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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Adjuvant therapy may allow patients being treated with epoetin to derive greater clinical benefits. Iron supplementation is currently the most widely used form of adjuvant therapy; intravenous (i.v.) iron is required by the majority of haemodialysis patients receiving epoetin. Measurement of hypochromic red blood cells is the most direct way of assessing iron supply to the bone marrow. During the correction phase, a dose of i.v. iron equivalent to 50 mg/day is recommended, with the total dose not exceeding 3 g. When subclinical vitamin C deficiency is suspected, ascorbic acid may be given orally (1-1.5 g/week) or i.v. (300 mg three times weekly at the end of dialysis). The active vitamin D metabolites alfacalcidol and calcitriol may, under some circumstances, improve anaemia and reduce epoetin dosage requirements. Vitamin B6 requirements are increased during epoetin therapy, and supplementation at a dose of 100-150 mg/week is recommended. Supplementation of vitamin B12 is optional. Folic acid is supplemented routinely in haemodialysis patients, though evidence that it increases the efficacy of epoetin is limited. Low doses (2-3 mg/week) should normally be sufficient to maintain optimal folic acid stores in epoetin-treated patients, although higher doses are necessary for patients with hyperhomocysteinaemia. L-Carnitine supplementation may be appropriate in some patients with anaemia of chronic renal failure (CRF) unresponsive to, or requiring large doses of, epoetin. Androgens potentially could reduce epoetin costs in countries with limited resources, but should only be used in men older than 50 years with a remnant kidney. Recent animal studies indicate that the combination of epoetin and insulin-like growth factor 1 might be beneficial in CRF patients. High doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors should be reserved for dialysis patients who have hypertension that cannot be controlled by other agents, or who require an ACE inhibitor for treatment of heart failure.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 1999
PMID:Is there a role for adjuvant therapy in patients being treated with epoetin? 1057 78

This study reports our experience with permanent peritoneal catheters. From July 1983 until December 1997, 225 catheters were implanted surgically in 207 patients (120 males, 87 females) with mean age of 58+/-16 years (range: 2-82 years), and a mean duration of continuous peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) of 21.9+/-21.3 months (range: 1-145 months). Two hundred and seventeen catheters were used in 199 patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and 8 catheters in 8 patients with end-stage heart failure resistant to medical therapy. One patient used 3 catheters and 16 patients used 2 catheters. The catheters used were: Tenckhoff, 2; Oreopoulos-Zellerman-1 (OZ-1), 10; OZ-2, 205; and OZ-pediatric, 8. All catheters were implanted by the same surgical team, through a paramedian incision under local anesthesia. By life table analysis, the actuarial survival rates at 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 5 years were 97%, 92%, 87%, and 82% respectively for all catheters. The catheter-related complications were: 5 obstructions, 2 dislodgments, 13 dialysate leaks (6 early; 7 late), 90 exit-site/tunnel infections (in 56 patients), 2 cuff extrusions, and 37 hernias (in 31 patients). Eighteen catheters were replaced for persistent peritonitis (15 cases), dislodgment (1 case), obstruction (1 case), and accidental shortening (1 case). The total observation period was 4526 patient-months. The overall incidence of peritonitis was one episode per 15 patient-months, and of exit-site/tunnel infections was one episode per 50 patient-months, with a significant improvement during the last years. We conclude that OZ catheters implanted surgically through a paramedian incision have a very high survival rate and a low complication rate.
Perit Dial Int 1999
PMID:Survival and complications of 225 catheters used in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: one-center experience in Northern Greece. 1040 12

Cardiomyopathy is a common, heterogeneous and important cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality in uraemic patients. The risks of ischaemic heart disease, cardiac failure, and death increase progressively from lowest risk in patients with concentric left-ventricular hypertrophy, to medium risk in patients with left-ventricular dilatation but intact systolic function, to highest risk in patients with systolic dysfunction. Anaemia and hypertension are the reversible risk factors most consistently linked with the development of cardiomyopathy in these patients. Longitudinal data show that anaemia predisposes individuals to initial left ventricular dilatation, with compensatory hypertrophy, which may progress to systolic dysfunction. This process typically begins at glomerular filtration rates between 25 and 50 ml/min, and haemoglobin concentrations that are even slightly below normal are associated with progressive cardiac enlargement. Several observational studies have suggested that the correction of anaemia may reduce mortality and hospitalization rates in dialysis patients. The available evidence supports maintaining haemoglobin concentrations to greater than 11 g/dl. Whether a haemoglobin threshold exists above which no further benefit is seen remains controversial, partially because recent randomized controlled trials have intervened relatively late in the anaemia cardiomyopathy cardiac failure death continuum. One large randomized controlled trial showed no benefit from normalizing the haemoglobin concentration in haemodialysis patients with well-established cardiac disease; however, these patients had been exposed to anaemia for long periods of time and were at the extreme end of the cardiorenal disease spectrum. Other researchers have demonstrated a protective effect of normalizing the haemoglobin concentration in patients with asymptomatic, and hence presumably early, cardiomyopathy. The psychological benefits and improvements in exercise tolerance and quality of life resulting from normalization of the haemoglobin concentration are becoming clearer. However, conclusive evidence of the cardiovascular benefits of earlier, more aggressive treatment of renal anaemia as well as of the exact target haemoglobin concentration at which risk begins to develop is still lacking. The results of ongoing trials should help to clarify both of these issues within the next 5 years.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2000
PMID:Effects of anaemia on cardiovascular status. 1103 53

Cellular models of cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac failure suggest that haemodynamic stresses lead to increased rates of cardiac myocyte apoptosis and fibrosis. Over the last 15 years, it has been become evident that the dramatically amplified exposure of patients with renal insufficiency to haemodynamic stress leads to maladaptive vascular and ventricular adaptations. Anaemia and hypertension are remediable haemodynamic stresses consistently associated with left ventricular enlargement in observational studies. Observational studies and clinical trials have shown consistently that treating the established, typically severe, anaemia of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) improves outcome. It has become clear that late intervention to normalize haemoglobin in patients with ESRD and cardiomyopathy achieves little. There is considerable observational evidence to suggest that intervention in haemodynamic risk factors, such as anaemia and hypertension, should coincide with their onset, which is typically years before renal replacement therapy. The optimum target haemoglobin, and timing of intervention, remain areas of intense speculation and research effort.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2001
PMID:Anaemia, renal insufficiency and cardiovascular outcome. 1136 34

Renal anaemia is an independent risk factor for the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), heart failure and mortality. Studies show that partial correction of anaemia leads to partial regression of LVH. However, early initiation of anaemia therapy may be the optimal way to reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality. The Cardiovascular risk Reduction by Early Anemia Treatment with Epoetin Beta (CREATE) trial will investigate the effect of early anaemia correction on cardiovascular risk reduction in patients not yet on renal replacement therapy. The primary objectives of this open, randomized, multicentre trial are to investigate the effect of early anaemia correction on the change in left ventricular mass index after 1 year, and the time to first cardiovascular event. The trial comprises two treatment arms: early intervention where patients will receive epoetin beta when their haemoglobin (Hb) level is 11-12.5 g/dl and their target Hb will be 13-15 g/dl, and late intervention, where patients will receive epoetin beta once their Hb level is <10.5 g/dl and their target Hb will be 10.5-11.5 g/dl. The study will be event-driven with a continuous evaluation and an interim analysis once every year. The inclusion of 600 patients is based on assumption of a 15-20% event rate in the control group and that 200 events are needed to detect a reduction of about one-third. In conclusion, the CREATE trial will examine whether early anaemia treatment will prevent development of LVH, reduce cardiovascular morbidity and provide other benefits.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2001
PMID:The CREATE trial--building the evidence. 1136 44

Chronic inflammation is a common feature of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that is gaining increasing attention as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. It is well established that ESRD per se carries a heightened risk of inflammatory disorders and other co-morbid conditions, but it should also be pointed out that dialysis treatment per se can bring additional risk factors for inflammation, such as impure dialysate or bio-incompatible membranes. Inflammation has recently been associated with atherosclerosis and malnutrition in ESRD, and this link has led to the development of the malnutrition, inflammation, atherosclerosis (MIA) hypothesis. This describes a syndrome whereby raised levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) are a common link between malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis. Also, anaemia appears to be an important element linking elevated cytokine levels with poor patient outcomes. Several mechanisms for cytokine-induced anaemia have been proposed, including intestinal bleeding, impaired iron metabolism and suppression of bone marrow erythropoiesis and erythropoietin production. These effects suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines may also be an important cause of lack of response to recombinant human erythropoietin (rh-Epo) therapy. In the light of this putative role of pro-inflammatory cytokines, anti-cytokine agents may prove useful to optimize efficacy of rh-Epo in anaemic chronic renal failure patients. Other potential therapeutic strategies include minimizing exposure to causes of inflammation from various co-morbid conditions, such as persistent infections and chronic heart failure.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2001
PMID:The role of inflammation in the anaemia of end-stage renal disease. 1159 Feb 55

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death among patients with end-stage renal disease, accounting for almost half of all fatalities. In recent years much progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in the uraemic population. Anaemia is a consistent finding in chronic renal disease, affecting up to 90% of patients, and the central role of anaemia in the development of cardiovascular dysfunction is now well established. A significant proportion of patients have established cardiovascular complications on initiation of dialysis, raising the possibility of early correction of anaemia as a strategy for preventing cardiovascular co-morbidities among renal patients. Randomized, controlled trials have shown that normalization of haemoglobin (Hb) with recombinant erythropoietin (rh-Epo) is of no cardiovascular benefit in haemodialysis patients with symptomatic heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, or severe left ventricular dilatation, although suggestive evidence exists for benefits at earlier stages of cardiac disease. Results from large-scale clinical trials are required to clarify the effects of early anaemia correction on mortality and cardiovascular function, as well as appropriate treatment targets in different patient populations. The potential exists for higher Hb levels to extend patient survival through cardioprotective effects.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2001
PMID:Anaemia in chronic renal disease: lessons learned since Seville 1994. 1159 Feb 56

Patients with renal failure are at great cardiovascular risk, with attributable death rates 10-20 times those of an age-matched population. Most patients develop cardiomyopathy, with a continuum of left ventricular dilation (LV), hypertrophy and systolic dysfunction. Untreated, these conditions predispose to cardiac failure, a dominant and highly lethal cardiovascular syndrome in this population. Several prospective observational studies have demonstrated anaemia to be an independent risk factor for each step in the process: haemodynamic overload, maladaptive LV enlargement, LV burn-out and death. Recent evidence suggests that physiological haemoglobin targets (e.g. >12 g/dl) may be optimal for maintaining cardiac health and quality of life, especially in patients without pre-existing clinical cardiac disease. Ongoing studies should determine whether a physiologically targeted approach to anaemia management reduces the burden of cardiomyopathy in renal failure.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2002
PMID:Anaemia management and cardiomyopathy in renal failure. 1181 10

Potential fistula-related problems which may impact on patient survival include high fistula flow with hyperkinetic circulation and cardiac failure, low fistula flow with the risks of underdialysis and fistula thrombosis, vascular access infection with local or systemic manifestations, and possibly induction and maintenance of a microinflammatory state (at least for synthetic grafts). All these complications are much more common with prosthetic grafts than with native arteriovenous (AV) fistulas. Fistula flow should be monitored (e.g., by duplex sonography) to guarantee adequate flow and permit preemptive intervention to avoid fistula thrombosis.
Semin Dial
PMID:Do AV fistulas contribute to cardiac mortality in hemodialysis patients? 1187 83

The majority of patients starting dialysis already have signs of advanced atherosclerosis, and the risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seen in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) develop with the disease progression. Therefore, the predialysis period is the ideal time to start therapeutic interventions. Traditional risk factors alone may not adequately predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcome in patients with ESRD. Inflammation has been identified as playing a key role in atherosclerotic CVD. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are pivotal to the inflammation that is associated with malnutrition and atherosclerosis in ESRD. Malnutrition may worsen patient outcome by aggravating existing inflammation and heart failure, accelerating atherosclerosis and increasing susceptibility to infection. Atherosclerosis is itself a major risk factor for CVD mortality. Moreover, inflammation is associated with congestive heart failure. Strong associations between malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis in this patient population suggest the presence of a syndrome we have called malnutrition, inflammation, and atherosclerosis (MIA), which is associated with an exceptionally high mortality rate.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2002
PMID:The malnutrition, inflammation, and atherosclerosis (MIA) syndrome -- the heart of the matter. 1238 54


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