Is regular in-person recall superior to non-regular in-person recall in clinical outcomes among new patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: To investigate the different impacts on clinical outcomes between regular recall and non-regular recall among incident peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: A two-center cohort of 216 new PD patients from 1January 2013, to 31 December 2014, was studied. Informative clinical data were collected from baseline until two years after PD initiation, including demographics, laboratory and PD-related parameters, PD-related peritonitis rates, and frequency of hospitalization.

Expert consensus on management of metabolic disease in Chinese liver transplant recipients.

Metabolic disease, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hyperuricemia, is a common complication after liver transplantation and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death. The development of metabolic disease is closely related to the side effects of immunosuppressants. Therefore, optimization of the immunosuppressive regimen is very important for the prevention and treatment of metabolic disease.

Viridans streptococcus peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis: clinical characteristics and comparison with concurrent polymicrobial infection.

Background: The clinical course of Viridans streptococci (VS) peritonitis in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) is rarely reported. This study examined the association of clinical factors with VS peritonitis.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from patients with VS peritonitis from March 1990 to February 2016 in a PD center in Taiwan and evaluated clinical profiles and treatment outcomes.

Time to Target Uric Acid to Retard Chronic Kidney Disease Progression.

Uric acid (UA) remains a risk factor for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Most observational studies showed a slight elevation in the serum UA level and this independently predicts the incidence and development of CKD. The recent meta-analysis, however, did not reach the conclusion that urate-lowering therapy with allopurinol retards the progression of CKD.

Uric Acid in the Follow-Up Determines 30% Decline in Estimated GFR Over 2 Years: a Propensity Score Analysis.

Background/aims: Higher level of serum uric acid (SUA) predicts early entry to dialysis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, a short-term effect of SUA remains to be elucidated using a novel surrogate endpoint.

Methods: Japanese CKD stage 3 to 4 patients were retrospectively examined (n= 701).

Functional Variant of C-689T in the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ2 Promoter is Associated with Coronary Heart Disease in Chinese Nondiabetic Han People.

Objective To investigate the association between the polymorphism of C-689T in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ2) promoter and coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods This case-controlled study was conducted in nondiabetic Chinese Han people, which enrolled 455 patients with CHD (cases) and 693 subjects without CHD (controls). Data of clinical indexes were collected, including height, body weight, waist circumstance, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), smoking, drinking, physical activity, as well as body mass index (BMI).

Hypokalemia and Pendrin Induction by Aldosterone.

Aldosterone plays an important role in regulating Na-Cl reabsorption and blood pressure. Epithelial Na channel, Na-Cl cotransporter, and Cl/HCO exchanger pendrin are the major mediators of Na-Cl transport in the aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron. Existing evidence also suggests that plasma K concentration affects renal Na-Cl handling.

An association between time-varying serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations and mortality rate in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis: a five-year cohort study.

The relationship between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations and mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is rarely reported. We enrolled 667 PD patients in one PD centre in Taiwan to retrospectively examine the association between three ALP concentrations (baseline, time-averaged, time-dependent) and mortality over a 5-year period (2011-2015). Baseline data collection included demographics, clinical, and laboratory parameters.

Association between the Achievement of Target Range CKD-MBD Markers and Mortality in Prevalent Hemodialysis Patients in Taiwan by Using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Clinical Guidelines.

This study evaluated the association between achieving target chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) marker levels and mortality in Taiwanese hemodialysis (HD) patients. Target levels were based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. We performed a retrospective medical record review of 1126 HD patients between 2009 and 2013.

Serum Potassium Profile and Associated Factors in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Background/aims: Abnormal potassium profiles are common in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We studied the factors associated with serum potassium profiles in incident PD patients.

Methods: Patients were enrolled from two hospital-facilitated PD centers from May 2013 to May 2016 and January 2009 to December 2015.

Time to target uric acid to retard CKD progression.

Uric acid (UA) remains a possible risk factor of chronic kidney disease (CKD) but its potential role should be elucidated given a fact that multidisciplinary treatments assure a sole strategy to inhibit the progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In clinical setting, most observational studies showed that elevation of serum uric acid (SUA) independently predicts the incidence and the development of CKD. The meta-analysis showed that SUA-lowering therapy with allopurinol may retard the progression of CKD but did not reach conclusive results due to small-sized studies.

The Impact of Normal Range of Serum Phosphorus on the Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease by A Propensity Score Analysis.

Background: Although hyperphosphatemia is deemed a risk factor of the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), it remains unclear whether the normal range of serum phosphorus likewise deteriorates CKD. A propensity score analysis was applied to examine the causal effect of the normal range of serum phosphorus on the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Methods: A retrospective CKD cohort of 803 participants in a single institution was analyzed.

Targeting Uric Acid and the Inhibition of Progression to End-Stage Renal Disease--A Propensity Score Analysis.

Background: The role of uric acid (UA) in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains controversial due to the unavoidable cause and result relationship. This study was aimed to clarify the independent impact of UA on the subsequent risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by a propensity score analysis.

Methods: A retrospective CKD cohort was used (n = 803).

Involvement of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and associated transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling in paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Paraquat (PQ) is a highly toxic herbicide which is able to induce pulmonary fibrosis in humans and animals. The epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) was demonstrated to be an important factor in pulmonary fibrosis. However, it has remained elusive whether PQ induces pulmonary fibrosis via EMT, which was therefore investigated in the present study.

Predictors and the Subsequent Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease - Usefulness of 30% Decline in Estimated GFR over 2 Years.

Background: A goal of searching risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is to halt progressing to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by potential intervention. To predict the future ESRD, 30% decline in estimated GFR over 2 years was examined in comparison with other time-dependent predictors.

Methods: CKD patients who had measurement of serum creatinine at baseline and 2 years were enrolled (n = 701) and followed up to 6 years.

Time-dependent risk factors associated with the decline of estimated GFR in CKD patients.

Background: Targeting the modifiable risk factors may help halt the progression of CKD, thus risk factor analysis is better performed using the parameters in the follow-up. This study aimed to examine the time-dependent risk factors for CKD progression using time-averaged values and to investigate the characteristics of rapid progression group.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study enrolling 770 patients of CKD stage 3-4.

Bispectral index in predicting the prognosis of patients with coma in intensive care unit.

Background: The bispectral (BIS) index is a processed electroencephalogram (EEG) parameter with extensive validation and demonstrated clinical utility. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between the BIS index and the prognosis of patients with coma in the ICU.

Methods: A total of 208 patients with coma in the ICU were enrolled in this study.

The generalized sidelobe canceller based on quaternion widely linear processing.

We investigate the problem of quaternion beamforming based on widely linear processing. First, a quaternion model of linear symmetric array with two-component electromagnetic (EM) vector sensors is presented. Based on array's quaternion model, we propose the general expression of a quaternion semiwidely linear (QSWL) beamformer.

[Evaluation of nuclear factor-KappaB and I Kappa B mRNA expression in determining the prognosis of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome].

Objective: To observe the value of nuclear factor-KappaB(NF-KappaB) and I Kappa B mRNA expression estimation on determining the prognosis of patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).

Methods: Forty-three MODS patients were divided into two groups based on their prognosis: the survivor group (n =28) and the non-survivor group (n=15). Another group of 10 healthy persons served as normal control group.

[Clinical observation on treatment of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome with auxiliary treatment of Shennong No.33].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of Shennong No. 33 (SN33) in treating multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) by APACHE II and APACHE II scoring.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-nine patients of MODS were randomly divided into the treated group (n = 72) and the control group (n = 57), they were treated with comprehensive therapy and to the treated group, SN33 was given additionally.