Ifosfamide nephrotoxicity in adult patients

Background

Ifosfamide, a widely prescribed antineoplasic agent, is frequently associated with kidney dysfunction. Its nephrotoxicity is well documented in children, but data are lacking in adult patients.

Methods

The aim of this retrospective study was to describe the clinical, biological and histological characteristics of ifosfamide nephrotoxicity.

Results

We report 34 patients (median age: 41 years) admitted in six French nephrology departments for kidney failure and/or tubular dysfunction. Fifteen patients (44.1%) received cisplatin as part of their chemotherapy. In 6 patients (17.7%), ifosfamide nephrotoxicity was revealed by a proximal tubular dysfunction (PTD), in 5 patients (14.4%) by an acute kidney injury (AKI), in 6 patients (17.7%) by a chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in 17 patients (49.7%) by an association of PTD and AKI. Fourteen renal biopsies (41.2%) were performed and revealed acute tubular necrosis (85.7%), vacuolation (78.6%) and nuclear atypias (71.4%) of renal epithelial cells, interstitial inflammation (71.4%) and fibrosis (57.1%). Electron microscopy showed mitochondrial enlargement and dysmorphic changes suggestive of mitochondrial toxicity. Ten patients (29.4%) progressed to Stage 5 CKD, six (17.6%) required haemodialysis and six patients died during a median follow-up period of 31 months. Risk factors for Stage 5 CKD were age and cisplatin co-administration.

Efficiency and safety of using a peritoneal dialysis catheter weighted with a stainless steel ballast : the Limousin experience

Objective: To assess the recurrence of PD catheter migration after the introduction of a walnut ballast. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study from 1999 to 2014 of PD patients followed in Limousin. Were compared two groups: ballast group (patients who benefited from the establishment of stainless steel ballast at the intraperitoneal catheter extremity) with 26 patients and control group with 204 patients. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of an episode catheter’s migration after ballast’s establishment. Secondary objectives were (i) to determine the causal factors leading to the catheter weighting, (ii) to ensure the safety of the procedure on the following criteria: infectious complications, mechanicals complications, epurations criteria, and catheter’s survival. Results: More than one year after the implementation of the ballast, no recurrent migration was observed in 86.6% of cases. It wasn’t found an increased risk of infections (OR = 0.5, 95% CI [0.22, 1.13]) or mechanical complications (OR = 1.77- 95% CI [0.77, 4.05]) between the two groups. The adequation criteria were similar: KT / V total : 2.37 in the control group and 2.28 in the ballast group (p = 0.63). The survival of the ballast catheter was comparable among the two groups (p = 0.983). Three causal factors that led to the ballast were identified: automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) (OR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.16, 0.9]), the failure from the first use of the catheter (OR = 19.48, CI 95 % [7.67, 49.48]) and the incarceration of the omentum (OR = 15.84, 95% CI [5.81, 43.21]). Conclusion: The ballast used in these study appears to prevent recurrence of migration, without any impact in terms of infectious or mechanical complications, or on the dialysis criteria or on catheter’s survival. However this catheter does currently not have an EC authorization

Renal infarction and thrombosis of the infrarenal aorta in a 35-year-old man with primary antiphospholipid syndrome

Renal manifestations of the "primary" antiphospholipid syndrome are rare. We report the case of an athletic 35-year-old man with an unremarkable medical history who suddenly developed hypertension and a renal infarction. Laboratory and radiological investigations showed a complete thrombosis of the infrarenal aorta, extensive collateral circulation arising from the superior mesenteric artery, and the primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Eight cases of renal infarction have previously been reported in the primary antiphospholipid syndrome. To our knowledge, this represents the first case of an infrarenal aortic thrombosis attributable to this syndrome.