Aspirin plus clopidogrel versus aspirin mono-therapy for ischemic stroke: a meta-analysis

Objectives. Stroke is a common condition after a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor ischemic stroke (IS). Adding clopidogrel to aspirin may yield more beneficial outcomes than aspirin mono-therapy; meanwhile, the risk of bleeding in the acute phase remains poorly understood. Therefore, there is increasing emphasis on the risks and benefits of clopidogrel with aspirin compared with aspirin mono-therapy in an effort to treat TIA/IS. Design. We searched several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase, to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) based on the index words comparing dual-antiplatelet therapy to aspirin mono-therapy for secondary stroke prevention updated to December, 2018. Results. A total of 11 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis showed that clopidogrel plus aspirin was associated with a trend toward a reduction in recurrent IS (RR?=?0.72, 95%CI?= 0.65–0.81, p?p?=?.09) than aspirin mono-therapy. There were differences in bleeding episodes (RR?=?1.81, 95%CI?=?1.65–1.99, p?p?=?.0005), or mild bleeding (RR?=?2.25, 95%CI?=?1.54–3.31, p?p?=?.09). Conclusions. The addition of clopidogrel to aspirin for patients with TIA or IS appeared to significantly reduce the risk of IS recurrence with a possible increase in the risk of bleeding compared with aspirin alone.     

Genotype polymorphisms of genes regulating nitric oxide synthesis determine long-term arteriovenous fistula patency in male hemodialysis patients

Objectives Nitric oxide (NO) is a pivotal vasoactive substance modulating arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency for hemodialysis (HD). Since genetic background could be the predicting factor of AVF malfunction, we aimed to investigate whether the NO-related genotype polymorphisms determine AVF survival rates. Methods This is a retrospective, observational, multi-center study involving eight HD units in Taiwan, enrolled 580 patients initiating maintenance HD via AVFs. Genotype polymorphisms of NO-biosynthesis regulating enzymes (DDAH-1, DDAH-2, eNOS and PRMT1) were compared between HD patients with (n?=?161) and without (n?=?419) history of AVF malfunction. Subgroup analyses by gender were performed to evaluate the genetic effect in difference sexes. Results In overall population, statistically significant associations were not found between AVF malfunction and the genetic polymorphisms. In the male subgroup (n?=?313), a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of PRMT1, rs10415880 (IVS9-193 A/G), showed a significant association with AVF malfunction. Male patients with AA/AG genotype had inferior AVF outcomes compared to GG genotype, regarding primary patency (70.6% vs. 40.9%, p?=?0.001), assisted primary patency (81.0% vs. 58.4%, p?p?p?Conclusions rs10415880, the SNP of PRMT1 could be a novel genetic marker associated with AVF malfunction risk in male HD patients. Those with AA and AG genotypes of rs10415880 may predict a poorer long-term patency of AVF.     

The predictive value of the product of contrast medium volume and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio in contrast-induced acute kidney injury

Preexisting renal impairment and the amount of contrast media are the most important risk factors for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). We aimed to investigate whether the product of contrast medium volume and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (CMV?×?UACR) would be a better predictor of CI-AKI in patients undergoing nonemergency coronary interventions. This was a prospective single-center observational study, and 912 consecutive patients who were exposed to contrast media during coronary interventions were investigated prospectively. CI-AKI is defined as a 44.2?μmol/L rise in serum creatinine or a 25% increase, assessed within 48?h after administration of contrast media in the absence of other causes. Fifty patients (5.48%) developed CI-AKI. The urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) (OR?=?1.002, 95% CI?=?1.000–1.003, p?=?.012) and contrast medium volume (CMV) (OR?=?1.008, 95% CI?=?1.001–1.014, p?=?.017) were independent risk factors for the development of CI-AKI. The area under the ROC curve of CMV, UACR and CMV?×?UACR were 0.662 (95% CI?=?0.584–0.741, p?p?p?相似文献   

The efficacy of low-dose tadalafil in patients undergoing hemodialysis with end-stage renal disease

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a disorder that is frequently observed in people with chronic kidney disease who undergo hemodialysis (HD). In the context of evidence-based medicine, we aimed to investigate the effect of low-dose tadalafil on sexual function in patients undergoing HD.

Methods: The medical records of 30 males (aged 29–65?years) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on a HD program, and who had received 5?mg tadalafil twice weekly, were retrospectively evaluated. Changes in erectile and ejaculatory function were evaluated using the International Erectile Function Index questionnaire, the Erection Hardness Scale (EHS), and the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ).

Results: The mean age of the patients was 47.6?±?10.1?years, their mean body mass index was 24.3?±?4.2?kg/m², their mean hemoglobin was 11.9?±?0.9?g/dL, and their mean creatinine clearance was 5.8?±?1.1?mL/min. At the third month of treatment, 36.6% of the patients had no ED, 40% had mild ED, 10% had mild-to-moderate ED, and 13.3% had moderate ED. The mean MSHQ scores (p?p?=?.001) were significantly improved. There was no significant difference between Beck's Depression Inventory scores (p?>?.05), but Hamilton anxiety rate scores decreased significantly (p?=?.001). The quality-of-life score improved throughout the study period (p?Conclusions: Tadalafil therapy is an effective therapeutic option in patients with ESRD who undergo HD, not only for the treatment of ED, but also for ejaculatory function, with acceptable adverse effects.     

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism with type 1 diabetic nephropathy: a meta-analysis

Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism on type 1 diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of science, Wanfang data, VIP database, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, and SinoMed were searched. A total of 17 case–control studies analyzing ACE I/D polymorphism and type 1 DN risk were included in the present meta-analysis.

Results: Overall, a significant increased risk was found in allele comparison (OR?=?1.16, 95% CI?=?1.05–1.28, p?=?0.04), dominant comparison (OR?=?1.56, 95% CI?=?1.14–2.15, p?=?0.006) and homozygote comparison (OR?=?1.52, 95% CI?=?1.06–2.19, p?=?0.02). In subgroup analyses according to ethnicity, the risk of type 1 DN in Asian population was increased in allele comparison (OR?=?1.98, 95% CI?=?1.15–3.42, p?=?0.01), recessive comparison (OR?=?2.48, 95% CI?=?1.51–4.10, p?=?0.0004), dominant comparison (OR?=?3.15, 95% CI?=?1.90–5.23, p?p?=?0.05). However, there was no association between the ACE I/D genetic variants and type 1 DN in Caucasian populations.

Conclusions: Our meta-analysis results indicate that the ACE I/D polymorphism may contribute to type 1 DN development, especially in the Asian groups with type 1 diabetes. The current findings need to be confirmed by future well-designed and larger sample size primary studies in populations with different ethnicities.     

Very early withdrawal from treatment in patients starting peritoneal dialysis

Introduction: Very early withdrawal from treatment in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an increasingly important, but poorly understood, issue. Here, we identified the reasons and risk factors for very early withdrawal from PD.

Methods: Incident PD patients from The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University above 18?years who started treatment between January 1 2006 and December 31 2011 were included. Cessation of PD therapy within the first 90?days after beginning dialysis was classified as very early withdrawal.

Results: Totally 1444 patients were enrolled. Of these, 71 (4.9%) withdrew from PD therapy during the first 90?days. Primary reasons for very early withdrawal included death (34 patients, 47.9%), transplantation (21 patients, 29.6%) and transfer to hemodialysis (14 patients, 19.7%). The leading reasons for death were cardiovascular and infectious disease, accounting for 41.2% (14 patients) and 23.5% (8 patients) of total deaths, respectively. Dialysate leakage (six patients, 42.9%) and catheter dysfunction (five patients, 35.7%) were the main reasons for transfer to hemodialysis. In multivariate analysis, predictors for very early PD withdrawal were older age (per decade increasing; hazard ratio [HR], 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.45; p?=?.019), higher systolic blood pressure (per 10?mmHg increasing; HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.20–1.50; p?p?p?=?.001) and lower residual urine volume (per 100?ml/d increasing; HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.84–0.95; p?=?.001).

Conclusions: Death was the primary reason for very early withdrawal from PD. Risk factors for very early withdrawal from PD were older in age, had higher systolic blood pressure, lower hemoglobin, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower residual urine volume.     

The assessment of P-wave dispersion and myocardial repolarization parameters in patients with chronic kidney disease

Objective: The risks of sudden death and cardiac arrhythmia are increased in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, we aimed to evaluate the indicators of arrhythmias, such as p-wave dispersion (P-WD), QTc dispersion, Tp-e and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with CKD stages 3–5 on no renal replacement therapy (RRT).

Material and methods: One-hundred and thirty three patients with CKD stages 3–5 and 32 healthy controls were enrolled into the study. No patients received RRT. QTc dispersion, P-WD and Tp-e interval were measured using electrocardiogram and Tp-e/QT ratio was also calculated.

Results: Mean age rates were found similar in patients and controls (60.8?±?14.2 and 61?±?12.9?y, p?=?.937, respectively). Compared patients with controls, P-WD (45.85?±?12.42 vs. 21.17?±?6.6?msec, p?p?p?p?p?p?=?.001) were found to be different. QTc-max and Tp-e interval were found to be similar in both groups.

Conclusion: P-WD and QTc dispersion, Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QTc ratio were found to be increased in with CKD stages 3–5 on no RRT.     

Assessment of preeclampsia risk by use of serum ionized magnesium-based equation

Background: Preeclampsia is a common medical complication in pregnancy. It has been reported to be associated with decreased serum magnesium levels. However, there has not been evidence demonstrating utilization of change in magnesium for prediction of preeclampsia. The purpose of this study was to develop magnesium fraction-based equations which took other significant clinical risk factors into consideration for prediction of preeclampsia.

Methods: We collected serum total and ionized magnesium ionized magnesium levels from 84 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia after week 20 of pregnancy. The ionized magnesium fraction was then calculated by the percentage ratio of ionized and total magnesium level.

Results: Sixty-four (76.19%) women had normal pregnancy and 20 (23.81%) developed preeclampsia. The ionized magnesium fraction was significantly lower in preeclampsia group (23.95?±?4.7% vs. 26.28?±?2.3%, p?=?.04). Additionally, lower ionized magnesium fraction (24.67%), teenage and elderly primigravida were significantly associated with preeclampsia (OR?=?4.41, 95% CI: 1.46–13.40, OR?=?5.47, 95% CI: 1.85–35.42 and OR?=?11.11, 95% CI: 1.09–113.78, respectively). Consequently, we attempted to develop ionized magnesium fraction-based equations calculate risk scores for preeclampsia. The area of ROC for predictive accuracy of the model was 0.77 (p?Conclusions: Ionized magnesium fraction may have been appropriate for screening of preeclampsia. We suggested blood testing on total and ionized magnesium concentrations as well as calculation of ionized magnesium fraction in addition to routine antenatal care for better screening of the disease.     

Laparoscopic pyelolithotomy versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy for treatment of large renal pelvic calculi (diameter >2 cm): a meta-analysis

Objective: To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic pyelolithotomy (LP) versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for the treatment of renal pelvic calculi >2?cm.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar about LP and PCNL for the treatment of renal stones. The retrieval time ended in September 2015. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of all included studies. The available data in the studies were analyzed using the RevMan 5.2 software.

Results: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nine Non-Randomized Concurrent Controlled Trials (NRCCTs) were included, involving a total of 766 patients. This meta-analysis showed that LP has a statistically higher stone-free rate than PCNL [I^2?=?0, OR?=?0.26 (95% CI 0.10–0.64), p?=?0.003], lower drop in hemoglobin level [I^2?=^?0, difference in mean drop?=??0.83 (95% CI ?1.05 to ?0.61), p?I^2?=^?0, OR?=?0.36 (95% CI 0.14–0.89), p?=?0.03], and PCNL is associated with a lower length of hospital stay [I^2?=^?74%, difference in mean of hospital stay?=?0.72 (95% CI 0.04–1.40), p?=?0.04].

Conclusion: LP is an alternative for the treatment of large solitary renal stone. LP may have a higher stone-free rate, lesser blood loss, lower postoperation fever rate, while PCNL may have a lower length of hospital stay. However, further well designed and large volume randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.     

Association of short-term blood pressure variability with cardiovascular mortality among incident hemodialysis patients

Objective: To investigate the association of short-term blood pressure variability (BPV) with cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients, using a reliable index called average real variability (ARV), and to assess the factors associated with ARV in incident HD population.

Methods: A total of 103?HD patients were recruited, with 44-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring performed after the midweek HD session. Systolic BPV was assessed by SD, coefficient of variation (CV), and ARV, respectively. Laboratory data were obtained from blood samples before the midweek HD. All patients were followed up for 24 months.

Results: According to the median of BPV indices, the comparisons between patients with the low and high values were conducted. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed the survival curves corresponding to median of SD and CV exhibit similar performance for the low and high groups (p?=?.647, p?=?.098, respectively). In contrast, patients with higher ARV had a lower survival rate than those with lower ARV (77.8% vs. 98.0%, p?=?.002). After adjustment for demographics and clinical factors, ARV (HR: 1.143; 95% CI: 1.022–1.279, p?=?.019) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HR: 1.394; 95% CI: 1.025–1.363, p?=?.021) were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in HD patients. Age and interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) were related factors for ARV (β?=?0.065, p?=?.005; β?=?0.825, p?=?.003, respectively).

Conclusions: Greater ARV was independently associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in HD patients. Age and IDWG were independent related factors for ARV.     

Importance of comorbidities in comatose survivors of shockable and non-shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated with target temperature management

Objective. Comorbidity prior to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and primary rhythm in relation to survival is not well established. We aimed to assess the prognostic importance of comorbidity in relation to primary rhythm in OHCA-patients treated with Target Temperature Management (TTM). Design. Consecutive comatose survivors of OHCA treated with TTM in hospitals in the Copenhagen area between 2002–2011 were included. Utstein-based pre- and in-hospital data collection was performed. Data on comorbidity was obtained from The Danish National Patient Register and patient charts, assessed by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Results. A total of 666 patients were included. A third (n?=?233, 35%) presented with non-shockable rhythm, and they were less often male (64% vs. 82%, p?p?p?p?p?p?=?.34). No significant interaction between primary rhythm and comorbidity in terms of mortality was present. Conclusion. A higher comorbidity burden was independently associated with a higher 30-day mortality rate in patients presenting with non-shockable primary rhythm but not in patients with shockable rhythm.     

Efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids for patients with IgA nephropathy: a meta-analysis

Background

The efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids for the treatment of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) remains controversial. The aim of the study is to perform a metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids for patients with IgAN.

Methods

We searched PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library and article reference lists of Controlled Trials, and Clinical Trial Registries for randomized controlled trials comparing glucocorticoids with other non-immunosuppressive agents in patients with IgAN.

Results

The present meta-analysis, including 10 RCTs and 791 patients from 12 published studies, showed that using glucocorticoids agents relatively preserves kidney function(RR 0.06, 95% CI 0.14–0.61) and plays an effective role on reducing the proteinuria(SMD, ??0.69; 95% CI 0.85 to ??0.53, p?<?0.00001; heterogeneity I2?=?0%; p?=?0.09) compared with a control group. Moreover, adverse events cannot be neglected, especially gastrointestinal tract (RR 3.10, 95% CI 1.37–6.98, p?=?0.006; heterogeneity I2?=?0%, p?=?0.86), and corticosteroid regimens in IgAN should be reviewed with regard to safety.

Conclusions

Glucocorticoids were wildly used to treat various diseases including IgAN. Meanwhile, adverse events cannot be neglected, such as gastrointestinal adverse events, infection and so on. Corticosteroid should be used with reserve, especially in those patients with hypertension and impaired renal function or older patients.

     

Feasibility of E-PASS score to predict postoperative complications in laparoscopic nephrectomy

Purpose

To evaluate the usefulness of E-PASS score to predict postoperative complications after laparoscopic nephrectomy.

Methods

Between 2008 and 2020, 424 patients (179 patients: simple nephrectomy, 158 patients: radical nephrectomy, 87 patients: donor nephrectomy) who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy in our clinic, were included in the study. Patient groups separated according to the presence of postoperative complications were compared retrospectively regarding demographic, clinical, intraoperative, and postoperative data, comorbidities, and E-PASS scores (PRS, SSS, and CRS). The relationship between postoperative complications and E-PASS scores was examined.

Results

Postoperative complications occurred in 43 (10.1%) of the patients. Age, previous abdominal/retroperitoneal surgery, radical nephrectomy rate of surgeries, operation time, amount of bleeding, need for blood transfusion, rate of conversion from laparoscopic surgery to open surgery, hospitalization time, E-PASS PRS, SSS, and CRS were statistically significantly higher in the group with postoperative complications. The cutoff value of the E-PASS CRS was ? 0.2996 to predict the development of postoperative complications (AUC?=?0.706; 95% CI 0.629–0.783; p?<?0.001). According to multivariate analysis, presence of previous abdominal/retroperitoneal surgery (OR?2.977; 95% CI?1.502–5.899; p?=?0.002), laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (OR?2.518; 95% CI?1.224–5.179; p?=?0.012), conversion from laparoscopic surgery to open surgery (OR?4.869; 95% CI?1.046–22.669; p?=?0.044) and E-PASS CRS?>?? 0.2996 (OR?2.816; 95% CI?1.321–6.004; p?=?0.007) were found to be independent risk factors predicting postoperative complications.

Conclusion

The E-PASS scoring system is an effective and convenient system for predicting postoperative complications after laparoscopic nephrectomy.

     

Predictors of satisfaction in patient with silicone breast implants and its association with drug intake habits

Background: Satisfaction is an important outcome variable in surgical success. The purpose of this study is to evaluate predictors of satisfaction in women submitted to silicone textured breast implant surgery.

Methods: A retrospective evaluation of women receiving textured silicone breast implants was performed. Patients were divided in four groups: cosmetic cohort (n?=?104), reconstructive cohort (n?=?120), general population control cohort (n?=?120) and aesthetic control cohort (n?=?54). Data were collected based on information retrieved from patient records, a planned consultation and a self-administered structured questionnaire.

Results: Patient satisfaction was influenced by preoperative information (p?=?.007), cohort (p?p?p?Conclusion: The purpose of the surgery, preoperative information and the occurrence of postoperative complications have an impact on the degree of satisfaction of women submitted to silicone breast implant surgery. Women using psychotropic drugs are more likely to report poor satisfaction.     

Total parathyroidectomy versus total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation for secondary hyperparathyroidism: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Total parathyroidectomy (tPTX) and total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation (tPTX?+?AT) are effective and inexpensive treatments for secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT), but we do not know which one is the optimal approach. Therefore, we undertook a meta-analysis to compare the safety and efficacy of these two surgical procedures.

Methodology: Studies published in English on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library from inception to 27 September 2016 were searched systematically. Eligible studies comparing tPTX with tPTX?+?AT for sHPT were included and Review Manager v5.3 was used.

Results: Eleven studies were included in this meta-analysis. Ten cohort studies and one randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 1108 patients with sHPT were identified. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of surgical complications (relative risk [RR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77–3.79; p?=?.19), all-cause mortality (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.33–1.39; p?=?.29), sHPT persistence (RR, 3.81; 95% CI, 0.56–25.95; p?=?.17) or symptomatic improvement (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.91–1.13; p?=?.79). tPTX could reduce the risk of sHPT recurrence (RR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.09–0.41; p?p?=?.01) compared with tPTX?+?AT. Simultaneously, tPTX increased the risk of hypoparathyroidism (RR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.06–6.51; p?=?.04).

Conclusions: We found tPTX and tPTX?+?AT to be useful methods for sHPT treatment. tPTX was superior for reducing the risk of sHPT recurrence and reoperation than tPTX?+?AT but, due to a lack of high statistical-power RCTs, comparative studies will be needed in the future.     

Cost-effectiveness of Vascular Access for Haemodialysis: Arteriovenous Fistulas Versus Arteriovenous Grafts

BackgroundThe use of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for haemodialysis treatment may be associated with a high early failure rate, but usually good long-term patency, while using an arteriovenous graft (AVG) yields a lower early failure rate with worse long-term patency. The aim of this study was to calculate and compare the costs and outcome of AVF and AVG surgery in terms of early and long-term patencies.MethodsA decision tree and a Markov model were constructed to calculate costs and performance of AVFs and AVGs. The model was populated with a retrospective cohort of HD patients receiving their first VA. The outcomes were determined probabilistically with a 5-year follow-up.ResultsAVFs were usable for a mean (95% CI) of 28.5 months (24.6–32.5 months), while AVGs showed a patency of 25.5 months (20.0–31.2 months). The use of AVFs was the dominant type of VA and €631 could be saved per patient/per month patency compared to AVG use. Regardless of the willingness to pay, the use of AVFs yielded a higher probability of being cost-effective compared to AVGs.ConclusionsAVFs are more cost-effective than AVGs. Nonetheless, early failure rates significantly influence AVF performance and initiatives to reduce early failure can improve its cost-effectiveness.     

The association between platelet-lymphocyte ratio and the risk of all-cause mortality in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have high levels of inflammatory mediators. These inflammatory mediators contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has recently been recognized as a novel inflammatory marker and has been shown to be associated with the prognosis in CKD patients. However, the quality of these studies varies and their results are controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the relationship between PLR and all-cause mortality in CKD patients.

Methods

A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL and ISI Web of Science was conducted. The databases were searched from their inception dates up to the latest issue (31 October 2021). Two reviewers independently searched the databases and screened studies. Data were extracted using a standardized collection form. Meta-analysis was performed to compare PLR values between CKD and non-CKD patients, and to investigate the association between PLR and all-cause mortality in CKD patients. This meta-analysis is reported in adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Results

A total of 11 studies involving 4244 participants were selected. The pooled data indicated that PLR values were significantly higher in CKD patients than non-CKD controls (weighted mean difference?=?21.6, 95% CI 17.39–25.81, p?<?0.01), and PLR is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in CKD patients (hazard ratio?=?2.49, 95% CI 1.78–3.49, p?<?0.01).

Conclusions

Patients with CKD have higher PLR values compared to non-CKD patients. Meanwhile, PLR values were highly associated with all-cause mortality in CKD patients. PLR is a valid predictor as a clinically accessible indicator for patients with CKD.

     

The efficacy and safety of immunosuppressive agents plus steroids compared with steroids alone in the treatment of Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis: A meta-analysis

Background

Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) is the most severe symptom of Henoch–Schönlein purpura. The role of immunosuppressive agents combined with steroids is controversial in treating HSPN. Our meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of the combined therapy in the treatment of HSPN compared with steroids alone.

Methods

Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the literatures. Odds ratios (OR) and standard mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for dichotomous and continuous variables. A random-effect model or fixed-effect analysis was applied according to heterogeneity.

Results

A total of 9 articles were selected in our study. HSPN patients treated with combined therapy demonstrated a significant increase in complete remission rates (OR?=?1.95; 95% CI 1.17–3.23, P?=?0.010) and total remission rates (OR?=?2.30 95% CI 1.33–3.98, P?=?0.003) when compared with steroids alone. Children seemed to benefit more from combined treatment (OR?=?2.45; CI 1.20–5.02, P?=?0.014) than adults (OR?=?1.56; CI 0.76–3.20, P?=?0.225). Additionally, immunosuppressants plus steroids had an advantage on decreasing proteinuria (SMD?=?0.28; CI 0.05–0.52, P?=?0.019) and increasing the level of serum albumin (SMD?=?0.98; CI 0.35–1.60, P?=?0.002). However, significant differences were not found in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and rates of side-effects.

Conclusion

Administration of immunosuppressive agents combined with steroids may be a superior alternative for HSPN. Nevertheless, long-term, high-quality, large-sample, and multicenter RCTs are required to make the results more convincing.

     

Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in peritoneal dialysis patients: a meta-analysis

Purpose

Recent epidemiological evidence indicates an association between peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, the true prevalence of PH associated with PD has not been well described. So we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the point prevalence of PH in adults with PD.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, and the reference lists of relevant articles were searched to identify eligible studies. We used a random-effect meta-analysis model to estimate the prevalence of PH. We also performed sensitivity analyses and assessments of publishing bias.

Results

Fourteen observational studies (n?=?1483 participants) were included in this meta-analysis. The result of analysis in random-effect model showed that the pooled prevalence was 21% (95% CI 16–28), with significant heterogeneity between these studies (I²?=?84%, p?<?0.01). Sensitivity analysis further demonstrated the results to be robust. Besides, the Egger’s test (p?=?0.287) showed no significant publication bias.

Conclusions

PH is highly prevalent in patients with PD. Further studies are encouraged to definitively clarify the relationship between PH and PD.

     

Therapy with atorvastatin versus rosuvastatin reduces urinary podocytes,podocyte-associated molecules,and proximal tubule dysfunction biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is a severe complication of Type 2 diabetes. Tubular lesions may play an important role in its early stages. The aim of our study was to determine if atorvastatin protects the podocytes and the proximal tubule in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A total of 63 patients with Type 2 diabetes completed this 6-months prospective pilot study. They were randomized to continue rosuvastatin therapy (control group) or to be administered an equipotent dose of atorvastatin (intervention group), and were assessed regarding urinary podocytes, podocyte-associated molecules, and biomarkers of proximal tubule dysfunction.

Results: The patients from the intervention group presented a significant reduction in podocyturia (from 7.0 to 4.0 cells/ml, p?p?p?1-microglobulin (from 10.0 to 8.3?mg/g, p?p?p?Conclusions: In patients with Type 2 diabetes, atorvastatin exerts favorable effects on the kidney. There is a correlation between the evolution of the podocytes and of the proximal tubule biomarkers, supporting the hypothesis that the glomerular changes parallel proximal tubule dysfunction in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy.