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Polyethyleneimine-layered membrane with grafted heparin (oXiris) may improve filter life during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in addition to its immunoadsorptive capability, compared with that of conventional membrane. In this single center, prospective, open-label pilot study, we randomized critically ill patients with bleeding risk who underwent anticoagulation-free CRRT, to commence with oXiris or M150 filter with sequential crossover. We examined the filter life with each circuit and its effect on systemic coagulation parameters. We randomized 11 and nine patients to commence CRRT with oXiris and M150 respectively, with 19 oXiris and 20 M150 filter-circuits in all. Patient profiles in both arms were comparable for illness severity and comorbidities. Median filter lives for oXiris versus M150 circuits were 13 h versus 18 h (p = 0.10). Among 11 patients with paired crossover filters, filter lives for 14 oXiris-M150 circuit pairs were 13 h versus 16 h (p = 0.27), and corresponding transmembrane pressures increased to 111 mmHg versus 75 mmHg by 12 h (p = 0.02). Patients' coagulation parameters were comparable following both filter-circuits. CRRT with oXiris (vs. M150) was independently associated with shorter filter life, adjusted for prescribed dose, vascular access, and coagulopathy. Use of oXiris did not prolong filter life over conventional membrane with no evidence of systemic heparin exposure; significant membrane clogging is observed by 12 h with oXiris.

To determine if contrast-enhanced CT imaging performed in patients during their episode of AKI contributes to major adverse kidney events (MAKE). A propensity score–matched analysis of 1127 patients with AKI defined by KDIGO criteria was done. Their mean age was 63 ± 16 years with 56% males. A total of 419 cases exposed to CT contrast peri-AKI were matched with 798 non-exposed controls for 14 covariates including comorbidities, acute illnesses, and initial AKI severity; outcomes including MAKE and renal recovery in hospital were compared using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. MAKE was a composite of mortality, renal replacement therapy, and doubling of serum creatinine on discharge over baseline; renal recovery was classified as early versus late based on a 7-day timeline from AKI onset to nadir creatinine or cessation of renal replacement therapy in survivors. Sixty-two patients received cumulatively > 100 mL of CT contrast, 143 patients had > 50–100 mL, and 214 patients had 50 mL or less; MAKE occurred in 34%, 17%, and 21%, respectively, as compared with 20% in non-exposed controls (p = 0.008 for patients with > 100 mL contrast versus none). More contrast-exposed patients experienced late renal recovery (27% versus 20%) and longer hospital days (median 10 versus 8) than non-exposed patients (all p 100 mL was independently associated with MAKE (odds ratio 2.39 versus non-contrast, adjusted for all confounders, p = 0.005); cumulative CT contrast under 100 mL was not associated with MAKE. High cumulative volume of CT contrast administered to patients with AKI is associated with worse short-term renal outcomes and delayed renal recovery. • Cumulative intravenous iodinated contrast for CT imaging of more than 100 mL, during an episode of acute kidney injury, was independently associated with worse renal outcomes and less renal recovery. • These adverse outcomes including renal replacement therapy were not more frequent in similar patients who received cumulatively 100 mL or less of CT contrast, compared with non-exposed patients. • More patients with CT contrast exposure during acute kidney injury experienced delayed renal recovery.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a relatively common complication after liver transplantation (LT), and significantly impacts overall survival. We sought to assess the cumulative incidence, risk factors and mortality associated with post-LT CKD. CKD was defined as eGFR

IgG4-related kidney disease has been relatively newly recognized over the last two decades as a combination of an autoimmune and allergic disorder, with elevated serum IgG4 level and hypocomplementemia among its characteristic features. Here we report the case of a man with interstitial nephritis presenting with acute kidney injury and hypocomplementemia but normal serum IgG4 level and provide a literature review of IgG4-related kidney disease. This case highlights the importance of IgG4-related kidney disease as an important differential diagnosis in any patient presenting with a clinical syndrome mimicking acute interstitial nephritis with hypocomplementemia. A high index of suspicion with a low threshold for performing a native kidney biopsy would be paramount as patients do respond well to corticosteroid therapy.

Background and Aims Current assessment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is limited to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. These are inadequate as DKD often has heterogenous clinical phenotypes. There is need for a marker of intra-renal fibrosis. Native kidney biopsy remains the only reference method in clinical practice for this purpose, but is invasive and impractical for repeated evaluations. Recently, two-dimensional ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) has emerged as a non-invasive technique to assess renal parenchymal stiffness with renal fibrosis. We aim to investigate SWE-derived estimates of tissue stiffness with different DKD stages in an Asian population. Method In this cross-sectional pilot study, 58 patients with DKD were recruited from a single centre ambulatory Nephrology clinic. Laboratory values were taken within 1 week of undergoing SWE, with DKD staging by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines and eGFR calculated using the CKD-EPI equation. 13 patients had histological diagnoses of DKD; 2 (15.3%) Stage G1-2; 5 (38.5%) Stage G3; 5 (38.5%) Stage G4 and 1 (7.7%) Stage G5 subjects, with native kidney biopsies performed within 4 months of study recruitment. 2D SWE was performed with a 2-5 MHz transducer on an Axiplorer© ultrasound system (Supersonic Imagine, Paris) by a single Nephrologist blinded to laboratory results. Using a previously described protocol, 6 SWE measurements were taken from the cortical mid-pole of bilateral kidneys, and renal elasticity estimated as Young’s Modulus (YM) in kilopascals (kPa), (Figure 1). Results Study population were 62.1% male (36/58) and 62.1% ethnic Chinese (36/58), with diabetes duration of 11.7 ± 9.2 years. Median eGFR was 35.0 (40-101) mL/min per 1.73 m2, with 6 (10.3%) DKD Stage G1-2; 34 (58.6%) Stage G3; 13 (22.4%) Stage G4 and 5 (8.6%) Stage G5 patients. There were moderate correlations between YM values in bilateral kidneys. Left kidney maximal YM generally increased in accordance with DKD stage (Stage G1-2: 20.6 kPa, Stage G3A: 13.5 kPa, Stage G3B: 22.4 kPa, Stage G4-5: 30.9 kPa, p Using a cut-off of 13.5 kPa for mean estimated tissue YM, the area under the receiver operator curve was 0.8 to distinguish DKD Stage G1 and G2 from G3A (sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 80.0%). Conclusion SWE-derived estimates of renal stiffness appear to increase with DKD stage. The strong correlation with histological markers of fibrosis indicate that observed differences are due to renal parenchymal stiffness. SWE shows promise as a non-invasive marker of renal fibrosis, although large multi-centre studies are required to validate these findings.