Cordula

    2018-05-01

    The growth in the numbers of older adults needing long-term care has resulted in rising costs which have forced the Dutch government to change its long-term care system. Now, the local authorities have greater responsibility for supporting older adults and in prolonging independent living with increased support provided by the social network. However, it is unclear whether these older adults have such a network to rely upon. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the providers of formal and informal care to older adults, and to assess possible differences between older adults who are frail and those who are not. In addition, we investigated their care and support needs. We used data from a quantitative survey using a cross-sectional design in different regions of the Netherlands from July until September 2014 (n = 181). Frailty was measured using the Tilburg Frailty indicator. To analyse the data chi-square tests, crosstabs and odds ratios were used for dichotomous data and the Mann-Whitney U-Test for nominal data. The number of formal care providers involved was significantly higher (median = 2) for those deemed frail than for those not deemed frail (median = 1), U = 2,130, p older adults deemed to be frail did not have their needs sufficiently addressed by their care network. For a substantial part of this group of older adults, the informal network seems to be unable to support them sufficiently. Additional attention for their needs and wishes is required to implement the policy reforms successfully. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. “Transcollateral” Renal Angioplasty for a Completely Occluded Renal Artery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, Subash; Chadha, Davinder S.; Swamy, Ajay

    2011-01-01

    Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty with stenting has been effective in the control of hypertension, renal function, and pulmonary edema caused by atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. However, the role of the procedure has not been fully established in the context of chronic total occlusion of renal artery. We report the successful use of this procedure in 57-year-old male patient who reported for evaluation of a recent episode of accelerated hypertension. A renal angiogram in this patient showed ostial stenosis of the right renal artery, which was filling by way of the collateral artery. Renal angioplasty for chronic total occlusion of right renal artery was successfully performed in a retrograde fashion through a collateral artery, thereby leading to improvement of renal function and blood pressure control.

  14. The role of keto acids in the supportive treatment of children with chronic renal failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mir, Sevgi; Ozkayin, Nese; Akgun, Aysegul

    2005-07-01

    According to the hyperfiltration theory of renal diseases characterized by a decrease in the number of functional nephrons, increased arterial blood pressure, excessive protein intake in the diet, high levels of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), secondary hyperparathyroidism, hypertriglyceridemia and/or hypercholesterolemia, proteinuria and metabolic acidosis are some factors that impair the prognosis of the disease. The amount of protein in the diet is the most important of these factors. A protein-restricted diet administered to patients with chronic renal failure results in the risk of inadequate amino acid intake. To overcome this problem, the use of dysaminated alpha-keto analogues has been considered to reduce the risk of nitrogenemia resulting from the continuous intake of essential amino acids. Currently, the necessity of essential amino acids even in adult patients with chronic renal failure is controversial; besides, trials on the use of these amino acids in pediatric patients are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and applicability of conservative therapy with a protein-restricted diet supplemented with keto acids in the management of chronic renal insufficiency or failure.

  15. Making the CARE Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment as the Core of a Total Mobile Long Term Care Support System in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Yanyan; Gong, Dongwei; Yang, Bo; Chen, Hua; Tu, Ming-Hsiang; Zhang, Chaonan; Li, Huan; Liang, Naiwen; Jiang, Liping; Chang, Polun

    2018-01-01

    Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments (CGAs) have been recommended to be used for better monitoring the health status of elder residents and providing quality care. This study reported how our nurses perceived the usability of CGA component of a mobile integrated-care long term care support system developed in China. We used the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation (CARE), developed in the US, as the core CGA component of our Android-based support system, in which apps were designed for all key stakeholders for delivering quality long term care. A convenience sample of 18 subjects from local long term care facilities in Shanghai, China were invited to assess the CGA assessment component in terms of Technology Acceptance Model for Mobile based on real field trial assessment. All (100%) were satisfied with the mobile CGA component. 88.9% perceived the system was easy to learn and use. 99.4% showed their willingness to use for their work. We concluded it is technically feasible to implement a CGA-based mobile integrated care support system in China.

  16. A dynamic model of renal blood flow autoregulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holstein-Rathlou, N H; Marsh, D J

    1994-01-01

    To test whether a mathematical model combining dynamic models of the tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) mechanism and the myogenic mechanism was sufficient to explain dynamic autoregulation of renal blood flow, we compared model simulations with experimental data. To assess the dynamic characteristics...... of renal autoregulation, a broad band perturbation of the arterial pressure was employed in both the simulations and the experiments. Renal blood flow and tubular pressure were used as response variables in the comparison. To better approximate the situation in vivo where a large number of individual...... data, which shows a unimodal curve for the admittance phase. The ability of the model to reproduce the experimental data supports the hypothesis that dynamic autoregulation of renal blood flow is due to the combined action of TGF and the myogenic response....

  17. CheckMate 025 Randomized Phase 3 Study: Outcomes by Key Baseline Factors and Prior Therapy for Nivolumab Versus Everolimus in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escudier, Bernard; Sharma, Padmanee; McDermott, David F; George, Saby; Hammers, Hans J; Srinivas, Sandhya; Tykodi, Scott S; Sosman, Jeffrey A; Procopio, Giuseppe; Plimack, Elizabeth R; Castellano, Daniel; Gurney, Howard; Donskov, Frede; Peltola, Katriina; Wagstaff, John; Gauler, Thomas C; Ueda, Takeshi; Zhao, Huanyu; Waxman, Ian M; Motzer, Robert J

    2017-12-01

    The randomized, phase 3 CheckMate 025 study of nivolumab (n=410) versus everolimus (n=411) in previously treated adults (75% male; 88% white) with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) demonstrated significantly improved overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). To investigate which baseline factors were associated with OS and ORR benefit with nivolumab versus everolimus. Subgroup OS analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier methodology. Hazard ratios were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model. Nivolumab 3mg/kg every 2 wk or everolimus 10mg once daily. The minimum follow-up was 14 mo. Baseline subgroup distributions were balanced between nivolumab and everolimus arms. Nivolumab demonstrated an OS improvement versus everolimus across subgroups, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium risk groups; age guide treatment decisions, and further supports nivolumab as the standard of care in previously treated patients with aRCC. We investigated the impact of demographic and pretreatment features on survival benefit and tumor response with nivolumab versus everolimus in advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). Survival benefit and response were observed for multiple subgroups, supporting the use of nivolumab as a new standard of care across a broad range of patients with previously treated aRCC. The trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT01668784. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Being active supports client control over health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiveash, Barb; Nay, Rhonda

    2004-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify how healthcare clients achieve and maintain a sense of control over their health. The literature review conducted refers to: (i) key definitions of control, (ii) locus of control, and (iii) control and wellbeing. Participants with a range of acute and chronic health conditions and who had been hospitalised at some point were selected for the study. Symbolic interactionism (Blumer, 1969) and modified grounded theory of Strauss & Corbin (1998) provided the frameworks for this study. During the six month study period, data were collected from sixty participants and included interviews, participant observation, reviewing participants' records (nursing care plans, nursing notes and case histories), the nursing units' philosophy, organisational charts, policies and procedures, annual reports, consumer brochures and any other relevant information sources. Findings from the study indicated that participants moved from feeling vulnerable to having a sense of control through to being purposefully active. Vulnerability was associated with: (i) having limited choices in respect to their health, (ii) lacking adequate health information to make choices, (iii) being ignored by health providers with respect to their needs, and (iv) lacking friend/family supports. Purposefully activating was associated with three major categories: (i) reflecting, (ii) being self-determiningly involved and (iii) normalising. Findings from this study could be used by health care clients who want a sense of control over their health care, and also by health care providers who wish to support clients in the healthcare process.

  19. WE-D-204-07: Development of An ImageJ Plugin for Renal Function Quantification: RenalQuant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marques da Silva, A; Narciso, L [PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: Commercial workstations usually have their own software to calculate dynamic renal functions. However, usually they have low flexibility and subjectivity on delimiting kidney and background areas. The aim of this paper is to present a public domain software, called RenalQuant, capable to semi-automatically draw regions of interest on dynamic renal scintigraphies, extracting data and generating renal function quantification parameters. Methods: The software was developed in Java and written as an ImageJ-based plugin. The preprocessing and segmentation steps include the user’s selection of one time frame with higher activity in kidney’s region, compared with background, and low activity in the liver. Next, the chosen time frame is smoothed using a Gaussian low pass spatial filter (σ = 3) for noise reduction and better delimitation of kidneys. The maximum entropy thresholding method is used for segmentation. A background area is automatically placed below each kidney, and the user confirms if these regions are correctly segmented and positioned. Quantitative data are extracted and each renogram and relative renal function (RRF) value is calculated and displayed. Results: RenalQuant plugin was validated using retrospective 20 patients’ 99mTc-DTPA exams, and compared with results produced by commercial workstation software, referred as reference. The renograms intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated and false-negative and false-positive RRF values were analyzed. The results showed that ICC values between RenalQuant plugin and reference software for both kidneys’ renograms were higher than 0.75, showing excellent reliability. Conclusion: Our results indicated RenalQuant plugin can be trustingly used to generate renograms, using DICOM dynamic renal scintigraphy exams as input. It is user friendly and user’s interaction occurs at a minimum level. Further studies have to investigate how to increase RRF accuracy and explore how to solve

  20. Influences of renal stone surgeries on renal function; Evaluation of renal function with sup 99m Tc-DMSA renal scintigraphy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Katayama, Yasushi (Niigata Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine)

    1991-10-01

    From 1984 to 1990, {sup 99m}Tc-DMSA renal scintigraphy was performed before and after nephrolithotomy (15 cases), pyelolithotomy (15 cases), percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PNL: 15 cases) and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL: 16 cases, 17 kidneys) in order to evaluate of influences of renal stone surgeries on split renal function. DMSA renal uptake change ratio of treated kidneys of nephrolithotomy (-24.94{+-}5.60%) was significantly lower than that of PNL (-0.06{+-}3.92%), pyelolithotomy (-4.08{+-}4.79%) (p<0.01) and ESWL (-7.72{+-}3.87%) (p<0.05). The average change ratios of contralateral kidneys were as follows: PNL 4.80{+-}4.21% nephrolithotomy 4.67{+-}4.73%, pyelolithotomy -1.46{+-}5.39% and ESWL -2.02{+-}4.44%. One to 3 weeks after PNL, the cold area on the renal image was found in 10 (66.7%) of 15 cases. In cases of ESWL, DMSA renal uptake decreased even 4-10 weeks (mean 7 weeks) after treatment. In conclusion, possibility of deterioration of renal function after ESWL was suggested. (author).

  1. End-stage renal disease and survival in people with diabetes: a national database linkage study

    OpenAIRE

    Bell, S.; Fletcher, E.H.; Brady, I.; Looker, H.C.; Levin, D.; Joss, N.; Traynor, J.P.; Metcalfe, W.; Conway, B.; Livingstone, S.; Leese, G.; Philip, S.; Wild, S.; Halbesma, N.; Sattar, N.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Increasing prevalence of diabetes worldwide is projected to lead to an increase in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT).Aim: To provide contemporary estimates of the prevalence of ESRD and requirement for RRT among people with diabetes in a nationwide study and to report associated survival.Methods: Data were extracted and linked from three national databases: Scottish Renal Registry, Scottish Care Initiative-Diabetes Collaboration...

  2. [Geographic distribution of supportive care for disabled young people].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourgarel, Sophie; Piteau-Delord, Monique

    2013-01-01

    To analyse the logic for the distribution of home care services for disabled children (SESSAD) in a context of under-equipment. Questionnaire-based survey of 75 units (82% of the region's SESSAD units) concerning patient transport. Equipment and transport mapping. Support units for disabled children are often set up in the housing facilities that contributed to their creation. These sites are sometimes situated a long way from densely populated regions, thereby generating unnecessary travel times and expenses. Chronic under-equipment makes these sites viable, as the various units are always full, despite their distance from the children for whom they provide support. Mapping illustrates the extensive recruitment zones overlapping several units managing similar patients. The major revision of accreditation of these units, planned for 2017, could lead to redefinition of geographical zones of accreditations. New unit opening procedures based on ARS calls for tenders may help to improve the geographical distribution of this supportive care.

  3. Ultrasound vs. Computed Tomography for Severity of Hydronephrosis and Its Importance in Renal Colic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Megan M. Leo

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Supporting an “ultrasound-first” approach to evaluating renal colic in the emergency department (ED remains important for improving patient care and decreasing healthcare costs. Our primary objective was to compare emergency physician (EP ultrasound to computed tomography (CT detection of hydronephrosis severity in patients with suspected renal colic. We calculated test characteristics of hydronephrosis on EP-performed ultrasound for detecting ureteral stones or ureteral stone size >5mm. We then analyzed the association of hydronephrosis on EP-performed ultrasound, stone size >5mm, and proximal stone location with 30-day events. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of ED patients with suspected renal colic undergoing CT. Subjects had an EP-performed ultrasound evaluating for the severity of hydronephrosis. A chart review and follow-up phone call was performed. Results: We enrolled 302 subjects who had an EP-performed ultrasound. CT and EP ultrasound results were comparable in detecting severity of hydronephrosis ( x 2=51.7, p5mm less likely (NPV 89%; LR− 0.39. Larger stone size > 5mm was associated with 30-day events (OR 2.30, p=0.03. Conclusion: Using an ultrasound-first approach to detect hydronephrosis may help physicians identify patients with renal colic. The lack of hydronephrosis on ultrasound makes the presence of a larger ureteral stone less likely. Stone size >5mm may be a useful predictor of 30-day events.

  4. Renal Osteodystrophy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aynur Metin Terzibaşoğlu

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Chronic renal insufficiency is a functional definition which is characterized by irreversible and progressive decreasing in renal functions. This impairment is in collaboration with glomeruler filtration rate and serum creatinine levels. Besides this, different grades of bone metabolism disorders develop in chronic renal insufficiency. Pathologic changes in bone tissue due to loss of renal paranchyme is interrelated with calcium, phosphorus vitamine-D and parathyroid hormone. Clinically we can see high turnover bone disease, low turnover bone disease, osteomalacia, osteosclerosis and osteoporosis in renal osteodystropy. In this article we aimed to review pathology of bone metabolism disorders due to chronic renal insufficiency, clinic aspects and treatment approaches briefly.

  5. [The Need for Psychosocial Support of Parents of Children in Neonatal Care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schäfer, Nicole; Karutz, Harald; Schenk, Olaf

    2017-10-01

    Background Advances in neonatal care have reduced mortality but increased morbidity in babies born pre-maturely or after high-risk pregnancies. However, this often increases the burden on the family and the parents in particular. A systematic review of the literature was conducted that demonstrated the importance of psychosocial support for parents of children in neonatal care. Methods A systematic search of Pubmed, Psyndex, CINAHI and medpilot was conducted. Reference lists of the included articles were also searched for relevant publications. A free-text search found further publications. Together, 78 publications (from 1975-2015) were included in our review. Results A shift from a biomedical model and child-centred treatment to family-centred care has already taken place in neonatal care. However, there is still a considerable gap between theory and practice. Although there is awareness of the need for psychosocial support of parents, the focus of day-to-day care is still on medical interventions and life-supporting treatment for the child. In particular, while the importance of an assessment of needs as a basis for family-centred psychosocial support appears to be well-known, validated screening instruments are rarely used. In addition, the demand for psychosocial support of parents is not just solely determined by the child's medical risk. Conclusions The results highlight the challenges of delivering individualised psychosocial support to families within a healthcare system of limited resources, with practitioners having to take into account the developing parent-child relationship as well as health economics. In future, psychosocial support should be based on evidence rather than intuition. Attachment theory and research, and health psychology can contribute to this development. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  6. Adverse Renal Effects of Novel Molecular Oncologic Targeted Therapies: A Narrative Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenar D. Jhaveri

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Novel targeted anti-cancer therapies have resulted in improvement in patient survival compared to standard chemotherapy. Renal toxicities of targeted agents are increasingly being recognized. The incidence, severity, and pattern of renal toxicities may vary according to the respective target of the drug. Here we review the adverse renal effects associated with a selection of currently approved targeted cancer therapies, directed to EGFR, HER2, BRAF, MEK, ALK, PD1/PDL1, CTLA-4, and novel agents targeted to VEGF/R and TKIs. In summary, electrolyte disorders, renal impairment and hypertension are the most commonly reported events. Of the novel targeted agents, ipilumumab and cetuximab have the most nephrotoxic events reported. The early diagnosis and prompt recognition of these renal adverse events are essential for the general nephrologist taking care of these patients.

  7. CT differentiation of infiltrating renal cell carcinoma and renal urothelial tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Hyo Kyeong; Goo, Dong Erk; Bang, Sun Woo; Lee, Moon Gyu; Cho, Kyoung Sik; Auh, Yong Ho

    1994-01-01

    It may be difficult to differentiate renal cell carcinoma involving collecting system from renal urothelial tumor invading into renal parenchyma. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences of CT findings between two conditions. CT findings of 5 cases of renal cell carcinoma involving the renal collecting systems and 10 cases of renal urothelial tumors invading the renal parenchyma were compared, and analyzed about the presence or absence of hydronephrosis, normal or abnormal CT nephrogram, renal contour changes due to mass and tentative diagnosis. The diagnoses were confirmed at surgery. Renal cell carcinoma showed hydronephrosis in only 20% and normal CT nephrogram and outward contour bulging in all cases. In contrast, renal urothelial tumor showed hydronephrosis(70%), abnormal CT nephrogram(60%), and preservation of reinform shape(100%). Renal contour changes and CT nephrogram may be useful in distinguishing both disease entities

  8. Physiologic and psychosocial approaches to global management of the hemodialysis patient in the Southern Alberta Renal Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cormier, Tina; Magat, Ofelia; Hager, Suzy; Ng, Fanny; Lee, Miran

    2012-01-01

    As frontline nurses, we know firsthand the many challenges of renal disease faced by our patients and the impact on their lives and their families. How can we help them cope with their illness? How can we improve their quality of life? How can we prevent the complications inherent to the disease? How do we know we are doing a good job? Where do we start? The purpose of this presentation is to showcase the global management of the hemodialysis (HD) patient. It provides a collaborative and systematic approach to assessing, implementing, evaluating and coordinating the physiologic and the psychosocial aspects of their care. It is a model of case management followed by the Southern Alberta Renal Program (SARP) in meeting the many and complex needs of our hemodialysis patients. The quality indicators, to name a few, that relate to the physiologic aspects of their care are dialysis adequacy and fluid removal, improved blood pressure (BP) control, maintenance and improved vascular access function, anemia, bone and mineral disease management, nutritional, and diabetes management. The psychosocial aspects of care encompass goals of care, residential support, transportation, and mobility programs in the community. There may be positive implications resulting from our practice that we believe would be invaluable in terms of improved patient care, increased adherence to therapeutic regimens, improved mortality and morbidity and overall enhanced quality of life. Moreover, better communication would possibly be fostered and wise and prompt use of resources may be a result. To date, we have not done studies to prove or disprove these outcomes.

  9. Perioperative use of cerebral and renal near-infrared spectroscopy in neonates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koch, Henrik W; Hansen, Tom G

    2016-01-01

    of NIRS in neonates and premature infants undergoing noncardiac surgeries. METHOD: Neonates were monitored with both cerebral and renal NIRS for 24 h after induction of anesthesia and compared with systemic blood pressure (BP), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2 ), and heart rate (HR). RESULTS: A total...... of 23 368 min of data were collected from 21 neonates. NIRS reported cerebral/renal hypoxia 2.8 (±8.3)%/19.3 (±25.4)% of the time intraoperatively and 9.6 (±17.0)%/9.9 (±18.9)% of the time postoperatively. A moderate positive correlation was found between SpO2 and NIRS (φcerebral = 0.371, φrenal = 0...... specific regional cerebral and renal monitoring. Despite some practical and economical limitations, NIRS may be considered a useful supplement to perinatal perioperative intensive care....

  10. First-line sunitinib versus pazopanib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruiz-Morales, Jose Manuel; Swierkowski, Marcin; Wells, J Connor

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Sunitinib (SU) and pazopanib (PZ) are standards of care for first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, how the efficacy of these drugs translates into effectiveness on a population-based level is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used the International mR...

  11. Obstetric acute renal failure 1956-1987.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turney, J H; Ellis, C M; Parsons, F M

    1989-06-01

    A total of 142 women with severe acute renal failure (ARF) resulting from obstetric causes was treated by dialysis at a single centre from 1956 to 1987. One-year survival was 78.6%, which compares favourably with other causes of ARF. Abortion, haemorrhage and preclampsia comprised 95% of cases, with survival being best (82.9%) with abortion. Survival was adversely affected by increasing age. Acute cortical necrosis (12.7% of patients) carried 100% mortality after 6 years. Follow-up of survivors showed normal renal function up to 31 years following ARF; 25-year patient survival was 71.6%. Improvements in obstetric care and the disappearance of illegal abortions have resulted in a dramatic decline in the incidence of obstetric ARF.

  12. The evolving role of the personal support worker in home care in Ontario, Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saari, Margaret; Patterson, Erin; Kelly, Shawna; Tourangeau, Ann E

    2018-03-01

    To meet increasing demand for home care, the role of personal support workers (PSWs) is shifting from providing primarily personal and supportive care to include care activities previously provided by regulated health professionals (RHPs). Much of the research examining this shift focuses on specialty programmes, with few studies investigating the daily care being provided by PSWs, frequency of care activities being provided by PSWs, and characteristics of the population receiving more complex tasks. Between January and April 2015, a review of 517 home-care service user charts was undertaken in Ontario, Canada, to: (1) describe the range of tasks being performed by PSWs in home care, (2) identify tasks transferred by RHPs to PSWs, and (3) examine characteristics of service users receiving transferred care. Findings indicate that normally, PSWs provide personal and supportive care commensurate with their training. However, in approximately one quarter of care plans reviewed, PSWs also completed more complex care activities transferred to them by RHPs. Service users receiving transferred care were older and had higher levels of cognitive and functional impairment. Although there is potential for the expansion of home-care services through increased utilisation of PSWs, healthcare leadership must ensure that the right provider is being utilised at the right time and in the right place to ensure safe and effective quality care. Thus, several actions are recommended: PSW core competencies be clearly articulated, processes used to transfer care activities from RHPs to PSWs be standardised and a team-based approach to the delivery of home-care services be considered. Utilisation of a team-based model can help establish positive relationships among home-care providers, provide increased support for PSWs, allow for easier scheduling of initial training and ensure regular reassessments of PSW competence among PSWs providing added skills. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Low protein diet and chronic renal failure in Buddhist monks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sitprija, V; Suvanpha, R

    1983-08-13

    Clinical observations were made in five Buddhist monks with chronic renal failure on a low protein diet. These monks consumed only one meal and meditated three to four times a day. The estimated protein intake was from 15 to 19 g a day. Renal function remained stable over three years of observation. The general condition was satisfactory without any evidence of protein energy malnutrition. The data were compared with those of another group of patients who had a comparable degree of impairment of renal function but who consumed three meals a day of low protein diet. Protein intake was estimated to be from 25 to 30 g a day. These patients developed uraemia with severe renal failure and protein deficiency within three years. The findings support the role of protein restriction in maintenance of renal function in chronic renal failure and perhaps suggest a beneficial role for meditation.

  14. Screening and Management of Asymptomatic Renal Stones in Astronauts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes, David; Locke, James; Sargsyan, Ashot; Garcia, Kathleen

    2017-01-01

    Management guidelines were created to screen and manage asymptomatic renal stones in U.S. astronauts. The true risk for renal stone formation in astronauts due to the space flight environment is unknown. Proper management of this condition is crucial to mitigate health and mission risks. The NASA Flight Medicine Clinic electronic medical record and the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health databases were reviewed. An extensive review of the literature and current aeromedical standards for the monitoring and management of renal stones was also done. This work was used to develop a screening and management protocol for renal stones in astronauts that is relevant to the spaceflight operational environment. In the proposed guidelines all astronauts receive a yearly screening and post-flight renal ultrasound using a novel ultrasound protocol. The ultrasound protocol uses a combination of factors, including: size, position, shadow, twinkle and dispersion properties to confirm the presence of a renal calcification. For mission-assigned astronauts, any positive ultrasound study is followed by a low-dose renal computed tomography scan and urologic consult. Other specific guidelines were also created. A small asymptomatic renal stone within the renal collecting system may become symptomatic at any time, and therefore affect launch and flight schedules, or cause incapacitation during a mission. Astronauts in need of definitive care can be evacuated from the International Space Station, but for deep space missions evacuation is impossible. The new screening and management algorithm has been implemented and the initial round of screening ultrasounds is under way. Data from these exams will better define the incidence of renal stones in U.S. astronauts, and will be used to inform risk mitigation for both short and long duration spaceflights.

  15. Image-guided radiofrequency ablation of renal cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boss, Andreas; Clasen, Stephan; Pereira, Philippe L.; Kuczyk, Markus; Schick, Fritz

    2007-01-01

    The incidence of renal cell carcinoma is rising with the increased number of incidental detection of small tumours. During the past few years, percutaneous imaging-guided radiofrequency ablation has evolved as a minimally invasive treatment of small unresectable renal tumours offering reduced patient morbidity and overall health care costs. In radiofrequency ablation, thermal energy is deposited into a targeted tumour by means of a radiofrequency applicator. In recent studies, radiofrequency ablation was shown to be an effective and safe modality for local destruction of renal cell carcinoma. Radiofrequency applicator navigation can be performed via ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance guidance; however, ultrasound seems less favourable because of the absence of monitoring capabilities during ablation. On-line monitoring of treatment outcome can only be performed with magnetic resonance imaging giving the possibility of eventual applicator repositioning to ablate visible residual tumour tissue. Long-term follow-up is crucial to assess completeness of tumour ablation. New developments in ablation technology and radiological equipment will further increase the indication field for radiofrequency ablation of renal cell carcinoma. Altogether, radiofrequency ablation seems to be a promising new modality for the minimally invasive treatment of renal cell carcinoma, which was demonstrated to exhibit high short-term effectiveness. (orig.)

  16. The renal scan in pregnant renal transplant patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldstein, H.A.; Ziessman, H.A.; Fahey, F.H.; Collea, J.V.; Alijani, M.R.; Helfrich, G.B.

    1985-01-01

    With the greater frequency of renal transplant surgery, more female pts are becoming pregnant and carrying to term. In the renal allograft blood vessels and ureter may be compressed resulting in impaired renal function and/or, hypertension. Toxemia of pregnancy is seen more frequently than normal. Radionuclide renal scan monitoring may be of significant value in this high risk obstetrical pt. After being maintained during the pregnancy, renal function may also deteriorate in the post partum period. 5 pregnant renal transplant pts who delivered live babies had renal studies with Tc-99m DTPA to assess allograft perfusion and function. No transplanted kidney was lost during or after pregnancy as a result of pregnancy. No congenital anomalies were associated with transplant management. 7 studies were performed on these 5 pts. The 7 scans all showed the uterus/placenta. The bladder was always distorted. The transplanted kidney was rotated to a more vertical position in 3 pts. The radiation dose to the fetus is calculated at 0.024 rad/mCi administered. This study demonstrates the anatomic and physiologic alterations expected in the transplanted kidney during pregnancy when evaluated by renal scan and that the radiation burden may be acceptable in management of these pts

  17. Functional and clinical evaluation of renal injury in patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for gastric cancer: Low dose and comorbidity considerations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roman Ibrahimov

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: Functional renal impairment without any clinical signs or symptoms can be observed in low doses after radiotherapy. Careful treatment planning and a detailed evaluation of the functional renal capacity before treatment may help to reduce late renal toxicity.

  18. Malaria induced acute renal failure: A single center experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    KV Kanodia; AV Vanikar

    2010-01-01

    Malaria has protean clinical manifestations and renal complications, particularly acute renal failure that could be life threatening. To evaluate the incidence, clinical profile, ou come and predictors of mortality in patients with malarial acute renal failure, we retrospectively studied the last two years records of malaria induced acute renal failure in patients with peripheral smear positive for malarial parasites. One hundred (10.4%) (63 males, 37 females) malaria induced acute renal failure amongst 958 cases of acute renal failure were evaluated. Plasmodium (P). falciparum was reported in 85%, P. vivax in 2%, and both in 13% patients. The mean serum creatinine was 9.2 ± 4.2 mg%, and oligo/anuria was present in 82%; 78% of the patients required hemodialysis. Sixty four percent of the patients recovered completely, 10% incompletely, and 5% developed chronic kidney failure; mortality occurred in 21% of the patients. Low hemoglobin, oligo/anuria on admission, hyperbilirubinemia, cerebral malaria, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and high serum creatinine were the main predictors of mortality. We conclude that malaria is associated with acute renal failure, which occurs most commonly in plasmodium falciparum infected patients. Early diagnosis and prompt dialysis with supportive management can reduce morality and enhance recovery of renal function (Author).

  19. Mortality risk disparities in children receiving chronic renal replacement therapy for the treatment of end-stage renal disease across Europe: an ESPN-ERA/EDTA registry analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chesnaye, Nicholas C; Schaefer, Franz; Bonthuis, Marjolein; Holman, Rebecca; Baiko, Sergey; Baskın, Esra; Bjerre, Anna; Cloarec, Sylvie; Cornelissen, Elisabeth A M; Espinosa, Laura; Heaf, James; Stone, Rosário; Shtiza, Diamant; Zagozdzon, Ilona; Harambat, Jérôme; Jager, Kitty J; Groothoff, Jaap W; van Stralen, Karlijn J

    2017-05-27

    quality of paediatric renal care. Differences between countries in their ability to accept and treat the youngest patients, who are the most complex and costly to treat, form an important source of disparity within this population. Our findings can be used by policy makers and health-care providers to explore potential strategies to help reduce these health disparities. ERA-EDTA and ESPN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Nursing experience in clinical endovascular treatment for renal artery aneurysms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong Yanfen; Pan Xiaoxia; Luan Shaoliang; Wei Ren

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To discuss the standardized clinical nursing measures for patients receiving endovascular treatment of renal artery aneurysms. Methods: The clinical data of 9 patients with renal artery aneurysm, who were admitted to authors' hospital during the period from Jan. 2010 to Aug. 2011 and received endovascular treatment, were retrospectively analyzed. The related nursing points as well as the received endovascular. Results: A total of 9 cases with renal artery aneurysm were treated nursing measures were summarized. Results: A total of 9 cases with renal artery aneurysm were with interventional management, including embolization (n = 6), stent implantation (n = 2) and stent implantation together with coil embolization (n = 1). The mean hospitalization time was (10±2) days. Postoperative retention of urine was observed in one patient and postoperative retroperitoneal hemorrhage occurred in another patient. Neither nursing-related nor operation-related complications occurred. Conclusion: Standardized perioperative nursing care for patients with renal artery aneurysm can surely help enhance the patient's tolerance to the surgery, and effectively prevent the complications. (authors)

  1. Fetal polycystic renal disease: prenatal sonographic findings with pathologic correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jun, Soon Ae; Park, Yong Hyun; Cha, Sun Hee; Kay, Jung Woong; Cho, Joo Yeon; Cha, Kwang Yul; Cha, Kyung Sub; Chi, Je G.

    1990-01-01

    Polycystic renal disease are congenital disorders, most of which are fatal in the postnatal period. A series of ten cases of polycystic renal disease diagnosed prenatally by ultrasonography is presented. Diagnostic criteria of ultrasonography for cystic renal disease are; 1. enlarge kidney (4 cases) 2. echogenic density of kidney (3 cases) 3. 0.4 - 0.9cm sized multiple cysts within the renal cortex (3 cases) 4. decreased amount of amniotic fluid (4 cases) 5. hydronephrosis (4 cases) 6. distended bladder (2 cases) 7. absence of bladder (2 cases) Eight of ten cases were confirmed by autopsy. Seven cases had other associated congenital anomalies, i.e. pulmonary hypoplasia (5), hepatic fibrosis (3), congenital heart disease (3), tracheoesophageal fistula with imperforate anus (1), caudal regression syndrome (1), Meckel-Gruber syndrome (1) and ambiguous genitalia (2). Additional cytogenetic study of the fetus and the careful family history taking followed by prenatal diagnosis of cystic renal disease. Precise prenatal diagnosis may allow patients the option of elective abortion or may prevent unnecessary obstetric intervention

  2. Successful renal transplantation from a brain-dead deceased donor with head injury, disseminated intravascular coagulation and deranged renal functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P P Ghuge

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Deceased donors (DDs with the brain death due to head injury are the major source of organs for transplantation. The incidence of post-head injury disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC ranges from 24% to 50%. Many centers do not accept organs from donors with DIC due to increased risk of primary graft non-function and/or high chances of morbidity/mortality. We performed two successful renal transplants from a DD with head injury with DIC and deranged renal function. One of the recipients developed transient thrombocytopenia, but there was no evidence of DIC or delayed graft functions in either of the recipients. Over a follow-up of 1 month, both are doing well with stable graft function and hematological profile. Thus, a carefully selected DD with severe DIC even with deranged renal function is not a contraindication for organ donation if other risk factors for primary non-function are excluded. This approach will also help in overcoming organ shortage.

  3. Successful aging theory and the patient with chronic renal disease: application in the clinical setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blevins, Candy; Toutman, Meredith Flood

    2011-01-01

    As life expectancies increase, nurses will care for more individuals with chronic conditions, one of which is chronic renal disease. Increasing diversity and complexity of older adult healthcare needs signals a need to reconceptualize perceptions of successful aging. By emphasizing health promotion and adaptation, successful aging is possible for those with chronic renal disease. This article provides an overview of theory-based strategies for fostering successful aging in the patient with chronic renal disease.

  4. Access to and coverage of renal replacement therapy in minorities and ethnic groups in Venezuela.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellorin-Font, Ezequiel; Pernalete, Nidia; Meza, Josefina; Milanes, Carmen Luisa; Carlini, Raul G

    2005-08-01

    Access to and coverage of renal replacement therapy in minorities and ethnic groups in Venezuela. Numerous studies have documented the presence of racial and minority disparities regarding the impact of renal disease and access to renal replacement therapy (RRT). This problem is less well documented in Latin America. Venezuela, like most countries in the region, is subject to severe constraints in the allocation of resources for high-cost chronic diseases, which limits the access of patients with chronic kidney disease to RRT. Although access to health care is universal, there is both a deficit in coverage and disparity in the access to RRT, largely as a result of socioeconomic limitations and budget constrains. With current rising trends of the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and costs of medical technology, the long-term goal of complete RRT coverage will become increasingly out of reach. Current evidence suggests that prevention of progression of renal disease is possible at relatively low cost and broad coverage. Based on this evidence, the Ministry of Health has redesigned its policy with respect to renal disease based on 4 elements: 1. Prevention by means of early detection and referral to multidisciplinary health teams, as well as promotion of health habits in the community. 2. Prevention of progression of renal disease by pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic means. 3. An increase in the rate of coverage and reduction of disparities in the access to dialysis. 4. An increase in the rates of renal transplantation through better organ procurement programs and reinforcement of transplant centers. However, the projected increase in the number of patients with ESKD receiving RRT will represent a serious burden to the health care system. Therefore, implementation of these policies will require the involvement of international agencies as well as an adequate partnership between nephrologists and health care planners, so that meeting the increasing demands

  5. SUPPORTIVE SUPERVISION AS A TECHNOLOGY OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HOSPITAL CARE DELIVERY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svetlana A. Mukhortova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Improving the quality of medical care is a priority in countries with developed and developing health care system. There are various approaches to improve the quality and safety of patient’s care, as well as various strategies to encourage hospitals to achieve this goal. The purpose of the presented literature review was to analyze existing experience of the implementation of technology of supportive supervision in health care facilities to improve the quality of hospital care delivery. The data sources for publication were obtained from the following medical databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medscape, e-library, and books on the topic of the review written by experts. The article discusses the results of the research studies demonstrating the successes and failures of supportive supervision technology application. Implementation of supportive supervision in medical facilities based on generalized experience of different countries is a promising direction in improving the quality of medical care delivery. This technology opens up opportunities to improve skills and work quality of the staff at pediatric hospitals in the Russian Federation.

  6. Relationship between parent-infant attachment and parental satisfaction with supportive nursing care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghadery-Sefat, Akram; Abdeyazdan, Zahra; Badiee, Zohreh; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Parent-infant attachment is an important factor in accepting parenting role, accelerating infant survival, and adjusting to the environment outside the uterus. Since family supportive interventions can strengthen the parent-infant caring relationship, this study sought to investigate the relationship between mother-infant attachment and satisfaction of the mothers with the supportive nursing care received in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In this descriptive-correlational study, 210 mothers with premature infants who were hospitalized in the NICUs affiliated to Isfahan Medical University hospitals took part. The data were collected via Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale and researcher's self-tailored questionnaire based on Nurse Parent Support Tool. Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the collected data. The results showed that the overall score of mother-infant attachment and the overall score of maternal satisfaction correlated with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.195. Also, the overall score of mother-infant attachment and mothers' satisfaction scores in the emotional, communicative-informative, and self-confidence domains correlated with correlation coefficients of r = 0.182, r = 0.0.189, and r = 0.0.304, respectively. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that about 15% of changes in the dependent variable (mother-infant attachment) could be explained by different dimensions of mothers' satisfaction. The results of the study showed that mother-infant attachment improved by increasing mothers' satisfaction of supportive nursing care. Therefore, it seems necessary to increase maternal satisfaction through given nursing care support, in order to promote mother-infant attachment.

  7. Digital Technologies Supporting Person-Centered Integrated Care – A Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Øvretveit

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Shared electronic health and social care records in some service systems are already showing some of the benefits of digital technology and digital data for integrating health and social care. These records are one example of the beginning “digitalisation” of services that gives a glimpse of the potential of digital technology and systems for building coordinated and individualized integrated care. Yet the promise has been greater than the benefits, and progress has been slow compared to other industries. This paper describes for non-technical readers how information technology was used to support integrated care schemes in six EU services, and suggests practical ways forward to use the new opportunities to build person-centered integrated care.

  8. Digital Technologies Supporting Person-Centered Integrated Care – A Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Shared electronic health and social care records in some service systems are already showing some of the benefits of digital technology and digital data for integrating health and social care. These records are one example of the beginning “digitalisation” of services that gives a glimpse of the potential of digital technology and systems for building coordinated and individualized integrated care. Yet the promise has been greater than the benefits, and progress has been slow compared to other industries. This paper describes for non-technical readers how information technology was used to support integrated care schemes in six EU services, and suggests practical ways forward to use the new opportunities to build person-centered integrated care. PMID:29588629

  9. Is advanced life support better than basic life support in prehospital care? A systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryynänen Olli-Pekka

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background - Prehospital care is classified into ALS- (advanced life support and BLS- (basic life support levels according to the methods used. ALS-level prehospital care uses invasive methods, such as intravenous fluids, medications and intubation. However, the effectiveness of ALS care compared to BLS has been questionable. Aim - The aim of this systematic review is to compare the effectiveness of ALS- and BLS-level prehospital care. Material and methods - In a systematic review, articles where ALS-level prehospital care was compared to BLS-level or any other treatment were included. The outcome variables were mortality or patient's health-related quality of life or patient's capacity to perform daily activities. Results - We identified 46 articles, mostly retrospective observational studies. The results on the effectiveness of ALS in unselected patient cohorts are contradictory. In cardiac arrest, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation are essential for survival, but prehospital ALS interventions have not improved survival. Prehospital thrombolytic treatment reduces mortality in patients having a myocardial infarction. The majority of research into trauma favours BLS in the case of penetrating trauma and also in cases of short distance to a hospital. In patients with severe head injuries, ALS provided by paramedics and intubation without anaesthesia can even be harmful. If the prehospital care is provided by an experienced physician and by a HEMS organisation (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, ALS interventions may be beneficial for patients with multiple injuries and severe brain injuries. However, the results are contradictory. Conclusions - ALS seems to improve survival in patients with myocardial infarction and BLS seems to be the proper level of care for patients with penetrating injuries. Some studies indicate a beneficial effect of ALS among patients with blunt head injuries or multiple injuries. There is

  10. Increasing Information Dissemination in Cancer Communication: Effects of Using "Palliative," "Supportive," or "Hospice" Care Terminology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fishman, Jessica M; Greenberg, Patricia; Bagga, Margy Barbieri; Casarett, David; Propert, Kathleen

    2018-04-20

    When attempting to share information about comfort-oriented care, many use "palliative," "supportive," and "hospice" care terminology interchangeably, but we lack evidence about the effects of using these different terms. This study was designed to test whether the use of "palliative," "supportive," or "hospice" terminology can improve the dissemination of information among breast cancer patients-a large and growing oncology population. Design, Setting, and Measurement: This experimental study was conducted at a major U.S. hospital serving a diverse population. Patients visiting a cancer clinic encountered opportunities to learn more about cancer care. They were offered health materials that were described as reporting on "palliative," "supportive," or "hospice" care and the primary outcome was whether a patient decided to select or reject each. As a secondary outcome, the study measured the patient's level of interest in receiving each. Compared with alternatives, materials labeled as "supportive" care were most likely to be selected and considered valuable (p value information labeled as being about "supportive" care was significantly more likely to be selected. If these effects are supported by additional research, there may be low-cost, highly feasible changes in language choice that increase the dissemination of relevant health information.

  11. Dementia care mapping to support staff in the care of people with intellectual disability and dementia: a feasibility study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaap, Feija; Dijkstra, Geke; Fokkens, Andrea; Reijneveld, Sijmen; Finnema, Evelyn

    2018-01-01

    Background: The number of people with intellectual disability and dementia in-creases; this combination causes behavioural changes. Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) supports staff in dementia care in nursing homes and may be useful in intel-lectual disability-care. This qualitative study examines the

  12. Self-management of health care: multimethod study of using integrated health care and supportive housing to address systematic barriers for people experiencing homelessness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsell, Cameron; Ten Have, Charlotte; Denton, Michelle; Walter, Zoe

    2017-04-07

    Objectives The aims of the present study were to examine tenants' experiences of a model of integrated health care and supportive housing and to identify whether integrated health care and supportive housing improved self-reported health and healthcare access. Methods The present study used a mixed-method survey design (n=75) and qualitative interviews (n=20) performed between September 2015 and August 2016. Participants were tenants of permanent supportive housing in Brisbane (Qld, Australia). Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results Integrated health care and supportive housing were resources for tenants to overcome systematic barriers to accessing mainstream health care experienced when homeless. When homeless, people did not have access to resources required to maintain their health. Homelessness meant not having a voice to influence the health care people received; healthcare practitioners treated symptoms of poverty rather than considering how homelessness makes people sick. Integrated healthcare and supportive housing enabled tenants to receive treatment for health problems that were compounded by the barriers to accessing mainstream healthcare that homelessness represented. Conclusions Extending the evidence about housing as a social determinant of health, the present study shows that integrated health care and supportive housing enabled tenants to take control to self-manage their health care. In addition to homelessness directly contributing to ill health, the present study provides evidence of how the experience of homelessness contributes to exclusions from mainstream healthcare. What is known about the topic? People who are homeless experience poor physical and mental health, have unmet health care needs and use disproportionate rates of emergency health services. What does the paper add? The experience of homelessness creates barriers to accessing adequate health care. The provision of onsite multidisciplinary integrated health care in

  13. [Study of the work and of working in Family Health Care Support Center].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lancman, Selma; Gonçalves, Rita Maria de Abreu; Cordone, Nicole Guimarães; Barros, Juliana de Oliveira

    2013-10-01

    To understand the organization of and the working conditions in family health care support centers, as well as subjective experiences related to work in two of these centers. This was a case study carried out during 2011 and 2012 in two family health care support centers in Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. Data were collected and analyzed using two theoretical-methodological references from ergonomics and work psychodynamics influenced, respectively, by ergonomic work analysis, developed based on open observations of a variety of tasks and on interviews and in practice in work psychodynamics, carried out using think tanks about the work. The work of the Family Health Care Support Centers in question is constituted on the bases of complex, diversified actions to be shared among the various professionals and teams involved. Innovative technological tools, which are not often adopted by primary health care professionals, are used and the parameters and productivity measures do not encompass the specificity and the complexity of the work performed. These situations require constant organizational rearrangement, especially between the Family Health Care Support Centers and the Family Health Care Teams, causing difficulties in carrying out the work as well as in constituting the identity of the professionals studied. The study attempts to lend greater visibility to the work processes at the Family Health Care Support Centers in order to contribute to advances in public policy on primary healthcare. It is important to stress that introducing changes at work, which affect both its organization and work conditions, is above all a commitment, which to be effective, must be permanent and must involve the different levels of hierarchy.

  14. Safety Management of a Clinical Process Using Failure Mode and Effect Analysis: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez-Izquierdo-Riera, Jose Angel; Molano-Alvarez, Esteban; Saez-de la Fuente, Ignacio; Maynar-Moliner, Javier; Marín-Mateos, Helena; Chacón-Alves, Silvia

    2016-01-01

    The failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) may improve the safety of the continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) in the intensive care unit. We use this tool in three phases: 1) Retrospective observational study. 2) A process FMEA, with implementation of the improvement measures identified. 3) Cohort study after FMEA. We included 54 patients in the pre-FMEA group and 72 patients in the post-FMEA group. Comparing the risks frequencies per patient in both groups, we got less cases of under 24 hours of filter survival time in the post-FMEA group (31 patients 57.4% vs. 21 patients 29.6%; p FMEA, there were several improvements in the management of intensive care unit patients receiving CRRT, and we consider it a useful tool for improving the safety of critically ill patients.

  15. Breastfeeding Support in Neonatal Intensive Care: A National Survey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maastrup, Ragnhild; Bojesen, Susanne Nordby; Kronborg, Hanne

    2012-01-01

    Background: The incidence of breastfeeding of preterm infants is affected by the support provided at the hospital and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). However, policies and guidelines promoting breastfeeding vary both nationally and internationally. Objectives: The aim of this survey...... was to describe breastfeeding support in Danish NICUs, where approximately 98% of mothers initiate lactation. Methods: A national survey of all 19 Danish NICUs was conducted in 2009. Four NICUs were at designated Baby-Friendly hospitals, and 5 had a lactation consultant. In all NICUs, it was possible for some...... parents to stay overnight; 2 units had short restrictions on parents' presence. Five NICUs had integrated postpartum care for mothers. Breastfeeding policies, written guidelines, and systematic breastfeeding training for the staff were common in most NICUs. Seventeen NICUs recommended starting breast milk...

  16. Renal perfusion scintiscan

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Radionuclide renal perfusion scan; Perfusion scintiscan - renal; Scintiscan - renal perfusion Images Kidney anatomy Kidney - blood and urine flow Intravenous pyelogram References Rottenberg G, Andi AC. Renal ...

  17. Current structure and organization for renal patient assistance in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alloatti, Sandro; Strippoli, Giovanni Fm; Buccianti, Gherardo; Daidone, Giuseppe; Schena, Francesco P

    2008-04-01

    Given the public health challenge and burden of chronic kidney disease, the Italian Society of Nephrology (SIN) has compiled a national census of Renal Units (RU) existing in the twenty Italian regions related to the year 2004. An on-line questionnaire including 158 items explored structural and human resources, organization aspects, activities and epidemiological data in SIN, 2004. The census identified 363 public RU, 303 satellite Dialysis Centres (DC) and 295 private DC totalling 961 DC [16.4 per million population (pmp)]. The inpatient renal beds were 2742 (47 pmp). Renal and dialysis activity was performed by 3728 physicians (64 pmp), of whom 2964 (80%) were nephrologists. There was no permanent medical assistance in 41% of satellite DC. There were 1802 renal admissions pmp and 99 renal biopsies pmp. The management of acute renal failure (13 456 cases; 230 pmp) represented a relevant proportion of the activities conducted in public RU. In 2004 there were 9858 new cases of end-stage kidney disease requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) (169 pmp). On 31 December 2004, 60 058 patients were on RRT (1027 pmp), 43 293 of which (740 pmp) were on dialysis and 16 765 (287 pmp) with renal graft. This census of the Italian RU and DC in 2004 provides decision makers and healthcare stakeholders with detailed data for benchmarking and has financial implications for the public health system. Similar analyses may be conducted in other countries permitting standardization of medical and cost-related aspects of renal care.

  18. Does lower limb exercise worsen renal artery hemodynamics in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Anqiang; Tian, Xiaopeng; Zhang, Nan; Xu, Zaipin; Deng, Xiaoyan; Liu, Ming; Liu, Xiao

    2015-01-01

    Renal artery stenosis (RAS) and renal complications emerge in some patients after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) to treat abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA). The mechanisms for the causes of these problems are not clear. We hypothesized that for EVAR patients, lower limb exercise could negatively influence the physiology of the renal artery and the renal function, by decreasing the blood flow velocity and changing the hemodynamics in the renal arteries. To evaluate this hypothesis, pre- and post-operative models of the abdominal aorta were reconstructed based on CT images. The hemodynamic environment was numerically simulated under rest and lower limb exercise conditions. The results revealed that in the renal arteries, lower limb exercise decreased the wall shear stress (WSS), increased the oscillatory shear index (OSI) and increased the relative residence time (RRT). EVAR further enhanced these effects. Because these parameters are related to artery stenosis and atherosclerosis, this preliminary study concluded that lower limb exercise may increase the potential risk of inducing renal artery stenosis and renal complications for AAA patients. This finding could help elucidate the mechanism of renal artery stenosis and renal complications after EVAR and warn us to reconsider the management and nursing care of AAA patients.

  19. Autonomy support in primary care--validation of the German version of the Health Care Climate Questionnaire

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schmidt, K.; Gensichen, J.; Petersen, J.J.; Szecsenyi, J.; Walther, M.; Williams, G.; Freund, T.

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: There is a growing need for studies to measure how patients feel supported in their autonomy. The Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ) is an instrument to assess the physician's support to motivate the patient to take personal responsibility for his/her health. The aim of this study

  20. Decision support system for health care resources allocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebaa, Abderrazak; Nouicer, Amina; Tari, AbdelKamel; Tarik, Ramtani; Abdellah, Ouhab

    2017-06-01

    A study about healthcare resources can improve decisions regarding the allotment and mobilization of medical resources and to better guide future investment in the health sector. The aim of this work was to design and implement a decision support system to improve medical resources allocation of Bejaia region. To achieve the retrospective cohort study, we integrated existing clinical databases from different Bejaia department health sector institutions (an Algerian department) to collect information about patients from January 2015 through December 2015. Data integration was performed in a data warehouse using the multi-dimensional model and OLAP cube. During implementation, we used Microsoft SQL server 2012 and Microsoft Excel 2010. A medical decision support platform was introduced, and was implemented during the planning stages allowing the management of different medical orientations, it provides better apportionment and allotment of medical resources, and ensures that the allocation of health care resources has optimal effects on improving health. In this study, we designed and implemented a decision support system which would improve health care in Bejaia department to especially assist in the selection of the optimum location of health center and hospital, the specialty of the health center, the medical equipment and the medical staff.

  1. Checklist and Decision Support in Nutritional Care for Burned Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    able to construct a checklist of a clinical and physiologic model and then a computerised decision support system that will perform two functions: the...the provision of nutritional therapy, and assessment of use by nursing and physician staff KEYWORDS Nutrition, severe burn, decision support... clinical testing. Checklist and Decision Support in Nutritional Care for Burned Patients Proposal Number: 12340011 W81XWH-12-2-0074 PI: Steven E

  2. Patients' perceptions of information and education for renal replacement therapy: an independent survey by the European Kidney Patients' Federation on information and support on renal replacement therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Biesen, Wim; van der Veer, Sabine N.; Murphey, Mark; Loblova, Olga; Davies, Simon

    2014-01-01

    Selection of an appropriate renal replacement modality is of utmost importance for patients with end stage renal disease. Previous studies showed provision of information to and free modality choice by patients to be suboptimal. Therefore, the European Kidney Patients' Federation (CEAPIR) explored

  3. Community nephrology: audit of screening for renal insufficiency in a high risk population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kissmeyer, L; Kong, C; Cohen, J; Unwin, R J; Woolfson, R G; Neild, G H

    1999-09-01

    The rate of acceptance onto dialysis programmes has doubled in the past 10 years and is steadily increasing. Early detection and treatment of renal failure slows the rate of progression. Is it feasible to screen for patients who are at increased risk of developing renal failure? We have audited primary care records of patients aged 50-75 years who have either hypertension or diabetes, and are therefore considered to be at high risk of developing renal insufficiency. Our aim was to see whether patients had had their blood pressure measured and urine tested for protein within 12 months, and plasma creatinine measured within 24 months. This was a retrospective study of case notes and computer records in 12 general practices from inner and greater London. A total of 16,855 patients were aged 50-75 years. From this age group, 2693 (15.5%) patients were identified as being either hypertensive or diabetic, or both. Of the 2561 records audited, 1359 (53.1%) contained a plasma creatinine measured within 24 months, and 11% of these (150) had a value > 125 micromol/l. This equates to a prevalence of renal insufficiency of > 110,000 patients per million in this group. Forty two patients (28%) had been referred to a nephrologist. Of records audited, 73% contained a blood pressure measurement and 29% contained a test for proteinuria within 12 months. There is a high prevalence of chronic renal insufficiency in hypertensive and diabetic patients. It is feasible to detect renal insufficiency at a primary care level, but an effective system will require computerized databases that code for age, ethnicity, measurement of blood pressure and renal function, as well as diagnoses.

  4. Influence of fluid resuscitation on renal microvascular PO2 in a normotensive rat model of endotoxemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Johannes, Tanja; Mik, Egbert G.; Nohé, Boris; Raat, Nicolaas J. H.; Unertl, Klaus E.; Ince, Can

    2006-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Septic renal failure is often seen in the intensive care unit but its pathogenesis is only partly understood. This study, performed in a normotensive rat model of endotoxemia, tests the hypotheses that endotoxemia impairs renal microvascular PO2 (microPO2) and oxygen consumption

  5. Implementing clinical decision support for primary care professionals – the process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kortteisto, Tiina; Komulainen, Jorma; Kunnamo, Ilkka

    2012-01-01

    implementation of eCDS requires time and repeated supportive input. Primary care professionals need time and training for adapting eCDS in their daily routine. In addition, the eCDS content should be tailored to fulfil different professionals’ information needs in primary care practice....

  6. Medicare Program; End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Coverage and Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals With Acute Kidney Injury, End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program, Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program Bid Surety Bonds, State Licensure and Appeals Process for Breach of Contract Actions, Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program and Fee Schedule Adjustments, Access to Care Issues for Durable Medical Equipment; and the Comprehensive End-Stage Renal Disease Care Model. Final rule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-04

    This rule updates and makes revisions to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2017. It also finalizes policies for coverage and payment for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury. This rule also sets forth requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, including the inclusion of new quality measures beginning with payment year (PY) 2020 and provides updates to programmatic policies for the PY 2018 and PY 2019 ESRD QIP. This rule also implements statutory requirements for bid surety bonds and state licensure for the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP). This rule also expands suppliers' appeal rights in the event of a breach of contract action taken by CMS, by revising the appeals regulation to extend the appeals process to all types of actions taken by CMS for a supplier's breach of contract, rather than limit an appeal for the termination of a competitive bidding contract. The rule also finalizes changes to the methodologies for adjusting fee schedule amounts for DMEPOS using information from CBPs and for submitting bids and establishing single payment amounts under the CBPs for certain groupings of similar items with different features to address price inversions. Final changes also are made to the method for establishing bid limits for items under the DMEPOS CBPs. In addition, this rule summarizes comments on the impacts of coordinating Medicare and Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment for dually eligible beneficiaries. Finally, this rule also summarizes comments received in response to a request for information related to the Comprehensive ESRD Care Model and future payment models affecting renal care.

  7. Study of acute renal insufficiency and chronic renal insufficiency using radioisotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raynaud, C.

    1976-01-01

    Radioisotopic renal function tests are of assistance to diagnose and follow-up the course of renal insufficiency. The radioisotopic renogram is useful in assessing the response to therapy of child obstructive uropathies and evaluating renal transplant function. The renal scan is helpful, in an emergency service, to differenciate chronic renal insufficiency from acute renal insufficiency. Hg renal uptake test provides informations on physiopathological problems. Among them, the following problems are emphasized: evolution of a nonfunctioning kidney, control of the success of a reparative surgery and of bilateral obstructive uropathies with unilateral symptoms [fr

  8. Predictive factors for renal failure and a control and treatment algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denise de Paula Cerqueira

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the renal function of patients in an intensive care unit, to identify the predisposing factors for the development of renal failure, and to develop an algorithm to help in the control of the disease.METHOD: exploratory, descriptive, prospective study with a quantitative approach.RESULTS: a total of 30 patients (75.0% were diagnosed with kidney failure and the main factors associated with this disease were: advanced age, systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lung diseases, and antibiotic use. Of these, 23 patients (76.6% showed a reduction in creatinine clearance in the first 24 hours of hospitalization.CONCLUSION: a decline in renal function was observed in a significant number of subjects, therefore, an algorithm was developed with the aim of helping in the control of renal failure in a practical and functional way.

  9. Morality in the mundane. Specific Needs for Ethics Support in Elderly Care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dauwerse, L.M.; van der Dam, S.; Abma, T.A.

    2012-01-01

    Ethics support is called for to improve the quality of care in elderly institutions. Various forms of ethics support are presented, but the needs for ethics support remain unknown. Using a mixed-methods design, this article systematically investigates the specific needs for ethics support in elderly

  10. Internet and social network users' profiles in Renal Transplant Recipients in France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mouelhi, Yosra; Alessandrini, Marine; Pauly, Vanessa; Dussol, Bertrand; Gentile, Stéphanie

    2017-08-03

    The use of the Internet for searching and sharing health information and for health care interactions may have a great potential for Renal Transplant Recipients (RTR). This study aims to determine the characteristics associated with Internet and social network use in a representative sample of RTR at the time of their inclusion in the study. Data of this cross-sectional design is retrieved from a longitudinal study conducted in five French kidney transplant centers in 2011, and included Renal Transplant Recipients aged 18 years with a functioning graft for at least 1 year. Measures include demographic characteristics (age, gender, level of education, employment status, living arrangement, having children, invalidity and monthly incomes in the household), psycho-social characteristics measured by the perceived social support questionnaire, and medical characteristics (previous dialysis treatment, duration since transplantation, graft rejection episodes, chronic graft dysfunction, health status and comorbidities: neoplasia for the current transplant, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, BMI > 30 kg/m 2 and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)). Polytomous linear regression analysis was performed to describe the Internet and social network users' profiles, using lack of Internet access as the comparison category. Among the 1416 RTR participating in the study, 20.1% had no Internet access in the household, 29.4% connected to social networks and 50.5% were not connected to social networks. Patients who connected the most to the Internet and social networks were younger, male, without children, employed, with high monthly incomes in the household, without hypertension and having felt a need for an informative or an esteem support. In our study, the majority of RTR were actively using Internet and social networks. Renal transplant units should develop flexible and Web-based sources related to transplant information, which will allow a rapid adaptation to

  11. Continuous renal replacement therapy for acute renal failure in patients with cancer: a well-tolerated adjunct treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca Fischler

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction – Acute renal failure (ARF has a poor prognosis in patients with cancer requiring intensive care unit (ICU admission. Our aim is finding prognostic factors for hospital mortality in patients with cancer with ARF requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT. Methods – In this retrospective study, all patients with cancer with ARF treated with continuous venovenous filtration (CVVHDF in the ICU of the Institut Jules Bordet, between January 1st 2003 and December 31st 2012, were included in the study.Results – 103 patients are assessed: men/women 69/34, median age 62 years, solid/haematologic tumours 68/35, median SAPS II 56. Mortality rate was 63%. Seven patients required chronic renal dialysis. After multivariate analysis, two variables were statistically associated with hospital mortality : more than one organ failure (including kidney (OR 5.918 ; 95% CI 2.184 – 16.038 ; p<0,001 and low albumin level (OR 3.341; 95% CI 1.229 – 9.077; p=0,02. Only minor complications related to CVVHDF have been documented.Conclusions – Despite the poor prognosis associated with ARF, CVVHDF is an effective and tolerable renal replacement technique in patients with cancer admitted to the ICU. Multiple organ failure and hypoalbuminemia, two independent prognostic factors for hospital mortality have to be considered when deciding for introducing RRT.

  12. Video Tells a Mother's Story of Caring Support | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... JavaScript on. Feature: Palliative Care Video Tells a Mother's Story of Caring Support Past Issues / Spring 2014 ... introduced to palliative care, she actually fell in love with her doctor and ran to see him ...

  13. 'Who's actually gonna read this?' An evaluation of staff experiences of the value of information contained in written care plans in supporting care in three different dementia care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drummond, C; Simpson, A

    2017-08-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: A written plan is designed to improve communication and co-ordinate care between mental health inpatient wards and community settings. Reports of care plan quality issues and staff and service user dissatisfaction with healthcare bureaucracy have focused on working age mental health or general hospital settings. Little is known about mental health staff perspectives on the value of written care plans in supporting dementia care. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Competing demands on staff time and resources to meet administrative standards for care plans caused a tension with their own professional priorities for supporting care. Mental health staff face difficulties using electronic records alongside other systems of information sharing. Further exploration is needed of the gap between frontline staff values and those of the local organization and managers when supporting good dementia care. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Frontline staff should be involved in designing new information systems including care plans. Care plan documentation needs to be refocused to ensure it is effective in enabling staff to communicate amongst themselves and with others to support people with dementia. Practice-based mentors could be deployed to strengthen good practice in effective information sharing. Background Reports of increased healthcare bureaucracy and concerns over care plan quality have emerged from research and surveys into staff and service user experiences. Little is known of mental health staff perspectives on the value of written care plans in supporting dementia care. Aim To investigate the experiences and views of staff in relation to care planning in dementia services in one National Health Service (NHS) provider Trust in England. Method Grounded Theory methodology was used. A purposive sample of 11 multidisciplinary staff were interviewed across three sites in one NHS Trust. Interviews were transcribed, coded

  14. Renal replacement therapy registries--time for a structured data quality evaluation programme

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Couchoud, Cécile; Lassalle, Mathilde; Cornet, Ronald; Jager, Kitty J.

    2013-01-01

    Registries in the area of renal replacement therapy (RRT) are intended to be a tool for epidemiological research, health care planning and improvement of quality of care. In this perspective, the value of a population-based RRT registry and its ability to achieve its goals rely heavily on the

  15. Cuidados de enfermagem na prevenção da insuficiência renal provocada por contraste após cateterismo Cuidados de enfermagem na prevenção da insuficiência renal provocada por contraste após cateterismo Nursing care in the prevention of renal failure caused by post-catheterism contrast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flavia Giron Camerini

    2008-01-01

    , from 2002 to 2007, by analyzing its practical application. A critical analysis was further performed of the selected scientific production outlining nursing care. This study is a literature review of nursing articles, found through computerized search. Out of the 47 articles found, ten were selected because they met the inclusion criteria. After the analysis of the articles, we checked the importance of the nurse's performance in the prevention of acute renal failure caused by contrasts. In addition, we noted the best nursing practices for prevention of acute renal failure caused by contrasts.

  16. Classification of tubulo-papillary renal cortical tumours using estimates of nuclear volume

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brooks, B; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt; Olsen, S

    1993-01-01

    The classification of renal cortical tumours is problematic, with no clear division of benign from malignant tumours. Unbiased stereological estimates of volume-weighted nuclear volume (nuclear vv) were obtained by point sampling of nuclear intercepts in a retrospective study of 36 variably sized...... = 241 microns 3) and 15 tumours classified as renal cell carcinomas with diameters > 3 cm, or aggressive histological pattern (average nuclear vv = 229 microns 3) (2p = 0.68). In this subtype of renal cortical tumours, estimates of nuclear vv do not support the historical convention of using a 3 cm...... tumour diameter as the dividing line between adenomas and carcinomas, but support the theory of a single group of tumours. As most of the truly incidental renal cortical tumours are less than 1 cm in diameter, this limit could be considered. Such small benign cortical nodules have never been reported...

  17. Distal renal tubular acidosis in recurrent renal stone formers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osther, P J; Hansen, A B; Røhl, H F

    1989-01-01

    Renal acidification ability was examined in 90 recurrent renal stone formers, using fasting morning urinary pH levels followed by a short ammonium chloride loading test in subjects with pH levels above 6.0. Fifteen patients (16.6%) revealed a distal renal tubular acidification defect: one patient......, this has important therapeutic implications. The pathological sequence in renal stone formers with dRTA is discussed....

  18. Screening renal stone formers for distal renal tubular acidosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osther, P J; Hansen, A B; Røhl, H F

    1989-01-01

    A group of 110 consecutive renal stone formers were screened for distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) using morning fasting urinary pH (mfUpH) levels followed by a short ammonium chloride loading test in patients with levels above 6.0. In 14 patients (12.7%) a renal acidification defect was noted...... RTA in renal stone formers. Regardless of whether the acidification defect is primary or secondary to stone formation, however, all renal stone formers with distal RTA can expect to benefit from prophylactic alkaline therapy and it is recommended that the screening procedure, which is easy to use...

  19. The diabetes online community: Older adults supporting self-care through peer health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litchman, Michelle L; Rothwell, Erin; Edelman, Linda S

    2018-03-01

    The use of the diabetes online community (DOC) is growing across all age groups. The aim of this exploratory study was to describe why older adults participated in the DOC, and how DOC users interacted with their healthcare providers. Telephone interviews (N=20) were conducted with older adult DOC users (born between 1946 and 1964) living in the United States. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis adhering to rigor and reproducibility standards. Themes that emerged from the data related to DOC participation included: information to improve self-care, emotional support, belonging to a community, validation of information, cause for concern and interaction with healthcare providers. Participants used the DOC for day to day diabetes management advice and healthcare providers for medical information and care. Participants highly valued the DOC and regarded their participation as a way to increase knowledge to improve self-care and reciprocate emotional support with others for diabetes management. The DOC filled gaps in knowledge and support participants were not able to get elsewhere. The DOC serves as an important source of information and support for individuals with diabetes and may be a cost-effective strategy to augment standard diabetes care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Network and social support in family care of children with diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennafort, Viviane Peixoto Dos Santos; Queiroz, Maria Veraci Oliveira; Nascimento, Lucila Castanheira; Guedes, Maria Vilani Cavalcante

    2016-01-01

    to understand the influence of network and social support in the care of a child with type 1 diabetes. qualitative study, with assumptions of ethnonursing, conducted in a reference service specialized in the treatment of diabetes, in 2014, in the city of Fortaleza, state of Ceará, Brazil. Twenty-six members of the family and their respective school children participated in the study. The process of collection and analysis followed the observation-participation-reflection model. the analytical categories showed that the social network in the care of children with diabetes helped sharing of information and experiences, moments of relaxation and aid in the acquisition of supplies for treatment, with positive repercussions in the family context, generating well-being and confidence in the care of children with diabetes. the cultural care provided by nurses strengthens the network and social support because it encourages autonomy in the promotion of the quality of life of children with type 1 diabetes and their families.

  1. Acute renal infarction Secondary to Atrial Fibrillation Mimicking Renal Stone Picture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salih, Salih Bin; Al-Durihim, H.; Al-Jizeeri, A.; Al-Maziad, G.

    2006-01-01

    Acute renal infarction presents in a similar clinical picture to that of a renal stone. We report a 55-year-old Saudi female, known to have atrial fibrillation secondary to mitral stenosis due to rheumatic heart disease. She presented with a two day history of right flank pain that was treated initially as renal stone. Further investigations confirmed her as a case of renal infarction. Renal infarction is under-diagnosed because the similarity of its presentation to renal stone. Renal infarction should be considered in the differential diagnosis of loin pain, particularly in a patient with atrial fibrillation. (author)

  2. Towards ethical decision support and knowledge management in neonatal intensive care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, L; Frize, M; Eng, P; Walker, R; Catley, C

    2004-01-01

    Recent studies in neonatal medicine, clinical nursing, and cognitive psychology have indicated the need to augment current decision-making practice in neonatal intensive care units with computerized, intelligent decision support systems. Rapid progress in artificial intelligence and knowledge management facilitates the design of collaborative ethical decision-support tools that allow clinicians to provide better support for parents facing inherently difficult choices, such as when to withdraw aggressive treatment. The appropriateness of using computers to support ethical decision-making is critically analyzed through research and literature review. In ethical dilemmas, multiple diverse participants need to communicate and function as a team to select the best treatment plan. In order to do this, physicians require reliable estimations of prognosis, while parents need a highly useable tool to help them assimilate complex medical issues and address their own value system. Our goal is to improve and structuralize the ethical decision-making that has become an inevitable part of modern neonatal care units. The paper contributes to clinical decision support by outlining the needs and basis for ethical decision support and justifying the proposed development efforts.

  3. The performance of mHealth in cancer supportive care: a research agenda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasi, Greta; Cucciniello, Maria; Guerrazzi, Claudia

    2015-02-13

    Since the advent of smartphones, mHealth has risen to the attention of the health care system as something that could radically change the way health care has been viewed, managed, and delivered to date. This is particularly relevant for cancer, as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and for cancer supportive care, since patients and caregivers have key roles in managing side effects. Given adequate knowledge, they are able to expect appropriate assessments and interventions. In this scenario, mHealth has great potential for linking patients, caregivers, and health care professionals; for enabling early detection and intervention; for lowering costs; and achieving better quality of life. Given its great potential, it is important to evaluate the performance of mHealth. This can be considered from several perspectives, of which organizational performance is particularly relevant, since mHealth may increase the productivity of health care providers and as a result even the productivity of health care systems. This paper aims to review studies on the evaluation of the performance of mHealth, with particular focus on cancer care and cancer supportive care processes, concentrating on its contribution to organizational performance, as well as identifying some indications for a further research agenda. We carried out a review of literature, aimed at identifying studies related to the performance of mHealth in general or focusing on cancer care and cancer supportive care. Our analysis revealed that studies are almost always based on a single dimension of performance. Any evaluations of the performance of mHealth are based on very different methods and measures, with a prevailing focus on issues linked to efficiency. This fails to consider the real contribution that mHealth can offer for improving the performance of health care providers, health care systems, and the quality of life in general. Further research should start by stating and explaining what is meant

  4. HIV Care Providers’ Role Legitimacy as Supporters of Their Patients’ Alcohol Reduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strauss, Shiela M.; Munoz-Plaza, Corrine; Tiburcio, Nelson J.; Maisto, Stephen A.; Conigliaro, Joseph; Gwadz, Marya; Lunievicz, Joseph; Norman, Robert

    2009-01-01

    Although HIV care providers are strategically situated to support their patients’ alcohol reduction efforts, many do not do so, sometimes failing to view this support as consistent with their roles. Using data collected from 112 HIV providers in 7 hospital-based HIV Care Centers in the NYC metropolitan area, this paper examines the correlates of providers’ role legitimacy as patients’ alcohol reduction supporters. Results indicate that providers (1) responsible for a very large number of patients and (2) those with limited confidence in their own ability to give this assistance, but high confidence in their program's ability to do so, were less likely to have a high level of role legitimacy as patients’ alcohol reduction supporters. Findings suggest the types of providers to target for alcohol reduction support training. PMID:20556238

  5. Renal albumin absorption in physiology and pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birn, H; Christensen, E I

    2006-02-01

    Albumin is the most abundant plasmaprotein serving multiple functions as a carrier of metabolites, hormones, vitamins, and drugs, as an acid/base buffer, as antioxidant and by supporting the oncotic pressure and volume of the blood. The presence of albumin in urine is considered to be the result of the balance between glomerular filtration and tubular reabsorption. Albuminuria has been accepted as an independent risk factor and a marker for renal as well as cardiovascular disease, and during the past decade, evidence has suggested that albumin itself may cause progression of renal disease. Thus, the reduction of proteinuria and, in particular, albuminuria has become a target in itself to prevent deterioration of renal function. Studies have shown albumin and its ligands to induce expression of inflammatory and fibrogenic mediators, and it has been hypothesized that increased filtration of albumin causes excessive tubular reabsorption, resulting in inflammation and fibrosis, resulting in the loss of renal function. In addition, it is known that tubular dysfunction in itself may cause albuminuria owing to decreased reabsorption of filtered albumin, and, recently, it has been suggested that significant amounts of albumin fragments are excreted in the urine as a result of tubular degradation. Thus, although both tubular and glomerular dysfunction influences renal handling of albumin, it appears that tubular reabsorption plays a central role in mediating the effects of albumin on renal function. The present paper will review the mechanisms for tubular albumin uptake and the possible implications for the development of renal disease.

  6. The role of the renal afferent and efferent nerve fibres in heart failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindsea C Booth

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Renal nerves contain afferent, sensory and efferent, sympathetic nerve fibres. In heart failure (HF there is an increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity, which can lead to renal vasoconstriction, increased renin release and sodium retention. These changes are thought to contribute to renal dysfunction, which is predictive of poor outcome in patients with HF. In contrast, the role of the renal afferent nerves remains largely unexplored in HF. This is somewhat surprising as there are multiple triggers in HF that have the potential to increase afferent nerve activity, including increased venous pressure and reduced kidney perfusion. Some of the few studies investigating renal afferents in HF have suggested that at least the sympatho-inhibitory reno-renal reflex is blunted. In experimentally induced HF, renal denervation, both surgical and catheter-based, has been associated with some improvements in renal and cardiac function. It remains unknown whether the effects are due to removal of the efferent renal nerve fibres, afferent renal nerve fibres, or a combination of both. Here, we review the effects of HF on renal efferent and afferent nerve function and critically assess the latest evidence supporting renal denervation as a potential treatment in HF.

  7. The role of the renal afferent and efferent nerve fibers in heart failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booth, Lindsea C.; May, Clive N.; Yao, Song T.

    2015-01-01

    Renal nerves contain afferent, sensory and efferent, sympathetic nerve fibers. In heart failure (HF) there is an increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), which can lead to renal vasoconstriction, increased renin release and sodium retention. These changes are thought to contribute to renal dysfunction, which is predictive of poor outcome in patients with HF. In contrast, the role of the renal afferent nerves remains largely unexplored in HF. This is somewhat surprising as there are multiple triggers in HF that have the potential to increase afferent nerve activity, including increased venous pressure and reduced kidney perfusion. Some of the few studies investigating renal afferents in HF have suggested that at least the sympatho-inhibitory reno-renal reflex is blunted. In experimentally induced HF, renal denervation, both surgical and catheter-based, has been associated with some improvements in renal and cardiac function. It remains unknown whether the effects are due to removal of the efferent renal nerve fibers or afferent renal nerve fibers, or a combination of both. Here, we review the effects of HF on renal efferent and afferent nerve function and critically assess the latest evidence supporting renal denervation as a potential treatment in HF. PMID:26483699

  8. Co-morbidades e mortalidade de pacientes com doença renal: atendimento terceirizado de nefrologia Co-morbilidad y mortalidad de pacientes con enfermedad renal: atendimiento tercerizado de nefrología Comorbidities and mortality among patients with renal disease: contractual nephrology care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Celedonio de Oliveira

    2009-01-01

    sepsis. Las principales causas de óbitos fueron la insuficiencia respiratoria y la sepsis.OBJECTIVES: To identify the causes of co-morbidities and mortality among patients with renal disease who attended the SARA clinic in 2007, and to examine the relationships among personal factors, comorbidities, and risk factors for mortality. METHODS: This descriptive retrospective study reviewed medical records of 232 patients with acute renal failure (ARF on hemodialysis. RESULTS: The majority of patients were males (60.3%. A greater number of them were between 61 to 80 years old (37% and the hemodialysis was performed in Critical Care Units. ARF was the main cause of hospitalization (87.9%. CONCLUSION: Common comorbidities included respiratory failure, respiratory infection, high blood pressure, and sepsis. The main causes of death were respiratory failure and sepsis.

  9. Toward population management in an integrated care model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maddux, Franklin W; McMurray, Stephen; Nissenson, Allen R

    2013-01-01

    Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will be the primary mechanism for achieving the dual goals of high-quality patient care at managed per capita costs. To achieve these goals in the newly emerging health care environment, the nephrology community must plan for and direct integrated delivery and coordination of renal care, focusing on population management. Even though the ESRD patient population is a complex group with comorbid conditions that may confound integration of care, the nephrology community has unique experience providing integrated care through ACO-like programs. Specifically, the recent ESRD Management Demonstration Project sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the current ESRD Prospective Payment System with it Quality Incentive Program have demonstrated that integrated delivery of renal care can be accomplished in a manner that provides improved clinical outcomes with some financial margin of savings. Moving forward, integrated renal care will probably be linked to provider performance and quality outcomes measures, and clinical integration initiatives will share several common elements, namely performance-based payment models, coordination of communication via health care information technology, and development of best practices for care coordination and resource utilization. Integration initiatives must be designed to be measured and evaluated, and, consistent with principles of continuous quality improvement, each initiative will provide for iterative improvements of the initiative. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Derivation and validation of the Personal Support Algorithm: an evidence-based framework to inform allocation of personal support services in home and community care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinn, Chi-Ling Joanna; Jones, Aaron; McMullan, Janet Legge; Ackerman, Nancy; Curtin-Telegdi, Nancy; Eckel, Leslie; Hirdes, John P

    2017-11-25

    Personal support services enable many individuals to stay in their homes, but there are no standard ways to classify need for functional support in home and community care settings. The goal of this project was to develop an evidence-based clinical tool to inform service planning while allowing for flexibility in care coordinator judgment in response to patient and family circumstances. The sample included 128,169 Ontario home care patients assessed in 2013 and 25,800 Ontario community support clients assessed between 2014 and 2016. Independent variables were drawn from the Resident Assessment Instrument-Home Care and interRAI Community Health Assessment that are standardised, comprehensive, and fully compatible clinical assessments. Clinical expertise and regression analyses identified candidate variables that were entered into decision tree models. The primary dependent variable was the weekly hours of personal support calculated based on the record of billed services. The Personal Support Algorithm classified need for personal support into six groups with a 32-fold difference in average billed hours of personal support services between the highest and lowest group. The algorithm explained 30.8% of the variability in billed personal support services. Care coordinators and managers reported that the guidelines based on the algorithm classification were consistent with their clinical judgment and current practice. The Personal Support Algorithm provides a structured yet flexible decision-support framework that may facilitate a more transparent and equitable approach to the allocation of personal support services.

  11. Derivation and validation of the Personal Support Algorithm: an evidence-based framework to inform allocation of personal support services in home and community care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Ling Joanna Sinn

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Personal support services enable many individuals to stay in their homes, but there are no standard ways to classify need for functional support in home and community care settings. The goal of this project was to develop an evidence-based clinical tool to inform service planning while allowing for flexibility in care coordinator judgment in response to patient and family circumstances. Methods The sample included 128,169 Ontario home care patients assessed in 2013 and 25,800 Ontario community support clients assessed between 2014 and 2016. Independent variables were drawn from the Resident Assessment Instrument-Home Care and interRAI Community Health Assessment that are standardised, comprehensive, and fully compatible clinical assessments. Clinical expertise and regression analyses identified candidate variables that were entered into decision tree models. The primary dependent variable was the weekly hours of personal support calculated based on the record of billed services. Results The Personal Support Algorithm classified need for personal support into six groups with a 32-fold difference in average billed hours of personal support services between the highest and lowest group. The algorithm explained 30.8% of the variability in billed personal support services. Care coordinators and managers reported that the guidelines based on the algorithm classification were consistent with their clinical judgment and current practice. Conclusions The Personal Support Algorithm provides a structured yet flexible decision-support framework that may facilitate a more transparent and equitable approach to the allocation of personal support services.

  12. Incidence of the acute renal failure in the intensive care unit at the General Hospital of Mexico: Risk factors and associated morbidity and mortality

    OpenAIRE

    Herrera-Méndez, J.; Sánchez-Velázquez, L.D.; González-Chávez, A.; Rodríguez-Terán, G.

    2015-01-01

    Background: The acute renal failure (ARF) contributes to a longer hospital stay, morbidity, mortality and use of resources in critical patients. The estimate of its incidence was difficult, mainly due to the lack of a generally accepted definition. Objective: To determine the incidence, risk factors and effects of the ARF in critical patients. Material and methods: Study of prospective cohort. Patients hospitalised in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were included. The population was di...

  13. Management of Asymptomatic Renal Stones in Astronauts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes, David; Locke, James

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Management guidelines were created to screen and manage asymptomatic renal stones in U.S. astronauts. The risks for renal stone formation in astronauts due to bone loss and hypercalcuria are unknown. Astronauts have a stone risk which is about the same as commercial aviation pilots, which is about half that of the general population. However, proper management of this condition is still crucial to mitigate health and mission risks in the spaceflight environment. Methods: An extensive review of the literature and current aeromedical standards for the monitoring and management of renal stones was done. The NASA Flight Medicine Clinic's electronic medical record and Longitudinal Survey of Astronaut Health were also reviewed. Using this work, a screening and management algorithm was created that takes into consideration the unique operational environment of spaceflight. Results: Renal stone screening and management guidelines for astronauts were created based on accepted standards of care, with consideration to the environment of spaceflight. In the proposed algorithm, all astronauts will receive a yearly screening ultrasound for renal calcifications, or mineralized renal material (MRM). Any areas of MRM, 3 millimeters or larger, are considered a positive finding. Three millimeters approaches the detection limit of standard ultrasound, and several studies have shown that any stone that is 3 millimeters or less has an approximately 95 percent chance of spontaneous passage. For mission-assigned astronauts, any positive ultrasound study is followed by low-dose renal computed tomography (CT) scan, and flexible ureteroscopy if CT is positive. Other specific guidelines were also created. Discussion: The term "MRM" is used to account for small areas of calcification that may be outside the renal collecting system, and allows objectivity without otherwise constraining the diagnostic and treatment process for potentially very small calcifications of uncertain

  14. Patient education and emotional support practices in abortion care facilities in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gould, Heather; Perrucci, Alissa; Barar, Rana; Sinkford, Danielle; Foster, Diana Greene

    2012-01-01

    Little is known about how patient education and emotional support is provided at abortion facilities. This pilot study documents 27 facilities' practices in this aspect of abortion care. We conducted confidential telephone interviews with staff from 27 abortion facilities about their practices. The majority of facilities reported they rely primarily on trained nonclinician staff to educate patients and provide emotional support. As part of their informed consent and counseling processes, facilities reported that staff always provide patients with information about the procedure (96%), assess the certainty of their abortion decisions (92%), assess their feelings and provide emotional support (74%), and provide contraceptive health education (92%). Time spent providing these components of care varied across facilities and patients. When describing their facility's care philosophy, many respondents expressed support for "patient-centered," "supportive," "nonjudgmental" care. Eighty-two percent agreed that it is the facility's role to provide counseling for emotional issues related to abortion. All facilities valued informed consent, patient education, and emotional support. Although the majority of facilities considered counseling for emotional issues to be a part of their role, some did not. Future research should examine patients' preferences regarding abortion care and counseling and how different approaches to care affect women's emotional well-being after having an abortion. This information is important in light of current, widespread legislative efforts that aim to regulate abortion counseling, which are being proposed without an understanding of patient needs or facility practices. Copyright © 2012 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Consumer views on a new holistic screening tool for supportive and palliative-care needs: Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC): a survey of self-help support groups in health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Philippa; Ahmed, Nisar; Winslow, Michelle; Walters, Stephen J; Collins, Karen; Noble, Bill

    2015-08-01

    Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC) was developed in response to concerns that palliative care may not be reaching all people who could benefit from it. Acceptability of the tool is an important step in developing its future use. To elicit the views of a wide variety of members of consumer and self-help support groups concerned with health care on the relevance, acceptability and the overall perception of using SPARC as an early holistic needs assessment tool in supportive and palliative care. This study was conducted in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire (UK). Ninety-nine consumer and self-help groups were identified from information in the public domain. Thirty-eight groups participated. Packs containing study information and self-complete postal questionnaires were distributed to groups, and they were asked to circulate these to their members. Completed questionnaires were returned in pre-paid envelopes to the research team. 135 questionnaires and feedback forms were returned. The majority of respondents found SPARC easy to understand (93% (120/129; 95% Confidence Interval 87% to 96%) and complete (94% (125/133; 95% CI: 88% to 97%). A minority, 12.2% (16/131), of respondents found questions on SPARC 'too sensitive'. Overall, respondents considered SPARC an acceptable and relevant tool for clinical assessment of supportive and palliative-care needs. Whilst a small minority of people found SPARC difficult to understand (i.e. patients with cognitive impairments), most categories of service user found it relevant. Clinical studies are necessary to establish the clinical utility of SPARC. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. The care unit in nursing home research: evidence in support of a definition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estabrooks, Carole A; Morgan, Debra G; Squires, Janet E; Boström, Anne-Marie; Slaughter, Susan E; Cummings, Greta G; Norton, Peter G

    2011-04-14

    Defining what constitutes a resident care unit in nursing home research is both a conceptual and practical challenge. The aim of this paper is to provide evidence in support of a definition of care unit in nursing homes by demonstrating: (1) its feasibility for use in data collection, (2) the acceptability of aggregating individual responses to the unit level, and (3) the benefit of including unit level data in explanatory models. An observational study design was used. Research (project) managers, healthcare aides, care managers, nursing home administrators and directors of care from thirty-six nursing homes in the Canadian prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba provided data for the study. A definition of care unit was developed and applied in data collection and analyses. A debriefing session was held with research managers to investigate their experiences with using the care unit definition. In addition, survey responses from 1258 healthcare aides in 25 of the 36 nursing homes in the study, that had more than one care unit, were analyzed using a multi-level modeling approach. Trained field workers administered the Alberta Context Tool (ACT), a 58-item self-report survey reflecting 10 organizational context concepts, to healthcare aides using computer assisted personal interviews. To assess the appropriateness of obtaining unit level scores, we assessed aggregation statistics (ICC(1), ICC(2), η², and ω²), and to assess the value of using the definition of unit in explanatory models, we performed multi-level modeling. In 10 of the 36 nursing homes, the care unit definition developed was used to align the survey data (for analytic purposes) to specific care units as designated by our definition, from that reported by the facility administrator. The aggregation statistics supported aggregating the healthcare aide responses on the ACT to the realigned unit level. Findings from the multi-level modeling further supported unit level aggregation. A

  17. Renal lesions associated with autoimmune pancreatitis: CT findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Triantopoulou, Charikleia; Maniatis, Petros; Siafas, Ioannis; Papailiou, John; Malachias, George; Anastopoulos, John

    2010-01-01

    Background: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by IgG4-positive plasma cells. Recent evidence suggests that it is a systemic disease affecting various organs. Tubulointerstitial nephritis has been reported in association with AIP. Purpose: To investigate the incidence and types of renal involvement in patients with AIP. Material and Methods: Eighteen patients with no history of renal disease and a diagnosis of AIP (on the basis of histopathologic findings or a combination of characteristic imaging features, increased serum IgG4 levels, and response to steroid treatment) were included. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) imaging and follow-up ranged from 6 months to 2 years. CT images were reviewed for the presence of renal lesions. Results: Seven patients had renal involvement (38.8%). None of the lesions was visible on non-contrast-enhanced CT scan. Parenchymal lesions appeared as multiple nodules showing decreased enhancement (four cases). Pyelonephritis, lymphoma, and metastases were considered in the differential diagnosis. An ill-defined low-attenuation mass-like lesion was found in one patient, while diffuse thickening of the renal pelvis wall was evident in the last two cases. Renal lesions regressed in all patients after steroid treatment, the larger one leaving a fibrous cortical scar. Conclusion: Different types of renal lesions in patients with AIP are relatively common, appearing as multiple nodules with decreased enhancement. These findings support the proposed concept of an IgG4-related systemic disease. Autoimmune disease should be suspected in cases of renal involvement in association with pancreatic focal or diffuse enlargement.

  18. Renal lesions associated with autoimmune pancreatitis: CT findings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Triantopoulou, Charikleia; Maniatis, Petros; Siafas, Ioannis; Papailiou, John (CT and Radiology Dept., ' Konstantopouleion' General Hospital, Athens (Greece)), e-mail: ctriantopoulou@gmail.com; Malachias, George; Anastopoulos, John (Radiology Dept., ' Sismanogleio' General Hospital, Athens (Greece))

    2010-07-15

    Background: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by IgG4-positive plasma cells. Recent evidence suggests that it is a systemic disease affecting various organs. Tubulointerstitial nephritis has been reported in association with AIP. Purpose: To investigate the incidence and types of renal involvement in patients with AIP. Material and Methods: Eighteen patients with no history of renal disease and a diagnosis of AIP (on the basis of histopathologic findings or a combination of characteristic imaging features, increased serum IgG4 levels, and response to steroid treatment) were included. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) imaging and follow-up ranged from 6 months to 2 years. CT images were reviewed for the presence of renal lesions. Results: Seven patients had renal involvement (38.8%). None of the lesions was visible on non-contrast-enhanced CT scan. Parenchymal lesions appeared as multiple nodules showing decreased enhancement (four cases). Pyelonephritis, lymphoma, and metastases were considered in the differential diagnosis. An ill-defined low-attenuation mass-like lesion was found in one patient, while diffuse thickening of the renal pelvis wall was evident in the last two cases. Renal lesions regressed in all patients after steroid treatment, the larger one leaving a fibrous cortical scar. Conclusion: Different types of renal lesions in patients with AIP are relatively common, appearing as multiple nodules with decreased enhancement. These findings support the proposed concept of an IgG4-related systemic disease. Autoimmune disease should be suspected in cases of renal involvement in association with pancreatic focal or diffuse enlargement.

  19. The Effects of Renal Denervation on Renal Hemodynamics and Renal Vasculature in a Porcine Model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Willemien L Verloop

    Full Text Available Recently, the efficacy of renal denervation (RDN has been debated. It is discussed whether RDN is able to adequately target the renal nerves.We aimed to investigate how effective RDN was by means of functional hemodynamic measurements and nerve damage on histology.We performed hemodynamic measurements in both renal arteries of healthy pigs using a Doppler flow and pressure wire. Subsequently unilateral denervation was performed, followed by repeated bilateral hemodynamic measurements. Pigs were terminated directly after RDN or were followed for 3 weeks or 3 months after the procedure. After termination, both treated and control arteries were prepared for histology to evaluate vascular damage and nerve damage. Directly after RDN, resting renal blood flow tended to increase by 29±67% (P = 0.01. In contrast, renal resistance reserve increased from 1.74 (1.28 to 1.88 (1.17 (P = 0.02 during follow-up. Vascular histopathology showed that most nerves around the treated arteries were located outside the lesion areas (8±7 out of 55±25 (14% nerves per pig were observed within a lesion area. Subsequently, a correlation was noted between a more impaired adventitia and a reduction in renal resistance reserve (β: -0.33; P = 0.05 at three weeks of follow-up.Only a small minority of renal nerves was targeted after RDN. Furthermore, more severe adventitial damage was related to a reduction in renal resistance in the treated arteries at follow-up. These hemodynamic and histological observations may indicate that RDN did not sufficiently target the renal nerves. Potentially, this may explain the significant spread in the response after RDN.

  20. The Effects of Renal Denervation on Renal Hemodynamics and Renal Vasculature in a Porcine Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verloop, Willemien L.; Hubens, Lisette E. G.; Spiering, Wilko; Doevendans, Pieter A.; Goldschmeding, Roel; Bleys, Ronald L. A. W.; Voskuil, Michiel

    2015-01-01

    Rationale Recently, the efficacy of renal denervation (RDN) has been debated. It is discussed whether RDN is able to adequately target the renal nerves. Objective We aimed to investigate how effective RDN was by means of functional hemodynamic measurements and nerve damage on histology. Methods and Results We performed hemodynamic measurements in both renal arteries of healthy pigs using a Doppler flow and pressure wire. Subsequently unilateral denervation was performed, followed by repeated bilateral hemodynamic measurements. Pigs were terminated directly after RDN or were followed for 3 weeks or 3 months after the procedure. After termination, both treated and control arteries were prepared for histology to evaluate vascular damage and nerve damage. Directly after RDN, resting renal blood flow tended to increase by 29±67% (P = 0.01). In contrast, renal resistance reserve increased from 1.74 (1.28) to 1.88 (1.17) (P = 0.02) during follow-up. Vascular histopathology showed that most nerves around the treated arteries were located outside the lesion areas (8±7 out of 55±25 (14%) nerves per pig were observed within a lesion area). Subsequently, a correlation was noted between a more impaired adventitia and a reduction in renal resistance reserve (β: -0.33; P = 0.05) at three weeks of follow-up. Conclusion Only a small minority of renal nerves was targeted after RDN. Furthermore, more severe adventitial damage was related to a reduction in renal resistance in the treated arteries at follow-up. These hemodynamic and histological observations may indicate that RDN did not sufficiently target the renal nerves. Potentially, this may explain the significant spread in the response after RDN. PMID:26587981

  1. Capturing information needs of care providers to support knowledge sharing and distributed decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, M; Zach, L; An, Y; Dalrymple, P

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on work carried out to elicit information needs at a trans-disciplinary, nurse-managed health care clinic that serves a medically disadvantaged urban population. The trans-disciplinary model provides a "one-stop shop" for patients who can receive a wide range of services beyond traditional primary care. However, this model of health care presents knowledge sharing challenges because little is known about how data collected from the non-traditional services can be integrated into the traditional electronic medical record (EMR) and shared with other care providers. There is also little known about how health information technology (HIT) can be used to support the workflow in such a practice. The objective of this case study was to identify the information needs of care providers in order to inform the design of HIT to support knowledge sharing and distributed decision making. A participatory design approach is presented as a successful technique to specify requirements for HIT applications that can support a trans-disciplinary model of care. Using this design approach, the researchers identified the information needs of care providers working at the clinic and suggested HIT improvements to integrate non-traditional information into the EMR. These modifications allow knowledge sharing among care providers and support better health decisions. We have identified information needs of care providers as they are relevant to the design of health information systems. As new technology is designed and integrated into various workflows it is clear that understanding information needs is crucial to acceptance of that technology.

  2. End-Stage Renal Disease From Cast Nephropathy in a Teenager With Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butani, Lavjay; Ducore, Jonathan

    2016-07-01

    Cast nephropathy is the most common manifestation of renal injury in patients with multiple myeloma but is rarely reported in other conditions. We are reporting our experience in caring for a teenager with a metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma who developed rapidly progressive kidney injury that advanced to end-stage renal disease. On renal biopsy extensive tubular necrosis and intratubular eosinophilic casts were noted. This previously unreported finding should prompt oncologists to closely monitor for such a complication in patients with secretory tumors. Whether early plasmapheresis could be of benefit, as has been tried in multiple myeloma, remains to be determined.

  3. [Expert consensus for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with renal impairment of multiple myeloma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-11-01

    correcting reversible causes of RI are key points for the supportive care. Renal replacement therapy (more often hemodialysis) should be started in patients with severe AKI and end stage renal disease (ESRD). High flux or high cut-off membrane are recommended because routine hemodialysis could not remove the serum free light chain (sFLC) effectively. Plasmapheresis (PE) is recommended for patients with hyperviscosity syndrome or cast nephropathy presented with AKI, which may help to increase the dialysis-independency.

  4. Rapidly enlarging renal tumor during pregnancy: diagnostic and management dilemma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kor Wei Tiang

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Urological tumors diagnosed during pregnancy are rare. However, the incidence seems to be increasing largely due to advancements in modern imaging techniques and improved antenatal care. The diagnosis and management of renal tumors during pregnancy poses a dilemma to clinicians. This case report highlights the challenges in managing a large chromophobe renal cell carcinoma in a young primigravida patient. Proper antenatal assessment, a multidisciplinary team approach and appropriate discussion with patient are important determinants to achieve the best clinical outcomes for both the mother and the baby. 

  5. [Renal aging: risk factors and nephroprotection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daroux, Maïté; Gaxatte, Cédric; Puisieux, François; Corman, Bruno; Boulanger, Eric

    2009-11-01

    Renal failure in the elderly is currently underestimated and presents a real challenge for the public health system. Kidney function must be routinely assessed by creatinine clearance, estimated with either the Cockcroft and Gault formula or the simplified MDRD formula, which appears especially appropriate for the elderly. Normal kidney aging is related to tissue and functional changes that make older patients very vulnerable to environmental modifications. Numerous factors can accelerate the impairment of rental function during aging. Some of them cannot be modified: sex, genome, and initial kidney disease. Most of them can be managed or treated: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking, dyslipidemia, proteinuria, and the presence of oxidation and glycation products. Chronic renal failure in the elderly must be managed early with strict treatment targets to avoid the development of end-stage renal disease. Inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system play an essential role in optimizing nephroprotection: control of hypertension, diabetes complications, and proteinuria. They should be prescribed very carefully in older patients. Age is not a prerequisite for consultations with nephrologists, which should take place early so that nephroprotection can still be useful.

  6. Achieving blood pressure control among renal transplant recipients by integrating electronic health technology and clinical pharmacy services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Migliozzi, Daniel R; Zullo, Andrew R; Collins, Christine; Elsaid, Khaled A

    2015-11-15

    The implementation and outcomes of a program combining electronic home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) and pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) services in a renal transplantation clinic are described. Patients enrolled in the program were provided with a computer-enabled blood pressure monitor. A dedicated renal transplantation pharmacist was integrated into the renal transplantation team under a collaborative care practice agreement. The collaborative care agreement allowed the pharmacist to authorize medication additions, deletions, and dosage changes. Comprehensive disease and blood pressure education was provided by a clinical pharmacist. In the pretransplantation setting, the pharmacist interviewed the renal transplant candidate and documents allergies, verified the patient's medication profile, and identified and assessed barriers to medication adherence. A total of 50 renal transplant recipients with at least one recorded home blood pressure reading and at least one year of follow-up were included in our analysis. A significant reduction in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were observed at 30, 90, 180, and 360 days after enrollment in the program (p services implemented in a renal transplant clinic was associated with sustained improvements in blood pressure control. Incorporation of a pharmacist in the renal transplant clinic resulted in the detection and resolution of medication-related problems. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Supporting primary healthcare professionals to care for people with intellectual disability: a research agenda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lennox, Nicholas; Van Driel, Mieke L; van Dooren, Kate

    2015-01-01

    The vast health inequities experienced by people with intellectual disability remain indisputable. Persistent and contemporary challenges exist for primary healthcare providers and researchers working to contribute to improvements to the health and well-being of people with intellectual disability. Over two decades after the only review of supports for primary healthcare providers was published, this paper contributes to an evolving research agenda that aims to make meaningful gains in health-related outcomes for this group. The present authors updated the existing review by searching the international literature for developments and evaluations of multinational models of care. Based on our review, we present three strategies to support primary healthcare providers: (i) effectively using what we know, (ii) considering other strategies that offer support to primary healthcare professionals and (iii) researching primary health care at the system level. Strengthening primary care by supporting equitable provision of health-related care for people with intellectual disability is a much needed step towards improving health outcomes among people with intellectual disability. More descriptive quantitative and qualitative research, as well as intervention-based research underpinned by rigorous mixed-methods evaluating these strategies at the primary care level, which is sensitive to the needs of people with intellectual disability will assist primary care providers to provide better care and achieve better health outcomes. Many people with intellectual disability have poor health. The authors reviewed what has been written by other researchers about how to improve the health of people with intellectual disability. In the future, people who support adults with intellectual disability should continue doing what they do well, think of other ways to improve health, and do more research about health. At all times, the needs of people with intellectual disability should be the

  8. Does lower limb exercise worsen renal artery hemodynamics in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anqiang Sun

    Full Text Available Renal artery stenosis (RAS and renal complications emerge in some patients after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR to treat abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA. The mechanisms for the causes of these problems are not clear. We hypothesized that for EVAR patients, lower limb exercise could negatively influence the physiology of the renal artery and the renal function, by decreasing the blood flow velocity and changing the hemodynamics in the renal arteries. To evaluate this hypothesis, pre- and post-operative models of the abdominal aorta were reconstructed based on CT images. The hemodynamic environment was numerically simulated under rest and lower limb exercise conditions. The results revealed that in the renal arteries, lower limb exercise decreased the wall shear stress (WSS, increased the oscillatory shear index (OSI and increased the relative residence time (RRT. EVAR further enhanced these effects. Because these parameters are related to artery stenosis and atherosclerosis, this preliminary study concluded that lower limb exercise may increase the potential risk of inducing renal artery stenosis and renal complications for AAA patients. This finding could help elucidate the mechanism of renal artery stenosis and renal complications after EVAR and warn us to reconsider the management and nursing care of AAA patients.

  9. Dopamine in heart failure and critical care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smit, AJ

    Dopamine is widely used in critical care to prevent renal function loss. Nevertheless sufficient evidence is still lacking of reduction in end points like mortality or renal replacement therapy. Dopaminergic treatment in chronic heart failure (CHF) has provided an example of unexpected adverse

  10. Renal pathological implications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with renal involvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Li; Zhang, Xiuhui; Li, Zhicheng; Zhang, Rui; Guo, Ruikun; Yin, Qinghua; Yang, Lichuan; Yue, Rongzheng; Su, Baihai; Huang, Songmin; Xu, Huan; He, Cijiang; Liu, Fang

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the renal pathological implications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with renal involvement. A total of 328 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with renal involvement who underwent a renal biopsy and received follow-up for at least one year were recruited in our study. The patients were divided into the diabetic nephropathy (DN), non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD), and NDRD superimposed on DN groups based on the pathological diagnosis. Renal outcomes were defined by the initiation of renal replacement therapy or doubling of the serum creatinine. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare renal survival, and Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to determine the predictors of renal outcomes in the DN group. Renal biopsy findings revealed that 188 patients (57.32%) had pure DN, 121 patients (36.89%) had NDRD alone, and 19 patients (5.79%) had NDRD superimposed on DN. The most frequent subclassification of NDRD was membranous nephropathy (MN). Compared with the NDRD and NDRD superimposed on DN groups, patients with pure DN had poorer renal function and lower renal survival rates. In the DN group, the five-year renal survival rates of glomerular classes of I, IIa, IIb, III and IV were 100%, 84.62%, 60%, 47.5% and 33.33%, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that the glomerular lesions, proteinuria and serum creatinine were independent risk factors for renal outcomes, while interstitial fibrosis/inflammation and arteriolar hyalinosis were not independently associated with renal outcomes in the DN group. Making an accurate pathologic diagnosis by renal biopsy is crucial for diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with renal involvement. The findings of our present study indicated that patients with pure DN had poorer renal outcomes than patients with NDRD or NDRD superimposed on DN. The classification of glomerular lesions, proteinuria and serum creatinine were independent risk factors for renal outcomes in the DN group

  11. Efficacy and Complications of Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Renal Biopsy Using Automatic Biopsy Gun in Pediatric Diffuse Renal Disease: Analysis of 97 Cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Seung Min; Chung, Tae Woong; Yoon, Woong

    2007-01-01

    To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and complications of ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy using automatic biopsy gun in patients with pediatric diffuse renal disease. Using an 18G automatic biopsy gun, biopsies were performed on 97 pediatric patients with clinically suspicious diffuse renal disease. The acquired tissue specimens were analyzed by photomicroscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy to support the diagnosis. In the 97 biopsies, the success of the histologic diagnosis, number of glomeruli, and complication rates were retrospectively evaluated by analyzing the variable exams and clinical records. Adequate tissue for histologic diagnosis was obtained in 91 of 97 biopsies (94%) and the mean number of glomeruli was 9.6. Complications such as minute pain, gross hematuria, and small perirenal hematoma presented in 22 of the 97 biopsies (23%), all of which either improved within 5-72 hours or did not need specific treatment. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy using 18G automatic biopsy gun is an effective and safe method for the histologic diagnosis of pediatric diffuse renal disease without any major complication

  12. Detection of acute renal allograft rejection by analysis of renal tissue proteomics in rat models of renal transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dai Yong

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available At present, the diagnosis of renal allograft rejection requires a renal biopsy. Clinical management of renal transplant patients would be improved if rapid, noninvasive and reliable biomarkers of rejection were available. This study is designed to determine whether such protein biomarkers can be found in renal-graft tissue proteomic approach. Orthotopic kidney transplantations were performed using Fisher (F344 or Lewis rats as donors and Lewis rats as recipients. Hence, there were two groups of renal transplant models: one is allograft (from F344 to Lewis rats; another is syngrafts (from Lewis to Lewis rats serving as control. Renal tissues were collected 3, 7 and 14 days after transplantation. As many as 18 samples were analyzed by 2-D Electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS. Eleven differentially expressed proteins were identified between groups. In conclusion, proteomic technology can detect renal tissue proteins associated with acute renal allograft rejection. Identification of these proteins as diagnostic markers for rejection in patients′ urine or sera may be useful and non-invasive, and these proteins might serve as novel therapeutic targets that also help to improve the understanding of mechanism of renal rejection.

  13. Renal sympathetic denervation: MDCT evaluation of the renal arteries.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hutchinson, Barry D

    2013-08-01

    Percutaneous transluminal renal sympathetic denervation is a new treatment of refractory systemic hypertension. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical utility of MDCT to evaluate the anatomic configuration of the renal arteries in the context of renal sympathetic denervation.

  14. Synchronous colon and renal cancer - case report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luczynska, E.; Pawlik, T.; Aniol, J.; Chwalibog, A.

    2008-01-01

    Primary cancer may occur synchronously in two different organs. We present an example of pathologically proven, coexistent renal and colony double malignant tumors. A 59 year old man, was admitted to the Institute of Oncology due to left renal lesion, discovered during a routine abdominal ultrasound examination. The CT exam was performed before surgery. The CT scans reveled a second abnormality, presenting irregular shaped and thickened to 20 mm intestinal wall within a patient's large bowel. As a next diagnostic step a CT-colonoscopy was undertaken, which confirmed the presence of an exophytic sigmoid lesion, eccentrically affecting the colonic wall and protruding into the lumen moderately narrowing it, placed about 50 cm from the external rectal sphincter. Patient underwent simultaneous radical left nephrectomy and sigmoidectomy. Both tumors were confirmed in pathologic evaluation, reveling renal clear cell carcinoma (Fuhrman G II) and colonic adenocarcinoma (Astler-Coller B2). Preoperative careful imaging studies reveled neoplastic tumors in two different organs, allowing for radical resection at the same surgical procedure. (author)

  15. Introducing the Index of Care: A web-based application supporting archaeological research into health-related care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilley, Lorna; Cameron, Tony

    2014-09-01

    The Index of Care is a web-based application designed to support the recently proposed four-stage 'bioarchaeology of care' methodology for identifying and interpreting health-related care provision in prehistory. The Index offers a framework for guiding researchers in 'thinking through' the steps of a bioarchaeology of care analysis; it continuously prompts consideration of biological and archaeological evidence relevant to care provision; it operationalises key concepts such as 'disability' and 'care'; and it encourages transparency in the reasoning underlying conclusions, facilitating review. This paper describes the aims, structure and content of the Index, and provides an example of its use. The Index of Care is freely available on-line; it is currently in active development, and feedback is sought to improve its utility and usability. This is the first time in bioarchaeology that an instrument for examining behaviour as complex as caregiving has been proposed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Oncologist Support for Consolidated Payments for Cancer Care Management in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, Siva; Hautamaki, Emily

    2016-07-01

    The cost of cancer care in the United States continues to rise, with pressure on oncologists to provide high-quality, cost-effective care while maintaining the financial stability of their practice. Existing payment models do not typically reward care coordination or quality of care. In May 2014, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released a payment reform proposal (revised in May 2015) that includes a new payment structure for quality-of-care performance metrics. To assess US oncologists' perspectives on and support for ASCO's payment reform proposal, and to determine use of quality-of-care metrics, factors influencing their perception of value of new cancer drugs, the influence of cost on treatment decisions, and the perceptions of the reimbursement climate in the country. Physicians and medical directors specializing in oncology in the United States practicing for at least 2 years and managing at least 20 patients with cancer were randomly invited, from an online physician panel, to participate in an anonymous, cross-sectional, 15-minute online survey conducted between July and November 2014. The survey assessed physicians' level of support for the payment reform, use of quality-of-care metrics, factors influencing their perception of the value of a new cancer drug, the impact of cost on treatment decision-making, and their perceptions of the overall reimbursement climate. Descriptive statistics (chi-square tests and t-tests for discrete and continuous variables, respectively) were used to analyze the data. Logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate the main payment models described in the payment reform proposal. Of the 231 physicians and medical directors who participated in this study, approximately 50% strongly or somewhat supported the proposed payment reform. Stronger support was seen among survey respondents who were male, who rated the overall reimbursement climate as excellent/good, who have a contract with a commercial payer

  17. A remote care platform for the social support program CASSAUDEC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrés Felipe Ardila Rodríguez

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The training strategies developed for the social support program bring deficits in accessibility to the chronic ill patients (EC and the CASSA-UDEC’s caretaker (CASSA-UDEC: Centre for Social Health Care at Universidad de Cundinamarca they do not have time to commute, hindering their legal relationship established by the contract. For this reason, a remote care platform (PTD was developed to support users at CASSA-UDEC improving aspects related to coverage, cost, quality, access and appropriation of information from caregivers and chronic ill patients. The design was based on gerontological constructs identifying features such as modularity, object size, usability, ergonomics, and some others, providing a friendly platform for the user with dynamic, modular and high usability content. The Platform provides a space for interaction and aid, which works as a dynamic entity in the job done by CASSA-UDEC giving support in the development of activities, expanding its coverage, access; all thanks to the benefits offered in a virtual mode.

  18. The Work-Family Support Roles of Child Care Providers across Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bromer, Juliet; Henly, Julia R.

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a qualitative investigation of the work-family support roles of a sample of 29 child care providers serving low-income families in the Chicago area (16 family, friend, and neighbor providers (FFN), 7 licensed family child care providers (FCC), and 6 center-based teachers). Providers report offering low-income parents…

  19. Care, Empowerment and Self-Determination in the Practice of Peer Support

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Anne; Doughty, Carolyn

    2012-01-01

    The concept of "care" has been fraught with negative connotations within the disability movement; the concepts of empowerment, choice and control have been developed as alternatives. The peer-support movement in the mental health sector draws from this tradition, and is uncomfortable with the provision of care. Drawing on the feminist ethic of…

  20. Association of blood pressure with decline in renal function and time until the start of renal replacement therapy in pre-dialysis patients: a cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sijpkens Yvo WJ

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background To investigate whether high blood pressure accelerates renal function decline in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD, we studied the association of systolic (SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP with decline in renal function and time until the start of renal replacement therapy (RRT in patients with CKD stages IV-V on pre-dialysis care. Methods In the PREPARE-1 cohort 547 incident pre-dialysis patients, referred as part of the usual care to outpatient clinics of eight Dutch hospitals, were included between 1999 and 2001 and followed until the start of RRT, mortality, or end of follow-up (January 1st 2008. Main outcomes were rate of decline in renal function, estimated as the slope of available eGFR measurements, and time until the start of RRT. Results A total of 508 patients, 57% men and median (IQR age of 63 (50-73 years, were available for analyses. Mean (SD decline in renal function was 0.35 (0.75 ml/min/1.73 m2/month. Every 10 mmHg increase in SBP or DBP resulted in an accelerated decline in renal function (adjusted additional decline 0.04 (0.02;0.07 and 0.05 (0.00;0.11 ml/min/1.73 m2/month respectively and an earlier start of RRT (adjusted HR 1.09 (1.04;1.14 and 1.16 (1.05;1.28 respectively. Furthermore, patients with SBP and DBP above the BP target goal of 2/month and an earlier start of RRT (adjusted HR 2.08 (1.25;3.44, compared to patients who achieved the target goal (11%. Comparing the decline in renal function and risk of starting RRT between patients with only SBP above the target (≥ 130 mmHg and patients with both SBP and DBP below the target (2/month and adjusted HR 2.24 (1.26;3.97. Therefore, it seems that especially having SBP above the target is harmful. Conclusions In pre-dialysis patients with CKD stages IV-V, having blood pressure (especially SBP above the target goal for CKD patients (

  1. Dietary trends and management of hyperphosphatemia among patients with chronic kidney disease: an international survey of renal care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fouque, Denis; Cruz Casal, Maria; Lindley, Elizabeth; Rogers, Susan; Pancířová, Jitka; Kernc, Jennifer; Copley, J Brian

    2014-03-01

    The objective of this study was to review the opinions and experiences of renal care professionals to examine dietary trends among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and problems associated with the clinical management of hyperphosphatemia. This was an online survey comprising open and closed questions requesting information on patient dietary trends and the clinical management of hyperphosphatemia. The study was conducted in 4 European countries (the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Participants were 84 renal care professionals. This was an online survey. Responder-reported experiences and perceptions of patient dietary trends and hyperphosphatemia management were assessed. Most survey responders (56%) observed an increase in the consumption of processed convenience food, 48% noticed an increase in the consumption of foods rich in phosphorus-containing additives, and 60% believed that there has been a trend of increasing patient awareness of the phosphorus content of food. Patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) were most likely to experience difficulties in following advice on dietary phosphorus restriction (38% of responders estimated that 25-50% of their patients experienced difficulties, and 29% estimated that 51-75% experienced difficulties). Maintaining protein intake and restricting dietary phosphorus were perceived as being equally important by at least half of responders for predialysis patients (56%) and for those undergoing peritoneal dialysis and HD (54% and 50%, respectively). There were international variations in dietary trends and hyperphosphatemia management. Although most responders have observed a trend of increasing awareness of the phosphorus content of food among patients with CKD, the survey results indicate that many patients continue to experience difficulties when attempting to restrict dietary phosphorus. The survey responses reflect the global trend of increasing consumption of processed convenience foods and

  2. Relationship between renal cortex and parenchyma thickness and renal function: study with CT measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Yufeng; Tang Guangjian; Jiang Xuexiang

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To study the relationship between renal morphology and renal function, and to assess the value of CT as a criterion to grade renal function. Methods: Enhancement CT were performed in 89 patients with no local renal disease whose split renal glomerular filtration rates (GFR) were measured by renal dynamic imaging with 99 Tc m -DTPA. The 178 kidneys were divided into normal renal function, mild and severe renal impairment groups according to renal function. Differences between three groups respect to the mean thickness of renal cortex and parenchyma were assessed by ANOVA. Using Pearson's correlation test, the correlation between the renal cortex, parenchyma thicknesses and renal GFR were examined. The value of CT in predicting renal function was assessed by using ROC analysis. Results: The renal cortex thicknesses of normal renal function, mild and severe renal impairment groups were (5.9±1.1), (4.6± 1.1), and (3.3±1.0) mm respectively, and the renal parenchyma thicknesses were (26.3±4.2), (21.3±4.6), (16.2±4.6) mm. There were significant differences of renal cortex, parenchyma thicknesses between 3 groups (cortex F=54.78, P<0.01; parenehyma F=43.90, P<0.01). The thicknesses of renal cortex (r=0.752, P<0.01), parenchyma (r=0.738, P<0.01) had positive linear correlation with renal function. ROC analysis of the renal cortex thicknesses measured by CT in predicting mild and severe renal impairment showed that the Az was 0.860 and 0.905 respectively, whereas that of parenchyma was 0.868 and 0.884. Conclusion: The thicknesses of renal cortex, parenchyma measured by CT can reflect renal function. CT was a supplementary method to assess renal function. (authors)

  3. Clinical effect of combined ulinastatin and continuous renal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To explore the effect of a combination of ulinastatin and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for the treatment of severe sepsis with acute kidney injury (SAKI). Methods: Clinical data for 106 patients diagnosed with SAKI from April 2013 to May 2015 in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Affiliated Hospital of ...

  4. Implementing shared governance in a patient care support industry: information technology leading the way.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartley, Lou Ann

    2014-06-01

    Implementing technology in the clinical setting is not a project but rather a journey in transforming care delivery. As nursing leaders in healthcare and patient care support organizations embrace technology to drive reforms in quality and efficiency, growing opportunities exist to share experiences between these industries. This department submission describes the journey to nursing shared governance from the perspective of an information technology-based company realizing the goal of supporting patient care.

  5. Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimation in Renal and Non-Renal Solid Organ Transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hornum, Mads; Feldt-Rasmussen, Bo

    2017-01-01

    Following transplantation (TX) of both renal and non-renal organs, a large proportion of patients have renal dysfunction. There are multiple causes for this. Chronic nephrotoxicity and high doses of calcineurin inhibitors are important factors. Preoperative and perioperative factors like...... or estimates of renal function in these patients, in order to accurately and safely dose immunosuppressive medication and perform and adjust the treatment and prophylaxis of renal dysfunction. This is a short overview and discussion of relevant studies and possible caveats of estimated glomerular filtration...... rate methods for use in renal and non-renal TX....

  6. Superselective transcatheter renal arterial embolization for acute renal bleeding in patients with renal insufficiency: its clinical efficacy and safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Tingyang; Zhou Bing; Yu Wenqiang; Luo Zuyan; Mao Yingmin; Chen Fanghong; Li Bo; Yuan Jianhua

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To discuss the clinical efficacy and complications of super selective renal arterial embolization in treating acute renal arterial bleeding in patients with renal insufficiency, and to evaluate the influence of the treatment on the renal function. Methods: During the period of January 2000 December 2009, super selective renal arterial embolization was performed in our institution for acute renal bleeding in 13 patients with renal insufficiency. The complete clinical and imaging materials of all patients were properly collected. The clinical effectiveness, the renal function, the extent of embolization and the complications were observed and the relationship between each other was analyzed. Results: The embolization procedure was successfully completed in all patients with a technical success rate of 100%. The mean embolized territory was 22% of a single kidney. Three days after the procedure, the hemoglobin level, hematocrit, blood pressure and heart rate were considerably improved in all patients. Compared to the corresponding preoperative data, all the differences were statistically significant (P 0.05), while the blood urea nitrogen was markedly decreased (P=0.011). Post embolization syndrome occurred in 5 patients and progressive aggravation of the renal function was observed in one patient, who had to receive hemodialysis finally. The embolized territory in patients occurring complications was larger than that in patients without occurring complications (U=1.500, P=0.006). Conclusion: Super selective renal arterial embolization is an effective and safe treatment for acute renal arterial bleeding in patients with renal insufficiency, the therapy will not significantly worsen the renal function. Appropriate and reasonable extent of embolization, as small as possible, is the key point for reducing the complications. (authors)

  7. Self-esteem, social support, and satisfaction differences in women with adequate and inadequate prenatal care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgins, P; Murray, M L; Williams, E M

    1994-03-01

    This descriptive, retrospective study examined levels of self-esteem, social support, and satisfaction with prenatal care in 193 low-risk postpartal women who obtained adequate and inadequate care. The participants were drawn from a regional medical center and university teaching hospital in New Mexico. A demographic questionnaire, the Coopersmith self-esteem inventory, the personal resource questionnaire part 2, and the prenatal care satisfaction inventory were used for data collection. Significant differences were found in the level of education, income, insurance, and ethnicity between women who received adequate prenatal care and those who received inadequate care. Women who were likely to seek either adequate or inadequate prenatal care were those whose total family income was $10,000 to $19,999 per year and high school graduates. Statistically significant differences were found in self-esteem, social support, and satisfaction between the two groups of women. Strategies to enhance self-esteem and social support have to be developed to reach women at risk for receiving inadequate prenatal care.

  8. Developing renal nurses' buttonhole cannulation skills using e-learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackman, Ian R; Mannix, Trudi; Sinclair, Peter M

    2014-03-01

    It has previously been shown that nurses can learn clinical nursing skills by e-learning (online), and that many variables will influence how well nurses adopt learned clinical skills using distance education. This study aimed to identify and measure the strength of those factors which would simultaneously influence registered nurses' (RNs') beliefs about their own learning about buttonhole cannulation, using e-learning. An online Likert style survey consisting of a list of statements related to knowledge and skill domains considered crucial in the area of buttonhole cannulation was distributed to 101 RNs before and after completing an e-learning programme. Participants were required to identify their current level of self-confidence in relationship to each of the statements. Measures of RNs' self-rated abilities to assess and implement buttonhole cannulation after completing a related e-learning program were tested using a Partial Least Squares Analysis (PLS-PATH) programme. The study's results strongly identify that the nurses' ability to meet both clinical and educational outcomes of the renal e-learning module can be predicted by six variables, none of which are directly related to the participants' demographic or clinical backgrounds. These findings support the use of e-learning to teach clinical skills to RNs, and demonstrate the value of Partial Least Squares Analysis in determining influential learning factors. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  9. United States Renal Data System public health surveillance of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Allan J; Foley, Robert N; Gilbertson, David T; Chen, Shu-Cheng

    2015-06-01

    The United States Renal Data System (USRDS) began in 1989 through US Congressional authorization under National Institutes of Health competitive contracting. Its history includes five contract periods, two of 5 years, two of 7.5 years, and the fifth, awarded in February 2014, of 5 years. Over these 25 years, USRDS reporting transitioned from basic incidence and prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), modalities, and overall survival, as well as focused special studies on dialysis, in the first two contract periods to a comprehensive assessment of aspects of care that affect morbidity and mortality in the second two periods. Beginning in 1999, the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation investigative team transformed the USRDS into a total care reporting system including disease severity, hospitalizations, pediatric populations, prescription drug use, and chronic kidney disease and the transition to ESRD. Areas of focus included issues related to death rates in the first 4 months of treatment, sudden cardiac death, ischemic and valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and infectious complications (particularly related to dialysis catheters) in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients; the burden of congestive heart failure and infectious complications in pediatric dialysis and transplant populations; and morbidity and access to care. The team documented a plateau and decline in incidence rates, a 28% decline in death rates since 2001, and changes under the 2011 Prospective Payment System with expanded bundled payments for each dialysis treatment. The team reported on Bayesian methods to calculate mortality ratios, which reduce the challenges of traditional methods, and introduced objectives under the Health People 2010 and 2020 national health care goals for kidney disease.

  10. The essential of 2012 results from the French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) ESRD registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lassalle, Mathilde; Ayav, Carole; Frimat, Luc; Jacquelinet, Christian; Couchoud, Cécile

    2015-04-01

    The French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) registry began in 2002 to provide a tool for public health decision support, evaluation and research related to renal replacement therapies (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It is relying on a network of nephrologists, epidemiologists, patients and public health representatives. Continuous registration covers all dialysis and transplanted patients. In 2012, in France, 10,048 patients started a RRT (154 per million inhabitants). Elders provided majority of new patients (median age at RRT start: 70 years old). New patients had a high and age increasing rate of comorbidities, especially diabetes (42% of the new patients) and cardiovascular comorbidities (>50% of the new patients). Like previous years, incidence is stabilized. On December 31, 2012, 73,491 patients were receiving a RRT in France (1127 per million inhabitants, 56% on dialysis and 44% living with a functional renal transplant). More than 50% of patients were undergoing in-center hemodialysis with significant variations among regions. An increase in medical satellite unit hemodialysis but a decrease in self-care unit hemodialysis rates were noticed across the time, whereas peritoneal dialysis remained stable at 7%. Five years after starting RRT, the overall survival rate was 51% but only 16% among patients over 85 years. Mortality rate was highly dependent on treatment and age; transplanted patients aged 60-69 had a 27/1000 patients-year mortality rate versus 133 for a dialysis patient. Patients who started dialysis had a probability of first wait-listing of 4.8% at the start of dialysis (pre-emptive registrations) and 27% at 72 months. Whatever their diabetes status was, patients older than 60 had poor access to the waiting list. Seventeen percent of the patients received a first renal transplant within 15.4 month median time; 3% had received a pre-emptive graft. Ten years after the start of the French ESRD registry, this report provides

  11. Renal transplantation in high cardiovascular risk patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bittar, Julio; Arenas, Paula; Chiurchiu, Carlos; de la Fuente, Jorge; de Arteaga, Javier; Douthat, Walter; Massari, Pablo U

    2009-10-01

    transplantation is needed by physicians taking care of these patients from predialysis stages of chronic renal failure.

  12. Fully automatized renal parenchyma volumetry using a support vector machine based recognition system for subject-specific probability map generation in native MR volume data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gloger, Oliver; Tönnies, Klaus; Mensel, Birger; Völzke, Henry

    2015-11-01

    In epidemiological studies as well as in clinical practice the amount of produced medical image data strongly increased in the last decade. In this context organ segmentation in MR volume data gained increasing attention for medical applications. Especially in large-scale population-based studies organ volumetry is highly relevant requiring exact organ segmentation. Since manual segmentation is time-consuming and prone to reader variability, large-scale studies need automatized methods to perform organ segmentation. Fully automatic organ segmentation in native MR image data has proven to be a very challenging task. Imaging artifacts as well as inter- and intrasubject MR-intensity differences complicate the application of supervised learning strategies. Thus, we propose a modularized framework of a two-stepped probabilistic approach that generates subject-specific probability maps for renal parenchyma tissue, which are refined subsequently by using several, extended segmentation strategies. We present a three class-based support vector machine recognition system that incorporates Fourier descriptors as shape features to recognize and segment characteristic parenchyma parts. Probabilistic methods use the segmented characteristic parenchyma parts to generate high quality subject-specific parenchyma probability maps. Several refinement strategies including a final shape-based 3D level set segmentation technique are used in subsequent processing modules to segment renal parenchyma. Furthermore, our framework recognizes and excludes renal cysts from parenchymal volume, which is important to analyze renal functions. Volume errors and Dice coefficients show that our presented framework outperforms existing approaches.

  13. Fully automatized renal parenchyma volumetry using a support vector machine based recognition system for subject-specific probability map generation in native MR volume data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gloger, Oliver; Völzke, Henry; Tönnies, Klaus; Mensel, Birger

    2015-01-01

    In epidemiological studies as well as in clinical practice the amount of produced medical image data strongly increased in the last decade. In this context organ segmentation in MR volume data gained increasing attention for medical applications. Especially in large-scale population-based studies organ volumetry is highly relevant requiring exact organ segmentation. Since manual segmentation is time-consuming and prone to reader variability, large-scale studies need automatized methods to perform organ segmentation. Fully automatic organ segmentation in native MR image data has proven to be a very challenging task. Imaging artifacts as well as inter- and intrasubject MR-intensity differences complicate the application of supervised learning strategies. Thus, we propose a modularized framework of a two-stepped probabilistic approach that generates subject-specific probability maps for renal parenchyma tissue, which are refined subsequently by using several, extended segmentation strategies. We present a three class-based support vector machine recognition system that incorporates Fourier descriptors as shape features to recognize and segment characteristic parenchyma parts. Probabilistic methods use the segmented characteristic parenchyma parts to generate high quality subject-specific parenchyma probability maps. Several refinement strategies including a final shape-based 3D level set segmentation technique are used in subsequent processing modules to segment renal parenchyma. Furthermore, our framework recognizes and excludes renal cysts from parenchymal volume, which is important to analyze renal functions. Volume errors and Dice coefficients show that our presented framework outperforms existing approaches. (paper)

  14. Smart home technologies for health and social care support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Suzanne; Kelly, Greg; Kernohan, W George; McCreight, Bernadette; Nugent, Christopher

    2008-10-08

    The integration of smart home technology to support health and social care is acquiring an increasing global significance. Provision is framed within the context of a rapidly changing population profile, which is impacting on the number of people requiring health and social care, workforce availability and the funding of healthcare systems. To explore the effectiveness of smart home technologies as an intervention for people with physical disability, cognitive impairment or learning disability, who are living at home, and to consider the impact on the individual's health status and on the financial resources of health care. We searched the following databases for primary studies: (a) the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group Register, (b) the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), (The Cochrane Library, issue 1, 2007), and (c) bibliographic databases, including MEDLINE (1966 to March 2007), EMBASE (1980 to March 2007) and CINAHL (1982 to March 2007). We also searched the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE). We searched the electronic databases using a strategy developed by the EPOC Trials Search Co-ordinator. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental studies, controlled before and after studies (CBAs) and interrupted time series analyses (ITS). Participants included adults over the age of 18, living in their home in a community setting. Participants with a physical disability, dementia or a learning disability were included. The included interventions were social alarms, electronic assistive devices, telecare social alert platforms, environmental control systems, automated home environments and 'ubiquitous homes'. Outcome measures included any objective measure that records an impact on a participant's quality of life, healthcare professional workload, economic outcomes, costs to healthcare provider or costs to participant. We included measures of service satisfaction

  15. Personalised Care Plan Management Utilizing Guideline-Driven Clinical Decision Support Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laleci Erturkmen, Gokce Banu; Yuksel, Mustafa; Sarigul, Bunyamin; Lilja, Mikael; Chen, Rong; Arvanitis, Theodoros N

    2018-01-01

    Older age is associated with an increased accumulation of multiple chronic conditions. The clinical management of patients suffering from multiple chronic conditions is very complex, disconnected and time-consuming with the traditional care settings. Integrated care is a means to address the growing demand for improved patient experience and health outcomes of multimorbid and long-term care patients. Care planning is a prevalent approach of integrated care, where the aim is to deliver more personalized and targeted care creating shared care plans by clearly articulating the role of each provider and patient in the care process. In this paper, we present a method and corresponding implementation of a semi-automatic care plan management tool, integrated with clinical decision support services which can seamlessly access and assess the electronic health records (EHRs) of the patient in comparison with evidence based clinical guidelines to suggest personalized recommendations for goals and interventions to be added to the individualized care plans.

  16. Device-based approaches for renal nerve ablation for hypertension and beyond

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia Ann Thorp

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Animal and human studies have demonstrated that chronic activation of renal sympathetic nerves is critical in the pathogenesis and perpetuation of treatment-resistant hypertension. Bilateral renal denervation has emerged as a safe and effective, non-pharmacological treatment for resistant hypertension that involves the selective ablation of efferent and afferent renal nerves to lower blood pressure. However, the most recent and largest randomized controlled trial failed to confirm the primacy of renal denervation over a sham procedure, prompting widespread re-evaluation of the therapy’s efficacy. Disrupting renal afferent sympathetic signalling to the hypothalamus with renal denervation lowers central sympathetic tone, which has the potential to confer additional clinical benefits beyond blood pressure control. Specifically, there has been substantial interest in the use of renal denervation as either a primary or adjunct therapy in pathological conditions characterized by central sympathetic over-activity such as renal disease, heart failure and metabolic-associated disorders. Recent findings from pre-clinical and proof-of–concept studies appear promising with renal denervation shown to confer cardiovascular and metabolic benefits, largely independent of changes in blood pressure. This review explores the pathological rationale for targeting sympathetic renal nerves for blood pressure control. Latest developments in renal nerve ablation modalities designed to improve procedural success are discussed along with prospective findings on the efficacy of renal denervation to lower blood pressure in treatment-resistant hypertensive patients. Preliminary evidence in support of renal denervation as a possible therapeutic option in disease states characterized by central sympathetic over-activity is also presented.

  17. Device-based approaches for renal nerve ablation for hypertension and beyond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorp, Alicia A.; Schlaich, Markus P.

    2015-01-01

    Animal and human studies have demonstrated that chronic activation of renal sympathetic nerves is critical in the pathogenesis and perpetuation of treatment-resistant hypertension. Bilateral renal denervation has emerged as a safe and effective, non-pharmacological treatment for resistant hypertension that involves the selective ablation of efferent and afferent renal nerves to lower blood pressure. However, the most recent and largest randomized controlled trial failed to confirm the primacy of renal denervation over a sham procedure, prompting widespread re-evaluation of the therapy's efficacy. Disrupting renal afferent sympathetic signaling to the hypothalamus with renal denervation lowers central sympathetic tone, which has the potential to confer additional clinical benefits beyond blood pressure control. Specifically, there has been substantial interest in the use of renal denervation as either a primary or adjunct therapy in pathological conditions characterized by central sympathetic overactivity such as renal disease, heart failure and metabolic-associated disorders. Recent findings from pre-clinical and proof-of-concept studies appear promising with renal denervation shown to confer cardiovascular and metabolic benefits, largely independent of changes in blood pressure. This review explores the pathological rationale for targeting sympathetic renal nerves for blood pressure control. Latest developments in renal nerve ablation modalities designed to improve procedural success are discussed along with prospective findings on the efficacy of renal denervation to lower blood pressure in treatment-resistant hypertensive patients. Preliminary evidence in support of renal denervation as a possible therapeutic option in disease states characterized by central sympathetic overactivity is also presented. PMID:26217232

  18. Device-based approaches for renal nerve ablation for hypertension and beyond.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorp, Alicia A; Schlaich, Markus P

    2015-01-01

    Animal and human studies have demonstrated that chronic activation of renal sympathetic nerves is critical in the pathogenesis and perpetuation of treatment-resistant hypertension. Bilateral renal denervation has emerged as a safe and effective, non-pharmacological treatment for resistant hypertension that involves the selective ablation of efferent and afferent renal nerves to lower blood pressure. However, the most recent and largest randomized controlled trial failed to confirm the primacy of renal denervation over a sham procedure, prompting widespread re-evaluation of the therapy's efficacy. Disrupting renal afferent sympathetic signaling to the hypothalamus with renal denervation lowers central sympathetic tone, which has the potential to confer additional clinical benefits beyond blood pressure control. Specifically, there has been substantial interest in the use of renal denervation as either a primary or adjunct therapy in pathological conditions characterized by central sympathetic overactivity such as renal disease, heart failure and metabolic-associated disorders. Recent findings from pre-clinical and proof-of-concept studies appear promising with renal denervation shown to confer cardiovascular and metabolic benefits, largely independent of changes in blood pressure. This review explores the pathological rationale for targeting sympathetic renal nerves for blood pressure control. Latest developments in renal nerve ablation modalities designed to improve procedural success are discussed along with prospective findings on the efficacy of renal denervation to lower blood pressure in treatment-resistant hypertensive patients. Preliminary evidence in support of renal denervation as a possible therapeutic option in disease states characterized by central sympathetic overactivity is also presented.

  19. Novel Approaches for the Treatment of the Patient with Resistant Hypertension: Renal Nerve Ablation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulati, Vinay; White, William B.

    2013-01-01

    Sympathetic innervation of the kidneys plays a major role in the pathogenesis of hypertension through modulation of renin secretion, glomerular filtration rate and renal absorption of sodium. Targeted interventions for renal nerve ablation are being developed for treatment of drug resistant hypertension in the USA and rest of the world. Early studies with the use of radiofrequency based renal denervation systems have shown encouraging results with significant reduction of blood pressure in patients inadequately controlled despite nearly maximal drug therapy regimens. Thus far, the renal denervation procedure has been associated with minimal side effects. Long term efficacy and safety beyond 3 years needs to be determined for renal nerve ablation. This review focuses on the physiology of the renal sympathetic system, the rationale for renal nerve ablation and current evidence in support of the available therapeutic renal denervation systems. PMID:24244757

  20. Parent-adolescent dyads: association of parental autonomy support and parent-adolescent shared diabetes care responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanna, K M; Dashiff, C J; Stump, T E; Weaver, M T

    2013-09-01

    Parent-adolescent shared responsibility for diabetes care is advocated by experts to achieve beneficial diabetes and psychosocial outcomes for adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Parental autonomy support may be a way to facilitate this sharing. In this dyadic study, we examined parental diabetes-specific autonomy support experienced by adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents (n = 89 dyads), and its association with their experience of shared diabetes care responsibility. Path analysis was used to test an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model for parental autonomy support effects on shared responsibility. This was a secondary analysis of data from 89 parent-early/mid-adolescent dyads. Actor effects were identified. Parents' and adolescents' perceptions of parental autonomy support were associated with their respective reports of shared diabetes care responsibility. One partner effect was identified. Adolescents' reports of parental autonomy support were associated with parents' reports of shared responsibility. Parents and adolescents held similar views of autonomy support but discrepant views of shared responsibility. Older adolescents perceived less parental autonomy support. Increasing parental autonomy support may facilitate parent-adolescent sharing of diabetes care responsibility. Adolescent and parent perceptions influence each other and need to be considered when working with them to strengthen parental autonomy support. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Detection of acute renal allograft rejection by analysis of Renal TissueProteomics in rat models of renal transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai, Y.; Lv, T.; Wang, K.; Li, D.; Huang, Y.; Liu, J.

    2008-01-01

    At present, the diagnosis of renal allograft rejection requires a renalbiopsy. Clinical management of renal transplant patients would be improved ifrapid, noninvasive and reliable biomarkers of rejection were available. Thisstudy is designed to determine whether such protein biomarkers can be foundin renal graft tissue proteomic approach. Orthotopic kidney transplantationswere performed using Fisher (F344) or Lewis rats as donors and Lewis rats asrecipients. Hence, there were two groups of renal transplant models: one isallograft (from F344 to Lewis rats); another is syngrafts (from Lewis toLewis rats) serving as control. Renal tissues were collected 3, 7 and 14 daysafter transplantation. As many 18 samples were analyzed by 2-DElectrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS). Elevendifferentially expressed proteins were identified between groups. Inconclusion, proteomic technology can detect renal tissue proteins associatedwith acute renal allograft rejection. Identification of these proteins asdiagnostic markers for rejection in patient's urine or sera may be useful andnon-invasive, and these proteins might serve as novel therapeutic targetsthat also help to improve the understanding of mechanisms of renal rejection.(author)

  2. Anatomic Patterns of Renal Arterial Sympathetic Innervation: New Aspects for Renal Denervation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imnadze, Guram; Balzer, Stefan; Meyer, Baerbel; Neumann, Joerg; Krech, Rainer Horst; Thale, Joachim; Franz, Norbert; Warnecke, Henning; Awad, Khaled; Hayek, Salim S; Devireddy, Chandan

    2016-12-01

    Initial studies of catheter-based renal arterial sympathetic denervation to lower blood pressure in resistant hypertensive patients renewed interest in the sympathetic nervous system's role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. However, the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 study failed to meet its prespecified blood pressure lowering efficacy endpoint. To date, only a limited number of studies have described the microanatomy of renal nerves, of which, only two involve humans. Renal arteries were harvested from 15 cadavers from the Klinikum Osnabruck and Schuchtermann Klinik, Bad Rothenfelde. Each artery was divided longitudinally in equal thirds (proximal, middle, and distal), with each section then divided into equal superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior quadrants, which were then stained. Segments containing no renal nerves were given a score value = 0, 1-2 nerves with diameter 4 nerves or nerve diameter ≥600 µm a score = 3. A total of 22 renal arteries (9 right-sided, 13 left-sided) were suitable for examination. Overall, 691 sections of 5 mm thickness were prepared. Right renal arteries had significantly higher mean innervation grade (1.56 ± 0.85) compared to left renal arteries (1.09 ± 0.87) (P renal artery has significantly higher innervation scores than the left. The anterior and superior quadrants of the renal arteries scored higher in innervation than the posterior and inferior quadrants did. The distal third of the renal arteries are more innervated than the more proximal segments. These findings warrant further evaluation of the spatial innervation patterns of the renal artery in order to understand how it may enhance catheter-based renal arterial denervation procedural strategy and outcomes. The SYMPLICITY HTN-3 study dealt a blow to the idea of the catheter-based renal arterial sympathetic denervation. We investigated the location and patterns of periarterial renal nerves in cadaveric human renal arteries. To quantify the density of the

  3. Renal denervation after Symplicity HTN-3: an update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persu, Alexandre; Jin, Yu; Fadl Elmula, Fadl Elmula Mohamed; Jacobs, Lotte; Renkin, Jean; Kjeldsen, Sverre

    2014-08-01

    After three years of excessive confidence, overoptimistic expectations and performance of 15 to 20,000 renal denervation procedures in Europe, the failure of a single well-designed US trial--Symplicity HTN-3--to meet its primary efficacy endpoint has cast doubt on renal denervation as a whole. The use of a sound methodology, including randomisation and blinded endpoint assessment was enough to see the typical 25-30 mmHg systolic blood pressure decrease observed after renal denervation melt down to less than 3 mmHg, the rest being likely explained by Hawthorne and placebo effects, attenuation of white coat effect, regression to the mean and other physician and patient-related biases. The modest blood pressure benefit directly assignable to renal denervation should be balanced with unresolved safety issues, such as potentially increased risk of renal artery stenosis after the procedure (more than ten cases reported up to now, most of them in 2014), unclear long-term impact on renal function and lack of morbidity-mortality data. Accordingly, there is no doubt that renal denervation is not ready for clinical use. Still, renal denervation is supported by a strong rationale and is occasionally followed by major blood pressure responses in at-risk patients who may otherwise have remained uncontrolled. Upcoming research programmes should focus on identification of those few patients with truly resistant hypertension who may derive a substantial benefit from the technique, within the context of well-designed randomised trials and independent registries. While electrical stimulation of baroreceptors and other interventional treatments of hypertension are already "knocking at the door", the premature and uncontrolled dissemination of renal denervation should remain an example of what should not be done, and trigger radical changes in evaluation processes of new devices by national and European health authorities.

  4. The hybrid assistive limb (HAL) for Care Support successfully reduced lumbar load in repetitive lifting movements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, Kousei; Kadone, Hideki; Koda, Masao; Abe, Tetsuya; Kumagai, Hiroshi; Nagashima, Katsuya; Mataki, Kentaro; Fujii, Kengo; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Funayama, Toru; Kawamoto, Hiroaki; Sankai, Yoshiyuki; Yamazaki, Masashi

    2018-05-03

    Work-related low back pain is a serious socioeconomic problem. This study examined whether HAL for Care Support, which is a newly developed wearable robot, would decrease lumbar fatigue and improve lifting performance during repetitive lifting movements. Eighteen healthy volunteers (11 men, 7 women) performed repetitive stoop lifting movements of a cardboard box weighing 12 kg as many times as possible. The first lifting trial was executed without HAL for Care Support, and the second was with it. We evaluated the VAS of lumbar fatigue as the lumbar load and the number of lifts and the lifting time as lifting performance. Without HAL for Care Support, the mean VAS of lumbar fatigue, the number of lifts and lifting time were 68 mm, 60 and 230 s; with HAL for Care Support, they were 51 mm, 87 and 332 s, respectively. Both lifting performance measures were significantly improved by using HAL for Care Support (Fig. 2). A power analysis showed that there was sufficient statistical power for the VAS of lumbar fatigue (0.99), the number of lifts (0.92), and lifting time (0.93). All participants performed their repetitive lifting trials safely. There were no adverse events caused by using HAL for Care Support. In conclusion, the HAL for Care Support can decrease lumbar load and improve the lifting performance during repetitive stoop lifting movements in healthy adults. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Renal Blood Flow, Glomerular Filtration Rate, and Renal Oxygenation in Early Clinical Septic Shock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skytte Larsson, Jenny; Krumbholz, Vitus; Enskog, Anders; Bragadottir, Gudrun; Redfors, Bengt; Ricksten, Sven-Erik

    2018-06-01

    Data on renal hemodynamics, function, and oxygenation in early clinical septic shock are lacking. We therefore measured renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, renal oxygen consumption, and oxygenation in patients with early septic shock. Prospective comparative study. General and cardiothoracic ICUs. Patients with norepinephrine-dependent early septic shock (n = 8) were studied within 24 hours after arrival in the ICU and compared with postcardiac surgery patients without acute kidney injury (comparator group, n = 58). None. Data on systemic hemodynamics and renal variables were obtained during two 30-minute periods. Renal blood flow was measured by the infusion clearance of para-aminohippuric acid, corrected for renal extraction of para-aminohippuric acid. Renal filtration fraction was measured by renal extraction of chromium-51 labeled EDTA. Renal oxygenation was estimated from renal oxygen extraction. Renal oxygen delivery (-24%; p = 0.037) and the renal blood flow-to-cardiac index ratio (-21%; p = 0.018) were lower, renal vascular resistance was higher (26%; p = 0.027), whereas renal blood flow tended to be lower (-19%; p = 0.068) in the septic group. Glomerular filtration rate (-32%; p = 0.006) and renal sodium reabsorption (-29%; p = 0.014) were both lower in the septic group. Neither renal filtration fraction nor renal oxygen consumption differed significantly between groups. Renal oxygen extraction was significantly higher in the septic group (28%; p = 0.022). In the septic group, markers of tubular injury were elevated. In early clinical septic shock, renal function was lower, which was accompanied by renal vasoconstriction, a lower renal oxygen delivery, impaired renal oxygenation, and tubular sodium reabsorption at a high oxygen cost compared with controls.

  6. Pervasive Home Care - Technological support for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers at home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Simon Bo

    2006-01-01

    of the patient in collaboration with patient and home care clinicians. My main research method has been qualitative analysis of the empirical results generated during an experimental project using Participatory Design (PD) to investigate potential futures in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot ulcers...... the need arises for moving treatment and care involving specialised knowledge from the hospital to the home. In this dissertation I use the term Home Care" for the multidisciplinary investigation of how this movement can be supported with technology enabling the expert to carry on a treatment in the home...... approach that I outline in this dissertation. Furthermore I describe the results of the project contributing to three related scientific fields: home care technologies, telemedicine and computer supported cooperative work (CSCW). The main conclusion towards home care technologies is that the many visionary...

  7. Relationship between perceived social support and self-care behavior in type 2 diabetics: A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohebi, Siamak; Parham, Mahmoud; Sharifirad, Gholamreza; Gharlipour, Zabihollah; Mohammadbeigi, Abolfazl; Rajati, Fatemeh

    2018-01-01

    Social support is one of the most effective factors on the diabetic self-care. This study aimed to assess social support and its relationship to self-care in type 2 diabetic patients in Qom, Iran. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 325 diabetics attending the Diabetes Mellitus Association. Patients who meet inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected using random sampling method. Data were collected by the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, with hemoglobin A 1 C test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t -test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and linear regression test, using 0.05 as the critical significance level, provided by SPSS software. The mean and standard deviation of self-care and social support scores were 4.31 ± 2.7 and 50.32 ± 11.09, respectively. The mean level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1 C) of patients was 7.54. There was a significant difference between mean score of self-care behaviors and social support according to gender and marital status ( P social support significantly correlated ( r = 0.489, P > 0.001) and also predictive power of social support was 0.28. Self-care was significantly better in diabetics with HbA 1 C ≤7%. Patients who had higher HbA 1 C felt less, but not significant, social support. This study indicated the relationship between social support and self-care behaviors in type 2 diabetic patients. Interventions that focus on improving the social support and self-care of diabetic control may be more effective in improving glycemic control.

  8. The 64-MSCT study of relationship between renal corticomedullary differentiation, contrast between renal cortex and medulla, renal cortex and medulla CT peak value with the single renal function in hydronephrotic kidney

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yunhua; Hou Weiwei; Liu Ruihong; He Jianjun; Zhi Ke

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To study 64-MSCT perfusion imaging features about renal corticomedullary differentiation, contrast between renal cortex and medulla (CMC), renal cortex and medulla CT peak value in normal and hydronephrotic kidneys, and to explore the relationship between them and the unilateral renal function. Methods: Thirty-six patients with obstructive nephrohydrosis underwent 64-MSCT perfusion scanning. The split renal glomerular filtration rates (GFR) of their kidneys were measured by SPECT renal dynamic imaging. The 72 kidneys were divided into groups of normal renal function group, mild and severe renal impairment groups according to GFR. Renal corticomedullary differentiation on CT images was graded as clear, obscure, part clear. The CT intensity of cortex and medulla was measured in order to calculate contrast between renal cortex and medulla (CMC). Using Pearson correlation test, the correlation between them and renal GFR were examined. Results: (1) In the 24 kidneys of normal group, all kidneys showed clear CMD. In the 21 kidneys of mild renal impairment group, 14 kidneys showed clear CMD, 2 showed obscure CMD and 5 showed part clear of CMD. In the 27 kidneys of severe renal impairment group, 7 kidneys showed clear CMD, 5 showed obscure CMD and 15 showed part clear of CMD. (2)The CMC of normal group was 0.62 ± 0.20, while it was 0.52 ± 0.14 and 0.37 ± 0.11 for mild renal impairment group and severe renal impairment group CMC respectively. The CMC had positive linear correlation with GFR (r=0.536,P<0.05). (3) The renal cortex and medulla CT peak value of normal group were (133 ± 22) and (104 ± 16) HU; The renal cortex and medulla CT peak value of mild renal impairment group were (91 ± 29) and (76 ± 25) HU; The renal cortex and medulla CT peak value of severe renal impairment group were (68 ± 24) and (57 ± 21) HU(F=42.76 and 32.68,P<0.05). The renal cortex and medulla CT peak value had positive linear correlation with GFR (r=0.672 and 0.623, P<0

  9. Insuficiencia renal aguda obstructiva: Estudio de 42 pacientes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel Caravia Pubillones

    1997-04-01

    Full Text Available Se revisaron las historias clínicas de 42 pacientes ingresados en el Servicio de Cuidados Intensivos del Instituto de Nefrología con el diagnóstico de insuficiencia renal aguda obstructiva (IRAO, con 1 ó 2 riñones funcionantes. Los pacientes estudiados estaban entre la 5ta y la 7ma década de la vida, con una mayor incidencia en el sexo masculino. La causa más frecuente de IRAO fue la litiasis renal (47,62 %, seguida por las enfermedades tumorales que infiltraban los uréteres (28,57 %. Se empleó tratamiento médico en 9 pacientes y el resto (33 fueron sometidos a tratamiento quirúrgico. Las principales complicaciones fueron sépticas con un franco predominio de las infecciones del tractus urinario (38,5 %. Hubo 3 fallecidos, 2 de ellos por complicaciones cardiovasculares. Del total de insuficiencias renales agudas que se atendieron en nuestro Centro, el 10,6 % correspondió a IRAO. La efectividad del tratamiento quirúrgico empleado fue del 94,4 % de curación en los pacientes atendidosMedical records of 42 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Institute of Nephrology diagnosed as having acute obstructive renal failure with 1 or 2 kidneys functioning, were revised. Patients studied ware at the 5th and 7th decade of life with a greater incidence in males. The most frequent cause of acute obstructive renal failure was renal lithiasis (47.62 %, followed by tumor diseases which were infiltrating the ureters (28.57 %. Medical treatment was employed in 9 patients and the remaining (33 were submitted to surgical treatment. The main complications were septic with predominance of urinary tract infections (38.5 %. Three patients died, 2 of them as a result of cardiovascular complications. Of the total number of cases presenting with acute renal failure and treated in our center, 10.6 % had an acute obstructive renal failure. The effectiveness of the surgical treatment performed was 94.4 % of healing in patients treated for this

  10. [Supportive care during chemotherapy for lung cancer in daily practice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Veronika; Tamási, Lilla; Gálffy, Gabriella; Losonczy, György

    2012-09-01

    Active oncotherapy, combination chemotherapy of lung cancer is accompanied with many side effects which may impair patients' quality of life and compromise the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Most side effects of chemotherapy are preventable or treatable with optimal supportive care which enhances success in patient care and treatment. The aim of this review is to summarize the most important conditions that may be associated with combined chemotherapy of lung cancer from the practical point of view.

  11. How older black women perceive the effects of stigma and social support on engagement in HIV care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDoom, M Maya; Bokhour, Barbara; Sullivan, Meg; Drainoni, Mari-Lynn

    2015-02-01

    As black women over age 50 represent a growing share of women living with HIV, understanding what helps them persist and engage in ongoing HIV care will become increasingly important. Delineating the specific roles of social support and stigma on HIV care experiences among this population remains unclear. We qualitatively examined how experiences with stigma and social support either facilitated or inhibited engagement in HIV care, from the perspective of older black women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 older black women currently receiving HIV care at primary care clinics in the Metropolitan Boston area. Women expressed that experiences with stigma and seeking support played an important role in evaluating the risks and benefits of engaging in care. Social support facilitated their ability to engage in care, while stigma interfered with their ability to engage in care throughout the course of their illness. Providers in particular, can facilitate engagement by understanding the changes in these women's lives as they struggle with stigma and disclosure while engaging in HIV care. The patient's experiences with social support and stigma and their perceptions about engagement are important considerations for medical teams to tailor efforts to engage older black women in regular HIV care.

  12. Multiple Renal Artery Pseudoaneurysms in Patients Undergoing Renal Artery Embolization Following Partial Nephrectomy: Correlation with RENAL Nephrometry Scores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Nakul; Patel, Anish; Ensor, Joe; Ahrar, Kamran; Ahrar, Judy; Tam, Alda; Odisio, Bruno; Huang, Stephen; Murthy, Ravi; Mahvash, Armeen; Avritscher, Rony; McRae, Stephen; Sabir, Sharjeel; Wallace, Michael; Matin, Surena; Gupta, Sanjay

    2017-01-01

    PurposeTo describe the incidence of multiple renal artery pseudoaneurysms (PSA) in patients referred for renal artery embolization following partial nephrectomy and to study its relationship to RENAL nephrometry scores.Materials and MethodsThe medical records of 25 patients referred for renal artery embolization after partial nephrectomy were retrospectively reviewed for the following parameters: size and number of tumors, RENAL nephrometry scores, angiographic abnormalities, technical and clinical outcomes, and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) after embolization.ResultsTwenty-four patients had primary renal tumors, while 1 patient had a pancreatic tumor invading the kidney. Multiple tumors were resected in 4 patients. Most patients (92 %) were symptomatic, presenting with gross hematuria, flank pain, or both. Angiography revealed PSA with (n = 5) or without (n = 20) AV fistulae. Sixteen patients (64 %) had multiple PSA involving multiple renal vessels. Higher RENAL nephrometry scores were associated with an increasing likelihood of multiple PSA. Multiple vessels were embolized in 14 patients (56 %). Clinical success was achieved after one (n = 22) or two (n = 3) embolization sessions in all patients. Post-embolization eGFR values at different time points after embolization were not significantly different from the post-operative eGFR.ConclusionA majority of patients requiring renal artery embolization following partial nephrectomy have multiple pseudoaneurysms, often requiring selective embolization of multiple vessels. Higher RENAL nephrometry score is associated with an increasing likelihood of multiple pseudoaneurysms. We found transarterial embolization to be a safe and effective treatment option with no long-term adverse effect on renal function in all but one patient with a solitary kidney.

  13. Multiple Renal Artery Pseudoaneurysms in Patients Undergoing Renal Artery Embolization Following Partial Nephrectomy: Correlation with RENAL Nephrometry Scores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gupta, Nakul [Houston Methodist Hospital (United States); Patel, Anish [The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (United States); Ensor, Joe [Houston Methodist Research Institute, The Houston Methodist Cancer Center (United States); Ahrar, Kamran; Ahrar, Judy; Tam, Alda; Odisio, Bruno; Huang, Stephen; Murthy, Ravi; Mahvash, Armeen; Avritscher, Rony; McRae, Stephen; Sabir, Sharjeel; Wallace, Michael [The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Interventional Radiology (United States); Matin, Surena [The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Urology (United States); Gupta, Sanjay, E-mail: sgupta@mdanderson.org [The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Interventional Radiology (United States)

    2017-02-15

    PurposeTo describe the incidence of multiple renal artery pseudoaneurysms (PSA) in patients referred for renal artery embolization following partial nephrectomy and to study its relationship to RENAL nephrometry scores.Materials and MethodsThe medical records of 25 patients referred for renal artery embolization after partial nephrectomy were retrospectively reviewed for the following parameters: size and number of tumors, RENAL nephrometry scores, angiographic abnormalities, technical and clinical outcomes, and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) after embolization.ResultsTwenty-four patients had primary renal tumors, while 1 patient had a pancreatic tumor invading the kidney. Multiple tumors were resected in 4 patients. Most patients (92 %) were symptomatic, presenting with gross hematuria, flank pain, or both. Angiography revealed PSA with (n = 5) or without (n = 20) AV fistulae. Sixteen patients (64 %) had multiple PSA involving multiple renal vessels. Higher RENAL nephrometry scores were associated with an increasing likelihood of multiple PSA. Multiple vessels were embolized in 14 patients (56 %). Clinical success was achieved after one (n = 22) or two (n = 3) embolization sessions in all patients. Post-embolization eGFR values at different time points after embolization were not significantly different from the post-operative eGFR.ConclusionA majority of patients requiring renal artery embolization following partial nephrectomy have multiple pseudoaneurysms, often requiring selective embolization of multiple vessels. Higher RENAL nephrometry score is associated with an increasing likelihood of multiple pseudoaneurysms. We found transarterial embolization to be a safe and effective treatment option with no long-term adverse effect on renal function in all but one patient with a solitary kidney.

  14. Page Kidney in Wunderlich Syndrome Causing Acute Renal Failure and Urosepsis: Successful Timely Minimally Invasive Management of a Devastating Clinical Entity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijayganapathy, Sundaramoorthy; Karthikeyan, Vilvapathy Senguttuvan; Mallya, Ashwin; Sreenivas, Jayaram

    2017-06-01

    Wunderlich Syndrome (WS) is an uncommon condition where acute onset of spontaneous bleeding occurs into the subcapsular and perirenal spaces. It can prove fatal if not recognized and treated aggressively at the appropriate time. A 32-year-old male diagnosed elsewhere as acute renal failure presented with tender left loin mass, fever and hypovolemic shock with serum creatinine 8.4 mg/dl. He was started on higher antibiotics and initiated on haemodialysis. Ultrasonogram (USG), Non-Contrast Computed Tomography (NCCT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed bilateral perirenal subcapsular haematomas - right 3.6 x 3.1 cm and left 10.3 x 10.3 cm compressing and displacing left kidney, fed by capsular branch of left renal artery on CT angiogram. Initial aspirate was bloody but he persisted to have febrile spikes, renal failure and urosepsis and he was managed conservatively. Repeat NCCT 10 days later revealed left perinephric abscess and Percutaneous Drainage (PCD) was done. Patient improved, serum creatinine stabilized at 2 mg/dl without haemodialysis and PCD was removed after two weeks. To conclude, bilateral idiopathic spontaneous retroperitoneal haemorrhage with renal failure is a rare presentation. This case highlights the need for high index of suspicion, the role of repeated imaging and successful minimally invasive management with timely PCD and supportive care.

  15. Outcome of Renal Transplant in Recipients With Vasculitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbouch, Samia; Hajji, Meriam; Aoudia, Raja; Ounissi, Monther; Zammouri, Asma; Goucha, Rym; Ben Hamida, Fathi; Bacha, Mohammed Mongi; Abderrahim, Ezzedine; Ben Abdallah, Taieb

    2017-02-01

    End-stage renal disease develops in a high percentage of patients with vasculitis, in whom kidney transplant has become a therapeutic option. However, limited data are available on the prognosis and outcomes after kidney transplant in these patients. We aimed to compare the long-term graft survival and graft function in 8 renal transplant recipients with vasculitis (granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, Goodpasture syndrome, and Henoch-Schonlein purpura) with the other kidney recipients at a single center. We conducted a retrospective study of patients followed for chronic renal failure associated with vasculitis before renal transplant. We excluded patients with no biopsy-proven nephropathy. There was no difference in the occurrence of metabolic and cardiovascular complications in our case group compared with the other graft recipients. Infections were frequent and included cytomegalovirus and urinary tract infection. The rates of bacterial and viral infection were equivalent in our population. The incidence of allograft loss was estimated at 1.8%, less than that seen in our entire transplant population. The presence of vasculitis was not significantly related to renal failure (P = .07). Extrarenal relapse occurred in 1 patient with microscopic polyangiitis. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody levels in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis did not seem to influence the renal outcome (P = .08). Circulating antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were associated with the development of vascular lesions in the graft but were not significantly correlated with graft survival (P = .07). This study supports the theory that renal transplant is an effective treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease secondary to vasculitis. These patients fare similarly to, if not better than, other patients.

  16. Experiences of adults with high-care needs and their family members with housing and support pathways in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntyre, Deborah; Fleming, Jennifer; Foster, Michele; Tweedy, Sean

    2017-09-01

    Many adults aged less than 65 years with high-care needs resulting from acquired disabilities are unable to access age-appropriate housing and support, and reside in residential aged care or live with family members who may struggle to navigate the disability support system. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the experiences of adults with high-care needs and their family members regarding pathways related to housing and support. Two in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted six months apart with 21 people aged 18 to 65 with high-care needs of varying etiology and living in different housing settings. Nineteen family members involved in decision-making about housing and supports were also interviewed. Thematic data analysis yielded five themes: (1) Traveling in different directions; (2) "the fight, the battle and the war"; (3) willing but wanting; (4) uncertainty and vulnerability; and (5) redefining social roles and relationships. Current disability policy is not satisfying the housing and support requirements of adults with high-care needs and their families. The findings provide rigorous, empirical evidence which indicate the urgent need to improve access to affordable, individualized housing and support packages, including financial, practical and informational support for family members involved in caring roles. Implications for Rehabilitation Individual preferences are an important consideration in housing and support arrangements for younger people with high-care needs alongside needs-based solutions. Individualized funding approaches may provide flexibility of care and choice in housing and support for people with disability. Family members willingly provide substantial informal care, support and advocacy for younger people with high needs but perceive their role as a constant "battle". Payment of family members in recognition of caring work was perceived as a solution to relieve family hardship and ensure optimal care.

  17. Breastfeeding support in neonatal intensive care: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maastrup, Ragnhild; Bojesen, Susanne Norby; Kronborg, Hanne; Hallström, Inger

    2012-08-01

    The incidence of breastfeeding of preterm infants is affected by the support provided at the hospital and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). However, policies and guidelines promoting breastfeeding vary both nationally and internationally. The aim of this survey was to describe breastfeeding support in Danish NICUs, where approximately 98% of mothers initiate lactation. A national survey of all 19 Danish NICUs was conducted in 2009. Four NICUs were at designated Baby-Friendly hospitals, and 5 had a lactation consultant. In all NICUs, it was possible for some parents to stay overnight; 2 units had short restrictions on parents' presence. Five NICUs had integrated postpartum care for mothers. Breastfeeding policies, written guidelines, and systematic breastfeeding training for the staff were common in most NICUs. Seventeen NICUs recommended starting breast milk expression within 6 hours after birth, and mothers were encouraged to double pump. Most NICUs aimed to initiate skin-to-skin contact the first time the parents were in the NICU, and daily skin-to-skin contact was estimated to last for 2-4 hours in 63% and 4-8 hours in 37% of the units. The use of bottle-feeding was restricted. The Danish NICUs described the support of breastfeeding as a high priority, which was reflected in the recommended policies for breast milk pumping, skin-to-skin contact, and the parents' presence in the NICU, as well as in the restricted use of bottle-feeding. However, support varied between units, and not all units supported optimal breastfeeding.

  18. The role of palliative care in addressing the health needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinheiro, Isabel; Jaff, Dilshad

    2018-02-27

    Refugees are often afflicted with health conditions that require long-term, specialized and continuous care services that are costly and difficult to secure in host countries and camp settings. This study interviewed 21 Syrian refugees in Jordan with life-limiting conditions such as cancer, diabetes, chronic disability and renal failure, and 4 caregivers caring for refugee children with similar conditions. This study found that patients in refugee camps and communities would benefit from receiving palliative care services that are often either unavailable or inaccessible. Training humanitarian teams and primary care providers to implement pain management, offer psychosocial support services and address emotional, spiritual, and psychological conditions could ameliorate many of the problems faced by this vulnerable group.

  19. The intrinsic renal compartment syndrome: new perspectives in kidney transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrler, Tanja; Tischer, Anne; Meyer, Andreas; Feiler, Sergej; Guba, Markus; Nowak, Sebastian; Rentsch, Markus; Bartenstein, Peter; Hacker, Marcus; Jauch, Karl-Walter

    2010-01-15

    Inflammatory edema after ischemia-reperfusion may impair renal allograft function after kidney transplantation. This study examines the effect of edema-related pressure elevation on renal function and describes a simple method to relieve pressure within the renal compartment. Subcapsular pressure at 6, 12, 24, 48 hr, and 18 days after a 45 min warm ischemia was determined in a murine model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Renal function was measured by Tc-MAG3 scintigraphy and laser Doppler perfusion. Structural damage was assessed by histologic analysis. As a therapeutic approach, parenchymal pressure was relieved by a standardized circular 0.3 mm incision at the lower pole of the kidney capsule. Compared with baseline (0.9+/-0.3 mm Hg), prolonged ischemia was associated with a sevenfold increase in subcapsular pressure 6 hr after ischemia (7.0+/-1.0 mm Hg; P<0.001). Pressure levels remained significantly elevated for 24 hr. Without therapy, a significant decrease in functional parameters was found with considerably reduced tubular excretion rate (33+/-3.5%, P<0.001) and renal perfusion (64.5+/-6.8%, P<0.005). Histologically, severe tissue damage was found. Surgical pressure relief was able to significantly prevent loss of tubular excretion rate (62.5+/-6.8%, P<0.05) and renal blood flow (96.2+/-4.8%; P<0.05) and preserved the integrity of renal structures. Our data support the hypothesis of the existence of a renal compartment syndrome as a consequence of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Surgical pressure relief effectively prevented functional and structural renal impairment, and we speculate that this approach might be of value for improving graft function after renal transplantation.

  20. The renal quantitative scintillation camera study for determination of renal function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, I.M. Jr.; Boineau, F.G.; Evans, B.B.; Schlegel, J.U.

    1983-01-01

    The renal quantitative scintillation camera study assesses glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow based upon renal uptake of 99mtechnetium-iron ascorbate and 131iodine-hippuran, respectively. The method was compared to inulin, para-aminohippuric acid and creatinine clearance studies in 7 normal subjects and 9 patients with various degrees of reduced renal function. The reproducibility of the technique was determined in 15 randomly selected pediatric patients. The values of glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow were not significantly different from those of inulin and para-aminohippuric acid studies. The reproducibility of the technique was comparable to that of inulin and para-aminohippuric acid studies. Patient acceptance of the technique is excellent and the cost is minimal. Renal morphology and excretory dynamics also are demonstrated. The technique is advocated as a clinical measure of renal function

  1. RENAL CRYOABLATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Govorov

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Renal cryoablation is an alternative minimally-invasive method of treatment for localized renal cell carcinoma. The main advantages of this methodology include visualization of the tumor and the forming of "ice ball" in real time, fewer complications compared with other methods of treatment of renal cell carcinoma, as well as the possibility of conducting cryotherapy in patients with concomitant pathology. Compared with other ablative technologies cryoablation has a low rate of repeat sessions and good intermediate oncological results. The studies of long-term oncological and functional results of renal cryoablation are presently under way.

  2. Renal artery pulsatility index and renal volume: Normal fetuses versus growth-retarded fetuses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyung Soon; Woo, Bock Hi

    2001-01-01

    To evaluate the blood flow velocity waveform of the renal artery and renal volume of growth-retarded fetuses and to compare them with those of normal fetuses. Pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography were obtained from seventy eight normal fetuses at the gestational age from twenty five to thirty nine weeks and eighteen intrauterine growth retarded fetuses whose weight was below ten percentile at birth. We studied changes of the pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume according to the gestational age and compared with those of growth-retarded fetuses. Pulsatility index (PI) of the fetal renal artery decreased throughout the gestational period (r=0.703, p<0.0001). In growth-retarded fetuses, despite of abnormal doppler velocity waveform of the middle cerebral artery, which was showing fetal hypoxia, the renal PI was not increased significantly. The fetal renal volume increased throughout the gestational period (r=0.834, p<0.0001) whereas in growth-retarded fetuses, all renal volume was below fifth percentile of normal fetuses. In growth-retarded fetuses, fetal renal volume was decreased significantly without change of the renal vascular flow. Therefore, the fetal renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography may be a helpful parameter in the diagnosis of growth-retarded fetuses.

  3. Renal artery pulsatility index and renal volume: Normal fetuses versus growth-retarded fetuses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kyung Soon; Woo, Bock Hi [Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2001-06-15

    To evaluate the blood flow velocity waveform of the renal artery and renal volume of growth-retarded fetuses and to compare them with those of normal fetuses. Pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography were obtained from seventy eight normal fetuses at the gestational age from twenty five to thirty nine weeks and eighteen intrauterine growth retarded fetuses whose weight was below ten percentile at birth. We studied changes of the pulsatility index of the renal artery and renal volume according to the gestational age and compared with those of growth-retarded fetuses. Pulsatility index (PI) of the fetal renal artery decreased throughout the gestational period (r=0.703, p<0.0001). In growth-retarded fetuses, despite of abnormal doppler velocity waveform of the middle cerebral artery, which was showing fetal hypoxia, the renal PI was not increased significantly. The fetal renal volume increased throughout the gestational period (r=0.834, p<0.0001) whereas in growth-retarded fetuses, all renal volume was below fifth percentile of normal fetuses. In growth-retarded fetuses, fetal renal volume was decreased significantly without change of the renal vascular flow. Therefore, the fetal renal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasonography may be a helpful parameter in the diagnosis of growth-retarded fetuses.

  4. Reproductive health in Irish female renal transplant recipients.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kennedy, C

    2012-02-01

    OBJECTIVE: To report the pregnancy outcomes in Irish female renal transplant recipients on modern maintenance immunosuppression. METHODS: The Republic of Ireland transplant database was accessed to identify the patient cohort in question. All female renal transplant recipients whose transplantation was in Ireland before or during their reproductive years were included. A questionnaire was sent to the identified women. A chart review was performed for those women who reported a pregnancy following renal transplantation. RESULTS: Two hundred and ten women met the inclusion criteria. There was a response rate of 70% (n = 148). Eighteen women reported 29 pregnancies. The live birth rate was 76%. The mean gestation of the live births was 36.2 weeks with a mean birth weight of 3.0 kg. There were six cases of pre-eclampsia. Twin pregnancies and those entering pregnancy with a creatinine greater than 135 micromol\\/l had particularly complicated clinical courses. Four women had not conceived post transplant despite actively trying for over 1 year. Two women utilised assisted fertility methods (in vitro fertilisation), one of whom became pregnant. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of women who attempt to conceive following renal transplantation are successful, without the use of assisted fertility. Pregnancy in this setting warrants meticulous multidisciplinary care.

  5. The effects of heart failure on renal function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udani, Suneel M; Koyner, Jay L

    2010-08-01

    Heart-kidney interactions have been increasingly recognized by clinicians and researchers who study and treat heart failure and kidney disease. A classification system has been developed to categorize the different manifestations of cardiac and renal dysfunction. Work has highlighted the significant negative prognostic effect of worsening renal function on outcomes for individuals with heart failure. The etiology of concomitant cardiac and renal dysfunction remains unclear; however, evidence supports alternatives to the established theory of underfilling, including effects of venous congestion and changes in intra-abdominal pressure. Conventional therapy focuses on blockade of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system with expanding use of direct renin and aldosterone antagonists. Novel therapeutic interventions using extracorporeal therapy and antagonists of the adenosine pathway show promise and require further investigation. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Acute Renal Failure Induced by Chinese Herbal Medication in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Effiong Ekong Akpan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Traditional herbal medicine is a global phenomenon especially in the resource poor economy where only the very rich can access orthodox care. These herbal products are associated with complications such as acute renal failure and liver damage with a high incidence of mortalities and morbidities. Acute renal failure from the use of herbal remedies is said to account for about 30–35% of all cases of acute renal failure in Africa. Most of the herbal medications are not usually identified, but some common preparation often used in Nigeria includes “holy water” green water leaves, bark of Mangifera indica (mango, shoot of Anacardium occidentale (cashew, Carica papaya (paw-paw leaves, lime water, Solanum erianthum (Potato tree, and Azadirachta indica (Neem trees. We report a rare case of a young man who developed acute renal failure two days after ingestion of Chinese herb for “body cleansing” and general wellbeing. He had 4 sessions of haemodialysis and recovered kidney function fully after 18 days of admission.

  7. Obesity and renal hemodynamics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bosma, R. J.; Krikken, J. A.; van der Heide, J. J. Homan; de Jong, P. E.; Navis, G. J.

    2006-01-01

    Obesity is a risk factor for renal damage in native kidney disease and in renal transplant recipients. Obesity is associated with several renal risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes that may convey renal risk, but obesity is also associated with an unfavorable renal hemodynamic profile

  8. Informal caregiving burden and perceived social support in an acute stroke care facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akosile, Christopher Olusanjo; Banjo, Tosin Olamilekan; Okoye, Emmanuel Chiebuka; Ibikunle, Peter Olanrewaju; Odole, Adesola Christiana

    2018-04-05

    Providing informal caregiving in the acute in-patient and post-hospital discharge phases places enormous burden on the caregivers who often require some form of social support. However, it appears there are few published studies about informal caregiving in the acute in-patient phase of individuals with stroke particularly in poor-resource countries. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of caregiving burden and its association with patient and caregiver-related variables and also level of perceived social support in a sample of informal caregivers of stroke survivors at an acute stroke-care facility in Nigeria. Ethical approval was sought and obtained. Fifty-six (21 males, 35 females) consecutively recruited informal caregivers of stroke survivors at the medical ward of a tertiary health facility in South-Southern Nigeria participated in this cross-sectional survey. Participants' level of care-giving strain/burden and perceived social support were assessed using the Caregiver Strain Index and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support respectively. Caregivers' and stroke survivors' socio-demographics were also obtained. Data was analysed using frequency count and percentages, independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and partial correlation at α =0.05. The prevalence of care-giving burden among caregivers is 96.7% with a high level of strain while 17.9% perceived social support as low. No significant association was found between caregiver burden and any of the caregiver- or survivor-related socio-demographics aside primary level education. Only the family domain of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was significantly correlated with burden (r = - 0.295). Informal care-giving burden was highly prevalent in this acute stroke caregiver sample and about one in every five of these caregivers rated social support low. This is a single center study. Healthcare managers and professionals in acute care facilities

  9. Review of supplemental oxygen and respiratory support for paediatric emergency care in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Hansmann

    Full Text Available Introduction: In African countries, respiratory infections and severe sepsis are common causes of respiratory failure and mortality in children under five years of age. Mortality and morbidity in these children could be reduced with adequate respiratory support in the emergency care setting. The purpose of this review is to describe management priorities in the emergency care of critically ill children presenting with respiratory problems. Basic and advanced respiratory support measures are described for implementation according to available resources, work load and skill-levels. Methods: We did a focused search of respiratory support for critically ill children in resource-limited settings over the past ten years, using the search tools PubMed and Google Scholar, the latest WHO guidelines, international ‘Advanced Paediatric Life Support’ guidelines and paediatric critical care textbooks. Results: The implementation of triage and rapid recognition of respiratory distress and hypoxia with pulse oximetry is important to correctly identify critically ill children with increased risk of mortality in all health facilities in resource constrained settings. Basic, effective airway management and respiratory support are essential elements of emergency care. Correct provision of supplemental oxygen is safe and its application alone can significantly improve the outcome of critically ill children. Non-invasive ventilatory support is cost-effective and feasible, with the potential to improve emergency care packages for children with respiratory failure and other organ dysfunctions. Non-invasive ventilation is particularly important in severely under-resourced regions unable to provide intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation support. Malnutrition and HIV-infection are important co-morbid conditions, associated with increased mortality in children with respiratory dysfunction. Discussion: A multi-disciplinary approach is required to optimise

  10. Does the presence of accessory renal arteries affect the efficacy of renal denervation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Id, Dani; Kaltenbach, Benjamin; Bertog, Stefan C; Hornung, Marius; Hofmann, Ilona; Vaskelyte, Laura; Sievert, Horst

    2013-10-01

    This study sought to assess the efficacy of catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation in patients with accessory renal arteries and to compare the blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect with that observed in patients with bilateral single renal arteries after renal denervation. Catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation causes significant BP reductions in patients with resistant hypertension. Seventy-four patients were included in this study. Patients were assigned to 2 main groups: a bilateral single renal arteries group I (n = 54) and an accessory renal arteries group II (n = 20). Group II consisted of 9 patients whose accessory renal arteries were all denervated (group IIa), and 11 patients whose accessory renal arteries were not, or only incompletely, denervated (group IIb). The primary endpoint was the change in office systolic BP after 6 months. The procedure was successful in all patients. Group I: mean BP at baseline was 166.2/89.4 ± 20.5/14.6 mm Hg and decreased by -16.6 (p renal denervation in patients with accessory renal arteries is less pronounced than in patients with bilateral single renal arteries. Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Communication Supports in Congregate Residential Care Settings in Ohio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Pamela R.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Communication skills are important to the pursuit of increased self-determination in individuals with disabilities. The aim of this investigation was to gather information about communication supports in state-run residential care facilities in Ohio, and to compare findings with a previous investigation on this topic examining such…

  12. Le Bon Samaritain: A Community-Based Care Model Supported by Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gay, Valerie; Leijdekkers, Peter; Gill, Asif; Felix Navarro, Karla

    2015-01-01

    The effective care and well-being of a community is a challenging task especially in an emergency situation. Traditional technology-based silos between health and emergency services are challenged by the changing needs of the community that could benefit from integrated health and safety services. Low-cost smart-home automation solutions, wearable devices and Cloud technology make it feasible for communities to interact with each other, and with health and emergency services in a timely manner. This paper proposes a new community-based care model, supported by technology, that aims at reducing healthcare and emergency services costs while allowing community to become resilient in response to health and emergency situations. We looked at models of care in different industries and identified the type of technology that can support the suggested new model of care. Two prototypes were developed to validate the adequacy of the technology. The result is a new community-based model of care called 'Le Bon Samaritain'. It relies on a network of people called 'Bons Samaritains' willing to help and deal with the basic care and safety aspects of their community. Their role is to make sure that people in their community receive and understand the messages from emergency and health services. The new care model is integrated with existing emergency warning, community and health services. Le Bon Samaritain model is scalable, community-based and can help people feel safer, less isolated and more integrated in their community. It could be the key to reduce healthcare cost, increase resilience and drive the change for a more integrated emergency and care system.

  13. Radiopharmaceuticals for renal studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verdera, Silvia

    1994-01-01

    Between the diagnostic techniques using radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine it find renal studies.A brief description about renal glomerular filtration(GFR) and reliability renal plasma flux (ERPF),renal blood flux measurement agents (RBF),renal scintillation agents and radiation dose estimates by organ physiology was given in this study.tabs

  14. Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimation in Renal and Non-Renal Solid Organ Transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hornum, Mads; Feldt-Rasmussen, Bo

    2017-01-01

    Following transplantation (TX) of both renal and non-renal organs, a large proportion of patients have renal dysfunction. There are multiple causes for this. Chronic nephrotoxicity and high doses of calcineurin inhibitors are important factors. Preoperative and perioperative factors like hyperten......Following transplantation (TX) of both renal and non-renal organs, a large proportion of patients have renal dysfunction. There are multiple causes for this. Chronic nephrotoxicity and high doses of calcineurin inhibitors are important factors. Preoperative and perioperative factors like...... hypertension, hypotension, drugs and infections may play a causative role as well. Organ-specific causes include hepatorenal syndrome, cirrhosis, low cardiac function, low respiratory function and diabetes developed both before and after TX. It is important to be able to perform precise and valid measurements...... rate methods for use in renal and non-renal TX....

  15. Treatment of non-neoplastic renal hemorrhage with segmental embolization of renal artery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Bing

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To explore the value of segmental embolization of renal artery in dealing with non- neoplastic renal hemorrhage. Methods: Four cases of non-neoplastic hemorrhage, including 2 with bleeding after renal acupuncture biopsy, 2 with bleeding after nephrolithotomy and 1 with congenital renal arteriovenous malformation, were treated with superselective segmental embolization of renal artery. 2 were embolized with coil, 1 with alcohol plus coil and 1 with PVA parcels. Results: Hematuria disappeared in 1-3 days. There was no recurrence in 7-45 months follow up and no complications induced by embolization. Conclusion: It is a safe and reliable therapy to treat non-neoplastic renal hemorrhage with segmental embolization of renal artery. (authors)

  16. Utility of the RENAL index -Radius; Exophytic/endophytic; Nearness to sinus; Anterior/posterior; Location relative to polar lines- in the management of renal masses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konstantinidis, C; Trilla, E; Lorente, D; Morote, J

    2016-12-01

    The growing incidence of renal masses and the wide range of available treatments require predictive tools that support the decision making process. The RENAL index -Radius; Exophytic/endophytic; Nearness to sinus; Anterior/posterior; Location relative to polar lines- helps standardise the anatomy of a renal mass by differentiating 3 groups of complexity. Since the introduction of the index, there have been a growing number of studies, some of which have been conflicting, that have evaluated the clinical utility of its implementation. To analyse the scientific evidence on the relationship between the RENAL index and the main strategies for managing renal masses. A search was conducted in the Medline database, which found 576 references on the RENAL index. In keeping with the PRISM Declaration, we selected 100 abstracts and ultimately reviewed 96 articles. The RENAL index has a high degree of interobserver correlation and has been validated as a predictive nomogram of histological results. In active surveillance, the index has been related to the tumour growth rate and probability of nephrectomy. In ablative therapy, the index has been associated with therapeutic efficacy, complications and tumour recurrence. In partial nephrectomy, the index has been related to the rate of complications, conversion to radical surgery, ischaemia time, function preservation and tumour recurrence, a finding also observed in radical nephrectomy. The RENAL index is an objective, reproducible and useful system as a predictive tool of highly relevant clinical parameters such as the rate of complications, ischaemia time, renal function and oncological results in the various currently accepted treatments for the management of renal masses. Copyright © 2016 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  17. A Laboratory Test Expert System for Clinical Diagnosis Support in Primary Health Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Fernandez-Millan

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Clinical Decision Support Systems have the potential to reduce lack of communication and errors in diagnostic steps in primary health care. Literature reports have showed great advances in clinical decision support systems in the recent years, which have proven its usefulness in improving the quality of care. However, most of these systems are focused on specific areas of diseases. In this way, we propose a rule-based expert system, which supports clinicians in primary health care, providing a list of possible diseases regarding patient’s laboratory tests results in order to assist previous diagnosis. Our system also allows storing and retrieving patient’s data and the history of patient’s analyses, establishing a basis for coordination between the various health care levels. A validation step and speed performance tests were made to check the quality of the system. We conclude that our system could improve clinician accuracy and speed, resulting in more efficiency and better quality of service. Finally, we propose some recommendations for further research.

  18. Validation of virtual learning object to support the teaching of nursing care systematization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pétala Tuani Candido de Oliveira Salvador

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the content validation process of a Virtual Learning Object to support the teaching of nursing care systematization to nursing professionals. Method: methodological study, with quantitative approach, developed according to the methodological reference of Pasquali's psychometry and conducted from March to July 2016, from two-stage Delphi procedure. Results: in the Delphi 1 stage, eight judges evaluated the Virtual Object; in Delphi 2 stage, seven judges evaluated it. The seven screens of the Virtual Object were analyzed as to the suitability of its contents. The Virtual Learning Object to support the teaching of nursing care systematization was considered valid in its content, with a Total Content Validity Coefficient of 0.96. Conclusion: it is expected that the Virtual Object can support the teaching of nursing care systematization in light of appropriate and effective pedagogical approaches.

  19. “The More Support You Have the Better”: Partner Support and Dyadic HIV Care Across the Continuum for Gay and Bisexual Men

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldenberg, Tamar; Stephenson, Rob

    2015-01-01

    Background Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men account for a disproportionate burden of HIV incidence in the United States, with one-third to two-thirds of these new HIV infections occurring within main partnerships. Early initiation and adherence to highly active antiretroviral treatment is a key factor in treating and preventing the transmission of HIV; however, the average rate of adherence in the United States is low. Social support has been examined as a source of improving health for people experiencing a variety of chronic health conditions. This study aims to understand perceptions of how dyadic HIV care could influence partner-specific support for same-sex male couples with a goal of improving adherence. Methods Data were collected from 5 focus group (n = 35) discussions with gay and bisexual men in same-sex male relationships in Atlanta, GA. Participants discussed perceptions of how dyadic HIV care would impact partner support among serodiscordant and seroconcordant HIV-positive same-sex male couples. Verbatim transcripts were segmented thematically and systematically analyzed to examine patterns. Results Participants described how dyadic HIV care can facilitate emotional, informational, and instrumental support at various stages across the continuum of care, depending on partner dynamics. Participants stated that dyadic HIV care can provide an additional “sense of togetherness” and “solidarity” that helps to “alleviate stress.” Conclusions Results suggest that dyadic approaches for HIV care across the continuum may be useful in promoting partner support and improving adherence. Future research should further examine dyadic interventions for HIV treatment among same-sex male couples. PMID:25867781

  20. Supportive care needs in Hong Kong Chinese women confronting advanced breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Au, Angel; Lam, Wendy; Tsang, Janice; Yau, Tsz-kok; Soong, Inda; Yeo, Winnie; Suen, Joyce; Ho, Wing M; Wong, Ka-yan; Kwong, Ava; Suen, Dacita; Sze, Wing-Kin; Ng, Alice; Girgis, Afaf; Fielding, Richard

    2013-05-01

    Women with advanced breast cancer (ABC) are living longer, so understanding their needs becomes important. This cross-sectional study investigated the type and extent of unmet supportive care needs in Hong Kong Chinese women with advanced breast cancer. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among women with stage III or stage IV disease mostly awaiting chemotherapy (76%) to identify unmet needs using the Supportive Care Needs Survey Short Form, psychological morbidity using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, symptom distress using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, and satisfaction with care using the Patient satisfaction questionnaire (PSQ-9). About 27-72% of 198/220 (90%) women (mean age = 53.4 ± 9.74 (standard deviation) years) identified needs from the health system, information, and patient support (HSIPS) domain as the top 15 most prevalent unmet needs. 'having one member of hospital staff with whom you can talk to about all aspect of your condition, treatment, and follow-up' was most cited by 72% of the patients, with remaining unmet needs addressing mostly desire for information. Unmet need strength did not differ between women with stage III and stage IV disease, whereas women with first time diagnosis reported greater health system and information unmet needs compared with women with recurrent disease. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that symptom distress was consistently positively associated with all but sexuality need domains, whereas low satisfaction with care was associated with HSIPS (β = 3.270, p living (β = 2.810, p < 0.01) domains. Chinese women with ABC expressed need for continuity of care and improved information provision. High symptom distress was associated with lower levels of satisfaction with care. These unmet needs appear to reflect current care services shortcomings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Older Adults’ Perceptions of Supporting Factors of Trust in a Robot Care Provider

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel E. Stuck

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The older adult population is increasing worldwide, leading to an increased need for care providers. An insufficient number of professional caregivers will lead to a demand for robot care providers to mitigate this need. Trust is an essential element for older adults and robot care providers to work effectively. Trust is context dependent. Therefore, we need to understand what older adults would need to trust robot care providers, in this specific home-care context. This mixed methods study explored what older adults, who currently receive assistance from caregivers, perceive as supporting trust in robot care providers within four common home-care tasks: bathing, transferring, medication assistance, and household tasks. Older adults reported three main dimensions that support trust: professional skills, personal traits, and communication. Each of these had subthemes including those identified in prior human-robot trust literature such as ability, reliability, and safety. In addition, new dimensions perceived to impact trust emerged such as the robot’s benevolence, the material of the robot, and the companionability of the robot. The results from this study demonstrate that the older adult-robot care provider context has unique dimensions related to trust that should be considered when designing robots for home-care tasks.

  2. Bilateral renal artery variation

    OpenAIRE

    Üçerler, Hülya; Üzüm, Yusuf; İkiz, Z. Aslı Aktan

    2014-01-01

    Each kidney is supplied by a single renal artery, although renal artery variations are common. Variations of the renal arteryhave become important with the increasing number of renal transplantations. Numerous studies describe variations in renalartery anatomy. Especially the left renal artery is among the most critical arterial variations, because it is the referred side forresecting the donor kidney. During routine dissection in a formalin fixed male cadaver, we have found a bilateral renal...

  3. Nephrotic range proteinuria as a strong risk factor for rapid renal function decline during pre-dialysis phase in type 2 diabetic patients with severely impaired renal function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitai, Yuichiro; Doi, Yohei; Osaki, Keisuke; Sugioka, Sayaka; Koshikawa, Masao; Sugawara, Akira

    2015-12-01

    Proteinuria is an established risk factor for progression of renal disease, including diabetic nephropathy. The predictive power of proteinuria, especially nephrotic range proteinuria, for progressive renal deterioration has been well demonstrated in diabetic patients with normal to relatively preserved renal function. However, little is known about the relationship between severity of proteinuria and renal outcome in pre-dialysis diabetic patients with severely impaired renal function. 125 incident dialysis patients with type 2 diabetes were identified. This study was aimed at retrospectively evaluating the impact of nephrotic range proteinuria (urinary protein-creatinine ratio above 3.5 g/gCr) on renal function decline during the 3 months just prior to dialysis initiation. In total, 103 patients (82.4 %) had nephrotic range proteinuria. The median rate of decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in this study population was 0.98 (interquartile range 0.51-1.46) ml/min/1.73 m(2) per month. Compared to patients without nephrotic range proteinuria, patients with nephrotic range proteinuria showed significantly faster renal function decline (0.46 [0.24-1.25] versus 1.07 [0.64-1.54] ml/min/1.73 m(2) per month; p = 0.007). After adjusting for gender, age, systolic blood pressure, serum albumin, calcium-phosphorus product, hemoglobin A1c, and use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker, patients with nephrotic range proteinuria showed a 3.89-fold (95 % CI 1.08-14.5) increased risk for rapid renal function decline defined as a decline in eGFR ≥0.5 ml/min/1.73 m(2) per month. Nephrotic range proteinuria is the predominant renal risk factor in type 2 diabetic patients with severely impaired renal function receiving pre-dialysis care.

  4. Ultrasound vs. Computed Tomography for Severity of Hydronephrosis and Its Importance in Renal Colic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leo, Megan M; Langlois, Breanne K; Pare, Joseph R; Mitchell, Patricia; Linden, Judith; Nelson, Kerrie P; Amanti, Cristopher; Carmody, Kristin A

    2017-06-01

    Supporting an "ultrasound-first" approach to evaluating renal colic in the emergency department (ED) remains important for improving patient care and decreasing healthcare costs. Our primary objective was to compare emergency physician (EP) ultrasound to computed tomography (CT) detection of hydronephrosis severity in patients with suspected renal colic. We calculated test characteristics of hydronephrosis on EP-performed ultrasound for detecting ureteral stones or ureteral stone size >5mm. We then analyzed the association of hydronephrosis on EP-performed ultrasound, stone size >5mm, and proximal stone location with 30-day events. This was a prospective observational study of ED patients with suspected renal colic undergoing CT. Subjects had an EP-performed ultrasound evaluating for the severity of hydronephrosis. A chart review and follow-up phone call was performed. We enrolled 302 subjects who had an EP-performed ultrasound. CT and EP ultrasound results were comparable in detecting severity of hydronephrosis ( x 2 =51.7, pHydronephrosis on EP-performed ultrasound was predictive of a ureteral stone on CT (PPV 88%; LR+ 2.91), but lack of hydronephrosis did not rule it out (NPV 65%). Lack of hydronephrosis on EP-performed ultrasound makes larger stone size >5mm less likely (NPV 89%; LR- 0.39). Larger stone size > 5mm was associated with 30-day events (OR 2.30, p=0.03). Using an ultrasound-first approach to detect hydronephrosis may help physicians identify patients with renal colic. The lack of hydronephrosis on ultrasound makes the presence of a larger ureteral stone less likely. Stone size >5mm may be a useful predictor of 30-day events.

  5. Clinical Predictors of Outcome in Patients with Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody-related Renal Vasculitis: Experiences from a Single-center

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Pu

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: Patients with AAV-related renal injury have high early mortality. Those with high BVAS (particularly with pulmonary or DS involvement and serious renal dysfunction should receive aggressive therapy and careful monitoring to reduce the occurrence of adverse events and improve prognosis.

  6. [Aortic dissection spread to the renal arteries: role of renal volumetry after angioplasty].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vautrin, E; Thony, F; Chavanon, O; Hannachi, I; Barone-Rochette, G; Pierre, H; Baguet, J-P

    2012-06-01

    Type A or B aortic dissection can extend to renal arteries, causing a renal ischemia which treatment is usually endovascular. The aim of our study is to show the interest of the renal volumetry in the follow-up of these patients. Twenty-two patients (16 men, mean age 63.4±11.8years, BMI 25.2±3.4kg/m(2)) with a type A or B aortic dissection spread to one or to both renal arteries and followed at Grenoble university hospital were consecutively included. All patients underwent renal angiography with aorto-renal pressure gradients measurements and follow-up by renal volumetry (scanner Siemens(®)). A renal ischemia was defined by a decrease of 20% or more of the volumetry. Sixteen patients (73%) were hypertensive before the aortic dissection among which ten (62%) were treated. Eight patients (36%) have a significant renal pressure gradient among which five (62%) underwent renal endovascular therapy. The renal volumetry of these five patients remained unchanged while six of 17 patients (36%) without angioplasty have a decreasing volumetry. Renal volumetry appeared an effective and attractive option for the follow-up of the patients with aortic dissection spread to the renal arteries. These results should be taken into account to put the indication of an endovascular treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. BILATERAL DUPLICATION OF RENAL ARTERIES

    OpenAIRE

    Prajkta A Thete; Mehera Bhoir; M.V.Ambiye

    2014-01-01

    Routine dissection of a male cadaver revealed the presence of bilateral double renal arteries. On the right side the accessory renal artery originated from the abdominal aorta just above the main renal artery. On the left side the accessory renal artery originated from the abdominal aorta about 1 cm above the main renal artery. Knowledge of the variations of renal vascular anatomy has importance in exploration and treatment of renal trauma, renal transplantation, renal artery embolization, su...

  8. Bilateral Psoas Haematomata Complicating Renal Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob A. Akoh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The challenge in managing patients undergoing renal transplantation is how to achieve optimum levels of anticoagulation to avoid both clotting and postoperative bleeding. We report a rare case of severe postoperative retroperitoneal bleeding including psoas haematomata complicating renal transplantation. Case Report. SM, a 55-year-old female, had a past history of aortic valve replacement, cerebrovascular event, and thoracic aortic aneurysm and was on long-term warfarin that was switched to enoxaparin 60 mg daily a week prior to her living donor transplantation. Postoperatively, she was started on a heparin infusion, but this was complicated by a large retroperitoneal bleed requiring surgical evacuation on the first postoperative day. Four weeks later, she developed features compatible with acute femoral neuropathy and a CT scan revealed bilateral psoas haematomata. Following conservative management, she made steady progress and was discharged home via a community hospital 94 days after transplantation. At her last visit 18 months after transplantation, she had returned to full fitness with excellent transplant function. Conclusion. Patients in established renal failure who require significant anticoagulation are at increased risk of bleeding that may involve prolonged hospitalisation and more protracted recovery and patients should be carefully counselled about this.

  9. Computed tomography of renal cell carcinoma in patients with terminal renal impairment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferda, Jiri; Hora, Milan; Hes, Ondrej; Reischig, Tomas; Kreuzberg, Boris; Mirka, Hynek; Ferdova, Eva; Ohlidalova, Kristyna; Baxa, Jan; Urge, Tomas

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: An increased incidence of renal tumors has been observed in patients with end-stage-renal-disease (ESRD). The very strong association with acquired renal cystic disease (ACRD) and increased incidence of the renal tumors (conventional renal cell carcinoma (CRCC), papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) or papillary renal cell adenoma (PRCA)) was reported. This study discusses the role of computed tomography (CT) in detecting renal tumors in patients with renal impairment: pre-dialysis, those receiving dialysis or with renal allograft transplants. Materials and methods: Ten patients (nine male, one female) with renal cell tumors were enrolled into a retrospective study; two were new dialysis patients, three on long-term dialysis, and five were renal transplant recipients with history of dialysis. All patients underwent helical CT, a total of 11 procedures were performed. Sixteen-row detector system was used five times, and a 64-row detector system for the six examinations. All patients underwent nephrectomy of kidney with suspected tumor, 15 nephrectomies were performed, and 1 kidney was assessed during autopsy. CT findings were compared with macroscopic and microscopic assessments of the kidney specimen in 16 cases. Results: Very advanced renal parenchyma atrophy with small cysts corresponding to ESRD was found in nine patients, chronic pyelonephritis in remained one. A spontaneously ruptured tumor was detected incidentally in one case, patient died 2 years later. In the present study, 6.25% (1/16) were multiple PRCA, 12.5% (2/16) were solitary PRCC, 12.5% tumors (2/16) were solitary conventional renal cell carcinomas (CRCC's), 12.5% tumors (2/16) were multiple conventional renal cell carcinomas (CRCC's), 25% (4/16) were CRCC's combined with multiple papillary renal cell carcinomas with adenomas (PRCC's and PRCA's), and 25% (4/16) of the tumors were multiple PRCC's combined with PRCA's without coexisting CRCC's. Bilateral renal tumors were found in our study

  10. Traumatic renal infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yashiro, Naobumi; Ohtomo, Kuni; Kokubo, Takashi; Itai, Yuji; Iio, Masahiro

    1986-01-01

    Four cases of traumatic renal artery occlusion were described and illustrated. In two cases, direct blows to the abdomen compressed the renal artery against the vertebral column. Clinically, they were severely injured with macroscopic hematuria. Aortograms showed abrupt truncation of renal arteries. In the other two, rapid deceleration caused sudden displacement of the kidney producing an intimal tear with resultant thrombosis. Although they showed little injury without macrohematuria, aortograms revealed tapered occlusion of renal arteries. One of them developed hypertension. ''Rim sign'' of post-contrast CT and hypertension resulted from traumatic renal artery occlusion were reviewed. (author)

  11. Effectively marketing prepaid medical care with decision support systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forgionne, G A

    1991-01-01

    The paper reports a decision support system (DSS) that enables health plan administrators to quickly and easily: (1) manage relevant medical care market (consumer preference and competitors' program) information and (2) convert the information into appropriate medical care delivery and/or payment policies. As the paper demonstrates, the DSS enables providers to design cost efficient and market effective medical care programs. The DSS provides knowledge about subscriber preferences, customer desires, and the program offerings of the competition. It then helps administrators structure a medical care plan in a way that best meets consumer needs in view of the competition. This market effective plan has the potential to generate substantial amounts of additional revenue for the program. Since the system's data base consists mainly of the provider's records, routine transactions, and other readily available documents, the DSS can be implemented at a nominal incremental cost. The paper also evaluates the impact of the information system on the general financial performance of existing dental and mental health plans. In addition, the paper examines how the system can help contain the cost of providing medical care while providing better services to more potential beneficiaries than current approaches.

  12. Multi-centred mixed-methods PEPFAR HIV care & support public health evaluation: study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fayers Peter

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A public health response is essential to meet the multidimensional needs of patients and families affected by HIV disease in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to appraise curret provision of HIV care and support in East Africa, and to provide evidence-based direction to future care programming, and Public Health Evaluation was commissioned by the PEPFAR programme of the US Government. Methods/Design This paper described the 2-Phase international mixed methods study protocol utilising longitudinal outcome measurement, surveys, patient and family qualitative interviews and focus groups, staff qualitative interviews, health economics and document analysis. Aim 1 To describe the nature and scope of HIV care and support in two African countries, including the types of facilities available, clients seen, and availability of specific components of care [Study Phase 1]. Aim 2 To determine patient health outcomes over time and principle cost drivers [Study Phase 2]. The study objectives are as follows. 1 To undertake a cross-sectional survey of service configuration and activity by sampling 10% of the facilities being funded by PEPFAR to provide HIV care and support in Kenya and Uganda (Phase 1 in order to describe care currently provided, including pharmacy drug reviews to determine availability and supply of essential drugs in HIV management. 2 To conduct patient focus group discussions at each of these (Phase 1 to determine care received. 3 To undertake a longitudinal prospective study of 1200 patients who are newly diagnosed with HIV or patients with HIV who present with a new problem attending PEPFAR care and support services. Data collection includes self-reported quality of life, core palliative outcomes and components of care received (Phase 2. 4 To conduct qualitative interviews with staff, patients and carers in order to explore and understand service issues and care provision in more depth (Phase 2. 5 To undertake document

  13. Pediatric lupus nephritis presenting with terminal renal failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Besouw, Martine T P; Vande Walle, Johan G; Ilias, Mohamad I; Raes, Ann M; Prytula, Agnieszka A; Claeys, Lieve; Dehoorne, Jo L

    2016-12-01

    A 12-year-old Congolese girl presented with acute renal failure, edema, hypertension, hemoptysis, hematuria, and proteinuria after a history of throat infection. Renal ultrasound showed kidneys of normal size, with increased echogenicity of the cortical parenchyma and decreased corticomedullary differentiation. Other additional investigations showed pancytopenia with decreased complement (low C3 and C4). Antinuclear antibodies were strongly positive, including anti-double stranded DNA. Renal biopsy confirmed severe grade IV lupus nephritis. She was treated with high-dose steroids, mycophenolate mofetil and hydroxychloroquine, in addition to hemodialysis. After one week of intensive treatment, diuresis recovered and dialysis could be stopped after six sessions. We describe an uncommon case of severe lupus nephritis, presenting with terminal renal failure. Since the rarity of this disease presentation, other more common diagnoses have to be considered. Once the diagnosis of lupus nephritis is established, a choice has to be made between the different induction treatment protocols. The patient's ethnic background and other supportive therapies, such as the need for dialysis, can help to make this choice.

  14. Postsecondary Strengths, Challenges, and Supports Experienced by Foster Care Alumni College Graduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar, Amy M.; Jones, Kevin R.; Emerson, John C.; Mucha, Lauren

    2016-01-01

    Young people transitioning from foster care to college experience unique identities and circumstances that make being successful in college especially challenging. We used qualitative survey data from 248 college graduates who were formerly in foster care to explore the strengths, challenges, and supports they experienced while in college that…

  15. Improving access to supportive cancer care through an eHealth application: a qualitative needs assessment among cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lubberding, Sanne; van Uden-Kraan, Cornelia F; Te Velde, Elisabeth A; Cuijpers, Pim; Leemans, C René; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M

    2015-05-01

    To gain insight into cancer survivors' needs towards an eHealth application monitoring quality of life and targeting personalised access to supportive care. Supportive care in cancer addresses survivors' concerns and needs. However, many survivors are not taking advantage of supportive care provided. To enable cancer survivors to benefit, survivors' needs must be identified timely and effectively. An eHealth application could be a solution to meet patients' individual supportive care needs. A qualitative approach. Thirty cancer survivors (15 head and neck and 15 breast cancer survivors) participated. The majority were female (n = 20·67%). The mean age was 60 (SD 8·8) years. Mean time interval since treatment was 13·5 months (SD 10·5). All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. During the interviews, participants were asked about their unmet needs during follow-up care and a potential eHealth application. Data were analyzed independently by two coders and coded into key issues and themes. Cancer survivors commented that they felt unprepared for the post-treatment period and that their symptoms often remained unknown to care providers. Survivors also mentioned a suboptimal referral pattern to supportive care services. Mentioned advantages of an eHealth application were as follows: insight into the course of symptoms by monitoring, availability of information among follow-up appointments, receiving personalised advice and tailored supportive care. Cancer survivors identified several unmet needs during follow-up care. Most survivors were positive towards the proposed eHealth application and expressed that it could be a valuable addition to follow-up cancer care. Study results provide care providers with insight into barriers that impede survivors from obtaining optimal supportive care. This study also provides insight into the characteristics needed to design, build and implement an eHealth application targeting personalised access to supportive

  16. Compromiso renal en pacientes HIV+ Renal abnormalities in HIV infected patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Marta Pernasetti

    2010-06-01

    agents and/or drugs. Little is known about the prevalence of renal diseases that may occur as a complication of or related to HIV infection in asymptomatic patients. This is a single center cross-sectional study of asymptomatic HIV+ patients referred to a nefrology care service at an Argentine hospital to look for the presence of renal abnormalities. Fifty two consecutive patients were studied between April and November 2008. Patients underwent plasma and urine analysis, ultrasound, and kidney biopsy as needed. Mean age was 39.9 ± 10.6 years, 88% were male, time from HIV diagnosis 53.2 ± 41.2 months (2-127; 71% had HIV-disease and 77% were on antiretroviral therapy. Mean plasma HIV-RNA copies number was 7.043 ± 3.322 and CD4+ cell count: 484 ± 39. Pathologic findings in urine analysis were present in 30.7% of patients: albuminuria 16.6%, microscopic hematuria 11.5%, hypercalciuria 10.8% and crystalluria 6%. Mean glomerular filtration rate was 102.2 ± 22.95 ml/min (34-149 and 41% of patients could be classified in stages 1 to 3 of chronic kidney disease. Renal abnormalities prevaled in older patients without relationship with presence of HIV-disease. Two patients were biopsied and the findings included: tubulointerstitial nephritis with presence of crystal deposition in one and IgA nephropathy in the other. No HIV-associated nephropathy was detected. The broad spectrum and the high prevalence of lesions found in this series suggest that asymptomatic HIV-infected patients should routinely undergo renal evaluation.

  17. Imaging chronic renal disease and renal transplant in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carmichael, Jim; Easty, Marina

    2010-01-01

    At Great Ormond Street Hospital we have the highest number of paediatric renal transplant patients in Europe, taking cases from across the United Kingdom and abroad. Our caseload includes many children with rare complicating medical problems and chronic renal failure related morbidity. This review aims to provide an overview of our experience of imaging children with chronic renal failure and transplants. (orig.)

  18. Patients' perceptions of information and education for renal replacement therapy: an independent survey by the European Kidney Patients' Federation on information and support on renal replacement therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wim Van Biesen

    Full Text Available Selection of an appropriate renal replacement modality is of utmost importance for patients with end stage renal disease. Previous studies showed provision of information to and free modality choice by patients to be suboptimal. Therefore, the European Kidney Patients' Federation (CEAPIR explored European patients' perceptions regarding information, education and involvement on the modality selection process.CEAPIR developed a survey, which was disseminated by the national kidney patient organisations in Europe.In total, 3867 patients from 36 countries completed the survey. Respondents were either on in-centre haemodialysis (53% or had a functioning graft (38% at the time of survey. The majority (78% evaluated the general information about kidney disease and treatment as helpful, but 39% did not recall being told about alternative treatment options than their current one. Respondents were more often satisfied with information provided on in-centre haemodialysis (90% and transplantation (87% than with information provided on peritoneal dialysis (79% or home haemodialysis (61%, and were more satisfied with information from health care professionals vs other sources such as social media. Most (75% felt they had been involved in treatment selection, 29% perceived they had no free choice. Involvement in modality selection was associated with enhanced satisfaction with treatment (OR 3.13; 95% CI 2.72-3.60. Many respondents (64% could not remember receiving education on how to manage their kidney disease in daily life. Perceptions on information seem to differ between countries.Kidney patients reported to be overall satisfied with the information they received on their disease and treatment, although information seemed mostly to have been focused on one modality. Patients involved in modality selection were more satisfied with their treatment. However, in the perception of the patients, the freedom to choose an alternative modality showed room for

  19. Maternity care professionals' perceptions of supporting employed women in Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alstveit, Marit; Severinsson, Elisabeth; Karlsen, Bjørg

    2011-09-01

    The World Health Organization calls on health professionals to support women in combining maternity and work. The aim of this study was to explore midwives' and public health nurses' perceptions of supporting employed women to balance work and family life during pregnancy and early motherhood. An exploratory design, including multistage focus group interviews, was used. The focus group consisted of five midwives and one public health nurse who was working in maternity care. The data were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis. The comprehensive theme, "empowering the women when they are in 'another' state of normality", was based on two themes, "being in dialogue with the women" and "supporting the women to manage daily activities". The first theme was based on the subthemes, "perceiving the women to be in 'another' state of normality" and "providing an open atmosphere for dialogue", while the second subtheme was based on "confirming self-esteem" and "suggesting adjustments at work". The midwives and public health nurse empowered the women by enhancing their ability to carry out the self-care that was necessary in order to manage both their work and family life. Collaboration between maternity healthcare providers and employers should be developed in order to support employed women. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Unmet Supportive Care Needs among Breast Cancer Survivors of Community-Based Support Group in Kuching, Sarawak

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emmanuel Joseph Fong

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Recognizing the needs of cancer survivors is one of the important aspects in healthcare delivery. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of unmet supportive care needs and its associated factors among the breast cancer survivors of community-based support group in Kuching, Sarawak. Materials and Methods. This was a cross-sectional study using Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS-SF34. All the members of community-based breast cancer support groups in Kuching were invited. A total of 101 respondents were face-to-face interviewed after the consent was obtained. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results. The respondents endorsed health system and information domain with the highest mean score (2.48; 95% CI: 2.32–2.64. Top 10 items with “moderate to high” level unmet needs had a prevalence of 14.9% to 34.7% of respondents indicating need. Significantly higher level of unmet needs was associated with survivors who were younger (less than 60 years old, had higher education attainment, were unemployed, had survival duration of up to 5 years, and were undergoing active treatment. Conclusion. Systematic delivery of health information which is targeted, culturally sensitive, and linguistically appropriate for addressing younger age, education level, employment status, length of survivorship, and treatment stage should be considered not only at hospital-based setting but also at the community-based support groups.

  1. Radionuclide evaluation of renal transplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Hong; Zhao Deshan

    2000-01-01

    Radionuclide renal imaging and plasma clearance methods can quickly quantitate renal blood flow and function in renal transplants. They can diagnose acute tubular necrosis and rejection, renal scar, surgical complications such as urine leaks, obstruction and renal artery stenosis after renal transplants. At the same time they can assess the therapy effect of renal transplant complications and can also predict renal transplant survival from early post-operative function studies

  2. WikiBuild: A New Application to Support Patient and Health Care Professional Involvement in the Development of Patient Support Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Active patient and public involvement as partners in their own health care and in the development of health services is key to achieving a health care system that is responsive to patients’ needs and values. It promotes better use of the health care system, and improves health outcomes, quality of life and patient satisfaction. By involving patients and health care professionals as partners in the creation and updating of patient health support tools, wikis—highly accessible, interactive vehicles of communication—have the potential to empower users to implement these support tools in daily life. Acknowledging the potential of wikis, and recognizing that they capitalize on the free and open access to information, scientists, opinion leaders and patient advocates have suggested that wikis could help decision-making constituencies improve the delivery of health care. They might also decrease its cost and improve access to knowledge within developing countries. However, little is known about the efficacy of wikis in helping to attain these goals. There is also a need to know more about the intention of patients and health care workers to use wikis, in what circumstances and what factors will influence their use of wikis. In this issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research, Gupta et al describe how they developed and tested a new wiki-inspired application to improve asthma care. The researchers involved patients with asthma, primary care physicians, pulmonologists and certified asthma educators in the construction of an asthma action plan. Their paper—entitled “WikiBuild: a new online collaboration process for multistakeholder tool development and consensus building”—is the first description of a wiki-inspired technology built to involve patients and health care professionals in the development of a patient support tool. This innovative study has made important contributions toward how wikis could be generalized to involve multiple stakeholders in

  3. Developing services to support parents caring for a technology-dependent child at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirk, S; Glendinning, C

    2004-05-01

    A group of children with complex health care needs have emerged as a result of medical advances and government policies emphasizing the community as the arena for care. Some of these children remain dependent on the medical technology that enabled them to survive and require care of a complex and intensive nature to be carried out by their parents at home. To explore the experiences of families caring at home for a technology-dependent child; to examine their needs for practical and other support; and to examine how far services are currently meeting these needs. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with the parents of 24 technology-dependent children and with 44 health, social care and other professionals. Services in the community were not sufficiently developed to support this group of families. Major problems were identified in the purchasing and provision of both short-term care/home support services and specialist equipment/therapies in the community. Service provision could be poorly planned and co-ordinated at an operational level and few families had a designated key worker. Parents felt that professionals did not always recognize either the emotional costs entailed in providing care of this nature or their expertise in caregiving. Information-giving to parents was often described as poor and participants reported that hospital professionals failed to negotiate the transfer of caregiving responsibility to parents. Services need to work in partnership with families and with each other at both strategic and operational levels, to develop integrated and co-ordinated services that can meet the needs of this group of families.

  4. Impact of a comprehensive supportive care team on management of hopelessly ill patients with multiple organ failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Field, B E; Devich, L E; Carlson, R W

    1989-08-01

    We developed a supportive care team for hopelessly ill patients in an urban emergency/trauma hospital. The team includes a clinical nurse specialist and a faculty physician as well as a chaplain and social worker. The supportive care team provides an alternative to intensive care or conventional ward management of hopelessly ill patients and concentrates on the physical and psychosocial comfort needs of patients and their families. We describe our experience with 20 hopelessly ill patients with multiple organ failure vs a similar group treated before the development of the supportive care team. Although there was no difference in mortality (100 percent), the length of stay in the medical ICU for patients with multiple organ failure decreased by 12 days to 6 days. Additionally, there were 50 percent fewer therapeutic interventions provided by the supportive care team vs intensive care or conventional ward treatment of multiple organ failure patients. We describe the methods that the supportive care team uses in an attempt to meet the physical and psychosocial comfort needs of hopelessly ill multiple organ failure patients and their families. This multidisciplinary approach to the care of the hopelessly ill may have applications in other institutions facing the ethical, medical, and administrative challenges raised by these patients.

  5. Acute Kidney Injury in Heart Failure Revisited-The Ameliorating Impact of "Decongestive Diuresis" on Renal Dysfunction in Type 1 Acute Cardiorenal Syndrome: Accelerated Rising Pro B Naturetic Peptide Is a Predictor of Good Renal Prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onuigbo, Macaulay Amechi Chukwukadibia; Agbasi, Nneoma; Sengodan, Mohan; Rosario, Karen Flores

    2017-08-29

    There is mounting evidence that forward heart failure as manifested by low cardiac output alone does not define the degree of renal dysfunction in cardiorenal syndrome. As a result, the term "congestive renal failure" was coined in 2012 by Ross to depict the role of renal venous hypertension in type 1 acute cardiorenal syndrome. If so, aggressive decongestive therapies, either through mechanical ultrafiltration with dialysis machines or pharmacologic ultrafiltration with potent diuretics, would lead to improved cardio and renal outcomes. Nevertheless, as recently as 2012, a review of this literature had concluded that a renal venous hypertension-directed approach using diuretics to manage cardio-renal syndrome was yet to be fully investigated. We, in this review, with three consecutive case series, describe our experience with pharmacologic decongestive diuresis in this paradigm of care and argue for studies of such therapeutic interventions in the management of cardiorenal syndrome. Finally, based on our observations in the Renal Unit, Mayo Clinic Health System, in Northwestern Wisconsin, we have hypothesized that patients with cardiorenal syndrome presenting with accelerated rising Pro B Naturetic Peptide levels appear to represent a group that would have good cardio- and renal-outcomes with such decongestive pharmacologic therapies.

  6. A clinical study and the diagnosis in magnetic resonance imaging of renal scarring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsugaya, Masayuki; Hirao, Noriaki; Ohtaguro, Kazuo; Kato, Jiro.

    1989-01-01

    Twenty-nine kidneys of seventeen patients (nine boys and eight girls) with vesicoureteral reflux and repeated urinary tract infection were studied by magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis of renal scarring and correlation between clinical data and the degree renal scarring. Renal scarring is classified into three types according to findings in magnetic resonance imaging. The degree of renal scarring are classified into five grades according to traditional grading of intravenous pyelogram. If a fine deformity of calyx is shown on intravenous pyelogram, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates renal scarring. Magnetic resonance imaging without irradiation is exceedingly valuable for the diagnosis of renal scarring. The appearances of magnetic resonance imaging were supported by X-ray computed tomography. There is a substantial correlation between serum creatinine and the grades of renal scarring by magnetic resonance imaging. There is a substantial correlation between fever attacks and the grade of renal scarring, and there is a significant reverse correlation between the age of the onset of upper urinary tract infection and the grade of renal scarring. It is suggested that upper urinary tract infection is the most significant factor in scar formation. (author)

  7. The hybrid assisted limb (HAL) for Care Support, a motion assisting robot providing exoskeletal lumbar support, can potentially reduce lumbar load in repetitive snow-shoveling movements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, Kousei; Kadone, Hideki; Koda, Masao; Abe, Tetsuya; Endo, Hirooki; Murakami, Hideki; Doita, Minoru; Kumagai, Hiroshi; Nagashima, Katsuya; Fujii, Kengo; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Funayama, Toru; Kawamoto, Hiroaki; Sankai, Yoshiyuki; Yamazaki, Masashi

    2018-03-01

    An excessive lumbar load with snow-shoveling is a serious problem in snowfall areas. Various exoskeletal robots have been developed to reduce lumbar load in lifting work. However, few studies have reported the attempt of snow-shoveling work using exoskeletal robots. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the HAL for Care Support robot would reduce lumbar load in repetitive snow-shoveling movements. Nine healthy male volunteers performed repetitive snow-shoveling movements outdoors in a snowfall area for as long as possible until they were fatigued. The snow-shoveling trial was performed under two conditions: with and without HAL for Care Support. Outcome measures were defined as the lumbar load assessed by the VAS of lumbar fatigue after the snow-shoveling trial and the snow-shoveling performance, including the number of scoops, and snow shoveling time and distance. The mean of VAS of lumbar fatigue, the number of scoops, and snow-shoveling time and distance without HAL for Care Support were 75.4 mm, 50.3, 145 s, and 9.6 m, while with HAL for Care Support were 39.8 mm, 144, 366 s, and 35.4 m. The reduction of lumbar fatigue and improvement of snow-shoveling performance using HAL for Care Support were statistically significant. There was no adverse event during snow-shoveling with HAL for Care Support. In conclusion, the HAL for Care Support can reduce lumbar load in repetitive snow-shoveling movements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The voice of postsurgical lung cancer patients regarding supportive care needs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoffman AJ

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Amy J Hoffman,1 Ruth Ann Brintnall,2 Alexander von Eye,3 Julie Cooper,2 Jean K Brown41College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; 2Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA; 3Psychology Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; 4School of Nursing, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USAObjective: Individuals with lung cancer present with multiple comorbid conditions and complex treatment plans. They are frequently vulnerable during critical transitions in the cancer survivorship trajectory. Limited research exists on the postsurgical non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC population, relative to unmet supportive care needs. However, what is known is that the lung cancer population reports significantly more unmet supportive care needs than other cancer populations. The purpose of this study was to identify the postsurgical NSCLC patients’ unmet supportive care needs during transition from hospital to home and through recovery after participating in a 16-week exercise intervention.Materials and methods: Participants were 53–73 years of age with NSCLC (stage Ib-IIIa and participated in a 16-week light-intensity exercise program after hospital discharge. For this study, participants were interviewed 12-18 months post-thoracotomy. A qualitative design was used, incorporating a semistructured guide with open-ended questions to support discussion regarding recovery experiences through 16 weeks after transitioning from hospital to home. The interview was transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed using content analysis. Content themes were independently coded by investigators and later combined into a single report verified through participant verification of the report.Results: Participants reviewed and agreed with the focus group report. Dominant themes included: 1 unpreparedness for post-thoracotomy recovery; 2 significant unmet needs upon

  9. Renal Replacement Therapy Modality in the ICU and Renal Recovery at Hospital Discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnassieux, Martin; Duclos, Antoine; Schneider, Antoine G; Schmidt, Aurélie; Bénard, Stève; Cancalon, Charlotte; Joannes-Boyau, Olivier; Ichai, Carole; Constantin, Jean-Michel; Lefrant, Jean-Yves; Kellum, John A; Rimmelé, Thomas

    2018-02-01

    Acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy is a major concern in ICUs. Initial renal replacement therapy modality, continuous renal replacement therapy or intermittent hemodialysis, may impact renal recovery. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of initial renal replacement therapy modality on renal recovery at hospital discharge. Retrospective cohort study of all ICU stays from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2013, with a "renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury" code using the French hospital discharge database. Two hundred ninety-one ICUs in France. A total of 1,031,120 stays: 58,635 with renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury and 25,750 included in the main analysis. None. PPatients alive at hospital discharge were grouped according to initial modality (continuous renal replacement therapy or intermittent hemodialysis) and included in the main analysis to identify predictors of renal recovery. Renal recovery was defined as greater than 3 days without renal replacement therapy before hospital discharge. The main analysis was a hierarchical logistic regression analysis including patient demographics, comorbidities, and severity variables, as well as center characteristics. Three sensitivity analyses were performed. Overall mortality was 56.1%, and overall renal recovery was 86.2%. Intermittent hemodialysis was associated with a lower likelihood of recovery at hospital discharge; odds ratio, 0.910 (95% CI, 0.834-0.992) p value equals to 0.0327. Results were consistent across all sensitivity analyses with odds/hazards ratios ranging from 0.883 to 0.958. In this large retrospective study, intermittent hemodialysis as an initial modality was associated with lower renal recovery at hospital discharge among patients with acute kidney injury, although the difference seems somewhat clinically limited.

  10. Technical aspects of renal denervation in end-stage renal disease patients with challenging anatomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinelli, Alessio; Da Ros, Valerio; Morosetti, Daniele; Onofrio, Silvia D; Rovella, Valentina; Di Daniele, Nicola; Simonetti, Giovanni

    2014-01-01

    We describe our preliminary experience with percutaneous renal denervation in end-stage renal disease patients with resistant hypertension and challenging anatomy, in terms of the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of this procedure. Four patients with end-stage renal disease patients with resistant hypertension (mean hemodialysis time, 2.3 years) who had been taking at least four antihypertensive medications underwent percutaneous renal denervation. Renal artery eligibility included the absence of prior renal artery interventions, vessel stenosis renal denervation is a feasible approach for end-stage renal disease patients with resistant hypertension with encouraging short-term preliminary results in terms of procedural efficacy and safety.

  11. Strengths of primary healthcare regarding care provided for chronic kidney disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine Amaral de Paula

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the structure and results obtained by the "Chronic Renal Patients Care Program" in a Brazilian city. Method: epidemiological, cross-sectional study conducted in 14 PHC units and a secondary center from 2010 to 2013. The Donabedian Model was the methodological framework used. A total of 14 physicians, 13 supervisors, and 11 community health agents from primary healthcare were interviewed for the assessment of structure and process and 1,534 medical files from primary healthcare and 282 from secondary care were consulted to assess outcomes. Results: most units lacked sufficient offices for physicians and nurses to provide consultations, had incomplete staffing, and most professionals had not received proper qualification to provide care for chronic renal disease. Physicians from PHC units classified as capable more frequently referred patients to the secondary care service in the early stages of chronic renal disease (stage 3B when compared to physicians of units considered not capable (58% vs. 36% (p=0.049. Capable PHC units also more frequently presented stabilized glomerular filtration rates (51% when compared to partially capable units (36% and not capable units (44% (p=0.046. Conclusion: patients cared for by primary healthcare units that scored higher in structure and process criteria presented better clinical outcomes. Objective: to identify the coping strategies of family members of patients with mental disorders and relate them to family member sociodemographic variables and to the patient's clinical variables. Method: this was a descriptive study conducted at a psychiatric hospital in the interior of the state of São Paulo, with 40 family members of hospitalized patients over the age of 18, and who followed the patient before and during hospitalization. We used tools to characterize the subjects and the Folkman and Lazarus Inventory of Coping Strategies. Results: the coping strategies most often used by

  12. Renal rescue of dopamine D2 receptor function reverses renal injury and high blood pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konkalmatt, Prasad R.; Asico, Laureano D.; Zhang, Yanrong; Yang, Yu; Drachenberg, Cinthia; Zheng, Xiaoxu; Han, Fei; Jose, Pedro A.; Armando, Ines

    2016-01-01

    Dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) deficiency increases renal inflammation and blood pressure in mice. We show here that long-term renal-selective silencing of Drd2 using siRNA increases renal expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic factors and blood pressure in mice. To determine the effects of renal-selective rescue of Drd2 expression in mice, the renal expression of DRD2 was first silenced using siRNA and 14 days later rescued by retrograde renal infusion of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector with DRD2. Renal Drd2 siRNA treatment decreased the renal expression of DRD2 protein by 55%, and DRD2 AAV treatment increased the renal expression of DRD2 protein by 7.5- to 10-fold. Renal-selective DRD2 rescue reduced the expression of proinflammatory factors and kidney injury, preserved renal function, and normalized systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These results demonstrate that the deleterious effects of renal-selective Drd2 silencing on renal function and blood pressure were rescued by renal-selective overexpression of DRD2. Moreover, the deleterious effects of 45-minute bilateral ischemia/reperfusion on renal function and blood pressure in mice were ameliorated by a renal-selective increase in DRD2 expression by the retrograde ureteral infusion of DRD2 AAV immediately after the induction of ischemia/reperfusion injury. Thus, 14 days after ischemia/reperfusion injury, the renal expression of profibrotic factors, serum creatinine, and blood pressure were lower in mice infused with DRD2 AAV than in those infused with control AAV. These results indicate an important role of renal DRD2 in limiting renal injury and preserving normal renal function and blood pressure. PMID:27358912

  13. Supportive Housing for Homeless Families: Foster Care Outcomes and Best Practices. Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenz-Rashid, Sonja

    2013-01-01

    The "Supportive Housing for Homeless Families: Foster Care Outcomes and Best Practices" report describes the outcome evaluation of Cottage Housing Incorporated's Serna Village program in Sacramento, California. Serna Village is a supportive housing program serving homeless families. Outcomes from the program illustrate that it is…

  14. A new machine for continuous renal replacement therapy: from development to clinical testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricci, Zaccaria; Salvatori, Gabriella; Bonello, Monica; Ratanarat, Ranistha; Andrikos, Emilios; Dan, Maurizio; Piccinni, Pasquale; Ronco, Claudio

    2005-01-01

    A new continuous renal replacement therapy machine has been designed to fulfill the expectations of nephrologists and intensivists operating in the common ground of critical care nephrology. The new equipment is called Prismaflex and it is the natural evolution of the PRISMA machine that has been utilized worldwide for continuous renal replacement therapy in the last 10 years. The authors performed a preliminary alpha-trial to establish the usability, flexibility and reliability of the new device. Accuracy was also tested by recording various operational parameters during different intermittent and continuous renal replacement modalities during 62 treatments. This article will describe our first experience with this new device and touch upon the historic and technologic background leading to its development.

  15. Diseases causing acute renal failure in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, G.; Hussain, K.; Rehman, A.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: This study was done to evaluate frequency of acute renal failure ( ARF ), its causes and out come of the patients. Study Design: Descriptive analytic study Place and Duration of Study: March to Dec 2007 at Combined Military Hospital Lahore. Patients and Methods: All patients, admitted in different wards of the hospital, who developed acute renal failure (doubling of serum creatinine measured on two occasions 12 hours apart), were included in this study. Results: A total of 39 patients were included in the study. Males were 19 (48.71%) and 20 (51.28%) were female. Mean age of patients was 40.2 years (SD=18.0). The major cause was acute Gastroenteritis seen in 23 (58.97%) cases. Others developed ARF due to, Abruptio Placentae 5 (12.82%), Postoperative 5 (12.82%), Eclampsia 3 (7.69%) and Drug induced 3 (7.69%) . Oliguric phase developed in 28 (71.79%) patients and lasted for 8.45 +- 4.16 days. Of these 17 (60.71%) patients had acute gastroenteritis. Conclusion: Gastroenteritis is the most common and important cause of ARF though gynaecological and surgical etiologies must be kept in mind. It is evident that the gynaecological and surgical patients need critical peri-partum and peri-operative monitoring to prevent development of ARF. Early institution of therapy will prevent subsequent morbidity associated with this disease. (author)

  16. Hypertriglyceridemia Induced Pancreatitis (Chylomicronemia Syndrome Treated with Supportive Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emin Uysal

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Hypertriglyceridemia is a rare cause of pancreatitis. In treatment pancreatic rest, lifestyle changes, medications (fibrates, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and nicotinic acid are essential. Many experimental treatment modalities have been reported as insulin and heparin infusion and plasmapheresis. In this study we present the hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis treated with supportive care.

  17. Tc-99m-DMSA renal uptake rate and renal volume of elderly persons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohishi, Yukihiko; Machida, Toyohei; Kido, Akira

    1987-01-01

    Renal function of erderly persons was evaluated by the radionuclide renal function test based on the renal uptake rate and the renal volume determined by Tc-99m-DMSA transectional tomographic images using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Forty-three erderly cases (13 healthy persons and 30 patients with various types of renal disorders) aged between 60 and 87 on an average of 70 were studied and compared with results obtained from 20 healthy adults (18 - 45 years old). Renal volume was calculated from the summation of voxels in the region districted by equi-count threshold level (percentage to maximum count) on each section of the SPECT image. Attenuation correction was made by GE-STAR protocol utilizing Sorrenson's precorrection method. The renal uptake rate was expressed as a percentage of the total radioactivity detected within the renal volume, against an amount of dose injected. In the 26 kidneys of 13 healthy elderly persons, Tc-99m-DMSA renal uptake was 23 ± 5 %, which was significantly lower (p < 0.01) than that of healthy adults being 27 ± 2 %. A correlation coefficient between renal volume and uptake of 79 kidneys of 43 elderly persons was 0.5081 (p < 0.01). Creatinine clearance (Ccr) was better correlated with the total renal uptake (r = 0.6471, p < 0.01) than with the total renal volume (r = 0.3592, p < 0.01). This method is considered to be useful for clinical purpose as a test of renal function for elderly persons since it requires neither blood nor urine samples. (author)

  18. Screening for impaired renal function in outpatients before iodinated contrast injection: Comparing the Choyke questionnaire with a rapid point-of-care-test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Too, C.W.; Ng, W.Y.; Tan, C.C.; Mahmood, M.I.; Tay, K.H.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Iodinated intravenous contrast carries a low risk of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). • Patients with eGFR less than 45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 are particularly at risk for CIN. • The Choyke questionnaire is used to screen for impaired renal function in outpatients. • Choyke questionnaire is a good screening tool for eGFR less than 45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . • Point of care test (POCT) for serum creatinine can reduce waiting time. - Abstract: Rationale and purpose: To determine the usefulness of the Choyke questionnaire with a creatinine point-of-care test (POCT) to detect impaired renal function amongst outpatients receiving intravenous iodinated contrast in a tertiary centre. Materials and methods: Between July and December 2012, 1361 outpatients had their serum creatinine determined by POCT and answered the Chokye questionnaire just before their examination. Results: Four hundred and eighty (35.2%) patients had at least one ‘Yes’ response. Forty-four patients (3.2%) had estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 and 14 patients (1.0%) have eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Choyke criteria in detecting patients with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 are respectively: 65.9%, 65.8%, 6.0% and 98.3% and to detect eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 : 92.9%, 65.3%, 2.7% and 99.9%. Only ‘Yes’ responses to ‘Have you ever been told you have renal problems?’ and ‘Do you have diabetes mellitus?’ were statistically significant in predicting eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , with odds ratio 98.7 and 4.4 respectively. Conclusion: The Choyke questionnaire has excellent sensitivity and moderate-to-good specificity in detecting patients with <45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , below this level it has been shown that risk of contrast induced nephropathy increases significantly, making it an effective screening tool. Also the use of POCT can potentially reduce waiting time

  19. Screening for impaired renal function in outpatients before iodinated contrast injection: Comparing the Choyke questionnaire with a rapid point-of-care-test

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Too, C.W., E-mail: toochowwei@gmail.com [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608 (Singapore); Ng, W.Y., E-mail: ng.wai.yoong@sgh.com.sg [Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, 20 College Road, Academia, Singapore 169856 (Singapore); Tan, C.C., E-mail: tan.chin.chong@sgh.com.sg [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608 (Singapore); Mahmood, M.I., E-mail: muhd.illyyas.mahmood@sgh.com.sg [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608 (Singapore); Tay, K.H., E-mail: tay.kiang.hiong@sgh.com.sg [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608 (Singapore)

    2015-07-15

    Highlights: • Iodinated intravenous contrast carries a low risk of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). • Patients with eGFR less than 45 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2} are particularly at risk for CIN. • The Choyke questionnaire is used to screen for impaired renal function in outpatients. • Choyke questionnaire is a good screening tool for eGFR less than 45 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. • Point of care test (POCT) for serum creatinine can reduce waiting time. - Abstract: Rationale and purpose: To determine the usefulness of the Choyke questionnaire with a creatinine point-of-care test (POCT) to detect impaired renal function amongst outpatients receiving intravenous iodinated contrast in a tertiary centre. Materials and methods: Between July and December 2012, 1361 outpatients had their serum creatinine determined by POCT and answered the Chokye questionnaire just before their examination. Results: Four hundred and eighty (35.2%) patients had at least one ‘Yes’ response. Forty-four patients (3.2%) had estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2} and 14 patients (1.0%) have eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Choyke criteria in detecting patients with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2} are respectively: 65.9%, 65.8%, 6.0% and 98.3% and to detect eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}: 92.9%, 65.3%, 2.7% and 99.9%. Only ‘Yes’ responses to ‘Have you ever been told you have renal problems?’ and ‘Do you have diabetes mellitus?’ were statistically significant in predicting eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}, with odds ratio 98.7 and 4.4 respectively. Conclusion: The Choyke questionnaire has excellent sensitivity and moderate-to-good specificity in detecting patients with <45 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}, below this level it has been shown that risk of contrast induced nephropathy increases significantly, making it an effective screening tool. Also the use of POCT can potentially

  20. Secondary prevention after minor stroke and TIA - usual care and development of a support program.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie Leistner

    Full Text Available Effective methods of secondary prevention after stroke or TIA are available but adherence to recommended evidence-based treatments is often poor. The study aimed to determine the quality of secondary prevention in usual care and to develop a stepwise modeled support program.Two consecutive cohorts of patients with acute minor stroke or TIA undergoing usual outpatient care versus a secondary prevention program were compared. Risk factor control and medication adherence were assessed in 6-month follow-ups (6M-FU. Usual care consisted of detailed information concerning vascular risk factor targets given at discharge and regular outpatient care by primary care physicians. The stepwise modeled support program additionally employed up to four outpatient appointments. A combination of educational and behavioral strategies was employed.168 patients in the observational cohort who stated their openness to participate in a prevention program (mean age 64.7 y, admission blood pressure (BP: 155/84 mmHg and 173 patients participating in the support program (mean age 67.6 y, BP: 161/84 mmHg were assessed at 6 months. Proportions of patients with BP according to guidelines were 50% in usual-care and 77% in the support program (p<0.01. LDL<100 mg/dl was measured in 62 versus 71% (p = 0.12. Proportions of patients who stopped smoking were 50 versus 79% (p<0.01. 72 versus 89% of patients with atrial fibrillation were on oral anticoagulation (p = 0.09.Risk factor control remains unsatisfactory in usual care. Targets of secondary prevention were met more often within the supported cohort. Effects on (cerebro-vascular recurrence rates are going to be assessed in a multicenter randomized trial.

  1. Supportive care needs of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease and their caregivers: A scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Juyeon; Kim, Jung A

    2017-12-01

    To identify the supportive care needs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers, categorise and summarise them into a Supportive Care Needs Framework and identify gaps in literature. Little is known about the supportive care needs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers, and this subject has not previously been systemically reviewed. Scoping review. We conducted a scoping review from the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane databases for the period January 2000-July 2016, using the following inclusion criteria: (i) written in English only, (ii) published in peer-reviewed journals, (iii) at least part of the research considered the supportive care needs perspective of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients or their caregivers and (iv) the population sample included patients of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease or their caregivers. Thirty-seven articles were included. Our review shows that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers' supportive care needs were mentioned across all seven domains of the Supportive Care Needs Framework. Most common were practical needs (n = 24), followed by Informational needs (n = 19), Social needs (n = 18), Psychological needs (n = 16), Physical needs (n = 15), Emotional needs (n = 13) and Spiritual needs (n = 8). From the perspectives of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers, there is a significant need for more practical, social, informational, psychological, physical, emotional and spiritual support. The Supportive Care Needs Framework has potential utility in the development of patient-centred support services or healthcare policies and serves as an important base for further studies; especially, specific examples of each supportive care needs domain can guide in clinical settings when healthcare professionals

  2. The biophysics of renal sympathetic denervation using radiofrequency energy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Hitesh C; Dhillon, Paramdeep S; Mahfoud, Felix; Lindsay, Alistair C; Hayward, Carl; Ernst, Sabine; Lyon, Alexander R; Rosen, Stuart D; di Mario, Carlo

    2014-05-01

    Renal sympathetic denervation is currently performed in the treatment of resistant hypertension by interventionists who otherwise do not typically use radiofrequency (RF) energy ablation in their clinical practice. Adequate RF lesion formation is dependent upon good electrode-tissue contact, power delivery, electrode-tissue interface temperature, target-tissue impedance and the size of the catheter's active electrode. There is significant interplay between these variables and hence an appreciation of the biophysical determinants of RF lesion formation is required to provide effective and safe clinical care to our patients. In this review article, we summarize the biophysics of RF ablation and explain why and how complications of renal sympathetic denervation may occur and discuss methods to minimise them.

  3. Factors associated with poor outcomes of continuous renal replacement therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Chin Kao

    Full Text Available Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT is one of the dialysis modalities for critically ill patients. Despite intensive dialysis care, a high mortality rate is found in these patients. Our objective was to investigate the factors associated with poor outcomes in these patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Health Insurance Research Database. Records of critically ill patients who received CRRT between 2007 and 2011 were retrieved, and the patients were categorized into two groups: those with acute kidney injury (AKI and those with history of end-stage renal disease (ESRD. Our primary and secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and long-term survival and non-renal recovery (long-term dialysis dependence, respectively, in the AKI group. We enrolled 15,453 patients, with 13,204 and 2249 in the AKI and ESRD groups, respectively. Overall, 66.5% patients died during hospitalization. In-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between groups (adjusted odds ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.84-1.02. Age, chronic liver disease, and cancer history were identified as independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in both groups. Hypertension was associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with AKI. Age, coronary artery disease, and admission to the medical intensive care unit (MICU were risk factors for long-term dialysis dependence in patients with AKI. Patients with AKI and ESRD have similarly poor outcomes after CRRT. Older age and presence of chronic liver disease and cancer were associated with higher mortality. Older age, presence of coronary artery disease, and admission to MICU were associated with lower renal recovery rate in patients with AKI.

  4. Blood Pressure Response to Main Renal Artery and Combined Main Renal Artery Plus Branch Renal Denervation in Patients With Resistant Hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fengler, Karl; Ewen, Sebastian; Höllriegel, Robert; Rommel, Karl-Philipp; Kulenthiran, Saaraaken; Lauder, Lucas; Cremers, Bodo; Schuler, Gerhard; Linke, Axel; Böhm, Michael; Mahfoud, Felix; Lurz, Philipp

    2017-08-10

    Single-electrode ablation of the main renal artery for renal sympathetic denervation showed mixed blood pressure (BP)-lowering effects. Further improvement of the technique seems crucial to optimize effectiveness of the procedure. Because sympathetic nerve fibers are closer to the lumen in the distal part of the renal artery, treatment of the distal main artery and its branches has been shown to reduce variability in treatment effects in preclinical studies and a recent randomized trial. Whether this optimized technique improves clinical outcomes remains uncertain. We report a 2-center experience of main renal artery and combined main renal artery plus branches renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension using a multielectrode catheter. Twenty-five patients with therapy-resistant hypertension underwent renal sympathetic denervation with combined main renal artery and renal branch ablation and were compared to matched controls undergoing an ablation of the main renal artery only. BP change was assessed by ambulatory measurement at baseline and after 3 months. At baseline, BP was balanced between the groups. After 3 months, BP changed significantly in the combined ablation group (systolic/diastolic 24-hour mean and daytime mean BP -8.5±9.8/-7.0±10.7 and -9.4±9.8/-7.1±13.5 mm Hg, P renal artery and branches appears to improve BP-lowering efficacy and should be further investigated. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  5. Implementing Information and Communication Technology to Support Community Aged Care Service Integration: Lessons from an Australian Aged Care Provider

    OpenAIRE

    Douglas, Heather E; Georgiou, Andrew; Tariq, Amina; Prgomet, Mirela; Warland, Andrew; Armour, Pauline; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: There is limited evidence of the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to support integrated aged care services. Objectives: We undertook a case study to describe carelink+, a centralised client service management ICT system implemented by a large aged and community care service provider, Uniting. We sought to explicate the care-related information exchange processes associated with carelink+ and identify lessons for organisations attempting to use ICT to su...

  6. Renal angiographic and computed tomographic evaluation of local extension of renal cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masuda, Fujio; Onishi, Tetsuro; Sasaki, Tadamasa; Arai, Yoshikazu; Shoji, Ryo

    1981-01-01

    In 23 cases of renal cell carcinoma, the degree of local invasion of carcinoma was diagnosed using renal angiography and CT, and compared with the findings obtained by operation or autopsy. Among 5 cases in which the tumor was confined to the renal capsule, accurate diagnosis could be established with renal angiography in 4 cases and with CT in all of 5 cases. Both renal angiography and CT provided correct diagnosis in 7 of 8 cases in which the tumor showed infiltration extending to the perinephric fat. Out of 5 cases with tumor invasion of renal vein or inferior vena cava, diagnosis could be established correctly by renal angiography and CT in 3 cases. Among the remaining 2 cases the diagnosis could be established by renal angiography and CT in one each case. Among 5 cases with metastases to the regional lymph nodes, diagnosis could be established by renal angiography in only 2 cases, while all of 5 cases could be diagnosed by CT. In 3 cases where the tumor invaded an ajacent organ beyond Gerota's fastia, renal angiography could diagnose in none of the 3 cases while with CT all of 3 cases could successfully be diagnosed. The consistency of degree of local invasion as revealed by renal angiography and CT was seen in 15 of 23 cases (65%) for renal agniography and 20 of 23 cases (87%) for CT, indicating superiority of CT in this respect. In particular, CT appears to be more superior to renal angiography for determining whether the tumor confined to Gerota's fastia or it infiltrated over it. Both combined use of renal angiography and CT, the degree of infiltration of tumor could be diagnosed correctly in 22 of 23 cases (96%). (author)

  7. Exploring the role of co-worker social support on health care utilization and sickness absence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamers, Sara L.; Beresford, Shirley A.A.; Thompson, Beti; Zheng, Yingye; Cheadle, Allen D.

    2011-01-01

    Objectives To explore the association of baseline co-worker social support with follow-up measures of health care use and sickness absence. Methods Data were obtained on 1,240 employees from 33 worksites, through Promoting Activity and Changes in Eating, a group randomized weight maintenance trial. Co-worker social support, health care utilization, and absenteeism were assessed via a self-reported questionnaire. Generalized Estimating Equations were employed using STATA version 10. Results Higher baseline co-worker social support was significantly associated with a greater number of doctors’ visits (p = 0.015). Co-worker social support was unrelated to number of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, or absenteeism. Conclusions The relationship between co-worker social support and health care utilization and absenteeism is complex and uncertain. Future studies should measure more specific outcomes, incorporate important mediating variables, and distill how social networks influence these outcomes. PMID:21685798

  8. Managing diabetic patients with moderate or severe renal impairment using DPP-4 inhibitors: focus on vildagliptin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Russo E

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Eleonora Russo, Giuseppe Penno, Stefano Del Prato Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Pisa, and University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Background: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4 inhibitors are novel classified oral anti-diabetic drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM that provide important reduction in glycated hemoglobin, with a low risk for hypoglycemia and no weight gain. In T2DM patients with reduced renal function, adequate glycemic control is essential to delay the progress of kidney dysfunction, but they are at a greater risk of experiencing hypoglycemic events, especially with longer-acting sulfonylureas and meglitinides. Objective: To evaluate vildagliptin as an option to achieve glycemic control in T2DM patients with moderate or severe chronic kidney disease (CKD. Methods: A comprehensive search in the literature was performed using the term "vildagliptin." Original articles and reviews exploring our topic were carefully selected. Results: Vildagliptin provides effective glycemic control in patients with T2DM and CKD. Dose reductions are required for vildagliptin and other DPP-4 inhibitors, except linagliptin, in T2DM patients with moderate-to-severe CKD. Dose of vildagliptin had to be reduced by half (to 50 mg/day both for moderate (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥30 to ≤50 mL/min and severe CKD (eGFR < 30 mL/min. Available results support a favorable efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile for vildagliptin in T2DM with moderate or severe renal failure. Preliminary data may suggest additional benefits beyond improvement of glycemic control. Conclusion: Vildagliptin can be safely used in T2DM patients with varying degrees of renal impairment. Dose adjustments for renal impairment are required. Potential long-term renal benefit of vildagliptin needs to be further explored. Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, renal

  9. Interpretive medicine: Supporting generalism in a changing primary care world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeve, Joanne

    2010-01-01

    Patient-centredness is a core value of general practice; it is defined as the interpersonal processes that support the holistic care of individuals. To date, efforts to demonstrate their relationship to patient outcomes have been disappointing, whilst some studies suggest values may be more rhetoric than reality. Contextual issues influence the quality of patient-centred consultations, impacting on outcomes. The legitimate use of knowledge, or evidence, is a defining aspect of modern practice, and has implications for patient-centredness. Based on a critical review of the literature, on my own empirical research, and on reflections from my clinical practice, I critique current models of the use of knowledge in supporting individualised care. Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), and its implementation within health policy as Scientific Bureaucratic Medicine (SBM), define best evidence in terms of an epistemological emphasis on scientific knowledge over clinical experience. It provides objective knowledge of disease, including quantitative estimates of the certainty of that knowledge. Whilst arguably appropriate for secondary care, involving episodic care of selected populations referred in for specialist diagnosis and treatment of disease, application to general practice can be questioned given the complex, dynamic and uncertain nature of much of the illness that is treated. I propose that general practice is better described by a model of Interpretive Medicine (IM): the critical, thoughtful, professional use of an appropriate range of knowledges in the dynamic, shared exploration and interpretation of individual illness experience, in order to support the creative capacity of individuals in maintaining their daily lives. Whilst the generation of interpreted knowledge is an essential part of daily general practice, the profession does not have an adequate framework by which this activity can be externally judged to have been done well. Drawing on theory related to the

  10. Needs assessment for home-based care and the strengthening of social support networks: the role of community care workers in rural South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mosa Moshabela

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Community care workers (CCWs in rural South Africa provide medical, personal, household, educational, and social care services to their clients. However, little understanding exists on how provision of services is approached within a household, taking into account available social support networks. Objective: The aim of this study was to generate an understanding of the processes that underpin the provision of care by CCWs in rural households and their engagement with clients, primary caregivers (PCGs, and other members of the social support network. Design: We analysed in-depth interviews conducted in a triad of participants involved in a home-based care (HBC encounter – 32 clients, 32 PCGs, and 17 CCWs. For each triad, a purposefully selected CCW was linked with a purposefully selected client and the corresponding PCG using maximum variation sampling. Three coders used an inductive content analysis method to describe participants’ references to the nuances of processes followed by CCWs in servicing HBC clients. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Findings: The results suggest that, by intuition and prior knowledge, CCWs treated each household uniquely, depending on the clients’ care needs, cooperation, availability of a social network, and the reliability and resilience of the social support system for the client. Four distinct processes took place in rural households: needs assessment for care, rationing of care, appraisal of care, and reinforcement of a social support system. However, there was no particular order or sequence established for these processes, and caregivers followed no prescribed or shared standards. Conclusions: CCWs bring a basket of services to a household, but engage in a constant, dynamic, and cyclical process of weighing needs against services provided. The service package is uniquely crafted and tailored for each household, depending on the absorptive capacity of the social

  11. ELABELA Improves Cardio-Renal Outcome in Fatal Experimental Septic Shock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coquerel, David; Chagnon, Frédéric; Sainsily, Xavier; Dumont, Lauralyne; Murza, Alexandre; Côté, Jérôme; Dumaine, Robert; Sarret, Philippe; Marsault, Éric; Salvail, Dany; Auger-Messier, Mannix; Lesur, Olivier

    2017-11-01

    Apelin-13 was recently proposed as an alternative to the recommended β-adrenergic drugs for supporting endotoxin-induced myocardial dysfunction. Since Apelin-13 signals through its receptor (Apelin peptide jejunum) to exert singular inotropic/vasotropic actions and to optimize body fluid balance, this candidate pathway might benefit septic shock management. Whether the newly discovered ELABELA (ELA), a second endogenous ligand of the Apelin peptide jejunum receptor highly expressed in the kidney, further improves cardio-renal impairment remains unknown. Interventional study in a rat model of septic shock (128 adult males) to assess the effects of ELA and Apelin-13 on vascular and cardio-renal function. Experiments were performed in a tertiary care University-based research institute. Polymicrobial sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was produced by cecal ligation puncture to assess hemodynamic efficacy, cardioprotection, and biomechanics under acute or continuous infusions of the apelinergic agonists ELA or Apelin-13 (39 and 15 µg/kg/hr, respectively) versus normal saline. Apelinergic agonists improved 72-hour survival after sepsis induction, with ELA providing the best clinical outcome after 24 hours. Apelinergic agonist infusion counteracted cecal ligation puncture-induced myocardial dysfunction by improving left ventricular pressure-volume relationship. ELA-treated cecal ligation puncture rats were the only group to 1) display a significant improvement in left ventricular filling as shown by increased E-wave velocity and left ventricular end-diastolic volume, 2) exhibit a higher plasma volume, and 3) limit kidney injury and free-water clearance. These beneficial renal effects were superior to Apelin-13, likely because full-length ELA enabled a distinctive regulation of pituitary vasopressin release. Activation of the apelinergic system by exogenous ELA or Apelin-13 infusion improves cardiovascular function and survival after cecal ligation puncture

  12. Responsive partisanship: public support for the clinton and obama health care plans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kriner, Douglas L; Reeves, Andrew

    2014-08-01

    We examine the contours of support for the Clinton and Obama health care plans during the 1990s and 2000s based on our own compilation of 120,000 individual-level survey responses from throughout the debates. Despite the rise of the Tea Party, and the racialization of health care politics, opinion dynamics are remarkably similar in both periods. Party ID is the single most powerful predictor of support for reform and the president's handling of it. Contrary to prominent claims, after controlling for partisanship, demographic characteristics are at best weak predictors of support for reform. We also show that Clinton and Obama did not "lose" blacks, seniors, or wealthy voters over the course of the debate. The small and often nonexistent relationship between these characteristics and support for the plan are constant over time. Instead, the modest fluctuations in support for reform appear to follow the ebb and flow of elite rhetoric. Both mean levels of support and its volatility over time covary with elite partisan discourse. These findings suggest that presidents courting public opinion should seek consensus among their own party's elites before appealing to other narrower interests. Copyright © 2014 by Duke University Press.

  13. Clinical application of calculated split renal volume using computed tomography-based renal volumetry after partial nephrectomy: Correlation with technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chan Ho; Park, Young Joo; Ku, Ja Yoon; Ha, Hong Koo

    2017-06-01

    To evaluate the clinical application of computed tomography-based measurement of renal cortical volume and split renal volume as a single tool to assess the anatomy and renal function in patients with renal tumors before and after partial nephrectomy, and to compare the findings with technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan. The data of 51 patients with a unilateral renal tumor managed by partial nephrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The renal cortical volume of tumor-bearing and contralateral kidneys was measured using ImageJ software. Split estimated glomerular filtration rate and split renal volume calculated using this renal cortical volume were compared with the split renal function measured with technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan. A strong correlation between split renal function and split renal volume of the tumor-bearing kidney was observed before and after surgery (r = 0.89, P volumetry had a strong correlation with the split renal function measured using technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan. Computed tomography-based split renal volume measurement before and after partial nephrectomy can be used as a single modality for anatomical and functional assessment of the tumor-bearing kidney. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

  14. Assessment of relative individual renal function based on DMSA uptake corrected for renal size

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estorch, M.; Camacho, V.; Tembl, A.; Mena, I.; Hernandez, A.; Flotats, A.; Carrio, I.; Torres, G.; Prat, L.

    2002-01-01

    Decreased relative renal DMSA uptake can be a consequence of abnormal kidney size, associated with normal or impaired renal function. The quantification of relative renal function based on DMSA uptake in both kidneys is an established method for the assessment of individual renal function. Aim: To assess relative renal function by means of quantification of renal DMSA uptake corrected for kidney size. Results were compared with relative renal DMSA uptake without size correction, and were validated against the absolute renal DMSA uptake. Material and Methods: Four-hundred-forty-four consecutive patients (147 adults, mean age 14 years) underwent a DMSA study for several renal diseases. The relative renal function, based on the relative DMSA uptake uncorrected and corrected for renal size, and the absolute renal DMSA uptake were calculated. In order to relate the relative DMSA uptake uncorrected and corrected for renal size with the absolute DMSA uptake, subtraction of uncorrected (SU) and corrected (SC) relative uptake percentages of each pair of kidneys was obtained, and these values were correlated to the matched subtraction percentages of absolute uptake (SA). If the individual relative renal function is normal (45%-55%), the subtraction value is less or equal to 10%. Results: In 227 patients (51%) the relative renal DMSA uptake value was normal either uncorrected or corrected for renal size (A), and in 149 patients (34%) it was abnormal by both quantification methods (B). Seventy-seven patients (15%) had the relative renal DMSA uptake abnormal only by the uncorrected method (C). Subtraction value of absolute DMSA uptake percentages was not significantly different of subtraction value of relative DMSA uptake percentages corrected for renal size when relative uncorrected uptake was abnormal and corrected normal. where * p<0.0001, and p=NS. Conclusion: When uncorrected and corrected relative DMSA uptake are abnormal, the absolute uptake is also impaired, while when

  15. Rare calcium oxalate monohydrate calculus attached to the wall of the renal pelvis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grases, Felix; Costa-Bauza, Antonia; Prieto, Rafael M; Saus, Carlos; Servera, Antonio; García-Miralles, Reyes; Benejam, Joan

    2011-04-01

    Most renal calculi can be classified using well-established criteria in a manner that reflects both composition and fine structure under specific pathophysiological conditions. However, when a large patient population is considered, rare renal calculi invariably appear, some of which have never been classified; careful study is required to establish stone etiology in such cases. The patient in the present case report formed two types of calculi. One was attached on the wall of the renal pelvis near the ureter and part of the calculus was embedded inside pelvic renal tissue. The calculus developed on an ossified calcification located in the pelvis tissue. Current knowledge on the development of calcification in soft tissues suggests a pre-existing injury as an inducer of its development. A mechanism of calculus formation is proposed. The second stone was a typical jack-stone calculus. © 2011 The Japanese Urological Association.

  16. Waiting for a kidney transplant: the experience of patients with end-stage renal disease in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Hye Jin; Kim, Hyun Kyung; Kim, Sung Reul; Lee, Sik

    2016-04-01

    To explore the experiences of Korean patients with end-stage renal disease awaiting kidney transplantation. The need for kidney transplantation has increased worldwide, while the number of kidney donors has not increased commensurately. This mismatch is a serious issue in South Korea. Prolonged waits for transplantation may cause physical and psychosocial issues and lead to poor outcomes. Nevertheless, the experience of waiting for kidney transplantation in South Korea has never been explored in depth. A qualitative descriptive design was used. The participants were eight patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease on the waiting list for kidney transplantation in South Korea. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. All conversations during interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed data were analysed using conventional content analysis. The experience of waiting for kidney transplantation consisted of six categories: (1) the light at the end of the tunnel, (2) being on call without any promise, (3) a tough tug of war between excitement and frustration, (4) doubts in the complexity, (5) A companion on the hard journey and (6) getting ready for D-day. Kidney transplantation candidates experience psychosocial difficulties and concerns while waiting for long periods of time without any assurance of resolution. Systematic education and psychosocial support from health care professionals and family members help patients get through what they describe as a difficult journey. Comprehensive management programs for kidney transplantation candidates are needed. Health care professionals need to recognise the psychosocial concerns of patients awaiting kidney transplantation. Clinicians should provide patients with information and support throughout the waiting period. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Alteraciones renales en la drepanocitosis Renal disorders in sickle cell disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aramís Núñez-Quintana

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available La drepanocitosis está asociada con un amplio espectro de alteraciones renales que tienen su base en la falciformación de los eritrocitos en los vasos de la médula renal, que conduce a fenómenos de isquemia, microinfartos y anomalías de la función tubular. Se producen también alteraciones glomerulares funcionales reversibles de la autorregulación renal (hiperfiltración, que pueden conducir a cambios anatómicos irreversibles con glomeruloesclerosis segmentaria focal. Estas anomalías se expresan tempranamente como microalbuminuria, proteinuria y de forma mas tardía, como síndrome nefrótico e insuficiencia renal crónica. Medidas terapéuticas como el uso de inhibidores de la enzima convertidora de la angiotensina II, de los bloqueadores del receptor de la angiotensina II, asociados o no con la hidroxiurea, pueden prevenir o retardar el daño glomerular. En el presente trabajo se exponen de forma resumida aspectos relacionados con la fisiopatología del daño renal en la drepanocitosis y su tratamiento.Sickle cell disease is associated with a wide range of renal disorders resulting from the falciformation of erythrocytes in vessels of the renal medulla, leading to ischemia, microinfarctions and tubular function abnormalities. Reversible glomerular functional renal self-regulation disorders (hyperfiltration also occur, which may lead to irreversible anatomical changes with focal segmental glomerular sclerosis. These anomalies are expressed at an early stage as microalbuminuria and proteinuria, and at a later stage as nephrotic syndrome and chronic renal failure. Therapeutic measures such as the use of angiotensin-II converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-II receptor blockers, associated or not with hydroxyurea, may either prevent or delay glomerular damage. The paper succinctly presents the physiopathology of renal damage in drepanocytosis and its treatment.

  18. Renal sympathetic denervation for resistant hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Froeschl, Michael; Hadziomerovic, Adnan; Ruzicka, Marcel

    2013-05-01

    Resistant hypertension is an increasingly prevalent health problem associated with important adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The pathophysiology that underlies this condition involves increased function of both the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin II-aldosterone system. A crucial link between these 2 systems is the web of sympathetic fibres that course within the adventitia of the renal arteries. These nerves can be targeted by applying radiofrequency energy from the lumen of the renal arteries to renal artery walls (percutaneous renal sympathetic denervation [RSD]), an approach that has attracted great interest. This paper critically reviews the evidence supporting the use of RSD. Small studies suggest that RSD can produce dramatic blood pressure reductions: In the randomized Symplicity HTN-2 trial of 106 patients, the mean fall in blood pressure at 6 months in patients who received the treatment was 32/12 mm Hg. However, there are limitations to the evidence for RSD in the treatment of resistant hypertension. These include the small number of patients studied; the lack of any placebo-controlled evidence; the fact that blood pressure outcomes were based on office assessments, as opposed to 24-hour ambulatory monitoring; the lack of longer-term efficacy data; and the lack of long-term safety data. Some of these concerns are being addressed in the ongoing Renal Denervation in Patients With Uncontrolled Hypertension (Symplicity HTN-3) trial. The first percutaneous RSD system was approved by Health Canada in the spring of 2012. But until more and better-quality data are available, this procedure should generally be reserved for those patients whose resistant hypertension is truly uncontrolled. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Evidence-based, ethically justified counseling for fetal bilateral renal agenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Alana N.; McCullough, Laurence B.; Chervenak, Frank A.; Placencia, Frank X.

    2017-01-01

    Background Not much data are available on the natural history of bilateral renal agenesis, as the medical community does not typically offer aggressive obstetric or neonatal care asbilateral renal agenesis has been accepted as a lethal condition. Aim To provide an evidence-based, ethically justified approach to counseling pregnant women about the obstetric management of bilateral renal agenesis. Study design A systematic literature search was performed using multiple databases. We deploy an ethical analysis of the results of the literature search on the basis of the professional responsibility model of obstetric ethics. Results Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria for review. With the exception of a single case study using serial amnioinfusion, there has been no other case of survival following dialysis and transplantation documented. Liveborn babies die during the neonatal period. Counseling pregnant women about management of pregnancies complicated by bilateral renal agenesis should be guided by beneficence-based judgment informed by evidence about outcomes. Conclusions Based on the ethical analysis of the results from this review, without experimental obstetric intervention, neonatal mortality rates will continue to be 100%. Serial amnioinfusion therefore should not be offered as treatment, but only as approved innovation or research. PMID:28222038

  20. Therapeutic effectiveness of pediatric renal transplantation in 63 cases

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Han Shu; Wang Mu; Zhu Youhua; Zeng Li; Zhou Meisheng; Zhang Lei; Fu Shangxi; Wang Liming

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To explore the characteristic of operation, intra-operation treatment and the application of immunosuppressant in pediatric renal transplantation in order to improve therapeutic effectiveness. Methods: From March 1986 to October 2006, the clinical data of 63 children who underwent renal transplantation in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year graft survival rates were 98.4%, 90.5%, 88.9% and 68.3%,respectively. And the corresponding patient survival rates were 100%, 95.2%, 92.1%, 71.4%. The body weight increased 4 to 12 kg and the body height grew up 2 to 6 cm during the first year post-transplantation. The main complications in the first year post-transplantation were hypertension (26/63, 41.3%), crinosity (14/63, 22.2%),drug-induced hepatic injury(11/63, 17.5%), gingival hyperplasia (10/63, 15.8%), pulmonary infection(9/63, 14.3%),bone marrow suppression(5/63, 7.9%), herpes (4/63, 6.3%) and diabetes (3/63, 4.8%). Conclusion: Renal transplantation is a preferred method for the treatment of children in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Good tissue matching, proper operative time and pattern, peri-operactive care were essential to success, as well as appropriate immuno-suppressant strategy and good compliance.