Young women wishing to become living kidney donors frequently ask whether nephrectomy will affect their future pregnancies. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of living kidney donors involving 85 women (131 pregnancies after cohort entry) who were matched in a 1:6 ratio with 510 healthy nondonors from the general population (788 pregnancies after cohort entry). Kidney donations occurred between 1992 and 2009 in Ontario, Canada, with follow-up through linked health care databases until March 2013. Donors and nondonors were matched with respect to age, year of cohort entry, residency (urban or rural), income, number of pregnancies before cohort entry, and the time to the first pregnancy after cohort entry. The primary outcome was a hospital diagnosis of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. Secondary outcomes were each component of the primary outcome examined separately and other maternal and fetal outcomes. Gestational hypertension or preeclampsia was more common among living kidney donors than among nondonors (occurring in 15 of 131 pregnancies [11%] vs. 38 of 788 pregnancies [5%]; odds ratio for donors, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 5.0; P=0.01). Each component of the primary outcome was also more common among donors (odds ratio, 2.5 for gestational hypertension and 2.4 for preeclampsia). There were no significant differences between donors and nondonors with respect to rates of preterm birth (8% and 7%, respectively) or low birth weight (6% and 4%, respectively). There were no reports of maternal death, stillbirth, or neonatal death among the donors. Most women had uncomplicated pregnancies after donation. Gestational hypertension or preeclampsia was more likely to be diagnosed in kidney donors than in matched nondonors with similar indicators of baseline health. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and others.)

Summary: Background and objectives: Comparisons of fistulas and grafts often overlook the high primary failure rate of fistulas. This study compared cumulative patency (time from access creation to permanent failure) of fistulas and grafts. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Vascular accesses of 1140 hemodialysis patients from two centers (Toronto and London, Ontario, Canada, 2000−2010) were analyzed. Cumulative patency was compared between groups using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests. Hazard ratios (HRs) for fistula failure relative to grafts and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) are reported. Results: There were 1012 (88.8%) fistulas and 128 (11.2%) grafts. The primary failure rate was two times greater for fistulas than for grafts: 40% versus 19% (P<0.001). Cumulative patency did not differ between fistulas and grafts for the patients’ first access (median, 7.4 versus 15.0 months, respectively [HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.79−1.23; P=0.85]) or for 600 with a subsequent access (7.0 versus 9.0 months [HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.77−1.13; P=0.39]). However, when primary failures were excluded, cumulative patency became significantly longer for fistulas than for grafts for both first and subsequent accesses (61.9 versus 23.8 months [HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.43−0.74; P<0.001] and 42.8 versus 15.9 months [HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.44−0.72; P<0.001]). Results were similar for forearm and upper-arm accesses. Compared with functioning fistulas, grafts necessitated twice as many angioplasties (1.4 versus 3.2/1000 days, respectively; P<0.001) and significantly more thrombolysis interventions (0.06 versus 0.98/1000 days; P<0.001) to maintain patency once matured and successfully used for dialysis. Conclusions: Cumulative patency did not differ between fistulas and grafts; however, grafts necessitated more interventions to maintain functional patency.

Background: Evidence from animal and human studies suggests a protective effect of higher water intake on kidney function and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here the associations between water intake, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CVD were examined in the general population. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Non-pregnant adults with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 ml/min/1.73 m² who were not taking diuretics were included. Total water intake from foods and beverages was categorized as low (4.3 l/day). We examined associations between low total water intake and CKD (eGFR 30-60 ml/min/1.73 m²) and self-reported CVD. Results: Of 3,427 adults (mean age 46 (range 20-84); mean eGFR 95 ml/min/1.73 m² (range 30-161)), 13% had CKD and 18% had CVD. CKD was higher among those with the lowest (4.3 l/day) (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91-6.96). When stratified by intake of (1) plain water and (2) other beverages, CKD was associated with low intake of plain water: adjusted OR 2.36 (95% CI 1.10-5.06), but not other beverages: adjusted OR 0.87 (95% CI 0.30-2.50). There was no association between low water intake and CVD (adjusted OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.37-1.59). Conclusions: Our results provide additional evidence suggesting a potentially protective effect of higher total water intake, particularly plain water, on the kidney.

Millions of workers around the world are exposed to high temperatures, intense physical activity, and lax labor practices that do not allow for sufficient rehydration breaks. The extent and consequences of heat exposure in different occupational settings, countries, and cultural contexts is not well studied. We conducted an in-depth review to examine the known effects of occupational heat stress on the kidney. We also examined methods of heat-stress assessment, strategies for prevention and mitigation, and the economic consequences of occupational heat stress. Our descriptive review summarizes emerging evidence that extreme occupational heat stress combined with chronic dehydration may contribute to the development of CKD and ultimately kidney failure. Rising global temperatures, coupled with decreasing access to clean drinking water, may exacerbate the effects of heat exposure in both outdoor and indoor workers who are exposed to chronic heat stress and recurrent dehydration. These changes create an urgent need for health researchers and industry to identify work practices that contribute to heat-stress nephropathy, and to test targeted, robust prevention and mitigation strategies. Preventing occupational heat stress presents a great challenge for a concerted multidisciplinary effort from employers, health authorities, engineers, researchers, and governments.

Summary: Background and objectives: The effect of increased fluid intake on kidney function is unclear. This study evaluates the relationship between urine volume and renal decline over 6 years in a large community-based cohort. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: This prospective cohort study was undertaken in Canada from 2002 to 2008. We obtained 24-hour urine samples from adult participants with an estimated GFR (eGFR) ≥60ml/min per 1.73 m² at study entry. Percentage annual change in eGFR from baseline was categorized as average decline <1% per year, between 1% and 4.9% (mild-to-moderate decline) or ≥5% (rapid decline). Results: 2148 participants provided valid 24-hour urine samples, grouped as <1 L/d (14.5%); 1 to 1.9 L/d (51.5%); 2 to 2.9 L/d (26.3%); and ≥3 L/d (7.7%). Baseline eGFR for each category of urine volume was 90, 88, 84, and 87 ml/min per 1.73 m², respectively. Overall, eGFR declined by 1% per year, with 10% demonstrating rapid decline and 40% demonstrating mild-to-moderate decline. An inverse, graded relationship was evident between urine volume and eGFR decline: For each increasing category of 24-hour urine volume, percentage annual eGFR decline was progressively slower, from 1.3%, 1.0%, 0.8%, to 0.5%, respectively; P = 0.02. Compared with those with urine volume 1 to 1.9 L/d, those with urine volume ≥3 L/d were significantly less likely to demonstrate mild-to-moderate decline (adjusted odds ratio 0.66; 95% confidence interval 0.46 to 0.94) or rapid decline (adjusted odds ratio 0.46; 95% confidence interval 0.23 to 0.92); adjusted for age, gender, baseline eGFR, medication use for hypertension (including diuretics), proteinuria, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Conclusions: In this community-based cohort, decline in kidney function was significantly slower in those with higher versus lower urine volume.