Pilot Study: Single-depth Superficial Ultrasound with Subdermal Injections of Diluted Calcium Hydroxylapatite for Improving Lower Face Skin Quality.

Background: The lower face can be challenging to treat. We assessed the effectiveness of combining single-depth superficial microfocused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V, Ultherapy; Merz North America, Inc. Raleigh, N.

The Primacy of Ethics in Aesthetic Medicine: A Review.

Background: The landscape of modern aesthetic medicine has witnessed a paradigm shift from traditional doctor-led care to a consumer-driven model, presenting a plethora of ethical challenges. This review discusses the ethical dimensions of medical aesthetics, exploring the implications of consumer demand, societal influences, and technological advancements on patient care and well-being.

Methods: Drawing upon a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, this review synthesizes evidence regarding the rise of aesthetic medicine, ethical challenges encountered in practice, and the implications of social media and marketing in shaping patient perceptions and decision-making.

Perceived Stress and Interest in Non-Invasive Aesthetic Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: Multiple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been described, including an increase in concerns about one's facial appearance resulting in greater interest in cosmetic procedures. However, additional research is required to examine the impact of the pandemic on patients' overall stress levels and whether this reported stress is associated with an interest in facial aesthetic procedures. We aimed to describe perceived stress and to identify factors associated with increased stress among patients seeking aesthetic treatments during the pandemic.

Mitigating COVID-19 Risk and Vaccine Hesitancy Among Underserved African American and Latinx Individuals with Mental Illness Through Mental Health Therapist-Facilitated Discussions.

Background: Underserved ethnic minorities with psychiatric disorders are at an increased risk of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of one-to-one counseling on COVID-19 vaccination and vaccination readiness among underserved African American and Latinx individuals with mental illnesses and adult caregivers of children with mental illness.

Methods: Through an academic-community partnered collaboration, a multidisciplinary and culturally sensitive training on COVID-19 was co-developed and delivered to 68 therapists from January to March 2021.

Effectiveness of combined microfocused ultrasound with visualization and subdermal calcium hydroxyapatite injections for the management of brachial skin laxity.

Background: There is no publication to date on the combined use of microfocused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V) and calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) for brachial skin laxity.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of combining MFU-V with diluted/hyperdiluted CaHA in a single session for treating brachial skin laxity.

Subjects/methods: Female subjects who had skin laxity in the brachial regions and who desired non-surgical intervention were enrolled into this prospective, single-arm pilot study.

Characteristics of Patients Seeking and Proceeding with Non-Surgical Facial Aesthetic Procedures.

Purpose: Identifying predictors for patients' readiness to receive non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments facilitates the physician's understanding of the patient's goals and expectations. This paper aims to identify clinical and demographic characteristics of patients who proceed with non-surgical facial aesthetic procedures in Singapore.

Patients And Methods: Using data from electronic patient health records, authors examined clinical and demographic characteristics of 624 Asian and Caucasian patients who sought treatment in a 12-month period and who had minimum follow-up of 1 year.

Twice-Weekly Hemodialysis in China: Can It Be A Better Option for Initiation or Maintenance Dialysis Therapy?

Cumulative evidence indicates it may be worthwhile revisiting the twice-weekly hemodialysis (HD) regimen as a valid option for individualized or incremental treatments for selected patients with end-stage renal disease. In this article, we will review the current evidences on the potential pros and cons of twice-weekly HD compared to thrice-weekly HD including China's experience in the practice of twice-weekly HD. A prudent patient selection and close dialysis adequacy monitoring might be necessary for this medical treatment choice.

Sex-specific differences in hemodialysis prevalence and practices and the male-to-female mortality rate: the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).

Background: A comprehensive analysis of sex-specific differences in the characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of individuals with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis might reveal treatment inequalities and targets to improve sex-specific patient care. Here we describe hemodialysis prevalence and patient characteristics by sex, compare the adult male-to-female mortality rate with data from the general population, and evaluate sex interactions with mortality.

Methods And Findings: We assessed the Human Mortality Database and 206,374 patients receiving hemodialysis from 12 countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US) participating in the international, prospective Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) between June 1996 and March 2012.

Two-times weekly hemodialysis in China: frequency, associated patient and treatment characteristics and Quality of Life in the China Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns study.

Background: Renal replacement therapy is rapidly expanding in China, and two-times weekly dialysis is common, but detailed data on practice patterns are currently limited. Using cross-sectional data from the China Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), we describe the hemodialysis practice in China compared with other DOPPS countries, examining demographic, social and clinical characteristics of patients on two-times weekly dialysis.

Methods: The DOPPS protocol was implemented in 2011 among a cross-section of 1379 patients in 45 facilities in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

Association between oral nutritional supplementation and clinical outcomes among patients with ESRD.

Background And Objectives: Oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) was provided to ESRD patients with hypoalbuminemia as part of Fresenius Medical Care Health Plan's (FMCHP) disease management. This study evaluated the association between FMCHP's ONS program and clinical outcomes.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Analyses included FMCHP patients with ONS indication (n=470) defined as 2-month mean albumin <3.

Dialysis dose scaled to body surface area and size-adjusted, sex-specific patient mortality.

Background And Objectives: When hemodialysis dose is scaled to body water (V), women typically receive a greater dose than men, but their survival is not better given a similar dose. This study sought to determine whether rescaling dose to body surface area (SA) might reveal different associations among dose, sex, and mortality.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Single-pool Kt/V (spKt/V), equilibrated Kt/V, and standard Kt/V (stdKt/V) were computed using urea kinetic modeling on a prevalent cohort of 7229 patients undergoing thrice-weekly hemodialysis.

Hemoglobin A(1c) levels and mortality in the diabetic hemodialysis population: findings from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).

Objective: Lowering hemoglobin A(1c) to <7% reduces the risk of microvascular complications of diabetes, but the importance of maintaining this target in diabetes patients with kidney failure is unclear. We evaluated the relationship between A(1c) levels and mortality in an international prospective cohort study of hemodialysis patients.

Research Design And Methods: Included were 9,201 hemodialysis patients from 12 countries (Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study 3 and 4, 2006-2010) with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and at least one A(1c) measurement during the first 8 months after study entry.

Physical exercise among participants in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS): correlates and associated outcomes.

Background: Levels of physical exercise among haemodialysis patients are low. Increased physical activity in this population has been associated with improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and survival. However, results of previous studies may not be applicable to the haemodialysis population as a whole.

Prescription of antihypertensive agents to haemodialysis patients: time trends and associations with patient characteristics, country and survival in the DOPPS.

Background: Haemodialysis patients were studied in 12 countries to identify practice patterns of prescription of antihypertensive agents (AHA) associated with survival.

Methods: The sample included 28 513 patients enrolled in DOPPS I and II. The classes of AHA studied were beta blocker (BB), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), peripheral blocker, central antagonist, vasodilator, long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB), short-acting dihydropyridine CCB and non-dihydropyridine CCB.

Rosiglitazone is associated with mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Recent studies have associated rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione drug, with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in the general population with diabetes. Using data from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study in the United States, we examined cardiovascular hospitalization and mortality associated with prescription of rosiglitazone, compared with other oral hypoglycemic agents, among 2393 long-term hemodialysis patients who were followed for a median of 1.1 yr.

Chronic kidney disease prevention in Singapore.

In consideration of the epidemiologic basis for screening and surveillance, a comprehensive program for chronic kidney disease prevention was initiated in Singapore by the National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKF Singapore) in 1997. Reasons for developing this include the rising rate of end-stage renal disease in the country, and the projected escalation because of the increase in chronic diseases that lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Presented are progress and preliminary findings of this program, as well as that of the parallel initiative of Singapore's Ministry of Health.

Diuretic use, residual renal function, and mortality among hemodialysis patients in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study (DOPPS).

Background: Information about residual renal function (RRF) and outcomes associated with practices of diuretic use in patients with end-stage renal disease is not available worldwide.

Methods: Diuretic use was investigated in 16,420 hemodialysis patients from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, a prospective observational study of hemodialysis patients selected from nationally representative facilities on 3 continents. Logistic regressions were used to investigate associations between diuretic use and patient characteristics.

International differences in dialysis mortality reflect background general population atherosclerotic cardiovascular mortality.

Existing national, racial, and ethnic differences in dialysis patient mortality rates largely are unexplained. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that mortality rates related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in dialysis populations (DP) and in the background general populations (GP) are correlated. In a cross-sectional, multinational study, all-cause and ASCVD mortality rates were compared between GP and DP using the most recent data from the World Health Organization mortality database (67 countries; 1,571,852,000 population) and from national renal registries (26 countries; 623,900 population).

Development of the fear survey for adults with mental retardation.

This paper describes the development of the fear survey for adults with mental retardation (FSAMR) and provides initial evidence of its psychometric properties. The FSAMR was designed to be sensitive to the assessment needs of individuals with mental retardation. The items were developed through open-ended interviews, a review of existing measures, expert input, and pilot testing.

A report with consensus statements of the International Society of Nephrology 2004 Consensus Workshop on Prevention of Progression of Renal Disease, Hong Kong, June 29, 2004.

This report summarizes the discussions of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) 2004 Consensus Workshop on Prevention of Progression of Renal Disease, which was held in Hong Kong on June 29, 2004. Three key areas were discussed during the workshop: (1) screening for chronic kidney disease; (2) evaluation and estimating progression of chronic kidney disease; and (3) measures to prevent the progression of chronic kidney disease. Fifteen consensus statements were made in these three areas, as endorsed by the participants of the workshop.

Modulation of sciatic nerve expression of class 3 semaphorins by nerve injury.

Beginning with the unexpected finding by cDNA array analysis that neuropilin-2 is induced in sciatic nerve distal to a transection, we document, for the first time, up-regulation in the axotomized adult peripheral nervous system of class 3 semaphorins and their receptors, which are known to play prominent roles in axonal guidance during neural development. Previously, we described the use of cDNA arrays to screen for novel peripheral nervous system axotomy-induced candidate neurotrophic proteins. A novel finding of that prior study was substantial induction of neuropilin 2 (NP2) mRNA in the axotomized nerve segments.

Paradigms of public-private partnerships in end-stage renal disease care: the National Kidney Foundation Singapore.

Novel forms of funding chronic renal replacement therapy and other chronic kidney disease programs are urgently required in order to address the increasing global burden of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). For areas of infectious disease control in less-developed countries, the formation of public-private partnerships has successfully yielded short-term improvement in clinical outcomes. This article reviews the concept of public-private partnerships and its various formats.

Taking a public health approach to the prevention of end-stage renal disease: the NKF Singapore Program.

The National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKFS) provides subsidized dialysis care to approximately 70% of the country's total end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population, based entirely on charitable donations. Because of the exponential increase in prevalent dialysis patients receiving care through the NKFS' chronic dialysis program, and with the anticipated epidemic rise in incident ESRD patients, an accelerated comprehensive strategy for the prevention of renal and its associated chronic diseases was developed. Presented is the NKFS' public health plan, which incorporates primary, secondary and tertiary approaches to the prevention of chronic kidney disease.

Differences in intermediate outcomes for Asian and non-Asian adult hemodialysis patients in the United States.

Background: There is a paucity of information regarding the clinical experience of Asian hemodialysis patients. This paper describes intermediate outcomes for adult Asian hemodialysis patients compared to Caucasians and African Americans.

Methods: Dialysis facility staff abstracted clinical information on a national random sample of adult hemodialysis patients from October through December 2000.