Icodextrin reduces the risk of congestive heart failure in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Purpose: Icodextrin can enhance ultrafiltration and consequently improve fluid balance and can control blood pressure and reduce left ventricular mass for peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study investigated whether icodextrin use could reduce the risk of congestive heart failure (CHF) for PD patients.

Methods: From the Taiwan National Health Insurance database, we identified 5462 newly diagnosed end-stage renal disease patients undergoing PD from 2005 to 2010.

Elevated Phosphate Levels Trigger Autophagy-Mediated Cellular Apoptosis in H9c2 Cardiomyoblasts.

Background/aim: In chronic kidney disease (CKD), kidneys fail to maintain phosphorus homeostasis in serum. Elevated phosphorus levels in serum have been associated with cardiovascular diseases in CKD patients and in normal individuals. In this study, we evaluated the level of autophagy- and apoptosis-related markers under different concentrations of hyperphosphate in myocardial cells.

Association of inflammatory cytokines with mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Aims: Previous study on association between pro-inflammatory cytokines and mortality in PD population is limited. We aimed to investigate here.

Methods: Total 50 patients who underwent incident PD were enrolled in this study.

Comparative risk of chronic kidney diseases in patients with urolithiasis and urological interventions: a longitudinal population-based study.

Large cohort studies on whether any association existed between urological interventions for urolithiasis and the development of CKD are lacking. From claims data of the National Health Insurance (NHI) program of Taiwan, we identified 54,433 patients newly diagnosed with urolithiasis during 1998-2010. For each case, four individuals without urolithiasis were randomly selected and frequency matched by age, sex, and diagnosis year.

Comparison of the risk of de novo cardiovascular disease between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background: The purpose of the study was to compare the risk of de novo cardiovascular disease (CVD) between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in patients with incident end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Methods: From a Taiwanese universal insurance claims database, we identified 45309 incident ESRD patients without preexisting CVD from 2000 to 2010. Using the propensity score matching method, we included 6516 patients in HD and PD groups, respectively.

Prolonged QT interval is linked to all-cause and cardiac mortality in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.

Aim: Prolonged QT interval is related to changes of electrolytes in haemodialysis (HD) and is associated with all-cause mortality in HD patients. It is unknown if prolonged QT interval is associated with all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients as the electrolytes were relatively stable in PD. We therefore investigated the association of prolonged QT interval and all-cause mortality in chronic PD patients.

Subsequent risk of gout for women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The association between the risk of subsequent gout and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP), including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia has not been well investigated. We investigated the risk of gout in later life for women with a history of HDP.

Methods: We identified 1133 newly diagnosed HDP women aged 14-40 years from Taiwan insurance claims data from the period of 2000-2010.

Impact of dialysis modality on the survival of patients with end-stage renal disease and prior stroke.

Purpose: Of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), 8-16 % had a history of stroke at dialysis initiation. We used the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan to evaluate whether peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis (HD) confers a survival advantage for patients with incident ESRD and prior stroke.

Methods: We identified 975 patients undergoing PD and 975 propensity score-matched patients with newly diagnosed ESRD and prior stroke undergoing HD between 2000 and 2010.

Hyperphosphate-Induced Myocardial Hypertrophy through the GATA-4/NFAT-3 Signaling Pathway Is Attenuated by ERK Inhibitor Treatment.

Background/aims: Numerous epidemiological studies have associated elevated serum phosphorus levels with cardiovascular disease and the risk of death in the general population as well as in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis patients. In this study, we explored whether elevated phosphate conditions induce cardiac hypertrophy and attempted to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms in the hypertrophic response.

Methods: H9c2 myocardial cells were incubated in high-phosphate conditions to induce hypertrophy.

Icodextrin decreases technique failure and improves patient survival in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Aim: It remains unclear whether long-term daily icodextrin use can decrease technique failure and improve survival in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether icodextrin use, once daily, can decrease technique failure and prolong patient survival in incident PD patients.

Methods: Incident PD patients who survived more than 90 days were recruited from the China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011.

Effectiveness of influenza vaccination in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis: a population-based study.

Background: Little is known on the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in ESRD patients. This study compared the incidence of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) between cohorts with and without influenza vaccination.

Methods: We used the insurance claims data from 1998 to 2009 in Taiwan to determine the incidence of these events within one year after influenza vaccination in the vaccine (N = 831) and the non-vaccine (N = 3187) cohorts.

Effectiveness of influenza vaccination in elderly diabetic patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Studies regarding the clinical benefits of influenza vaccination in diabetic patients are limited. This study evaluated if the elderly diabetic patients who have had influenza vaccination would have benefits such as reduced medical care and mortality.

Methods: We used the universal insurance claims data from 2001 to 2009 in Taiwan to identify annual elderly patients with diabetes cohorts with (N=4454) and without (N=4571) influenza vaccination.

Association of response to hepatitis B vaccination and survival in dialysis patients.

Background: The status of immunocompromised patients is well recognized in end stage renal disease (ESRD). As described recently, this acquired immune dysfunction in the uremic milieu may be one of the main pathogenic factors for mortality in ESRD. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the immune response following a hepatitis B vaccination (HBV vaccination) and the survival of maintenance dialysis patients.

Increased density and coverage uniformity of viruses on a sensor surface by using U-type, T-type, and W-type microfluidic devices.

Microorganisms, molecules, or viruses in the fluidic environment are usually at considerably low Reynolds numbers because of small diameters. The viscous forces of molecules and viruses dominate at considerably low Reynolds numbers. This study developed three microfluidic devices, that is, T type, U type, and W type devices, to control the flow movement, which can increase the adhesion density of viruses on the surface of the sensor.

A comparison of herpes zoster incidence across the spectrum of chronic kidney disease, dialysis and transplantation.

Background: The effect of different renal replacement therapies on the risk of developing herpes zoster in renal failure patients is unknown. We aimed to investigate the incidence of herpes zoster attack among renal failure patients who were receiving different dialysis modalities, renal transplantation (RT), or not receiving any of the above mentioned therapies yet.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of the national health insurance register database was conducted.

Long-term use of fenofibrate is associated with increased prevalence of gallstone disease among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Background: In spite of insufficient evidence to guide the use of lipid-lowering drugs (LLDs) among the dialysis population, these drugs are frequently used to treat dyslipidemia. Several studies have found that long-term use of LLDs is associated with an increased risk of gallstone disease (GSD) in the general population. However, the lithogenic risk of LLDs in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) has not been studied.

Comparison of hepatitis B surface antibody decay rates after vaccination between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background And Objectives: The available information about maintaining effective immunity after hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination in dialysis patients is limited. The aim of this study was to determine whether a difference exists in the persistence of immunity between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We compared the decay rate of hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titers after HBV vaccination between HD and PD patients.

Atrial fibrillation linked to vascular access thrombosis in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Aim: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is characterized by the development of thromboembolic events and is more prevalent among end-stage renal disease patients than in the general population. Vascular access thrombosis (VAT) is a major morbidity in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients; however, the association between AF and VAT is unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed chronic HD patients with functional vascular access between 1997 and 2006.

Norepinephrine and hospital mortality in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy.

High-dose vasopressor use is associated with increasing mortality in patients with septic shock. We conducted this study to determine if the high-dose of vasopressor used before the initiation of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is associated with increasing mortality in critically ill patients. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent CRRT in the medical intensive care unit of China Medical University Hospital between 2003 and 2007.

Relation of ankle-brachial index to the rate of decline of residual renal function in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether ankle-brachial index (ABI) predicts the rate of decline of residual renal function (RRF) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Previous studies demonstrated the importance of loss of RRF in predicting all-cause risk and cardiovascular mortality in PD patients. It is also known that patients with a low ABI value have a greater risk for deteriorating renal function in the general population.

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and preterm delivery and subsequent stroke in Asian women: a retrospective cohort study.

Background And Purpose: Few studies exist concerning the risk of stroke associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) in Asian women. This study investigates whether preterm delivery further complicates this risk in women with HDP in Taiwan.

Methods: Based on universal insurance claims data, 1092 pregnant women with newly diagnosed HDP from 2000 to 2004 and aged 15 to 40 years were identified as the HDP cohort.