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- Fellström, Bengt, 1942-, et al.
(författare)
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Risk factors for reaching renal endpoints in the Assessment of Lescol in Renal Transplantation (ALERT) trial
- 2005
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Ingår i: Transplantation. - 0041-1337 .- 1534-6080. ; 79:2, s. 205-212
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. The aim of the study was to identity risk factors for long-term renal transplant function and development of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) in renal transplant recipients included in the Assessment of Lescol in Renal Transplantation (ALERT) trial. Methods. The ALERT trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of fluvastatin, 40 and 80 mg/day, in renal transplant recipients who were randomized to receive fluvastatin (Lescol) (n=1,050) or placebo (n=1,052) over 5 to 6 years of follow-up. Renal endpoints including graft loss or doubling of serum creatinine or death were analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis in the placebo group. Results. There were 137 graft losses (13.5%) in the placebo group, mainly caused by CAN (82%). Univariate risk factors for graft loss or doubling of serum creatinine were as follows: serum creatinine, proteinuria, hypertension, pulse pressure, time since transplantation, donor age, human leukocyte antigen-DR mismatches, treatment for rejection, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking. Multivariate analysis revealed independent risk factors for graft loss as follows: serum creatinine (relative risk [RR], 3.12 per 100-µM increase), proteinuria (RR, 1.64 per 1-g/24 hr increase), and pulse pressure (RR, 1.12 per 10 mm Hg), whereas age was a protective factor. With patient death in the composite endpoint, diabetes mellitus, smoking, age, and number of transplantations were also risk factors. Conclusions. Independent risk factors for graft loss or doubling of serum creatinine or patient death are mainly related to renal transplant function, proteinuria, and blood pressure, which emphasizes the importance of renoprotective treatment regimens in this population.
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| 2. |
- Hoflack, G., et al.
(författare)
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Testicular dysfunction is responsible for low sperm quality in Belgian Blue bulls
- 2008
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Ingår i: Theriogenology. - : Elsevier. - 0093-691X .- 1879-3231. ; 69:3, s. 323-332
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a previous study, we demonstrated that Belgian Blue (BB) bulls have a higher prevalence of small scrota and poorer semen morphology compared to the Holstein Friesian (HF) breed in Belgium. The present study tested the hypothesis that the underlying reason for these BB traits negative to fertility was testicular degeneration, associated with an eventual hypoplastic background. At culling, sperm quality and testicular histology of BB bulls were assessed and compared to that of HF bulls. Besides semen quality being generally poorer in the BB breed, significantly more degenerative changes were encountered in BB compared to HF testicles (degeneration index: 37.7 +/- 11.9 versus 29.3 +/- 9.9 for BB and HF bulls, respectively; P = 0.053). These results correlated to the percentage of normal spermatozoa (r = -0.44; P = 0.024) and primary abnormalities (r = 0.38; P = 0.053). Moreover, the relative amount of collagen fibers present in the testicular interstitial connective tissue was correlated with % normal sperm (r = -0.47; P = 0.017), primary defects (0.48; P = 0.014), and the degeneration results (r = 0.63; P less than 0.001). The % testicular interstitial collagen fibers differed significantly between breeds (10.6 +/- 4.0% for the BB versus 7.6 +/- 1.9% for the HF bulls; P = 0.016). This increased amount of connective tissue in BB testes might hypothetically be responsible for the poorer sperm quality. This condition can be defined as a mild form of testicular hypoplasia, and might, in turn, be responsible for the higher sensitivity to testicular degeneration, which is encountered in the BB breed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Fellström, Bengt, 1947-, et al.
(författare)
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Renal dysfunction as a risk factor for mortality and cardiovascular disease in renal transplantation : experience from the Assessment of Lescol in Renal Transplantation trial
- 2005
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Ingår i: Transplantation. - : Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. - 0041-1337 .- 1534-6080. ; 79:9, s. 1160-1163
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Renal-transplant recipients have shortened life expectancy primarily because of premature cardiovascular disease. Traditional and nontraditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease are prevalent in renal patients. In renal-transplant recipients, immunosuppressive therapy can be nephrotoxic and aggravate cardiovascular disease risk factors. Renal dysfunction has been established as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality in different populations. We evaluated the effects of baseline renal-transplant function on mortality and cardiovascular and renal endpoints in 1,052 placebo-treated patients of the Assessment of Lescol in Renal Transplantation trial. METHODS: All renal-transplant recipients were on cyclosporine-based immunosuppressive therapy. Follow-up was 5 to 6 years, and endpoints included cardiac death, noncardiovascular death, all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiac event (MACE), stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and graft loss. RESULTS: Baseline serum creatinine was strongly and independently associated with increased cardiac, noncardiovascular, and all-cause mortality, as well as MACE and graft loss. Serum creatinine was not a risk factor for stroke or nonfatal myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated baseline serum creatinine in renal-transplant recipients is a strong and independent risk factor for all-cause, noncardiovascular and cardiac mortality, MACE, and graft loss.
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| 5. |
- Fellström, Bengt, 1947-, et al.
(författare)
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Renal dysfunction is a strong and independent risk factor for mortality and cardiovascular complications in renal transplantation
- 2005
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Ingår i: American Journal of Transplantation. - : Elsevier BV. - 1600-6135 .- 1600-6143. ; 5:8, s. 1986-1991
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Renal transplant recipients (RTR) have shortened life expectancy, primarily due to premature cardiovascular disease (CVD). Traditional CVD risk factors are highly prevalent. In addition, several non-traditional risk factors may contribute to the high risk. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of renal dysfunction on mortality and cardiovascular complications in 1052 placebo-treated patients of the Assessment of LEscol in Renal Transplantation (ALERT) trial. Follow-up was 5-6 years and endpoints included cardiac death, non-cardiovascular death, all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiac event (MACE), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. The effects of serum creatinine at baseline on these endpoints were evaluated. Elevated serum creatinine in RTR was a strong and independent risk factor for MACE, cardiac, non-cardiovascular, and all-cause mortality, but not for stroke or non-fatal MI alone. Serum creatinine was associated with increased mortality and MACE, independent of established CVD risk factors. Graft loss resulted in increased incidences of non-cardiovascular death, all-cause mortality, MACE and non-fatal MI. In conclusion, elevated serum creatinine is a strong risk factor for all-cause, non-cardiovascular and cardiac mortality, and MACE, independent of traditional risk factors, but not for stroke or non-fatal MI alone.
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| 6. |
- Holdaas, Hallvard, et al.
(författare)
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Beneficial effect of early initiation of lipid-lowering therapy following renal transplantation
- 2005
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Ingår i: Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0931-0509 .- 1460-2385. ; 20:5, s. 974-980
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Renal transplant recipients have a significantly reduced life expectancy, largely due to premature cardiovascular disease. The aim of the current analysis was to investigate the importance of time of initiation of therapy after transplantation, on the benefits of statin therapy. METHODS: 2102 renal transplant recipients with total cholesterol levels of 4.0-9.0 mmol/l were randomly assigned to treatment with fluvastatin (n = 1050) or placebo (n = 1052) and followed for a mean time of 5.1 years. The end-points were major cardiac events. The average median time from transplantation to randomization was 4.5 years (range: 0.5-29 years). RESULTS: In patients starting treatment with fluvastatin <4.5 years after renal transplantation, the incidence of cardiac events was 4.6% over 5.1 years vs 9.2% in those on placebo (P = 0.007). Fluvastatin significantly reduced the risk of cardiac death and non-fatal myocardial infarction by 56% [risk ratio (RR): 0.44; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.26-0.74; P = 0.002]. In a more detailed analysis patients were grouped into 2-year intervals (since the last transplantation). The frequency of cardiac death and non-fatal myocardial infarction was reduced by 3.2%, 5.1%, 9.6% and 8.2% with fluvastatin treatment as compared to 6%, 10.4%, 13.4% and 9.6% with placebo when treatment was initiated at 0-2, 2-4, 4-6 and >6 years, respectively. The risk reduction for patients initiating therapy with fluvastatin at years 0-2 (compared with >6 years) following transplantation was 59% (RR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.18-0.92; P = 0.0328). This is also reflected in total time on renal replacement therapy: in patients in the first quartile (<47 months) fluvastatin use was associated with a risk reduction of 64% compared with 19% for patients in the fourth quartile (>120 months) (P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Our data support an early introduction of fluvastatin therapy in a population of transplant recipients at high risk of premature coronary heart disease.
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| 7. |
- Jardine, Alan G., et al.
(författare)
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Cardiovascular risk and renal transplantation : post hoc analyses of the Assessment of Lescol in Renal Transplantation (ALERT) Study
- 2005
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Ingår i: American Journal of Kidney Diseases. - : Elsevier BV. - 0272-6386 .- 1523-6838. ; 46:3, s. 529-36
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Renal transplantation is associated with an increased risk for premature cardiovascular disease. We analyzed the data in the placebo arm of Assessment of Lescol in Renal Transplantation (ALERT) to improve our understanding of the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes in this unique population. METHODS: We performed Cox survival analysis for myocardial infarction, cardiac death, and noncardiac death in 1,052 patients recruited to the placebo arm of ALERT. These subjects were aged 30 to 75 years, had stable graft function at least 6 months after transplantation, had a serum total cholesterol level between 155 and 348 mg/dL (4 and 9 mmol/L), and were receiving cyclosporine-based immunosuppression. RESULTS: The results confirm previous studies. In multivariate analysis, preexisting coronary heart disease (hazard ratio [HR], 3.69; P < 0.001), total cholesterol level (HR, 1.55 per 50 mg/dL; P = 0.0045), and prior acute rejection (HR, 2.36; P = 0.0023) were independent risk factors. Conversely, independent risk factors for cardiac death were age (HR, 1.58 per decade; P = 0.0033), diabetes (HR, 3.35; P = 0.0002), ST-T changes on the ECG (HR, 3.17; P = 0.0004), and serum creatinine level (HR, 2.65 per milligram per deciliter; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This analysis confirms that renal transplant recipients share risk factors for myocardial infarction and cardiac death with the general population. However, the pattern of risk factors and their relationship with outcomes is atypical, highlighting the unique nature of cardiovascular risk in transplant recipients.
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