Fatty liver associated with metabolic derangement in patients with chronic kidney disease: A controlled attenuation parameter study.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic steatosis measured with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) using transient elastography predicts metabolic syndrome in the general population. We investigated whether CAP predicted metabolic syndrome in chronic kidney disease patients. METHODS: CAP was measured with transient elastography in 465 predialysis chronic kidney disease patients (mean age, 57.5 years). RESULTS: The median CAP value was 239 (202-274) dB/m. In 195 (41.9%) patients with metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus was more prevalent (105 [53.8%] vs. 71 [26.3%], P < 0.001), with significantly increased urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (184 [38-706] vs. 56 [16-408] mg/g Cr, P = 0.003), high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (5.4 [1.4-28.2] vs. 1.7 [0.6-9.9] mg/L, P < 0.001), and CAP (248 [210-302] vs. 226 [196-259] dB/m, P < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, CAP was independently related to body mass index (ß = 0.742, P < 0.001), triglyceride levels (ß = 2.034, P < 0.001), estimated glomerular filtration rate (ß = 0.316, P = 0.001), serum albumin (ß = 1.386, P < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (ß = 0.064, P = 0.029), and total bilirubin (ß = -0.881, P = 0.009). In multiple logistic regression analysis, increased CAP was independently associated with increased metabolic syndrome risk (per 10 dB/m increase; odds ratio, 1.093; 95% confidence interval, 1.009-1.183; P = 0.029) even after adjusting for multiple confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Increased CAP measured with transient elastography significantly correlated with and could predict increased metabolic syndrome risk in chronic kidney disease patients.

Glycemic Control Modifies Difference in Mortality Risk Between Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis in Incident Dialysis Patients With Diabetes: Results From a Nationwide Prospective Cohort in Korea.

Although numerous studies have tried to elucidate the best dialysis modality in end-stage renal disease patients with diabetes, results were inconsistent and varied with the baseline characteristics of patients. Furthermore, none of the previous studies on diabetic dialysis patients accounted for the impact of glycemic control. We explored whether glycemic control had modifying effect on mortality between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in incident dialysis patients with diabetes. A total of 902 diabetic patients who started dialysis between August 2008 and December 2013 were included from a nationwide prospective cohort in Korea. Based on the interaction analysis between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and dialysis modalities for patient survival (P for interaction = 0.004), subjects were stratified into good and poor glycemic control groups (HbA1c< or ≥8.0%). Differences in survival rates according to dialysis modalities were ascertained in each glycemic control group after propensity score matching. During a median follow-up duration of 28 months, the relative risk of death was significantly lower in PD compared with HD in the whole cohort and unmatched patients (whole cohort, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.47-0.90, P = 0.01; patients with available HbA1c [n = 773], HR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.46-0.91, P = 0.01). In the good glycemic control group, there was a significant survival advantage of PD (HbA1c <8.0%, HR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.37-0.94, P = 0.03). However, there was no significant difference in survival rates between PD and HD in the poor glycemic control group (HbA1c ≥8.0%, HR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.46-2.76, P = 0.80). This study demonstrated that the degree of glycemic control modified the mortality risk between dialysis modalities, suggesting that glycemic control might partly contribute to better survival of PD in incident dialysis patients with diabetes.

Change of Nutritional Status Assessed Using Subjective Global Assessment Is Associated With All-Cause Mortality in Incident Dialysis Patients.

Subjective global assessment (SGA) is associated with mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. However, little is known whether improvement or deterioration of nutritional status after dialysis initiation influences the clinical outcome. We aimed to elucidate the association between changes in nutritional status determined by SGA during the first year of dialysis and all-cause mortality in incident ESRD patients. This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study. Incident dialysis patients with available SGA data at both baseline and 12 months after dialysis commencement (n = 914) were analyzed. Nutritional status was defined as well nourished (WN, SGA A) or malnourished (MN, SGA B or C). The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the change in nutritional status between baseline and 12 months after dialysis commencement: group 1, WN to WN; group 2, MN to WN; group 3, WN to MN; and group 4, MN to MN. Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to clarify the association between changes in nutritional status and mortality. Being in the MN group at 12 months after dialysis initiation, but not at baseline, was a significant risk factor for mortality. There was a significant difference in the 3-year survival rates among the groups (group 1, 92.2%; group 2, 86.0%; group 3, 78.2%; and group 4, 63.5%; log-rank test, P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the mortality risk was significantly higher in group 3 than in group 1 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-6.03, P = 0.01) whereas the mortality risk was significantly lower in group 2 compared with group 4 (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17-0.71, P < 0.01) even after adjustment for confounding factors. Moreover, mortality risk of group 3 was significantly higher than in group 2 (HR 2.89, 95% CI 1.22-6.81, P = 0.02); there was no significant difference between groups 1 and 2. The changes in nutritional status assessed by SGA during the first year of dialysis were associated with all-cause mortality in incident ESRD patients.

Low Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number is Associated With Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Mitochondrial dysfunction may play an important role in abnormal glucose metabolism and systemic inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and clinical outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We recruited 120 prevalent PD patients and determined mtDNA copy number by PCR. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality, whereas secondary outcomes included cardiovascular events, technical PD failure, and incident malignancy. Cox proportional hazards analysis determined the independent association of mtDNA copy number with outcomes. The mean patient age was 52.3 years; 42.5% were men. The mean log mtDNA copy number was 3.30 ±â€Š0.50. During a follow-up period of 35.4 ±â€Š19.3 months, all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes were observed in 20.0% and 59.2% of patients, respectively. Secondary outcomes were significantly lower in the highest mtDNA copy number group than in the lower groups. In multiple Cox analysis, the mtDNA copy number was not associated with all-cause mortality (lower two vs highest tertile: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.208, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.477-3.061). However, the highest tertile group was significantly associated with lower incidences of secondary outcomes (lower two vs highest tertile: HR [95% CI] = 0.494 [0.277-0.882]) after adjusting for confounding factors. The decreased mtDNA copy number was significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes in PD patients.

The effect of specialized continuous renal replacement therapy team in acute kidney injury patients treatment.

PURPOSE: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has been established for critically ill acute kidney injury (AKI) patients. In addition, some centers consist of a specialized CRRT team (SCT) with physicians and nurses. To our best knowledge, however, ona a few studies have yet been carried out on the superiority of SCT management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 551 patients, who received CRRT between January 2008 and March 2009, were divided into two groups based on the controller of CRRT. The impact of the CRRT management on 28-day mortality was compared between two groups by Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, the number of filters used, down-time per day, and intensive care unit length of day were significantly higher in non-SCT group than in SCT group (6.2 hrs vs. 5.0 hrs, p=0.042; 5.0 hrs vs. 3.8 hrs, p<0.001; 27.5 days vs. 21.1 days, p=0.027, respectively), while net ultrafiltration rate was significantly lower in non-SCT group than SCT group (28.0 mL/kg/hr vs. 29.5 mL/kg/hr, p=0.043, respectively). In addition, 28-day mortality rate was significantly lower in SCT group than with non-SCT group (p=0.031). Moreover, Cox regression analysis showed that 28-day mortality rate was significantly lower in SCT control group, even after adjusting for age, gender, severity scores, biomarkers, risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage renal disease, and contributing factors (hazard ratio 0.91, p=0.046). CONCLUSION: A well-trained CRRT team could be beneficial for mortality improvement of AKI patients requiring CRRT.

Insulin resistance is associated with new-onset cardiovascular events in nondiabetic patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic exposure to high glucose-containing peritoneal dialysis solution and consequent abdominal obesity are potential sources of insulin resistance in patients requiring prevalent peritoneal dialysis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic values of insulin resistance on new-onset cardiovascular events in nondiabetic patients undergoing prevalent peritoneal dialysis. METHODS: A total of 201 nondiabetic patients undergoing prevalent peritoneal dialysis were recruited. Insulin resistance was assessed by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The primary outcome was new-onset cardiovascular events during the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to ascertain the independent prognostic value of HOMA-IR for the primary outcome. RESULTS: The mean age was 53.1 years and male was 49.3% (n=99). The mean HOMA-IR was 2.6±2.1. In multivariate linear regression, body mass index (ß=0.169, P=0.011), triglyceride level (ß=0.331, P<0.001), and previous cardiovascular diseases (ß=0.137, P=0.029) were still significantly associated with HOMA-IR. During a mean follow-up duration of 36.8±16.2 months, the primary outcome was observed in 36 patients (17.9%). When patients were divided into tertiles according to HOMA-IR, the highest tertile group showed a significantly higher incidence rate for new-onset cardiovascular events compared to the lower two tertile groups (P=0.029). Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that HOMA-IR was an independent predictor of the primary outcome (hazard ratio=1.18, 95% confidence interval=1.03-1.35, P=0.014). CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR was an independent risk factor for new-onset cardiovascular events in nondiabetic patients undergoing prevalent peritoneal dialysis.

A case of fulminant community-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia in Korea.

Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) is a common pathogen found in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia all over the world. Community-acquired AB pneumonia, however, is very rare and has seldom been reported in Asia-Pacific countries. Community-acquired AB pneumonia has a fulminant course and is associated with a higher mortality than hospital-acquired AB pneumonia. In Korea, no case of fatal community-acquired AB pneumonia has been reported to date. Here, we describe the first fatal case of fulminant community-acquired AB pneumonia in Korea.