Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Cinacalcet in Older and Younger Patients on Hemodialysis: The Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The calcimimetic cinacalcet reduced the risk of death or cardiovascular (CV) events in older, but not younger, patients with moderate to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) who were receiving hemodialysis. To determine whether the lower risk in younger patients might be due to lower baseline CV risk and more frequent use of cointerventions that reduce parathyroid hormone (kidney transplantation, parathyroidectomy, and commercial cinacalcet use), this study examined the effects of cinacalcet in older (≥65 years, n=1005) and younger (<65 years, n=2878) patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) was a global, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled trial in 3883 prevalent patients on hemodialysis, whose outcomes included death, major CV events, and development of severe unremitting HPT. The age subgroup analysis was prespecified. RESULTS Older patients had higher baseline prevalence of diabetes mellitus and CV comorbidity. Annualized rates of kidney transplantation and parathyroidectomy were >3-fold higher in younger relative to older patients and were more frequent in patients randomized to placebo. In older patients, the adjusted relative hazard (95% confidence interval) for the primary composite (CV) end point (cinacalcet versus placebo) was 0.70 (0.60 to 0.81); in younger patients, the relative hazard was 0.97 (0.86 to 1.09). Corresponding adjusted relative hazards for mortality were 0.68 (0.51 to 0.81) and 0.99 (0.86 to 1.13). Reduction in the risk of severe unremitting HPT was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS In the EVOLVE trial, cinacalcet decreased the risk of death and of major CV events in older, but not younger, patients with moderate to severe HPT who were receiving hemodialysis. Effect modification by age may be partly explained by differences in underlying CV risk and differential application of cointerventions that reduce parathyroid hormone.
Intergenerational Morphostructural Stability and Harmony of Marin Magellan Meat Merino Ewes

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la estabilidad y la armonia del formato morfoestructural de la raza ovina Marin Magellan Meat Merino en la Region de Magallanes (Chile), con el fin de contribuir al conocimiento de la diferenciacion de las poblaciones ovinas. En el verano de 2010 se evaluo esta nueva raza, que es producto de un cruzamiento absorbente incompleto de Corriedale por Merino Australiano. Se midieron todas las hembras de tres y cinco anos (62 y 50, respectivamente). Se tomaron catorce mediciones corporales y se calcularon nueve indices. Los resultados indican que la poblacion ovina evaluada no muestra diferencias intergeneracionales significativas en la mayor parte de las variables morfoestructurales estudiadas. Al mismo tiempo, hay una gran similitud entre edades respecto a las correlaciones entre indices zoometricos. Por lo tanto, se puede afirmar que el modelo morfoestructural de las ovejas Marin Magellan Meat Merino evidencia un alto grado de estabilidad y armonia.
Unusual pattern of dyslipidemia in children receiving steroid minimization immunosuppression after renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Corticosteroids are an important contributor to posttransplant hyperlipidemia. Since 2004, we have used a steroid minimization immunosuppression protocol. This study investigated the effect of steroid minimization on dyslipidemia in pediatric renal allograft recipients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Children (<18 years) who underwent renal transplants at our center from January 2001 to January 2008 were studied. Data analyzed included age, gender, race, body mass index, cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and steroid dose. Data between the cohorts receiving maintenance steroids and steroid-minimization were compared using multivariable analyses. The primary outcome measures were the prevalence of, and the effect of steroid use, on dyslipidemia. RESULTS Twenty-nine patients were studied. Sixteen were receiving maintenance steroids, and 13 were on a steroid minimization regimen. Mixed effects analysis of covariance models demonstrated that at 1 month, children receiving maintenance steroids had higher cholesterol compared with the steroid minimization group. Statistically significant differences in total cholesterol were not seen at other time points. Similar findings were noted for the LDL cholesterol, LDL/HDL, and cholesterol/HDL ratios. At 1 month, the serum HDL cholesterol was substantially lower in the steroid minimization group. Differences in the HDL cholesterol levels remained significant throughout the first year. CONCLUSIONS Steroid use is a significant independent risk factor for hypercholesterolemia during the first post-transplant month. The significance of lower HDL cholesterol among patients receiving steroid minimization needs further study and may be cause for concern.
Hospital-acquired acute kidney injury: an analysis of nadir-to-peak serum creatinine increments stratified by baseline estimated GFR.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Serum creatinine (sCr) increments currently used to define acute kidney injury (AKI) do not take into consideration the baseline level of kidney function. The objective of this study was to establish whether baseline estimated GFR (eGFR) provides additional risk stratification to sCr-based increments for defining AKI. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS 29,645 adults hospitalized at an acute care facility were analyzed. Hospital-acquired AKI was defined by calculating the difference between the nadir and subsequent peak sCr. RESULTS Different thresholds of nadir-to-peak sCr were found to be independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality according to baseline eGFR strata. A nadir-to-peak sCr minimum threshold of ≥0.2, ≥0.3, and ≥0.5 mg/dl was required to be independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality among patients with baseline eGFR ≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m² (odds ratio [OR] 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 2.47), 30 to 59 ml/min per 1.73 m² (OR 2.69; 95% CI, 1.82 to 3.97), and <30 ml/min per 1.73 m² (OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.02 to 4.51), respectively. There was a significant interaction between the nadir-to-peak sCr and baseline eGFR for in-hospital mortality (P < 0.001). Using these thresholds, survivors of AKI episodes had an increased hospital length of stay and were more likely to be discharged to a facility rather than home. Sensitivity analyses showed a significant interaction between baseline eGFR strata and relative increases in sCr, as well as absolute and relative decreases in eGFR for in-hospital mortality (P < 0.001). Conclusions This study suggests that future sCr-based definitions of AKI should take into consideration baseline eGFR.
Apoprotein B/Apoprotein A-1 Ratio and Mortality among Prevalent Dialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In dialysis patients, the associations between apoprotein profile and all-cause or cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality are not well known. We, therefore, investigated whether apoprotein levels are associated with these events. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We undertook a prospective observational cohort study of prevalent hemodialysis patients aged ≥18 years (n=1081), who were followed for 4 years (2011-2014). Outcomes were all-cause and CVD-related mortality. Predictors used were baseline apoprotein levels, particularly the apoprotein B (apo B)/ apoprotein A-1 (apo A-1) ratio. A Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality. Apo A-1, apo B, and apo B/ apo A-1 ratio were analyzed with adjustments in three models: model 1, basic adjustment for age and sex; model 2, basic adjustments plus dialysis conditions (dialysis vintage, mean predialysis systolic blood pressure, dry weight, and mean intradialytic weight gain); and model 3, model 2 plus metabolic and inflammatory conditions (basal kidney disease, serum albumin, C-reactive protein level, and statin use). RESULTS Of the 1081 patients included in the study, 203 deaths were recorded, 92 of which were related to CVD. The apo B/ apo A-1 ratio was significantly associated with all-cause and CVD-related mortality when analyzed by 1-SD increments or quartile IV versus I in all models. In model 3, HRs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for 1-SD increments of apo B/ apo A-1 ratio for all-cause mortality or CVD-related mortality were: HR, 1.16 (95% CI, 1.00 to 1.35), or HR, 1.38 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.71), respectively, and for quartile IV versus I: HR, 1.65 (95% CI, 1.05 to 2.57), or HR, 2.56 (95% CI, 1.21 to 5.40), respectively. Apo A-1 was significantly associated with both mortalities in models 1 and 2. However, apo B was only significantly associated with CVD-related mortality in model 3. CONCLUSIONS Apoprotein measurement, especially the apo B/ apo A-1 ratio, was significantly associated with all-cause and CVD-related mortality in prevalent dialysis patients.
Illegal Leisure Revisited: Changing Patterns of Alcohol and Drug Use in Adolescents and Young Adults

1. History Lessons: Drug Use Trends Amongst Young Britons 1980 - 2010 2. The North-West Longitudinal Study 3. Alcohol 'Our Favourite Drug' 4. Patterns: An Overview of Drug Offers, Trying, Use and Drugs Experiences Across Adolescence 5. Pathways: Drug Abstainers, Former Triers, Current Users and Those in Transition 6. Journeys: Becoming Users of Drugs 7. Towards the Normalisation of Recreational Drug Use
Effects of six versus three times per week hemodialysis on physical performance, health, and functioning: Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) randomized trials.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Relatively little is known about the effects of hemodialysis frequency on the disability of patients with ESRD. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS This study examined changes in physical performance and self-reported physical health and functioning among subjects randomized to frequent (six times per week) compared with conventional (three times per week) hemodialysis in both the Frequent Hemodialysis Network daily (n=245) and nocturnal (n=87) trials. The main outcome measures were adjusted change in scores over 12 months on the short physical performance battery (SPPB), RAND 36-item health survey physical health composite (PHC), and physical functioning subscale (PF) based on the intention to treat principle. RESULTS Overall scores for SPPB, PHC, and PF were poor relative to population norms and in line with other studies in ESRD. In the Daily Trial, subjects randomized to frequent compared with conventional in-center hemodialysis experienced no significant change in SPPB (adjusted mean change of -0.20±0.19 versus -0.41±0.21, P=0.45) but experienced significant improvement in PHC (3.4±0.8 versus 0.4±0.8, P=0.009) and a relatively large change in PF that did not reach statistical significance. In the Nocturnal Trial, there were no significant differences among subjects randomized to frequent compared with conventional hemodialysis in SPPB (adjusted mean change of -0.92±0.44 versus -0.41±0.43, P=0.41), PHC (2.7±1.4 versus 2.1±1.5, P=0.75), or PF (-3.1±3.5 versus 1.1±3.6, P=0.40). CONCLUSIONS Frequent in-center hemodialysis compared with conventional in-center hemodialysis improved self-reported physical health and functioning but had no significant effect on objective physical performance. There were no significant effects of frequent nocturnal hemodialysis on the same physical metrics.
Association of a polymorphism in a gene encoding a urate transporter with CKD progression.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Hyperuricemia predicts a high risk for CKD progression but there is no large clinical trial in humans indicating that this relationship is causal in nature. The rs734553 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the GLUT9 urate transporter gene was strongly associated with uric acid (UA) levels in a large meta-analysis. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS This prospective study adopted the Mendelian randomization approach. The rs734553 SNP was used as an instrumental variable to investigate the relationship between UA and renal outcomes in a cohort of 755 patients with CKD who were enrolled between October 18, 2005, and October 2, 2008. The association between the polymorphism and UA was preliminary confirmed in a series of 211 healthy volunteers enrolled between January 1, 2001, and July 12, 2011, from the same geographic area as the patients with CKD. The study end point was a composite renal-end point (i.e., >30% decrease in the GFR, dialysis, or transplantation). Patients were followed up for a median of 36 months. RESULTS In healthy individuals, serum UA levels were highest in homozygotes for the T allele (risk allele), intermediate in heterozygotes for the same allele, and lowest in those without the risk allele (P<0.001), but no such relationship was found in patients with CKD. In the CKD cohort, homozygotes (TT) and heterozygotes (GT) for the risk allele had a 2.35 times higher risk (hazard ratio, 2.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.25 to 4.42; P=0.008) of CKD progression. The risk for CKD progression by rs734553 remained unmodified in analyses adjusting for proteinuria, GFR, and other classical and CKD-peculiar risk factors. CONCLUSIONS A GLUT9 polymorphism, which is strongly associated with serum UA levels in healthy individuals of the general population with normal renal function, holds a strong predictive power for CKD progression. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that the link between UA and CKD progression is causal in nature.
Dual actions of A2A adenosine receptor antagonists on motor dysfunction and neurodegenerative processes

Of the four known adenosine receptors, the A2A receptor has received much attention over the last few years. The discovery of high‐affinity and selective A2A adenosine receptor antagonists, together with the development of different genetic lines of mice lacking A2A receptors, have greatly contributed to the new insights into the mechanisms whereby A2A receptors modulate central nervous system functions. Efforts made using the prototypic A2A receptor antagonists, e.g., the 8‐styrylxanthine KW 6002 and the pyrazolotriazolopyrimidine SCH 58261, have shown that these drugs are effective in different models of motor impairment mimicking the main features of Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, these drugs show neuroprotective properties in models of brain injury. Consistent with pharmacology, A2A receptor knockout mice have been found to be less sensitive to both motor impairment and neurochemical changes relevant to neurodegenerative disorders. The main effect of A2A receptor blockade or inactivation is related to selective interaction with dopamine‐mediated function in the striatum. However, there are responses which appear to be independent of dopamine receptors while the mechanisms underlying neuroprotection remain to be elucidated. Overall, there are now compounds that appear to be promising for treatment of Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. The efforts currently ongoing to understand their efficacy in patients will make it possible to assess whether A2A receptor blockers are a new interesting class of antiparkinsonian agents. Drug Dev. Res. 52:379–386, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Avaliação econômica dos casos de Dengue atribuídos ao desastre de 2011 em Nova Friburgo (RJ), Brasil

The prospects outlined in climate scenarios produced for Brazil indicate a probable increase in the number of extreme hydrometeorological events in the coming years. Therefore, a study of the health scourges that may intensify due to these events is important. The scope of this article is to estimate the cost represented by the cases of dengue fever attributed to the 2011 disaster in Nova Friburgo (RJ). There were 1,356 suspected cases of dengue fever, 937 of which were confirmed. The total cost of the disease may have been between R$66,000 and R$499,000 taking the minimum salary as a benchmark, with approximately 70% of this amount being among the confirmed cases. The disaster caused extensive changes in the city's environment which, together with the urban sanitation and clearing up process that occurred in the post-event period, led to an increase in the number of potential mosquito breeding sites, facilitating their proliferation and increasing the number of cases of dengue fever. This was a disease that in the decade prior to the disaster recorded few cases of the disease in the municipality. This illustrates the potential of events like the one that occurred in 2011 in Nova Friburgo may have on the increase in the number of cases, and consequently on the cost of the disease.
Dialysis Provider and Outcomes among United States Veterans Who Transition to Dialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Veterans with ESKD initiate dialysis under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an integrated health system, or are outsourced to non-VHA providers. It is unknown whether outcomes differ according to their dialysis provider at initiation. We sought to evaluate the association between dialysis provider and mortality and hospitalization among United States veterans initiating dialysis. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Among 68,727 United States veterans who initiated dialysis in 2007-2014, we examined the association of dialysis provider (VHA versus non-VHA) at initiation with mortality and hospitalization rates in the first 12 months post-initiation. Associations were examined across adjusted models, accounting for demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS Patients were 72±11 years, 5% were women, 24% were black, and 10% (n=7584) initiated at VHA dialysis centers. VHA dialysis center patients were younger, more likely to be black, had fewer cardiovascular comorbidities, and lower eGFR at dialysis initiation. VHA provider patients were more likely to be hospitalized in the first 12 months (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.14), but had lower all-cause mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.83 to 0.93) in fully adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS Veteran patients initiating dialysis with a VHA dialysis provider appear to have a lower mortality risk but higher hospitalization rates than veterans initiating dialysis at non-VHA dialysis units.
Single FGF-23 measurement and time-averaged plasma phosphate levels in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Plasma phosphate levels display considerable intraindividual variability. The phosphatonin fibroblast growth factor 23 is a central regulator of plasma phosphate levels, and it has been postulated to be a more stable marker than conventional CKD-mineral and bone disorder parameters. Thus, fibroblast growth factor 23 has been hypothesized to reflect time-averaged plasma phosphate levels in CKD patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Among 40 patients from the outpatient dialysis center, serial measurements of plasma calcium and phosphate (before every dialysis session) as well as C-terminal fibroblast growth factor 23, parathyroid hormone, and alkaline phosphatase (one time weekly) were performed over a study period of 4 weeks in November and December of 2011. Intraindividual variability of repeated plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 measurements compared with other CKD-mineral and bone disorder markers was tested, and the association of a single plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 measurement with time-averaged plasma phosphate levels was analyzed. RESULTS Against expectations, intraindividual variability of fibroblast growth factor 23 (median coefficient of variation=27%; interquartile range=20-35) was not lower than variability of plasma phosphate (median coefficient of variation=15%; interquartile range=10-20), parathyroid hormone (median coefficient of variation=24%; interquartile range=15-39), plasma calcium (median coefficient of variation=3%; interquartile range=2-4), or alkaline phosphatase (median coefficient of variation=5%; interquartile range=3-10). Moreover, the correlation between the last fibroblast growth factor 23 measurement after 4 weeks and time-averaged plasma phosphate did not surpass the correlation between the last fibroblast growth factor 23 measurement and a single plasma phosphate value (r=0.67, P<0.001; r=0.76, P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Surprisingly, fibroblast growth factor 23 was not more closely associated to time-averaged plasma phosphate levels than a single plasma phosphate value, and it did not show a lower intraindividual variability than other tested markers of CKD-mineral and bone disorder. Thus, fibroblast growth factor 23 should not be used in clinical practice as a reflector of time-averaged plasma phosphate levels.
Longitudinal Associations among Renal Urea Clearance-Corrected Normalized Protein Catabolic Rate, Serum Albumin, and Mortality in Patients on Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There are inconsistent reports on the association of dietary protein intake with serum albumin and outcomes among patients on hemodialysis. Using a new normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) variable accounting for residual renal urea clearance, we hypothesized that higher baseline nPCR and rise in nPCR would be associated with higher serum albumin and better survival among incident hemodialysis patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Among 36,757 incident hemodialysis patients in a large United States dialysis organization, we examined baseline and change in renal urea clearance-corrected nPCR as a protein intake surrogate and modeled their associations with serum albumin and mortality over 5 years (1/2007-12/2011). RESULTS Median nPCRs with and without accounting for renal urea clearance at baseline were 0.94 and 0.78 g/kg per day, respectively (median within-patient difference, 0.14 [interquartile range, 0.07-0.23] g/kg per day). During a median follow-up period of 1.4 years, 8481 deaths were observed. Baseline renal urea clearance-corrected nPCR was associated with higher serum albumin and lower mortality in the fully adjusted model (Ptrend<0.001). Among 13,895 patients with available data, greater rise in renal urea clearance-corrected nPCR during the first 6 months was also associated with attaining high serum albumin (≥3.8 g/dl) and lower mortality (Ptrend<0.001); compared with the reference group (a change of 0.1-0.2 g/kg per day), odds and hazard ratios were 0.53 (95% confidence interval, 0.44 to 0.63) and 1.32 (95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 1.54), respectively, among patients with a change of <-0.2 g/kg per day and 1.62 (95% confidence interval, 1.35 to 1.96) and 0.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.64 to 0.90), respectively, among those with a change of ≥0.5 g/kg per day. Within a given category of nPCR without accounting for renal urea clearance, higher levels of renal urea clearance-corrected nPCR consistently showed lower mortality risk. CONCLUSIONS Among incident hemodialysis patients, higher dietary protein intake represented by nPCR and its changes over time appear to be associated with increased serum albumin levels and greater survival. nPCR may be underestimated when not accounting for renal urea clearance. Compared with the conventional nPCR, renal urea clearance-corrected nPCR may be a better marker of mortality.