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Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) increases mortality rate in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Numerous clinical, hemodynamic, and metabolic abnormalities have been suggested to be associated with the development of PHT in HD patients. We aimed to investigate the acute effects of two different dialyzer membranes on pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) throughout a HD session in maintenance HD patients. Seventy-four HD patients dialyzed through permanent tunneled jugular central venous catheter were enrolled. A first-use cellulose acetate and high-flux polysulfone dialysis membrane were tested using a crossover design. For each membrane, pre-and post-dialysis pulmonary artery pressures were measured echocardiographically. Elevated pulmonary artery pressure was observed in 68.8% of patients (n = 51), whereas mild PHT was observed in 28.3% of patients (n = 21) and moderate PHT in 40.5% (n = 30). Decrease in pulmonary artery pressure following HD procedure performed using high-flux polysulfone membrane was significantly higher than the decrease observed following HD procedure performed using cellulose acetate membrane (p < 0.05). Significant decrease in pulmonary artery pressures was observed only after HD procedures performed using high-flux polysulfone membrane (p < 0.05). Ultrafiltered volume was only significantly correlated with the decrease in pulmonary artery pressure observed after HD procedure performed through high-flux polysulfone membrane (b = 0.411, p < 0.05). PHT seems to be prevalent among HD patients even in the absence of AV fistula and abnormal cardiac functions. Membrane composition seems to be important, which may overwhelm the improving effects of ultrafiltration.

Introduction End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a serious illness which has severe negative effects on patients' lives and quality of life. Aims To prospectively compare sexual functions between the women with ESRD and healthy women, and also to investigate risk factors that may cause sexual dysfunction in women with ESRD. Methods The study included 249 women, and the women were divided into two groups: 131 women with ESRD and 118 healthy women as a control group. After obtaining demographic characteristics, sexual function was evaluated with a detailed 19-item questionnaire (The Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI]) assessing sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain during sexual intercourse. Main Outcome Measures The FSFI scores were compared between the two groups, and risk factors that might cause sexual dysfunction were also investigated in the women with ESRD. Results The mean FSFI total score was significantly lower in the ESRD group (15.9 ± 10.4) than in the control group (22.2 ± 6.8) (P =0.001). The women with ESRD had also significantly lower mean score of sexual desire (P = 0.006), arousal (P = 0.001), lubrication (P =0.001), orgasm (P =0.001), satisfaction (P =0.001), and pain (P =0.024) than in the control group. To investigate risk factors for sexual dysfunction in the ESRD group, the women having hemodialysis, compared to the women having peritoneal dialysis, had a 5.23 times greater risk of developing sexual dysfunction (P = 0.001). Conclusions This study shows that women with ESRD have higher risk of sexual dysfunction than healthy women. Thus, women with ESRD should be consulted for sexual dysfunction to improve the quality of life.

Background: Onychomycosis has a high prevalance among immunocompromised patients such as diabetics and hemodialysis patients. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of onychomycosis among hemodialysis patients with and without diabetes mellitus, and to find out the factors likely to be associated with the development of onychomycosis among hemodialysis patients.

According to the data obtained from this study, diabetic retinopathy and cardiovascular complications do not affect the serum RBP4 level in Type 2 diabetes. Renal functions rather than the metabolic factors of diabetes determine the RBP4 level and its relation with its ligands.