Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. Methods: We randomly assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to the addition of once-weekly subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30 mg to 50 mg) or matching placebo to standard care. We hypothesized that albiglutide would be noninferior to placebo for the primary outcome of first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. If noninferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the hazard ratio of less than 1.30, closed-testing for superiority was prespecified. Findings: Overall, 9463 participants were followed for a median of 1.6 years. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 of 4731 patients (7.1%; 4.6 events per 100 person-years) in the albiglutide group and in 428 of 4732 patients (9.0%; 5.9 events per 100 person-years) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI ], 0.68 to 0.90), indicating that albiglutide, was superior to placebo (P<0.0001 for noninferiority, P=0.0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (albiglutide 10 patients and placebo 7 patients), pancreatic cancer (6 and 5), medullary thyroid carcinoma (0 and 0), and other serious adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. (Funded by GlaxoSmithKline; Harmony Outcomes ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02465515.) noninferiority; P = 0.06 for superiority). There seems to be variation in the results of existing trials with GLP-1 receptor agonists, which if correct, might reflect drug structure or duration of action, patients studied, duration of follow-up or other factors.

BACKGROUND The long-term renal consequences of kidney donation by a living donor are attracting increased appropriate interest. The overall evidence suggests that living kidney donors have survival similar to that of nondonors and that their risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is not increased. Previous studies have included relatively small numbers of donors and a brief follow-up period. METHODS We ascertained the vital status and lifetime risk of ESRD in 3698 kidney donors who donated kidneys during the period from 1963 through 2007; from 2003 through 2007, we also measured the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urinary albumin excretion and assessed the prevalence of hypertension, general health status, and quality of life in 255 donors. RESULTS The survival of kidney donors was similar to that of controls who were matched for age, sex, and race or ethnic group. ESRD developed in 11 donors, a rate of 180 cases per million persons per year, as compared with a rate of 268 per million per year in the general population. At a mean (±SD) of 12.2±9.2 years after donation, 85.5% of the subgroup of 255 donors had a GFR of 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area or higher, 32.1% had hypertension, and 12.7% had albuminuria. Older age and higher body-mass index, but not a longer time since donation, were associated with both a GFR that was lower than 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 and hypertension. A longer time since donation, however, was independently associated with albuminuria. Most donors had quality-of-life scores that were better than population norms, and the prevalence of coexisting conditions was similar to that among controls from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who were matched for age, sex, race or ethnic group, and body-mass index. CONCLUSIONS Survival and the risk of ESRD in carefully screened kidney donors appear to be similar to those in the general population. Most donors who were studied had a preserved GFR, normal albumin excretion, and an excellent quality of life.

The level of GFR is an independent risk factor for ASCVD and de novo ASCVD in the ARIC study.

Objective To describe epidemiologic characteristics and associations with increased healthcare utilization in US adults with chronic low back pain (cLBP). Methods NHANES back pain survey 2009–2010, administered to adults aged 20–69 (N = 5103). cLBP was defined as pain in the area between the lower posterior margin of the ribcage and the horizontal gluteal fold, with a history of pain lasting almost every day for at least 3 months. Demographic and behavioral characteristics were compared between those with cLBP and without. Factors, associated with ≥10 healthcare visits/year were evaluated in the cLBP subgroup (N=700). Results cLBP associations with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) ≥2 included age 50–69, education less than high school, annual household income <$20 000, income from disability, depression, sleep disturbances, and medical comorbidities. Subjects with cLBP were more likely to be covered by government-sponsored insurance plans: aOR 3.23 ([95% CI] 2.19–4.75) for Medicaid, aOR 2.25 (1.57–3.22) for Medicare (p < 0.0001), and visited healthcare providers more frequently: aOR 3.35 (2.40–4.67) for ≥10 healthcare visits in the past year (p < 0.0001). In the cLBP subgroup aORs ≥2 were found for associations between ≥10 visits per year and unemployment, income from disability, depression, and sleep disturbances. Conclusion US adults with cLBP are socioeconomically disadvantaged, make frequent healthcare visits and are often covered by government-sponsored health insurance. The clustering of behavioral, psychosocial, and medical issues should be considered in the care of Americans with cLBP.

Background: There is no doubt that acute calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) nephrotoxicity exists; however, chronic CNI nephrotoxicity is questionable at best. Methods: We reviewed the literature to identify original articles related to the use of CNIs in renal and nonrenal solid organ transplantation in order to examine the available evidence about their chronic nephrotoxicity and contribution to graft failure. Results: Early clinical experience and animal studies support the evidence of CNI nephrotoxicity. These findings evolved into the dogma that CNI nephrotoxicity is the major cause of late renal allograft failure. However, in transplanted kidneys the specific role of chronic CNI nephrotoxicity has been questioned. The emerging literature clearly highlights the lack of solid evidence for the role of CNIs as the sole and major injurious agents that cause chronic renal dysfunction and subsequent graft failure. Most of the evidence available to date is against complete CNI avoidance, and minimization appears to be a more viable strategy. It is becoming increasingly clear that the typical pathological lesions linked to chronic CNI use are highly nonspecific, and most of the chronic changes that have been attributed to chronic CNI nephrotoxicity are the consequences of previously unrecognized immunologic injuries. One needs to keep in mind that the potential risk of side effects of CNI use should be balanced against the risk of rejection. Conclusions: More research should focus on addressing the true causes of chronic graft dysfunction rather than focusing on the overexaggerated contribution of CNIs to late graft loss.