Clinical Research Directory

The Association Between Preoperative HbA1c Levels and Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury in Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Renal complications are frequently encountered in cardiac surgery and constitute significant causes of morbidity and mortality. They most commonly present in the form of acute kidney injury (AKI). The etiological factors of AKI include hemodynamic alterations, hemolysis and pigment nephropathy, inflammatory response and cytokine storm, ischemia-reperfusion injury, use of nephrotoxic agents, patient-related risk factors (advanced age, diabetes mellitus, preoperative renal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, hypertension, anemia), duration of surgery, and postoperative complications such as low cardiac output syndrome, sepsis, bleeding and reoperation, hypoalbuminemia, and fluid imbalance. Previous studies have demonstrated several mechanisms through which elevated HbA1c levels may contribute to acute renal injury, including glomerular damage and hyperfiltration, endothelial dysfunction and microvascular injury, tubular damage, accumulation of glycation products and advanced glycation end products (AGEs), structural changes in blood vessels, and metabolic and systemic factors. The evaluation of acute renal failure relies on fundamental scoring systems, biomarkers, and imaging modalities. Among the scoring systems, the most current and widely used is the KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) classification. According to the KDIGO definition, the diagnosis of AKI can be established when at least one of the following three criteria is met: an increase in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours, an increase in serum creatinine to ≥1.5 times baseline within 7 days, or a urine output of \<0.5 mL/kg/hour for more than 6 hours. AKI staging is performed based on these parameters. Imaging modalities used in the assessment of renal function include renal ultrasonography (US), Doppler ultrasonography with measurement of the renal resistive index (RRI), renal MRI/MR angiography, and renal computed tomography (particularly CT angiography). RRI is a non-invasive, bedside-applicable method that provides direct information about renal vascular resistance by evaluating renal arterial flow patterns. In our clinic, the rationale of the present study is to measure preoperative HbA1c and Doppler-derived RRI values in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass surgery, and to evaluate their relationship with postoperative KDIGO classification and Doppler RRI values in order to gain insight into the development of AKI.

POCUS-Guided Diuresis for Decompensated Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood effectively, leading to fluid buildup in the body. This can cause problems such as difficulty breathing, swelling, and extreme tiredness. In severe cases, these symptoms worsen to the point where hospitalization is required. Unfortunately, many patients with severe heart failure are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after discharge, which is both physically and emotionally challenging for patients and places a significant financial burden on individuals and the healthcare system. Although symptoms such as difficulty breathing and swelling may improve during the hospital stay, some patients are discharged with excess fluid remaining in their bodies. This retained fluid often causes symptoms to worsen, leading to subsequent hospital readmissions. Inadequate management of fluid levels can also harm the kidneys, further complicating the patient's condition. This study aims to improve care for heart failure patients by utilizing a simple, non-invasive tool to assess fluid levels more accurately at the bedside. The tool measures the size of a large blood vessel in the neck, providing key information about the pressure inside the heart. This information enables clinicians to determine the appropriate amount of medication needed to remove just the right amount of fluid. Properly managing fluid levels can help prevent kidney damage and improve overall patient outcomes. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate whether this tool can reduce the number of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. A secondary goal is to determine whether the tool can help protect kidney function by allowing for better fluid management. If successful, this approach has the potential to help heart failure patients stay healthier, reduce hospital visits, and lower healthcare costs.

Vitamin D Metabolites as Biomarkers for the Identification of Kidney Injury in Cardiac Surgery

The investigators will be measuring vitamin D metabolites in blood samples drawn from patients undergoing cardiac surgery to determine the correlation with renal function as assessed by serum creatinine. The investigators will include 20 patients in each of the following 3 groups based on serum creatinine measured within 28-days of surgery: 1) normal kidney function (eGFR \> 60 mL/min, n=20), 2) moderate impaired kidney function, eGFR between 30 and 60 mL/min (n=20) and 3) severe kidney dysfunction eGFR \< 30 mL/min (n=20).

C-reactive Protein & Albumin Ratio IN AKI

Acute pancreatitis (AP), defined as acute inflammation of the pancreas, it's one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract leading to hospital admission.(1) The global incidence of AP is reported between 20 and 40 cases per 100,000 individuals, with an increasing trend over recent decades. (2) Its severity ranges from mild self-limited disease to severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis characterized by systemic complications and multi-organ failure. AKI is a frequent complication of severe acute pancreatitis, usually after the failure of other organs. (3) The aetiology of AP can be readily established in most patients. The most common causes include gallstones (40%-70%) and alcohol (25%-35%), medications as 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine clearly can cause AP, infectious agents, and metabolic causes such as hypercalcemia and hypertriglyceridemia are rare causes (4) Acute kidney injury (AKI), affects approximately 15% of AP patients increasing to 69% in severe AP cases. AKI not only worsens the clinical status of AP patients but also significantly increases mortality risk and the likelihood of progressing to chronic kidney disease (CKD. Therefore, the challenge of early AKI identification and timely therapeutic intervention in AP patients remains critical. (2) Albumin (ALB), a negative acute-phase reactant synthesized by the liver, constitutes 40% to 60% of total plasma protein and decreases during inflammation. (5) Serum CRP refers to a positive acute phase reactant synthesized by the liver and its level in the blood elevates within hours as a response to inflammation and infection and it can be applied in follow-up owing to the short half-life, easy measurement, as well as the close association with prognosis of the disease. (6) We aimed to assess the Correlation between C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio (CAR) and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis (AP) as a cost-effective, easily accessible, and reproducible prognostic biomarkers for inflammation obtained from standard blood tests.

Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) Prophylaxis After Acute Kidney Injury to Prevent Post-discharge Infections

Official Title Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) Prophylaxis After Acute Kidney Injury to Prevent Post-discharge Infections: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Brief Summary Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly followed by infections after hospital discharge. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will test whether prophylactic TMP/SMX reduces post-discharge infections in adults recently hospitalized with AKI. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to TMP/SMX or matching placebo and followed for 6 months. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants who develop any infection within 90 days after discharge. Secondary outcomes include time to first infection, infection-related hospitalization, mortality, safety/adverse events, and healthcare utilization through 180 days. Detailed Description Adults discharged after an index hospitalization complicated by AKI are at elevated infection risk. This trial evaluates whether short-term TMP/SMX prophylaxis reduces 90-day infections. After consent and eligibility confirmation near discharge, participants are randomized (1:1) to receive TMP/SMX or matching placebo with double-blind masking (participant and outcome assessor). Dosing is standardized per protocol. We will ascertain infections via structured follow-up, medical record review, and adjudication by blinded assessors. Safety monitoring will capture adverse events (e.g., rash, cytopenias, hyperkalemia). Analyses follow intention-to-treat. Study Design * Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial) * Primary Purpose: Prevention * Allocation: Randomized (1:1) * Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment * Masking: Double-blind (Participant, Outcomes Assessor) * Estimated Enrollment: 60 patients per group * Study Start Date: December 2025 * Primary Completion Date (Anticipated): January 2027 (last patient reaches 90-day outcome) * Study Completion Date (Anticipated): July 2028 (last patient completes 180-day follow-up) Arms \& Interventions Experimental: TMP/SMX * Intervention: Drug: Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) 160/800 mg tablets every 48 hours * Dosing: One tablet by mouth, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) 160/800 mg tablets every 48 hours, for 90 days post-discharge. * Other names: cotrimoxazole, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Bactrim F Placebo Comparator: Placebo * Intervention: Drug: Placebo (matching oral tablet) * Dosing: Matching schedule for 90 days post-discharge. Concomitant care: Allowed per treating clinician. Drug interactions and lab monitoring handled per protocol. Outcome Measures Primary Outcome • Any infection within 90 days after discharge Time Frame: Day 0 (discharge) to Day 90 Measure: Proportion of participants with ≥1 infection, defined by clinical diagnosis requiring documentation (e.g., UTI, pneumonia, SSTI, bloodstream infection) and/or antimicrobial treatment initiation. Secondary Outcomes 1. Time to first infection (days) within 90 days. 2. Infection-related hospitalization within 90 and 180 days. 3. All-cause mortality at 90 and 180 days. 4. Emergency department visits or unplanned readmissions within 180 days. 5. Antibiotic-related adverse events (rash, cytopenia, creatinine rise ≥0.3 mg/dL, hyperkalemia ≥5.5 mmol/L) through 180 days. 6. C. difficile infection within 180 days. 7. Recurrent AKI (KDIGO criteria) within 180 days. 8. Medication adherence (pill counts and/or self-report) over 90 days. 9. Major adverse kidney events over 90 days. Eligibility Criteria Inclusion Criteria * Age ≥18 years. * Index hospitalization complicated by AKI (KDIGO criteria) prior to discharge. * Planned discharge to community/rehabilitation with capacity for follow-up. * Ability to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria * Known allergy to sulfonamides or TMP/SMX. * Pregnancy or breastfeeding. * Severe hepatic disease (e.g., Child-Pugh C). * Severe cytopenia (e.g., ANC \<1.0×10⁹/L or platelets \<50×10⁹/L). * Baseline hyperkalemia (\>5.5 mmol/L) not correctable prior to randomization. * Concomitant medications with high-risk interactions not amenable to dose/monitoring (per protocol). * Current systemic antimicrobial therapy planned for \>14 days after discharge (prophylaxis not indicated). * Inability to adhere to study procedures or follow-up. Contacts/Locations * Lead Sponsor / Responsible Party: Jonathan Samuel Chavez Iñiguez, Hospital Civil de Guadalajara, servicio de Nefrología * Principal Investigator: Jonathan Samuel Chavez Iñiguez, Hospital Civil de Guadalajara, servicio de Nefrología, 3313299609 * Study Locations: Hospital Civil de Guadalajara, servicio de Nefrología, Hospital 278, colonia el Retiro. Guadalajara. Jalisco. Ethics and Oversight * Conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and ICH-GCP. * IRB/Ethics approval: Comité de etica en investigacion, Protocol CEI 214/25, Approval : October 16, 2025. * Written informed consent obtained from all participants prior to any study procedures. * Data

Dementia and Kidney Disease: Epidemiological Approaches to Risk Factors and Treatment Strategies

Kidney disease and dementia are both common in older adults, posing a significant burden on individuals and society. Growing evidence suggests that there may be links between the kidney and the brain. However, few studies have explored how these two conditions are connected in the general population. Understanding this link could help improve care for people living with either or both conditions. This observational project aims to explore the two-way relationship between kidney disease and dementia. The main questions the investigators want to answer are: 1. Does kidney disease increase the risk or worsen the progression of dementia? 2. Does having dementia increase the risk or worsen the progression of kidney disease (both chronic and acute)? 3. Do reno-protective drugs help protect cognitive decline? 4. Do anti-dementia drugs help preserve kidney function? To answer these questions, the investigators will analyze data collected over a period of 12 years, including people diagnosed with dementia, kidney disease, or both, using several large Swedish and international health registries: 1. The Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem) 2. The Stockholm CREAtinine Measurements (SCREAM) project 3. The Swedish Renal Registry (SRR) 4. The GeroCovid Cohort 5. The Registry of Dementia of Girona (ReDeGi) 6. Cognitive impairment cohort from memory clinic, Karolinska University Hospital This study will apply both traditional and advanced epidemiological methods, including multivariable regression, survival analysis, mixed-effects models, and machine learning (ML) techniques to examine long-term trends and associations.

This is an Observational Study That Aims to Demonstrate Postoperative Risk Factors in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

This retrospective observational study aims to identify risk factors for postoperative complications in children undergoing cardiac surgery at a tertiary hospital in Brazil. By analyzing both electronic and physical medical records, researchers will examine demographic, clinical, surgical, and laboratory data, focusing on variables such as cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, use of vasoactive drugs, and the occurrence of complications such as arrhythmias, acute kidney injury, and infections. Statistical analysis will include both descriptive and inferential methods, with multivariate logistic regression used to identify predictors of adverse outcomes. The study will be conducted between 2025 and 2027 with an estimated budget of R$1,000. Its goal is to inform preventive strategies and optimize perioperative care, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing hospital costs.

the Percent of AKI Occurred in Patient With Comorbidities Undergoing Colonoscopy

observation the percent AKI in patient with comorbidities undergoing colonoscopy