Prevention of hemodialysis-related muscle cramps by intradialytic use of sequential compression devices: A report of four cases

Background: Hemodialysis (HD)‐related lower extremity (LE) muscle cramps are a common cause of morbidity in end‐stage renal disease patients on maintenance HD. Numerous pharmacologic and physical measures have been tried with variable success rates. Methods: Sequential compression devices (SCD) improve venous return (VR) and are commonly used to prevent LE deep venous thrombosis in hospitals. We hypothesized that LE cramps are triggered by stagnant venous flow during HD and are preventable by improving VR. We prospectively studied four adult patients (mean age 61 ± 14 years) on thrice‐weekly HD who experienced two or more episodes of LE cramping weekly in the month before the study. SCD were applied before each HD on both legs and compressions were intermittently applied at 40 mmHg during treatment. Results: All four patients reported complete resolution of cramping during the study period that lasted 1 month or 12 consecutive dialysis treatments. Conclusion: Application of SCD to LE may prevent the generation of LE HD‐related cramping in a select group of patients. Larger, controlled studies are needed to establish the utility of this noninvasive alternative for the prevention of LE HD‐related cramps.     

Study on inactivation mechanisms of Listeria grayi affected by pulse magnetic field via morphological structure,Ca2+ transmembrane transport and proteomic analysis

The inactivation mechanism of PMF on Listeria grayi (L. grayi) was investigated through the analysis of biological effects as well as the monitoring of morphology, membrane permeability and intracellular proteins of cells. Under the optimal inactivation conditions of PMF (2.5 T and 25 pulses), the analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) showed that PMF‐treated cells membranes were damaged, resulting in the increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensities. A significant (P < 0.01) negative correlation between intracellular Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensities and the amount of colonies was found. Proteomic analysis showed that the mode‐of‐action of cells outer membrane, the stability of intracellular proteins and the metabolism‐related proteins might be affected by PMF. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that PMF treatment could affect the nitrogen, organic and energy metabolisms of L. grayi, inducing the death of cells finally.