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Journal of the American College of... Mar 2020Expansion of extracellular fluid volume is central to the pathophysiology of heart failure. Increased extracellular fluid leads to elevated intracardiac filling... (Review)
Review
Expansion of extracellular fluid volume is central to the pathophysiology of heart failure. Increased extracellular fluid leads to elevated intracardiac filling pressures, resulting in a constellation of signs and symptoms of heart failure referred to as congestion. Loop diuretics are one of the cornerstones of treatments for heart failure, but in contrast to other therapies, robust clinical trial evidence to guide the use of diuretics is sparse. A nuanced understanding of renal physiology and diuretic pharmacokinetics is essential for skillful use of diuretics in the management of heart failure in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Diuretic resistance, defined as an inadequate quantity of natriuresis despite an adequate diuretic regimen, is a major clinical challenge that generally portends a poor prognosis. In this review, the authors discuss the fundamental mechanisms and physiological principles that underlie the use of diuretic therapy and the available data on the optimal use of diuretics.
Topics: Diuretics; Gastrointestinal Absorption; Heart Failure; Humans; Kidney; Review Literature as Topic; Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors
PubMed: 32164892
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2019.12.059 -
The New England Journal of Medicine Mar 2022Whether the use of balanced multielectrolyte solution (BMES) in preference to 0.9% sodium chloride solution (saline) in critically ill patients reduces the risk of acute... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Whether the use of balanced multielectrolyte solution (BMES) in preference to 0.9% sodium chloride solution (saline) in critically ill patients reduces the risk of acute kidney injury or death is uncertain.
METHODS
In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, we assigned critically ill patients to receive BMES (Plasma-Lyte 148) or saline as fluid therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 90 days. The primary outcome was death from any cause within 90 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were receipt of new renal-replacement therapy and the maximum increase in the creatinine level during ICU stay.
RESULTS
A total of 5037 patients were recruited from 53 ICUs in Australia and New Zealand - 2515 patients were assigned to the BMES group and 2522 to the saline group. Death within 90 days after randomization occurred in 530 of 2433 patients (21.8%) in the BMES group and in 530 of 2413 patients (22.0%) in the saline group, for a difference of -0.15 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.60 to 3.30; P = 0.90). New renal-replacement therapy was initiated in 306 of 2403 patients (12.7%) in the BMES group and in 310 of 2394 patients (12.9%) in the saline group, for a difference of -0.20 percentage points (95% CI, -2.96 to 2.56). The mean (±SD) maximum increase in serum creatinine level was 0.41±1.06 mg per deciliter (36.6±94.0 μmol per liter) in the BMES group and 0.41±1.02 mg per deciliter (36.1±90.0 μmol per liter) in the saline group, for a difference of 0.01 mg per deciliter (95% CI, -0.05 to 0.06) (0.5 μmol per liter [95% CI, -4.7 to 5.7]). The number of adverse and serious adverse events did not differ meaningfully between the groups.
CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence that the risk of death or acute kidney injury among critically ill adults in the ICU was lower with the use of BMES than with saline. (Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the Health Research Council of New Zealand; PLUS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02721654.).
Topics: Acute Kidney Injury; Adult; Aged; Critical Care; Critical Illness; Double-Blind Method; Female; Fluid Therapy; Gluconates; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Magnesium Chloride; Male; Middle Aged; Potassium Chloride; Saline Solution; Sodium Acetate; Sodium Chloride; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35041780
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2114464 -
American Journal of Kidney Diseases :... Nov 2022Hypokalemia is a common electrolyte abnormality in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and has been associated with increased risks of peritonitis and death. Whether... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE
Hypokalemia is a common electrolyte abnormality in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and has been associated with increased risks of peritonitis and death. Whether correction of hypokalemia improves these outcomes is unknown.
STUDY DESIGN
Multicenter, open-label, prospective, randomized controlled trial.
SETTING & PARTICIPANTS
Adult (aged ≥18 years) PD patients with hypokalemia (defined as at least 3 values or an average value <3.5 mEq/L in the past 6 months). Randomization was stratified according to center and residual urine output (≤100 or >100 mL/day).
INTERVENTIONS
Random assignment to either protocol-based potassium supplementation (titratable dose of oral potassium chloride to maintain serum potassium of 4-5 mEq/L) or conventional potassium supplementation (reactive supplementation when serum potassium is <3.5 mEq/L) over 52 weeks. Treatment groups were compared using intention-to-treat analyses implemented using Cox proportional hazards regression.
OUTCOME
The primary outcome was time from randomization to first peritonitis episode (any organism). Secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization, and conversion to hemodialysis.
RESULTS
A total of 167 patients with time-averaged serum potassium concentrations of 3.33 ± 0.28 mEq/L were enrolled from 6 PD centers: 85 were assigned to receive protocol-based treatment, and 82 were assigned to conventional treatment. The median follow-up time was 401 (IQR, 315-417) days. During the study period, serum potassium levels in the protocol-based treatment group increased to 4.36 ± 0.70 mEq/L compared with 3.57 ± 0.65 mEq/L in the group treated conventionally (mean difference, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.53-0.79] mEq/L; P < 0.001). The median time to first peritonitis episode was significantly longer in the protocol-based group (223 [IQR, 147-247] vs 133 [IQR, 41-197] days, P = 0.03). Compared with conventional treatment, the protocol-based group had a significantly lower hazard of peritonitis (HR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.24-0.93]) but did not differ significantly with respect to any of the secondary outcomes. Asymptomatic hyperkalemia (>6 mEq/L) without characteristic electrocardiographic changes occurred in 3 patients (4%) in the protocol-based treatment group.
LIMITATIONS
Not double-masked.
CONCLUSIONS
Compared with reactive potassium supplementation when the serum potassium level falls below 3.5 mEq/L, protocol-based oral potassium treatment to maintain a serum potassium concentration in the range of 4-5 mEq/L may reduce the risk of peritonitis in patients receiving PD who have hypokalemia.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry with study number TCTR20190725004.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Adolescent; Hypokalemia; Potassium; Potassium Chloride; Prospective Studies; Peritoneal Dialysis; Peritonitis; Dietary Supplements; Electrolytes
PubMed: 35597332
DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2022.03.013 -
Current Heart Failure Reports Feb 2023Heart failure is characterized by episodes of congestion with need for hospitalization. The current metrics lack the accuracy to predict and prevent episodes of... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Heart failure is characterized by episodes of congestion with need for hospitalization. The current metrics lack the accuracy to predict and prevent episodes of congestion and to guide diuretic titration to reach euvolemia in case of decompensation. This article aims to provide answers to the role of urinary sodium measurements in acute and chronic heart failure.
RECENT FINDINGS
In acute heart failure, urinary sodium concentrations at the moment of admission and after diuretic administration are correlated with short- and long-term outcome. As this is a reflection of the degree of sodium retention, it can be used as a guide in the diuretic titration. In chronic heart failure, it might be used to predict and consequently prevent episodes of decompensation. Urinary sodium measurements hold great promises to be a novel diagnostic and therapeutic parameter in patients with acute and chronic heart failure. However, more research is needed.
Topics: Humans; Heart Failure; Follow-Up Studies; Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; Diuretics; Sodium; Chronic Disease
PubMed: 36807114
DOI: 10.1007/s11897-023-00591-4 -
World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics 2021
Review
Topics: Chlorides; Humans; Potassium; Potassium Chloride; Sodium; Water
PubMed: 34352776
DOI: 10.1159/000514770 -
Nutrients Mar 2024Potassium is a monovalent cation widely present in nature, where it is not in metallic form, but always in combination with other substances, especially chloride [...].
Potassium is a monovalent cation widely present in nature, where it is not in metallic form, but always in combination with other substances, especially chloride [...].
Topics: Humans; Potassium; Chlorides; Potassium Chloride
PubMed: 38542744
DOI: 10.3390/nu16060833 -
Clinical Journal of the American... Oct 2023In contrast to significant advances in the management of patients with chronic heart failure over the past few years, there has been little change in how patients with... (Review)
Review
In contrast to significant advances in the management of patients with chronic heart failure over the past few years, there has been little change in how patients with acute heart failure are treated. Symptoms and signs of fluid overload are the primary reason for hospitalization of patients who experience acute decompensation of heart failure. Intravenous loop diuretics remain the mainstay of therapy in this patient population, with a significant subset of them showing suboptimal response to these agents leading to incomplete decongestion at the time of discharge. Combination diuretic therapy, that is, using loop diuretics along with an add-on agent, is a widely applied strategy to counter renal sodium avidity through sequential blockade of sodium absorption within renal tubules. The choice of the second diuretic is affected by several factors, including the site of action, the anticipated secondary effects, and the available evidence on their efficacy and safety. While the current guidelines recommend combination diuretic therapy as a viable option to overcome suboptimal response to loop diuretics, it is also acknowledged that this strategy is not supported by strong evidence and remains an area of uncertainty. The recent publication of landmark studies has regenerated the interest in sequential nephron blockade. In this article, we provide an overview of the results of the key studies on combination diuretic therapy in the setting of acute heart failure and discuss their findings primarily with regard to the effect on renal sodium avidity and cardiorenal outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Diuretics; Heart Failure; Kidney; Sodium; Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors
PubMed: 37102974
DOI: 10.2215/CJN.0000000000000188 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... May 2023Although acute diarrhoea is a self-limiting disease, dehydration may occur in some children. Dehydration is the consequence of an increased loss of water and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Although acute diarrhoea is a self-limiting disease, dehydration may occur in some children. Dehydration is the consequence of an increased loss of water and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium, and bicarbonate) in liquid stools. When these losses are high and not replaced adequately, severe dehydration appears. Severe dehydration is corrected with intravenous solutions. The most frequently used solution for this purpose is 0.9% saline. Balanced solutions (e.g. Ringer's lactate) are alternatives to 0.9% saline and have been associated with fewer days of hospitalization and better biochemical outcomes. Available guidelines provide conflicting recommendations. It is unclear whether 0.9% saline or balanced intravenous fluids are most effective for rehydrating children with severe dehydration due to diarrhoea.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the benefits and harms of balanced solutions for the rapid rehydration of children with severe dehydration due to acute diarrhoea, in terms of time in hospital and mortality compared to 0.9% saline.
SEARCH METHODS
We used standard, extensive Cochrane search methods. The latest search date was 4 May 2022.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomized controlled trials in children with severe dehydration due to acute diarrhoea comparing balanced solutions, such as Ringer's lactate or Plasma-Lyte with 0.9% saline solution, for rapid rehydration.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were 1. time in hospital and 2.
MORTALITY
Our secondary outcomes were 3. need for additional fluids, 4. total amount of fluids received, 5. time to resolution of metabolic acidosis, 6. change in and the final values of biochemical measures (pH, bicarbonate, sodium, chloride, potassium, and creatinine), 7. incidence of acute kidney injury, and 8.
ADVERSE EVENTS
We used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence.
MAIN RESULTS
Characteristics of the included studies We included five studies with 465 children. Data for meta-analysis were available from 441 children. Four studies were conducted in low- and middle-income countries and one study in two high-income countries. Four studies evaluated Ringer's lactate, and one study evaluated Plasma-Lyte. Two studies reported the time in hospital, and only one study reported mortality as an outcome. Four studies reported final pH and five studies reported bicarbonate levels. Adverse events reported were hyponatremia and hypokalaemia in two studies each. Risk of bias All studies had at least one domain at high or unclear risk of bias. The risk of bias assessment informed the GRADE assessments. Primary outcomes Compared to 0.9% saline, the balanced solutions likely result in a slight reduction of the time in hospital (mean difference (MD) -0.35 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.60 to -0.10; 2 studies; moderate-certainty evidence). However, the evidence is very uncertain about the effect of the balanced solutions on mortality during hospitalization in severely dehydrated children (risk ratio (RR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.02 to 7.39; 1 study, 22 children; very low-certainty evidence). Secondary outcomes Balanced solutions probably produce a higher increase in blood pH (MD 0.06, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.09; 4 studies, 366 children; low-certainty evidence) and bicarbonate levels (MD 2.44 mEq/L, 95% CI 0.92 to 3.97; 443 children, four studies; low-certainty evidence). Furthermore, balanced solutions likely reduces the risk of hypokalaemia after the intravenous correction (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.96; 2 studies, 147 children; moderate-certainty evidence). Nonetheless, the evidence suggests that balanced solutions may result in no difference in the need for additional intravenous fluids after the initial correction; in the amount of fluids administered; or in the mean change of sodium, chloride, potassium, and creatinine levels.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of balanced solutions on mortality during hospitalization in severely dehydrated children. However, balanced solutions likely result in a slight reduction of the time in the hospital compared to 0.9% saline. Also, balanced solutions likely reduce the risk of hypokalaemia after intravenous correction. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that balanced solutions compared to 0.9% saline probably produce no changes in the need for additional intravenous fluids or in other biochemical measures such as sodium, chloride, potassium, and creatinine levels. Last, there may be no difference between balanced solutions and 0.9% saline in the incidence of hyponatraemia.
Topics: Child; Humans; Bicarbonates; Creatinine; Dehydration; Diarrhea; Hypokalemia; Potassium; Potassium Chloride; Ringer's Lactate; Saline Solution; Sodium
PubMed: 37196992
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013640.pub2 -
European Journal of Heart Failure Nov 2019To investigate the effects of acetazolamide on natriuresis, decongestion, kidney function and neurohumoral activation in acute heart failure (AHF). (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
AIMS
To investigate the effects of acetazolamide on natriuresis, decongestion, kidney function and neurohumoral activation in acute heart failure (AHF).
METHODS AND RESULTS
This prospective, two-centre study included 34 AHF patients on loop diuretics with volume overload. All had a serum sodium concentration < 135 mmol/L and/or serum urea/creatinine ratio > 50 and/or an admission serum creatinine increase of > 0.3 mg/dL compared to baseline. Patients were randomised towards acetazolamide 250-500 mg daily plus bumetanide 1-2 mg bid vs. high-dose loop diuretics (bumetanide bid with daily dose twice the oral maintenance dose). The primary endpoint was natriuresis after 24 h. Natriuresis after 24 h was similar in the combinational treatment vs. loop diuretic only arm (264 ± 126 vs. 234 ± 133 mmol; P = 0.515). Loop diuretic efficiency, defined as natriuresis corrected for loop diuretic dose, was higher in the group receiving acetazolamide (84 ± 46 vs. 52 ± 42 mmol/mg bumetanide; P = 0.048). More patients in the combinational treatment arm had an increase in serum creatinine levels > 0.3 mg/dL (P = 0.046). N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide reduction and peak neurohumoral activation within 72 h were comparable among treatment arms. There was a non-significant trend towards lower all-cause mortality or heart failure readmissions in the group receiving acetazolamide with low-dose loop diuretics vs. high-dose loop diuretic monotherapy (P = 0.098).
CONCLUSION
Addition of acetazolamide increases the natriuretic response to loop diuretics compared to an increase in loop diuretic dose in AHF at high risk for diuretic resistance.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01973335.
Topics: Acetazolamide; Adult; Aged; Bumetanide; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Heart Failure; Humans; Kidney Function Tests; Male; Middle Aged; Natriuresis; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; Survival Analysis
PubMed: 31074184
DOI: 10.1002/ejhf.1478