Publications by authors named "Michal L Melamed"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the relationship between vitamin D levels and the recurrence of glomerulonephritis (GN) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) who had kidney failure due to GN.
  • It finds that lower levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) are linked to a higher risk of GN recurrence, with vitamin D deficiency significantly increasing this risk.
  • The authors suggest that more research, including clinical trials and experiments, is needed to explore the potential causal role of vitamin D in GN recurrence post-transplant.
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Article Synopsis
  • Collagen X biomarker (CXM) has been studied as an indicator of growth velocity in children with impaired kidney function, focusing on its correlation with actual growth measurements.
  • The study utilized data from children aged 2 to 16 enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) study, employing various statistical models to assess the relationship between CXM levels and growth velocity.
  • Results showed a stronger correlation of CXM with growth in females than in males, with specific increases in CXM levels correlating to higher growth rates, suggesting its potential role in monitoring growth in pediatric chronic kidney disease while indicating the need for further research.
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Purpose: Urge urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine associated with a sudden compelling urge to void. A previous study found an association between urge urinary incontinence and household income, indicating that social determinants of health may influence urge urinary incontinence. Food insecurity is a relevant social determinant of health, as a diet with bladder irritants may worsen urge urinary incontinence symptoms.

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Rationale And Objective: The 'PEER-HD' multicenter study tests the effectiveness of peer mentorship to reduce hospitalizations in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. In this study, we describe the feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of the mentor training program.

Study Design: Educational program evaluation including the following aspects: (1) description of training content, (2) quantitative analysis of feasibility and acceptability of the program, and (3) quantitative pre-post analysis of efficacy of the training to impart knowledge and self-efficacy.

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Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health problem, and the risk of CKD and hypertension in children born low birth weight (LBW) is under-recognized. We hypothesized that children born with LBW would have a higher prevalence of reduced kidney function and hypertension.

Methods: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate whether LBW (< 2500 g), very low birth weight (VLBW < 1500 g), and large birth weight (BW) (> 4000 g) were associated with kidney disease using 4 different estimating equations.

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Significance Statement: Renal osteodystrophy (ROD) contributes substantially to morbidity in CKD, including increased fracture risk. Metabolic acidosis (MA) contributes to the development of ROD, but an up-to-date skeletal phenotype in CKD-associated acidosis has not been described. We comprehensively studied associations between acidosis and bone in patients with CKD using advanced methods to image the skeleton and analyze bone-tissue, along with biochemical testing.

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Background: Reduced 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) metabolism and secondary hyperparathyroidism are common with lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and may contribute to cardiovascular disease and cancer risk.

Methods: We assessed for heterogeneity by baseline eGFR of the effects of vitamin D on cardiovascular and cancer outcomes in the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL). Participants were randomized to 2000 IU vitamin D and/or 1 g -3 fatty acids daily using a placebo-controlled, two-by-two factorial design (5.

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Background: Fecal incontinence is a prevalent debilitating pelvic floor disorder characterized by the involuntary loss of stool. Fecal incontinence is known to be associated with constipation and loose stool, advancing age, chronic comorbidities, and previous anorectal trauma, among other biologic risk factors. The relationship between social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, and fecal incontinence is not well elucidated.

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Background: Poor linear growth is a consequence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that has been linked to adverse outcomes. Metabolic acidosis (MA) has been identified as a risk factor for growth failure. We investigated the longitudinal relationship between MA and linear growth in children with CKD and examined whether treatment of MA modified linear growth.

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Rationale & Objective: Interdisciplinary care may improve health outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Few studies have evaluated this model of health care delivery in racial and ethnic minorities.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

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Although the number of deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is higher in men than women, prior studies have provided limited sex-stratified clinical data.We evaluated sex-related differences in clinical outcomes among critically ill adults with COVID-19.Multicenter cohort study of adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units at 67 U.

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Rationale & Objective: Loss of function of the product of the GSTM1 gene has been implicated in rapid progression of adult chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its role in pediatric CKD has not been previously described.

Study Design: Secondary analysis of a prospective observational cohort examining the association between deletions in GSTM1 and progression of CKD.

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BACKGROUNDSkeletal muscle maladaptation accompanies chronic kidney disease (CKD) and negatively affects physical function. Emphasis in CKD has historically been placed on muscle fiber-intrinsic deficits, such as altered protein metabolism and atrophy. However, targeted treatment of fiber-intrinsic dysfunction has produced limited improvement, whereas alterations within the fiber-extrinsic environment have scarcely been examined.

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Background: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a complex disorder of biopsychosocial etiology, and FSD symptoms affect more than 40% of adult women worldwide.

Aim: In this cross-sectional study, we sought to investigate the association between FSD and socioeconomic status (SES) in a nationally representative female adult population.

Methods: Economic and sexual data for women aged 20-59 from the 2007-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a United States nationwide representative database, was analyzed.

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Objectives: Critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 have variable mortality. Risk scores could improve care and be used for prognostic enrichment in trials. We aimed to compare machine learning algorithms and develop a simple tool for predicting 28-day mortality in ICU patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

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Metabolic acidosis is fairly common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The prevalence of metabolic acidosis increases with worsening kidney function and is observed in ∼40% of those with stage 4 CKD. For the past 2 decades, clinical practice guidelines have suggested treatment of metabolic acidosis to counterbalance adverse effects of metabolic acidosis on bone and muscle.

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Importance: Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease in adults; preclinical associations between hypertension and cardiovascular disease are seen in childhood. Nicotine is a known toxin, but its association with pediatric hypertension is unclear.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that tobacco exposure is associated with the presence of elevated blood pressure in US children and adolescents and that this association is dose dependent.

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Introduction: Black men are over-represented in the end stage kidney disease population and are at disproportionate risk of unfavorable outcomes. There is a paucity of investigation to elucidate the mediators of this risk. This study attempts to identify residential community attributes as a possible contributor.

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Background: Hypercoagulability may be a key mechanism of death in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and examine the observational effect of early therapeutic anticoagulation on survival.

Design: In a multicenter cohort study of 3239 critically ill adults with COVID-19, the incidence of VTE and major bleeding within 14 days after intensive care unit (ICU) admission was evaluated.

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Aims/hypothesis: Interventions that reduce inflammation may delay progression of microvascular and macrovascular complications in diabetes. We examined the effects of vitamin D and/or n-3 fatty acid supplementation vs placebo on 5 year changes in serum inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This study reports pre-specified secondary outcomes of the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial to Prevent and Treat Diabetic Kidney Disease, in which 1312 US adults with type 2 diabetes and without known cardiovascular disease, malignancy, or end-stage kidney disease were randomised using computer-generated random numbers in blocks of eight to vitamin D (2000 IU/day) vs placebo and n-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]; 1 g/day) vs placebo in a 2 × 2 factorial design.

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Importance: Therapies that improve survival in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are needed. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody against the interleukin 6 receptor, may counteract the inflammatory cytokine release syndrome in patients with severe COVID-19 illness.

Objective: To test whether tocilizumab decreases mortality in this population.

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