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Bajaj JS, Choudhury AK, Xie Q, Kamath PS, Topazian M, Hayes PC, Torre A, Desalegn H, Idilman R, Cao Z, Alvares-da-Silva MR, George J, Bush BJ, Thacker LR, Wong F. Global disparities in mortality and liver transplantation in hospitalised patients with cirrhosis: a prospective cohort study for the CLEARED Consortium. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 8:611-622. [PMID: 37230109 PMCID: PMC10330833 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(23)00098-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cirrhosis, the end result of liver injury, has high mortality globally. The effect of country-level income on mortality from cirrhosis is unclear. We aimed to assess predictors of death in inpatients with cirrhosis using a global consortium focusing on cirrhosis-related and access-related variables. METHODS In this prospective observational cohort study, the CLEARED Consortium followed up inpatients with cirrhosis at 90 tertiary care hospitals in 25 countries across six continents. Consecutive patients older than 18 years who were admitted non-electively, without COVID-19 or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, were enrolled. We ensured equitable participation by limiting enrolment to a maximum of 50 patients per site. Data were collected from patients and their medical records, and included demographic characteristics; country; disease severity (MELD-Na score); cirrhosis cause; medications used; reasons for admission; transplantation listing; cirrhosis-related history in the past 6 months; and clinical course and management while hospitalised and for 30 days post discharge. Primary outcomes were death and receipt of liver transplant during index hospitalisation or within 30 days post discharge. Sites were surveyed regarding availability of and access to diagnostic and treatment services. Outcomes were compared by country income level of participating sites, defined according to World Bank income classifications (high-income countries [HICs], upper-middle-income countries [UMICs], and low-income or lower-middle-income countries [LICs or LMICs]). Multivariable models controlling for demographic variables, disease cause, and disease severity were used to analyse the odds of each outcome associated with variables of interest. FINDINGS Patients were recruited between Nov 5, 2021, and Aug 31, 2022. Complete inpatient data were obtained for 3884 patients (mean age 55·9 years [SD 13·3]; 2493 (64·2%) men and 1391 (35·8%) women; 1413 [36·4%] from HICs, 1757 [45·2%] from UMICs, and 714 [18·4%] from LICs or LMICs), with 410 lost to follow-up within 30 days after hospital discharge. The number of patients who died while hospitalised was 110 (7·8%) of 1413 in HICs, 182 (10·4%) of 1757 in UMICs, and 158 (22·1%) of 714 in LICs and LMICs (p<0·0001), and within 30 days post discharge these values were 179 (14·4%) of 1244 in HICs, 267 (17·2%) of 1556 in UMICs, and 204 (30·3%) of 674 in LICs and LMICs (p<0·0001). Compared with patients from HICs, increased risk of death during hospitalisation was found for patients from UMICs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2·14 [95% CI 1·61-2·84]) and from LICs or LMICs (2·54 [1·82-3·54]), in addition to increased risk of death within 30 days post discharge (1·95 [1·44-2·65] in UMICs and 1·84 [1·24-2·72] in LICs or LMICs). Receipt of a liver transplant was recorded in 59 (4·2%) of 1413 patients from HICs, 28 (1·6%) of 1757 from UMICs (aOR 0·41 [95% CI 0·24-0·69] vs HICs), and 14 (2·0%) of 714 from LICs and LMICs (0·21 [0·10-0·41] vs HICs) during index hospitalisation (p<0·0001), and in 105 (9·2%) of 1137 patients from HICs, 55 (4·0%) of 1372 from UMICs (0·58 [0·39-0·85] vs HICs), and 16 (3·1%) of 509 from LICs or LMICs (0·21 [0·11-0·40] vs HICs) by 30 days post discharge (p<0·0001). Site survey results showed that access to important medications (rifaximin, albumin, and terlipressin) and interventions (emergency endoscopy, liver transplantation, intensive care, and palliative care) varied geographically. INTERPRETATION Inpatients with cirrhosis in LICs, LMICs, or UMICs have significantly higher mortality than inpatients in HICs independent of medical risk factors, and this might be due to disparities in access to essential diagnostic and treatment services. These results should encourage researchers and policy makers to consider access to services and medications when evaluating cirrhosis-related outcomes. FUNDING National Institutes of Health and US Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmohan S Bajaj
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University and Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System, Richmond, VA, USA.
| | - Ashok K Choudhury
- Department of Hepatology, Institute for Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Qing Xie
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Patrick S Kamath
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mark Topazian
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, St Paul's Hospital, Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Peter C Hayes
- Hepatology, Division of Health Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Aldo Torre
- Department of Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Hailemichael Desalegn
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, St Paul's Hospital, Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Ramazan Idilman
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Zhujun Cao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mario R Alvares-da-Silva
- Department of Hepatology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research and Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brian J Bush
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Leroy R Thacker
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Florence Wong
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Bush BJ, Carson ML, Cubeta MA, Hagler WM, Payne GA. Infection and Fumonisin Production by Fusarium verticillioides in Developing Maize Kernels. Phytopathology 2004; 94:88-93. [PMID: 18943824 DOI: 10.1094/phyto.2004.94.1.88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Fusarium ear rot and fumonisin contamination are serious problems for maize growers, particularly in the southeastern United States. The lack of maize genotypes highly resistant to infection by Fusarium verticillioides or to fumonisin contamination emphasizes the need for management strategies to prevent contamination by this mycotoxin. Information on the initial appearance of infection and fumonisin contamination of kernels and their increase over time is needed to determine if early harvest may be an appropriate control strategy. Maize ears from replicated studies at two locations in eastern North Carolina were harvested weekly, starting 2 weeks after pollination and continuing for 14 weeks. The percentage of kernels infected with F. verticillioides and the fumonisin contamination in the harvested samples were determined. Kernel infection by F. verticillioides and fumonisin contamination appeared as kernels neared physiological maturity and increased up to the average harvest date for maize in North Carolina. Beyond this date, the concentrations of fumonisin fluctuated. Under years conducive for fumonisin contamination, early harvest (greater than 25% grain moisture) may help reduce the level of contamination.
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Abstract
Irrigated pastures are significant contributors of phosphorus (P) to inland watercourses, with much of the P coming from applied fertilizer. It was hypothesized that the timing of P fertilizer application relative to irrigation regulates P concentrations in runoff and infiltrating water. To test this hypothesis, a two-by-two factorial experiment was conducted on twelve 8- x 30-m border-irrigated bays growing perennial pasture. Phosphorus fertilizer in the form of single superphosphate (44 kg P ha(-1)) was surface-broadcast onto the bays when the nominal change in soil water deficit reached 0 or 50 mm (U.S. Class A pan evaporation minus rainfall). Following fertilizer application, the bays were again irrigated when the nominal soil water deficit between fertilizing and the subsequent irrigation reached either 0 or 50 mm. The volume of water applied, runoff volume, and changes in soil water content were recorded for the three irrigations following fertilizer application. Total phosphorus (TP) and filtrable reactive phosphorus (FRP, <0.45 microm) concentrations in runoff and at depths of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.6 m in the soil were also measured. Soil water content at fertilizer application had less effect on P concentrations in runoff and soil water than the additional time between fertilizing and irrigating. By allowing a deficit of 50 mm between fertilizer application and irrigation, the average concentration of P in runoff and moving below a soil depth of 0.1 m was approximately halved. To maximize fertilizer use efficiency and minimize environmental effects, a delay should occur between applying P fertilizer and irrigating perennial pasture.
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Affiliation(s)
- B J Bush
- Dep of Natural Resources and Environment, Institute of Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture, Tatura, Victoria, Australia.
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