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Background: The aim of this study is to perform a cost‐utility analysis of separated continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) compared with intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: Cost and clinical data were gathered from adult patients with AKI who received separated CRRT or IHD at a tertiary hospital in Thailand. We applied a Markov model in this study. Our primary outcome was the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER). We performed sensitivity analysis to assess the influence of parameter uncertainty. Results: We enrolled 199 critically ill patients with AKI. Of these patients, 129 underwent separated CRRT, and the rest underwent IHD. The mortality rate and dialysis dependence status were not significantly different between the groups. The total costs of separated CRRT were lower than IHD ($73 042.20 vs. $89 244.37). We estimated that separated CRRT increased quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) by 0.21 compared with IHD. The ICER of −74 035.16 USD/QALY gained in the case‐based analysis indicated that separated CRRT is superior to IHD due to the lower cost and more cumulative QALYs. After performing sensitivity analysis by varying parameter ranges, separated CRRT remained a cost‐saving approach. Conclusions: Separated CRRT is a cost‐saving modality compared with IHD in critically ill patients with AKI. This approach can be applied in resource‐limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to report the 12‐month results of drug‐eluting stent (DES) for the treatment of significant restenosis of the hemodialysis access. Materials and methods: A total of 14 patients (seven men and seven women; median age 70 years; range of 50–83 years) with significant restenosis of hemodialysis accesses were enrolled from January 2017 to December 2018. A total of 10 arteriovenous graft (AVG) and four arteriovenous fistulae were treated with DES. Study outcomes included primary patency of the target lesion and circuit. Results: Venous anastomosis of the AVG was the most common target lesion for DES insertion (nine hemodialysis accesses). The range of follow‐up time was 12–36 months. Primary patency rates of target lesion before DES (patency for last conventional balloon angioplasty [CBA]) versus target lesion after DES at 6 and 12 months were 29% versus 100% and 7% versus 86% (p < 0.001). Primary patency rates of pre‐DES circuit (patency for last CBA) versus post‐DES circuit at 6 and 12 months were 29% versus 64% and 7% versus 29%, respectively (p = 0.058). Conclusion: DES might improve the patency rate of target lesion in patients with significant restenosis of the hemodialysis access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albumin dialysis is widely accepted as a liver-support technique for patients with liver failure. The Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System, the widely accepted albumin dialysis technique, has limited use in developing countries because of its technical difficulties and high cost. Therefore, we assessed the efficacy of the more practical modality, the single-pass albumin dialysis (SPAD), in terms of bilirubin reduction, as a marker of albumin-bound toxins removal, as well as the patient outcomes. Twelve acute or acute-on-chronic patients with liver failure who had hyperbilirubinemia (total bilirubin > 20 mg/dL) were treated with SPAD by using 2% human serum albumin dialysate for 6 h. SPAD treatment significantly improved the levels of total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, urea, and creatinine ( P < 0.001 for all parameters). The reduction ratios of these four parameters were 22.9 ± 3.8%, 20.9 ± 5%, 19.0 ± 4.1%, and 27.7 ± 3.2%, respectively. No significant difference was observed between serum ammonia before and after treatment. No significant changes in mean arterial pressures were noted during the maneuver, representing cardiovascular tolerability. No treatment-related complications were found. The 15-day in-hospital survival was 16.7%. However, a subgroup of the patients who had moderate severity showed 100% 15-day-survival rate (2 of 2 patients). In conclusion, SPAD is salutarily effective in reducing bilirubin in patients with liver failure. The procedure is safe and simply set up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]