Prenatal methylmercury exposure is associated with decrease heart rate variability in children.

Background: Although several epidemiological studies have suggested mercury (Hg) might be associated with cardiotoxicity, the impact of Hg exposure on cardiac autonomic activity and blood pressure in children has not been investigated at Hg exposure levels equivalent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reference dose.

Objective: To investigate the association between low dose prenatal and recent methylmercury (MeHg) exposures and cardiac autonomic function and blood pressure with adjustment for factors such as fish consumption among children from a high fish consumption coastal city.

Methods: Children aged 7-8 years were recruited from the birth cohort of our previous study.

Dietary Fiber Intake, Myocardial Injury, and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events Among End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Dialysis patients are frequently advised to restrict fruit and vegetable intake due to their high potassium content. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary fiber intake and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among dialysis patients.

Methods: A total of 219 prevalent dialysis patients were prospectively recruited from a major university teaching hospital and regional dialysis center in Hong Kong.

Effects of resistance training on cardiovascular health in non-obese active adolescents.

Aim: To determine the benefits of a 10-wk resistance training programme on cardiovascular health in non-obese and active adolescents.

Methods: This is a pragmatic randomised controlled intervention. The study was carried out in a Hong Kong Government secondary school.

Impact of fetal and childhood mercury exposure on immune status in children.

Background: Mercury exposure have been shown to affect immune status in animals as reflected by cytokine expression. It is unclear whether low levels of exposure during fetal and/or childhood periods could impact on immune status in humans.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that fetal and childhood mercury exposure is associated with childhood cytokine profiles and to investigate whether childhood selenium levels interact with any of the associations found.

Skin autofluorescence associates with vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between tissue advanced glycation end products, as reflected by skin autofluorescence, and vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease.

Approach And Results: Three hundred patients with stage 3 to 5 chronic kidney disease underwent multislice computed tomography to estimate total coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and had tissue advanced glycation end product assessed using a skin autofluorescence reader. Intact parathyroid hormone (P<0.

Effect of paricalcitol on left ventricular mass and function in CKD--the OPERA trial.

Vitamin D seems to protect against cardiovascular disease, but the reported effects of vitamin D on patient outcomes in CKD are controversial. We conducted a prospective, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to determine whether oral activated vitamin D reduces left ventricular (LV) mass in patients with stages 3-5 CKD with LV hypertrophy. Subjects with echocardiographic criteria of LV hypertrophy were randomly assigned to receive either oral paricalcitol (1 μg) one time daily (n=30) or matching placebo (n=30) for 52 weeks.

Heart failure with preserved or reduced ejection fraction in patients treated with peritoneal dialysis.

Background: Heart failure is one of the most frequent complications in dialysis patients. However, little is known of the significance of the entity "heart failure with preserved ejection fraction" (HFPEF) in this population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, clinical profiles, and long-term outcomes of peritoneal dialysis patients with HFPEF.

Plasma sodium and subclinical left atrial enlargement in chronic kidney disease.

Background: Left atrial enlargement (LAE) reflects diastolic dysfunction and predicts mortality in end-stage renal disease patients. However, little is known of its prevalence and factors associated with subclinical LAE in earlier stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study in 261 Stage 3-5 non-dialysis CKD patients without symptomatic cardiovascular disease with two-dimensional echocardiography performed to estimate left atrial volume index and other cardiac parameters.

MicroRNA-21* regulates the prosurvival effect of GM-CSF on human eosinophils.

Eosinophils are the principal effector cells of allergic inflammation, and hematopoietic cytokine granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is the primary cytokine that activates and prolongs the survival of eosinophils in local inflammatory sites by mediating anti-apoptotic activity in allergic inflammation. To investigate the immunopathological role of microRNA (miRNA) in allergic inflammation, we elucidated the regulatory mechanisms of miRNA on the GM-CSF-mediated in vitro survival in eosinophils. Eosinophils were purified from fresh human peripheral blood buffy coat fraction obtained from adult volunteer using microbead magnetic cell sorting.

Heart failure in long-term peritoneal dialysis patients: a 4-year prospective analysis.

Background And Objectives: Heart failure occurs frequently in end-stage renal disease patients. However, there are no prospective, longitudinal follow-up data on its prevalence, severity, and risk factors in long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: A prospective observational study was conducted in 220 long-term PD patients followed up for 4 years or until death.

Prognostic value of plasma myeloperoxidase in ESRD patients.

Background: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) has been suggested to have a role in atherosclerosis through its strong oxidative capacity. We hypothesized that MPO level may predict clinical outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Sudden cardiac death in end-stage renal disease patients: a 5-year prospective analysis.

End-stage renal disease patients experience a high incidence of sudden cardiac death. We performed a 5-year prospective study in 230 end-stage renal disease patients, aiming to determine the role of echocardiography and the additional value of serum biomarkers in predicting sudden cardiac death. During follow-up, 24% of all deaths were attributed to sudden cardiac death.

Handgrip strength, but not other nutrition parameters, predicts circulatory congestion in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Handgrip strength (HGS) is a marker of lean muscle mass. This study aims to test the hypothesis that a low HGS reflects a diseased cardiac status and predicts future risk of circulatory congestion in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: Two hundred and eighteen chronic PD patients were prospectively recruited from a single regional dialysis unit in Hong Kong.

Serum zinc is decreased in Alzheimer's disease and serum arsenic correlates positively with cognitive ability.

Zinc, copper, and iron aggregate Abeta and accumulate in Alzheimer's disease (AD) plaques. Some metals are increased in AD vs. control serum.

Energy intake and expenditure profile in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients complicated with circulatory congestion.

Background: Circulatory congestion is an adverse predictor of mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Objective: This study evaluated the nutritional status, energy intake, and expenditure profile of PD patients with and without previous circulatory congestion.

Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 244 PD patients, of whom 92 had previous circulatory congestion.

Is valvular calcification a part of the missing link between residual kidney function and cardiac hypertrophy in peritoneal dialysis patients?

Background And Objectives: Residual renal function (RRF) predicts survival and shows an important inverse relation with cardiac hypertrophy in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We hypothesized that valvular calcification and the calcification milieu may be part of the process linking loss of RRF and cardiac hypertrophy.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: A cross-sectional study was conducted by performing two-dimensional echocardiography on 230 PD patients to assess valvular calcification and left ventricular (LV) mass and collecting 24-h urine for estimation of RRF.

Long-term mortality and cardiovascular risk stratification of peritoneal dialysis patients using a combination of inflammation and calcification markers.

Background: It remains unknown whether a composite of inflammation and calcification markers provides better mortality and cardiovascular risk stratification in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: We performed a 4-year prospective follow-up study in 231 chronic PD patients from a single regional dialysis centre in Hong Kong. Valvular calcification was detected using echocardiography, and fasting venous blood was collected to measure a panel of inflammation markers.

Diagnostic potential of serum biomarkers for left ventricular abnormalities in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) have been shown to predict mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in end-stage renal disease patients. However, it is not known which biomarkers have the strongest diagnostic potential for left ventricular (LV) abnormalities in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, nor whether residual renal function may confound the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers.

Methods: Two hundred and thirty chronic PD patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography to determine LV hypertrophy and ejection fraction and had simultaneous measurement of serum NT-pro-BNP, cTnT and hs-CRP.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and cardiovascular outcomes in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients: a 3-y prospective cohort study.

Background: Patients with kidney disease are at high risk of developing 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] deficiency.

Objective: We studied the association between serum 25(OH)D status and clinical outcomes of chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.

Design: We measured serum 25(OH)D concentrations in 230 prevalent peritoneal dialysis patients and then followed these patients prospectively for 3 y or until death.

Increased circulating inflammatory proteins predict a worse prognosis with valvular calcification in end-stage renal disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background: It remains unknown whether inflammation may predict a worse prognosis with valvular calcification (VC) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients.

Method: We prospectively performed echocardiography in 231 ESRD patients receiving chronic peritoneal dialysis treatment to detect VC and then followed them for 3 years or until death.

Results: Patients with VC had higher C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.

Differential associations of traditional and non-traditional risk factors with carotid intima-media thickening and plaque in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: This study sought to examine the associations of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors with carotid intima-media thickening and plaque in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 147 PD patients with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque assessed by B-mode ultrasonography and fasting blood collected for biochemical measurements.

Results: On univariate analysis, age, smoking history, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), adiponectin, fetuin-A, lipoprotein(a) and diastolic blood pressure were associated with carotid IMT while age, smoking history, diabetes, CRP and diastolic blood pressure were associated with carotid plaque.