Association between body mass index and survival in Taiwanese heart failure patients with and without diabetes mellitus

Body mass index (BMI) is positively associated with survival in heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, emerging evidence shows that this benefit may not exist in diabetic patients with HFrEF. As this relationship has not been investigated in Asian patients, the aim of this study was to examine the association between obesity and outcomes in HrEFF patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM), and discuss the potential underlying mechanisms.The analysis included 900 patients with acute decompensated HF from the Taiwan Society of Cardiology-Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction Registry, of whom 408 had DM (45%). The association between BMI and all-cause mortality was examined using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression after adjusting for covariates and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Echocardiography parameters were also analyzed in patients with different BMI and DM status.After adjusting for confounding factors, BMI was a significant independent predictive factor for all-cause mortality in the non-diabetic patients (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81–0.95) and in Kaplan–Meier survival analysis (log-rank test, P = .034). For diabetic patients, BMI was not a significant predictive factor for all-cause mortality (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.90–1.02) and in Kaplan–Meier survival analysis (log-rank test P = .169). Both DM (47.8 vs 45.4 mm, P = .014) and higher BMI (48.6 vs 44.9 mm, P < .001) are independently associated with higher left atrial size. Patients with a higher BMI had a lower proportion of severe mitral regurgitation (10.0% vs 14.1%, P < .001).In non-diabetic patients with HFrEF, BMI was a significant predictor of survival. However, in diabetic patients with HF, BMI was not a significant predictor of survival. Diastolic dysfunction in patients with DM and obesity may have played a role in this finding.     

Impacts of early insulin treatment vs glimepiride in diabetic patients with background metformin therapy: A nationwide retrospective cohort study

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive disease. After metformin failure, the addition of insulin or sulfonylureas might increase the risk of hypoglycemia and cardiovascular (CV) morbidity. Here, the risk of all-cause mortality was compared between early insulin treatment and glimepiride use in T2DM patients with background metformin therapy.We conducted a 9-year retrospective cohort study from the population-based National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. A total of 2054 patients with T2DM under insulin or glimepiride treatment were enrolled during 2004 to 2012. Overall event rates of all-cause mortality were compared between 1027 insulin users and 1027 matched glimepiride users.After the propensity score matching, the mortality rates were 72.5 and 4.42 per 1000 person-years for insulin users and glimepiride users. The adjusted hazard ratio of mortality was 14.47 (95% CI: 8.64–24.24; P value <.001) as insulin compared with glimepiride users. The insulin users had significantly higher risk of CV death (adjusted hazard ratio 7.95, 95% CI 1.65–38.3, P = .01) and noncardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio 14.9, 95% CI 8.4–26.3, P < .001).The nationwide study demonstrated that metformin plus insulin therapy was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality.     

The effect of pretreatment BMI on the prognosis and serum immune cells in advanced LSCC patients who received ICI therapy

This study aims to evaluate the prognosis and serum immune cells of patients with different pretreatment body mass index (BMI) values. The data of 61 newly diagnosed patients with advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with chemotherapy were obtained from the database of Rizhao People''s Hospital (Rizhao, Shandong). According to the cutoff value of BMI (23.2 kg/m²), 32 patients had a high BMI and the remaining 29 patients had a low BMI. The effects of different BMIs on the prognosis and serum immune cells of patients were analyzed. The median progression-free survival (PFS) times were 7.72 months in the high BMI group and 4.83 months in the low BMI group [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.11–0.48; P < .001]. In terms of the overall survival (OS), the median times of the high BMI group and low BMI group were 18.10 and 13.90 months, respectively (adjusted HR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.07–0.32; P < .001). After 4 cycles of ICI therapy combined with chemotherapy, the objective response rate was 59.4% for the high BMI group and 20.7% for the low BMI group (P = .002). In addition, the number of serum immune cells in patients with high BMI was significantly higher than that in patients with low BMI (all P < .001). There was a linear relationship between BMI value and the number of serum immune cells (all R² > 0.7). The current results showed that high BMI is associated with better prognosis in LSCC patients who received ICIs, which may be related to higher levels of serum immune cells.     

Effects of tofogliflozin on adrenocorticotropic hormone,renin and aldosterone,and cortisol levels in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: A retrospective study of a patient cohort

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol reportedly play a role in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, the underlying mechanism remains controversial. We retrospectively investigated the effect of tofogliflozin on serum ACTH and cortisol levels in elderly patients with T2DM.Patients received 20 mg tofogliflozin daily for 3 months. Serum ACTH and cortisol levels were measured at baseline, as well as after 1 month and 3 months of tofogliflozin therapy.Serum ACTH levels were significantly reduced 3 months after tofogliflozin treatment (P < .01). Additionally, serum cortisol levels were reduced 3 months after tofogliflozin treatment, demonstrating borderline significance (P = .05). The higher body mass index (BMI; ≥25 kg/m²) group showed higher ACTH and cortisol levels than the lower BMI (<25 kg/m²) group, with borderline significance (P = .05). Renin levels were significantly increased 1 month after treatment (P < .05), maintaining serum aldosterone levels in parallel with the extracellular fluid.Our findings suggested that tofogliflozin decreased both serum ACTH and cortisol levels, with higher levels observed in the high BMI group. Tofogliflozin increased serum renin levels while maintaining serum aldosterone and extracellular fluid levels. Collectively, tofogliflozin could affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal pathway in patients with T2DM, especially in the low BMI group.     

Associations of cardiovascular risk factors with survival outcomes in a cancer registration: Findings from the KUMAMON registry

Although the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and malignant diseases has recently attracted attention, the associations of cardiovascular risk factors and clinical outcomes in cancer patients remain to be elucidated. We performed a retrospective, observational study that explored the clinical outcomes of patients with cancer or with a history of cancer.We enrolled 30,706 consecutive adult cancer patients from Kumamoto University Hospital. We investigated mortality and morbidity, including cardiovascular conditions (dyslipidemia [DL]/diabetes mellitus [DM]/hypertension [HT]). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality.Of the enrolled patients, 9032 patients (29.4%) died within the follow-up period. The Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated that in the groups classified according to the number of DL/DM/HT (LDH) factors, the LDH1 and LDH2 groups had a significantly higher probability of the primary endpoint than the LDH0 group (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively), whereas there were no significant differences between the LDH0 group and LDH3 group (P = .963). Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses of mortality complemented by the multiple imputation method including various factors demonstrated that the presence of DL in cancer patients was a significant negative predictor of mortality (hazard ratio = 0.79, P < .01).The all-cause mortality rate did not always increase as the number of LDH factors increased. The present study revealed that the presence of DL is a negative risk factor for all-cause mortality in cancer patients.     

Is there a relationship between body mass index and postoperative pain scores in thoracotomy patients with thoracic epidural analgesia?

Postoperative efficacy of thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) following thoracic surgery may vary in patients with different body mass index (BMI) values, regardless of the success of the method. This study aimed to investigate the effects of BMI on postoperative pain scores in patients who underwent thoracotomy with TEA.After obtaining the ethical committee approval (Date: May 11, 2021, Number: 2012-KEAK-15/2305) the data of 1326 patients, who underwent elective thoracic surgery in high volume tertiary thoracic surgery center between January 2017 and January 2021, were analyzed retrospectively. Patients between the age of 18 and 80 years, who underwent thoracotomy and thoracic epidural catheterization (TEC), and who were assigned American Society of Anesthesiologists I to III physical status were included to the study. Of the 406 patients, who underwent a successful TEC, 378 received postoperative analgesia for 72 hours. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores of these patients were evaluated statistically. Based on BMI, patients were categorized into the following 5 groups: Group I: BMI < 20 kg/m², Group II: BMI = 20 to 24.9 kg/m², Group III: BMI = 25 to 29.9 kg/m², Group IV: BMI = 30 to 34.9 kg/m², and Group V: BMI ≥ 35 kg/m².There were no statistically significant differences in TEC success across different BMI groups (P > .05). Catheter problems and VAS scores significantly increased with higher BMI values in the postoperative 72-hours period (P < .05). Rates of rescue analgesic use were higher in BMI groups of 30 toto 34.9 kg/m² and ≥35 kg/m² compared to the other BMI groups.This study revealed that higher BMI in patients may increase VAS scores, who administered TEA for pain management following thoracotomy. This correlation was supported by the increased need for additional analgesics in patients with high BMI. Therefore, patients with high BMI values would require close monitoring and follow-up.     

Overweight is associated with better one-year survival in elderly patients after cardiac surgery: a retrospective analysis of the MIMIC-III database

BackgroundThe relationship of body mass index (BMI) to short- and long-term outcomes after cardiac surgery remains controversial, and the dose-response relationship between BMI and mortality in patients receiving cardiac surgery is unclear. Furthermore, the influence of age, concomitant disease, and types of surgery on the prognostic role of BMI has yet to be determined.MethodsA retrospective cohort study with 6,473 adult patients receiving cardiac surgery was conducted using the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care (MIMIC-III) database. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association of BMI with 1-year and in-hospital mortality. Restricted cubic regression splines were used to evaluate the effect of BMI as a continuous variable and to determine appropriate cut points. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age, hypertension and types of surgery.ResultsThe baseline characteristics of patients differed between BMI categories. On multivariable analysis, overweight patients (BMI 25–30 kg/m²) had a lower 1-year mortality [hazard ratio (HR) =0.660, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.516–0.843, P=0.001] when compared with normal weight patients (BMI 18.5–25 kg/m²). For patients with BMI <30 kg/m², each 1 kg/m² BMI increase was independently associated with a significant decrease in the 1-year mortality risk (HR =0.936, 95% CI: 0.899–0.975, P=0.002), while in patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m², an increase in BMI did not increase the 1-year mortality risk (HR =1.032, 95% CI: 0.998–1.067, P=0.064). Subgroup analyses suggested the protective effect of overweight on post-cardiac surgery survival was confined to patients with advanced age (>60 years), hypertension and those undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).ConclusionsOverweight was associated with better 1-year survival in patients after cardiac surgery when compared to normal weight. The protective effect of overweight on post-cardiac surgery survival was confined to elderly patients (>60 years).     

Determining optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) in a northwest Chinese population: A CONSORT

To determine optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) for the Chinese population.Live singleton deliveries at the largest maternal & childcare hospital in northwest China from 2010 to 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the lowest aggregated risk of interested perinatal outcomes based on Chinese adult body mass index (BMI) categories.Eight thousand eight hundred seventy enrolled parturients were divided into 4 groups according to their prepregnancy BMI: underweight (21.31%, BMI < 18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (67.81%, 18.5 kg/m² ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m²), overweight (8.99%, 24 kg/m² ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m² and obese (1.89%, BMI ≥ 28 kg/m²). The optimal GWG values for the above 4 groups were 16.7 kg (GWG range, 12.0–21.5), 14.5 kg (9.5–19.5), 11.5 kg (7.0–16.5), and 8.0 kg (5.0–13.0). The rates of inadequate, optimal and excessive GWG in present study were 6.14% (545), 62.34% (5529), and 31.52% (2796) respectively, which were significantly different from those of the 2009 Institute of Medicine recommendation (χ² = 1416.05, Pinteraction < 0.0001).Wider optimal GWG ranges than those recommended by Institute of Medicine were found in our study, and our proposed criteria seems to be practical to the Chinese population.     

Obesity or increased body mass index and the risk of severe outcomes in patients with COVID-19: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:To assess the effect of obesity or a high body mass index (BMI) on the risk of severe outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods:Studies on the relationship between BMI or obesity and COVID-19 since December 2019. The odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the effect size.Results:BMI was significantly increased in COVID-19 patients with severe illness (WMD: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.42–1.93), who were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) (WMD: 1.46; 95% CI: 0.96–1.97), who required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (WMD: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.05–4.35) and who died (WMD: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.02–1.80). In Western countries, obesity (BMI of ≥30 kg/m²) increased the risk of hospitalization (OR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.22–3.54), admission to an ICU (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.29–1.84), need for IMV (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.38–2.17), and mortality (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.17–1.74) of patients with COVID-19. In the Asian population, obesity (BMI of ≥28 kg/m²) increased the risk of severe illness (OR: 3.14; 95% CI: 1.83–5.38). Compared with patients with COVID-19 and a BMI of <25 kg/m², those with a BMI of 25–30 kg/m² and ≥30 kg/m² had a higher risk of need for IMV (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.30–3.69 and OR: 3.04; 95% CI: 1.76–5.28, respectively). The risk of ICU admission in patients with COVID-19 and a BMI of ≥30 kg/m² was significantly higher than in those with a BMI of 25–30 kg/m² (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.00–2.21).Conclusion:As BMI increased, the risks of hospitalization, ICU admission, and need for IMV increased, especially in COVID-19 patients with obesity.Ethics and dissemination:This systematic review and meta-analysis does not require an ethics approval as it does not collect any primary data from patients.     

Morbid obesity in liver transplant recipients adversely affects longterm graft and patient survival in a single-institution analysis

Objective

The effects of obesity in liver transplantation remain controversial. Earlier institutional data demonstrated no significant difference in postoperative complications or 1-year mortality. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that obesity alone has minimal effect on longterm graft and overall survival.

Methods

A retrospective, single-institution analysis of outcomes in patients submitted to primary adult orthotopic liver transplantation was conducted using data for the period from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2012. Recipients were divided into six groups by pre-transplant body mass index (BMI), comprising those with BMIs of <18.0 kg/m², 18.0–24.9 kg/m², 25.0–29.9 kg/m², 30.0–35.0 kg/m², 35.1–40.0 kg/m² and >40 kg/m², respectively. Pre- and post-transplant parameters were compared. A P-value of <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Independent predictors of patient and graft survival were determined using multivariate analysis.

Results

A total of 785 patients met the study inclusion criteria. A BMI of >35 kg/m² was associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis (P < 0.0001), higher Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and longer wait times for transplant (P = 0.002). There were no differences in operative time, intensive care unit or hospital length of stay, or perioperative complications. Graft and patient survival at intervals up to 3 years were similar between groups. Compared with non-obese recipients, recipients with a BMI of >40 kg/m² showed significantly reduced 5-year graft (49.0% versus 75.8%; P < 0.02) and patient (51.3% versus 78.8%; P < 0.01) survival.

Conclusions

Obesity increasingly impacts outcomes in liver transplantation. Although the present data are limited by the fact that they were sourced from a single institution, they suggest that morbid obesity adversely affects longterm outcomes despite providing similar short-term results. Further analysis is indicated to identify risk factors for poor outcomes in morbidly obese patients.     

Body Mass Index Is a Marker of Nutrition Preparation Sufficiency Before Surgery for Crohn's Disease From the Perspective of Intra-Abdominal Septic Complications: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Poor preoperative nutritional status for individuals with Crohn''s disease (CD) is associated with intra-abdominal septic complications (IASCs). The present study aimed to investigate the association of the common nutrition indices serum albumin and body mass index (BMI) with IASCs. Sixty-four CD patients who had received elective intestinal operations were retrospectively investigated. Among these patients, 32 had received individualized fortified nutrition support. IASCs occurred in 7 patients (10.9%). Compared with non-IASC patients, IASC patients had a lower BMI (17.6 ± 2.7 vs 15.6 ± 1.3 kg/m², P = 0.048). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve according to the BMI-based IASC prediction was 0.772 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.601–0.944; P = 0.020) with an optimum diagnostic cutoff value of 16.2 kg/m². A BMI < 16.2 kg/m² significantly increased the risk of developing an IASC (odds ratio [OR], 10.286; 95% CI, 1.158–91.386). Even after correction with the simplified CD activity index (CDAI), a low BMI level remained associated with IASCs (OR, 7.650; 95% CI, 0.808–72.427; P = 0.076). Serum albumin was not associated with IASCs. Although the fortified nutrition support group had an albumin level comparable to the control group, this group had a higher simplified CDAI score, a lower BMI level, and a comparable incidence rate of IASCs. Thus, BMI more accurately reflects the basic preoperative nutritional status of CD patients than serum albumin. BMI can aid in guiding preoperative nutrition support and judging the appropriate operation time for CD.     

Clinical significance of overweight in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A retrospective cohort study

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common genetic heart disease with varying clinical outcomes and it is important to identify new predictors of adverse events and survival in HCM patients.Overweight may independently predict the clinical outcomes of HCM patients.This was a retrospective study. Two hundred six HCM patients were compared classified by the normal group (body mass index < 25 kg/m²) and the overweight group (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m²). We compared major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events and secondary endpoints between 2 groups. By Cox analysis, we determined whether overweight was an independent predictor of MACCE in HCM patients. Finally, we also explored the prognostic value of overweight on all-cause death in HCM cohorts using Kaplan–Meier analysis.Overweight patients were associated with more heart failure (HF) rehospitalization in HCM patients (51.3% vs 27.5%, P = .001). Overweight was an independent determinant of MACCE in HCM patients (heart rate = 3.40, 95% confidence interval: 1.79–6.61, P < .001), mainly attributed to HF rehospitalization (heart rate = 3.44, 95% confidence interval: 1.64–6.72, P < .001). However, a prognostic effect of overweight on overall survival was not observed by Kaplan–Meier analysis (P = .23).These results provide the evidence that overweight could predict the presence of MACCE, especially HF rehospitalization, in HCM patients.     

Serum Gamma-Glutamyltransferase Levels Predict Mortality in Patients With Peritoneal Dialysis

Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level has been considered marker of oxidative stress as well as liver function. Serum GGT level has been reported to be associated with the mortality in hemodialysis patients. However, it is not well established whether serum GGT level is associated with all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The aim of this study was to determine the association between serum GGT levels and all-cause mortality in PD patients.PD patients were included from the Clinical Research Center registry for end-stage renal disease cohort, a multicenter prospective observational cohort study in Korea. Patients were categorized into 3 groups by tertile of serum GGT levels as follows: tertile 1, GGT < 16 IU/L; tertile 2, GGT = 16 to 27 IU/L; and tertile 3, GGT > 27 IU/L. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality.A total of 820 PD patients were included. The median follow-up period was 34 months. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the all-cause mortality rate was significantly different according to tertiles of GGT (P = 0.001, log-rank). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that higher tertiles significantly associated with higher risk for all-cause mortality (tertile 2: hazard ratio [HR] 2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–3.72, P = 0.013; tertile 3: HR 1.83, 95% CI, 1.04–3.22, P = 0.035) in using tertile 1 as the reference group after adjusting for clinical variables.Our study demonstrated that high serum GGT levels were an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in PD patients. Our findings suggest that serum GGT levels might be a useful biomarker to predict all-cause mortality in PD patients.     

eGFR and Outcomes in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure with or without Elevated BUN

Background and objectives

In patients with heart failure, the association of renal dysfunction and BUN levels with outcomes is unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between the eGFR at discharge and outcomes in patients with heart failure with or without an elevated BUN level at discharge.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Of 4842 patients enrolled in the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Syndromes Registry, 4449 patients discharged alive after hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure were investigated to assess the association of eGFR in the context of serum BUN level at discharge with all-cause mortality. The enrolled patients were divided into four groups on the basis of the discharge levels of eGFR (<45 or ≥45 ml/min per 1.73 m²) and BUN (≥25 or <25 mg/dl). The median follow-up period after discharge was 517 (381–776) days.

Results

The all–cause mortality rate after discharge was 19.1%. After adjustment for multiple comorbidities, an eGFR<45 ml/min per 1.73 m² was associated with a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality in patients with a BUN≥25 mg/dl (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.33 to 1.88; P<0.001) but not in patients with a BUN<25 mg/dl (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.76 to 1.26; P=0.84) relative to those with an eGFR≥45 ml/min per 1.73 m² and a BUN<25 mg/dl. Among patients with an eGFR≥45 ml/min per 1.73 m², a BUN≥25 mg/dl was associated with a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality than a BUN<25 mg/dl (hazard ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.73; P=0.02).

Conclusions

We showed that elevation of BUN at discharge significantly modified the relation between eGFR at discharge and the risk of all-cause mortality after discharge, suggesting that the association between eGFR and outcomes may be largely dependent on concomitant elevation of BUN.     

Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score is the best predictor for severe clinical outcome in the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection

Aged population with comorbidities demonstrated high mortality rate and severe clinical outcome in the patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, whether age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score (CCIS) predict fatal outcomes remains uncertain.This retrospective, nationwide cohort study was performed to evaluate patient mortality and clinical outcome according to CCIS among the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection. We included 5621 patients who had been discharged from isolation or had died from COVID-19 by April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was composites of death, admission to intensive care unit, use of mechanical ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The secondary outcome was mortality. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate CCIS as the independent risk factor for death.Among 5621 patients, the high CCIS (≥ 3) group showed higher proportion of elderly population and lower plasma hemoglobin and lower lymphocyte and platelet counts. The high CCIS group was an independent risk factor for composite outcome (HR 3.63, 95% CI 2.45–5.37, P < .001) and patient mortality (HR 22.96, 95% CI 7.20–73.24, P < .001). The nomogram showed that CCIS was the most important factor contributing to the prognosis followed by the presence of dyspnea (hazard ratio [HR] 2.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.16–3.83), low body mass index < 18.5 kg/m² (HR 2.36, CI 1.49–3.75), lymphopenia (<0.8 x10⁹/L) (HR 2.15, CI 1.59–2.91), thrombocytopenia (<150.0 x10⁹/L) (HR 1.29, CI 0.94–1.78), anemia (<12.0 g/dL) (HR 1.80, CI 1.33–2.43), and male sex (HR 1.76, CI 1.32–2.34). The nomogram demonstrated that the CCIS was the most potent predictive factor for patient mortality.The predictive nomogram using CCIS for the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 may help clinicians to triage the high-risk population and to concentrate limited resources to manage them.     

High Body Mass Index Reduces Glomerular Filtration Rate Decline in Type II Diabetes Mellitus Patients With Stage 3 or 4 Chronic Kidney Disease

Whether high body mass index (BMI) has an effect on progressive diabetic nephropathy in type II diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3 or 4 remains unclear. This prospective study aimed to investigate the relationship between BMI and progression of renal function deterioration in type II DM patients with CKD stage 3 or 4.A total of 105 type II DM patients with CKD stage 3 or 4 participated in this 24-month prospective observational study. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to BMI as follows: normal group, BMI of 18.5–22.9 kg/m²; overweight group, BMI of 23–24.9 kg/m²; and obese group, BMI of ≥25 kg/m². The primary end point was a 2-fold elevation in serum creatinine levels (measured twice with a 1-month interval) from baseline values, need for long-term dialysis, or death during the 24-month observation period.In the linear regression analysis with the stepwise method, each 1 kg/m² increase in BMI led to an increase of 0.32 mL min⁻¹ × 1.73 m⁻² in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.01–0.62; P = 0.04) during the 24-month study period. Moreover, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that compared with the obese group, the normal BMI group (hazard ratio = 2.76, 95% CI : 1.27–6; P = 0.01) achieved the primary outcome after adjusting for other factors.In this 24-month prospective observational study, we showed that BMI of ≥25 kg/m² was a protective factor for renal function deterioration in type II DM patients with CKD stage 3 or 4.     

The risk factors of postoperative delirium in general anesthesia patients with hip fracture: Attention needed

Delirium is a common postoperative complication of patients with hip fracture, yet the risk factors for postoperative delirium in patients with hip fracture remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the associated risk factors of postoperative delirium in patients with hip fracture, to provide evidence for formulating coping measures of postoperative delirium prevention and treatment in clinical practice.Patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture from March 1, 2018 to September 30, 2020 in our hospital were included. The related characteristics and related lab examination results were reviewed and collected. The univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the potential risk factors.A total of 462 patients were included, the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients with hip fracture was 16.02%. Logistic regression analyses indicated that history of delirium (OR = 4.38, 1.15–9.53), diabetes mellitus (OR = 5.31, 1.23–10.75), hypoalbuminemia (OR = 4.97, 1.37–9.86), postoperative hypoxemia (OR = 5.67, 2.24–13.42), and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²) (OR = 3.03, 1.36–6.18) were the independent risk factors for the delirium in patients with hip fracture surgery (all P < 0.05). The cutoff value of postoperative blood sugar, albumin, and BMI for delirium prediction was 8.05 (mmol/L), 32.26 (g/L), and 19.35 (kg/m²), respectively, and the area under curve of postoperative blood sugar, albumin, and BMI was 0.792, 0.714, and 0.703, respectively.Those patients with a history of delirium, postoperative hypoxemia, blood glucose ≥8.05 mmol/L, albumin ≤32.26 g/L, and BMI ≤19.35 kg/m² particularly need the attention of healthcare providers for the prevention of delirium.     

The Impact of Body Mass Index on the Surgical Outcomes of Patients With Gastric Cancer: A 10-Year,Single-Institution Cohort Study

This study aimed to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on the short-term and long-term results of a large cohort of gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing gastrectomy.Recently, the “obesity paradox” has been proposed, referring to the paradoxically “better” outcomes of overweight and obese patients compared with nonoverweight patients. The associations between BMI and surgical outcomes among patients with GC remain controversial.A single-institution cohort of 1249 GC patients undergoing gastrectomy between 2000 and 2010 were categorized to low-BMI (<18.49 kg/m²), normal-BMI (18.50–24.99 kg/m²), and high-BMI (≥25.00 kg/m²) groups. The postoperative complications were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo system, and their severity was assessed by using the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI). The impact of BMI on the postoperative complications and overall survival was analyzed.There were 908, 158, and 182 patients in the normal-BMI, low-BMI, and high-BMI groups, respectively. The overall morbidity in the high-BMI group (24.7%) was higher than that in either the low-BMI or the normal-BMI group (20.9% and 15.5%, respectively; P = 0.006), but the mean CCI in the low-BMI group was significantly higher (8.32 ± 19.97) than the mean CCI in the normal-BMI and high-BMI groups (3.76 ± 11.98 and 5.58 ± 13.07, respectively; P < 0.001). The Kaplan–Meier curve and the log-rank test demonstrated that the low-BMI group exhibited the worst survival outcomes compared with the normal-BMI group, whereas the high-BMI group exhibited the best survival outcomes (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, BMI was identified as an independent prognostic factor. In the stage-specific subgroup analysis, a low BMI was associated with poorer survival in the cases of stage III–IV diseases.Low BMI was associated with more severe postoperative complications and poorer prognosis. Despite a higher risk of mild postoperative complications, the high-BMI patients exhibited paradoxically “superior” survival outcomes compared with the normal-BMI patients. These findings confirm the “obesity paradox” in GC patients undergoing gastrectomy.     

Association of low fat mass with nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in patients with bronchiectasis

The incidence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection is high in patients with underlying lung disease such as bronchiectasis. Although previous studies have reported many risk factors contributing to the development of NTM-lung disease (LD), only a few reports on the relationship of the characteristics of patients, such as body mass index (BMI), skeletal mass, and fat mass, with NTM-LD have been published. We aimed to investigate the association between these parameters and NTM-LD in patients with bronchiectasis.A monocentric retrospective study in a university hospital was conducted over 4 years (2013–2016). Parameters including BMI, skeletal mass, and fat mass were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis in noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients. Patients were grouped by the presence or absence of NTM-LD, and the differences in BMI, skeletal mass, and fat mass between the 2 groups were compared. In the NTM-LD group, the progression of disease was also followed.Two hundred forty-five patients with bronchiectasis were enrolled in the study. One hundred six subjects (48%) had NTM-LD. These patients with NTM-LD were predominantly female, and had a significantly lower body weight (58.20 ± 8.84 vs 54.16 ± 8.99, P < .001), BMI (22.67 ± 3.04 vs 21.20 ± 2.59 kg/m², P < .001), fat mass (16.19 ± 6.60 vs 14.23 ± 5.79, P = .013), and fat mass index (FMI; 6.79 ± 2.70 vs 5.57 ± 2.27 kg/m², P < .001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that both female sex and lower FMI but not skeletal muscle index were independent risk factors for NTM-LD after adjusting for age, bronchiectasis severity index, and BMI (odds ratio 3.86 (1.99–7.78); 0.72 (0.63–0.82), P < .001, respectively).Our results suggest that lower FMI may contribute to susceptibility to NTM infection in patients with bronchiectasis, independent of age or its severity.     

Impact of serum albumin level and variability on short-term cardiovascular-related and all-cause mortality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Studies have shown that low serum albumin (Salb) levels are associated with a high risk of mortality among patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD); however, the impact of Salb variability on short-term cardiovascular mortality remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the association between Salb levels and Salb variability on short-term all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality in patients on MHD.Eligible patients on MHD at Chongqing General Hospital between June 2017 and June 2020 were recruited in this study. Patients were grouped by Salb levels (normal Salb, ≥3.8 g/dL; low Salb, 3.4–3.8 g/dL; and lower Salb, 2–3.4 g/dL) and Salb variability (decreased, >5% loss; increased, >5% gain; and steady, 5% loss to 5% gain). Associations between Salb levels, Salb variability, and all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality were analyzed using Cox regression models. A survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier analysis.We enrolled a total of 181 patients on MHD with an average age of 65 years (interquartile range [IQR], 53–75 years). The mean Salb level was 3.8 ± 0.6 g/dL (IQR 2.9–4.4 g/dL), and the median Salb variability was 2.6% per year (IQR, −4.1 to 6.5). Fifty-two (29%) patients died, including 31 (17%) patients who died due to cardiovascular-related causes. Compared with the other groups, the lower Salb group had higher all-cause mortality (P < .01). Cox regression analyses revealed that lower Salb levels and decreased Salb variability were independently associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.103–3.452; HR = 2.245, 95% CI 1.084–4.650), whereas increased Salb variability was independently associated with cardiovascular-related mortality (HR = 2.919, 95% CI 1.178–7.234; P < .05).Lower Salb levels were an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients on MHD. Increased Salb variability was strongly associated with cardiovascular-related mortality in the same population, especially in the short-term and in patients with normal Salb levels. Significantly elevated Salb variability should be evaluated to reduce cardiovascular-related mortality.