Background: We aimed to validate three widely used scales in stroke research in a multiethnic Brazilian population. Methods: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index (BI) were translated, culturally adapted and applied by two independent investigators. The mRS was applied with or without a previously validated structured interview. Interobserver agreement (kappa statistics) and intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated. Results: 84 patients underwent mRS (56 with and 28 without a structured interview), 57 BI and 62 NIHSS scoring. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.902 for NIHSS and 0.967 for BI. For BI, interobserver agreement was good (kappa = 0.70). For mRS, the structured interview improved interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.34 without a structured interview; 0.75 with a structured interview). Conclusion: The NIHSS, BI and mRS show good validity when translated and culturally adapted. Using a structured interview for the mRS improves interobserver concordance rates.

SummaryBackground and objectives This study aimed to investigate the influence of social support and other psychosocial factors on mortality, adherence to medical care recommendations, and physical quality of life among hemodialysis patients.Design, setting, participants, & measurements Data on 32,332 hemodialysis patients enrolled in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (1996 to 2008) in 12 countries were analyzed. Social support and other psychosocial factors related to ESRD and its treatment were measured by patient self-reports of health interference with social activities, isolation, feeling like a burden, and support from family and dialysis staff. Cox regression and logistic regression were used to examine associations of baseline social support and other psychosocial factors with all-cause mortality and with other measured outcomes at baseline, adjusting for potential confounders.Results Mortality was higher among patients reporting that their health interfered with social activities, were isolated, felt like a burden, and were dissatisfied with family support. Poorer family support and several psychosocial measures also were associated with lower adherence to the prescribed hemodialysis length and the recommended weight gain between sessions. Some international differences were observed. Poorer self-reported social support and other psychosocial factors were associated with poor physical quality of life.Conclusions Poorer social support and other psychosocial factors are associated with higher mortality risk, lower adherence to medical care, and poorer physical quality of life in hemodialysis patients. More research is needed to assess whether interventions to improve social support and other psychosocial factors will lengthen survival and enhance quality of life.

Obesity is a risk factor for VTE in obese medical patients and patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Obesity appears to play an adjuvant role for the development of VTE in hospitalized patients with other risk factors. The small number of prospective trials in this population prevents a definite conclusion about the most effective and safe VTE prophylactic method for obese patients. Thus, randomized clinical trials to compare VTE prophylactic methods in obese patients are still highly warranted.

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In our study, only the most recent HR-QOL score was associated with mortality. Hence, the predictive power of a measurement of HR-QOL is not affected by changes in HR-QOL prior to that measurement; more frequent HR-QOL measurements are needed to improve the prediction of outcomes in HD. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal frequency and appropriate instrument to be used for serial measurements.

, MS, † and on behalf of CKDopps Investigators* Objective: Conflicting findings and knowledge gaps exist regarding links between anemia, physical activity, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, and mortality in moderate-to-advanced CKD. Using the CKD Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, we report associations of hemoglobin (Hgb) with HRQOL and physical activity, and associations of Hgb and physical activity with CKD progression and mortality in stage 3-5 nondialysis (ND)-CKD patients. Design and Methods: Prospectively collected data were analyzed from 2,121 ND-CKD stage 3-5 patients, aged $18 years, at 43 nephrologist-run US and Brazil CKD Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study-participating clinics. Cross-sectional associations were assessed of Hgb levels with HRQOL and physical activity levels (from validated Kidney Disease Quality of Life Instrument and Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity surveys). CKD progression (first of $40% estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] decline, eGFR,10 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , or end-stage kidney disease) and all-cause mortality with Hgb and physical activity levels were also evaluated. Linear, logistic, and Cox regression analyses were adjusted for country, demographics, smoking, eGFR, serum albumin, very high proteinuria, and 13 comorbidities. Results: HRQOL was worse, with severe anemia (Hgb,10 g/dL), but also evident for mild/moderate anemia (Hgb 10-12 g/dL), relative to Hgb.12 g/dL. Odds of being highly physically active were substantially greater at Hgb.10.5 g/dL. Lower Hgb was strongly associated with greater CKD progression and mortality, even after extensive adjustment. Physical inactivity was strongly associated with greater mortality and weakly associated with CKD progression. Possible residual confounding is a limitation. Conclusion: This multicenter international study provides real-world observational evidence for greater HRQOL, physical activity, lower CKD progression, and greater survival in ND-CKD patients with Hgb levels .12 g/dL, exceeding current treatment guideline recommendations. These findings help inform future studies aimed at understanding the impact of new anemia therapies and physical activity regimens on improving particular dimensions of ND-CKD patient well-being and clinical outcomes.

SummaryBackground and Objectives Although low socioeconomic status has been considered a contraindication to peritoneal dialysis (PD), no published data clearly link it to poor outcomes. The goal of this study was assessing the effect of income on survival in the Brazilian Peritoneal Dialysis Multicenter Study.Design, setting, participants, & measurements Incident PD patients enrolled in this prospective cohort from December 2004 to October 2007 were divided according to monthly family income. The median age was 59 years, 54% were women, 60% Caucasians, 41% diabetics, and 24% had cardiovascular disease. Most of them were in continuous ambulatory PD, had not received predialysis care, had Ͻ4 school years, and had a family income of Ͻ5 minimum wage (80%). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model adjusting the results for age, gender, educational status, predialysis care, first therapy, PD modality, calendar year, and comorbidities.Results There were no differences in technique (log rank test 2 ϭ 4.36) and patient (log rank test 2 ϭ 2.92) survival between the groups. In the multivariate analysis, low family income remained not associated either to worse technique survival (hazard ratio [HR] ϭ 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] ϭ 0.91 to 1.84) or to patient survival (HR ϭ 1.40; 95% CI ϭ 0.99 to 1.99).Conclusions According to these results, economic status is not independently associated with outcomes in this large cohort and should not be considered a barrier for PD indication.