The availability of hemodialysis machines equipped with online clearance monitoring (OCM) allows frequent assessment of dialysis efficiency and adequacy without the need for blood samples. Accurate estimation of the urea distribution volume (V) is required for Kt/V calculated from OCM to be consistent with conventional blood sample-based methods. A total of 35 patients were studied. Ionic dialysance was measured by conductivity monitoring. The second-generation Daugirdas formula was used to calculate the Kt/V single-pool (Kt/VD). Values of V to allow comparison between OCM and blood-based Kt/V were determined using Watson formula (VWa), bioimpedance spectroscopy (Vimp), and blood-based kinetic data (Vukm). Comparison of Kt/Vw ocm calculated by the ionic dialysance and Vw (Kt/Vw ocm) with Kt/VD shows that using VW leads to significant systematic underestimation of dialysis dose by 24%. Better agreement between Kt/V ocm and Kt/VD was observed when using Vimp and Vukm. Bio-impedancemetry and the indirect method using the second-generation Daugirdas equation are two methods of clinical interest for estimating V to ensure greater agreement between OCM and blood-based Kt/V.

Epidemiological studies on renal biopsies are necessary to establish the pattern and trends of renal diseases in a particular geographic area. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records, histopathology findings and complications of renal biopsy in a region of Morocco. We studied a total of 130 native kidney biopsies taken between January 2008 and January 2012. All biopsies were examined by light microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy. There were 86 males (66.2%) and 44 females (33.8%), with a mean patient age of 44.82 ± 17.86 (range 8-86) years. The most common indications of renal biopsy was nephritic syndrome (61.5%), followed by renal failure of unknown etiology (30.8%) and asymptomatic urinary abnormalities (5.4%). Primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) was found in 60 (46.2%) of the patients. Among the PGN cases, the most common one was membranous nephropathy (MN) (12.3%). Secondary glomerular disease (SGN) accounted for 48 (36.9%) of the cases. The most common SGN was lupus nephritis (LN) (10%). Tubulointerstitial disease [13 (10%)] and vascular disease [9 (6.9%)] were less common. The most common complications of the procedure were pain at the biopsy site in 12.3%, gross hematuria in 12.3%, perirenal hematoma in 7.7% and hematuria requiring nephrectomy in 0.8% of the patients. The most common indication for renal biopsy was nephrotic syndrome, MN was the most frequent PGN and LN was the most frequent SGN in our report.

Diffusive clearance depends on blood (Qb) and dialysate flow (Qd) rates and the overall mass transfer area coefficient (KoA) of the dialyzer. In this article we describe a model to predict an appropriated AutoFlow (AF) factor (AF factor = Ratio Qd/Qb), that is able to provide adequate Kt/V for hemodialysis patients (HDP), while consuming lower amounts of dialysate, water and energy during the treatment. We studied in vivo the effects of three various Qd on the delivered dose of dialysis in 33 stable HDP. Hemodialysis was performed at Qd of 700 mL/mn, 500 mL/mn, and with AF, whereas specific dialysis prescriptions (treatment time, blood flow rate [Qb], and type and size of dialyzer) were kept constant. The results showed that increasing the dialysate flow rate more than the model of AF predicted had a small effect on the delivered dose of dialysis. The Kt/V (mean ± SD) was 1.52 ± 0.16 at Qd 700, 1.50 ± 0.16 at Qd 500, and 1.49 ± 0.15 with AF. The use of the AF function leads to a significant saving of dialysate fluid. The model predicts the appropriate AF factor that automatically adjusts the dialysate flow rate according to the effective blood flow rate of the patient to achieve an appreciable increase in dialysis dose at the lowest additional cost.

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding due to angiodysplastic lesions is a common problem among patients receiving hemodialysis (HD). We studied 22 HD patients (5 females and 17 males) who had GI bleeding due to angiodysplasia; the mean age of whom was 54 ± 10 years. All patients had upper and lower GI endoscopy. The most common site for the lesion was the right colon in seven cases (31.8%), followed by stomach in 4 cases (18.1%). In eight (36.3%) patients, there were multiple lesions located in the stomach, duodenum, and the right colon. All patients were treated with coagulation; with argon plasma in 14 (63.6%) patients, bipolar coagulation in five (22.7%) patients, and hot clip in three (13.6%) patients. One patient who presented with persistent bleeding despite endoscopic therapy was well-benefited of a complementary treatment, thalidomide. Hemostasis was obtained in all patients after an average of 6.8 sessions of endoscopic coagulation procedure. We conclude that angiodysplasia is a frequent cause of hemorrhage in chronic renal failure that can be managed in most patients by argon plasma and bipolar coagulation.

The Kt/V index is different depending on the method used for its evaluation. The three methods can be used for quantification of hemodialysis with a better agreement between Kt/VDau and Kt/VBCM. In this study, Kt/VOCM results underestimate hemodialysis efficiency. This difference has to 
be considered when applying quantification of hemodialysis to clinical practice.