Cancer risk in patients with diabetic nephropathy: A retrospective cohort study in Hong Kong

Increased Cancer Risk in Patients with Kidney Disease and Venous Thromboembolism: A Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

 Venous thromboembolism (VTE) may be a harbinger of cancer in the general population. Patients with kidney disease have an a priori increased VTE risk. However, it remains unknown how a VTE affects subsequent cancer risk in these patients.

OBJECTIVES

 To examine the cancer risk in patients with kidney disease following a VTE.

METHODS

 We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study in Denmark (1996-2017), including all VTE patients with a diagnosis of kidney disease. We calculated absolute risks of cancer (accounting for competing risk of death) and age-, sex-, and calendar-period standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) comparing the observed cancer incidence with national cancer incidence rates and cancer incidence rates of VTE patients without kidney disease.

RESULTS

 We followed 3,362 VTE patients with kidney disease (45.9% females) for a median follow-up time of 2.4 years (interquartile range: 0.6-5.4). During follow-up, 464 patients were diagnosed with cancer, of whom 169 (36.4%) were diagnosed within the first year. The 1-year absolute risk of any cancer was 5.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.3-5.8), with a SIR of 2.9 (95% CI: 2.5-3.4) when compared with the general population, and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.8-2.4) when compared with VTE patients without kidney disease. During subsequent years of follow-up, the SIRs declined to 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3-1.6) when compared with the general population, and 1.1 (95% CI: 0.9-1.2) compared with VTE patients without kidney disease.

CONCLUSION

 Patients with hospital-diagnosed kidney disease have increased cancer risk after VTE, especially within the first year following the VTE diagnosis.

Association of Apolipoprotein E Gene Polymorphism with Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy in the Southern Chinese Population

Background

Common polymorphisms within the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene are rs429358 and rs7412, which result in three major alleles (ɛ2, ɛ3, and ɛ4) and six genotypes (E2/E2, E2/E3, E3/E3, E3/E4, E4/E4, and E2/E4). Although APOE gene polymorphisms have been suggested to be associated with the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN), their potential association remains unclear in different regions. This study aims to unveil the genetic effects of APOE gene polymorphisms on DN susceptibility and serum lipid profiles in southern Chinese population.

Methods

A total of 306 DN patients and 483 type 2 diabetic patients as controls were included in the study. The APOE gene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microarray gene chip. Relevant medical records and information of these participants were collected.

Results

There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in gender, SBP, hypertension, hyperuricemia, UTP, TG and HDL-C between DN patients and controls. DN patients exhibited a higher frequency of the ε2 allele and E2/E3 genotype than controls (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the ε2 allele and E2/E3 genotype were independent risk factors (adjusted OR: 3.237, 95% CI: 1.789-5.854, p < 0.001; adjusted OR: 3.453, 95% CI: 1.873-6.368, p < 0.001), while the ε3 allele or E3/E3 genotype might serve as protective role (adjusted OR: 0.395, 95% CI: 0.255-0.612, p < 0.001) for development of DN.

Conclusion

Our study indicates a correlation between APOE polymorphisms and DN in the southern Chinese Hakka population. Specifically, individuals carrying the APOE ε2 allele and E2/E3 genotype are at a higher risk of developing DN. Conversely, those with the APOE ε3 allele and E3/E3 genotype have a lower risk of DN in southern Chinese population.

Finerenone and effects on mortality in chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes: a FIDELITY analysis

AIMS

Finerenone reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We investigated the causes of mortality in the FIDELITY population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The FIDELITY prespecified pooled data analysis from FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD excluded patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Outcomes included intention-to-treat and prespecified on-treatment analyses of the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Of 13 026 patients [mean age, 64.8 years; mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 57.6 mL/min/1.73 m2], 99.8% were on renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. Finerenone reduced the incidence of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality vs. placebo (8.5% vs. 9.4% and 4.9% vs. 5.6%, respectively) and demonstrated significant on-treatment reductions [hazard ratio (HR), 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70-0.96; P = 0.014 and HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-0.99; P = 0.040, respectively]. Cardiovascular-related mortality was most common, and finerenone lowered the incidence of sudden cardiac death vs. placebo [1.3% (incidence rate 0.44/100 patient-years) vs. 1.8% (0.58/100 patient-years), respectively; HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57-0.996; P = 0.046]. The effects of finerenone on mortality were similar across all Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes risk groups. Event probability with finerenone at 4 years was consistent irrespective of baseline urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, but seemingly more pronounced in patients with higher baseline eGFR.

CONCLUSION

In FIDELITY, finerenone significantly reduced the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality vs. placebo in patients with T2D across a broad spectrum of CKD stages while on treatment, as well as sudden cardiac death in the intention-to-treat population.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, numbers NCT02540993 and NCT02545049, respectively (funded by Bayer AG).

The effect of type 1 diabetes mellitus on voice in pediatric patients

PURPOSE

The aim of this prospective case-control study was to determine the effect on the voice of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in paediatric patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included patients aged 6-18 years followed up for at least 1 year because of T1DM, and a control group of age and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Following an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) examination, all subjects underwent flexible endoscopic laryngeal examination. Fasting venous blood samples were taken in the morning for the examination of fasting blood glucose (FBG), HgbA1C, and kidney, liver, and thyroid function tests. Data were recorded from the patient files of age, gender, comorbidities, and the development of diabetes-related complications. Voice recordings were taken and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10 form was completed. The patients and control group were compared in respect of the parameters of fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and acoustic voice quality index (AVQI).

RESULTS

Evaluation was made of 64 children and adolescents as 32 in the patient group (Group 1) and 32 healthy control subjects (Group 2). Group 1 comprised 17 females and 15 males with a mean age of 12.75 ± 3.23 years. Group 2 comprised 17 females and 15 males with a mean age of 12.75 ± 3.33 years. In Group 1, mean disease duration was 5.21 ± 3.17 years (range, 1-13 years), the FBG value was mean 216.6 ± 122.3 mg/dl, mean HgbA1c was 10.7 ± 2.8, as ≤ 7 in 4 patients, 7-9 in 4, and > 9 in 24. Maximum phonation time (MPT) was determined as 10.66 ± 3.6 secs in Group 1 and 12.11 ± 4.43 in Group 2. VHI was determined as 2.33 ± 3 in Group 1 and 2.31 ± 2.77 in Group 2. No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups was determined in respect of acoustic analysis, perturbation parameters, AVQI and body mass index.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to have investigated the effects of T1DM on the voice in paediatric patients. The study results showed that the AVQI value was higher in the patient group but not to a statistically significant level. Therefore, there is a need for further studies with larger samples. The current study can be of guidance for further studies in this field.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk of head and neck cancer subtypes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

AIMS

The association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and risk of head and neck cancer (HNC) remains unclear. This study aims to perform a system review and meta-analysis to explore this relationship.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for studies published up to July 31, 2020, regarding the association between T2DM and HNC risk. A random-effects model was utilized to calculate summary relative risks (RRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Fourteen case-control studies and thirteen cohort studies were included in our analysis. We observed a weak association between T2DM and risk of HNC overall, but there was no statistical significance (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.88-1.23; I² = 83.2%). Interestingly, there was a strong association in East Asia (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21-1.77; I² = 36.6%). For HNC subtypes, T2DM conferred a significantly elevated risk in oral cancer (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.47; I² = 89.0%). However, in subgroup analyses of smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index (BMI)/obesity adjustments, the association between T2DM and oral cancer risk became insignificant. In addition, T2DM was not associated with a statistically elevated risk of pharyngeal cancer (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.94-1.49; I² = 72.9%) and laryngeal cancer (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.88-1.22; I² = 71.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicates that T2DM is associated with an increased risk of HNC in East Asia. As for site-specific cancer types, the risk of oral cancer was significantly increased in T2DM patients, which appear to be mediated or confounded by smoking, alcohol use, or BMI/obesity.

An update on cancer after kidney transplantation

The emergence of onconephrology in recent years highlights the importance of the interaction between kidney disease and cancer. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cancer are linked with each other in different ways bidirectionally: cancer can cause CKD, whereas CKD itself may be a risk factor for cancer. Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have a 2- to 3-fold increased cancer risk when compared with the general population. The elevated risk covers a wide range of cancers. Some are related to CKD, including cancers of the kidney, urinary tract and thyroid, whereas others are related to oncogenic viruses that include non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cervical cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer and Kaposi's sarcoma. There is no standard protocol regarding how immunosuppressive drugs should be adjusted in patients who develop posttransplant cancers. However, any modification of immunosuppressive regimens should be balanced against the risk of allograft rejection or deterioration in kidney function. Cancer surveillance can be used as a strategy to improve the clinical outcome in KTRs. Although guidelines adopted in the general population have been used as the reference, a personalized approach based on individual cancer risk, life expectancy and concurrent comorbidities has to be adopted.

Traditional Chinese medicine use is associated with lower end-stage renal disease and mortality rates among patients with diabetic nephropathy: a population-based cohort study

Background

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that imposes an enormous burden on the healthcare system. Although some studies show that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments confer a protective effect on DN, the long-term impact remains unclear. This study aims to examine end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and mortality rates among TCM users with DN.

Methods

A total of 125,490 patients with incident DN patients from 2004 to 2006 were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan and followed until 2012. The landmark method was applied to avoid immortal time bias, and propensity score matching was used to select 1:1 baseline characteristics-matched cohort. The Kaplan–Meier method and competing-risk analysis were used to assess mortality and ESRD rates separately.

Results

Among all eligible subjects, about 60% of patients were classified as TCM users (65,812 TCM users and 41,482 nonusers). After 1:1 matching, the outcomes of 68,882 patients were analyzed. For the ESRD rate, the 8-year cumulative incidence was 14.5% for TCM users [95% confidence interval (CI): 13.9–15.0] and 16.6% for nonusers (95% CI: 16.0–17.2). For the mortality rate, the 8-year cumulative incidence was 33.8% for TCM users (95% CI: 33.1–34.6) and 49.2% for nonusers (95% CI: 48.5–49.9). After adjusting for confounding covariates, the cause-specific hazard ratio of ESRD was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.78–0.84), and the hazard ratio of mortality for TCM users was 0.48 (95% CI: 0.47–0.50). The cumulative incidence of mortality increased rapidly among TCM users with ESRD (56.8, 95% CI: 54.6–59.1) when compared with TCM users without ESRD (30.1, 95% CI: 29.4–30.9). In addition, TCM users who used TCM longer or initiated TCM treatments after being diagnosed with DN were associated with a lower risk of mortality. These results were consistent across sensitivity tests with different definitions of TCM users and inverse probability weighting of subjects.

Conclusions

The lower ESRD and mortality rates among patients with incident DN correlates with the use of TCM treatments. Further studies about specific TCM modalities or medications for DN are still needed.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-019-2491-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.