Surveillance of arteriovenous hemodialysis access: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Hemodialysis centers regularly survey arteriovenous (AV) accesses for signs of dysfunction. In this review, we synthesize the available evidence to determine to what extent proactive vascular access monitoring affects the incidence of AV access thrombosis and abandonment compared with clinical monitoring.

Methods: We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and SCOPUS) and sought references from experts, bibliographies of included trials, and articles that cited included studies.

Autogenous versus prosthetic vascular access for hemodialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The autogenous arteriovenous access for chronic hemodialysis is recommended over the prosthetic access because of its longer lifespan. However, more than half of the United States dialysis patients receive a prosthetic access. We conducted a systematic review to summarize the best available evidence comparing the two accesses types in terms of patient-important outcomes.

Timing of referral for vascular access placement: a systematic review.

Objective: This review was conducted to determine the optimal timing for referring patients with end-stage renal disease to vascular surgery for access placement.

Methods: A systematic review of the electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Current Contents, Cochrane CENTRAL and Web of Science) was conducted through March 2007. Randomized and observational studies were eligible if they compared an early referral cohort with a late referral cohort in terms of patient-important outcomes such as death, access-related sepsis, and hospitalization related to access complications.

Induction of heme oxygenase-1 is a beneficial response in a murine model of venous thrombosis.

The induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) may protect against tissue injury. The present study examines the induction of HO-1 in a murine model of venous thrombosis and explores the downstream consequences of this induction. In a model of stasis-induced thrombosis created by ligation of the inferior vena cava, HO-1 expression is markedly induced.

Renal hemodynamic, inflammatory, and apoptotic responses to lipopolysaccharide in HO-1-/- mice.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the stress-responsive gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The present study examined the significance of HO-1 in response to LPS. In HO-1(-/-) mice, as compared with HO-1(+/+) mice, LPS provoked a greater reduction in glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow, increased renal cytokine expression, and increased activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB.

Testosterone and cardiovascular risk in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials that assessed the effect of testosterone use on cardiovascular events and risk factors in men with different degrees of androgen deficiency.

Methods: Librarian-designed search strategies were used to search the MEDLINE (1966 to October 2004), EMBASE (1988 to October 2004), and Cochrane CENTRAL (inception to October 2004) databases. The database search was performed again in March 2005.

Testosterone use in men with sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials to measure the effect of testosterone use on sexual function in men with sexual dysfunction and varying testosterone levels.

Methods: Librarian-designed search strategies were used to search the MEDLINE (1966 to October 2004), EMBASE (1988 to October 2004), and Cochrane CENTRAL (inception to October 2004) databases. The MEDLINE search was rerun in March 2005.

Physiology and pathophysiology of heme: implications for kidney disease.

An iron-containing, tetrapyrrole ring, heme is an essential prosthetic group in an array of proteins that comprehensively affect cellular function and metabolism; yet "free" heme in sufficient amounts can be damaging to the kidney and other organs because of its bioreactivity and pro-oxidant effects. This review discusses the cellular metabolism of heme in health and disease and covers such areas as the synthesis of heme and its utilization in heme proteins; mechanisms underlying the toxicity of heme; and the extent to which pathophysiologic processes, such as renal incorporation of heme proteins or destabilization of intracellular heme proteins, increase intracellular levels of heme and provoke renal injury. The main catabolic process that degrades heme, the heme oxygenase (HO) system, is reviewed, and evidence for the protective effects of HO-1 against acute and chronic heme/heme protein-induced renal injury is summarized.

Testosterone use in men and its effects on bone health. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Context: Androgen-deficient men are at increased risk of osteoporosis. The extent to which testosterone can prevent and treat osteoporosis in men remains unclear.

Objective And Design: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials in men to estimate the effect of testosterone use on bone health outcomes.

Circulating plasma cells detected by flow cytometry as a predictor of survival in 302 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

We detected circulating plasma cells (PCs) by flow cytometry in 302 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) by gating on CD38+CD45- cells. The number of circulating PCs per 50 000 mononuclear cells was reported. In 80 (27%) patients, no circulating PC were seen; 106 (35%) patients had 1 to 10 and 115 (38%) patients had more than 10 circulating PCs.