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Background: Medium cut-off (MCO) membranes enhance large middle-molecule clearance while selectively retaining molecules >45 000 Da. Objectives: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effects of MCO versus high-flux membranes on biomarkers. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from January 2015 to July 2020, and gray literature sources from 2017. We included randomized (RS) and nonrandomized studies (NRS) comparing MCO and high-flux membranes in adults (>18 years) receiving maintenance hemodialysis. We performed study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisals in duplicate and used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Outcomes included solute removal (plasma clearance or dialysate quantitation), reduction ratios, and predialysis serum concentrations for a range of prespecified large middle molecules. Results: We identified 26 eligible studies (10 RS and 16 NRS; N = 1883 patients; patient-years = 1366.3). The mean difference (MD) for albumin removal was 2.31 g per session (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.79 to 1.83; high certainty), with a reduction in predialysis albumin of −0.12 g/dl (95% CI, −0.16 to −0.07; I 2 = 0%; high certainty) in the first 24 weeks, returning to normal (MD = −0.02 g/dl, 95% CI, −0.07 to −0.03; I 2 = 56%; high certainty) after 24 weeks. We also found with high certainty that MCO dialysis resulted in a large increase (standardized mean difference [SMD]> 2.0 for all) in β2-microglobulin, κ- and λ-free light chains, and myoglobin removal, resulting in moderate (SMD > 0.5) to large (SMD > 0.8) reductions in predialysis concentrations for all of these solutes. Medium cut-off dialysis increased the reduction ratio for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) by 7.7% (95% CI, 4.7 to 10.6; moderate certainty), and reduced predialysis TNF-α by SMD −0.48 (95% CI, −0.91 to −0.04; moderate certainty). We found with moderate certainty that MCO dialysis had little to no effect on predialysis interleukin-6 (IL-6) plasma concentrations. Medium cut-off dialysis reduced mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in peripheral leukocytes by MD −15% (95% CI, −19.6 to −10.4; moderate certainty) and −8.8% (95% CI, −10.2 to −7.4; moderate certainty), respectively. Conclusion: Medium cut-off dialysis increases the clearance of a wide range of large middle molecules and likely reduces inflammatory mediators with a concomitant transient reduction in serum albumin concentration. The net effect of MCO dialysis on large middle molecules could translate into important clinical effects.

Background: A novel medium cut-off (MCO) dialyzer (Theranova, Baxter Healthcare, Deerfield, IL, USA) enhances large middle molecule clearance while retaining selectivity for molecules >45 000 Da. Objective: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating clinical outcomes with MCO vs high-flux membranes. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science through July 2020, and gray literature sources from 2017. We included randomized (RS) and nonrandomized studies (NRS) comparing MCO and high-flux membranes in adults receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Pairs of reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment in duplicate. We conducted random-effects pairwise meta-analyses to pool results across studies and used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach to assess evidence certainty. Results: We identified 22 eligible studies (6 RS, 16 NRS; N = 1811 patients; patient-years = 1546). The MCO dialyzer improved (estimate; 95% confidence interval [CI]; certainty rating) quality of life (mean difference [MD] = 16.7/100 points; 6.9 to 26.4; moderate), Kidney Disease Quality of Life Instrument (KDQOL) subscales—burden (MD = 4.0; 1.1 to 6.9; moderate) and effects (MD = 5.4; 3.2 to 7.6; moderate), pruritus (MD = −4.4; −7.1 to −1.7; moderate), recovery time (MD = −420 minutes; −541 to −299; high), and restless legs syndrome (odds ratio = 0.39; 0.29 to 0.53; moderate). There was little to no difference in all-cause mortality (risk difference = −0.4%; −2.8 to 2.1; moderate) and serious adverse events (rate ratio = 0.63; 0.38 to 1.04; low). MCO dialysis reduced hospitalization (rate ratio = 0.48; 0.27 to 0.84; low), infection (rate ratio = 0.38; 0.17 to 0.85; moderate), hospitalization days (MD = −1.5 days; 95% CI, −2.22 to −0.78; moderate), erythropoiesis resistance index (MD = −2.92 U/kg/week/g/L; 95% CI, −4.25 to −1.6; moderate) and cumulative iron use over 12 weeks (MD = −293 mg; 95% CI, −368 to −218; moderate). We found with low certainty that MCO dialysis had little to no effect on KDQOL symptoms/problem list, pain, and physical health and moderate certainty that MCO dialysis likely has no effect on the KDQOL mental health composite. Conclusions: We found with predominantly moderate certainty that the MCO dialyzer improves several patient-important outcomes with no apparent risks or harms. More definitive studies are needed to better quantify the effects of MCO membranes on mortality, hospitalization, and other rare events.

BackgroundA number of studies have reported on associations between reproductive factors, such as delivery methods, number of birth and breastfeeding, and incidence of cancer in children, but systematic reviews addressing this issue to date have important limitations, and no reviews have addressed the impact of reproductive factors on cancer over the full life course of offspring.MethodsWe performed a comprehensive search in MEDLINE, and Embase up to January 2020 and Web of Science up to 2018 July, including cohort studies reporting the association between maternal reproductive factors of age at birth, birth order, number of births, delivery methods, and breastfeeding duration and cancer in children. Teams of two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. We conducted random effects meta-analyses to estimate summary relative estimates, calculated absolute differences between those with and without risk factors, and used the GRADE approach to evaluate the certainty of evidence.ResultsFor most exposures and most cancers, we found no suggestion of a causal relation. We found low to very low certainty evidence of the following very small possible impact: higher maternal age at birth with adult multiple myeloma and lifetime uterine cervix cancer incidence; lower maternal age at birth with childhood overall cancer mortality (RR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.01-1.30; AR/10,000 = 1, 95% CI = 0 to 2), adult leukemia and lifetime uterine cervix cancer incidence; higher birth order with adult melanoma, cervix uteri, corpus uteri, thyroid cancer incidence, lifetime lung, corpus uteri, prostate, testis, sarcoma, thyroid cancer incidence; larger number of birth with childhood brain (RR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.06-1.52; AR/10,000 = 1, 95% CI = 0 to 2), leukemia (RR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.62-2.75; AR/10,000 = 9, 95% CI = 5 to 14), lymphoma (RR = 4.66, 95% CI = 1.40-15.57; AR/10,000 = 11, 95% CI = 1 to 44) incidence, adult stomach, corpus uteri cancer incidence and lung cancer mortality, lifetime stomach, lung, uterine cervix, uterine corpus, multiple myeloma, testis cancer incidence; Caesarean delivery with childhood kidney cancer incidence (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.01-1.55; AR/10,000 = 0, 95% CI = 0 to 1); and breastfeeding with adult colorectal cancer incidence.ConclusionVery small impacts existed between a number of reproductive factors and cancer incidence and mortality in children and the certainty of evidence was low to very low primarily due to observational design.

Iran's health system has developed a Farsi edition of the Hospital Safety Index (HSI) and has integrated the related assessment program into the health information system. This article presents the results of the 2015 estimation of hospital safety from disasters in I.R.Iran using HSI.We analyzed data from 421 hospitals that had submitted a complete HSI assessment form on the Ministry of Health and Medical Education Portal System. Data collection was based on the self-assessments of the hospital disaster committees. HSI includes 145 items categorized in three components including, structural, non-structural and functional capacity. For each item, safety status was categorized into three levels: not safe (0), average safety (1) and high safety (2). A normalized scoring scheme on a 100-point scale was developed. Hospitals were classified to three safety classes according to their normalized total score: low (≤34.0), average (34.01-66.0) and high (>66.0).The average score of all safety components were 43.0 out of 100 (± 11.0). Eighty-two hospitals (19.4%) were classified as not safe, and 339 hospitals (80.6%) were classified in the average safety category. No hospital was placed in the high safety category. Average safety scores were 41.0, 47.0, and 42.0 for functional capacity, non-structural safety, and structural safety respectively. The average safety score increased between 2012 and 2015, from 34.0 to 43.0.Hospital safety in the event of disasters has improved in Iran in recent years and more hospitals have joined the HSI program. This is a result of continuous efforts invested in capacity building programs and promotion of the 2012 HSI estimation. The HSI should be maintained to monitor the progress of Iran's health system in regards to hospital safety in the case of disasters. It is recommended that WHO continue advocacy of HSI, establish a HSI monitoring system, and add it to country profiles on WHO website.

Background & Aim: Following the Bam earthquake, relief teams and individual volunteers’influx in the scene. We conducted this survey to determine the needs and health status of relief workers when they were in the scene. Methods & Materials: This was a concurrent nested mixed-method survey that the qualitative nested in a quantitative approach. Interviews were through an open-ended semi-structural questionnaire three weeks after Bam earthquake. Respondents were from the relief team who had been staying in Bam at least for one week at the time of interview. Results: We surveyed 235 relief workers and majority of them (75%) were in the scene since the1stor 2nd week of earthquake. Twenty-eight of them experienced illness, and the most common complaint was respiratory track illness. One hundred eighty five of them (79%) expressed their need to a psychology consultation. The results of thematic analysis of qualitative phase of survey were about the 19 themes expressed by the subjects. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that all relief workers should be trained for self- protection. Preparing the basic needs by him/her-self may maximize the performance of relief workers in disaster regions. The study method design applied was appropriate for the similar situations.