Practical cooling interventions for preventing heat strain in indoor factory workers in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Occupational heat stress, exacerbated by factors such as climate change and insufficient cooling solutions, endangers the health and productivity of workers, especially in low-resource workplaces. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of two cooling strategies in reducing physiological strain and productivity of piece-rate workers over a 9-h work shift in a southern Thailand sawmill. METHODS: In a crossover randomized control trial design, 12 (33 ± 7 y; 1.58 ± 0.05 m; 51 ± 9 kg; n = 5 females) medically screened sawmill workers were randomly allocated into three groups comprising an established phase change material vest (VEST), an on-site combination cooling oasis (OASIS) (i.e., hydration, cold towels, fans, water dousing), and no cooling (CON) across 3 consecutive workdays. Physiological strain was measured via core temperature telemetry and heart rate monitoring. Productivity was determined by counting the number of pallets of wood sorted, stacked, and stowed each day. RESULTS: Relative to CON, OASIS lowered core temperature by 0.25°C [95% confidence interval = 0.24, 0.25] and heart rate by 7 bpm [6, 9] bpm, compared to 0.17°C [0.17, 0.18] and 10 [9,12] bpm reductions with VEST. It was inconclusive whether productivity was statistically lower in OASIS compared to CON (mean difference [MD] = 2.5 [-0.2, 5.2]), and was not statistically different between VEST and CON (MD = 1.4 [-1.3, 4.1]). CONCLUSIONS: Both OASIS and VEST were effective in reducing physiological strain compared to no cooling. Their effect on productivity requires further investigation, as even small differences between interventions could lead to meaningful disparities in piece-rate worker earnings over time.

Asthma and anxiety development in Australian children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Evidence has suggested a bidirectional association between both the effects and onset of asthma and anxiety. The direction of this association in children and adolescents is less clear. The study evaluates whether anxiety in children is associated with the development of later asthma or, by contrast, whether asthma in children precedes anxiety. METHODS: Parental reports from 9369 children at two age points (4-5 and 14-15 years old) and from baby (B) (recruited at birth in 2004) and kindergarten (K) (recruited at 4-5 years of age in 2004) cohorts of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) were analyzed. Asthma cases were defined as reports of doctor-diagnosed asthma and the use of asthma medication or/and wheezing. Scores of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) defined anxiety. RESULTS: We found a unidirectional association between asthma in children aged 4-5 years and future anxiety development in weighted generalized linear adjusted models (B cohort OR (CI 95%) = 1.54 (1.14-2.08); K cohort OR (CI 95%) = 1.87 (1.40-2.49)). Children with asthma (no anxiety at 4 years) had a higher prevalence of anxiety in adolescence compared with nonasthmatics (B cohort = 26.8% vs 17.6%: K cohort = 27.7% vs 14.3%). Anxiety in childhood was not associated with the development of asthma from 6 years old to adolescence. CONCLUSION: Australian children with asthma have a greater risk of developing anxiety from 6 to 15 years old. This suggests that early multidisciplinary intervention may be required to support children with asthma to either prevent the increased risk of anxiety and/or promote optimal anxiety management.

Dietary patterns explaining variations in blood biomarkers in young adults are associated with the 30-year predicted cardiovascular disease risks in midlife: A follow-up study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To examine a combined effect of dietary intakes, blood lipid and insulin resistance in young adulthood on the risk of predicted CVD through midlife. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data of young adults from a birth cohort study in Australia were used. Reduced rank regression (RRR) and partial least squares (PLS) methods identified dietary patterns rich in meats, refined grains, processed and fried foods, and high-fat dairy and low in whole grains and low-fat dairy from dietary intakes obtained at 21-years, and blood lipids and measures of insulin resistance measured at 30-years of age. Using standard CVD risk factors measured at 30-years of age, the Framingham Heart Study risk-prediction algorithms were used to calculate the 30-year predicted Framingham CVD risk scores. The scores represent Hard CVD events; coronary death, myocardial infarction and stroke and Full CVD events; Hard CVD plus coronary insufficiency and angina pectoris, transient ischaemic attack, intermittent claudication, and congestive heart failure in midlife. Sex-specific upper quartiles of CVD risk scores were used to define high-risk groups. Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) with 95% CI. Greater adherence to the diet identified applying RRR in young adulthood was associated with higher risks of predicted Hard CVD (RR: 1.60; 1.14, 2.25) and Full CVD (RR: 1.46; 1.04, 2.05) events in midlife. The diet from PLS showed similar trend of association for the risk of predicted Hard CVD events (RR: 1.49; 1.03, 2.16) in adjusted models. CONCLUSION: Dietary patterns associated with variations in blood lipids and insulin resistance in young adulthood are associated with increased risks of predicted CVD events in midlife. The findings suggest that diet induced altered blood lipids and insulin resistance in the life course of young adulthood could increase the risks of CVD events in later life.

Dietary patterns and young adult body mass change: A 9-year longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: While excessive weight gain is highest during young adulthood, the extent to which specific dietary patterns are associated with changes in measures of body mass in this course of life remains unknown. We aimed to examine the associations of dietary patterns at 21 years with changes in body weight and body mass index (BMI) between 21 and 30 years. METHODS: We used data on young adults from a long-running birth cohort in Australia. Western and prudent dietary patterns were identified applying principal component analysis to 33 food groups obtained by a food frequency questionnaire at 21 years. Body weight and height were measured at 21 and 30 years. Multivariable regression models, using generalized estimating equations, were adjusted for concurrent changes in sociodemographic and lifestyle variables in evaluating the effect of identified dietary patterns on changes in weight and BMI over time. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, young adults in the highest tertile of the Western pattern had a mean weight gain of 9.9 (95% CI 8.5, 11.3) kg compared to those in the lowest that had a mean weight gain of 7.1 (95% CI 5.6, 8.5) kg, P-for linear trend = 0.0015. The corresponding values for mean gains in BMI were 3.1 (95% CI 2.7, 3.6) kg/m2 for young adults in the highest tertile compared to 2.4 (95% CI 1.9, 2.9) kg/m2 for those in lowest, P-for linear trend = 0.0164. There was no evidence of a significant association between the prudent pattern and mean changes in each outcome over time in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the current study show that greater adherence to the Western diet at 21 years was positively associated with increases in body weight and BMI from 21 to 30 years of age, whereas the prudent diet had no significant association with these outcomes. The findings provide evidence that the adverse effects of the Western diet on weight gain in young adulthood could partly be prevented through optimising diet in the early course of life.

Dietary patterns and the risks of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance among young adults: Evidence from a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Whether early young adulthood dietary patterns predict the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes-related endpoints prior to middle age remains unknown. We examined the prospective associations of dietary patterns in early young adulthood with MetS and diabetes-related endpoints at later young adulthood. METHODS: We used data of young adults from a long running birth cohort in Australia. The Western dietary pattern rich in meats, refined grains, processed and fried foods and the prudent dietary pattern rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes were derived using principal component analysis at the 21-year follow-up from dietary data obtained by a food frequency questionnaire. Fasting blood samples at 30 years were collected from each participant and their blood biomarkers, anthropometric and blood pressure were measured. MetS, insulin resistance, and prediabetes were based on clinical cut-offs; increased ß-cell function and insulin resistance were based on upper quartiles. Log-binomial models were used to estimate diet-related risks of each outcome adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Greater adherence to the Western pattern predicted higher risks of MetS (RR: 2.32; 95% CI: 1.34, 4.00), increased insulin resistance (1.69; 1.07, 2.65), high ß-cell function (1.60; 1.10, 2.31) and less likelihood of increased insulin sensitivity (0.57; 0.39, 0.84) in adjusted models. Conversely, adhering more to the prudent pattern predicted lower risks of MetS (RR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.75), increased insulin resistance (0.57; 0.39, 0.82), high ß-cell function (0.69; 0.50, 0.93) and a greater likelihood of increased insulin sensitivity (1.84; 1.30, 2.60). CONCLUSION: This prospective study of young adults indicates greater adherence to unhealthy Western diet predicted higher risks of MetS and increased insulin resistance, whereas healthy prudent diet predicted lower risks. Optimizing diets to improve later cardiometabolic health needs to occur in early adulthood.

Dietary patterns and the risk of abnormal blood lipids among young adults: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The extent to which dietary patterns influence the risk of abnormal blood lipids throughout young adulthood remains unclear. The aim was to investigate whether early young adulthood dietary patterns predict the risk of abnormal blood lipids during later young adulthood. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used data from a long running birth cohort study in Australia. Western dietary pattern rich in meats, processed foods and high-fat dairy products and prudent pattern rich in fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and low-fat dairy products were derived using principal component analysis at the 21-year follow-up from dietary data obtained using a food frequency questionnaire. After 9-years, fasting blood samples of all participants were collected and their total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterols and triglyceride (TG) levels were measured. Abnormal blood lipids were based on clinical cut-offs for total, LDL and HDL cholesterols, and TG and relative distributions for total:HDL and TG:HDL cholesterols ratios. Log-binomial models were used to estimate risk of each outcome in relation to dietary patterns. Greater adherence to the Western pattern predicted increased risks of high LDL (RR: 1.47; 95%CI: 1.06, 2.03) and TG (1.90; 1.25, 2.86), and high ratios of total:HDL (1.48; 1.00, 2.19) and TG:HDL (1.78; 1.18, 2.70) cholesterols in fully adjusted models. Conversely, a prudent pattern predicted reduced risks of low HDL (0.58; 0.42, 0.78) and high TG (0.66; 0.47, 0.92) and high total:HDL (0.71; 0.51, 0.98) and TG:HDL (0.61; 0.45, 0.84) cholesterols ratios. CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective study to show greater adherence to unhealthy Western diet predicted increased risks of abnormal blood lipids, whereas healthy prudent diet predicted lower such risks in young adults. Addressing diets in early course may improve cardiovascular health of young adults.

Association of Pesticides and Kidney Function among Adults in the US Population 2001-2010.

Chronic kidney disease of unknown cause is prevalent in a range of communities; however, its etiology remains unclear. We examined the association between pesticide exposures and the risk of kidney function loss using four waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to identify a pathological pathway. We pooled data from four cross-sectional waves of NHANES, with 41,847 participants in total. Exposure to malathion increased the risk of low kidney function (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.01-1.56) in the adjusted model. Increased risk of low kidney function was not found among those exposed to 2,4-D (aOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.72-1.09), 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.83-1.12), and 3-PBA (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.94-1.13). Our findings provide evidence of altered kidney function in people exposed to malathion, highlighting the potential of organophosphate pesticides' role in renal injury.

Meta-analysis for individual participant data with a continuous exposure: A case study.

OBJECTIVE: Methods for meta-analysis of studies with individual participant data and continuous exposure variables are well described in the statistical literature but are not widely used in clinical and epidemiological research. The purpose of this case study is to make the methods more accessible. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A two-stage process is demonstrated. Response curves are estimated separately for each study using fractional polynomials. The study-specific curves are then averaged pointwise over all studies at each value of the exposure. The averaging can be implemented using fixed effects or random effects methods. RESULTS: The methodology is illustrated using samples of real data with continuous outcome and exposure data and several covariates. The sample data set, segments of Stata and R code, and outputs are provided to enable replication of the results. CONCLUSION: These methods and tools can be adapted to other situations, including for time-to-event or categorical outcomes, different ways of modelling exposure-outcome curves, and different strategies for covariate adjustment.

Mobile-based insulin dose adjustment for type 2 diabetes in community and rural populations: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Insulin initiation and/or titration for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is often delayed as it is a resource-intensive process, often requiring frequent exchange of information between a patient and their diabetes healthcare professional, such as a credentialed diabetes educator (CDE) for insulin dose adjustment (IDA). Existing models of IDA are unlikely to meet the increasing service demand unless efficiencies are increased. Mobile health (mHealth), a subset of Ehealth, has been shown to improve glycaemic control through enhanced self-management and feedback leading to improved patient satisfaction and could simultaneously reduce costs. Considering the potential benefits of mHealth, we have developed an innovative mHealth-based care model to support patients and clinicians in diabetes specialist community outreach and telehealth clinics, that is, REthinking Model of Outpatient Diabetes care utilizing EheaLth - Insulin Dose Adjustment (REMODEL-IDA). This model primarily aims to improve the glycaemic management of patients with T2DM on insulin, with the secondary aims of improving healthcare service delivery efficiency and the patients' experience. METHODS/DESIGN: A two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted for 3 months with 44 participants, randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive either the mHealth-based model of care (intervention) or routine care (control), in diabetes specialist community outreach and telehealth clinics. The intervention arm will exchange information related to blood glucose levels via the Mobile Diabetes Management System developed for outpatients with T2DM. They will receive advice on insulin titration from the CDE via the mobile-app and receive automated text-message prompts for better self-management based on their blood glucose levels and frequency of blood glucose testing. The routine care arm will be followed up via telephone calls by the CDE as per usual practice. The primary outcome is change in glycated haemoglobin, a marker of glycaemic management, at 3 months. Patient and healthcare provider satisfaction, and time required to perform IDA by healthcare providers in both arms will be collected. This pilot study will guide the conduct of a large-scale pragmatic RCT in regional Australia.

Rethinking Models of Outpatient Specialist Care in Type 2 Diabetes Using eHealth: Study Protocol for a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.

Conventional outpatient services are unlikely to meet burgeoning demand for diabetes services given increasing prevalence of diabetes, and resultant impact on the healthcare workforce and healthcare costs. Disruptive technologies (such as smartphone and wireless sensors) create an opportunity to redesign outpatient services. In collaboration, the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Brisbane Princess Alexandra Hospital, the University of Queensland Centre for Health Services Research and the Australian e-Health Research Centre developed a mobile diabetes management system (MDMS) to support the management of complex outpatient type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) adults. The system comprises of a mobile App, an automated text-messaging feedback and a clinician portal. Blood glucose levels (BGL) data are automatically transferred by Bluetooth-enabled glucose meter to the clinician portal via the mobile App. The primary aim of the study described here is to examine improvement in glycaemic control of a new model of care employing MDMS for patients with complex T2DM attending a tertiary level outpatient service. A two-group, 12-month, pilot pragmatic randomised control trial will recruit 44 T2DM patients. The control group will receive routine care. The intervention group will be supported by the MDMS enabling the participants to potentially better self-manage their diabetes, and the endocrinologists to remotely monitor BGL and to interact with patients through a variety of eHealth modalities. Intervention participants will be encouraged to complete relevant pathology tests, and report on current diabetes management through an online questionnaire. Using this information, the endocrinologist may choose to reschedule the appointment or substitute it with a telephone or video-consultation. This pilot study will guide the conduct of a large-scale study regarding the capacity for a new model of care. This model utilises multimodal eHealth strategies via the MDMS to primarily improve glycaemic control with secondary aims to improve patient experience, reduce reliance on physical clinics, and decrease service delivery cost.

Associations Between Peritoneal Glucose Exposure, Glucose Degradation Product Exposure, and Peritoneal Membrane Transport Characteristics in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Secondary Analysis of the balANZ Trial.

BACKGROUND: Glucose is the most commonly used osmotic medium in peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions, and its use has been associated with both local and systemic adverse effects. Previous, single-center, observational cohort studies have reported conflicting findings regarding whether a relationship exists between peritoneal glucose exposure and peritoneal small solute transport rate. METHODS: In this secondary analysis of the balANZ multicenter, multinational, randomized controlled trial of a neutral pH, ultra-low glucose degradation product (biocompatible) versus conventional PD solutions over a 2-year period, the relationship between time varying peritoneal glucose exposure and change in peritoneal solute transport rate, (measured as dialysate to plasma creatinine ratio at 4 hours [D:PCr4h]), was evaluated using multivariable, multilevel linear regression. Baseline peritoneal glucose exposure was also assessed as either a continuous or categorical variable. RESULTS: The study included 165 patients (age 58.1 ± 14.2 years, 55% male, 33% diabetic). Peritoneal glucose exposure increased over time (coefficient 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07 - 1.92 and was not significantly associated with change in D:PCr4h (coefficient 0.00004, 95% CI -0.0001 - 0.0002, p = 0.68). Similar results were found when peritoneal glucose exposure was examined as a baseline continuous or categorical variable. A significant 2-way interaction was observed with PD solution type, whereby a progressive increase in D:PCr4h was seen in the patients receiving conventional PD solution, but not in those receiving biocompatible solution. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in peritoneal solute transport rate in PD patients over time were not associated with peritoneal glucose exposure, although a strong and positive association with PD solution glucose degradation product content was identified. Peritoneal glucose exposure may be a less important consideration than peritoneal glucose degradation product exposure with respect to peritoneal membrane function over time.

The Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Organism-Specific Peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is increasingly prevalent worldwide, and a greater number of patients initiate renal replacement therapy with a high body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to evaluate the association between BMI and organism-specific peritonitis. METHODS: All adult patients who initiated peritoneal dialysis (PD) in Australia between January 2004 and December 2013 were included. Data were accessed through the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry. The co-primary outcomes of this study were time to first organism-specific peritonitis episode, specifically gram-positive, gram-negative, culture-negative, and fungal. Secondary outcomes were individual rates of organism-specific peritonitis for the same 4 microbiological categories. RESULTS: There were 7,381 peritonitis episodes among the 8,343 incident PD patients evaluated. After multivariable adjustment, obese patients (BMI 30 - 34.9 kg/m2) had an increased risk of fungal peritonitis (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18 - 2.42), very obese patients (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) had a significantly higher risk of gram-positive peritonitis (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02 - 1.30), while both obese and very obese patients experienced significantly higher risks of gram-negative peritonitis (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.11 - 1.50 and HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08 - 1.57, respectively) compared with patients with normal BMI (20 - 24.9 kg/m2). Obesity and severe obesity were independently associated with increased incidence rate ratios of all forms of organism-specific peritonitis with a non-significant trend for severe obesity and gram-negative peritonitis association. CONCLUSION: Among Australian patients, obesity and severe obesity are associated with significantly increased rates of gram-positive, gram-negative, fungal, and culture-negative peritonitis.

Vitamin D status and mortality risk among patients on dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in patients on dialysis. Although vitamin D deficiency is closely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and high mortality in the general population, the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients is uncertain. We aim to explore the relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients. Methods: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies among patients receiving maintenance dialysis. We did a systematic literature search in PubMed and Embase to identify studies reporting the relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients on dialysis. The search was last updated on 10 February 2017. Results: The study included 18 moderate to high-quality cohort studies with an overall sample of 14 154 patients on dialysis. The relative risk of all-cause mortality per 10 ng/mL increase in serum 25(OH)D level was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.86], although there was marked heterogeneity (I2=96%, P < 0.01) that was partly explained by differences in CVD prevalence, baseline parathyroid hormone level and dialysis duration among included studies. The relative risk of cardiovascular mortality per 10 ng/mL increase in serum 25(OH)D level was 0.71 (95% CI 0.63-0.79), with substantial heterogeneity (I2=74%, P=0.004) that was largely explained by differences in study type and serum 25(OH)D measurement method. Conclusions: In the present study, increased serum 25(OH)D level was significantly associated with lower all-cause mortality and lower cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients.

Center Effects and Peritoneal Dialysis Peritonitis Outcomes: Analysis of a National Registry.

BACKGROUND: Peritonitis is a common cause of technique failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD). Dialysis center-level characteristics may influence PD peritonitis outcomes independent of patient-level characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Using Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) data, all incident Australian PD patients who had peritonitis from 2004 through 2014 were included. PREDICTORS: Patient- (including demographic data, causal organisms, and comorbid conditions) and center- (including center size, proportion of patients treated with PD, and summary measures related to type, cause, and outcome of peritonitis episodes) level predictors. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENT: The primary outcome was cure of peritonitis with antibiotics. Secondary outcomes were peritonitis-related catheter removal, hemodialysis therapy transfer, peritonitis relapse/recurrence, hospitalization, and mortality. Outcomes were analyzed using multilevel mixed logistic regression. RESULTS: The study included 9,100 episodes of peritonitis among 4,428 patients across 51 centers. Cure with antibiotics was achieved in 6,285 (69%) peritonitis episodes and varied between 38% and 86% across centers. Centers with higher proportions of dialysis patients treated with PD (>29%) had significantly higher odds of peritonitis cure (adjusted OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04-1.40) and lower odds of catheter removal (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97), hemodialysis therapy transfer (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97), and peritonitis relapse/recurrence (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48-0.98). Centers with higher proportions of peritonitis episodes receiving empirical antibiotics covering both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms had higher odds of cure with antibiotics (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06-1.42). Patient-level characteristics associated with higher odds of cure were younger age and less virulent causative organisms (coagulase-negative staphylococci, streptococci, and culture negative). The variation in odds of cure across centers was 9% higher after adjustment for patient-level characteristics, but 66% lower after adjustment for center-level characteristics. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study design using registry data. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that center effects contribute substantially to the appreciable variation in PD peritonitis outcomes that exist across PD centers within Australia.

Carvedilol and Cardiac Biomarkers in Dialysis Patients: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cardiac biomarkers are associated with cardiac abnormalities and adverse outcomes in dialysis patients. Our aim was to report the effect of the beta-blocker carvedilol on cardiac biomarkers in adult dialysis patients. METHODS: The Beta-Blocker to Lower Cardiovascular Dialysis Events Feasibility Study was a randomized controlled trial comparing carvedilol to placebo. Serum and plasma were collected before the run-in, then 6 and 12 months post-randomization to measure B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP), N-terminal BNP (NT-ProBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponins I (hs-TnI) and T (hs-TnT), and galectin-3. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) was measured by echocardiography at baseline. RESULTS: Seventy-two participants were recruited of whom 49 completed the run-in and were randomized to carvedilol (n=26) or placebo (n=23). Baseline echocardiography demonstrated median (inter-quartile range) GLS of -14.27% (-16.63 to -11.93). NTproBNP and hs-TnT correlated with GLS (Spearman's rho=0.34 [p=0.018] and rho=0.28 [p=0.049], respectively). Median change scores from baseline to 12 months did not differ significantly between participants with complete biomarker data randomized to carvedilol (n=15) or placebo (n=16) for any biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: NT-proBNP and hs-TnT were associated with GLS. However, changes in levels of the biomarkers from baseline to 12 months were not different between groups randomized to carvedilol and placebo.

EARLY PERITONITIS AND ITS OUTCOME IN INCIDENT PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS.

BACKGROUND: Early-onset peritonitis is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and is associated with heightened risks of technique failure and death. The risk factors for early peritonitis and its outcomes are unknown. METHODS: This registry study examined all incident Australian PD patients between 2003 and 2014. The primary outcome was early peritonitis, defined as onset within 12 months of starting therapy. Secondary outcomes were medical cure, relapse/recurrence, catheter removal, peritonitis-associated technique failure, and peritonitis-associated death. RESULTS: Of 9,845 patients, 2,615 experienced 3,827 early-peritonitis episodes (0.50 episodes per patient-year). Early peritonitis was more common in patients who were male, obese, had a history of cigarette smoking or cerebrovascular disease, used continuous ambulatory PD, and had received prior renal replacement therapy for > 90 days. Remoteness was a risk modifier for the association between race and early peritonitis; remote Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Maori and Pacific Islander patients had the highest risk. Obese patients were more likely to achieve medical cure. Older patients were less likely to achieve cure and more likely to experience peritonitis-associated death. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, several factors predicted early peritonitis in incident PD patients. Modified approaches to patient selection, training techniques, and prevention strategies should be considered in high-risk individuals.

A comparison of characteristics of patients seen in a tertiary hospital diabetes telehealth service versus specialist face-to-face outpatients.

This study aimed to describe patient-related characteristics of those attending the diabetes telehealth service delivered from a tertiary hospital and compare these with the characteristics of patients attending face-to-face visits at the same hospital's diabetes outpatient service. This analysis could inform diabetes telehealth service improvements. To our knowledge, there has been no prior evaluation of a diabetes telehealth service in Australia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted as part of the Australian National Diabetes Audit in May 2016 for all patients attending the diabetes telehealth service and diabetes outpatient service. The diabetes telehealth service was serving a greater proportion of females, indigenous people and patients with a longer mean duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in the diabetes telehealth service group had a higher average glycated haemoglobin of 9.1% (76 mmol/mol) vs 8.1% (65 mmol/mol) in the diabetes outpatient service group. The diabetes telehealth service had more people with initial visits; had higher self-reported smoking rates in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients; and had adequate access to allied health supports as recommended for diabetes management. Diabetes telehealth service patients had more complex diabetes as evidenced by a higher proportion of indigenous clients, higher glycated haemoglobin and longer mean duration of diabetes.

Outcomes of Corynebacterium Peritonitis: A Multicenter Registry Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Corynebacterium is a rare cause of peritonitis that is increasingly being recognized in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The aims of this study were to compare Corynebacterium peritonitis outcomes with those of peritonitis caused by other organisms and to examine the effects of type and duration of antibiotic therapy on outcomes of Corynebacterium peritonitis. METHODS: Using Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) data, we included all PD patients who developed peritonitis in Australia between 2004 and 2014. The primary outcome was peritonitis cure by antibiotic therapy, defined as resolution of a peritonitis episode with antibiotics alone and without being complicated by recurrence, relapse, catheter removal, hemodialysis transfer, or death. Peritonitis outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 11,122 episodes of peritonitis in 5,367 patients were included. Of these, 162 episodes (1.5%) were due to Corynebacterium. Compared with Corynebacterium peritonitis, the odds of cure were lower in peritonitis due to Staphylococcus aureus (odds ratio [OR] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45 - 0.97), Pseudomonas (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14 - 0.33), other gram-negative organisms (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.35 - 0.75), fungi (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.01 - 0.03), polymicrobial organisms (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.22 - 0.47), and other organisms (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.44 - 0.99) but similar for culture-negative and other gram-positive peritonitis. Similar results were observed for hemodialysis transfer and death. The outcomes of Corynebacterium peritonitis were not associated with the type of initial antibiotic selected (vancomycin vs cefazolin) or the duration of antibiotic therapy (≤ 14 days vs > 14 days). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes for Corynebacterium peritonitis are generally favorable compared with other forms of peritonitis. Cure rates did not appear to differ if peritonitis was treated initially with vancomycin or cefazolin or if treatment duration was prolonged beyond 14 days.

Multicenter Registry Analysis of Center Characteristics Associated with Technique Failure in Patients on Incident Peritoneal Dialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Technique failure is a major limitation of peritoneal dialysis. Our study aimed to identify center- and patient-level predictors of peritoneal dialysis technique failure. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: All patients on incident peritoneal dialysis in Australia from 2004 to 2014 were included in the study using data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. Center- and patient-level characteristics associated with technique failure were evaluated using Cox shared frailty models. Death-censored technique failure and cause-specific technique failure were analyzed as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The study included 9362 patients from 51 centers in Australia. The technique failure rate was 0.35 (95% confidence interval, 0.34 to 0.36) episodes per patient-year, with a sevenfold variation across centers that was mainly associated with center-level characteristics. Technique failure was significantly less likely in centers with larger proportions of patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (>29%; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 0.94) and more likely in smaller centers (<16 new patients per year; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.21) and centers with lower proportions of patients achieving target baseline serum phosphate levels (<40%; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.29). Similar results were observed for death-censored technique failure, except that center target phosphate achievement was not significantly associated. Technique failure due to infection, social reasons, mechanical causes, or death was variably associated with center size, proportion of patients on peritoneal dialysis, and/or target phosphate achievement, automated peritoneal dialysis exposure, icodextrin use, and antifungal use. The variation of hazards of technique failure across centers was reduced by 28% after adjusting for patient-specific factors and an additional 53% after adding center-specific factors. CONCLUSIONS: Technique failure varies widely across centers in Australia. A significant proportion of this variation is related to potentially modifiable center characteristics, including peritoneal dialysis center size, proportion of patients on peritoneal dialysis, and proportion of patients on peritoneal dialysis achieving target phosphate level.

Association Between Peritoneal Glucose Exposure and Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: The balANZ Trial.

BACKGROUND: Glucose is the primary osmotic medium used in most peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions, and exposure to glucose has been shown to exert detrimental effects both locally, at the peritoneal membrane, and systemically. Moreover, high dialysate glucose exposure may predispose patients to an increased risk of peritonitis, perhaps as a result of impaired host defences, vascular disease, and damage to the peritoneal membrane. METHODS: In this post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, multinational, open-label randomized controlled trial of neutral pH, low-glucose degradation product (GDP) versus conventional PD solutions (balANZ trial), the relationship between peritonitis rates of low (< 123.1 g/day) versus high (≥ 123.1 g/day) dialysate glucose exposure was evaluated in 177 incident PD patients over a 2-year study period. RESULTS: Peritonitis rates were 0.44 episodes per patient-year in the low-glucose exposure group and 0.31 episodes per patient-year in the high-glucose exposure group, (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.69, p = 0.09). There was no significant association between dialysate glucose exposure and peritonitis-free survival on univariable analysis (high glucose exposure hazard ratio [HR] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40 - 1.08) or on multivariable analysis (adjusted HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.39 - 1.05). Moreover, there was no relationship between peritoneal glucose exposure and type of organism causing peritonitis. Physician-rated severity of first peritonitis episodes was similar between groups, as was rate and duration of hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study did not identify an association between peritoneal dialysate glucose exposure and peritonitis occurrence, severity, hospitalization, or outcomes. A further large-scale, prospective, randomized controlled trial evaluating patient-level outcomes is merited.