Ethical aspects of withdrawing/withholding renal replacement therapies on patients in acute renal failure in an intensive care unit

The majority of patients being treated for acute renal failure in intensive care units have multiple medical problems. Accordingly, the withdrawal of renal replacement therapies should be considered as part of a general decision about whether to initiate or continue with treatment per se. Several guidelines on withdrawing and withholding therapy have been produced and some common themes emerge: concerns to avoid euthanasia, potential for benefit, patient consent (shared decision‐making), team consensus/decision‐making, and the provision of appropriate palliative care and resource implications. Each of these is considered in turn, although the word limit for this paper does not permit detailed exposition.     

白细胞介素-18基因修饰的胎肝细胞经脾移植对小鼠免疫功能的影响

目的：观察表达mIL-18的重组腺病毒基因修饰的胎肝细胞（AdmIL-18/BNL.CL2)经脾移植对正常小鼠免疫功能的影响。方法：实验组小鼠经脾移植AdmIL-18/BNL.CL2，同时设LacZ病毒对照组（Ad-LacZ/BNL.CL2),BNL.CL2细胞对照组及空白对照组。2周后处死，留取血清，制备腹腔巨噬细胞、脾淋巴细胞、肝组织匀浆液，提取肝组织总RNA。采用ELISA法检测各组小鼠血清、腹腔Mφ和脾细胞培养上清、肝匀浆中细胞因子的含量；采用半定量RT－PCR法，检测肝组织细胞因子mRNA相对表达量；以LDH释放法测定腹腔Mφ杀伤活性和脾NK细胞活性，用MTT还原比色法测定脾淋巴细胞的增殖活性。结果：实验组小鼠血清、细胞培养上清及肝匀浆中，IL－18、IL－2、IFN－γ、TNF-α稔均高于其它对照组，而IL－4、IL－10水平则低于对照组；半定量RT－PCR结果与ELISA检测结果一致；同时，实验组腹腔Mφ的杀伤活性和脾NK细胞活性，及脾淋巴细胞增殖活性也明显高于对照组。结论：AdmIL-18能有效转染至胎肝细胞并稳定表达mIL-18;AdmIL-18基因修饰的胎肝细胞经脾移植后，可显著提高肝脏、脾脏免疫细胞活性，活化腹腔Mφ，促进Th1类细胞因子表达，抑制Th2类细胞因子的分泌。     

The effect of increasing the dietary fibre content of diets of patients with chronic renal failure treated by haemodialysis at home

The study described tested the hypothesis that increasing amounts of dietary fibre (DF) in the diet of patients on haemodialysis (HD) may achieve positive clinical benefit without adversely affecting serum potassium and plasma phosphate. The current diet of 20 home HD patients was supplemented with 15g unprocessed wheat bran incorporated into three 'bran muffins' eaten daily for a trial period of 28 days. During this period patients reported an improvement in bowel habit. Serum potassium decreased slightly but not significantly ( P =0.242) but there was a significant rise in plasma phosphate ( P =0.004). These findings suggest that when increasing DF in devising HD dietary regimes, plasma phosphate is possibly the more sensitive biochemical variable following introduction of wheat bran.     

烧伤后红细胞免疫的变化及意义

对近年来烧伤后红细胞免疫的研究作一综述。     

比索洛尔改善充血性心衰心功能及心肌重塑的疗效观察

目的　观察比索洛尔 (bisoprolol)对充血性心衰心功能及心肌重塑的临床疗效 .方法　 2 12例患者随机分为比索洛尔组和常规药物组 ,比索洛尔剂量起始量 0 .6 2 5 mg～1.2 5 0 mg,1次· d- 1 ,逐渐增加至最大剂量为 2 .5 mg～ 5 .0mg,1次· d- 1 .观察心功能、临床疗效、左室舒张末内径(L VEDD)、左室收缩末内径 (L VESD)、射血分数 (EF)、舒张早期 E峰流速 /舒张晚期 A峰流速 (VE/ VA) .结果　比索洛尔组与常规药物组比较 ,比索洛尔治疗 3m o后有效者(87.7% )高于常规药物组 (6 6 .0 % ) ,P <0 .0 5 ;冠心病(87.9% )和扩张型心肌病心衰 (91.9% )疗效明显好于常规药物组 (分别为 6 6 .7% ,6 7.4 % ) ;治疗 6 mo后重度心衰者疗效(90 .0 % )明显好于常规药物组 (6 5 .4 % ,P <0 .0 5 ) .治疗后比索洛尔组 L VESD[(44 .8± 3.9) m m vs(48.8± 4 .6 ) mm],EF[(40 .7± 7.5 ) % vs (35 .7± 5 .2 ) % ]优于常规药物组 (P<0 .0 1) ;L VEDD,VE/ VA也较治疗前有明显改善 .结论　比索洛尔改善充血性心力衰竭临床症状 ,促进心脏收缩、舒张功能恢复 ,部分逆转心肌重塑 .     

完全性左束支传导阻滞伴快速心房纤颤并急性左心衰竭的抢救

目的总结完全性左束支传导阻滞伴快速心房纤颤并急性左心衰竭的治疗经验,以提高抢救成功率.方法对经抢救治疗的完全性左束支传导阻滞伴快速心房纤颤并急性左心衰竭9例(16次)患者进行治疗方面的回顾分析.结果9例(16次)患者14次抢救成功,成功率87.0%,但复发率较高,预后较差,有5例患者在抢救时或出院后1～2年内猝死.结论该组患者经传统"强心、利尿、扩血管",控制心房纤颤、心室率等治疗是远远不够的.应在未发生肺泡性肺水肿及心源性休克之前,尽早尽快地应用血管扩张剂及联合应用小剂量非洋地黄类正性肌力药物,并维持治疗24～72 h.其中以酚妥拉明加多巴胺和(或)多巴酚丁胺效果可能较佳,血管扩张剂硝酸酯类不及α-受体阻滞剂酚妥拉明疗效明显.     

Leptin, lipid and lipid metabolism-related hormones in chronic renal failure in Arabia

SUMMARY: In patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperleptinaemia has been widely reported, but the exact mechanisms leading to elevated leptin levels are unclear. Impaired renal clearance of leptin and the influence of other hormones may be important. In this study, we measured serum leptin levels in 150 patients on haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or in the predialysis phase of CRF. Furthermore, we measured plasma levels of insulin, growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), as well as plasma levels of triacylglycerols and total low density lipoprotein (LDL)- and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. We observed significantly elevated levels of leptin, particularly in female patients, and leptin was shown to correlate significantly with insulin, total and LDL-cholesterol and log triacylglycerols. Leptin was inversely correlated with GH concentrations, but was not correlated with IGF-1 levels. Despite the multiple correlations established between leptin levels and other variables, only hyperinsulinaemia in CRF seems to be important as a determinator of leptin levels.     

Thyroid Hormone in the Treatment of Post-transplant Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN)

Delayed graft function (DGF) in cadaver kidney transplants is a common problem and is often due to acute tubular necrosis (ATN). DGF in transplants may have a deleterious effect on long-term graft survival. Since thyroid hormone has been shown to hasten recovery from ATN in experimental models, we designed a trial to determine if a defined course of triiodothyronine (T3) would improve the short- or long-term outcome of patients with DGF in cadaveric transplants. A prospective, randomized, placebo controlled, double blind trial of T3 was carried out in patients with DGF in cadaveric renal transplants. End-points were percentage requiring dialysis, percentage recovering function, time to recovery and length of hospital stay. Long-term outcomes were percentage grafts functioning at 1 year and mean serum creatinine at 1 year. Forty-four patients were randomized to receive either T3 or placebo. Three patients were dropped from each group when early biopsies disclosed that DGF was due to rejection. The groups were well matched by age, cold ischemia time of the graft, and percentage reactivity to a random panel of antigens. Baseline thyroid function studies, including T3, reverse T3 (rT3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, were similar between the two groups and typical of 'euthyroid-sick syndrome'. T3 had no effect on percentage requiring dialysis, time to recovery, percentage recovering function, or length of stay. At 1 year follow-up, graft function was similar in both groups and significantly lower than that seen in patients with good initial function. Thyroid hormone, given early in the course of DGF in cadaver kidney recipients, had no effect on the course of DGF. Long-term graft function is impaired in patients who experience post-transplant DGF compared to those who have good initial function.     

谷氨酰胺肠外营养对创伤后多器官衰竭患者的营养作用

目的探讨补充谷氨酰胺(Gln)的肠外营养在严重创伤后多器官衰竭(MOF)患者治疗中的作用。方法采用随机对照方法,将60例MOF患者分为Gln组和对照组,每组30例。Gln组给予Gln1.5ml/kg联合常规治疗[热量104～125kJ/(kg·d),其中脂肪供热40%,氮供给量为0.2～0.25g/(kg·d)的完全胃肠外营养(TPN)支持];对照组仅给予常规治疗,连续7d。对照分析营养指标、免疫指标、并发症及临床结果。结果所有患者营养指标(血清白蛋白、前清蛋白、转铁蛋白)和免疫指标(IgG、IgA、IgM)明显减低,处于负氮平衡。第8天时,Gln组营养指标明显高于治疗前及对照组(P<0.05),负氮平衡得到纠正(P<0.05),而对照组仅血清白蛋白、转铁蛋白较治疗前增高(P<0.05),仍处于负氮平衡(P>0.05)。Gln组免疫指标明显高于治疗前及对照组(P<0.01),而对照组仅IgG高于治疗前(P<0.01)。对照组14例(46.7%)出现了血清胆红素、丙氨酸转氨酶和血糖的升高,而Gln组仅4例(13.3%)增高(P<0.05),至14d时对照组病死率为36.7%,而Gln组仅为10%,两者相比差异有显著性(P<0.05)。结论应用Gln的肠外营养能够明显纠正MOF患者的营养代谢障碍,纠正负氮平衡,增强免疫功能,降低并发症及病死率。     

Acute renal failure as a result of bilateral ureteral obstruction by Candida albicans fungus balls

A 73-year-old male with a history of diabetes mellitus was admitted to our hospital for acute renal failure. An ultrasonogram revealed bilateral hydronephrosis, which worsened despite insertion of a bladder catheter. Nephrostomy catheters were positioned bilaterally, and Candida albicans was found in the urine culture. The patient was successfully treated with intermittent direct irrigation and i.v. antifungal agent therapy. Since 1977, approximately 50 cases of fungus balls or fungal bezoars in the urinary tract have been reported, but the majority of these cases have been characterized by unilateral ureteral or bladder involvement. Herein, we report a case of acute renal failure as a result of bilateral ureteral obstruction by Candida albicans fungus balls.