• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.146-157
• /
• 2023

Restless leg syndrome is a nervous system disorder that causes an overpowering urge to move one's legs. Symptoms of restless leg syndrome usually worsen when one tries to fall asleep and can prevent sufficient sleep. Restless leg syndrome is common in patients with chronic kidney failure and can be caused or worsened by chronic kidney failure and hemodialysis. Various medications can treat restless leg syndrome, though the long-term use of medications can cause augmentation and adverse effects. In addition, the use of dopamine agonists is limited in patients with chronic kidney failure. This is because the dose of administration should be controlled for patients with chronic kidney failure, and the treatment effect has not been clearly proven. This study reports the case of a 56-year-old male diagnosed with chronic kidney failure complaining of uncomfortable leg sensations. The patient underwent Korean medicine treatment using Jakyakgamcho-tang. The IRLS, NRS, and AIS scores were evaluation tools during treatment. This study suggested significantly improved symptoms through the individual interventions of Jakyakgamcho-tang in a restless leg syndrome patient with chronic kidney failure.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.408-424
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to analyze the nutritional status and dietary habits in predialysis patients of chronic renal failure(CRF). The patients group was composed of total 35 persons with chronic renal failure(diabetes exclusion), male 20, female 15 who were treated in the kidney internal department and the control group also composed of 35 persons, male 18, female 17 who were classified as normal by the medical examination. Their dietary habits, nutritional status and nutritional knowledge were investigated from two general hospitals in Inchon, middle of this year 2002. There were 31.4% of low weight patients (BMI below 20), 77.1% of anemia patients (serum hemoglobin below 12g/㎗), 6S.6% of hypertension patients with diastolic blood pressure over 90mmHg, 80% with systolic blood pressure over 140mmHg, 20% of hypercholesterolemia patients (serum cholesterol over 230mg/㎗), and 22.9% of hyperlipemia patients (serum triglyceride over 200mg/㎗). The cardiovascular disease seemed to be caused by the abnormality of lipid metabolism. The possibility of the bone disease was shown from patients of hyperphosphatemia (serum phosphorus over 4.7mg/㎗, 22.9%) and hypocalcemia (serum calcium below 8.4mg/㎗, 25.7%). Intake of insufficient calories which was caused by the lack of appetite affected on the nutritional status. The intake of most nutrients was not significantly different from the RDA for Koreans. Consequently, the patient groups took a lot of salt even after the diagnosis of CRF. But patients ate 6.lg of salt which were more than the recommended amount 2∼4g for patients with CRF. The patient groups, who had the experiences of nutritional counselling, had significantly higher nutritional knowledge related to CRF than control group. Unfortunately, patients could not have enough chances for nutritional counselling by the nutritionist even though they needed the nutritional informations and dietetic treatments. The continuous research is expected with regard to the detail plan for the improvement of nutritional support and the nutritional counselling because it is important to decide the requirements of nutrients for patients with kidney disease, considering the kidney function and status of nutrition.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.11-24
• /
• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of patients on the waiting list for kidney retransplantation. Methods: The data were collected by individual in-depth interviews of nine patients who were dialyzed after primary kidney graft dysfunction and were waiting for deceased donor kidney retransplantation. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed, and were analyzed using a phenomenological method. Results: The findings included 5 theme clusters and 13 sub-themes. The 5 clusters were 'Diagnosed with chronic renal failure and dialysis: Broken daily life and crisis', 'Kidney transplantation: The only way to escape from dialysis', 'Kidney graft failure: Inevitable moving backward to hemodialysis', 'Self-management of re-dialysis patients: Growth through pain', and 'The waiting for kidney retransplantation: To try again in the hope of getting a new life'. Conclusion: This study provides a deep understanding of patients with dialysis who are waiting for deceased donor kidney retransplantation. On the basis of the findings of this study, health professionals can provide customized information and develop effective nursing interventions to improve the self-management of these patients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.389-398
• /
• 2018

p-Cresol, found at high concentrations in the serum of chronic kidney failure patients, is known to cause cell senescence and other complications in different parts of the body. p-Cresol is thought to mediate cytotoxic effects through the induction of autophagy response. However, toxic effects of p-cresol on mesenchymal stem cells have not been elucidated. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether p-cresol induces senescence of mesenchymal stem cells, and whether melatonin can ameliorate abnormal autophagy response caused by p-cresol. We found that p-cresol concentration-dependently reduced proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells. Pretreatment with melatonin prevented pro-senescence effects of p-cresol on mesenchymal stem cells. We found that by inducing phosphorylation of Akt and activating the Akt signaling pathway, melatonin enhanced catalase activity and thereby inhibited the accumulation of reactive oxygen species induced by p-cresol in mesenchymal stem cells, ultimately preventing abnormal activation of autophagy. Furthermore, preincubation with melatonin counteracted other pro-senescence changes caused by p-cresol, such as the increase in total 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase expression and decrease in the level of phosphorylated mechanistic target of rapamycin. Ultimately, we discovered that melatonin restored the expression of senescence marker protein 30, which is normally suppressed because of the induction of the autophagy pathway in chronic kidney failure patients by p-cresol. Our findings suggest that stem cell senescence in patients with chronic kidney failure could be potentially rescued by the administration of melatonin, which grants this hormone a novel therapeutic role.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.392-399
• /
• 2020

Background: Surgical treatment of empyema thoracis in patients with chronic kidney disease is challenging, and few studies in the literature have evaluated this issue. In this study, we aim to report the surgical outcomes of empyema and to analyze factors predicting perioperative mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Methods: This retrospective study included data from 34 patients with chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 ㎡ for 3 or more months) who underwent surgery for empyema between 2012 and 2020. An analysis of demographic characteristics and perioperative variables, including complications, was carried out. Postoperative mortality was the primary outcome measure. Results: Patients' age ranged from 20 to 74 years with a 29-to-5 male-female ratio. The majority (n=19, 55.9%) of patients were in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring maintenance hemodialysis. The mean operative time was 304 minutes and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 562 mL. Postoperative morbidity was observed in 70.5% of patients (n=24). In the subgroup analysis, higher values for operative time, blood loss, intensive care unit stay, and complications were found in ESRD patients. The mortality rate was 38.2% (n=13). In the univariate and multivariate analyses, poor performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group >2) (p=0.03), ESRD (p=0.02), and late referral (>8 weeks) (p<0.001) significantly affected mortality. Conclusion: ESRD, late referral, and poor functional status were poor prognostic factors predicting postoperative mortality. The decision of surgery should be cautiously assessed given the very high risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality in these patients.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.24-34
• /
• 2022

Purpose : This descriptive survey aims to identify the prevalence of factors associated with sarcopenia among hemodialysis patients. Methods : The study subjects were 137 patients with chronic kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis in three artificial kidney centers in B and Y cities. Data were collected from August 1 to September 30, 2020, using the SARC-F (Strength, Assistant walking, Rising from a chair, Climbing stairs, Falls) questionnaire, Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF), Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), and a grip dynamometer. The collected data were analyzed using t-tests, crossover analysis, and logistic regression using the IBM SPSS 23 program. Results : The prevalence of sarcopenia among hemodialysis patients, determined using the SARC-F questionnaire, was 16.1%. The associated factors of sarcopenia among hemodialysis patients were found to be gender (OR=6.44, p =.002), age (OR=1.07, p =.015), nutritional status (OR=10.37, p =.027), and albumin level (OR=0.10, p =.014). These findings are supported by an explanatory power of 46.3% (p =.597). Conclusion : The identified risk factors for sarcopenia in hemodialysis patients were; sex, age, nutritional status, and albumin level. The findings of this study can serve as clinical evidence for the development of an intervention program for preventing and managing sarcopenia in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.49 no.6
• /
• pp.427-434
• /
• 2016

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of off-pump coronary bypass grafting over the on-pump technique in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). To further reduce the risk of acute kidney injury and the need for renal replacement therapy, even in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, we adopted protocol-based perioperative management for patients with CKD. Methods: From December 2012 to March 2015, 265 patients underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. To analyze renal function in a stable condition, we excluded 12 dialysis-dependent end stage renal failure and 10 emergency or urgent cases. Among the remaining 243 patients, 208 patients had normal kidney function (normal group), and 35 patients had CKD (CKD group). Minimizing contrast exposure, ensuring adequate hydration, using strict drug dosage adjustment, and optimizing hemodynamic status were key elements of the protocol for the CKD group. Results: The risk of acute kidney injury was about ${\times}3$ higher in the CKD group than in the normal group (p=0.01). Estimated glomerular filtration rates and serum creatinine levels deteriorated until the third postoperative day in the CKD group. However, by adopting protocol-based perioperative management, this transient renal dysfunction recovered to preoperative levels by the fifth postoperative day without requiring renal replacement therapy in all cases. Conclusion: Off-pump coronary bypass surgery combined with this protocol-based perioperative management strategy in patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD could mostly be performed without renal replacement therapy.

• Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research
• /
• v.95 no.6
• /
• pp.324-332
• /
• 2018

Purpose: We present our experience involving the management of this disease, identifying prognostic factors affecting treatment outcomes. Methods: The patients treated for Fournier gangrene at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included demographics, extent of soft tissue necrosis, predisposing factors, etiological factors, laboratory values, and treatment outcomes. The severity index and score were calculated. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the association between potential predictors and clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 41 patients (male:female = 33:8) were studied. The mean age was 54.4 years (range, 24-79 years). The most common predisposing factor was diabetes mellitus (n = 19, 46.3%). Sixteen patients (39.0%) were current smokers. Seven patients had chronic kidney disease. The most frequent etiology was urogenital lesion (41.5%). The mortality rate was 22.0% (n = 9). Multivariate regression analyses showed that extension of necrosis beyond perineal/inguinal area and pre-existing chronic kidney disease were significant and independent predictors of mortality. Extension of necrosis beyond perineal/inguinal area was a significant predictor of increased duration in the intensive care unit and hospital stay. In addition, pre-existing chronic kidney disease was a significant predictor of flap reconstruction in the wound. Conclusion: Fournier gangrene with extensive soft tissue necrosis and pre-existing chronic kidney disease was associated with poor prognosis and complexity of patient management. Early recognition of dissemination and premorbid renal function is essential to reduce mortality and establish a management plan for this disease.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.149-160
• /
• 2020

Background: Basiliximab is used as an alternative to tacrolimus in patients with decreased renal function. However, studies on basiliximab as a maintenance immunosuppressant, particularly in patients with lung transplantation, are limited. Therefore, here, we investigated the efficacy and safety of basiliximab in patients with lung transplantation. Methods: Adult patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) who received lung transplantation at a single general hospital between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2018, were selected and classified in tacrolimus and basiliximab groups. Both groups received a triple-drug regimen (tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids). However, tacrolimus was discontinued in the basiliximab group when AKI occurred, and two or more repeat basiliximab doses were administered within 3 months after transplantation. The electronic medical records were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of the 85 patients who met the selection criteria, 61 and 24 were assigned to the tacrolimus and basiliximab groups, respectively. Significant improvement in renal function was observed in the basiliximab group (p <0.001). However, there were no differences in acute and chronic rejection rates in both the groups. No difference was observed in the incidence rate of complications between the groups, except for chronic kidney disease, which showed higher incidence in the basiliximab group (25.0% vs. 4.9%; p =0.013). Conclusions: We suggest the use of basiliximab as an immunosuppressant alternative to tacrolimus in patients with acute renal failure after lung transplantation. Basiliximab demonstrated effectiveness as an immunosuppressant and improved renal function. Therefore, basiliximab can be used in patients with decreased renal function.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.435-441
• /
• 2022

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the treatment modality on post-procedural acute kidney injury (AKI) and other clinical outcomes in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease who underwent surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods: A total of 147 patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (stage 3 to 5) who underwent isolated surgical AVR (SAVR group; n=70) or transcatheter AVR (TAVR group; n=77) were retrospectively studied. Postprocedural AKI was defined according to the RIFLE definition (an acronym corresponding to the risk of renal dysfunction, injury to the kidney, failure of kidney function, loss of kidney function, and end-stage kidney disease). Factors associated with postoperative complications and mortality were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Postprocedural AKI occurred in 17 (24.3%) and 6 (7.8%) patients in the SAVR and TAVR groups, respectively (p=0.006). Multivariable analyses demonstrated that the SAVR group had higher risks of AKI (odds ratio [OR], 5.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85-17.73; p=0.002) and atrial fibrillation (OR, 16.65; 95% CI, 4.44-62.50; p<0.001), whereas the TAVR group had a higher risk of permanent pacemaker insertion (OR, 5.67; 95% CI, 1.21-26.55; p=0.028). The Cox proportional hazard models showed that the occurrence of AKI, contrary to the treatment modality, was associated with overall survival. Conclusion: In patients with chronic kidney disease, the risk of postprocedural AKI might be higher after SAVR than after TAVR.