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Background Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis experience a rapid decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength. Hemodialysis removes amino acids (AAs) from the circulation, thereby lowering plasma AA concentrations and stimulating proteolysis. Objectives In the present study, we evaluate the impact of intradialytic protein ingestion at rest and following exercise on AA removal and plasma AA availability in patients with ESRD. Methods Ten patients (age: 65 +/- 16 y, male/female: 8/2, BMI: 24.2 +/- 4.8 kg/m(2), serum albumin: 3.4 +/- 0.3 g/dL) with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis participated in this randomized controlled crossover trial. During 4 hemodialysis sessions, patients were assigned to ingest 40 g protein or a placebo 60 min after initiation, both at rest (PRO and PLA, respectively) and following exercise (PRO + EX and PLA + EX, respectively). Spent dialysate and blood samples were collected every 30 min throughout hemodialysis to assess AA removal and plasma AA availability. Results Plasma AA concentrations declined by 26.1 +/- 4.5% within 30 min after hemodialysis initiation during all interventions (P < 0.001, eta(2)(p) > 0.79). Protein ingestion, but not intradialytic exercise, increased AA removal throughout hemodialysis (9.8 +/- 2.0, 10.2 +/- 1.6, 16.7 +/- 2.2, and 17.3 +/- 2.3 g during PLA, PLA + EX, PRO, and PRO + EX interventions, respectively; protein effect P < 0.001, eta(2)(p) = 0.97; exercise effect P = 0.32, eta(2)(p) = 0.11). Protein ingestion increased plasma AA concentrations until the end of hemodialysis, whereas placebo ingestion resulted in decreased plasma AA concentrations (time effect P < 0.001, eta(2)(p) > 0.84). Plasma AA availability (incremental AUC) was greater during PRO and PRO + EX interventions (49 +/- 87 and 70 +/- 34 mmol/L/240 min, respectively) compared with PLA and PLA + EX interventions (-227 +/- 54 and -208 +/- 68 mmol/L/240 min, respectively; protein effect P < 0.001, eta(2)(p) = 0.98; exercise effect P = 0.21, eta(2)(p) = 0.16). Conclusions Protein ingestion during hemodialysis compensates for AA removal and increases plasma AA availability both at rest and during recovery from intradialytic exercise. Intradialytic exercise does not compromise AA removal or reduce plasma AA availability during hemodialysis in a postabsorptive or postprandial state.

Background: Among chronic dialysis patients, associations have been found between inflammatory markers and depressive symptoms. In this population, no studies have examined the mechanism linking the association between inflammatory markers and depressive symptoms. We examined whether the association between inflammatory markers and depressive symptoms is mediated by tryptophan (TRP) degradation along the kynurenine (KYN) pathway.Methods: The data are part of an observational, prospective cohort study in five urban dialysis centres in The Netherlands. Depressive symptoms were determined with the Beck Depression Inventory. Peripheral blood was collected before dialysis to measure inflammatory markers [high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)], TRP, KYN and 3-hydroxykynurenine. The KYN/TRP ratio was used as a measure of TRP degradation. The association between inflammatory markers and depressive symptoms was determined using linear regression analysis and adjusted for the KYN/TRP ratio.Results: In total, 490 chronic dialysis patients were included. HsCRP [beta= 3.8; confidence interval (CI): 1.0-6.6], IL-6 (beta= 9.1; CI: 4.0-14.1) and TNF-alpha (beta= 1.3; CI: 0.9-1.7) were associated with the KYN/TRP ratio. We found significant associations between HsCRP (beta= 0.8; CI: 0.3-1.3) and IL-6 (beta= 1.2; CI: 0.3-2.2) levels and depressive symptoms. However, this association was not attenuated after adjustment for the KYN/TRP ratio. Also, no significant associations were found between the KYN/TRP ratio and depressive symptoms.Conclusion: The association between inflammatory markers and depressive symptoms in chronic dialysis patients was not mediated by TRP degradation along the KYN pathway.

Background More than 6200 End Stage Renal Disease patients in the Netherlands are dependent on dialysis, either performed at home or in a dialysis centre. Visiting a dialysis centre three times a week is considered a large burden by many patients. However, recent data regarding the effects of dialysis at home on quality of life, clinical outcomes, and costs compared with in-centre haemodialysis are lacking. Methods The Dutch nOcturnal and hoME dialysis Study To Improve Clinical Outcomes (DOMESTICO) is a nationwide, prospective, observational cohort study that will include adult patients starting with a form of dialysis. Health-related quality of life, as the primary outcome, clinical outcomes and costs, as secondary outcomes, will be measured every 3–6 months in patients on home dialysis, and compared with a control group consisting of in-centre haemodialysis patients. During a 3-year period 800 home dialysis patients (600 peritoneal dialysis and 200 home haemodialysis patients) and a comparison group of 800 in-centre haemodialysis patients will be included from 53 Dutch dialysis centres (covering 96% of Dutch centres) and 1 Belgian dialysis centre (covering 4% of Flemish centres). Discussion DOMESTICO will prospectively investigate the effect of home dialysis therapies on health-related quality of life, clinical outcomes and costs, in comparison with in-centre haemodialysis. The findings of this study are expected to ameliorate the shared decision-making process and give more guidance to healthcare professionals, in particular to assess which type of patients may benefit most from home dialysis. Trial registration The DOMESTICO study is registered with the National Trial Register on (number: NL6519, date of registration: 22 August 2017) and the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO) (number: NL63277.029.17).

Aim. This study explores the association between kidney function, side effects of immunosuppressive treatment, coping self-efficacy, and physical and mental HRQoL at 3 months (baseline) after kidney transplantation (KT) and their impact on patient and graft survival for up to 10 years (follow-up).Methods. A group of 151 patients provided at baseline their socioeconomic and medical (CKD-EPI) data and completed the End-Stage Renal Disease Symptom Checklist (perceived side effects), the coping self-efficacy scale, and the SF-36. At follow-up, patients' health status was noted. Univariate GLM exploring the main effects of the independent variables on physical and mental HRQoL was performed; furthermore, Cox regression analyses were performed to determine whether the early posttransplantation factors predicted patient and graft survival.Results. Less severe side effects of immunosuppressive treatment and higher efficacy in stopping unpleasant emotions were associated with both higher physical and mental HRQoL at baseline. Younger age was associated with higher physical HRQoL and older age, and lower efficacy in getting support from family and friend were associated with higher mental HRQoL Patients reporting higher physical and mental HRQoL at 3 months and with higher age and better kidney function had higher odds of surviving with a functioning graft.Conclusion. Older age, higher kidney function, and higher physical and mental HRQoL at baseline significantly improved the odds of graft and patient survival over 10 years. These results show the importance of close monitoring of early posttransplantation HRQoL along with kidney function and reported side effects because of their effect on long-term patient outcomes.

Background. This study describes changes in social participation in the first year after kidney transplantation and examines the influence of clinical factors, health status, transplantation-related symptoms, and psychological characteristics on change in social participation.Methods. A prospective study was performed on a cohort of primary kidney transplant recipients, transplanted between March 2002 and March 2003. Data on participation in obligatory activities (i.e., employment, education, household tasks) and leisure activities (i.e., volunteer work, assisting others, sports, clubs/associations, recreation, socializing, going out) were collected by in-home interviews (n = 6 1) at 3 months (T1) and 1 year posttransplantation (T2). Analysis of covariance was performed.Results. Data showed an increase in participation in obligatory activities and diversity of leisure participation between T1 and T2, although pre- end-stage renal disease level was not regained and differed from the general population. On T1, the majority of employed recipients were on sick leave, but returned to work on T2. Employment rate remained stable. An increase in obligatory participation was predicted by clinical factors (i.e., peritoneal dialysis, initial hospitalization), whereas change in leisure participation was related to serum albumin and cognitive capacity. No effects were found for type of donation, comorbidity, and renal function.Conclusions. We found that mainly clinical factors were associated with an increase in participation in society. Although health-status related factors and the psychological attribute self-efficacy may be related to recovery of social participation, their effect was outweighed by the strength of clinical predictors in multivariate analysis.