A randomized trial comparing gentamicin/citrate and heparin locks for central venous catheters in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Background: Central venous catheters (CVCs) are used for vascular access in hemodialysis patients who have no alternative access or are awaiting placement or maturation of a permanent access. The major complications of CVCs are catheter-related bloodstream infection and clotting in the catheter lumen.

Study Design: Parallel-group, randomized, multicenter clinical trial, with patients blinded to study intervention.

A multicenter study of the frequency and distribution of GJB2 and GJB6 mutations in a large North American cohort.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the actual GJB2 and GJB6 mutation frequencies in North America after several years of generalized testing for autosomal recessive nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss to help guide diagnostic testing algorithms, especially in light of molecular diagnostic follow-up to universal newborn hearing screening.

Methods: Mutation types, frequencies, ethnic distributions, and genotype-phenotype correlations for GJB2 and GJB6 were assessed in a very large North American cohort.

Results: GJB2 variants were identified in 1796 (24.