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Binks MJ, Bleakley AS, Pizzutto SJ, Lamberth M, Powell V, Nelson J, Kirby A, Morris PS, Simon D, Mulholland EK, Rathnayake G, Leach AJ, D'Antoine H, Licciardi PV, Snelling T, Chang AB. Randomised controlled trial of perinatal vitamin D supplementation to prevent early-onset acute respiratory infections among Australian First Nations children: the 'D-Kids' study protocol. BMJ Open Respir Res 2023; 10:e001646. [PMID: 37586777 PMCID: PMC10432658 DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Globally, acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. While ARI-related mortality is low in Australia, First Nations infants are hospitalised with ARIs up to nine times more often than their non-First Nations counterparts. The gap is widest in the Northern Territory (NT) where rates of both acute and chronic respiratory infection are among the highest reported in the world. Vitamin D deficiency is common among NT First Nations neonates and associated with an increased risk of ARI hospitalisation. We hypothesise that perinatal vitamin D supplementation will reduce the risk of ARI in the first year of life. METHODS AND ANALYSIS 'D-Kids' is a parallel (1:1), double-blind (allocation concealed), randomised placebo-controlled trial conducted among NT First Nations mother-infant pairs. Pregnant women and their babies (n=314) receive either vitamin D or placebo. Women receive 14 000 IU/week or placebo from 28 to 34 weeks gestation until birth and babies receive 4200 IU/week or placebo from birth until age 4 months. The primary outcome is the incidence of ARI episodes receiving medical attention in the first year of life. Secondary outcomes include circulating vitamin D level and nasal pathogen prevalence. Tertiary outcomes include infant immune cell phenotypes and challenge responses. Blood, nasal swabs, breast milk and saliva are collected longitudinally across four study visits: enrolment, birth, infant age 4 and 12 months. The sample size provides 90% power to detect a 27.5% relative reduction in new ARI episodes between groups. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This trial is approved by the NT Human Research Ethics Committee (2018-3160). Study outcomes will be disseminated to participant families, communities, local policy-makers, the broader research and clinical community via written and oral reports, education workshops, peer-reviewed journals, national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12618001174279.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Binks
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Amy S Bleakley
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Susan J Pizzutto
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Michelle Lamberth
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Verity Powell
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Jane Nelson
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Adrienne Kirby
- National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney CAR, Glebe, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter S Morris
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - David Simon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - E Kim Mulholland
- New Vaccines Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Epidemiology and Public Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Amanda J Leach
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Heather D'Antoine
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Paul V Licciardi
- New Vaccines Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne VCCC, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tom Snelling
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anne B Chang
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
- Centre for Children's Health Research, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Majoni SW, Nelson J, Graham J, Abeyaratne A, Fernandes DK, Cherian S, Rathnayake G, Ashford J, Hocking L, Cain H, McFarlane R, Lawton PD, Barzi F, Taylor S, Cass A. Comparison of two ferritin assay platforms to assess their level of agreement in measuring serum and plasma ferritin levels in patients with chronic kidney disease. BMC Nephrol 2023; 24:198. [PMID: 37391713 PMCID: PMC10314376 DOI: 10.1186/s12882-023-03255-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferritin levels are used to make decisions on therapy of iron deficiency in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hyperferritinaemia, common among patients with CKD from the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia, makes use of ferritin levels as per clinical guidelines challenging. No gold standard assay exists for measuring ferritin levels. Significant variability between results from different assays creates challenges for clinical decision-making regarding iron therapy. In the NT, different laboratories use different methods. In 2018, Territory Pathology changed the assay from Abbott ARCHITECT i1000 (AA) to Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Vitros 7600 (OCD). This was during the planning of the INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on haemodialysis (INFERR) clinical trial. The trial design was based on AA assay ferritin levels. We compared the two assays' level of agreement in measuring ferritin levels in CKD patients. METHODS Samples from INFERR clinical trial participants were analysed. Other samples from patients whose testing were completed the same day on OCD analyzers and run within 24 h on AA analyzers were added to ensure wide range of ferritin levels, adding statistical strength to the comparison. Ferritin levels from both assays were compared using Pearson's correlation, Bland-Altman, Deming and Passing-Bablok regression analyses. Differences between sample types, plasma and serum were assessed. RESULTS Sixty-eight and 111 (179) samples from different patients from Central Australia and Top End of Australia, respectively, were analyzed separately and in combination. The ferritin levels ranged from 3.1 µg/L to 3354 µg/L and 3 µg/L to 2170 µg/L for AA and OCD assays respectively. Using Bland-Altman, Deming and Passing-Bablok regression methods for comparison, ferritin results were consistently 36% to 44% higher with AA than OCD assays. The bias was up to 49%. AA ferritin results were the same in serum and plasma. However, OCD ferritin results were 5% higher in serum than plasma. CONCLUSIONS When making clinical decisions, using ferritin results from the same assay in patients with CKD is critical. If the assay is changed, it is essential to assess agreement between results from the new and old assays. Further studies to harmonize ferritin assays are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandawana William Majoni
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia.
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Division of Medicine, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
- Northern Territory Medical Program, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
| | - Jane Nelson
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
| | - Jessica Graham
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
| | - Asanga Abeyaratne
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Division of Medicine, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Northern Territory Medical Program, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - David Kiran Fernandes
- Department of Nephrology, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Sajiv Cherian
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Northern Territory Medical Program, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Department of Nephrology, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Geetha Rathnayake
- Territory Pathology, Darwin Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Territory Pathology, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Jenna Ashford
- Territory Pathology, Darwin Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
| | - Lynn Hocking
- Territory Pathology, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Heather Cain
- Territory Pathology, Darwin Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Territory Pathology, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Robert McFarlane
- Territory Pathology, Darwin Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Territory Pathology, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Paul Damian Lawton
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
| | - Federica Barzi
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sean Taylor
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
- Department of Nephrology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Division of Medicine, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Alan Cass
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Darwin, Australia
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Majoni SW, Nelson J, Germaine D, Hoppo L, Long S, Divakaran S, Turner B, Graham J, Cherian S, Pawar B, Rathnayake G, Heron B, Maple-Brown L, Batey R, Morris P, Davies J, Fernandes DK, Sundaram M, Abeyaratne A, Wong YHS, Lawton PD, Taylor S, Barzi F, Cass A. INFERR-Iron infusion in haemodialysis study: INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on haemodialysis-a protocol for a prospective open-label blinded endpoint randomised controlled trial. Trials 2021; 22:868. [PMID: 34857020 PMCID: PMC8641231 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05854-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The effectiveness of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, which are the main stay of managing anaemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD), is largely dependent on adequate body iron stores. The iron stores are determined by the levels of serum ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation. These two surrogate markers of iron stores are used to guide iron replacement therapy. Most Aboriginal and/or Torres Islander Australians of the Northern Territory (herein respectfully referred to as First Nations Australians) with end-stage kidney disease have ferritin levels higher than current guideline recommendations for iron therapy. There is no clear evidence to guide safe and effective treatment with iron in these patients. We aim to assess the impact of intravenous iron treatment on all-cause death and hospitalisation with a principal diagnosis of all-cause infection in First Nations patients on haemodialysis with anaemia, high ferritin levels and low transferrin saturation Methods In a prospective open-label blinded endpoint randomised controlled trial, a total of 576 participants on maintenance haemodialysis with high ferritin (> 700 μg/L and ≤ 2000 μg/L) and low transferrin saturation (< 40%) from all the 7 renal units across the Northern Territory of Australia will be randomised 1:1 to receive intravenous iron polymaltose 400 mg once monthly (200 mg during 2 consecutive haemodialysis sessions) (Arm A) or no IV iron treatment (standard treatment) (Arm B). Rescue therapy will be administered when the ferritin levels fall below 700 μg/L or when clinically indicated. The primary outcome will be the differences between the two study arms in the risk of hospitalisation with all-cause infection or death. An economic analysis and several secondary and tertiary outcomes analyses will also be performed. Discussion The INFERR clinical trial will address significant uncertainty on the safety and efficacy of iron therapy in First Nations Australians with CKD with hyperferritinaemia and evidence of iron deficiency. This will hopefully lead to the development of evidence-based guidelines. It will also provide the opportunity to explore the causes of hyperferritinaemia in First Nations Australians from the Northern Territory. Trial registration This trial is registered with The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12620000705987. Registered 29 June 2020. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-021-05854-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandawana William Majoni
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. .,Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. .,Flinders University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
| | - Jane Nelson
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Darren Germaine
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Libby Hoppo
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Stephanie Long
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Shilpa Divakaran
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Brandon Turner
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Jessica Graham
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Sajiv Cherian
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Flinders University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Basant Pawar
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Geetha Rathnayake
- Flinders University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Chemical Pathology-Territory Pathology, Department of Health, Northern Territory Government, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Bianca Heron
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Louise Maple-Brown
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Endocrinology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Robert Batey
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.,New South Wales Health, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter Morris
- Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Women, Children and Youth, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Jane Davies
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - David Kiran Fernandes
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Madhivanan Sundaram
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Asanga Abeyaratne
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Flinders University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Yun Hui Sheryl Wong
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Paul D Lawton
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,The Central Clinical School, Monash University & Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sean Taylor
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, P.O. Box 41326, Casuarina, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Federica Barzi
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4067, Australia
| | - Alan Cass
- Division of Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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Choy KW, Sezgin G, Wijeratne N, Calleja J, Liwayan R, Rathnayake G, McFarlane R, McNeil A, Doery JCG, Lu Z, Markus C, Loh TP. Assessment of analytical bias in ferritin assays and impact on functional reference limits. Pathology 2021; 54:302-307. [PMID: 34538480 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2021.06.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Serum ferritin is currently the recommended laboratory test to investigate iron deficiency. There have been efforts to standardise serum ferritin assays with implementation of traceability to the World Health Organization reference standard. We evaluate the analytical bias among five widely used commercial ferritin assays in Australia. The relationship between serum ferritin and erythrocyte parameters was recently explored to derive functional reference limits. Residual patient serum specimens were analysed by five participating laboratories that utilised a different ferritin assay, Abbott, Beckman Coulter, Roche, Siemens, and Ortho. Using data mining approach, functional reference limits for Siemens, Abbott, and Ortho serum ferritin methods were derived and compared. At clinically relevant ferritin decision points, compared to the Beckman method, the Roche assay showed higher results ranging from 6 μg/L (31%) at the lowest decision point to 575 μg/L (57%) at the highest decision point. In contrast, the Ortho method underestimated ferritin results at lower decision points of 20 and 30 μg/L, with estimated ferritin results of 16 μg/L (-19%) and 27 μg/L (-12%), respectively. The Abbott and Siemens assays showed a positive bias which was introduced at differing decision points. The comparison of the Siemens and Ortho methods presents similar inflection points between the two assays in the establishment of functional reference limits for serum ferritin. There remain significant biases among some of the commonly used commercial ferritin assays in Australia. More studies are needed to assess if functional reference limits are a way to overcome method commutability issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay Weng Choy
- Northern Pathology Victoria, Northern Health, Epping, Vic, Australia.
| | - Gorkem Sezgin
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nilika Wijeratne
- Dorevitch Pathology, Heidelberg, Vic, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - John Calleja
- Melbourne Pathology, Collingwood, Vic, Australia
| | - Rachelle Liwayan
- Northern Pathology Victoria, Northern Health, Epping, Vic, Australia
| | - Geetha Rathnayake
- Territory Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia; University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Robert McFarlane
- Territory Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Alan McNeil
- Dorevitch Pathology, Heidelberg, Vic, Australia
| | | | - Zhong Lu
- Monash Pathology, Monash Health, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Corey Markus
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Tze Ping Loh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore
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Majoni SW, Lawton PD, Rathnayake G, Barzi F, Hughes JT, Cass A. Narrative Review of Hyperferritinemia, Iron Deficiency, and the Challenges of Managing Anemia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians With CKD. Kidney Int Rep 2021; 6:501-512. [PMID: 33615076 PMCID: PMC7879094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2020.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Indigenous Australians) suffer some of the highest rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the world. Among Indigenous Australians in remote areas of the Northern Territory, prevalence rates for renal replacement therapy (RRT) are up to 30 times higher than national prevalence. Anemia among patients with CKD is a common complication. Iron deficiency is one of the major causes. Iron deficiency is also one of the key causes of poor response to the mainstay of anemia therapy with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). Therefore, the effective management of anemia in people with CKD is largely dependent on effective identification and correction of iron deficiency. The current identification of iron deficiency in routine clinical practice is dependent on 2 surrogate markers of iron status: serum ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation (TSAT). However, questions exist regarding the use of serum ferritin concentration in people with CKD because it is an acute-phase reactant that can be raised in the context of acute and chronic inflammation. Serum ferritin concentration among Indigenous Australians receiving RRT is often markedly elevated and falls outside reference ranges within most national and international guidelines for iron therapy for people with CKD. This review explores published data on the challenges of managing anemia in Indigenous people with CKD and the need for future research on the efficacy and safety of treatment of anemia of CKD in patients with high ferritin and evidence iron deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandawana William Majoni
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Flinders University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Paul D. Lawton
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Geetha Rathnayake
- Flinders University and Northern Territory Medical Program, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Chemical Pathology–Territory Pathology, Department of Health, Northern Territory Government, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Federica Barzi
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Jaquelyne T. Hughes
- Department of Nephrology, Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Alan Cass
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia
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Hughes JT, Barzi F, Hoy WE, Jones GRD, Rathnayake G, Majoni SW, Thomas MAB, Sinha A, Cass A, MacIsaac RJ, O'Dea K, Maple-Brown LJ. Bilirubin concentration is positively associated with haemoglobin concentration and inversely associated with albumin to creatinine ratio among Indigenous Australians: eGFR Study. Clin Biochem 2017; 50:1040-1047. [PMID: 28834701 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2017.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Low serum bilirubin concentrations are reported to be strongly associated with cardio-metabolic disease, but this relationship has not been reported among Indigenous Australian people who are known to be at high risk for diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). HYPOTHESIS serum bilirubin will be negatively associated with markers of chronic disease, including CKD and anaemia among Indigenous Australians. METHOD A cross-sectional analysis of 594 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (TSI) people in good health or with diabetes and markers of CKD. Measures included urine albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), haemoglobin (Hb) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Diabetes was defined by medical history, medications or HbA1c≥6.5% or ≥48mmol/mol. Anaemia was defined as Hb<130g/L or <120g/L in males and females respectively. A multivariate regression analysis examining factors independently associated with log-bilirubin was performed. RESULTS Participants mean (SD) age was 45.1 (14.5) years, and included 62.5% females, 71.7% Aboriginal, 41.1% with diabetes, 16.7% with anaemia, 41% with ACR>3mg/mmol and 18.2% with eGFR<60mL/min/1.73m2. Median bilirubin concentration was lower in females than males (6 v 8μmol/L, p<0.001) and in Aboriginal than TSI participants (6 v 9.5μmol/L, p<0.001). Six factors explained 35% of the variance of log-bilirubin; Hb and cholesterol (both positively related) and ACR, triglycerides, Aboriginal ethnicity and female gender (all inversely related). CONCLUSION Serum bilirubin concentrations were positively associated with Hb and total cholesterol, and inversely associated with ACR. Further research to determine reasons explaining lower bilirubin concentrations among Aboriginal compared with TSI participants are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Hughes
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Department of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
| | - F Barzi
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - W E Hoy
- Centre for Chronic Disease, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - G R D Jones
- SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - G Rathnayake
- Territory Pathology, Department of Health, Northern Territory Government, Australia; Department of Pathology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - S W Majoni
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Department of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Flinders University Medical School, Northern Territory Medical Program, Darwin, Australia
| | | | - A Sinha
- Cairns Base Hospital and Diabetes Centre, Cairns, Australia
| | - A Cass
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - R J MacIsaac
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - K O'Dea
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia
| | - L J Maple-Brown
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Department of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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Rathnayake G, Choy KW, Doery JC. Non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia in a neonate diagnosed by multidisciplinary approach. Pathology 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2015.12.250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Wijerathne B, Rathnayake G. Medical students' attitudes and perspectives regarding novel computer-based practical spot tests compared to traditional practical spot tests. Can Med Educ J 2013; 4:e41-e48. [PMID: 26451213 PMCID: PMC4563600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most universities currently practice traditional practical spot tests to evaluate students. However, traditional methods have several disadvantages. Computer-based examination techniques are becoming more popular among medical educators worldwide. Therefore incorporating the computer interface in practical spot testing is a novel concept that may minimize the shortcomings of traditional methods. Assessing students' attitudes and perspectives is vital in understanding how students perceive the novel method. METHODS One hundred and sixty medical students were randomly allocated to either a computer-based spot test (n=80) or a traditional spot test (n=80). The students rated their attitudes and perspectives regarding the spot test method soon after the test. The results were described comparatively. RESULTS Students had higher positive attitudes towards the computer-based practical spot test compared to the traditional spot test. Their recommendations to introduce the novel practical spot test method for future exams and to other universities were statistically significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS The computer-based practical spot test is viewed as more acceptable to students than the traditional spot test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buddhika Wijerathne
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
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Liyanage CAH, Rathnayake G, Deen KI. A new technique for suture rectopexy without resection for rectal prolapse. Tech Coloproctol 2009; 13:27-31; discussion 32-3. [PMID: 19288248 DOI: 10.1007/s10151-009-0455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2008] [Accepted: 01/08/2009] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We surmised that if rectopexy was performed without dissection of the lateral rectal stalks in patients with full-thickness rectal prolapse and normal preoperative transit, sigmoid resection may not be required. This study evaluated a new approach to abdominal suture rectopexy for rectal prolapse. METHODS A total of 81 patients (57 male, 24 female; median age 37 years, range 5-82 years) with rectal prolapse were assessed by clinical examination, anal manometry (maximum resting pressure, MRP, and squeeze pressure, MSP) and radioopaque marker transit studies. Of the 81 patients, 70 with normal preoperative transit underwent suture fixation alone, without resection, performed under spinal anaesthesia, through a 7-cm transverse left lower quadrant incision gaining access to the presacral space via a left pararectal "window", preserving the lateral stalks. RESULTS Average surgical time was 50 min, mortality was zero, and morbidity was 9% (three patients with wound infection, four with urinary retention). Anal incontinence improved in 43 of 53 patients (81%, p=0.001). MRP and MSP had improved at 3 months after surgery: MRP from a mean of 27.6+/-1.4 mmHg (range 2-30 mmHg) before surgery to 32.5+/-2.21 mmHg (2-60 mmHg) after surgery (p=0.008); MSP from 69.25+/-6.4 mmHg (8-153 mmHg) before surgery to 79+/-4.77 mmHg (35-157 mmHg) after surgery (p=0.001).. Transit was unchanged in 18 of 20 patients (90%) who were evaluated before and after surgery; none was constipated after surgery. At 56 months, prolapse had recurred in five patients (7%). CONCLUSION Abdominal suture rectopexy with a left pararectal approach without sigmoid resection in those with normal preoperative transit resulted in an improvement in anal incontinence and satisfactory long-term control of prolapse. The operation did not alter transit and did not result in significant constipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A H Liyanage
- Department of Surgery, University of Kelaniya Medical School, Ragama, Sri Lanka.
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