Faculty Bibliography

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has increased in the US over the last several years. The consumption of low-fat dairy foods has been linked with decreasing the risk of DM but studies have yet to show a clear correlation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of dairy intake on homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), waist circumference, and body weight. In MEDLINE and Embase, we identified and reviewed 49 relevant RCTs: 30 had appropriate data format for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Using the Review Manager 5 software, we calculated the pooled standardized mean differences comparing dairy dietary interventions to control for our outcomes of interest. For HOMA-IR (794 individuals), we found a mean difference of -1.21 (95% CI -1.74 to -0.67; p-value < 0.00001; I

BACKGROUND:Neighborhood racial mix is associated with dialysis facility performance metrics and mortality outcomes in patients on hemodialysis. We explored the association of neighborhood racial mix with emergency department (ED) visits in patients receiving hemodialysis. METHODS:Using Looking Glass (Montefiore's clinical database) we identified a cohort of patients on hemodialysis with an index ED visit at any of 4 Montefiore Hospital locations, between January 2013 and December 2017 and followed it for number of ED visits through December of 2017 or dropout due to death. The racial mix data for the Bronx block group of each subject's residence was derived from the Census Bureau. We then used negative binomial regression to test the association of quintile of percent of Black residents per residential block group with ED visits in unadjusted and adjusted models. To adjust further for quality offered by local dialysis facilities, with the facility zip code as the locus, we used data from the "Dialysis Compare" website. RESULTS:Three thousand nine-hundred and eighteen subjects were identified and the median number of ED visits was 3 (interquartile range (IQR) 1-7) during the study period. Subjects living in the highest quintile of percent Black residents were older, more commonly female and had lower poverty rates and higher rates of high school diplomas. Unadjusted models showed a significant association between the highest quintiles of Black neighborhood residence and count of ED visits. Fully adjusted, stratified models revealed that among males, and Hispanic and White subjects, living in neighborhoods with the highest quintiles of Black residents was associated with significantly more ED visits (p-trend =0.001, 0.02, 0.01 respectively). No association was found between dialysis facility locations' quintile of Black residents and quality metrics. CONCLUSIONS:Living in a neighborhood with a higher percentage of Black residents is associated with a higher number of ED visits in males and non-Black patients on hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND:Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients. Vitamin D has an integral role in proper immune function, and deficiency is common among kidney transplant recipients. It remains unclear whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level is associated with CMV infection in kidney transplant recipients. METHODS:We examined the relationship between 25(OH)D levels, measured at least 6 months posttransplant, and subsequent CMV infection in 1976 recipients free of prior CMV infection. RESULTS:Of 1976 recipients, 251 (12.7%) were vitamin D deficient [25(OH)D <20 ng/mL] and 548 (27.7%) were insufficient (20-29 ng/mL) at the time of the first 25(OH)D measurement. A total of 107 recipients had a CMV infection within 1 year of a 25(OH)D measurement. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with a 1.81-fold higher risk (relative hazard = 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-3.09) than vitamin D sufficiency after adjustment for baseline characteristics and concurrent graft function and blood calcineurin inhibitor concentration. Each 1 ng/mL lower 25(OH)D was associated with a 2% higher risk of infection (95% CI, 0%-4%) in continuous analyses after adjustment. CONCLUSIONS:Low 25(OH)D is common in kidney transplant recipients and associated with late CMV infection. These results highlight the need for interventional trials to assess the potential for vitamin D supplementation to reduce infectious complications in kidney transplant recipients.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Magnesium (Mg) may protect against arterial calcification. We tested the hypotheses that a higher serum Mg concentration is associated with less arterial calcification and stiffness in patients on hemodialysis (HD) and that these associations are modified by diabetes mellitus. METHODS:We performed cross-sectional analyses of 367 incident HD patients from the Predictors of Arrhythmic and Cardiovascular Risk in End Stage Renal Disease (PACE) cohort. Measures of arterial calcification and stiffness included coronary arterial calcification (CAC) and thoracic aortic calcification (TAC) scores, ankle brachial index (ABI; high ABI: >1.4 or incompressible vessels), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and pulse pressure. RESULTS: = 0.02). Mg was not associated with CAC or high ABI among diabetic individuals. Mg was not associated with PWV or pulse pressure regardless of diabetes status. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Diabetes modified the associations of serum Mg with arterial calcification and stiffness in incident HD patients. Higher Mg was associated with less arterial calcification and less peripheral arterial stiffness among nondiabetic individuals, but Mg was only associated with TAC among diabetic individuals with higher Mg being associated with higher likelihood of having TAC score >0.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE:] in serum) levels predict cardiovascular events (CVEs) following kidney transplantation. STUDY DESIGN:Observational cohort study. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS:Single-center study of 2,128 kidney transplant recipients free of CVEs during the first 13.5 months following transplantation. PREDICTOR:level at 1 year posttransplantation. OUTCOMES:Ischemic, arrhythmic, and heart failure CVEs and death from any cause. ANALYTICAL APPROACH:levels. RESULTS:< 24 mEq/L, there was 17% higher risk for death (aHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.92). LIMITATIONS:Single-center observational study. CONCLUSIONS:Metabolic acidosis is an independent risk factor for ischemic CVEs after kidney transplantation. It is unknown whether correction of acidosis improves outcomes in these patients.

Deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) is common in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3 and 4 and is associated with poor outcomes. However, the evaluation and management of vitamin D deficiency in nephrology remains controversial. This article reports on the proceedings from a "controversies conference" on vitamin D in chronic kidney disease that was sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation. The report outlines the deliberations of the 3 work groups that participated in the conference. Until newer measurement methods are widely used, the panel agreed that clinicians should classify 25(OH)D "adequacy" as concentrations > 20ng/mL without evidence of counter-regulatory hormone activity (ie, elevated parathyroid hormone). The panel also agreed that 25(OH)D concentrations < 15ng/mL should be treated irrespective of parathyroid hormone level. Patients with 25(OH)D concentrations between 15 and 20ng/mL may not require treatment if there is no evidence of counter-regulatory hormone activity. The panel agreed that nutritional vitamin D (cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol, or calcifediol) should be supplemented before giving activated vitamin D compounds. The compounds need further study evaluating important outcomes that observational studies have linked to low 25(OH)D levels, such as progression to end-stage kidney disease, infections, fracture rates, hospitalizations, and all-cause mortality. We urge further research funding in this field.

Mortality in the general population and in patients on chronic hemodialysis is significantly higher in winter than summer. It is unknown whether such a seasonal difference exists for mortality or graft failure among kidney transplant recipients. We analyzed United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data to assess whether the annual distribution of deaths and graft failures differed significantly from expected. There was significant annual variation in both deaths (n = 52 523) and graft failures (n = 50 301; both P < 0.001). The number of observed deaths exceeded the number expected by 8.9% in winter (P < 0.001), whereas the number of deaths was 4.8% lower than expected in summer (P < 0.01). The pattern was strongest for deaths attributable to cardiovascular disease (n = 11 509; 21.9%). Similarly, there was an excess of graft failures in winter (3.6%; P < 0.01) and a deficit in other seasons (all P ≤ 0.02). This pattern was observed for graft failures due to chronic rejection (P < 0.001) and other causes (P < 0.001), but not for acute rejection (P = 0.28) or recurrent disease (P = 0.27). Potential explanations for this variation include changes in physiologic parameters, changes in medication adherence and other behaviors, or changes in insurance coverage or clinical care. Further studies are necessary to identify specific mechanisms.