Assessment of cardiovascular risk factors after renal transplantation: a step towards reducing graft failure

Background

Prolongation of renal allograft survival a considerable challenge. The primary cause of renal graft failure is recipient death and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality. We assessed the management of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus (DM) in a protocol-driven renal transplant clinic.

Methods

We reviewed 128 patients who received a renal allograft between 2004 and 2008 at our institution. Blood pressure (BP), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and hemoglobin AlC (HbAlC) were assessed annually for up to 5 years. Results were compared with the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines which target BP at ≤ 130/80 mmHg, LDL ≤ 100 mg/dL, and HbAlC ≤ 7.5%. Use of statins and antihypertensive medications was reviewed. Chi-square and t tests were used for analysis.

Results

A history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and DM were present in 96.1%, 60.9%, and 43.8%, respectively. The percentage of patients on ≥3 antihypertensive medications, statins, and other lipid-lowering medications were 38.01%, 44.5%, and 17.2%, respectively. One-year posttransplant targets for BP, LDL, and HbAlC were achieved in 41.4%, 71.7%, and 70.5% of patients, respectively. Five-year posttransplant target BP, LDL, and HbAlC were achieved in 55%, 91.7%, and 88.9% of patients, respectively.

Conclusions

Even in a university-based clinic with protocols designed to improve compliance, treatment goals for BP, LDL, and HbAlC were not achieved in a substantial number of patients, especially in the first year posttransplantation. Better strategies are needed to meet treatment objectives and prevent untoward outcomes.     

Considerations to implement holistic groups with the elderly

The group modality is a viable holistic treatment consideration for the elderly, given the steady increase in the elderly population, the presence of various psychiatric and/or medical conditions in this cohort, and cost concerns. The holistic nurse and group leader share similar role definitions of being a facilitator in the healing process. They embrace the concept that the person and group are greater than the sum of the parts. Using a group modality can increase the number of people served by one nurse, thereby making it cost-effective. Incorporating the holistic mind-body-spirit approach addresses the Healthy People 2010 goal of increasing the quality of life. Tips on conducting groups with the elderly are reviewed, including types of groups, setting, goals, composition, duration, and frequency. Theme-centered groups are discussed from a holistic perspective. Yalom's 11 therapeutic factors that account for group functions are explained, along with other group concepts that reflect holistic nursing concepts.     

Placental vascular resistance using umbilical velocimetry in patients undergoing cesarean section for fetal distress

Peak systolic (S) to lowest end-diastolic (D) ratios (S/D) of umbilical velocimetry have been used to assess downstream placental vascular resistance and predict adverse pregnancy outcome. The purpose of this study is to assess S/D ratios in patients undergoing cesarean section for clinical fetal distress. Fifty-six patients were identified who had umbilical velocimetry performed during antepartum fetal surveillance (nonstress testing and amniotic fluid index) within 7 days of undergoing cesarean section for fetal distress at Women's Hospital (Los Angeles, CA). The mean gestational age at delivery was 36.5 +/- 2.5 weeks. Thirty (53.6%) patients had elevated S/D ratios (greater than 3), 24 (42.9%) had abnormal amniotic fluid indices, and 20 (35.7%) had abnormal nonstress testing. Group 1 (N = 30) patients delivered small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses and group 2 (N = 26) patients delivered appropriately grown (AGA) fetuses. In group 1, 24 (80%) patients had abnormal S/D ratios and 16 (53.3%) had abnormal amniotic fluid indices, compared to only 6 (23.1%) with abnormal S/D ratios and 8 (30.8%) with abnormal amniotic fluid indices in group 2 (p less than .05). In contrast, 14 (53.8%) of the 26 patients in group 2 had abnormal nonstress testing compared to only 6 (20%) of the 30 patients in group 1 (p less than .05). Eighteen (69.2%) of the 26 patients in group 2 were post-term pregnancies; 20 (66.7%) of the 30 patients in group 1 had chronic hypertension, pregnancy-induced hypertension, or superimposed preeclampsia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Combination therapies in oculofacial rejuvenation

The oculo-facial surgeon's quest for non-invasive procedures is a response to increasing patient demands for enhanced results without any downtime. Technology has obliged us with multiple injectable and light therapeutic modalities that tighten skin, relax and fill in wrinkles, and improve skin dyspigmentation and texture. When these techniques are combined, the results are superior to the use of individual therapies alone. The foundation for combination therapies are: botulinum toxin, filling agents, chemical peels, intense pulsed light, non-ablative and ablative lasers.     

Impact of hypercholesterolemia on toxicity of N-nitrosodiethylamine: biochemical and histopathological effects

N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) is an important carcinogen frequently present in human environment and food chain. Nitrosamines such as NDEA produce oxidative stress due to generation of reactive oxygen species and alter the antioxidant defence system in the tissues. The present investigation was aimed at studying its toxicity under hypercholesterolemic conditions. NDEA administration brought about hepatic degeneration as evidenced by the significant decrease in liver weight index of both normal as well as hypercholesterolemic animals. Hypercholesterolemia did not affect the hemoglobin (Hb) content in experimental animals but resulted in an increase in the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes. The antioxygenic potential of experimental animals decreased in both, the NDEA-fed group as well as in the group that was also supplemented with a hypercholesterolemic diet. This was evident by increased in vitro lipid peroxidation (LPO) of erythrocytes. Administration of NDEA resulted in a substantial and significant increase in LPO in all the tissues under normal as well as hypercholesterolemic conditions. Addition of hypercholesterolemic diet in general, increased LPO in all the tissues to varying degrees but its effect was maximal in the liver. Effect of NDEA administration on antioxygenic enzymes under normal as well as hypercholesterolemic conditions was variable in different tissues. Histopathological analysis of different tissues (heart, liver, lungs, spleen and kidneys) showed mild to severe pathological changes among the control and experimental groups.     

Concomitant low-dose cisplatin and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Analysis of survival and toxicity

BACKGROUND: Our center sought to implement a simple chemoradiotherapy schedule for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with minimal toxicity to achieve rates of overall survival comparable to other schedules. METHODS: The chemoradiotherapy schedule consisted of daily radiation to 70 Gy over 7 weeks with concurrent cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) during days 1 to 4 of weeks 1 and 5. Acute and late toxicities were recorded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and common toxicity criteria (CTC) grading. The overall, disease-specific, and locoregional recurrence-free survival were calculated using the STATA statistics package. Possible factors influencing these endpoints were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were treated, and 56 patients were evaluable for follow-up. Median follow-up of alive patients was 16.1 months. There was an 82% complete response rate to chemoradiotherapy. The 2-year Kaplan-Meier overall, disease-specific, and locoregional recurrence-free survival rates were 62%, 67%, and 63%. Acute grade 3 and 4 radiation toxicity was noted in 61% and 2%, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity was noted in 7% of patients. Factors influencing overall survival included: Karnofsky performance status, receiving more than 50% of planned chemotherapy, age, and initial hemoglobin level. CONCLUSION: This regimen is tolerable and achieves overall survival and locoregional control rates comparable to other chemoradiotherapy schedules.     

Sleep architecture and glucose and insulin homeostasis in obese adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Sleep deprivation is associated with increased risk of adult type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is uncertain whether sleep deprivation and/or altered sleep architecture affects glycemic regulation or insulin sensitivity or secretion. We hypothesized that in obese adolescents, sleep disturbances would associate with altered glucose and insulin homeostasis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional observational study of 62 obese adolescents took place at the Clinical and Translational Research Center and Sleep Laboratory in a tertiary care children’s hospital. Subjects underwent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), anthropometric measurements, overnight polysomnography, and frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT). Hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) and serial insulin and glucose levels were obtained, indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion were calculated, and sleep architecture was assessed. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to assess the association of total sleep and sleep stages with measures of insulin and glucose homeostasis, adjusted for confounding variables.

RESULTS

We found significant U-shaped (quadratic) associations between sleep duration and both HbA_1c and serial glucose levels on OGTT and positive associations between slow-wave sleep (N3) duration and insulin secretory measures, independent of degree of obesity, pubertal stage, sex, and obstructive sleep apnea measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Insufficient and excessive sleep was associated with short-term and long-term hyperglycemia in our obese adolescents. Decreased N3 was associated with decreased insulin secretion. These effects may be related, with reduced insulin secretory capacity leading to hyperglycemia. We speculate that optimizing sleep may stave off the development of T2DM in obese adolescents.Sleep deprivation is endemic; 9.3% of U.S. adults sleep <6 h per night (1), and 75% of high-school seniors report getting insufficient sleep (2). This cumulative societal sleep curtailment is significant, as sleep deprivation is associated with a number of metabolic consequences: increased predisposition to obesity (3) and insulin resistance (IR) (4) in both adults and children, increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults (5), and higher fasting glucose in young adults with preexisting diabetes (6). The metabolic consequences of insufficient sleep may be the result of a lack of total sleep or insufficiency of a certain sleep component. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognizes four different sleep stages indicated as follows: stage 1 (N1), a brief transition between wake and sleep; stage 2 (N2); stage 3 (N3), “slow-wave” or “deep” sleep; and rapid eye movement (REM) (dream) sleep. In adult studies, cerebral glucose utilization declines (7) and plasma glucose rises (8) in N3 sleep. One pediatric study found a negative association between REM sleep duration and obesity (9), but there is little pediatric data on sleep architecture and glucose and insulin homeostasis. A potential confounding factor is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a syndrome more common in obesity in which upper airway obstruction leads to sleep fragmentation and desaturation (10). OSA has been associated with T2DM risk in adults (10) and with IR in children (11,12). We hypothesized that in obese adolescents (who are at risk for T2DM), altered sleep architecture is associated with abnormalities of insulin secretion and sensitivity and of glucose homeostasis independently of confounding factors (e.g., degree of obesity, presence of OSA, sex, and pubertal stage). Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between sleep architecture and insulin secretion and sensitivity and overall glycemia in this population.