Moderate-severe aortic arch calcification and high serum alkaline phosphatase co-modify the risk of cardiovascular events and mortality among chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD) have an unparalleled risk of vascular calcification (VC) and high alkaline phosphatase (Alk-P) levels. However, whether VC contributed to the cardiovascular risk modified by serum Alk-P levels was not addressed in the population.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on chronic HD patients, between October 1 and December 31, 2018, with aortic arch calcification (AoAC) scores and serum Alk-P levels.

The Association Between Serum Trimethylamine -Oxide and Arterial Stiffness in Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Trimethylamine -oxide (TMAO), a gut microbiome-derived metabolite, participates in the atherogenesis and vascular stiffening that is closely linked with cardiovascular (CV) complications and related deaths in individuals with kidney failure undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. In these patients, arterial stiffness (AS) is also an indicator of adverse CV outcomes. This study assessed the correlation between serum TMAO concentration quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry and central AS measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) in patients with chronic PD.

Relationship Between Serum Myostatin and Endothelial Function in Non-Dialysis Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background/objectives: Myostatin, primarily produced by skeletal muscle, inhibits muscle growth and promotes protein degradation. It has been implicated in conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease. However, its association with endothelial function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remains unclear.

Enhanced renoprotective effects of combined glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: Real-world evidence.

Introduction: Developing a more effective treatment for the global impact of diabetic kidney disease is crucial. This study examined the renoprotective effects of combining glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) compared to SGLT2is alone in type 2 diabetes (DM).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network.

Renal protective effect of metformin in type 2 diabetes patients.

Background: Inhibiting the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is an important issue, but the renoprotective effect of metformin is still controversial.

Aims: To assess the renoprotective effect of metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This retrospective observational multicenter cohort study included 316,693 patients with type 2 diabetes from seven hospital.

Comparative Cardiovascular Risks of Febuxostat and Allopurinol in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND Hyperuricemia, which is common in chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus patients, raises health concerns. Febuxostat, a first-line urate-lowering agent, prompts cardiovascular risk questions, especially in high-risk patients. This study compared the effects of febuxostat and allopurinol on cardiovascular risk in diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease patients.

Serum Lipoprotein(a) Levels as a Predictor of Aortic Stiffness in Patients on Long-Term Peritoneal Dialysis.

BACKGROUND Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality in patients with kidney failure. Aortic stiffness (AS), measured primarily by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), reflects vascular aging and precedes end-organ failure. This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum Lp(a) levels and cfPWV in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Urinary Klotho Excretion: A Key Regulator of Sodium Homeostasis in Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 2-4.

BACKGROUND Soluble alpha-klotho (klotho) is considered an important regulator of mineral homeostasis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Since the mineral transport proteins are located on the apical membrane of renal tubular cells, we hypothesized that urine klotho may also be involved in their homeostasis. We aimed to investigate the associations between serum and urine klotho and their impacts on mineral homeostasis in patients with stage 2 to 4 CKD.

A New Predictive Equation for Estimating Serum Ionized Calcium Levels in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND Circulating calcium mainly carries out its physiologic function in its ionized form (iCa). Clinically, iCa is usually estimated by multiplying the total calcium (TCa) level by 0.5 in the general population, but this method is not accurate when applied to patients on long-term hemodialysis (CHD).

Phosphate burden induces vascular calcification through a NLRP3-caspase-1-mediated pyroptotic pathway.

Aims: The aim of this study is to clarify the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in phosphate burden-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification.

Main Methods: VSMC calcification was induced using a high concentration of inorganic phosphate. After pharmacological inhibition or genetic silencing of the NLRP3 inflammasome, pyroptosis, or potassium efflux, the cells were examined by RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and western blotting to identify the NLRP3-mediated pathway for VSMC calcification.

Impact of Pre-Transplant Parathyroidectomy on Graft Survival: A Comparative Study of Renal Transplant Patients (2005-2015).

BACKGROUND Hyperparathyroidism poses significant risks for patients prior to kidney transplantation. However, the outcomes of patients who undergo parathyroidectomy before renal transplantation compared to those without such a procedure remain uncertain. This real-world data study aimed to examine the clinical outcomes of both patient groups.

Protective Effect of BCG and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio on Latent Tuberculosis in End Stage Renal Disease.

Introduction: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has been reported to be protective against latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of BCG vaccination against LTBI in adult patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and renal transplants.

Methods: Patients aged ≥ 20 years with ESRD who received hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) or kidney transplant were enrolled from January 2012 to December 2019 at a medical center and a regional hemodialysis center.

High intact fibroblast growth factor 23 levels associated with low hemoglobin levels in patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Introduction: A negative association between C-terminal fibroblast growth factor 23 (cFGF23) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels has been reported in patients with predialysis chronic kidney disease. In dialysis patients, the dominant form of serum FGF23 is intact FGF23 (iFGF23); however, its association with the Hb level remains unclear. Therefore, simultaneously monitoring iFGF23 and cFGF23 levels is crucial.

Evaluation of the Impact of Remote Monitoring Using the Sharesource Connectivity Platform on Adherence to Automated Peritoneal Dialysis in 51 Patients.

BACKGROUND This study from a single center in Taiwan aimed to evaluate the impact of remote patient monitoring (RPM) using the Sharesource connectivity platform on adherence to automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) in 51 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed data on 51 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under APD. They were treated with a traditional APD machine HomeChoice (phase 1), changed to new APD machine HomeChoice Claria for 12 weeks (phase 2), then connected to the Sharesource platform for another 12 weeks (phase 3), and were followed up for 1 year.

Serum Intact Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Levels Are Negatively Associated with Bone Mineral Density in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.

(1) Background: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is predominantly secreted from bone and plays an important role in mineral balance in chronic kidney disease. However, the relationship between FGF23 and bone mineral density (BMD) in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients remains unclear. (2) Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study that involved 43 stable outpatients on CHD.

All-Cause Standardized Mortality Ratio in Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at a higher mortality risk compared with the general population. Previous studies have described a relationship between mortality and patients with ESRD, but the data on standardized mortality ratio (SMR) corresponding to different causes of death in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) are limited. This study was designed as a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study.

The use of a low-flux hemo-dialyzer is associated with impaired platelet aggregation in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

In patients with chronic hemodialysis (HD), both abnormal thrombotic and bleeding events are commonly observed. Uremic platelet dysfunction is one of the important attributing factors. Moreover, HD may also result in aggregation dysfunction of platelets during the therapeutic procedure.

Antibody Response and Adverse Events of AZD1222 COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients Undergoing Dialysis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

This study observed the antibody response and adverse events of AZD1222 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) vaccination in dialysis patients. A prospective cohort study was conducted in E-Da Healthcare Group hospitals between 1 July and 30 November 2021. Patients receiving hemodialysis (HD, = 204) or peritoneal dialysis (PD, = 116) were enrolled alongside healthy subjects (control, = 34).

The Protective Effects of Lipid-Lowering Agents on Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Maintenance Dialysis Patients: Propensity Score Analysis of a Population-Based Cohort Study.

Lipid-lowering agents display limited benefits on cardiovascular diseases and mortality in patients undergoing dialysis. Therefore, they are not routinely recommended for dialysis patients. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of lipid-lowering agents on clinical outcomes in dialysis patients on the basis of real-world evidence.

Hazardous Effect of Low-Dose Aspirin in Patients with Predialysis Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Assessed by Machine Learning Method Feature Selection.

: Low-dose aspirin (100 mg) is widely used in preventing cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) because its benefits outweighs the harm, however, its effect on clinical outcomes in patients with predialysis advanced CKD is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of aspirin use on clinical outcomes in such group. : Patients were selected from a nationwide diabetes database from January 2009 to June 2017, and divided into two groups, a case group with aspirin use ( = 3021) and a control group without aspirin use ( = 9063), by propensity score matching with a 1:3 ratio.

Association between ADAMTS13 deficiency and cardiovascular events in chronic hemodialysis patients.

A mild decrease of ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospodin type 1 motif 13) could attribute to stroke and coronary heart disease in general population. However, the role of ADAMTS13 in hemodialysis (HD) patients remains to be explored. This cross-sectional and observational cohort study enrolled 98 chronic HD patients and 100 normal subjects with the aims to compare the ADAMTS13 activity between chronic HD patients and normal subjects, and to discover the role of ADAMTS13 on the newly developed cardiovascular events for HD patients in a 2-year follow-up.