Int J Med Sci
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Background: Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) is a reliable alternative biomarker of endothelial dysfunction. Because endothelial activation is involved in sepsis pathophysiology, we aimed to investigate the association between EASIX and prognosis in septic patients. Methods: Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV database. ⋯ Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with higher EASIX had lower 28-day and 90-day survival rates. A linear relationship was found between log2-EASIX and 28-day and 90-day mortality. Conclusion: High EASIX was significantly associated with an increased risk of 28-day and 90-day all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis.
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An elevated white blood cell (WBC) count has been linked to incident diabetes. WBC count has been positively associated with body mass index (BMI), and elevated BMI has been reported to be a strong predictor of future diabetes. Hence, the association of increased WBC count with the subsequent development of diabetes may be mediated by increased BMI. ⋯ After further adjustment for BMI, this association was attenuated (p = 0.050). In conclusion, our results showed that BMI had a significant impact on the relationship between increased WBC count and new-onset diabetes in all study participants, and BMI also attenuated the association in those with a normal WBC count. Hence, the association between increased WBC count and the future development of diabetes may be mediated by BMI.
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Aim/hypothesis: The relationship between peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and kidney dysfunction, especially in people with hypertension, remains unclear. No clinical study has explored the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the relationship between LTL and kidney dysfunction. Therefore, we examined the relationship between baseline LTL and albuminuria progression and/or rapid renal function decline in Chinese patients with or without hypertension and investigated whether inflammation and oxidative stress played a mediating role in this relationship. ⋯ In subgroup analyses, LTL was inversely associated with rapid decline in renal function or the composite endpoint of kidney dysfunction only in patients with hypertension (OR=49.07[3.72,211.12] vs.1.32[0.69,2.58] per 1SD, P for interaction=0.045;OR=3.10 [1.48, 7.52] vs.1.08[0.92,1.63] per 1SD, P for interaction=0.036). Conclusion: Baseline LTL could independently predict kidney dysfunction at follow-up, especially in participants with hypertension. TNF-a partially mediated the negative association between LTL and kidney dysfunction.
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High serum phosphate levels in chronic kidney disease (CKD) are linked to adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease progression, and all-cause mortality. This study is aimed to find out which microorganisms or microbial functions have a significant impact on higher calcium-phosphorus product (Ca x P) after they undergo hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Feces samples from 30 healthy controls, 15 dialysis patients with controlled Ca xP (HD), and 16 dialysis patients with higher Ca xP (HDHCP) were collected to perform in 16S amplicon sequencing. ⋯ Three phyla including Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria were significantly enriched in hemodialysis patients. Although only one genus, Lachnospiraceae_FCS020_group, was significantly increased in higher Ca xP group, there were four metabolic pathways predicted by PICRUSt significantly increased in higher Ca xP group and associated with causing VC, including the pentose phosphate pathway, steroid biosynthesis, terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, and fatty acid elongation pathway. Characterizing dysbiosis of gut microbiome played the important role in hemodialysis patients.
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In Japan, China, and Singapore, several studies have reported increased incidences of peripheral venous catheter-related bloodstream infection by Bacillus cereus during the summer. Therefore, we hypothesized that bed bathing with a B. cereus-contaminated "clean" towels increases B. cereus contact with the catheter and increases the odds of contaminating the peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN). ⋯ Altogether we find that bed bathing with a towel contaminated with B. cereus leads to spore attachments to the skin, and that B. cereus can proliferate at an accelerated rate at 30°C compared to 20°C in PPN. We therefore highly recommend ensuring the use of sterile bed bath towels prior to PPN administration with catheter in patients requiring bed bathing.