Arteriovenous graft (AVG) is an alternative for hemodialysis (HD) patients with end-stage renal disease when their permanent vascular accesses fail. Since the last decades, the most widely used... Show moreArteriovenous graft (AVG) is an alternative for hemodialysis (HD) patients with end-stage renal disease when their permanent vascular accesses fail. Since the last decades, the most widely used materials in these patients have been polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-AVGs. Recently, several studies have reported that early cannulation (EC)-AVG can be an alternative to PTFE-AVG. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the outcomes of EC-AVG and PTFE-AVG in HD patients. We searched the Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for the relevant studies published from 01.01.2000 to 19.12.2022 by keywords and free words. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational cohort studies comparing EC-AVG with PTFE-AVG were included. Ten studies were included in analysis: one RCT, six retrospective cohort studies, and three prospective cohort studies. The results showed shorter cannulation intervals (four studies, 1116 participants: mean difference -23.62 days, 95% CI [-32.03, -15.21], p < 0.05) and less central venous catheter (CVC) usage (four studies, 733 participants: OR 0.20, 95% CI [0.04, 0.92], p < 0.05) for EC-AVG compared with PTFE-AVG, while comparable outcomes of primary patency (eight studies, 1712 participants: HR 0.89, 95% CI [0.70, 1.12]), primary assisted patency (five studies, 1355 participants: HR 1.13, 95% CI [0.70, 1.84]), secondary patency (nine studies, 1920 participants: HR 0.93, 95% CI [0.66, 1.31]), and infection risk (four studies, 640 participants: HR 1.12, 95% CI [0.48, 2.58]). When compared to PTFE-AVG in HD patients, EC-AVG seems to exhibit shorter cannulation intervals, less CVC usage, and comparable outcomes of graft patency, and infection risk. Show less
Lung congestion is a risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis, and its estimation by ultrasound may be useful to guide ultrafiltration and drug... Show moreLung congestion is a risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis, and its estimation by ultrasound may be useful to guide ultrafiltration and drug therapy in this population. In an international, multi-center randomized controlled trial (NCT02310061) we investigated whether a lung ultrasound-guided treatment strategy improved a composite end point (all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, decompensated heart failure) vs usual care in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis with high cardiovascular risk. Patient-Reported Outcomes (Depression and the Standard Form 36 Quality of Life Questionnaire, SF36) were assessed as secondary outcomes. A total of 367 patients were enrolled: 183 in the active arm and 180 in the control arm. In the active arm, the pre-dialysis lung scan was used to titrate ultrafiltration during dialysis and drug treatment. Three hundred and seven patients completed the study: 152 in the active arm and 155 in the control arm. During a mean follow-up of 1.49 years, lung congestion was significantly more frequently relieved in the active (78%) than in the control (56%) arm and the intervention was safe. The primary composite end point did not significantly differ between the two study arms (Hazard Ratio 0.88; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.63-1.24). The risk for all-cause and cardiovascular hospitalization and the changes of left ventricular mass and function did not differ among the two groups. A post hoc analysis for recurrent episodes of decompensated heart failure (0.37; 0.15-0.93) and cardiovascular events (0.63; 0.41-0.97) showed a risk reduction for these outcomes in the active arm. There were no differences in patientreported outcomes between groups. Thus, in patients on chronic hemodialysis with high cardiovascular risk, a treatment strategy guided by lung ultrasound effectively relieved lung congestion but was not more effective than usual care in improving the primary or secondary end points of the trial. Show less
