Cardiovascular death in dialysis patients: lessons we can learn from AURORA

Cardiovascular events are the dominant cause of death in patients with ESRD. Until recently, plaque rupture due to atherogenic dyslipoproteinemias was presumed to be a major mechanism of cardiovascular events in dialysis patients. But how reasonable was that hypothesis and was it entirely discredited by the results of 4D and AURORA? This article places the conventional lipids-cholesterol and triglyceride-within the more physiologic framework of the apoB lipoproteins. Viewed from the perspective of atherogenic particle number, the failure of statins to lower cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients versus the continuing potential for success in peritoneal dialysis patients becomes comprehensible. In the former, apoB is characteristically not elevated and therefore apoB-lowering therapy can have only limited effect; in the latter, apoB is characteristically high and therefore apoB-lowering therapy might have considerable clinical benefit. Nevertheless, plaque rupture is only one mechanism leading to cardiac death. In addition to those previously noted, a new mechanism is suggested for consideration-recurrent reperfusion injury. The coronaries of dialysis patients are often narrowed, the microcirculation underdeveloped, and the left ventricle hypertrophied-all of these plus transient hypotension could produce severe ischemia followed by reperfusion necrosis. The minor but common elevations of troponin that are so well known yet widely disregarded may be markers of an adverse sequence of events that could each trigger a fatal arrhythmia and tend to reduce left ventricular function. Thus sudden death due to arrhythmia and slow progressive death due to heart failure could be manifestations of reperfusion injury

Relationship between uninvestigated dyspepsia and body mass index: A Population-Based Study

Background and Aim: Recent studies have shown inconsistent results about the association between body mass index and symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and symptoms of uninvestigated dyspepsia in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and their relations with age.Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional and population based evaluation that was conducted in Iran. The patients were interviewed by using questionnaire which was arranged on the basis of Rome III criteria for functional dyspepsia. The association between body mass index, age and dyspepsia symptoms was determined.Results: A total of 790 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms(249 men, mean ±SD of age,49.9±19 years; mean ± SD of BMI, 25.4±4.7) were included and among them 681( 86.2%) had symptoms of dyspepsia. The prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms among females younger and older than 50 years were 83% and 93.8% ,respectively, but these percentages among males younger and older than 50 years were 84.5% and 81.5%.In males younger and older than 50 years 42.9% and 37.6% had BMI over than 25,but these percentages were 51.3% and 54.8% for females. Among overweight and obese patients the prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms were 82.7% and 78%, respectively, compared with normal weight (90.7%).Conclusion: After the age of 50,the prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms and high body mass index were increased in females, but were decreased in males.No relation between symptoms of dyspepsia and body mass index in both genders was found

Ability of a biomarker-based score to predict death from circulatory disease and cancer in NHANES III

BACKGROUND: A score based on serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and HDL cholesterol was positively associated with death from cancer, circulatory disease, and all-cause mortality. We replicated this in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a US nationally representative survey conducted between 1988--1994. METHODS: Baseline measurements of CRP, albumin, GGT, and HDL were available for participants with mortality follow-up (n=13,056). A biomarker score, ranging 0--4, was created by adding number of markers with abnormal values (cut-off: CRP>10mg/L, albumin36U/L, HDL<1.04mmol/L). Its association with mortality was analyzed with multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: The score was positively associated with death from all causes, cancer and circulatory disease [e.g. HR all-cause mortality: 1.21 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.35), 1.92 (1.67, 2.20), 3.38 (2.62, 4.36), and 7.93 (5.77, 10.89), for score 1, 2, 3, 4 vs.0]. These patterns were found across the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Where CCI =3, risk of cancer death was 1.09 (0.93, 1.28), 1.81 (1.43, 2.29), 4.67 (3.05, 7.14), and 6.97 (5.32, 9.14) for score 1, 2, 3, 4 vs. 0. No effect-modification by sex or race/ethnicity was observed. CONCLUSIONS: These findings correlate with results from a Swedish study. This biomarker-based score could help clinicians make decisions in prevention and disease management