The predictive value of temporal muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography for detecting moderate to severe malnutrition in chronic hemodialysis patients.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: To determine the predictive value of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) measured by ultrasonography in the diagnosing of moderate to severe malnutrition in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult patients (> 18 years) who had been on CHD for at least 3 months were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients with infection or inflammatory disease, malignancy, malabsorption syndrome, history of surgery within the last 3 months excluded. Demographic, anthropometric, laboratory parameters, and Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS) test results recorded. RESULTS: A total of 60 chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients (median age: 66 years, 46.7% female) and 30 healthy individuals (median age: 59.5 years, 55% female) were examined. While there were no significant difference between the dry weight (70 vs 71 kg) and body mass index (BMI) (25.8 vs 26 kg/m2) of the CHD patients and healthy control group, we found that triceps skinfold thickness (TST) (16 vs 19 mm) and left and right TMT (9.6 vs 10.7 and 9.8 vs 10.9 mm) values were significantly lower in the CHD patients (p < 0.001). CHD patients were divided into two groups according to their MIS values as mild (MIS < 6) and moderate/severe malnutrition (MIS ≥ 6). Patients with moderate/severe malnutrition were older, predominantly female and with longer HD vintage. Left (8.8 vs 11 mm) and right TMT (9.1 vs 11.2 mm) values were lower in moderate/severe malnutrition group. In the correlation analysis, a negative correlation was found between TMT and age and MIS, and a positive correlation determined with dry weight, BMI, TST and serum uric acid. In the ROC curve analysis, we found that the optimal cut-off value of left and right TMT for predicting moderate/severe malnutrition were 10.05 and 10.45 mm, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis showed that HD vintage, URR, and TMT values were independently associated with moderate/severe malnutrition. CONCLUSION: TMT value measured by ultrasonography in CHD patients can be used as a reliable, easily accessible and non-invasive diagnostic method for predicting moderate/severe malnutrition.

Temporal muscle thickness predicts mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: Ultrasonographic temporal muscle thickness measurement has recently emerged as a promising method of nutritional assessment in various conditions; hence, we aimed to determine the relationship between temporal muscle thickness and mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Adult patients who were on a regular in-center hemodialysis program for ≥3 months were included, and patients with severe nonrenal organ failure or any recent significant disease inception were excluded. Baseline demographic; clinical, laboratory, and anthropometric data, including malnutrition inflammation score; and outcomes data were collected using a standardized form. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients (32 males, diabetes prevalence: 26.6%) who met the eligibility criteria participated in the study, with a mean follow-up of 33.3±11.5 months, a median age of 66.5 (interquartile range 52.7-74) years, time on hemodialysis of 36 months, and a body mass index of 25.9 kg/m². Infections and cardiovascular events were the most common causes of overall mortality that occurred in 41.6% of the patients. Temporal muscle thickness was significantly lower in nonsurvivors (8.8 vs. 10.6 mm, p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis involving age, albumin, spKt/V, and malnutrition inflammation score revealed that temporal muscle thickness was a significant predictor of mortality (hazard ratio=0.740, p=0.035). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis has shown 68% of sensitivity and 81.8% of specificity for a cutoff value of 9.4 mm (p<0.001). Temporal muscle thickness was weakly or mildly correlated with hemodialysis vintage, body mass index, albumin, and malnutrition inflammation score and moderately correlated with age (r=-0.536, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic temporal muscle thickness has been found as a significant predictor of mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients. Temporal muscle thickness could be a novel marker of nutritional status and predictor of mortality; hence, further studies are warranted.

Psychopathology and Associated Risk Factors Among Forcibly Displaced Syrian Children and Adolescents.

More than half of the 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees in Turkey are under 18 years of age. This study investigates prevalence of psychopathology and associated risk factors in refugee children in Turkey. Of a total of 218 children aged 9-15 years, 56.2% lost someone important to them, 55.1% saw dead or wounded people, 70.4% witnessed explosions or gun battles, 42.5% witnessed people being tortured and 25.6% personally experienced cruelty/torture during war. Prevalence of PTSD was 18.3% and that of anxiety-related disorders were as high as 69.0%. Death of an important person (p = .032) and male gender (p = .040) were associated with PTSD; whilst exposure to cruelty or torture (p = .014) and increasing duration of refuge (p = .042) were significantly associated with development of anxiety disorders. Findings of the present study reveals existence of the expected but unspoken mental health needs among the Syrian children in Turkey.

Effects of citicholine and dimethylsulfoxide on transepithelial transport of passively diffused drugs in the Caco-2 cell culture model.

The objective of this study was to determine, using a Caco-2 cell monolayer model, the extent to which the paracellular and transcellular routes are altered by citicholine (CDP-Ch) and DMSO in the presence of human serum albumin (HSA). The apparent permeability (Papp) of mannitol in the presence of 4% (w/v) HSA was investigated using 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0% (v/v)) of DMSO. The Papp for mannitol ranged from 0.56 x 10(-6) to 0.89 x 10(-6) cm/s (mean 0.77 x 10(-6)). Increasing the concentration of DMSO does not appear to have an effect on the paracellular transport of mannitol and on the transepithelial resistance (TEER) of the monolayer, (P>0.05). The effect of citicholine (CDP-Ch) was investigated in confluent Caco-2 cell monolayers incubated in the presence of 2, 4, 10, 40, 60, 100 and 200 mM CDP-Ch at 37 degrees C in an atmosphere of 7% CO(2) and 95% relative humidity. Papp of mannitol and diltiazem in the presence of CDP-Ch ranged from 0.53 x 10(-6) to 8.52 x 10(-6) cm/s and from 1.30 x 10(-5) to 2.71 x 10(-5) cm/s, respectively. CDP-Ch may have an effect on the stability of the tight junction complex resulting in an increase in the apparent permeability of mannitol.