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Common blood changes not independent predictor of adverse outcomes for kidney disease patients, study finds

Date:
August 26, 2010
Source:
American Society of Nephrology
Summary:
Fluctuations in blood composition that often arise from commonly used therapies among kidney disease patients are not an independent predictor of adverse outcomes for European hemodialysis patients, according to a new study. The results suggest that although hemoglobin variability is common in kidney disease patients, it does not appear to increase their likelihood of dying early.
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Fluctuations in blood composition that often arise from commonly used therapies among kidney disease patients are not an independent predictor of adverse outcomes for European hemodialysis patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results suggest that although hemoglobin variability is common in kidney disease patients, it does not appear to increase their likelihood of dying early.

Research has generated conflicting results on the health impacts that may occur when a person experiences variability in levels of hemoglobin (the component of blood that transports oxygen throughout the body) after taking erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs). These drugs are commonly used to treat anemia in patients with kidney disease. Unfortunately, ESAs can increase the risk of vascular complications and possibly death when used to boost kidney disease patients' hemoglobin levels to what is considered normal (> 13 g/dL) in the general population. In addition, kidney disease patients often have significant fluctuations in hemoglobin levels when using ESAs.

To see if variability of hemoglobin levels over time may have a negative effect on a patient's health, Kai-Uwe Eckardt, MD (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany) and his colleagues examined data from 5037 European hemodialysis patients treated over two years. "We were able to establish that variability in hemoglobin levels experienced by many hemodialysis patients, per se, does not appear to increase the risk of mortality," said Dr. Eckardt. However, the study did find that patients with consistently low levels of hemoglobin (<11 g/dL) had 2.34-times the risk of dying during the study period; those whose hemoglobin levels fluctuated between normal and <11 g/dL had 1.74-times the risk of dying during the study period.

Study co-authors include Joseph Kim, PhD, Bart Molemans, MD, Elizabeth Ireland (Amgen Ltd, in Uxbridge, United Kingdom); Florian Kronenberg, MD (Innsbruck Medical University, Austria); Pedro Aljama, MD (Hospital Reina Sofia de Cordoba, Spain); Stefan Anker, MD, PhD (Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, in Berlin, Germany and IRCCS San Raffaele, in Rome, Italy); Bernard Canaud, MD (Hôpital Lapeyronie, in Montpellier, France); Peter Stenvinkel, MD, PhD (Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, Sweden); Guntram Schernthaner, MD (Rudolfstiftung Hospital, in Vienna, Austria); Bruno Fouqueray, MD, PhD (Amgen (Europe) GmbH, in Zug, Switzerland); and Iain Macdougall, MD (King's College Hospital, in London, United Kingdom).


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Materials provided by American Society of Nephrology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Joseph Kim, Florian Kronenberg, Pedro Aljama, Stefan D. Anker, Bernard Canaud, Bart Molemans, Peter Stenvinkel, Guntram Schernthaner, Elizabeth Ireland, Bruno Fouqueray, and Iain C. Macdougall. Hemoglobin Variability Does Not Predict Mortality in European Hemodialysis Patients. Journal of the American Society Nephrology, 2010; DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2009101017

Cite This Page:

American Society of Nephrology. "Common blood changes not independent predictor of adverse outcomes for kidney disease patients, study finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 August 2010. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100826182502.htm>.
American Society of Nephrology. (2010, August 26). Common blood changes not independent predictor of adverse outcomes for kidney disease patients, study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 9, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100826182502.htm
American Society of Nephrology. "Common blood changes not independent predictor of adverse outcomes for kidney disease patients, study finds." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100826182502.htm (accessed October 9, 2024).

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