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Sleep apnea-related mortality continuously increased in Black men in US over past 2 decades

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A new study published in Sleep Medicine highlights an uptrend in sleep-related mortality and associated cardiovascular disease outcomes among Black men in the U.S.

“Overall, a steady increase in mortality was seen from 1999 to 2008, but the rate remained flat throughout the remainder of the study period. This pattern was observed in Black females and both genders for whites. However, Black males are the only demographic group that had a continuous increase in mortality between 1999 and 2019,”Yu-Che Lee,MD, MPH, resident physician in the department of medicine at the University of Buffalo-Catholic Health System, New York, and colleagues wrote. Read the story in Healio.

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Patients with CKD report COVID-19 negatively affected mental health, quality of care

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BOSTON — Patients with chronic kidney disease reported the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected their mental health and quality of health care, according to a poster presented at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings.

“We did a study to look at the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and the quality of health care in patients with diabetes,” Neil Roy, MBBS, from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, told Healio. Read the full story in Healio.

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Mayo Clinic Minute: Why more liver donors are needed

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April is National Donate Life Month. It’s observed to help raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.

In the U.S., it’s estimated that 4.5 million adults are diagnosed with chronic liver disease. It develops over time and may be caused by a number of conditions including, hepatitis, genetics, alcohol overuse or cancer. Chronic liver disease is different than acute liver disease, which can come on quickly and may be the result of an injury or a virus. Read the full story from the Mayo Clinic here.

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Hot Topics: Plant-Based Diets and Kidney Disease

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According to research published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, people with kidney disease who consume more plant protein have a lower risk of death. Even a 33% increase in the ratio of plant protein to total protein has shown benefits. 

In this episode of Hot Topics, Brittany Sparks, registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in renal nutrition, and Eric Singer, a whole-foods, plant-based diet advocate living with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), discuss the many benefits of plant-based diets. They also bust some common myths people may have about kidney disease and eating plant-based diets.  Read the full story from National Kidney Foundation.

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Inflammation Associated with Mortality in Kidney Transplant Recipients

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No specific inflammatory pathway was considered causative to long-term mortality in kidney transplant recipients.

Investigators observed strong association between low-grade systemic inflammation in the 10 weeks following kidney transplantation and long-term mortality in a recent cohort study from Norway.

Generally, low-grade systemic inflammation has been established as a risk factor for all-cause mortality as has been known to increase the severity and risk of diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Read more on HCP Live.

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8 Activities to Try During Dialysis

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Dialysis sessions can take upwards of 12 hours a week so, how do you fill this time? Here are eight activities to help you use this time to its fullest potential, whether that’s relaxing, connecting with others, or engaging your mind. 

1. Watch a new movie, tv series, or documentary

Do you have any tv shows to catch up on or a movie your colleagues can’t believe you haven’t seen? Here’s your sign to watch it or to find something new. There are dozens of streaming services, and some even let you download shows if you’re trying to conserve cellular data.  Read more ideas from The National Kidney Foundation.

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Telehealth: Terms and Conditions Apply

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— Added convenience comes at a cost

Let’s say with all that’s been going on, you’ve been feeling increasingly depressed and anxious, so you decide to make an appointment with a psychiatrist who you heard was great. The next courageous step is to actually show up for the appointment, and you arrive a few minutes early to fill out the usual paperwork in the waiting room. Finally, you’re shown to her office, and you nervously take a seat on the couch. She smiles warmly and says, “OK, I’m going to begin audio and video recording the appointment now.”
Read more in MedPage Today here.

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A glimpse into my journey: Lung transplantation for COVID-19

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Prior to November of 2020, if approached with the term ECMO or the words ventilator, tracheostomy, or lung transplant, I would have had a grossly rudimentary knowledge of most. Fast forward to January 2021, this would dramatically change as I would have an intimate understanding of what these were. In retrospect, this understanding comes with a high degree of respect for these tools and the people who use them to keep people alive. And that is exactly what they did for me.

In November of 2020, I contracted SARS-CoV-2, which resulted in my developing Covid-19. The disease ran unapologetically through my body. I had all the classic systems: sore throat, fever, body aches as I have never experienced and horrible fatigue. Realizing I was dealing with something worse than a common cold, I went to my primary care physician for a Covid test. I was instructed to isolate and rest as I waited for the results. After a day of having all these symptoms, I knew this test was going to be positive; and it was.
Read the full editorial in Wiley Online Library.

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Regular exercise yields greater CV benefit in adults with anxiety, depression

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WASHINGTON — For adults with anxiety or depression, regular exercise had nearly double the CV benefit compared with those without these diagnoses, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.

“Our findings are not meant to suggest that exercise is only good or has CV benefit in those with [anxiety and/or depression], but it does suggest that people with stress-related conditions tend to derive a greater benefit,” Hadil Zureigat, MD, postdoctoral clinical research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, said during an ACC press conference. “It also emphasizes stress-related neural pathways in explaining part of the CV benefit of exercise.” Read the full story in Healio.

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Use of Live-Donor Liver Transplants in Patients With Metastatic Colon Cancer Leads to ‘Excellent Survival’

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Patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver tend to have poor outcomes and are typically not candidates to receive liver transplants from deceased donors. However, results from a small study on transplanting livers from live-donors could “change this paradigm,” an expert said.

Patients with unresectable colon cancer that has spread to the liver tend to have poor outcomes and diminished quality of life.

Transplants from deceased donors are typically reserved for patients who have liver disease or have impaired liver function, and unfortunately most patients with colon cancer that has metastasized to their liver have normal liver functions and are therefore not a priority on transplant lists. Read the full article in Cure.

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