Uremic pruritus affects more than 40% of dialysis patients. Even though is not considered a major complication of ESRD, it is significantly debilitating to patients. Prior blog discussed the potential causes of uremic pruritus, though the clear pathogenesis…
The gut posses a staggering number of bacteria. There are more bacteria living in our colons than there are human cells in our bodies. These microbes produce compounds, some of which are absorbed and eventually cleared by the…
We frequently receive requests to dialyze patients with moderate renal failure who are bleeding due to the concern that uremia may be contributing to failure to control blood loss. Patients with renal failure do have an increased tendency…
Have you ever been consulted to dialyze for a high BUN. Or have you ever been asked to comment on the high BUN’s effects on bleeding and platelet function. Here’s an interesting case report I came across in…
As a nephrology fellow, I find it somewhat challenging to follow a patient with advanced CKD (eGFR, MDRD 8-10). However, I do find this process rewarding as it truly allows for the establishment of a substantial relationship with…
I am currently a clinical fellow, slogging through another consult month. As I am sure many of you have experienced, consult questions often come in batches. At least three times this week we have been called to see…
Recent review in the latest issue of Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology entitled “Skin problems in chronic kidney disease.” They tackle the usual suspects (calciphylaxis, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis) as well as some lesser-known dermatologic conditions which appear with a…
The term “Middle Molecules” is a little confusing, in part due to its evolving definition. It was initially used to describe anything not dialyzed off by the older dialyzer membranes of the 1970s, which predominantly filtered out only…
We are all familiar with “uremic pericarditis” as one of the standard indications for initiating dialysis, and the number of physical exams with a negative cardiac rub I have documented this year is truly impressive. Which is why,…
I was consulted yesterday on a patient with liver and renal failure–obviously, not an uncommon occurrence, as the two often go hand in hand. The patient had presented with altered mental status, and the question came up: hepatic…
