Factors Identified by Lapsed Donors that Might Influence Donor Return

Introduction: The Burlington Chapter of the American Red Cross estimates that 8,000 donors a year become lapsed, or fail to return for further donation. To better target this population and retain current donors, it is essential to identify reasons for lapsed donation. Several studies have been conducted on the barriers to retaining blood donors, revealing these common factors: past physical reactions, convenience, previous deferrals, lack of awareness, medical reasons, time, satisfaction with the experience, too impersonal, and personal benefit. While many studies have identified reasons for lapsed donation, the majority have not used free text as their data source, have been conducted in a wide range of geographic locations not specific to Vermont residents, and have focused on reasons for discontinuing donations, rather than positive factors. Using free text limits the question bias and eliminates constraints that predefined answers enforce. In 2007, Balderama et alconducted a study identifying common motivations for donating blood, which included an unanalyzed free text portion. We used this free text to answer the question, “What factors identified by lapsed donors might influence donor return?”https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1047/thumbnail.jp

FGFR3 and FGFR4 Do not Mediate Renal Effects of FGF23

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphaturic factor that suppresses both sodium-dependent phosphate transport and production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] in the proximal tubule. In vitro studies suggest that FGFR3 is the physiologically relevant receptor for FGF23 in the kidney, but this has not been established in vivo. Here, immunohistochemical analysis of the mouse kidney revealed that the proximal tubule expresses FGF receptor 3 (FGFR3) but not FGFR1, FGFR2, or FGFR4. Compared with wild-type mice, Hyp mice, which have elevated circulating levels of FGF23, exhibited low levels of serum phosphate and 1,25(OH)2D, reduced expression of the sodium-dependent phosphate transporter NPT2a in the proximal tubules, and low bone mineral density as a result of osteomalacia. In contrast, neither the serum phosphate nor 1,25(OH)2D levels were altered in FGFR3-null mice. For examination of the role of FGFR3 in mediating the effects of FGF23, Hyp mice were crossed with FGFR3-null mice; interestingly, this failed to correct the aforementioned metabolic abnormalities of Hyp mice. Ablation of FGFR4 also failed to correct hypophosphatemia in Hyp mice. Because the ablation of neither FGFR3 nor FGFR4 inhibited the renal effects of excess FGF23, the kidney localization of FGFR1 was investigated. FGFR1 co-localized with Klotho, the co-factor required for FGF23-dependent FGFR activation, in the distal tubule. In summary, neither FGFR3 nor FGFR4 is the principal mediator of FGF23 effects in the proximal tubule, and co-localization of FGFR1 and Klotho suggests that the distal tubule may be an effector site of FGF23

Determinants of survival and major amputation after peripheral endovascular intervention for critical limb ischemia

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to analyze periprocedural and 1-year outcomes of peripheral endovascular intervention (PVI) for critical limb ischemia (CLI). METHODS: We reviewed 1244 patients undergoing 1414 PVIs for CLI (rest pain, 29%; tissue loss, 71%) within the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) from January 2010 to December 2011. Overall survival (OS), amputation-free survival (AFS), and freedom from major amputation at 1 year were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The number of arteries treated during each procedure were 1 (49%), 2 (35%), 3 (12%), and \u3e /=4 (5%). Target arterial segments and TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus classifications were aortoiliac, 27% (A, 48%; B, 28%; C, 12%; and D, 12%); femoral-popliteal, 48% (A, 29%; B, 34%; C, 20%; and D, 17%); and infrapopliteal, 25% (A, 17%; B, 14%; C, 25%; D, 44%). Technical success was 92%. Complications included access site hematoma (5.0%), occlusion (0.3%), and distal embolization (2.4%). Mortality and major amputation rates were 2.8% and 2.2% at 30 days, respectively. Overall percutaneous or open reintervention rate was 8.0% during the first year. At 1-year, OS, AFS, and freedom from major amputation were 87%, 87%, and 94% for patients with rest pain and 80%, 71%, and 81% for patients with tissue loss. Independent predictors of reduced 1-year OS (C index = .74) included dialysis (HR, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.8-5.1; P \u3c .01), emergency procedure (HR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0-6.2; P = .05), age \u3e 80 years (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.7-2.8; P \u3c .01), not living at home preoperatively (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.8; P \u3c .01), creatinine \u3e 1.8 mg/dL (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3-2.8; P \u3c .01), congestive heart failure (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3-2.2; P \u3c .01), and chronic beta-blocker use (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.9; P = .03), whereas independent preoperative ambulation (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6-0.9; P = .014) was protective. Independent predictors of major amputation (C index = .69) at 1 year included dialysis (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.6-4.5; P \u3c .01), tissue loss (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.7; P = .02), prior major contralateral amputation (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5; P = .02), non-Caucasian race (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-2.9; P = .045), and male gender (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6; P = .03), whereas smoking (HR, .60; 95% CI, 0.4-1.0; P = .042) was protective. CONCLUSIONS: Survival and major amputation after PVI for CLI are associated with different patient characteristics. Dialysis dependence is a common predictor that portends especially poor outcomes. These data may facilitate efforts to improve patient selection and, after further validation, enable risk-adjusted outcome reporting for CLI patients undergoing PVI