Benefits of resistant starch type 2 for patients with end-stage renal disease under maintenance hemodialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Resistant starch type 2 (RS2) has been documented to regulate gut microbiota and to improve the clinical outcomes of several diseases. However, whether RS2 may benefit patients with end-stage renal disease under maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) remains unknown. Methods: We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Adult patients receiving MHD were treated with RS2 (CRD42020160332). The primary outcomes were changes of uremic toxins, and the secondary outcomes were changes of inflammatory indicators, albumin and phosphorus. Results: After screening 65 records, five RCTs (n = 179) were included. A significant decrease of blood urea nitrogen (weighted mean difference (WMD) = -6.91, 95% CI: -11.87 to -1.95, I2 = 0%, P = 0.006), serum creatinine (WMD = -1.11, 95% CI: -2.18 to -0.05, I2 = 44%, P = 0.04) and interleukin (IL)-6 in blood (standard mean difference (SMD) = -1.08, 95% CI: -1.64 to -0.53, I2 = 35%, P = 0.0001) was revealed in the RS2 group. Analyses of blood levels of uric acid, p-cresyl sulfate, indoxyl sulfate, high sensitive C-reaction protein, albumin and phosphorus yielded no significant difference. Conclusions: Our results suggest that RS2 may improve the residual renal function of patients under MHD and mitigate a proinflammatory response.

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce post-operative risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after surgery for elderly patients with proximal femoral fractures: a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients with proximal femoral fractures face elevated risk of post-operative deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, due to the lack of suitable treatment plans after surgery and hospital discharge. This study aimed to investigate the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in the above-described clinical setting. METHODS: Five hundred and seven elderly patients (> 60 years of age) suffering from proximal femoral fractures were recruited. After exclusion, 452 eligible patients were assigned in a random manner to receive either omega-3 fatty acids at the daily dose of 1000 mg or placebo, via oral administration for a period of 30 days after surgery. At the end of intervention, the incidences of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and other related complications were compared between the two study groups. RESULTS: Incidences of pulmonary embolism as well as deep vein thrombosis, including events leading to fatality, were significantly reduced by the 30-day omega-3 fatty acid intervention. But other related complications, such as haematoma evacuation, post-operative wound bleed, wound infection with frank pus, and other bleed events that required transfusion, were not affected after omega-3 fatty acid consumption. CONCLUSION: Daily supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids decreases the risk of pulmonary embolism as well as symptomatic deep vein thrombosis, after surgery among elderly patients with proximal femoral fractures, without causing elevated risk of bleeding episodes.

Correspondence: Guillain-Barré syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

Jiao and colleagues reported a case of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome who developed respiratory failure and symmetrical flaccid paralysis of all extremities. Electrophysiology revealed peripheral nerve injuries mainly in axons. They reached a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) associated with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Although the case is interesting, the diagnosis of GBS in such a patient should be with caution. Critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) is an important and common differential diagnosis of GBS, especially in intensive care settings. Differentiating CIP from the axonal variants of GBS may be difficult on purely clinical grounds. Albumino-cytologic dissociation in CSF can help differentiate GBS from other disorders.

Five novel carbapenem-hydrolysing OXA-type ß-lactamase groups are intrinsic in Acinetobacter spp.

Objectives: Carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter spp. is increasing and is primarily associated with the expression of OXA-type ß-lactamases. However, the role of intrinsic OXA-type ß-lactamases in the carbapenem resistance of Acinetobacter spp. has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was thus to understand this issue. Methods: We applied bioinformatic screening of putative blaOXA genes against available genome sequences. The putative blaOXA genes were cloned into pKFAb and expressed in Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii to determine their antibiotic susceptibility. blaOXA genes were knocked out in their native hosts using pEX18Gm. Results: Five novel groups of carbapenem-hydrolysing OXA-type ß-lactamases were identified in Acinetobacter rudis, Acinetobacter bohemicus, Acinetobacter tandoii, Acinetobacter gyllenbergii, Acinetobacter proteolyticus, Acinetobacter dispersus, Acinetobacter colistiniresistens and Acinetobacter guillouiae. The five OXA groups clustered into five highly supported monophyletic clades and are distinct from known OXA-type carbapenemases in the phylogenetic tree. Most of them conferred resistance to imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, amoxicillin and ampicillin in E. coli and A. baumannii. The conserved location and prevalence of the blaOXA genes among the species suggest they are intrinsic. The blaOXA genes in A. rudis, A. guillouiae and A. gyllenbergii were knocked out separately and the blaOXA-665-deficient A. rudis and blaOXA-274-deficient A. guillouiae exhibited increased susceptibility to imipenem, meropenem, amoxicillin and ampicillin. Conclusions: Five novel intrinsic OXA groups were identified in the genus Acinetobacter and most of them can hydrolyse carbapenems. This study furthers our understanding of the wide distribution of carbapenem-hydrolysing OXA-type ß-lactamases in Acinetobacter spp.

Efficacy of Probiotics Supplementation On Chronic Kidney Disease: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota may accelerate the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by increasing the levels of urea toxins. In recent years, probiotics have been recognized to maintain the physiological balance of the intestinal microbiota. In this study, we aim to assess the therapeutic effects of probiotics on CKD patients with and without dialysis via meta-analysis. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) by searching the databases of Pubmed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library (No. CRD42018093080). Studies on probiotics for treatment of CKD adults lasting for at least 4 weeks were selected. The primary outcomes were the levels of urea toxins, and the second outcomes were the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP) and hemoglobin (Hb). The risk of bias was assessed by Cochrane Collaboration' tool, and the quality of evidence was appraised with the Grading of Recommendation Assessment. Means and standard deviations were analyzed by random effects analysis. Stratified analysis was done and sensitivity analysis was performed when appropriate. RESULTS: Totally, eight studies with 261 patients at CKD stage 3 to 5 with and without dialysis were included. We found a decrease of p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) of 3 studies with 125 subjects (P = 0.01, SMD -0.57, 95% CI, -0.99 to -0.14, I2 = 25%) and an increase of IL-6 in 3 studies with 134 subjects (P = 0.03, 95% CI, SMD 0.37, 0.03 to 0.72, I2 = 0%) in the probiotics groups. Analysis of serum creatinine (P = 0.47), blood urine nitrogen (P = 0.73), CRP (P = 0.55) and Hb (P = 0.49) yielded insignificant difference. CONCLUSION: Limited number of studies and small sample size are limitations of our study. Probiotics supplementation may reduce the levels of PCS and elevate the levels of IL-6 whereby protecting the intestinal epithelial barrier of patients with CKD.

Inhibition of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) promotes the PUMA-mediated apoptosis and chemosensitivity to cisplatin in colorectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant expression of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI) has been associated with human cancer growth and its suppression was identified as a potential target for anti-cancer drugs, particularly in colorectal cancer. However, the underlying mechanism by which SLPI affected the development of drug resistance in CRC remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the role of SLPI in the p53-up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA)-mediated CRC cells' apoptosis and their chemosensitivity to Cisplatin. METHODS: A series of qRT-PCR and western blot analyses were performed to characterize the expressions of SLPI, PUMA, and Akt in CRC lines. Tunel, transwell, and CCK-8 analyses were monitored to define the impacts of the siRNA-mediated knockdown of SLPI on CRC cell development. Furthermore, in vivo development of CRC was evaluated in nude mice infected with siSLPI or Cisplatin alone or both, and Ki67 and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry assay was monitored on multiple tissue microarray from the same cohort. RESULTS: Our results showed that SLPI inhibition strongly promoted the expressions of the pro-apoptotic protein PUMA, cleaved-caspase3 and Bax and reduced the cell viability of HT29 and HT116 cell lines in vitro. In addition, siSLPI knockdown effectively suppressed both Akt and FoxO3 proteins and improved the sensitivity to cisplatin chemotherapy. Xenograft tumor assay revealed a lowered growth in mice treated with Cisplatin, while combined treatment of siSLPI achieved more significant anticancer effects than Cisplatin alone. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these findings demonstrated that suppression of SLPI might repress the growth of human colorectal cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggested SLPI as a novel resistance factor to Cisplatin, and a combination of Cisplatin and SLPI inhibitor be beneficial for colorectal cancer therapy.

The effects of health education and exercise style changes on the maturation of autologous arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Upper limb exercise has long been considered to be the main means to promote autogenous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation, but in practice exercise intensity and compliance are both typically lacking. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated the good effects of functional resistance or pressure exercise in patients with AVF. However, many patients' have difficulty complying with upper limb exercise programs without systematic health education. Therefore, we argue that resistance and pressure exercise supported by health education is actually the most beneficial for AVF patients. METHODS: We randomly divided 114 patients into a control group and an experimental group of 57 patients each. In the control group, conventional care was used, and in the experimental group, online health education based on the IMB (Information-Motivation-Behavior skills) model and functional resistance and pressure upper limb exercises was implemented with the AVF side arm. The failure rate of AVF maturation, clinical maturation time, cephalic venous blood flow, vessel diameter, and vessel skin thickness were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Fifty-five cases were included for each in the final study. The primary outcome of this study was the failure rate of AVF maturation. Secondary outcomes included clinical maturation time, cephalic vein flow, vessel diameter, and vessel thickness. The failure rate of AVF maturation in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the clinical maturation time in the experimental group was significantly shorter than that in the control group. For the remaining three indicators, there were between-group effects, time effects, and interaction effects in both groups. Comparison between groups showed that there was no statistical difference in the observed indicators of cephalic vein flow, vessel diameter, or vessel thickness between the two groups before the intervention but that there was a statistical difference at the end of the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of the intervention. A 2 × 2 comparison also showed that there was a statistical difference between the three indicators at each time point within the two groups. CONCLUSION: IMB model-based online health education combined with functional resistance and pressure exercises can improve AVF maturation status and accelerate AVF maturation within 12 weeks of surgery.

Epidemicity and clonal replacement of hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae with diverse pathotypes and resistance profiles in a hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The emergence of carbapenem-resistant and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) poses a great threat to public health. There is a paramount need to increase awareness of the epidemiology, evolution, and pathogenesis of CR-hvKP. METHODS: We collected strains of K. pneumoniae for over two years in a hospital. CR-hvKP strains were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers targeting the virulence genes. Genome sequencing was used to determine phylogenetic relationships and genetic characterization of virulence elements. The population dynamics within these strains were analyzed through epidemiological data. The string test, siderophore secretion, and murine infection experiments were performed to investigate virulence potential of different clones. RESULTS: A total of 1172 K. pneumoniae strains were isolated from 817 patients, and 125 isolates were identified as CR-hvKP. In all, 102 CR-hvKP strains belonged to sequence type (ST) 11. Genomic analysis demonstrated that three clones of ST11 successively replaced each other in the hospital. Among them, the strains of clade A and clade B acquired virulence plasmids and the strains of clade C acquired a new integrating conjugative element (ICE). Phenotypic experiments revealed enhanced virulence potential of the recent epidemic clone from clade B. Sequence type 11 strains were favorable hosts for the convergence of virulence and resistance, indicated by clonal replacement and acquisition patterns of virulence elements. CONCLUSION: The emergence of the enhanced virulence potential of ST11 CR-hvKP suggests that coevolution between hosts and exogenous factors can produce super-virulent CR-hvKP strains, highlighting the need to closely monitor changes in the virulence characteristics of CR-hvKP.

The potential of folic acid and homocysteine as novel serum markers for venous thromboembolism in cancer patients.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common coagulative dysfunctional complication of cancer patients. The present study aimed to determine the association and diagnostic values of serum homocysteine (Hcy) and folic acid levels with VTE in cancer patients. We enrolled 700 cancer patients and 100 healthy subjects in our study. All cancer patients, with or without VTE, underwent measurement of serum Hcy and folic acid levels and coagulative markers including D-Dimer, factor VIII, fibrinogen and tissue plasminogen activator. The diagnostic values of Hcy and folic acid were assessed by receiver operative characteristic (ROC) analysis. Correlations between Hcy and folic acid and coagulative factors were determined. Among the 700 patients with malignant tumors recruited in our study, a total of 89 patients had VTE combined within three months, and 611 patients did not have VTE. Cancer patients with VTE had significantly higher levels of Hcy and significantly lower levels of folic acid in serum. Both Hcy and folic acid in serum demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing VTE in cancer patients and showed strong correlations to coagulative markers. Hcy and folic acid, which have strong correlations to coagulative markers, are potential novel serum markers for stratifying VTE risk in cancer patients.

Caffeine intake improves the cognitive performance of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objective: Cognitive impairment is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Caffeine intake has been reported to improve cognitive performance in several studies. However, whether the benefits of caffeine intake on cognitive function apply to patients with CKD remains unknown. Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The data of CKD subjects and non-CKD subjects from NHANES 2011-2014 were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed based on age, sex, diabetes, cancer, educational level, energy intake and protein intake to select subjects. The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word Learning Test (CERAD-WL), the CERAD Word List Recall Test (CERAD-DR), the Animal Fluency Test (AF) and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) were used, whereby the occurrence of cognitive impairment was identified. Logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the association between caffeine intake and cognitive performance in CKD and non-CKD participants. Stratified analyses according to the stage of CKD and the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio levels were performed. Plot curves were then generalized to present a non-linear relationship, and the inflection point for each non-linear model was obtained by using a recursive algorithm. Results: Cognitive impairment was more prevalent in CKD patients than in non-CKD subjects. For CKD patients, caffeine intake was associated with higher CERAD-WL, CERAD-DR, AF and DSST scores. For non-CKD subjects, caffeine intake was associated with higher DSST scores only. Subgroup analysis revealed that caffeine only benefited the cognitive function of patients with CKD stages 2 and 3. The analysis showed non-linear relationships of caffeine intake and cognitive function for both CKD and non-CKD subjects. The inflection point of caffeine intake for CKD patients was 279 mg/day. Conclusion: The recommended dose of caffeine intake to improve the cognitive function of CKD patients is ≤279 mg/day.

A cross-sectional study of the interaction between night shift frequency and age on hypertension prevalence among female nurses.

Night shift is a common work schedule. This study aimed to analyze the interaction between age and frequency of night shift on the hypertension prevalence. A census questionnaire was conducted in 512 medical institutions in 11 cities of Hebei Province. One lakh twenty-one thousand nine hundred three female nurses were included in this study. Binary Logistic regression analysis was done by SPSS Version 26.0. The youngest age group without night shift was used as the reference group. The odds ratio was calculated by different combinations of interaction items. Interaction coefficients were calculated by an Excel table designed by Andersson. Compared with the 18-25 year old ones without night shift, there existed an additive interaction between the age of 36-45 and more than 5-10 night shifts per month on hypertension prevalence. Odds ratio, the relative excess risk of interaction, the attributable proportion of interaction, and the synergy index and their 95% confidence intervals were 2.923(2.292-3.727), 0.631(0.309-0.954), 0.216(0.109-0.323), 1.488(1.158-1.913). Additive interaction was also found between the age of 36-45 and more than 10 night shifts per month. OR, RERI, API, SI, and their 95% confidence intervals were 3.430(2.273-5.175) 1.037(0.061-2.013), 0.303(0.089-0.516), and 1.746(1.093-2.788). There also existed an additive interaction between the age of 46-65 and more than 5-10 night shifts per month on hypertension prevalence. OR, RERI, API, SI, and their 95% confidence intervals were 7.398(5.595-9.781) 1.809(0.880-2.739), 0.245(0.148-0.341), and 1.394(1.199-1.622).There existed interaction between specific age groups and night shift frequency on the prevalence of hypertension among female nurses.

Convulsive status epilepticus as the initial presentation of superwarfarin poisoning: a case report.

Bromadiolone, a widely-used rodent control drug, could act as a long-acting anticoagulant. Patients of bromadiolone poisoning often present with multiorgan hemorrhage. However, neurological symptoms of bromadiolone poisoning are seldom reported. We report a rare case with convulsive status epilepticus as the initial presentation of bromadiolone poisoning. A previously healthy 18-year-old man presented with persistent unconsciousness and repeated convulsive seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed lesions in the corpus callosum. Laboratory test revealed the microscopic hematuria, prolonged prothrombin time, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and the presence of bromadiolone. The patient was diagnosed as the bromadiolone poisoning and treated with hemofiltration, vitamin K and prothrombin complex. Consciousness of the patient was regained and all neurological symptoms diminished after 7 days. Coagulopathy was totally corrected after 3 weeks, and a 2-month regimen of vitamin K supplementation was prescribed after discharge. Our case suggests that bromadiolone poisoning may involve the central nervous system. The atypical and initial symptoms of neurological disorders might lead to misdiagnosis of bromadiolone poisoning. Poisoning should be considered when acute neurological symptoms are combined with bleeding tendency. The vitamin K treatment is effective for both coagulopathy and central nervous system disorders in bromadiolone poisoning.

Comparing the predictive values of five scales for 4-year all-cause mortality in critically ill elderly patients with sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Several severity scales have been documented to predict the short-term mortality of septic patients. However, the predictive efficacies of different severity scales in the long-term mortality of the elderly have yet to be evaluated. METHODS: In the retrospective study, a cohort of 4,370 elderly (≥65 years) septic patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were divided into three different age groups, i.e., the younger-old group (65 years ≤ age <75 years), the older-old group (75 years ≤ age <85 years) and the oldest-old group (age ≥85 years). Five scales, including the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), the Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score (OASIS), the Modified Logistic Organ Dysfunction System (MLODS), the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), were used for disease severity evaluations. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to assess prognostic values of the long-term mortality of each severity scale. RESULTS: Compared with patients in the oldest-old group, those in the younger-old and the older-old groups had higher scores of SAPS II and OASIS, indicating more serious illness and worse prognosis. The survival time of patients was inversely related to age; the mean survival time was the longest in the youngerold group, followed by the older-old group and the oldest-old group. SAPS II had the best prognostic value (AUC: 0.648 for SAPS II, 0.579 for MLODS, 0.577 for SOFA, 0.612 for OASIS and 0.515 for SIRS, P<0.01) for the 4-year all-cause mortality. Elderly patients with an SAPS II score >43 had a lower survival rate regardless of age. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term mortality of elderly patients with sepsis is increased with age. SAPS II can better predict the long-term prognosis of elderly septic patients in ICU.

Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) combined with an electric stimulator in the prevention of venous thromboembolism in stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical value of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) combined with an electric stimulator in the prevention of venous thromboembolism in stroke patients. METHODS: 58 stroke patients with hemiplegia admitted to the Department of Neurology in our hospital were recruited as the study cohort and randomly placed into a control group or an observation group, with 29 patients in each group. The control group was administered routine care and IPC, and the observation group was administered electric stimulation in addition to the treatment administered to the control group. We conducted a comparison and an analysis of the occurrences of thrombosis, the blood rheology indexes, the femoral vein flow rates, and the nursing satisfaction levels in the two groups. The circumferences of the hemiplegia patients' lower extremities were measured and recorded, and the circumferences of the healthy sides and the affected limbs were compared. RESULTS: On the 7th day after the intervention, the observation group had a higher incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than the control group (6.90% vs. 31.03%, P<0.05). The hemorheology indexes were lower after the treatment, and the hemorheology indexes in the observation group were higher compared with the control group (P<0.05). The observation group had a higher femoral vein flow velocity than the control group (P<0.05). On the 7th and 14th days after the intervention, the peak flow and average flow velocities in the observation group exceeded those of the control group (P<0.05). The nursing satisfaction rate in the observation group was higher than it was in the control group (96.55% vs. 82.76%, P<0.05). After 7 and 14 days of treatment, smaller changes in the hemiplegic limbs of the observation group were observed, compared to the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: IPC combined with an electrical stimulator can enhance the patients' blood hypercoagulability, effectively prevent the occurrence of DVT, and improve the nursing satisfaction levels.

Effect of frequency and pattern of night shift on hypertension risk in female nurses: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Understanding the effect of night shift on hypertension risk in nurses is important to improve the health of nurses and ensure patient safety. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the frequency and pattern of night shift on hypertension risk and the interaction of them in female nurses. METHODS: This cross-sectional study constituted 84 697 female nurses in 13 cities in China. The main contents of the survey included SBP, DBP, the frequency and pattern of night shift, and some other factors that might be associated with hypertension. Logistic regression analyses were used to calculate ORs and 95% CIs to estimate the effect of the frequency and pattern of night shift on hypertension risk and the interaction of them in relation to hypertension risk. RESULTS: Having more than 5 to 10 or more than 10 night shifts per month were significantly more likely to be hypertensive (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10-1.28; OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13-1.54), whereas having less than or equal to 5 night shifts per month was not (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.95-1.16). The patterns of night shift were all associated with a higher probability of hypertension and participants engaging in rapidly rotating night shift had a lower OR (1.14) than those having slowly rotating night shift (1.23) and permanent night shift (1.46). No significant interaction was observed between the frequency and the pattern of night shift (Pinteraction = 0.281). CONCLUSION: The frequency and pattern of night shift were associated with hypertension risk in female nurses and no significant interaction was observed between them.

SARS-CoV-2 infection and stem cells: Interaction and intervention.

The emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China and its rapid national and international spread have created a global health emergency. The resemblance with SARS-CoV in spike protein suggests that SARS-CoV-2 employs spike-driven entry into angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-expressing cells. From a stem cell perspective, this review focuses on the possible involvement of ACE2+ stem/progenitor cells from both the upper and lower respiratory tracts in coronavirus infection. Viral infection-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury occur because of dysregulation of the immune response. Mesenchymal stem cells appear to be a promising cell therapy given that they favorably modulate the immune response to reduce lung injury. The use of exogenous stem cells may lead to lung repair. Therefore, intervention by transplantation of exogenous stem cells may be required to replace, repair, remodel, and regenerate lung tissue in survivors infected with coronavirus. Ultimately, vaccines, natural killer cells and induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes may offer off-the-shelf therapeutics for preventing coronavirus reemergence.

Red blood cell distribution width predicts long-term mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective database study.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication in the intensive care unit (ICU), which may increase the mortality of critically ill patients. The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has proved useful as a predictor of short-term prognosis in critically ill patients with AKI. However, it remains unknown whether RDW has a prognostic value of long-term all-cause mortality in these patients. The data of 18279 critically ill patients with AKI at first-time hospital admission were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. The tertiles of the RDW values were used to divide subjects into three groups, namely RDW < 13.6% for the low RDW group, 13.6% ≤ RDW < 15.2% for the middle RDW group and RDW ≥ 15.2% for the high RDW group. Demographic data, mortality, 4-year survival time and severity scale scores were compared among groups. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the impact of RDW on all-cause mortality in AKI patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done to evaluate the prognostic value of RDW on the long-term outcome of critically ill patients with AKI. The median age of the enrolled subjects was 65.6 years. AKI patients with a higher RDW value had significantly shorter survival time and higher death rate. By the Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients in the higher RDW group presented significantly shorter survival time and higher death rate. The Cox regression model indicated RDW as an independent risk factor of all-cause mortality of AKI patients (HR 1.219, 95% CI, 1.211 to 1.228). By the ROC analysis, RDW appeared more efficient in predicting long-term prognosis as compared with conventional severity scales. The AUC of RDW (95% CI, 0.712 to 0.725) was significantly higher than other severity scale scores. In conclusion, RDW is positively correlated to survival time of 4-year follow-up in critically ill patients with AKI, and RDW is an independent prognostic factor of long-term outcomes of these patients.