The Toxic Masculinity Scale: Development and Initial Validation.

The present study sought to develop and validate the Toxic Masculinity Scale (TMS). Following scale development best practices, a thorough review of the literature and existing measures was conducted. Next, a qualitative inquiry using a grounded theory approach was employed to develop a data-driven definition of toxic masculinity and 165 proposed instrument items.

Screen time and insomnia among college students: the moderating effect of loneliness.

Insomnia is detrimental to college student health. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between two risk factors of insomnia-screen time use and loneliness-in college students. Respondents were 1,001 ( age = 19.

Psychological distress and alcohol use disorder in college students of color: Social support's moderating properties.

Alcohol use is prevalent among college students. Research has found that psychological distress in the form of depression, anxiety, or loneliness has been consistently associated with greater alcohol use. Because Students of Color (SoC) disproportionately experience greater psychological distress than White students, it is critical to determine buffers against psychological distress and subsequent alcohol use consequences.

Objectification and body esteem: age group patterns in women's psychological functioning.

Objectives: Sexual objectification is related to negative outcomes for young adult women, but whether sexual objectification operates similarly for women in mid-life or older adulthood is less clear. Our aim was to assess self-objectification and sexually objectifying experiences for women in two different age groups, 18-27 and 48-90 and, further, test the relationship between objectification and psychological functioning. Based on objectification theory, we hypothesized that young adults would report higher self-objectification and sexually objectifying experiences compared to women in the older group.

Comparing the Fried frailty phenotype versus the Veterans Affairs frailty index among dialysis dependent patients.

Introduction: Frailty in dialysis patients is a modifiable disease state which can increase mortality if left untreated but remains underdiagnosed as frailty evaluations can be arduous or time consuming. We evaluate the agreement between a clinical frailty construct (Fried frailty phenotype, FFP) against and an electronic health record-based Veterans Affairs Frailty Index (VAFI) and their association with mortality.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of 764 participants from the ACTIVE/ADIPOSE study was performed.

Warfarin Use, Stroke, and Bleeding Risk among Pre-Existing Atrial Fibrillation US Veterans Transitioning to Dialysis.

Introduction: Anticoagulation is commonly used for stroke prevention among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF); however, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis are at higher risk of bleeding and stroke, even without anticoagulation. It is unclear if patients should be continued on anticoagulation at the time of transition to ESRD. In this study, we validated risk scores for stroke and bleeding in this population and assessed risk of stroke and bleeding among warfarin users compared to nonusers.

Association of serum globulin with all-cause mortality in incident hemodialysis patients.

Background: Serum globulin is a major component of total protein and can be elevated in inflammatory disease states. While inflammation is common in hemodialysis patients and associated with mortality and morbidity, the association between serum globulin and mortality has never been examined in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort of 104 164 incident hemodialysis patients treated by a large dialysis organization from 2007 to 2011, we explored the association between baseline serum globulin, albumin: globulin (A:G) ratio and serum protein levels and all-cause, cardiovascular and infection-related mortality with adjustments for demographic variables and laboratory markers of malnutrition and inflammation using Cox proportional hazards models.

Association of pre-ESKD hyponatremia with post-ESKD outcomes among incident ESKD patients.

Background: Hyponatremia is one of the most common electrolyte disturbances in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, and has been shown to be associated with higher mortality risk. However, the relationship between hyponatremia during late-stage CKD and the risk of poor outcomes after ESKD transition is unknown.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 32 257 US veterans transitioning to ESKD from 1 October 2007 to 30 March 2015.

Polypharmacy and Frailty among Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Both polypharmacy and frailty are highly prevalent among the patients on hemodialysis and associated with adverse outcomes; however, little is known about the association between them.

Methods: We examined 337 patients enrolled in the ACTIVE/ADIPOSE dialysis cohort study between 2009 and 2011. The number of prescribed medications and frailty were assessed at baseline, 12, and 24 months.

Cardiovascular and Bleeding Outcomes with Anticoagulants across Kidney Disease Stages: Analysis of a National US Cohort.

Background: While direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are considered safe among patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD), the evidence is conflicting as to whether they are also safe in the CKD and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) population. In this observational cohort study, we examined whether DOACs are a safe alternative to warfarin across CKD stages for a variety of anticoagulation indications.

Methods: Individuals on DOACs or warfarin were identified from OptumLabs® Data Warehouse (OLDW), a longitudinal dataset with de-identified administrative claims, from 2010 to 2017.

A faster decline of residual kidney function and erythropoietin stimulating agent hyporesponsiveness in incident hemodialysis patients.

Introduction: Erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESA) hyporesposiveness has been associated with increased mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, the impact of decline of residual kidney function (RKF) on ESA hyporesposiveness has not been adequately elucidated among patients receiving HD.

Methods: The associations of RKF decline with erythropoietin resistance index (ERI; average weekly ESA dose [units])/post-dialysis body weight [kg]/hemoglobin [g/dL]) were retrospectively examined across four strata of annual change in RKF (residual renal urea clearance [KRU] < -3.

The Marginal Cost of Frailty Among Medicare Patients on Hemodialysis.

Introduction: Dialysis patients incur disproportionately high costs compared with other Medicare beneficiaries. Care for frail individuals may be even more costly. We examined the extent to which frailty contributes to higher costs among dialysis patients.

Ultrafiltration Rate, Residual Kidney Function, and Survival Among Patients Treated With Reduced-Frequency Hemodialysis.

Rationale & Objective: Patients receiving twice-weekly or less-frequent hemodialysis (HD) may need to undergo higher ultrafiltration rates (UFRs) to maintain acceptable fluid balance. We hypothesized that higher UFRs are associated with faster decline in residual kidney function (RKF) and a higher rate of mortality.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Ultrafiltration Rate Effects Declines in Residual Kidney Function in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: High ultrafiltration rate (UFR) has been associated with increased mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, the impact of UFR on decline of residual kidney function (RKF) has not been elucidated among patients receiving conventional HD.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 7,753 patients who initiated conventional HD from 2007 to 2011 and survived the first year of dialysis with baseline UFR and renal urea clearance (KRU) data at baseline and 1 year (5th patient-quarter).

Association of Mineral Bone Disorder With Decline in Residual Kidney Function in Incident Hemodialysis Patients.

Abnormalities of mineral bone disorder (MBD) parameters have been suggested to be associated with poor renal outcome in predialysis patients. However, the impact of those parameters on decline in residual kidney function (RKF) is uncertain among incident hemodialysis (HD) patients. We performed a retrospective cohort study in 13,772 patients who initiated conventional HD during 2007 to 2011 and survived 6 months of dialysis.

Depressive symptoms, frailty, and mortality among dialysis patients.

Introduction: Frailty and depression are highly prevalent in the dialysis population, but the association between them, the risk factors for their development, and their independent associations with mortality have not been studied.

Methods: We examined 771 patients enrolled in the ACTIVE/ADIPOSE prevalent dialysis cohort study. Fried's frailty phenotype and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression score were used to determine frailty and presence of depressive symptoms, respectively.

The impact of frailty on outcomes in dialysis.

Purpose Of Review: Frailty is highly prevalent in the dialysis population and is associated with mortality. Recent studies have suggested that other dialysis outcomes are compromised in frail individuals. While we do not yet have a consensus as to the best measure of frailty, identification of these poor outcomes and their magnitude of association with frailty will help improve prognostication, allow for earlier interventions, and improve provider-to-patient communication.

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in patients with chronic venous catheters: a case report and literature review.

Chronic indwelling catheters have been reported to be associated with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) via the activation of the classical complement pathway in association with bacterial infections such as coagulase negative staphylococcus. We herein provide supporting evidence for the direct causal relationship between chronic catheter infections and MPGN via a case of recurrent MPGN associated with recurrent catheter infections used for total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in a man with short gut syndrome. We also present a literature review of similar cases and identify common clinical manifestations that may serve to aid clinicians in the early identification of MPGN associated with infected central venous catheterization or vice versa.