Cardiovascular disease is more common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and traditional risk factors do not adequately predict those at risk for cardiovascular (CV) events. Recent evidence suggests elevated trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), created by gut microflora from dietary L-carnitine and choline, is associated with CV events. We investigated the relationship of TMAO levels in patients with stages 3b and 4 CKD to ischemic CV events using the CanPREDDICT cohort, a Canada-wide observational study with prospective 3-year follow-up of adjudicated CV events. Baseline samples were obtained for 2529 CKD patients. TMAO, choline, and L-carnitine levels were measured using tandem mass spectrometry. Baseline median TMAO level was high for the whole cohort (20.41 μM; interquartile range [IQR]: 12.82-32.70 μM). TMAO was independently associated with CV events (hazard ratio 1.23; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.42 / 1 SD lnTMAO) after adjusting for all potential CV risk factors. Those in the highest TMAO quartile had significantly higher risk of CV events (adjusted hazard ratio 1.59; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-2.43; P = 0.0351) in the analysis of recurring ischemic events. Among those with stage 3b CKD (hazard ratio 1.45; 95% confidence interval: 1.12-1.87 / 1 SD lnTMAO), independent of kidney function, TMAO levels identified those at highest risk for events. Our results suggest that TMAO may represent a new potentially modifiable CV risk factor for CKD patients. Further studies are needed to determine sources of variability and if lowering of TMAO reduces CV risk in CKD.
Patients with nonmetastatic cardiac sarcoma amenable to complete resection experienced improved survival. However, the high overall rates of disease progression and mortality highlight the need for more effective local and systemic treatments that may be used in conjunction with surgery to improve patient outcomes.
Background: Sarcoma arising in the mediastinum is a rare entity. This study evaluates treatment and survival in a cohort of patients with primary mediastinal sarcoma. Methods: Between 1990 and 2006, 16 patients were referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency with histologically confirmed sarcoma of mediastinal origin. Outcomes examined were diseasefree survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: There were nine male and seven female patients. The median age at diagnosis was 56 years (range 21-70 years). Thirteen (81%) patients had localized disease, and three (19%) patients had distant metastasis at diagnosis. Surgical resection was performed in 8 of 13 patients with localized disease. At a median follow-up of 18 months, 12 patients have died of disease, three were alive with disease, and one was alive with no evidence of disease. In the entire cohort, median DFS was 12 months (range 0-107 months), and median OS was 18 months (range 1-193 months). Patients who underwent surgery experienced improved DFS (p ϭ 0.054) and OS (p ϭ 0.034). Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 1 was associated with improved DFS (p ϭ 0.038) and OS (p ϭ 0.007). The histologic subtype with the longest survival was well-differentiated liposarcoma. Age, gender, tumor location, T and N stage, tumor size, location, and grade were not associated with significant survival differences. Conclusion: Surgical resection was associated with more favorable survival in patients with mediastinal sarcoma. However, the high rates of progression and mortality underscore the need for more effective adjuvant treatments.
Background. Prior studies evaluating the effect of statins or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the survival of men receiving prostate cancer were treatment have reported conflicting results, and have not adjusted for comorbidity. Our aim is to investigate the influence of statins and ASA on prostate cancer survival, when comorbidity is adjusted for, in men treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer. Methods. A cohort of 3851 patients with prostate cancer treated with curative EBRT ± androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) between 2000 and 2007. Stage, treatment, medication use, and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) scores were analyzed. Results. Median followup was 8.4 years. Mean age was 70.3 years. Neoadjuvant ADT was used in 67%. Statins were used in 23%, ASA in 24%, and both in 11%. Comorbidity scores were 0 in 65%, 1 in 25%, and ≥2 in 10% of patients. Statin and ASA use were associated with increased age and comorbidity. Although statin and ASA use were significantly associated with improved prostate cancer specific survival (PCSS) on univariate analysis, neither were on multivariate analysis. Conclusion. Neither statin nor ASA use impacted PCSS on multivariate competing risks analysis. Survival was impacted by increased comorbidity as well as statin and ASA use.
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