Risk factors for acute kidney injury in COVID-19 patients: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

AbstractObjectives Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased mortality among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. This meta-analysis aimed to identify risk factors for the development of AKI in patients with COVID-19.Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE from 1 December 2019 to 1 January 2023. Due to significant study heterogeneity, meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models. Meta-regression and sensitivity analysis were also performed.Results A total of 153,600 COVID-19 patients from 39 studies were included, and 28,003 patients developed AKI. By meta-analysis, we discovered that age, male sex, obesity, black race, invasive ventilation, and the use of diuretics, steroids and vasopressors, in addition to comorbidities such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and diabetes, were significant risk factors for COVID-19-associated AKI.Conclusions Early detection of these risk factors is essential to reduce the incidence of AKI and improve the prognosis of COVID-19 patients

Surgical treatment of cardiac lipoma: 20 years’ experience in a single center

Abstract. Background:. Primary cardiac lipoma is very rare, and no consensus has been developed regarding its ideal treatment strategy. This study reviewed the surgical treatment of cardiac lipomas in 20 patients over 20 years. Methods:. Twenty patients with cardiac lipomas were treated at Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College from January 1, 2002, to January 1, 2022. The patients’ clinical data and pathological reports were retrospectively analyzed, and the follow-up with a range of 1 year to 20 years was conducted. Results:. The cardiac lipomas were located in the right atrium (RA) or superior vena cava (SVC) in seven patients (35%) (RA in six patients and SVC in one patient), left ventricle in eight patients (40%) (left ventricular chamber in four patients and left ventricular subepicardium and myocardium in four patients), right ventricle in three patients (15%) (right ventricular chamber in one patient and right ventricular subepicardial layer and myocardium in two patients), subepicardial interventricular groove in one patient (5%), and pericardium in one patient (5%). Complete resection was achieved in 14 patients (70%), including seven patients with lipomas in the RA or SVC. Incomplete resection occurred in six patients (30%) with lipomas in the ventricles. No perioperative deaths occurred. Long-term follow-up was conducted for 19 patients (95%), including two (10%) who died. Both patients who died had lipomas incompletely resected due to ventricles involvement, and preoperative malignant arrhythmias persisted post-operatively. Conclusions:. The complete resection rate was high, and the long-term prognosis was satisfactory in patients with cardiac lipomas that did not involve the ventricle. The complete resection rate was low in patients with cardiac lipomas in ventricles; and complications, including malignant arrhythmia, were common. Failure of complete resection and post-operative ventricular arrhythmia are correlated with post-operative mortality

Irisin ameliorated skeletal muscle atrophy by inhibiting fatty acid oxidation and pyroptosis induced by palmitic acid in chronic kidney disease

Introduction:Protein-energy waste (PEW) is a common complication in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), among which skeletal muscle atrophy is one of the most important clinical features of PEW. Pyroptosis is a type of proinflammatory programmed cell death associated with skeletal muscle disease. Irisin, as a novel myokine, has attracted extensive attention for its protective role in the complications associated with CKD, but its role in muscle atrophy in CKD is unclear.Methods:Palmitic acid (PA) induced muscular atrophy was evaluated by a reduction in C2C12 myotube diameter. Muscle atrophy model was established in male C57BL/6J mice treated with 0.2% adenine for 4 weeks and then fed a 45% high-fat diet.BUN and Cr levels ,body and muscle weight, and muscle histology were assessed. The expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) and pyroptosis-related protein was analysed by western blots or immunohistochemistry. The release of IL-1β was detected by ELISA.Results:In this study, we showed that PA induced muscular atrophy and manifested as a reduction in C2C12 myotube diameter. During this process PA can also induce pyroptosis, as shown by the upregulation of NLRP3, cleaved Caspase1 and GSDMD-N expression and the increased IL-1β release and PI-positive cell rate. Inhibition of Caspase1 or NLRP3 attenuated PA-induced pyroptosis and myotube atrophy in C2C12 cells. Importantly, Irisin treatment significantly ameliorated PA-induced skeletal muscle pyroptosis and atrophy. In terms of mechanism, PA upregulated CPT1A, a key enzyme of fatty acid oxidation(FAO), and Irisin attenuated this effect, which was consistent with Etomoxir (CPT1A inhibitor) treatment. Moreover, Irisin improved skeletal muscle atrophy and pyroptosis in adenine-induced mice by regulating FAO. Conclusion: our study firstly verifies that pyroptosis is a novel mechanism of skeletal muscle atrophy in CKD. Irisin ameliorated skeletal muscle atrophy by inhibiting FAO and pyroptosis in CKD, and Irisin may be developed as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of muscle wasting in CKD patients