Cardio-ankle vascular index with renal progression and mortality in high atherosclerosis risk: a prospective cohort study in CORE-Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Increased arterial stiffness is linked to markers of endothelial dysfunction and vasculopathy such as albuminuria, vascular calcification, left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Studies of arterial stiffness on renal progression are limited. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the association between high cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and renal endpoint and all-cause mortality in a Thai population with high atherosclerosis risk. METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted among subjects with high CV risk or established CV diseases in Thailand. Subjects were divided into 3 groups with mean CAVI < 8, 8-8.9, and ≥ 9, respectively. Primary composite outcome consisted of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline over 40%, eGFR less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2, doubling of serum creatinine, initiation of dialysis and death related to renal causes. The secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, CV mortality and eGFR decline. RESULTS: A total of 4898 subjects (2743 men and 2155 women) were enrolled. Cox proportional hazards model showed a significant relationship of high CAVI (CAVI ≥ 9) and primary composite outcome. Subjects with high CAVI at baseline had a 1.45-fold (95% CI 1.13-1.84) significant risk for the primary composite outcome and 1.72-fold (95% CI 1.12-2.63) risk for all-cause mortality, compared with normal CAVI (CAVI < 8). After stepwise multivariate analysis, the high CAVI group was only positively associated with primary composite outcome. Kaplan-Meier curve of the primary composite outcome and all-cause mortality demonstrated the worst survival in the high CAVI group (log-rank test with P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In a Thai cohort with high atherosclerosis risk, increased arterial stiffness was a risk factor for worsening renal function, including end-stage renal disease and initiation of dialysis.

Prediction of cardiovascular outcome by estimated glomerular filtration rate among high-risk patients: a Thai nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality, but the predictive value of different eGFR on CV outcomes is limited in Southeast Asian populations. AIMS: We aimed to stratify CV outcomes according to renal function among Thai patients with high atherosclerosis risk. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis in a 5-year national cohort entitled "CORE-Thailand study." Subjects were classified in 6 groups according to baseline kidney function: group I, eGFR ≥ 90; group II, eGFR 60-89; group IIIa, eGFR 45-59; group IIIb, eGFR 30-44; group IV, eGFR 15-29; group V, eGFR < 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 or receiving renal replacement therapy. The primary outcome was 4-point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, CV mortality, hospitalization for heart failure, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke. RESULTS: A total of 6376 subjects (3467 men and 2909 women) were categorized in 6 groups. After adjusting covariates in the Cox proportional hazards model, compared to group I, subjects in groups II-V had a 1.65-fold, 2.17-fold, 2.67-fold, 4.24-fold, and 4.87-fold risk for 4-point MACE, respectively, with statistical significance at P < 0.05 in all groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis illustrated stepwise lower survivals from 4-point MACE following the groups with lower baseline eGFR (log-rank test with P < 0.001). All secondary outcomes showed similar trends as the primary outcome, except nonfatal stroke. CONCLUSION: Lower baseline kidney function was independently associated with increased risk of CV events and all-cause mortality in Thai populations at high CV risk.

Association of body mass index with kidney function and mortality in high cardiovascular risk population: A nationwide prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing awareness of the impact of obesity and underweight on cardiovascular (CV) disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and mortality. Abnormal body mass index (BMI) might be associated with worse clinical outcomes, including CKD progression, but limited evidence exists among Asian patients with high CV risk. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of BMI with progressive loss of kidney function and all-cause mortality in Thai patients with high CV risk. METHODS: In a national cohort of 5887 high CV risk subjects, we assessed the association of high BMI with the composite renal outcome (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] decline over 40%, eGFR less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 , doubling of serum creatinine, initiation of dialysis and death related to renal causes) and with all-cause mortality in Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A total of 5887 participants (3217 male and 2670 female) with high CV risk were enrolled. Participants were classified into five groups by their baseline BMI; <20 kg/m2 (n = 482), 20-24.9 kg/m2 (n = 2437), 25-29.9 kg/m2 (n = 2140), 30-34.9 kg/m2 (n = 665) and 35 kg/m2 (n = 163), respectively. On multivariate analysis of Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for other covariates, baseline BMI ≥35 kg/m2 was an independent predictor of loss of kidney function (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.04-2.40) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.68, 95% CI 1.50-4.80). Baseline BMI <20 kg/m2 was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality as well (adjusted HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.50-3.42). CONCLUSION: In the high CV risk Thai population, a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more is associated with loss of kidney function and mortality. On the other hand, a BMI less than 20 kg/m2 is also associated with all-cause mortality.

Urine albumin dipstick independently predicts cardiovascular and renal outcomes among rural Thai population: a 14-year retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Albuminuria is an established risk marker for both cardiovascular and renal outcomes. In this study, we expected to use portable and inexpensive test strips to detect urine albumin level for risk stratification in cardiovascular and renal outcomes among rural Thai community. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between urine albumin dipstick and cardiovascular and renal complications in rural Thai population. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in 635 rural Thai adults who tested urine albuminuria by using commercial urine albumin dipstick and the Micral-albumin test II strips at baseline. The subjects were divided into normoalbuminuria (albumin < 20 mg/L), microalbuminuria (albumin 20-200 mg/L), or macroalbuminuria (Urine dipstick at least 1+ or albumin > 200 mg/L). We collected data on the incidences of primary composite outcomes including cardiovascular or renal morbidity and mortality. Incident density and cox regression were analyzed to evaluate the association between albuminuria status and primary composite outcome. RESULTS: During an average 14-year follow-up, 102 primary composite events occurred including 59 (13.1%), 32 (20.6%) and 11 (39.3%) among 452, 155, and 28 subjects with normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria, and macroalbuminuria, respectively. Incident densities of primary composite outcome were elevated continually according to the degree of albuminuria (9.36, 17.11 and 38.12 per 1000 person-years). Compared with the subjects without albuminuria, subjects with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria at baseline had higher risk for primary composite outcome in univariate model. After multivariate analysis was performed, the effect of macroalbuminuria was only persisted with 3.13-fold risk (adjusted HR 3.13; 95% CI 1.40-6.96, P= 0.005). CONCLUSION: Albuminuria from semi-quantitative methods is an important factor predicting cardiovascular and renal risk among subjects in Thai rural population. Our findings support to also incorporating urine albumin dipstick into assessments of cardiovascular risk in the general population.

Global Trends in Kidney Stone Awareness: A Time Series Analysis from 2004-2023.

BACKGROUND: Despite the prevalence and incidence of kidney stones progressively increasing worldwide, public awareness of this condition remains unclear. Understanding trends of awareness can assist healthcare professionals and policymakers in planning and implementing targeted health interventions. This study investigated online search interest in "kidney stone" by analyzing Google Trends, focusing on stationarity of the trends and predicting future trends. METHODS: We performed time series analysis on worldwide Google monthly search data from January 2004 to November 2023. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test was used to assess the stationarity of the data, with a p-value below 0.05 indicating stationarity. Time series forecasting was performed using the autoregressive integrated moving average to predict future trends. RESULTS: The highest search interest for "kidney stone" (score 100) was in August 2022, while the lowest was in December 2007 (score 36). As of November 2023, search interest remained high, at 92. The ADF test was significant (p = 0.023), confirming data stationarity. The time series forecasting projected continued high public interest, likely reflecting ongoing concern and awareness. Notably, diverse regions such as Iran, the Philippines, Ecuador, the United States, and Nepal showed significant interest, suggesting widespread awareness of nephrolithiasis. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted that "kidney stone" is a consistently relevant health issue globally. The increase and stationarity of search trends, the forecasted sustained interest, and diverse regional interest emphasize the need for collaborative research and educational initiatives. This study's analysis serves as a valuable tool for shaping future healthcare policies and research directions in addressing nephrolithiasis related health challenges.

Personalized Medicine in Urolithiasis: AI Chatbot-Assisted Dietary Management of Oxalate for Kidney Stone Prevention.

Accurate information regarding oxalate levels in foods is essential for managing patients with hyperoxaluria, oxalate nephropathy, or those susceptible to calcium oxalate stones. This study aimed to assess the reliability of chatbots in categorizing foods based on their oxalate content. We assessed the accuracy of ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, Bard AI, and Bing Chat to classify dietary oxalate content per serving into low (<5 mg), moderate (5-8 mg), and high (>8 mg) oxalate content categories. A total of 539 food items were processed through each chatbot. The accuracy was compared between chatbots and stratified by dietary oxalate content categories. Bard AI had the highest accuracy of 84%, followed by Bing (60%), GPT-4 (52%), and GPT-3.5 (49%) (p < 0.001). There was a significant pairwise difference between chatbots, except between GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 (p = 0.30). The accuracy of all the chatbots decreased with a higher degree of dietary oxalate content categories but Bard remained having the highest accuracy, regardless of dietary oxalate content categories. There was considerable variation in the accuracy of AI chatbots for classifying dietary oxalate content. Bard AI consistently showed the highest accuracy, followed by Bing Chat, GPT-4, and GPT-3.5. These results underline the potential of AI in dietary management for at-risk patient groups and the need for enhancements in chatbot algorithms for clinical accuracy.

Urate-lowering therapy is associated with a reduced risk of arrhythmias: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: While urate-lowering therapy (ULT) is linked to increased cardioprotective benefits on primary prevention of cardiovascular events such myocardial infarction or heart failure, little is known regarding their effects on arrhythmia risk. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between incident arrhythmias and ULT. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Embase from inception to May 2023. Included studies were randomized controlled trials and cohort studies that compared the risk of cardiac arrhythmias among ULT users with non-ULT users. Results: A total of 12,420 patients from five studies were analyzed, comprising 7,359 subjects in the ULT group and 5,061 subjects in the non-ULT group. Our results showed that ULT users had significant reductions in the risk of arrhythmias (pooled relative risk [RR] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74~0.92, p<0.001, I2=0.0%) compared to non-ULT users. Subgroup analysis did not show that ULT users had a significant reduced risk of atrial fibrillation (pooled RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.54~1.05, p=0.096 with I2=15.4%) compared to non-ULT users. Conclusion: ULT is associated with lower risk of overall arrhythmias. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Navigating the Landscape of Personalized Medicine: The Relevance of ChatGPT, BingChat, and Bard AI in Nephrology Literature Searches.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Literature reviews are foundational to understanding medical evidence. With AI tools like ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Bard AI emerging as potential aids in this domain, this study aimed to individually assess their citation accuracy within Nephrology, comparing their performance in providing precise. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We generated the prompt to solicit 20 references in Vancouver style in each 12 Nephrology topics, using ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Bard. We verified the existence and accuracy of the provided references using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. We categorized the validity of the references from the AI chatbot into (1) incomplete, (2) fabricated, (3) inaccurate, and (4) accurate. RESULTS: A total of 199 (83%), 158 (66%) and 112 (47%) unique references were provided from ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Bard, respectively. ChatGPT provided 76 (38%) accurate, 82 (41%) inaccurate, 32 (16%) fabricated and 9 (5%) incomplete references. Bing Chat provided 47 (30%) accurate, 77 (49%) inaccurate, 21 (13%) fabricated and 13 (8%) incomplete references. In contrast, Bard provided 3 (3%) accurate, 26 (23%) inaccurate, 71 (63%) fabricated and 12 (11%) incomplete references. The most common error type across platforms was incorrect DOIs. CONCLUSIONS: In the field of medicine, the necessity for faultless adherence to research integrity is highlighted, asserting that even small errors cannot be tolerated. The outcomes of this investigation draw attention to inconsistent citation accuracy across the different AI tools evaluated. Despite some promising results, the discrepancies identified call for a cautious and rigorous vetting of AI-sourced references in medicine. Such chatbots, before becoming standard tools, need substantial refinements to assure unwavering precision in their outputs.

Intravenous Iron for Heart Failure: Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

While the administration of intravenous (IV) iron to those with heart failure has been implicated to be associated with a possible reduction in hospitalizations and improvement in symptoms, a recent large multicenter trial only showed modest benefits in reducing hospitalization, necessitating the updated systematic review. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching the MEDLINE and EMBASE database until January 9, 2023. Outcomes included total heart failure hospitalizations, first heart failure hospitalization, six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance, and incidence of infection. There were 13 studies with 3410 participants (1,790 with IV iron). Pooled analysis that reported the incidence of cardiovascular death showed that patients with IV iron did not have significantly lower odds of cardiovascular death or first heart failure hospitalization. In contrast, those who received IV iron had significantly lower total heart failure hospitalization (pooled odds ratio (OR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-0.90, I2 59.0%, P = .017) and a composite of cardiovascular death and first heart failure hospitalization (pooled OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.47-0.64, I2 0%, P = .656). While the efficacy is modest, IV iron therapy could be associated with reduced hospitalization for heart failure without significant adverse events.

AI-Powered Renal Diet Support: Performance of ChatGPT, Bard AI, and Bing Chat.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) necessitate specialized renal diets to prevent complications such as hyperkalemia and hyperphosphatemia. A comprehensive assessment of food components is pivotal, yet burdensome for healthcare providers. With evolving artificial intelligence (AI) technology, models such as ChatGPT, Bard AI, and Bing Chat can be instrumental in educating patients and assisting professionals. To gauge the efficacy of different AI models in discerning potassium and phosphorus content in foods, four AI models-ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4, Bard AI, and Bing Chat-were evaluated. A total of 240 food items, curated from the Mayo Clinic Renal Diet Handbook for CKD patients, were input into each model. These items were characterized by their potassium (149 items) and phosphorus (91 items) content. Each model was tasked to categorize the items into high or low potassium and high phosphorus content. The results were juxtaposed with the Mayo Clinic Renal Diet Handbook's recommendations. The concordance between repeated sessions was also evaluated to assess model consistency. Among the models tested, ChatGPT 4 displayed superior performance in identifying potassium content, correctly classifying 81% of the foods. It accurately discerned 60% of low potassium and 99% of high potassium foods. In comparison, ChatGPT 3.5 exhibited a 66% accuracy rate. Bard AI and Bing Chat models had an accuracy rate of 79% and 81%, respectively. Regarding phosphorus content, Bard AI stood out with a flawless 100% accuracy rate. ChatGPT 3.5 and Bing Chat recognized 85% and 89% of the high phosphorus foods correctly, while ChatGPT 4 registered a 77% accuracy rate. Emerging AI models manifest a diverse range of accuracy in discerning potassium and phosphorus content in foods suitable for CKD patients. ChatGPT 4, in particular, showed a marked improvement over its predecessor, especially in detecting potassium content. The Bard AI model exhibited exceptional precision for phosphorus identification. This study underscores the potential of AI models as efficient tools in renal dietary planning, though refinements are warranted for optimal utility.

Ankle-brachial index predicts renal outcomes and all-cause mortality in high cardiovascular risk population: a nationwide prospective cohort study in CORE project.

BACKGROUND: Low ankle-brachial index (ABI) related ischemic events are common among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is also associated with an increased risk of rapid renal function decline. The presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) with low ABI among patients with high cardiovascular (CV) risk increases limb loss and mortality. AIMS: To estimate the association between abnormal ABI and renal endpoints and all-cause mortality. METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted among subjects with high CV risk or established CV diseases in Thailand. The subjects were divided into 3 groups based on ABI at baseline > 1.3, 0.91-1.3, and ≤ 0.9, respectively. Primary composite outcome consisted of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline over 40%, eGFR less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2, doubling of serum creatinine and initiation of dialysis. The secondary outcome was all-cause mortality. Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier curve were performed. RESULTS: A total of 5543 subjects (3005 men and 2538 women) were included. Cox proportional hazards model showed a significant relationship of low ABI (ABI ≤ 0.9) and primary composite outcome and all-cause mortality. Compared with the normal ABI group (ABI 0.91-1.3), subjects with low ABI at baseline significantly had 1.42-fold (95% CI 1.02-1.97) and 2.03-fold (95% CI 1.32-3.13) risk for the primary composite outcome and all-cause mortality, respectively, after adjusting for variable factors. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that PAD independently predicts the incidence of renal progression and all-cause mortality among Thai patients with high CV risk.

Hyperuricemia and Impaired Renal Function: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Related studies have demonstrated a relationship of elevated serum uric levels with a decline in kidney function. However, limited evidence exists in a Southeast Asian community-based population. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine the relationship between serum uric acid levels and impaired renal function. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Thai army health checkup population between July 1, 2006 and December 31, 2012. Inclusion criteria included age older than 20 years and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between incidence of impaired renal function and baseline serum uric acid quartiles. Impaired renal function was defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 over 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 9,534 participants (7,474 men and 2,060 women) were enrolled. Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association of serum uric acid level with impaired renal function in the whole population as the unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) of impaired renal function in second, third, and fourth quartiles were 2.1 (1.39, 3.17), 2.39 (1.6, 3.59), and 3.94 (2.71, 5.74), respectively, when compared with serum uric acid in the first quartile, respectively. After adjusting in 2 models, the HR still significantly persisted with similar magnitudes in all quartiles. Higher incidences of impaired renal function were observed among males than among females in all quartiles. Kaplan-Meier curve showed better renal survival rate in the lower quartile groups. Linear regression analysis showed that eGFR negatively correlated with serum uric acid (r = -0.213, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that an independent association exists of serum uric acid levels with the incidence of impaired renal function and renal progression in the Southeast Asian community-based population.

Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes in an Excellent Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic Compared with an Outpatient Clinic in a Primary Care Setting: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In standard care, the physician attempts to control all known risk factors, but treatment goals are achieved with difficulty. Assistance by a multidisciplinary care team may improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cardiovascular and renal endpoints between patients with CKD receiving care from excellent CKD and outpatient clinics. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a primary care setting in Thailand. Patients with CKD stages 3 and 4 in excellent CKD (n = 96) and outpatient clinics (n = 192) were matched in a 1: 2 ratio with the propensity score. We collected data from electronic medical records concerning the incidences of primary composite outcomes including rapid renal progression, end-stage renal disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, and mortality. Multidisciplinary team care in the excellent CKD clinic consisted of physician, nurse, pharmacist, dietitian, physical therapist, and applied Thai traditional physician. The outpatient clinic consisted of physician care only. RESULTS: Subjects' mean age was 64.54 ± 10.96 years, and 52.1% were female. During an average 49.63 ± 8.36 months of follow-up, 74 events occurred including 35 (47.30%) patients who experienced renal events, 29 (39.19%) who experienced cardiovascular events, and 10 (13.51%) who experienced loss of life. The Kaplan-Meier curve indicated a higher percentage of subjects without primary composite outcomes in the excellent CKD clinic than those in the outpatient clinic (66.85%; 95% CI 0.48-0.80 vs. 44.71%; 95% CI 0.29-0.60; p = 0.005). From multivariate analysis, the excellent CKD clinic group had a 64% lower risk for primary composite outcomes compared with those in the outpatient clinic (adjusted HR 0.36; 95% CI 0.18-0.74; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary care system can reduce composition outcomes including cardiovascular and renal outcomes for the growing CKD population. The optimal outcomes arise from the medical personnel's teamwork, not from one physician alone.