Sarcopenic Obesity Definitions by Body Composition and Mortality in the Hemodialysis Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Sarcopenic obesity (SO), a combination of low muscle mass and high fat mass, is considered as risk factor for mortality in general population. It is unclear if SO affects mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. In this study, we aimed to determine whether body composition as assessed by currently available SO definitions is related to all-cause mortality in MHD subjects. We also examined the impact of applying different definitions on the prevalence of SO in our MHD database. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SUBJECTS: Adult patients on MHD for at least 3 months with no acute illness studied in the clinical research center between 2003 and 2011. INTERVENTION: Assessment of body composition was performed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. SO (appendicular skeletal mass: arm lean mass + leg lean mass and fat mass) was defined according to Baumgartner definition, Janssen criteria 1, and Janssen criteria 2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality and prevalence of SO. Patient deaths were ascertained from medical records and United States social security death index. RESULTS: Of 122 participants, 62% were male; mean age was 46 years (interquartile range: 40, 54) in men and 50 years (44, 61) in women. Prevalence of SO ranged from 12% to 62% in men and 2% to 74% in female according to different definitions. SO prevalence was lowest using the Baumgartner criteria (all: 8%, men 12%, women: 2%) and highest according to the Janssen criteria 2 (all: 57%, men 46%, women 74%). There were 45 deaths during a median follow-up period of 44 (20, 76) months. SO by any definition was not statistically significantly associated with mortality during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The current SO definitions are not applicable to predict increased risk of death in MHD patients. We found high degree of variation in the rates of SO when using different definitions. Future studies should focus on establishing MHD population-specific thresholds of muscle mass and adiposity for accurate prognostication.

Longitudinal assessment of cardiac morphology and function following kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal cardiac morphology is a risk factor for cardiovascular complications in kidney transplant patients. A supraphysiologic level of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) has been associated with myocardial hypertrophy in this patient population. Our aim was to evaluate the change in cardiac morphology and function following kidney transplantation and to evaluate the association between the change in FGF-23 concentrations and cardiac morphology. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal, prospective cohort study of 143 kidney transplant recipients (73% male, 75% white) measuring left ventricular (LV) mass index, left atrial (LA) volume index, and ejection fraction (EF) by echocardiography at months 1, 12, and 24 post-transplant. FGF-23 levels were measured at months 1 and 24 post-transplant. RESULTS: Unadjusted and adjusted linear mixed-effects models were used to examine changes in outcomes over time. In the adjusted model, LV mass index (P<.001) and LA volume index (P<.001) decreased and EF (P=.009) increased significantly over time. There was a significant association between decreasing FGF-23 levels and improving LV mass index following transplant (P=.036) in the unadjusted model; however, there was no significant relationship in the adjusted model (0.195). CONCLUSION: Understanding the progression of unique cardiovascular risk factors associated with kidney transplantation may provide potential opportunities to improve survival.

The Kidney Transplant Evaluation Process in the Elderly: Reasons for Being Turned down and Opportunities to Improve Cost-Effectiveness in a Single Center.

Background. The kidney transplant evaluation process for older candidates is complex due to the presence of multiple comorbid conditions. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed patients ≥60 years referred to our center for kidney transplantation over a 3-year period. Variables were collected to identify reasons for patients being turned down and to determine the number of unnecessary tests performed. Statistical analysis was performed to estimate the association between clinical predictors and listing status. Results. 345 patients were included in the statistical analysis. 31.6% of patients were turned down: 44% due to coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), or both. After adjustment for patient demographics and comorbid conditions, history of CAD, PVD, or both (OR = 1.75, 95% CI (1.20, 2.56), p = 0.004), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 8.75, 95% CI (2.81, 27.20), p = 0.0002), and cancer (OR 2.59, 95% CI (1.18, 5.67), p = 0.02) were associated with a higher risk of being turned down. 14.8% of patients underwent unnecessary basic testing and 9.6% underwent unnecessary supplementary testing with the charges over a 3-year period estimated at $304,337. Conclusion. A significant number of older candidates are deemed unacceptable for kidney transplantation with primary reasons cited as CAD and PVD. The overall burden of unnecessary testing is substantial and potentially avoidable.

Leucine disposal rate for assessment of amino acid metabolism in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Protein energy wasting (PEW) is common in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and closely associated with poor outcomes. Insulin resistance and associated alterations in amino acid metabolism are potential pathways leading to PEW. We hypothesized that the measurement of leucine disposal during a hyperinsulinemic- euglycemic-euaminoacidemic clamp (HEAC) procedure would accurately measure the sensitivity to insulin for its actions on concomitant carbohydrate and protein metabolism in MHD patients. METHODS: We examined 35 MHD patients and 17 control subjects with normal kidney function by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (HEGC) followed by HEAC clamp procedure to obtain leucine disposal rate (LDR) along with isotope tracer methodology to assess whole body protein turnover. RESULTS: The glucose disposal rate (GDR) by HEGC was 5.1 ± 2.1 mg/kg/min for the MHD patients compared to 6.3 ± 3.9 mg/kg/min for the controls (p = 0.38). The LDR during HEAC was 0.09 ± 0.03 mg/kg/min for the MHD patients compared to 0.11 ± 0.05 mg/kg/min for the controls (p = 0.009). The LDR level was correlated with whole body protein synthesis (r = 0.25; p = 0.08), with whole body protein breakdown (r = -0.38 p = 0.01) and net protein balance (r = 0.85; p < 0.001) in the overall study population. Correlations remained significant in subgroup analysis. The GDR derived by HEGC and LDR correlated well in the controls (r = 0.79, p < 0.001), but less so in the MHD patients (r = 0.58, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Leucine disposal rate reliably measures amino acid utilization in MHD patients and controls in response to high dose insulin.

Effect of Pharmacist Counseling Intervention on Health Care Utilization Following Hospital Discharge: A Randomized Control Trial.

BACKGROUND: Reduction in 30-day readmission rates following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is a national goal. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a tailored, pharmacist-delivered, health literacy intervention on unplanned health care utilization, including hospital readmission or emergency room (ER) visit, following discharge. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial with concealed allocation and blinded outcome assessors SETTING: Two tertiary care academic medical centers PARTICIPANTS: Adults hospitalized with a diagnosis of ACS and/or ADHF. INTERVENTION: Pharmacist-assisted medication reconciliation, inpatient pharmacist counseling, low-literacy adherence aids, and individualized telephone follow-up after discharge MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcome was time to first unplanned health care event, defined as hospital readmission or an ER visit within 30 days of discharge. Pre-specified analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of the intervention by academic site, health literacy status (inadequate versus adequate), and cognition (impaired versus not impaired). Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. KEY RESULTS: A total of 851 participants enrolled in the study at Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH) and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). The primary analysis showed no statistically significant effect on time to first unplanned hospital readmission or ER visit among patients who received interventions compared to controls (aHR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.78-1.39). There was an interaction of treatment effect by site (p = 0.04 for interaction); VUH aHR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.51-1.15; BWH aHR = 1.44 (95% CI 0.95-2.12). The intervention reduced early unplanned health care utilization among patients with inadequate health literacy (aHR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17-1.00). There was no difference in treatment effect by patient cognition. CONCLUSION: A tailored, pharmacist-delivered health literacy-sensitive intervention did not reduce post-discharge unplanned health care utilization overall. The intervention was effective among patients with inadequate health literacy, suggesting that targeted practice of pharmacist intervention in this population may be advantageous.

Disparities in Electronic Health Record Patient Portal Use in Nephrology Clinics.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Electronic health record (EHR) patient portals allow individuals to access their medical information with the intent of patient empowerment. However, little is known about portal use in nephrology patients. We addressed this gap by characterizing adoption of an EHR portal, assessing secular trends, and examining the association of portal adoption and BP control (<140/90 mmHg). DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Patients seen between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012, at any of four university-affiliated nephrology offices who had at least one additional nephrology follow-up visit before June 30, 2013, were included. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, clinical measurements, and office visits were abstracted from the EHR. Neighborhood median household income was obtained from the American Community Survey 2012. RESULTS: Of 2803 patients, 1098 (39%) accessed the portal. Over 87% of users reviewed laboratory results, 85% reviewed their medical information (e.g., medical history), 85% reviewed or altered appointments, 77% reviewed medications, 65% requested medication refills, and 31% requested medical advice from their renal provider. In adjusted models, older age, African-American race (odds ratio [OR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.39 to 0.64), Medicaid status (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.77), and lower neighborhood median household income were associated with not accessing the portal. Portal adoption increased over time (2011 versus 2010: OR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.09 to 1.75]; 2012 versus 2010: OR, 1.95 [95% CI, 1.44 to 2.64]). Portal adoption was correlated with BP control in patients with a diagnosis of hypertension; however, in the fully adjusted model this was somewhat attenuated and no longer statistically significant (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.24). CONCLUSION: While portal adoption appears to be increasing, greater attention is needed to understand why vulnerable populations do not access it. Future research should examine barriers to the use of e-health technologies in underserved patients with CKD, interventions to address them, and their potential to improve outcomes.

Assessment of arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity in tacrolimus users the first year post kidney transplantation: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The leading cause of death in end stage renal disease is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Kidney transplantation is associated with improved survival over dialysis. We hypothesized that arterial stiffness, a marker of CVD, would improve in patients post kidney transplant, potentially explaining one mechanism of survival benefit from transplant. METHODS: After obtaining Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent, we performed a longitudinal prospective cohort study of 66 newly transplanted adult kidney transplant recipients, using aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) to assess arterial stiffness over a 12 month period. All patients were assessed within one month of transplant (baseline) and 12 months post transplant. The primary outcome was change in PWV score at 12 months which we assessed using Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Secondary analyses included correlation of predictors with PWV score at both time points. RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 49.7 years at transplant, with 27 % Black and 27 % female. At baseline, 43 % had tobacco use, 30 % had a history of CVD, and 42 % had diabetes. Median baseline calcium was 9.1 mg/dL and median phosphorus was 5.1 mg/dL. Median PWV score was 9.25 and 8.97 m/s at baseline versus month 12, respectively, showing no significant change (median change of -0.07, p = 0.7). In multivariable regression, subjects with increased age at transplant (p = 0.008), diabetes (p = 0.002), and a higher baseline PWV score (p < 0.001) were at increased risk of having a high PWV score 12 months post transplant. CONCLUSION: Aortic arterial stiffness does not progress in the first year post kidney transplant. Increasing age, diabetes, and higher baseline PWV score identify patients at risk for increased arterial stiffness. Further research that assesses patients for greater than one year and includes a control dialysis group would be helpful in further understanding the change in arterial stiffness post transplantation.