Effect Of Urinary Kidney Injury Molecule-1 Levels On Short-Term Prognosis Of Chronic Heart Failure.

Objectives: To explore the influential elements of urinary kidney injury molecule-1 levels in chronic heart failure, and to judge its ability to predict 90-day rehospitalisation. METHODS: The cross-sectional case-control study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021, at Hanzhong Central Hospital, China, and comprised adult patients having chronic heart failure with normal renal function in group A and healthy subjects in control group B. Patients in group A received anti-heart failure therapy for 1 week in hospital and were followed up for 90 days after discharge. Blood pressure (BP), kidney injury molecule-1, creatinine and serum pro- B-type natriuretic peptide levels were evaluated at baseline and 1 week after treatment in group A, while the samples were collected only at baseline in the control group B. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. RESULTS: Of the 102 subjects, 68(66.6%) were in group A; 44(64.7%) males and 24 (35.3%) females with mean age 62.38±9.51 years. The remaining 34(33.3%) subjects were in group B; 21(61.7%) males and 13(38.2%) females with mean age vs. 58.82±8.11 years. The urinary kidney injury molecule-1 level in group A was essentially on the increase compared to group B (p<0.05). After 1 week of treatment, the kidney injury molecule-1 level decreased compared to the baseline value in group A (p<0.05). Diastolic blood pressure and pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were the determinants of urinary kidney injury molecule-1 level, and urinary kidney injury molecule-1 level before discharge was significantly associated with rehospitalisation within 90 days (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Urinary kidney injury molecule-1 level before discharge was a significant predictor of rehospitalisation within 90 days, and diastolic blood pressure and pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels were the influencing factors of urinary kidney injury molecule-1. Also, urinary kidney injury molecule-1 levels were significantly raised in chronic heart failure.

Dietary Factors and the Risk of Gastric Cancer in Hanzhong Area of China.

Background: Dietary factors play an important role in gastric cancer risk. They have not been investigated extensively in Hanzhong area, China. Methods: We conducted a population-based case-control study of gastric cancer in Hanzhong area, China in 2018-2020. A total of 121 patients with historically confirmed gastric adenocarcinomas were interviewed. Controls were an age-stratified random sample of residents of Hanzhong area. The dietary questionnaire was a 70-item semiquantitative food frequency adapted for the Hanzhong diet. Odds ratios were calculated for quartiles of consumption of food groups and were adjusted for age, gender, calories, chili pepper intake, cigarette smoking, socioeconomic status, added salt, and history of peptic ulcer disease. Results: There was approximately a threefold increased risk of gastric cancer for frequent consumption (highest quartile) of both fresh meat (odds ratio (OR) = 3.0) and processed meat (OR = 3.3). Odds ratios were also significantly elevated for frequent consumption of dairy products (OR = 3.1) and fish (OR = 3.1). The authors observed a decreasing gradient of risk with increasing frequency of vegetable consumption due to a significant inverse trend for the yellow and orange vegetables. Conclusion: High intake of citrus fruits showed a slight inverse association. These findings are consistent with many studies around the world that indicate important roles for salt, processed meats, and vegetable consumption in gastric cancer risk.