The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of COVID-19 disease in the French national population of dialysis patients, their course of illness and to identify the risk factors associated with mortality. Our study included all patients on dialysis recorded in the French REIN Registry in April 2020. Clinical characteristics at last follow-up and the evolution of COVID-19 illness severity over time were recorded for diagnosed cases (either suspicious clinical symptoms, characteristic signs on the chest scan or a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 1,621 infected patients were reported on the REIN registry from March 16th, 2020 to May 4th, 2020. Of these, 344 died. The prevalence of COVID-19 patients varied from less than 1% to 10% between regions. The probability of being a case was higher in males, patients with diabetes, those in need of assistance for transfer or treated at a self-care unit. Dialysis at home was associated with a lower probability of being infected as was being a smoker, a former smoker, having an active malignancy, or peripheral vascular disease. Mortality in diagnosed cases (21%) was associated with the same causes as in the general population. Higher age, hypoalbuminemia and the presence of an ischemic heart disease were statistically independently associated with a higher risk of death. Being treated at a selfcare unit was associated with a lower risk. Thus, our study showed a relatively low frequency of COVID-19 among dialysis patients contrary to what might have been assumed.

A sorbent system (Redys D 11 cartridge) capable of on-line regeneration of ultrafiltrate during hemofiltration (Amicon 0.5 m2) has been developed and applied on a 3 x 4 hr/week schedule to three patients with end-stage renal failure previously treated for up to six months with hemodialysis. Total experience, to date, is sixteen patient months (three to seven months). Tolerance to fluid removal improved with the new system. Patient well-being and rehabilitation have been maintained. The system offers the potential of hemofiltration without sterile replacement fluid or expensive fluid-balancing machines.hemofiltration, sorbent regeneration, ultrafiltrate, bicarbonate, acidosis

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99mTechnetium-201Thallium subtraction scanning was performed in 24 patients with primary (N = 5) and secondary (N = 19) hyperparathyroidism. The preoperative scintigraphy (N = 12) detected 21 of 23 enlarged glands surgically removed and was helpful for detecting abnormal location especially in the mediastinum. Postoperative scanning in patients with recurrent hyperparathyroidism confirmed the excessive growth of the remaining half parathyroid after subtotal parathyroidectomy or a missing fifth parathyroid after total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation. False negative results were due to tumor hyperplasia. The technique is recommended prior to repeated exploration in patients presenting persistent disease to predict the location of adenomas generally unsuccessfully detected by ultrasonography and computed tomography.

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