BACKGROUND AND AIMS The actual definition of chronic kidney disease (CKD) applied to patients ˃80 years has generated an increase in the number of referrals to Nephrology for consultation. Nowadays there is a debate about the evolution of kidney function in elderly patients, from physiological evolution of kidney function to identifying which factors are associated with a real progression of CKD. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of kidney function in patients ˃80 years referred to Nephrology for consultation for the first time. METHOD A single-centre retrospective study in which we included patients ˃80 years with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1,73m2 who were referred to Nephrology consultation from 2015 to 2018. We collected clinical and analytical parameters at the following points in time: 12 months before the visit, baseline and 12 months after the initial visit. We divided patients into two groups based on annual eGFR loss: Group 1 progressors (>5 mL/min/1.73m2) and group 2 non-progressors (≤5 mL/min/1.73m2). RESULTS A total of 348 patients were included in the study, 55.2% were women and the mean age was 84 years (80–97). At the time of first medical visit, the mean creatinine value was 1.6 ± 0.6 mg/dL, median eGRF was 38 mL/min/1.73m2 (29–44) and median albumin/creatinine ratio was 55 mg/g (6–419), with 12% of the patients, presenting albuminuria over 1000 mg/g. The most frequent referral criteria were worsening of renal function (85.6%). Comorbidities were very common, and hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes mellitus were present in 89.4%, 42.8% and 42.2% respectively. A total of 51% of the patients met the definition of progressor at baseline (initial-progressors) and 29.4% were progressors after a 12-month follow-up. Interestingly, only 21.6% of initial-progressors kept meeting this definition 12 months after (Figure 1). The main risk factors for progression were a higher baseline eGFR (P < 0.001) and albuminuria (P < 0.002). No association with comorbidities was found in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION The majority of patients ˃80 years evaluated by a Nephrologist were non-progressors at 12 months according to our definition (70.6%). It is more important to estimate the progression of CKD patients and request albuminuria and/or proteinuria than an isolated GFR value. It is likely that non-progressors do not need to be followed by a Nephrologist and may remain under primary care control.

Background and Aims Longer survival in renal transplantation means an increase in the number of patients who return to dialysis after graft loss. There is little literature about the management of immunosupression(IS) in these patients and the complications derived from its maintenance and its withdrawal/reduction. Method We conducted a retrospective study involving a cohort of patients who returned to dialysis after graft failure at Doce de Octubre Hospital from 2015 to 2022. We analyzed baseline characteristics, IS withdrawal scheme, and the complications derived in the 27 months following the restart of dialysis. Results A total of 50 patients were enrolled in the study: 58% male, 86% hypertensive, 30% diabetic and 52% with heart disease. The median age at transplant was 41.5 (33.7-53.2). 70% of donations were in brain death, 18% asystole and 10% alive. The duration of the graft was 8.5 years (5,14), 96% of patients developed anti-HLA antibodies and 40% suffered active rejection. Upon restarting dialysis, all the patients were receiving IS: 84% calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) (tacrolimus, cyclosporine), 58% antimetabolites (mycophenolate, azathioprine), and 10% mTOR inhibitors (everolimus). Haemodialysis was performed in 70% of patients through central venous catheterization in 68.6%. The median time to stop IS was 10 months (6,19). Between the first and the third month, imTOR [0(0.4)] and antimetabolite [1(0.3)] were finalized. Discontinuance of CNI and steroids was at 2 months (1,8) and 8 months (3,15.7) respectively. As complications derived of IS, 64% of patients developed serious infection and 12% were diagnosticated of neoplasms. On the other hand, eighteen patients presented immunological intolerance to the graft, 100% requiring an increase of steroids, 72.2% percutaneous embolization and finally 50% require a transplantectomy. The rate of immunological intolerance, embolization and transplantectomy was higher in patients with withdrawal IS during the first year. Patients on haemodialysis (HD) had higher rate of graft intolerance compared to peritoneal dialysis (PD) (40.5% vs 23%), attributable to early suspension of IS (62% before the first year), but similar rate of infection (61.5%PD, 64.8%HD). At 27 months (14.5,44.2) of follow-up after returning dialysis, 64% of patients remained on dialysis (30% on waiting list for a second kidney transplantation), 28% were retransplanted, and 8% were died. Conclusion Most of transplant recipients returned to haemodialysis through a venous catheter. Withdrawal of immunosuppression was performed on a median of 10 months, faster in mTOR and antimetabolites, and more progressive in CNI and steroids. Stop IS before the first year is more common in haemodialysis group and it is associated with a higher rate of graft intolerance. Finally we want to highlight the significant percentage of embolizations in our hospital, that let us avoid a 12.2% of the transplantectomies.

Background and Aims Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complication that affects more than 5% of all hospital admissions and up to one third of patients admitted to critical care units. This entity, whose incidence is on the rise, remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In addition, AKI has been linked as an independent risk factor for mortality, especially in severe forms, and of those patients who survive, a percentage will develop chronic kidney disease (CKD) during follow-up. We conducted this study to analyse the incidence of CKD at 6 and 12 months follow-up in hospitalized patients with AKI, to identify possible risk factors leading to its development and to determine mortality in this group of patients. Method This is a retrospective study of a cohort of cases with AKI (baseline eGFR >60 mL/min/1.73 m2 without previous structural damage) from our hospital, taking place from June 2020 to February 2021. Regarding the evolution of the AKI, four possibilities were considered: recovery of normal kidney function, development of CKD at 6 months, development of CKD at 12 months or death during follow-up. Results We studied 148 patients (55% male), with a median age of 83 years (74-87). Thirty-six patients (24.3%) developed CKD at 6 months follow-up and 30 patients (20.3%) at 12 months. Forty-one patients (27.7%) died within the first 12 months following de episode of AKI. The risk factors identified for development of CKD at 12 months were older age (85 vs 77; p = 0.03), higher serum lactate dehydrogenase levels at admission (246 U/L vs 201 U/L; p = 0.04) and at 3 months (252 U/L vs 192,5 U/L; p = 0.039), and eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 1 week (74,5 vs 57; p = 0.004) and at 3 months (79 vs 50; p < 0.001) of follow-up. Identified risk factors and predictors of AKI-associated mortality were older age (84 vs 80,5; p = 0.018), concomitant oncological pathology (10,8% vs 7,4%; p = 0,018), higher Charlson index (6 vs 5, p <0.001), higher AKI stage (p = 0.042), lower serum albumin levels at first (3.35 g/dL vs 3.90 g/dL; p = 0.014) and at third month (3,2 g/dL vs 4 g/dL; p < 0.001) of follow-up. Conclusion Our study showed a high incidence of CKD in patients who have had an episode of AKI. Several risk factors for development of CKD were identified, being the older age and the greater length of recovery period from AKI the most useful predictors in the clinical practice. AKI-associated mortality was very high in those older patients with higher comorbidity and persistence of AKI. Despite advances, we need non-classical biomarkers for early diagnosis and more effective therapeutic measures to avoid this high prevalence of CKD and mortality.

Background and Aims Secondary atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (secondary aHUS) is a heterogeneous group of thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) associated with various underlying conditions. Unlike primary aHUS, there is still no hard evidence on the efficacy of complement blockade in treating secondary aHUS since the two main series in the literature that investigate this subject show discrepant results. Our work aims to reassess Eculizumab's efficacy in treating secondary aHUS. Method Observational, retrospective, single-center study, in which we analyzed the hematological and renal evolution of 24 patients diagnosed with secondary aHUS who received treatment with Eculizumab compared with a control cohort of 14 patients who did not receive Eculizumab. Complete renal response was defined as the recovery of renal function before the event, partial renal response as a recovery of 50% of lost glomerular filtration rate, and hematological response as normalization of hemoglobin and platelets. Results We found no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics or disease severity between both groups. After a median of 5 doses of Eculizumab, the group of patients who received complement blockade presented a significant difference in renal response (complete in 47.8% of patients and partial in 17.4%) compared to the control cohort (complete response 14.3% and partial of 14.3%). Rates of hematological remission were similar in both groups (87% in the eculizumab cohort and 85.7% in the control cohort). Conclusion Rational and early use of Eculizumab in patients with secondary aHUS could be an effective and safe therapeutic option, guaranteeing better renal recovery compared to patients who do not receive complement blockade.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Decreased bone mineral density in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) is related to the development of fractures that lead to increased morbimortality. There is limited evidence on fracture risk factors that would allow to identify patients at risk to prompt early treatment. In this context, FRAX® (Fracture Risk Assessment scale, which is freely available online at https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/FRAX/tool.aspx?country=4) scale aids in the risk prediction (as a percentage over a 10-year span) of both major and hip osteoporotic fractures in specific populations, including patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) [1]. However, the evidence of its utility in HD patients is scarce [2]. The aim of our study is to identify patients on HD with increased risk of fractures based on FRAX® scale, blood-test and densitometric parameters. Also, we aim to demonstrate a correlation between a higher risk of fractures as assessed by FRAX® scale and densitometry-established osteoporosis. METHOD This is a single-centre retrospective study including patients undergoing periodic intermittent haemodiafiltration. Data regarding clinical and blood-test parameters were collected. FRAX® scale was used to estimate the risk of hip and major fractures. Patients were divided accordingly into high and low fracture risk, with a threshold set at a 10-year 3% risk of hip fracture and 10% for other major fractures, according to definitions for the general population given by FRIDEX (Fracture RIsk factors and bone DEnsitometry type central dual X-ray) and FROCAT cohorts[3]. The relationship between clinical, blood-test parameters and the degree of osteopaenia and osteoporosis was evaluated. Osteopaenia was defined as a T-score between −1 and −2.5 in femoral neck densitometry. Osteoporosis was established as a T-score lower than −2.5. Qualitative parameters were analysed using Fisher's exact test, whilst Mann–Whitney U test was employed in the analysis of quantitative parameters. RESULTS A total of 54 patients (59.26% male) with a median age of 60 years [interquartile range (IQR), 50–72.25] were recruited. Six low intensity fractures were observed (11.1%), five of them occurred in high-risk-FRAX-scale-classified patients (P 0.095). The observed median FRAX score for our sample was 7.35% (IQR, 4.97–13.25) for major fractures and 1.70% (IQR, 0.78–6.13) for hip fractures. Patients with a higher risk of major fracture, according to FRAX® scale (>7.5%), were older (P < 0.001) and had been on renal replacement therapy (RRT) for a longer period of time (P 0.008). Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of patients with prior kidney transplantation (0.012) and osteoporosis (0.002) was found in this group. No differences were observed in blood-test parameters, KtV and dialysate composition between low and high-risk patients. Densitometry was performed in 26 patients (48.14%). In this subset, osteopaenia was observed in 14 patients (53.84%) and osteoporosis in 11 (42.31%). Patients with osteoporosis had a higher FRAX score for major fracture (21%, IQR 11.50–26.50; P 0.001) and hip fracture (7.80%, IQR 5.75–14.50; P < 0.001). No correlation was found between prior kidney transplantation or exposure to steroids and densitometry-established osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONS Despite not being validated yet in Spain, our results demonstrate that FRAX® scale significantly correlates with the degree of osteoporosis in patients undergoing HD, representing an effective tool for the identification of patients at high risk of suffering fractures, prompting early prevention and management.