The relationship between illness perceptions and fluid-control adherence among Chinese hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study.

Fluid-control adherence was important for hemodialysis (HD) patients, and while significant correlations between treatment adherence and illness perceptions have been found, there is limited research that explored the relationship between illness perceptions and fluid-control adherence. We sought to assess illness perceptions and fluid-control adherence and to explore the relationship between them among Chinese hemodialysis patients. A cross-sectional study of 253 Chinese HD patients was conducted. We recorded sociodemographic and disease characteristics, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) responses, Fluid Control in Hemodialysis Patients Scale (FCHPS) scores and the interdialytic weight gain (IDWG). The total FCHPS score of hemodialysis patients was of a moderate level, and 45.85% hemodialysis patients' IDWG exceeded 3.0 kg. Regression analysis revealed that sex, academic level, marital status, treatment control dimension and causal (physical) factors of illness perceptions explained 12.7% variance in the total FCHPS score. Age, normalized whole-body urea clearance (Kt/V), dry weight (DW) residual urine volume (mL/24 h) and consequence dimension of illness perceptions explained 29.0% variance in IDWG. About mediating effect analysis, positive indirect effects on IDWG were found for identity, consequences and emotional representations through the attitude dimension of FCHPS, and negative indirect effects on IDWG were found for treatment control and illness coherence through the attitude dimension of FCHPS. The results demonstrated that some sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and illness perceptions were associated with fluid-control adherence, and the patient's attitude toward fluid control is an important mediator between illness perceptions and IDWG, implying that attitude can be a focus of intervention programs based on illness perceptions to improve Chinese HD patients' fluid-control adherence.

Ionic-exchange immobilization of ultra-low loading palladium on a rGO electro-catalyst for high activity formic acid oxidation.

A formic acid oxidation electro-catalyst with ultra-low palladium (Pd) loading was prepared via an ionic exchange method by utilizing the acidic functional groups on graphene oxide (GO). After simultaneous reduction of exchanged Pd2+ and residual functional groups on the GO surface, an ionic exchange reduced Pd catalyst supported on reduced GO (IE-Pd/rGO) was obtained. Three times improved formic acid oxidation mass activity compared with that of the conventional synthesized Pd/C catalyst was exhibited for the IE-Pd/rGO catalyst. More importantly, formic acid oxidation stability on the IE-Pd/rGO catalyst was remarkably improved due to synergistic effect of the strong immobilization of Pd nanoparticles and the effect of in situ doped N on the rGO support.

Risk factors for pulmonary hypertension in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients has attracted increasing attention. This cross-sectional survey aimed to explore PH prevalence and identify potential risk factors in MHD patients. METHODS: A total of 136 MHD patients were assessed at the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (China) between October 2012 and November 2014. Relevant parameters included primary disease, dialysis duration, height, weight, and interdialytic weight gain. Doppler echocardiography was performed post-hemodialysis to evaluate cardiac structure and function; fistula diameters and blood flow rates were measured by vascular ultrasound. Before and 4 weeks after echocardiography, biochemical parameters were measured. Patients were divided into PH and nPH groups, and their primary diseases were analyzed. T test and Chi-square test were used as appropriate; Pearson's correlation and logistic regression analysis were employed to assess possible PH risk factors. RESULTS: PH prevalence was 38.23 % in MHD patients and 73.68 % in those with concurrent diabetes, i.e., higher than in chronic glomerulonephritis (35 %) and hypertension (33.33 %) groups. Interestingly, PH was positively correlated with left atrium, right atrium, and ventricle dimensions, and the degree of cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, diabetes and interdialytic weight gain were positively correlated with PH, while hemoglobin levels showed a negative correlation. Finally, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed interdialytic weight gain and hemoglobin as major risk factors for PH in MHD patients. CONCLUSION: PH prevalence was 38.23 % in MHD patients, a ratio increased in individuals with concurrent diabetes. Other major risk factors for PH in MHD patients include declined hemoglobin levels and increased interdialytic weight gain.