Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Rachel Sendor, Til Sturmer
Summary: Confounding by indication poses a significant threat to the validity of nonexperimental studies. Restricting the study population and using active comparators are effective methods to mitigate confounding by indication. This article discusses different forms of confounding by indication, the utility of active comparators, and the ACNU study design.
PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yujie Wang, Xiaoyu Gu, Xinquan Wang, Wu Zhu, Juan Su
Summary: In a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study, we found that eczema was negatively associated with COVID-19 susceptibility and hospitalization, while asthma was negatively associated with COVID-19 susceptibility and severe respiratory symptoms. No significant association was found between allergic rhinitis and COVID-19 outcomes. These findings provide new evidence for the relationship between allergic diseases and the risks of COVID-19.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nathaniel Stockham, Peter Washington, Brianna Chrisman, Kelley Paskov, Jae-Yoon Jung, Dennis Paul Wall
Summary: This study demonstrates the practical utility of causal modeling in addressing selection bias and unmeasured confounding in epidemiological research. By constructing various causal models and comparing them with collected data, the study identifies the most compatible causal model and successfully estimates the infection rate.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Viktor H. Ahlqvist, Paul Madley-Dowd, Amanda Ly, Jessica Rast, Michael Lundberg, Egill Jonsson-Bachmann, Daniel Berglind, Dheeraj Rai, Cecilia Magnusson, Brian K. Lee
Summary: Estimating causal effects in observational pharmacoepidemiology is challenging due to confounding by indication. Indication-based sampling, a commonly used procedure, limits confounding by ensuring exchangeability of exposed and unexposed individuals. However, indication-based sampling has received little scrutiny, leading to bias amplification and greater net bias compared to alternative approaches.
PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Talal S. Alshihayb, Elizabeth A. Kaye, Yihong Zhao, Cataldo W. Leone, Brenda Heaton
Summary: Unmeasured confounding did not explain the observed associations between pre-existing diabetes and incident periodontitis. However, weak unmeasured confounding eliminated the observed associations between pre-existing periodontitis and incident diabetes. These findings clarify the bidirectional association between periodontitis and diabetes.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Saima Basit, Jan Wohlfahrt, Heather A. Boyd
Summary: The number of children and age at first birth are associated with dementia risk in both men and women. Having two or more children is associated with a slightly reduced risk of dementia compared to having one child, while being childless is associated with a slightly increased risk. Men have a slightly higher risk of dementia compared to women, which may be related to later age at first birth in men.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sayaka Shimizu, Yoshihiro Onishi, Koji Kabaya, Jui Wang, Shingo Fukuma, Jun Morinaga, Shingo Hatakeyama, Shinya Kobayashi, Kazuyuki Maeno, Hajime Yamazaki, Shunichi Fukuhara
Summary: The global burden of kidney failure is increasing, and there is wide variation in the treatment of kidney failure between patients, dialysis facilities, and over time. The Alliance for Quality Assessment in Healthcare-Dialysis aims to study the associations between these variations and clinical and patient-reported outcomes.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Zhengce Wan, Lulu Song, Liu Hu, Xiaomei Lei, Yuancheng Huang, Yongman Lv
Summary: The study found that the overall prevalence of hyperuricaemia in Wuhan city in 2019 was 25.8%, with 36.6% in men and 10.8% in women. The prevalence and SUA levels were significantly higher in young men, old women, and participants with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidaemia.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Zvi Shimoni, Paul Froom, Jochanan Benbassat
Summary: The study revealed that proteinuria is common in hospitalized patients, weakly associated with eGFR, and mainly related to other factors that could lead to false-positive results. The clinical utility of follow-up for proteinuria post-discharge is questionable due to its high frequency and potential for significant healthcare costs.
POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Arthur M. Lee, Yunwen Xu, Stephen R. Hooper, Alison G. Abraham, Jian Hu, Rui Xiao, Matthew B. Matheson, Celina Brunson, Eugene P. Rhee, Josef Coresh, Ramachandran S. Vasan, Sarah Schrauben, Paul L. Kimmel, Bradley A. Warady, Susan L. Furth, Erum A. Hartung, Michelle R. Denburg
Summary: The study found that several metabolites were associated with neurocognitive dysfunction in pediatric CKD, with most of these metabolites significantly elevated in children with CKD compared to healthy controls. The metabolites were closely related to parental ratings of executive function and intelligence.
CLINICAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sander Greenland
Summary: The article discusses the issue of noncollapsibility of odds ratios and provides a basic numerical example illustrating the difference between noncollapsibility and confounding effects, as well as its connection to sparse-data bias in logistic regression.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Navdeep Tangri, Toshiki Moriyama, Markus P. Schneider, Jean Blaise Virgitti, Luca De Nicola, Matthew Arnold, Salvatore Barone, Emily Peach, Eric Wittbrodt, Hungta Chen, Krister Jarbrink, Pamela Kushner
Summary: REVEAL-CKD aims to estimate the prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD and investigate the factors associated with it. The study analyzed data from electronic medical records and insurance claims databases from five countries and identified significant opportunities to improve the diagnosis of stage 3 CKD.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Laura Isobel Carey, Sylvester Kaimba, Saulos Nyirenda, Karen Chetcuti, Elizabeth Joekes, Marc Yves Romain Henrion, Jamie Rylance
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of infection-associated kidney disease in adults in Malawi. The results showed that among 101 patients admitted to the hospital with infection, 33 had acute kidney injury (AKI) at baseline, with 18 of those cases being severe (KDIGO stage 3). At 3 months, 28 out of 94 participants had died, and 7 out of 61 survivors had chronic kidney disease. AKI was associated with older age and HIV positivity, and living with HIV was independently associated with death.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
David C. Mallinson, Felix Elwert
Summary: This article introduces a gain-score regression method for identifying exposure-to-outcome spillover effects in sibling pairs. By analyzing the exposure and outcome of siblings, the impact of one person's exposure on another person's outcome can be estimated. However, this method cannot handle outcome-to-exposure or outcome-to-outcome spillover effects.
ANNALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Paul Brendel, Aracelis Torres, Onyebuchi A. Arah
Summary: Traditional multiple-bias adjustment involves adjusting for biases one at a time, while a novel alternative approach is to simultaneously adjust for all biases using imputation and/or regression weighting. A simulation study showed that using correct bias parameters can yield unbiased effect estimates, and even incorrect specification of bias parameters still resulted in less bias compared to observed biased effects. Simultaneous multi-bias analysis is a useful method to investigate and understand how multiple biases can affect initial effect estimates, enhancing the validity and transparency of real-world evidence obtained from observational, longitudinal studies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Anna A. Bonenkamp, Anita van Eck van der Sluijs, Friedo W. Dekker, Dirk G. Struijk, Carola Wh de Fijter, Yolande M. Vermeeren, Frans J. van Ittersum, Marianne C. Verhaar, Brigit C. van Jaarsveld, Alferso C. Abrahams
Summary: This study aimed to identify modifiable causes and risk factors of technique failure in peritoneal dialysis. Results showed that infections, leakage, and catheter problems were important causes of technique failure. APD use was associated with a lower risk of technique failure.
PERITONEAL DIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Transplantation
Esmee M. van der Willik, Fenna van Breda, Brigit C. van Jaarsveld, Marlon van de Putte, Isabelle W. Jetten, Friedo W. Dekker, Yvette Meuleman, Frans J. van Ittersum, Caroline B. Terwee
Summary: This study compared the content, validity, and reliability of PROMIS CATs and SF-12 in patients with chronic kidney disease. The results showed that PROMIS CATs had sufficient construct validity and test-retest reliability, and had a lower minimal detectable change compared to SF-12. The study suggests the need for further research on the feasibility of PROMIS CATs in nephrology care.
NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Transplantation
Edouard L. Fu, Josef Coresh, Morgan E. Grams, Catherine M. Clase, Carl-Gustaf Elinder, Julie Paik, Chava Ramspek, Lesley A. Inker, Andrew S. Levey, Friedo W. Dekker, Juan J. Carrero
Summary: Implementing the 2021 CKD-EPI equation in predominantly White European populations would slightly increase eGFR and reclassify a significant proportion of CKD patients to a higher eGFR category. eGFR by both equations strongly predicted outcomes.
NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Mehmet Kanbay, Sidar Copur, Duygu Ucku, Carmine Zoccali
Summary: The effect of donor obesity on kidney transplantation success has been overlooked for a long time. Excessive body fat has been found to have deleterious effects on renal function and graft survival. However, there is a lack of clinical trials addressing weight loss in kidney donors and transplant patients.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Carmine Zoccali, Francesca Mallamaci, Marcin Adamczak, Rodrigo Bueno de Oliveira, Ziad A. Massy, Pantelis Sarafidis, Rajiv Agarwal, Patrick B. Mark, Peter Kotanko, Charles J. Ferro, Christoph Wanner, Michel Burnier, Raymond Vanholder, Andrzej Wiecek
Summary: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Traditional and non-traditional risk factors contribute to the progression of cardiovascular complications in CKD patients. Arterial disease in CKD patients is characterized by calcification and vascular stiffness. Recent clinical trials have shown promising potential treatments for CKD patients, including hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors, intravenous iron for treating anemia, and sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors. However, more research is needed in this area.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Carmine Zoccali, Francesca Mallamaci
Summary: With a global burden of 844 million, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now considered a public health priority. Low-grade systemic inflammation plays a crucial role in adverse cardiovascular outcomes in CKD patients. Various factors, including cellular senescence, gut microbiota-dependent immune activation, lipoprotein modifications, and neuroimmune interactions, contribute to the unique severity of inflammation in CKD.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Carmine Zoccali, Francesca Mallamaci
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mehmet Kanbay, Cem Tanriover, Sidar Copur, Ibrahim B. B. Peltek, Ali Mutlu, Francesca Mallamaci, Carmine Zoccali
Summary: Social isolation and loneliness are often overlooked conditions that have a negative impact on quality of life, overall health, and mortality. This review discusses the health consequences of these conditions, including potential causes, pathophysiological processes, associations with non-communicable diseases, and effects on health-related behaviors. It also explores current and novel management strategies. Healthcare professionals should be knowledgeable about social isolation and loneliness, thoroughly assess patients, and provide education and treatment options through shared decision-making. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and improve treatment strategies for these conditions.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mehmet Kanbay, Sidar Copur, Abdullah B. Yildiz, Cem Tanriover, Francesca Mallamaci, Carmine Zoccali
Summary: Physical exercise plays a crucial role in improving multiple pathophysiological mechanisms and the quality of life for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, its direct impact on kidney function remains uncertain and further research is needed.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Pasquale Fabio Provenzano, Grazia Caridi, Giovanna Parlongo, Daniela Leonardis, Elvira Puntorieri, Giovanni Tripepi, Carmine Zoccali, Francesca Mallamaci
Summary: This study investigated the sex differences in cardiovascular risk and outcomes in CKD patients not on dialysis, and found that male patients had a higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to female patients.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Graziella D'Arrigo, Mercedes Gori, Daniela Leonardis, Giovanni Tripepi, Francesca Mallamaci, Carmine Zoccali
Summary: This study found that higher bicarbonate trajectories were associated with a lower risk of adverse renal outcomes in CKD patients, suggesting that maintaining higher bicarbonate levels may benefit patients with CKD. However, further high-quality randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings and recommend bicarbonate supplementation as a strategy to delay CKD progression.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Carmine Zoccali
Summary: The debate on kidney biopsy in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is multifaceted. One side argues for its broader application, citing precise diagnostic data and personalized treatment plans, while the other side opposes it, pointing out insufficient evidence, resource constraints, and potential risks. Both sides agree on the need for individualized patient care and open discussions between healthcare providers and patients.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Carmine Zoccali, Francesca Mallamaci, Luca De Nicola, Roberto Minutolo
Summary: Resistant hypertension is a condition associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and renal complications. Current treatment options include non-pharmacological interventions and specific antihypertensive drug combinations. New compounds targeting different pathways have shown varied effectiveness in clinical trials. Further research is needed to improve our understanding and treatment of this condition.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Carmine Zoccali, Francesca Mallamaci, Giovanni Tripepi, Edouard L. Fu, Vianda S. Stel, Friedo W. Dekker, Kitty J. Jager
Summary: The 'legacy effect' describes the long-term benefits of intensive therapy in reducing complications and mortality in chronic diseases. It is evident in studies related to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and highlights the importance of intensive treatment. However, the legacy effect is more pronounced in early-stage diabetes and less evident in long-term, established diabetes patients.
CLINICAL KIDNEY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Yiman Wang, Paul van der Boog, Marc H. Hemmelder, Friedo W. Dekker, Aiko De Vries, Yvette Meuleman
Summary: The purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of symptom experience on health related quality of life (HRQOL) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) and whether illness perceptions mediated this impact. The findings suggest that worse symptom experiences could cause more unhelpful illness perceptions and consequently lead to lower HRQOL. The study highlights the importance of addressing symptom experiences and illness perceptions to improve HRQOL in kidney transplant recipients.
TRANSPLANT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
