Prin Vathesatogkit

The impact of different GFR estimating equations on the prevalence of CKD and risk groups in a Southeast Asian cohort using the new KDIGO guidelines

BackgroundRecently, the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) group recommended that patients with CKD should be assigned to stages and composite relative risk groups according to GFR (G) and proteinuria (A) criteria. Asians have among the highest rates of ESRD in the world, but establishing the prevalence and prognosis CKD is a problem for Asian populations since there is no consensus on the best GFR estimating (eGFR) equation. We studied the effects of the choice of new Asian and Caucasian eGFR equations on CKD prevalence, stage distribution, and risk categorization using the new KDIGO classification.MethodsThe prevalence of CKD and composite relative risk groups defined by eGFR from with Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI); standard (S) or Chinese(C) MDRD; Japanese CKD-EPI (J-EPI), Thai GFR (T-GFR) equations were compared in a Thai cohort (n = 5526)ResultsThere was a 7 fold difference in CKD3-5 prevalence between J-EPI and the other Asian eGFR formulae. CKD3-5 prevalence with S-MDRD and CKD-EPI were 2 - 3 folds higher than T-GFR or C-MDRD. The concordance with CKD-EPI to diagnose CKD3-5 was over 90% for T-GFR or C-MDRD, but they only assigned the same CKD stage in 50% of the time. The choice of equation also caused large variations in each composite risk groups especially those with mildly increased risks. Different equations can lead to a reversal of male: female ratios. The variability of different equations is most apparent in older subjects. Stage G3aA1 increased with age and accounted for a large proportion of the differences in CKD3-5 between CKD-EPI, S-MDRD and C-MDRD.ConclusionsCKD prevalence, sex ratios, and KDIGO composite risk groupings varied widely depending on the equation used. More studies are needed to define the best equation for Asian populations.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and disease-specific mortality in Asia: systematic review with meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies

Background That socioeconomic deprivation has shown a correlation with disease-specific mortality in Western societies is well documented. However, it is unclear whether these findings are also apparent in Asian societies. Accordingly, we conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from Asia that have reported on the association between socioeconomic position and adult mortality risk. Methods Relevant studies were identified through an electronic search of databases. Studies were included if they had published quantitative estimates of the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and mortality in a general population-based sample. The pooled multiple-adjusted relative risks for mortality in the lowest SES group relative to the highest SES group were studied. Random effects meta-analyses were computed. Results A total of 29 cohort studies from 10 Asian countries were identified, comprising 1 370 023 individuals and 71 818 total deaths. The three markers of SES most widely used (education, income, occupation) were inversely related to mortality outcomes under consideration (all-causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer). For instance, the pooled relative risks of low education compared with high education were: 1.40 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.52) for all-cause mortality, 1.66 (1.23 to 2.25) for cardiovascular mortality and 1.16 (1.07 to 1.27) for cancer mortality. There was some evidence that the age of cohort members at study induction, the gross national product of the country from which the cohort was drawn and geographical region modified the association between SES and mortality. Conclusions Concordant with findings from Western societies, socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with total and cause-specific mortality in Asia.

Cohort Profile: The electricity generating authority of Thailand study

During the past 30–40 years, there has been a tremendous increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially in developing countries. The change from an agricultural to an industrial society, and the introduction of new technology, make people less likely to engage in physical activity and more likely to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Modern medicine has markedly reduced the mortality from infectious disease and has improved human longevity, consequently leading to more deaths from chronic diseases, particularly cancer and CVD. Thailand, a mediumsized middle-income country, is one of those nations that is encountering this epidemiological transition and is anticipated to experience much greater increases in CVD compared with Western countries over the next 20 years. Observational studies in Western populations suggest that the well-established risk factors for CVD (obesity, diabetes mellitus, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia and cigarette smoking) account for most of the attributable risk for CVD. But the manifestations of CVD and prevalence of its risk factors are often different among Western and Asian populations. For instance, stroke is much more common among many Asian populations compared with the USA or European Union. Most CVD events are potentially preventable through modification of risk factors. To prioritize the preventive measures for maximum benefit, and influence change, a clear understanding of the attribution of risk factors in the local environment is needed. Consequently, following the model of the Framingham study, the first cohort study of chronic disease in Thailand was set up by a group of cardiologists at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, in 1985. Their basic aim was to examine the effects of cardiovascular risk factors, as identified by Framingham and other studies, on health in the Thai population, specifically to see if the same risk factors worked in the same way as elsewhere. Due to issues with contacting participants in a general population setting within Thailand, it was decided to site this study within an occupational workforce. Initial funding was provided by Mahidol University, the Thai Heart Association and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) corporation. Later, the National Research Council, Thailand Research Fund and Praman Chansue Foundation became major funders.

Socioeconomic status in relation to cardiovascular disease and cause-specific mortality: a comparison of Asian and Australasian populations in a pooled analysis

Objectives In Western countries, lower socioeconomic status is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature mortality. These associations may plausibly differ in Asian populations, but data are scarce and direct comparisons between the two regions are lacking. We, thus, aimed to compare such associations between Asian and Western populations in a large collaborative study, using the highest level of education attained as our measure of social status. Setting Cohort studies in general populations conducted in Asia or Australasia. Participants 303 036 people (71% from Asia) from 24 studies in the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration. Studies had to have a prospective cohort study design, have accumulated at least 5000 person-years of follow-up, recorded date of birth (or age), sex and blood pressure at baseline and date of, or age at, death during follow-up. Outcome measures We used Cox regression models to estimate relationships between educational attainment and CVD (fatal or non-fatal), as well as all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Results During more than two million person-years of follow-up, 11 065 deaths (3655 from CVD and 4313 from cancer) and 1809 CVD non-fatal events were recorded. Adjusting for classical CVD risk factors and alcohol drinking, hazard ratios (95% CIs) for primary relative to tertiary education in Asia (Australasia) were 1.81 (1.38, 2.36) (1.10 (0.99, 1.22)) for all-cause mortality, 2.47(1.47, 4.17) (1.24 (1.02, 1.51)) for CVD mortality, 1.66 (1.00, 2.78) (1.01 (0.87, 1.17)) for cancer mortality and 2.09 (1.34, 3.26) (1.23 (1.04, 1.46)) for all CVD. Conclusions Lower educational attainment is associated with a higher risk of CVD or premature mortality in Asia, to a degree exceeding that in the Western populations of Australasia.

Associations of lifestyle factors, disease history and awareness with health-related quality of life in a thai population

Background The impact of the presence and awareness of individual health states on quality of life (HRQoL) is often documented. However, the impacts of different health states have rarely been compared amongst each other, whilst quality of life data from Asia are relatively sparse. We examined and compared the effects of different health states on quality of life in a Thai population. Methods In 2008–2009, 5,915 corporate employees were invited to participate in a survey where HRQoL was measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. The adjusted mean SF-36 scores were calculated for each self-reported illness, number of chronic conditions, lifestyle factors and awareness of diabetes and hypertension. The effect sizes (ES) were compared using Cohens d. Results The response rate was 82% and 4,683 (79.1%) had complete data available for analysis. Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS and MCS) scores decreased as the number of chronic conditions increased monotonically (p<0.0001). Diabetes and hypertension negatively influenced PCS (mean score differences −0.6 and −1.5, p<0.001 respectively) but not MCS, whereas awareness of diabetes and hypertension negatively influenced MCS (−2.9 and −1.6, p<0.005 respectively) but not PCS. Arthritis had the largest ES on PCS (−0.37), while awareness of diabetes had the largest ES on MCS (−0.36). CVD moderately affected PCS and MCS (ES −0.34 and −0.27 respectively). Obesity had a negative effect on PCS (ES −0.27). Exercise positively affected PCS and MCS (ES +0.08 and +0.21 (p<0.01) respectively). Conclusion Health promotion to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases is important to improve the quality of life in Asian populations. Physical activity is an important part of such programs. Awareness of diseases may have greater impacts on mental health than having the disease itself. This has implications for the evaluation of the cost-benefit of screening and labeling of individuals with pre-disease states.

Long-term effects of socioeconomic status on incident hypertension and progression of blood pressure

Objective: Few data have linked socioeconomic status (SES) to incident hypertension, and little information on the relationship between SES and hypertension are available from developing countries. We thus investigated the long-term effects of SES on incident hypertension and changes in blood pressure in Thailand. Methods: In 1985, baseline data were collected from 3499 participants in the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand study. Participants were re-examined in 1997, 2002 and 2007. Logistic regression models, Cox-proportional hazard models and time-dependent covariates were used to calculate the relationship between SES and prevalent hypertension in 1985, incident hypertension in 1997 and 2007, respectively. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was 20% and the level of income, but not education, was inversely related to prevalent hypertension. Adjusting for several risk factors, compared to those who had tertiary education, participants who had primary education had 30% increased risk of incident hypertension in 1997 [hazard ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–1.54] and 20% in 2007 (1.20, 1.05–1.37); both P for trend was less than 0.01. Participants who had higher education also had substantially lower increments in SBP and DBP across 22 years (P < 0.0001 for SBP and P = 0.015 for DBP). Level of income was similarly negatively related to the progression of SBP, with a 3.6 mmHg difference between the highest income group and the lowest (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Hypertensive counseling and surveillance should be emphasized within socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

Work- and Travel-related Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption: Relationship With Bone Mineral Density and Calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasonometry

A number of healthy workers rarely exercise because of a lack of time or resources. Physical activity related to work and everyday travel may be more feasible, but evidence of its beneficial effect on bone health is scarce. We assessed if this form of physical activity was associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) and stiffness index (SI) when adjusted for recreational physical activity, age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Healthy workers, aged 25-54 yr, of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand were surveyed. The outcomes were BMD (lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip) and calcaneal SI. Physical activity was estimated using the global physical activity questionnaire and considered active when >600 metabolic equivalent tasks (min). Of 2268 subjects, 74% were men. Active male subjects had significantly higher BMD at the femoral neck and total hip (p<0.005). However, the association was not significant with male lumbar spine BMD, male SI, or any bone parameters in women (p>0.05). In men, work and travel physical activity seems beneficial to male bone health; hence, it should be encouraged. Furthermore, smoking appeared harmful while moderate alcohol consumption was beneficial.

Blood pressure, cholesterol and cardiovascular disease in Thailand

Background Although associations between risk factors such as hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well-established it is not known to what extent these associations are similar in people from different ethnicities or regions. This study aims to measure the contributions of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and total cholesterol (TC) to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke in the Thai population. Methods and results Data from a Thai cohort study were used for analyses. Participants were 2702 males and 797 females aged between 35 and 54 years at the start of study in 1985. Cox Proportional Hazards Models were used to assess RRs of IHD or stroke associated with SBP or TC stratified by age at the time of an event of 30–44, 45–59, and 60–69 years. During the 17 years of follow-up, 96 IHD (40 non-fatal, 56 fatal), 69 strokes (32 non-fatal and 37 fatal) occurred. Each 1 mmol/l increase in TC was associated with a fivefold increase in IHD risk in people aged 30–44 years, but not with significant increase in stroke risk in any age group. The RRs (95% CIs) of IHD per 10 mm Hg increase in SBP were 1.31 (1.04 to 1.64) and 1.46 (1.15 to 1.87), and of stroke, 1.40 (1.10 to 1.79) and 1.85 (1.40 to 2.45) in people aged 45–59 and 60–69 years, respectively. Conclusions Increases in IHD and stroke risks associated with these two risk factors observed in Thailand are comparable with those in the Asia Pacific and western populations.

Effects of glomerular filtration rate estimating equations derived from different reference methods on staging and long term mortality risks of chronic kidney disease in a Southeast Asian cohort.

There are limited data on the risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Southeast Asian populations. Several GFR estimating equations have been developed in diverse Asian populations, but they produce markedly discrepant results. We investigated the impact of Asian equations on the mortality risk of CKD in a Thai cohort during long term follow‐up, and explored the differences between equations grouped according to the reference GFR methods used to develop them.

Effects of GFR estimating equations derived from different reference methods on staging and long term mortality risks of chronic kidney disease in a Southeast Asian cohort

There are limited data on the risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Southeast Asian populations. Several GFR estimating equations have been developed in diverse Asian populations, but they produce markedly discrepant results. We investigated the impact of Asian equations on the mortality risk of CKD in a Thai cohort during long term follow‐up, and explored the differences between equations grouped according to the reference GFR methods used to develop them.