The number of patients on hemodialysis (HD) is rapidly increasing in China. As an Asian country with a large number of HD patients, understanding the status of Chinese HD patients has a special significance. We reported here the baseline data for China Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study Phase 5 (DOPPS5). The DOPPS is an international prospective, observational cohort study. Patients were restricted to the initial sample of patients who participated in China DOPPS5. We summarized the baseline demographic and clinical data of patients. Results were weighted by facility sampling fraction. 1186 patients were initial patients in China DOPPS5. The mean age was 58.7 ± 3.5 years, with 54.6% males. The median dialysis vintage was 3.4 (1.5, 6.3) years. The main assigned primary end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) causes was chronic glomerulonephritis (45.9%), followed by diabetes (19.9%). 17.6% patients had hepatitis B infection, and 10.0% patients had hepatitis C infection. 25.9% patients had a single-pooled Kt/V < 1.2. 86.6% patients had albumin > 3.5 g/dl. 18.8% patients had hemoglobin < 9 g/dl. 66.5% patients had serum calcium in target range (8.4–10.2 mg/dl), 41.5% patients had serum phosphate in target range (3.5–5.5 mg/dl) and 51.2% patients maintained PTH in 150–600 pg/dl. 88.2% patients used fistula as their vascular access. Meanwhile, there were differences in the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment characteristics among the three cities participated in China DOPPS. We observed a relatively higher albumin level and a higher rate of fistula usage in our patients. But it remains a major challenge to us on the management of CKD-MBD and anemia. This study did not include patients in small cities and remote areas, where the situation of HD patients might be worse than reported.

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of vascular calcification (VC) in different types of arteries in patients with maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and its influencing factors. Methods: This study enrolled PD patients with stable status who has received PD treatment for more than 6 months in Peking University People’s Hospital. We used plain X-ray films of abdomen, pelvis, and hands to quantitatively evaluate VC of large artery (abdominal aorta, iliac artery), medium artery (femoral artery, radial artery), and small artery (finger arteries). Two radiologists read and scored radiographs blindly. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), baseline and time-average laboratory indices including parameters of calcium phosphorus metabolism, serum albumin, PD adequacy were collected. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the influencing factors of different sites of VC. Results: (1) 154 PD patients were enrolled in this study: seventy-eight males, mean age was 60.4 ± 13.9 years, and median PD duration was 24 (16.39) months. The major primary disease was diabetic nephropathy (39%). (2) Among the 154 PD patients, the proportion of calcification of large artery was the highest (found in 100 patients, accounting for 64.9%); then the medium artery (66, 42.9%); and 15 of small artery, accounting for 9.7%. (3) Logistic regression showed that older age, longer dialysis duration, lower baseline serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), and higher CCI scores were independent risk factors of large artery calcification (p < 0.05), and higher CCI scores, higher baseline serum triglycerides (TG), lower baseline serum iPTH, and time-average iPTH were independent risk factors of medium and small arteries. Conclusions: In PD patients, the occurrence of large artery calcification was higher than others. Among different sites of VC, the abdominal aortic calcification was most likely to occur, and the proportion of small artery calcification was low. Calcification of medium and small arteries can exist alone without calcification of large artery. Large artery calcification was more likely to occur in patients with older age, longer dialysis duration, lower baseline serum iPTH levels and higher CCI scores. Patients with higher CCI scores, higher baseline TG and lower baseline iPTH, and time-average iPTH were more likely to develop small and medium artery calcification.

BackgroundAbdominal aortic calcification (AAC) has a pretty high incidence in dialysis patients and may be associated with their prognosis. AAC can be assessed by abdominal CT or X-ray. We determined to investigate whether the occurrence of AAC is associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular (CV) events in dialysis patients through this meta-analysis and systematic review.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, Medline databases to collect cohort studies investigating whether AAC is associated with all-cause mortality and CV events of patients, and we also searched gray articles and conferences abstracts. Meta-analysis was performed by STATA software. Pooled results were expressed as hazard ratio (HR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Fixed-effect models were used to pool the HR of each trial.Results10 studies (2,724 dialysis patients) were identified. The presence of AAC was associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality among dialysis patients (HR, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.03–3.98; I2 = 9.8%; P = 0.354). Meanwhile, there was an association between AAC and increased risk for all CV events (fatal and non-fatal) in patients (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.51–2.76, I2 = 44.6%; P = 0.125). 3 studies presented their endpoint as CV mortality, and the pooled HR was 2.46 (95%CI 1.38–4.40; I2 = 0.0%; P = 0.952).There were also 2 studies that reported their primary endpoint as all-cause mortality and CV events, and the pooled HR was 5.72 (95% CI 3.24–10.10; I2 = 0.0%; P = 0.453).ConclusionsAmong patients treated with dialysis, AAC is associated with adverse outcomes, including all-cause mortality and CV events (fatal and non-fatal). The abdominal X-ray or CT scan can be used as a useful added method to evaluate the patient’s calcification. This may provide reasonable data for estimating the risk of adverse events in dialysis patients, which is helpful in guiding clinical treatment and improving the prognosis of dialysis patients.

BackgroundIn recent years, there has been a growing concern that abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) has a predictive effect on the prognosis of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, whether other vascular calcification (VC) can predict the occurrence of adverse events in patients, and whether it is necessary to assess the calcification of other blood vessels remains controversial. This study aimed to assess VC in different sites using X-ray films, and to investigate the predictive effects of VC at different sites on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.MethodsThe data of Radiographs (lateral abdominal plain film, frontal pelvic radiograph and both hands radiograph) were collected to evaluate the calcification of abdominal aorta, iliac artery, femoral artery, radial artery, and finger arteries. Patients’ demographic data, clinical characteristics, laboratory data were recorded. The total follow-up period was 8 years, and the time and cause of death were recorded. Survival curves were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. COX regression analysis was used to examine independent predictors of all-cause mortality and CV mortality.ResultsOne hundred fifty PD patients were included, a total of 79 patients (52.7%) died at the end of follow-up. After adjusting variables in the multivariate COX regression analysis, AAC was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in PD patients (HR = 2.089, 95% CI: 1.089–4.042, P = 0.029), and was also an independent predictor of CV mortality (HR = 4.660, 95% CI: 1.852–11.725, P = 0.001). We also found that femoral artery calcification had a predictive effect on all-cause and CV mortality. But the calcification in iliac artery, radial artery, and finger arteries were not independent predictors of patients’ all-cause and CV mortality in PD patients.ConclusionAAC was more common in PD patients and was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality and CV mortality. The femoral artery calcification also can predict the mortality, but the calcification of iliac artery, radial artery, and finger arteries cannot predict the mortality of PD patients.

Peritonitis is the most common complication in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis caused by Brucella species has been reported in only 7 patients before. Here, we report a further case of Brucella peritonitis. This patient was successfully treated with both intraperitoneal and prolonged oral antibiotics, without removal of the PD catheter. We review relevant literature and make recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Brucella PD-related peritonitis from the cumulative published clinical experience.