By Vishal Bagchi MBA, RD, LD | Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs | Patient Care America Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) are harmful compound in the body that are formed when protein and excess sugars bind. This process is part of life and happens normally in the body, but our bodies have a mechanism to get [...]
Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the 5-Star Rating System as a part of the Dialysis Facility Compare (DFC) website at www.medicare.gov/dialysisfacilitycompare. On this site, clinics are rated on performance data, hospitalizations, mortality, transfusion rate, kt/v, hypercalcemia, fistula and catheter rate. The site is available publicly for anyone to view. CMS previously said it plans to update the DFC’s star rating on an annual basis [...]
Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition (IDPN) and Intraperitoneal Nutrition (IPN) are therapies that have been used for decades to treat malnourished dialysis patients. There is clinical evidence that supports its safety and efficacy. Originally IDPN was given in high volume of upwards of 2000 mL, and contained a large volume of dextrose. Due to the high incidence [...]
Before we answer that question, let's first define Refeeding Syndrome (RF). RF is severe electrolyte and fluid shifts associated with metabolic abnormalities in malnourished patients undergoing refeeding, whether orally, enterally, or parenterally. The first documented cases were reported in 1949 when World War II soldiers were being rescued by allied troops, brought back and fed. [...]
