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- Ovadia, C., et al.
(author)
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Ursodeoxycholic acid in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis
- 2021
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In: Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-1253. ; 6:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Ursodeoxycholic acid is commonly used to treat intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, yet its largest trial detected minimal benefit for a composite outcome (stillbirth, preterm birth, and neonatal unit admission). We aimed to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid affects specific adverse perinatal outcomes. Methods In this systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Global Health, MIDIRS, and Cochrane without language restrictions for relevant articles published between database inception, and Jan 1, 2020, using search terms referencing intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, ursodeoxycholic acid, and perinatal outcomes. Eligible studies had 30 or more study participants and reported on at least one individual with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and bile acid concentrations of 40 mu mol/L or more. We also included two unpublished cohort studies. Individual participant data were collected from the authors of selected studies. The primary outcome was the prevalence of stillbirth, for which we anticipated there would be insufficient data to achieve statistical power. Therefore, we included a composite of stillbirth and preterm birth as a main secondary outcome. A mixed-effects meta-analysis was done using multi-level modelling and adjusting for bile acid concentration, parity, and multifetal pregnancy. Individual participant data analyses were done for all studies and in different subgroups, which were produced by limiting analyses to randomised controlled trials only, singleton pregnancies only, or two-arm studies only. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019131495. Findings The authors of the 85 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria were contacted. Individual participant data from 6974 women in 34 studies were included in the meta-analysis, of whom 4726 (67.8%) took ursodeoxycholic acid. Stillbirth occurred in 35 (0.7%) of 5097 fetuses among women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and in 12 (0.6%) of 2038 fetuses among women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy not treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04, 95% CI 0.35-3.07; p=0.95). Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment also had no effect on the prevalence of stillbirth when considering only randomised controlled trials (aOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.04-2.42; p=0.25). Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment had no effect on the prevalence of the composite outcome in all studies (aOR 1.28, 95% CI 0.86-1.91; p=0.22), but was associated with a reduced composite outcome when considering only randomised controlled trials (0.60, 0.39-0.91; p=0.016). Interpretation Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment had no significant effect on the prevalence of stillbirth in women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, but our analysis was probably limited by the low overall event rate. However, when considering only randomised controlled trials, ursodeoxycholic acid was associated with a reduction in stillbirth in combination with preterm birth, providing evidence for the clinical benefit of antenatal ursodeoxycholic acid treatment. Copyright (C) 2021 The Authors(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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- Locatelli, F, et al.
(author)
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The relationship of NT-proBNP and dialysis parameters with outcome of incident haemodialysis patients: results from the membrane permeability outcome study
- 2013
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In: Blood purification. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9735 .- 0253-5068. ; 35:1-3, s. 216-223
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- <b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> The association of raised levels of natriuretic peptides with elevated risk of mortality was investigated in the present analysis of the Membrane Permeability Outcome study. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> N-terminal probrain type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was measured in 618 incident haemodialysis patients, randomised to either high-flux or low-flux. Characteristics of patients with NT-proBNP levels below or above the median were descriptively analysed and survival analysis was performed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Median NT-proBNP value was 2,124 pg/ml, with 1,854 pg/ml in the high-flux and 2,919 pg/ml in the low-flux group. Survival probability was lowest in patients with both a history of cardiovascular disease and NT-proBNP values above the median (p < 0.001). A multivariate Cox proportional hazard model showed interaction between presence of cardiovascular diseases and NT-proBNP levels above the median. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> NT-proBNP is an independent predictor of mortality also in incident haemodialysis patients. Lower concentrations associated with high-flux dialysis suggest a possible biological link to improved survival in this group.
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- Marcon, A., et al.
(author)
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The coexistence of asthma and COPD: risk factors, clinical history and lung function trajectories
- 2021
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In: European Respiratory Journal. - : European Respiratory Society (ERS). - 0903-1936 .- 1399-3003. ; 58:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Patients with concomitant features of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a heavy disease burden. Using data collected prospectively in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, we compared the risk factors, clinical history and lung function trajectories from early adulthood to late sixties of middle-aged subjects with asthma+COPD (n=179), past (n=263) or current (n=808) asthma alone, COPD alone (n=111) or none of these (n=3477). Interview data and pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were obtained during three clinical examinations in 1991-1993, 1999-2002 and 2010-2013. Disease status was classified in 2010-2013, when the subjects were aged 40-68 years, according to the presence of fixed airflow obstruction (post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal), a lifetime history of asthma and cumulative exposure to tobacco or occupational inhalants. Previous lung function trajectories, clinical characteristics and risk factors of these phenotypes were estimated. Subjects with asthma+COPD reported maternal smoking (28.2%) and respiratory infections in childhood (19.1%) more frequently than subjects with COPD alone (20.9% and 14.0%, respectively). Subjects with asthma+COPD had an impairment of lung function at age 20 years that tracked over adulthood, and more than half of them had asthma onset in childhood. Subjects with COPD alone had the highest lifelong exposure to tobacco smoking and occupational inhalants, and they showed accelerated lung function decline during adult life. The coexistence between asthma and COPD seems to have its origins earlier in life compared to COPD alone. These findings suggest that prevention of this severe condition, which is typical at older ages, should start in childhood.
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- O'Sullivan, S. P., et al.
(author)
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New constraints on the magnetization of the cosmic web using LOFAR Faraday rotation observations
- 2020
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 495:3, s. 2607-2619
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Measuring the properties of extragalactic magnetic fields through the effect of Faraday rotation provides a means to understand the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism. Here we use data from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) to calculate the Faraday rotation measure (RM) of close pairs of extragalactic radio sources. By considering the RM difference (Delta RM) between physical pairs (e.g. double-lobed radio galaxies) and non-physical pairs (i.e. close projected sources on the sky), we statistically isolate the contribution of extragalactic magnetic fields to Delta RM along the line of sight between non-physical pairs. From our analysis, we find no significant difference between the ?RM distributions of the physical and non-physical pairs, limiting the excess Faraday rotation contribution to <1.9 rad/m(2) (similar to 95% confidence). We use this limit with a simple model of an inhomogeneous universe to place an upper limit of 4 nG on the cosmological co-moving magnetic field strength on Mpc scales. We also compare the RM data with a more realistic suite of cosmological MHD simulations, that explore different magnetogenesis scenarios. Both magnetization of the large scale structure by astrophysical processes such as galactic and AGN outflows, and simple primordial scenarios with seed magnetic field strengths <0.5 nG cannot be rejected by the current data; while stronger primordial fields or models with dynamo amplification in filaments are disfavoured.
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- Ovadia, C., et al.
(author)
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Association of adverse perinatal outcomes of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy with biochemical markers: results of aggregate and individual patient data meta-analyses
- 2019
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In: The Lancet. - : Elsevier BV. - 0140-6736. ; 393:10174, s. 899-909
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, but the association with the concentration of specific biochemical markers is unclear. We aimed to quantify the adverse perinatal effects of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in women with increased serum bile acid concentrations and determine whether elevated bile acid concentrations were associated with the risk of stillbirth and preterm birth. Methods We did a systematic review by searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases for studies published from database inception to June 1, 2018, reporting perinatal outcomes for women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy when serum bile acid concentrations were available. Inclusion criteria were studies defining intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy based upon pruritus and elevated serum bile acid concentrations, with or without raised liver aminotransferase concentrations. Eligible studies were case-control, cohort, and population-based studies, and randomised controlled trials, with at least 30 participants, and that reported bile acid concentrations and perinatal outcomes. Studies at potential higher risk of reporter bias were excluded, including case reports, studies not comprising cohorts, or successive cases seen in a unit; we also excluded studies with high risk of bias from groups selected (eg, a subgroup of babies with poor outcomes were explicitly excluded), conference abstracts, and Letters to the Editor without clear peer review. We also included unpublished data from two UK hospitals. We did a random effects meta-analysis to determine risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Aggregate data for maternal and perinatal outcomes were extracted from case-control studies, and individual patient data (IPD) were requested from study authors for all types of study (as no control group was required for the IPD analysis) to assess associations between biochemical markers and adverse outcomes using logistic and stepwise logistic regression. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42017069134. Findings We assessed 109 full-text articles, of which 23 studies were eligible for the aggregate data meta-analysis (5557 intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy cases and 165 136 controls), and 27 provided IPD (5269 intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy cases). Stillbirth occurred in 45 (0.83%) of 4936 intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy cases and 519 (0.32%) of 163 947 control pregnancies (odds ratio [OR] 1.46 [95% CI 0.73-2.89]; I-2 = 59.8%). In singleton pregnancies, stillbirth was associated with maximum total bile acid concentration (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [ROC AUC]) 0.83 [95% CI 0.74-0.92]), but not alanine aminotransferase (ROC AUC 0.46 [0.35-0.57]). For singleton pregnancies, the prevalence of stillbirth was three (0.13%; 95% CI 0.02-0.38) of 2310 intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy cases in women with serum total bile acids of less than 40 mu mol/L versus four (0.28%; 0.08-0.72) of 1412 cases with total bile acids of 40-99 mu mol/L (hazard ratio [HR] 2.35 [95% CI 0.52-10.50]; p=0.26), and versus 18 (3.44%; 2.05-5.37) of 524 cases for bile acids of 100 mu mol/L or more (HR 30.50 [8.83-105.30]; p<0.0001). Interpretation The risk of stillbirth is increased in women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and singleton pregnancies when serum bile acids concentrations are of 100 mu mol/L or more. Because most women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy have bile acids below this concentration, they can probably be reassured that the risk of stillbirth is similar to that of pregnant women in the general population, provided repeat bile acid testing is done until delivery. Funding Tommy's, ICP Support, UK National Institute of Health Research, Wellcome Trust, and Genesis Research Trust. Copyright (c) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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