ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of Quality Control Circles (QCC) in reducing the emergency application times of maintenance hemodialysis. MethodsIn December, 2012, the quality circle was formed by eight nurses and a physician, through brainstorming. The group finally selected "Reducing emergency maintenance dialysis times" as the theme. With the help of questionnaire, interview, and comparative study, we analyzed the emergency situation of maintenance hemodialysis patients, and regulate and implement related policies. ResultsBy QCC practices, the times of hemodialysis declined from 11.7 to 5.3 cases per month, which exceeded our expectations largely. As to the circle members, their problem-solving skills, responsibility, communication skills, self-confidence, motivation and QCC techniques were also improved. ConclusionQCC can not only reduce the times of maintenance dialysis, but also improve the team cohesion, harmony and quality management capabilities.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship among bone density, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and vascular calcification (VC) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. MethodsOne hundred MHD patients were collected from our department between May 2010 and December 2012. The VC was detected by plain radiographs. Bone mineral density was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptionmeter. The level of serum OPG was measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. Other clinically related indicators were also detected. The related parameters were examined statistically. ResultsThe incidence of VC in MHD patients was 74% (74/100), and the OPG level significantly increased with the degree of vascular calcification (P<0.05). The proportion of patients with normal bone volume was 40%, and with abnormal bone volume was 60%. Compared with patients with normal bone volume, the patients with abnormal bone volume had higher serum OPG level (P<0.05). The patients with no VC had a lower incidence of abnormal bone volume than patients with VC (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that vascular calcification score, OPG level and age were independent factors for bone mineral density. Dialysis time, OPG level, serum albumin level and bone mineral density were independent factors for vascular calcification score. ConclusionThe MHD patients with vascular calcification are often associated with osteoporosis at the same time. OPG plays an important role in the relationship between vascular calcification and osteoporosis.
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of levocarnitine by intravenous injection on nutritional and microinflammatory state in maintenance hemodialysis patients. MethodsBetween October 2010 and October 2011, 62 maintenance hemodialysis (>6 months) patients in our dialysis center were enrolled in this study, and were randomly divided into treatment group (n=32) and control group (n=30). Patients in the treatment group were injected with levocarnitine (1.0 g once) after every dialysis for 3 months, while patients in the control group only accepted routine hemodialysis therapy. Blood biochemical indicators, serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured and compared at the experiment onset and 3 months later. ResultsAfter treatment with levocarnitine for three months, the average serum levels of albumin (Alb), hemoglobin (Hb), triacylglycerol (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and hs-CRP, and the conditions of dialysis hypotension, muscular spasm, lacking in strength, and anorexia were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between the two groups (P>0.05). For the control group, after treatment, Alb, Hb and condition of anorexia changed significantly (P<0.05), while TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, hs-CRP, conditions of dialysis hypotension, muscular spasm and lacking of strength did not change (P>0.05); for the treatment group, after treatment, all Alb, Hb, TG, HDL-C, hs-CRP, conditions of dialysis hypotension, muscular spasm, lacking of strength and anorexia changed significantly (P<0.05), while TC and LDL-C did not change obviously (P>0.05). ConclusionLevocarnitine can significantly improve the nutritional and microinflammatory state and better the quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients.
ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of blood pressure variability (BPV) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with and without diabetes mellitus and the effects of BPV on cardiac function based on the research of clinical data. MethodsOne hundred MHD patients treated in the Hemodialysis Center of the People’s Hospital of Taixing City between January 2013 and January 2015 were recruited and divided into diabetes group (n=46) and non-diabetes group (n=54). Interdialytic and intradialytic BPV and cardiac function were monitored and compared between the two groups. Standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) were used for the evaluation of BPV. ResultsTriacylglycerol, cholesterol and plasma albumin were significantly different between the diabetes group and non-diabetes group (P<0.05), while hemoglobin, serum calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). Forty-two patients in the diabetes group and 53 in the non-diabetes group took antihypertensive drugs. The varieties of antihypertensive drugs and the proportion of patients who used antihypertensive drugs were not significantly different between the two groups. The ambulatory blood pressure monitoring displayed 40 patients (86.9%) with reverse dipper or non-dipper blood pressure in the diabetes group and 35 (64.8%) in the non-diabetes group, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The interdialytic mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), SBP-SD and SBP-CV in the diabetes group were all significantly higher than those in the non-diabetes group (P<0.05), and the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP), DBP-SD and DBP-CV were also significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). The intradialytic mean SBP, SBP-SD and SBP-CV in the diabetes group were significantly higher than those in the non-diabetes group (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in intradialytic mean DBP, DBP-SD and DBP-CV between the two groups. In patients with reverse dipper or non-dipper blood pressure, the interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and ejection fraction were significantly different between the diabetes group and the non-diabetes group. However, in patients with dipper blood pressure, the cardiac function parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion MHD patients with diabetes have higher ratio of reverse dipper or non-dipper blood pressure, more significant blood pressure variability and more severe cardiac function damage.
Objective To study the influence of calcium acetate tablets combined with compound alpha-keto acid on calcium and phosphorus metabolism in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods A total of 112 MHD patients with hyperphosphatemia treated between May 2014 and May 2015 were included in this study. Based on random number table method, they were divided into calcium acetate group (n=37), compound alpha-keto acid group (n=36) and combined drug use group (n=39). All the patients were given a low protein diet. Twelve weeks after treatment, we compared the calcium and phosphorus metabolic indexes, nutrition indicator levels and adverse reactions within and across the three groups. Results Before treatment, there was no significant difference among the three groups in terms of serum calcium, phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus product, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) level (P>0.05). After treatment, the combined drug use group had significantly lower levels of serum phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus product and PTH than the other two groups (P<0.05). Before treatment, the levels of creatinine, serum total protein and albumin were not significantly different among the three groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the serum total protein and albumin level in the combined drug use group were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P<0.01). Three was no significant difference among the three groups in terms of adverse reactions (P>0.05). Conclusions For MHD patients with hyperphosphatemia, the combined use of calcium acetate tablets and compound alpha-keto acid is better than the use of single drugs, which can effectively improve patients’ symptoms and reduce the level of serum phosphorus with high security. It is worthy of clinical recommendation.
Blood pressure variability (BPV) refers to the fluctuations of blood pressure in a certain period of time. In recent years, BPV is becoming a predictive marker for cardiovascular events. Given the hemodynamic and internal environmental change brought by hemodialysis as well as the complex complications, hemodialysis patients always have complex BPV. Nowadays there is no consensus on an optimal standard to evaluate BPV in hemodialysis population. Metrics usually used are as follows: blood pressure change during a certain period of time, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, variation independent of mean, average real variability, weighted mean of daytime and night-time standard deviation, residual derived from generalized linear models, and residual standard deviation. Impact factors of BPV in hemodialysis patients include age, ultrafitration volume, hemodialysis frequency and time length, peripheral vascular disease, serum calcium, antihypertensive drugs and so on. Recent studies showed significant associations between both long-term and short-term BPV with prognosis of hemodialysis patients. This review focuses on the evaluation methods, the influencing factors and the impact on prognosis of BPV.
ObjectiveTo preliminarily explore the effect of Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) and Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) on predicting osteoporosis and osteoporosis fracture in postmenopausal patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).MethodsThirty-six postmenopausal patients undergoing MHD from August 2017 to October 2018 in Hemodialysis Center of Nephrology Department, West China Hospital of Sichuan University were selected. Relevant data such as age, height, and weight were collected. OSTA index and the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures and 10-year probability of hip fractures of FRAX score were calculated. Bone mineral densities (BMD) of the hip and lumbar spine were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the same time. The value of OSTA index and FRAX scale in evaluating the risk of osteoporosis predicated on T value ≤−2.5 determined by DXA BMD and fracture in postmenopausal patients with MHD were analyzed.ResultsThe DXA BMD of the 36 patients showed that 50.0% (18/36) had a T value≤−2.5, and 30.6% (11/36) had a fracture history. BMD in postmenopausal patients with MHD was negatively correlated with FRAX score (model without BMD values), and positively correlated with OSTA index. The sensitivity and specificity of OSTA in the prediction of osteoporosis were 94.4% and 61.1%, respectively; and the sensitivity and specificity of FRAX (the model without BMD values) in the prediction of osteoporosis were 88.9% and 50.0%, respectively. The FRAX score with or without BMD had the same clinical value in predicting osteoporosis.ConclusionsPostmenopausal MHD patients have a higher risk of osteoporosis and fracture. Both OSTA index and FRAX scale can predict osteoporosis risk among postmenopausal MHD patients, and the FRAX scale with or without BMD has the same clinical value in predicting osteoporosis risk. In clinical work, for primary hospitals and dialysis centers lacking DXA, preliminary screening of osteoporosis in MHD patients can be performed with OSTA and FRAX scales.
Along with the illness progresses of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, their functional limitations such as decreased cardiopulmonary endurance, muscle loss, dysfunction of arteriovenous fistula, fatigue, and sleep disorders are increasingly prominent and urgently need to be resolved. Modern physiotherapy as a non-invasive and non-pharmacological therapy which can reduce the functional limitations of MHD patients, improves the patients’ exercise capacity and quality of life. Physical therapy techniques suitable for MHD patients include active and passive exercise therapy such as aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, breathing training, and muscle stretching, as well as physical agents therapy such as neuromuscular electrical stimulation, infrared, and low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field. Choosing appropriate physical agents and exercise prescription can reduce the treatment risk and improve the efficacy.
Most patients with end-stage renal disease choose maintenance hemodialysis to prolong survival. The clinical application of exercise therapy has a definite effect on maintenance hemodialysis patients, and can effectively improve their quality of life and promote rehabilitation. Individualized exercise therapy under the guidance of medical professionals has positive effects on patients’ physical and mental rehabilitation. This paper mainly summarizes the status of exercise, factors affecting exercise, exercise therapy, exercise and rehabilitation of maintenance hemodialysis patients, and reviews the impact of exercise therapy on the physical and mental health of maintenance hemodialysis patients, in order to provide some references for clinical intervention and prognosis studies.
Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis are characterized with lower cardiorespiratory capacity and muscle atrophy, thus easily leading to a sedentary lifestyle. These patients are usually associated with lower quality of life and worse prognosis. Evidence indicates appropriate exercise rehabilitation plan could help maintenance hemodialysis patients achieve better health outcomes. However, there is still a lack of evidence data to precisely recommend exercise type, intensity, frequency and timing specially designed for maintenance hemodialysis patients. This article aims to summarize the existing expert consensus on exercise rehabilitation for maintenance hemodialysis patients, important considerations in the implementation process, factors that affect exercise rehabilitation, with a view to encouraging maintenance hemodialysis patients to participate in the development of appropriate exercise rehabilitation plan and maximize health benefits.