[Efficacy and safety of steroid combined with immunosuppressants in the treatment of primary IgA nephropathy in children: a Meta analysis].

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of steroid combined with immunosuppressants in the treatment of primary IgA nephropathy in children.

Methods: English and Chinese electronic databases were searched to include the studies on the efficacy and safety of steroid combined with immunosuppressants versus steroid alone in the treatment of primary IgA nephropathy in children. Outcome measures included proteinuria remission rate, urinary protein quantification, incidence of adverse events, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and incidence of renal dysfunction.

Clinical and genetic factors associated with warfarin maintenance dose in northern Chinese patients with mechanical heart valve replacement.

The effects of genetic variants on warfarin dosing vary among different ethnic groups, especially in the Chinese population. The objective of this study was to recruit patients through a rigorous experimental design and to perform a comprehensive screen to identify gene polymorphisms that may influence warfarin dosing in northern Han Chinese patients with mechanical heart valve replacement. Consenting patients (n = 183) with a stable warfarin dose were included in this study.

Association of apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphisms with warfarin maintenance dose in a northern Han Chinese population.

Background: Apolipoprotein E (apoE) induces the uptake of vitamin K-rich lipoproteins by the liver, which likely affects inter-individual variation of warfarin dosing requirements. Associations between APOE polymorphisms and warfarin dosing were previously reported inconsistently among different ethnic groups, so the present study investigated this association in northern Han Chinese patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis.

Methods: A total of 186 patients who underwent mechanical heart valve replacement and attained a stable warfarin dose were included.