Abstract P058: Elevated Systolic Blood Pressure is Associated with Mortality in Faster, but Not Slower Walking Elderly Adults

Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle C Odden ◽  
Carmen A Peralta ◽  
Mary N Haan ◽  
Kenneth E Covinsky
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
At Risk ◽  
High Blood Pressure ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
P Value ◽  
Elderly Adults ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk

Introduction: The association between high blood pressure (BP) and risk of death varies by age and appears to be attenuated in some elderly adults. Walking speed is an excellent measure of functional status and may identify which elders may be most at risk for the adverse consequences of hypertension. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that elevated BP would be associated with greater risk of mortality in faster walkers, but not in slower walkers. Methods: The study population included 2,340 persons ≥ 65 years, with measured BP, in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) waves 1999-2000 and 2001-2002. Mortality data was linked to death certificate data in the National Death Index. Walking speed was measured over a 20-foot walk; 243 (8%) did not complete the walk for various safety and logistical reasons. Participants with walking speed above the mean (2.7 ft/sec) were classified as faster walkers. Potential confouders included age, sex, race, survey year, lifestyle and physiologic factors, chronic health conditions, and antihypertensive use. Results: There were 589 deaths recorded through December 31 st , 2006. Among faster walkers, those with elevated systolic BP (≥140 mmHg) had a higher mortality rate compared to those with systolic BP <140 mmHg (236 vs. 161 per 100,000 person-years). Among slower walkers, mortality rates did not appear to differ by the presence of elevated systolic BP (586 vs. 563 per 100,000 person-years). This pattern remained after multivariable adjustment; there was an association between elevated systolic BP and mortality in faster, but not slower walkers (Table). Elevated diastolic BP was not independently associated with an increased risk of mortality. Conclusions: If confirmed in other studies, walking speed could be a simple measure to identify elderly adults who are most at risk for poor outcomes related to high blood pressure. Table Association of elevated blood pressure and mortality, stratified by walking speed Hazard Ratio (HR) of Death Faster Walking Speed >2.7 ft/sec (n = 1,279) Slower Walking Speed ≤ 2.7 ft/sec (n = 818) p-value for interaction HR (95% CI) p-value HR (95% CI) p-value Elevated Systolic BP (≥140 mmHg) 1.44 (1.04, 1.99) 0.03 1.08 (0.82, 1.42) 0.56 0.11 Elevated Diastolic BP (≥90 mmHg) 1.09 (0.52, 2.27) 0.82 0.65 (0.30, 1.45) 0.28 0.28 Funding (This research has received full or partial funding support from the American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate (California, Nevada&Utah))

scholarly journals Blood pressure and 10-year all-cause mortality: Findings from the PERU MIGRANT Study

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1134
Author(s):  
Aida Hidalgo-Benites ◽  
Valeria Senosain-Leon ◽  
Rodrigo M. Carrillo-Larco ◽  
Andrea Ruiz-Alejos ◽  
Robert H. Gilman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
High Blood Pressure ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
National Committee ◽  
Hypertension Prevalence ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Mortality Effect ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
All Cause Mortality

Background The long-term impact of elevated blood pressure on mortality outcomes has been recently revisited due to proposed changes in cut-offs for hypertension. This study aimed at assessing the association between high blood pressure levels and 10-year mortality using the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-7) and the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2017 blood pressure guidelines. Methods Data analysis of the PERU MIGRANT Study, a prospective ongoing cohort, was used. The outcome of interest was 10-year all-cause mortality, and exposures were blood pressure categories according to the JNC-7 and ACC/AHA 2017 guidelines. Log-rank test, Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were used to assess the associations of interest controlling for confounders. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Results A total of 976 records, mean age of 60.4 (SD: 11.4), 513 (52.6%) women, were analyzed. Hypertension prevalence at baseline almost doubled from 16.0% (95% CI 13.7%–18.4%) to 31.3% (95% CI 28.4%–34.3%), using the JNC-7 and ACC/AHA 2017 definitions, respectively. Sixty three (6.4%) participants died during the 10-year follow-up, equating to a mortality rate of 3.6 (95% CI 2.4–4.7) per 1000 person-years. Using JNC-7, and compared to those with normal blood pressure, those with pre-hypertension and hypertension had 2.1-fold and 5.1-fold increased risk of death, respectively. Similar mortality effect sizes were estimated using ACC/AHA 2017 for stage-1 and stage-2 hypertension. Conclusions Blood pressure levels under two different definitions increased the risk of 10-year all-cause mortality. Hypertension prevalence doubled using ACC/AHA 2017 compared to JNC-7. The choice of blood pressure cut-offs to classify hypertension categories need to be balanced against the patients benefit and the capacities of the health system to adequately handle a large proportion of new patients.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Hypothyroidism Among Patients With COVID-19, Tehran, Iran

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Esfahanian ◽  
SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi ◽  
Nazanin Janfaza ◽  
Marcarious M. Tantuoyir
Keyword(s):  
Virus Disease ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
P Value ◽  
Demographic Information ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Disease Prognosis ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Objective: Numerous comorbidities are involved in the severity of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hypothyroidism's impact on COVID-19 is yet to be understood properly. Cellular immunity and different cytokines, on the other hand, are thought to play a role in the development and progress of COVID-19 and thyroid disease, according to earlier research. The goal of this study was to find out how common (prevalent) hypothyroidism was among COVID-19 patients and its possible influence on the disease prognosis on hospitalized patients at a Tehran University Hospital.Methods: Demographic information and other data related to our study, mainly comorbidities, were collected from 493 COVID-19 patients’ medical records and analyzed.Results: We identified that hypothyroidism was significantly prevalent in hospitalized COVID-19 patients than in the general population. Overall, in patients with hypothyroidism (n=65), n=21(32.3%) patients expired of whom 14 (66.7%) patients were females and 7 (33.3%) were males. In these patients, no statistically significant difference was observed between the expired and discharged groups (Adjusted Odds Ratio (ORadj): 1.04 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.59-1.83 p-value=0.87). As a result, hypothyroidism was not linked to an increased risk of death.Conclusion: In this current study, we demonstrated that the prevalence of hypothyroidism was higher in hospitalized COVID-19 patients than in the normal population especially in females but without significant adverse effects on the risk of mortality from this disease.

scholarly journals 416 - Risk of Mortality Associated with Antipsychotics in Alzheimer's Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
pp. 132-132
Author(s):  
Liliana P. Ferreira ◽  
Núria Santos ◽  
Nuno Fernandes ◽  
Carla Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Antipsychotic Treatment ◽  
Serious Adverse Events ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Mesh Terms ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk

Objectives: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and it is associated with increased mortality. The use of antipsychotics is common among the elderly, especially in those with dementia. Evidence suggests an increased risk of mortality associated with antipsychotic use. Despite the short-term benefit of antipsychotic treatment to reduce the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, it increases the risk of mortality in patients with AD. Our aim is to discuss the findings from the literature about risk of mortality associated with the use of antipsychotics in AD.Methods: We searched Internet databases indexed at MEDLINE using following MeSH terms: "Antipsychotic Agents" AND "Alzheimer Disease" OR "Dementia" AND "Mortality" and selected articles published in the last 5 years.Results: Antipsychotics are widely used in the pharmacological treatment of agitation and aggression in elderly patients with AD, but their benefit is limited. Serious adverse events associated with antipsychotics include increased risk of death. The risk of mortality is associated with both typical and atypical antipsychotics. Antipsychotic polypharmacy is associated with a higher mortality risk than monotherapy and should be avoided. The mortality risk increases after the first few days of treatment, gradually reducing but continues to increase after two years of treatment. Haloperidol is associated with a higher mortality risk and quetiapine with a lower risk than risperidone.Conclusions: If the use of antipsychotics is considered necessary, the lowest effective dose should be chosen and the duration should be limited because the mortality risk remains high with long-term use. The risk / benefit should be considered when choosing the antipsychotic. Further studies on the efficacy and risk of adverse events with antipsychotics are needed for a better choice of treatment and adequate monitoring with risk reduction.

Circulating Ceramides and Sphingomyelins and Risk of Mortality: The Cardiovascular Health Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M Fretts ◽  
Paul N Jensen ◽  
Andrew N Hoofnagle ◽  
Barbara McKnight ◽  
Colleen M Sitlani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Cardiovascular Health Study ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Long Chain

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that associations of ceramides (Cer) and sphingomyelins (SM) with health outcomes differ according to the fatty acid acylated to the sphingoid backbone. The purpose of this study was to assess associations of Cer and SM species with mortality. Methods The study population included participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), a community-based cohort of adults aged ≥65 years who were followed from 1992–2015 (n = 4612). Associations of plasma Cer and SM species carrying long-chain (i.e., 16:0) and very-long-chain (i.e., 20:0, 22:0, 24:0) saturated fatty acids with mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results During a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 4099 deaths occurred. High concentrations of Cer and SM carrying fatty acid 16:0 were each associated with an increased risk of mortality. Conversely, high concentrations of several ceramide and sphingomyelin species carrying longer fatty acids were each associated with a decreased risk of mortality. The hazard ratios for total mortality per 2-fold difference in each Cer and SM species were: 1.89 (95% CI), 1.65–2.17 for Cer-16, 0.79 (95% CI, 0.70–0.88) for Cer-22, 0.74 (95% CI, 0.65–0.84) for Cer-24, 2.51 (95% CI, 2.01–3.14) for SM-16, 0.68 (95% CI, 0.58–0.79) for SM-20, 0.57 (95% CI, 0.49–0.67) for SM-22, and 0.66 (0.57–0.75) for SM-24. We found no association of Cer-20 with risk of death. Conclusions Associations of Cer and SM with the risk of death differ according to the length of their acylated saturated fatty acid. Future studies are needed to explore mechanisms underlying these relationships.

scholarly journals Workload-indexed blood pressure response is superior to peak systolic blood pressure in predicting all-cause mortality

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 978-987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristofer Hedman ◽  
Nicholas Cauwenberghs ◽  
Jeffrey W Christle ◽  
Tatiana Kuznetsova ◽  
Francois Haddad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Exercise Testing ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Metabolic Equivalents ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Clinical Exercise Testing

Aims The association between peak systolic blood pressure (SBP) during exercise testing and outcome remains controversial, possibly due to the confounding effect of external workload (metabolic equivalents of task (METs)) on peak SBP as well as on survival. Indexing the increase in SBP to the increase in workload (SBP/MET-slope) could provide a more clinically relevant measure of the SBP response to exercise. We aimed to characterize the SBP/MET-slope in a large cohort referred for clinical exercise testing and to determine its relation to all-cause mortality. Methods and results Survival status for male Veterans who underwent a maximal treadmill exercise test between the years 1987 and 2007 were retrieved in 2018. We defined a subgroup of non-smoking 10-year survivors with fewer risk factors as a lower-risk reference group. Survival analyses for all-cause mortality were performed using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs (95% confidence interval)) adjusted for baseline age, test year, cardiovascular risk factors, medications and comorbidities. A total of 7542 subjects were followed over 18.4 (interquartile range 16.3) years. In lower-risk subjects ( n = 709), the median (95th percentile) of the SBP/MET-slope was 4.9 (10.0) mmHg/MET. Lower peak SBP (<210 mmHg) and higher SBP/MET-slope (>10 mmHg/MET) were both associated with 20% higher mortality (adjusted HRs 1.20 (1.08–1.32) and 1.20 (1.10–1.31), respectively). In subjects with high fitness, a SBP/MET-slope > 6.2 mmHg/MET was associated with a 27% higher risk of mortality (adjusted HR 1.27 (1.12–1.45)). Conclusion In contrast to peak SBP, having a higher SBP/MET-slope was associated with increased risk of mortality. This simple, novel metric can be considered in clinical exercise testing reports.

scholarly journals Tuberculosis Mortality by Occupation in South Africa, 2011–2015

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 2756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahira Kootbodien ◽  
Kerry Wilson ◽  
Nonhlanhla Tlotleng ◽  
Vusi Ntlebi ◽  
Felix Made ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Direct Method ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk

Work-related tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. The use of vital registration data for monitoring TB deaths by occupation has been unexplored in South Africa. Using underlying cause of death and occupation data for 2011 to 2015 from Statistics South Africa, age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) were calculated for all persons of working age (15 to 64 years) by the direct method using the World Health Organization (WHO) standard population. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate mortality odds ratios (MORs) for occupation groups, adjusting for age, sex, year of death, province of death, and smoking status. Of the 221,058 deaths recorded with occupation data, 13% were due to TB. ASMR for TB mortality decreased from 165.9 to 88.8 per 100,000 population from 2011 to 2015. An increased risk of death by TB was observed among elementary occupations: agricultural labourers (MORadj = 3.58, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.96–4.32), cleaners (MORadj = 3.44, 95% CI 2.91–4.09), and refuse workers (MORadj = 3.41, 95% CI 2.88–4.03); among workers exposed to silica dust (MORadj = 3.37, 95% CI 2.83–4.02); and among skilled agricultural workers (MORadj = 3.31, 95% CI 2.65–4.19). High-risk TB occupations can be identified from mortality data. Therefore, TB prevention and treatment policies should be prioritised in these occupations.

scholarly journals Sudden death in patients with sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily S. Heilbrunn ◽  
Paddy Ssentongo ◽  
Vernon M. Chinchilli ◽  
Anna E. Ssentongo
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Apnea ◽  
Sudden Death ◽  
Cardiovascular Mortality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cardiac Mortality ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Obstructive Sleep ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
All Cause Mortality

AbstractBackgroundOver 1 billion individuals across the globe experience some form of sleep apnea, and this number is steadily rising. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can negatively influence one’s quality of life and potentially increase the risk of mortality. However, this association between OSA and mortality has not been comprehensively and thoroughly explored. This meta-analysis was conducted to conclusively estimate the risk of death for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in OSA patients.Study Design4,613 articles from databases including PUBMED, OVID & Joana Briggs, and SCOPUS were comprehensively assessed by two reviewers (AES & ESH) for inclusion criteria. 28 total articles were included, with 22 of them being used for quantitative analysis. Pooled effects of all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and sudden death were calculated by utilizing the metaprop function in R Statistical Software and the random-effects model with appropriate 95% confidence intervals.ResultsAnalysis on 42,032 individuals revealed that those with OSA were twice as likely to die from cardiac mortality compared to those without sleep apnea (HR= 1.94, 95%CI 1.39-2.70). Likewise, individuals with OSA were 1.7 times as likely to die from all-cause sudden death compared to individuals without sleep apnea (HR= 1.74, 95%CI 1.40-2.10). There was a significant dose response relationship between severity of sleep apnea and incidence risk of death, where those with severe sleep apnea wereConclusionsIndividuals with obstructive sleep apnea are at an increased risk for all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality. Further research related to appropriate interventions and treatments are necessary in order to reduce this risk and optimize survival in this population.Key MessagesWhat is the key question?Are individuals with sleep apnea at an increased risk for cardiovascular mortality and sudden death?What is the bottom Line?Sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and sudden death, with a dose response relationship, where those with severe sleep apnea are at the highest risk of mortality.Why read on?This is the first systematic review and meta-analyses to synthesize and quantify the risk of mortality in those with sleep apnea, highlighting important directions for future research.Prospero Registration IDCRD42020164941

scholarly journals Cardiometabolic health during early adulthood and risk of miscarriage: a prospective study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Maria C. Magnus ◽  
Diana D. S. Ferreira ◽  
Maria Carolina Borges ◽  
Kate Tilling ◽  
Deborah A. Lawlor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Multiple Testing ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Hdl Cholesterol ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Cardiometabolic Health ◽  
P Value ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Increased Risk

Background: Several studies have found that women who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of miscarriage. There is also some evidence of associations of other aspects of cardiometabolic health, including blood pressure and lipids, with miscarriage risk, although these have not been examined to the same extent as body-mass index (BMI). Methods: Our objective was to investigate the risk of miscarriage according to pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic health. We examined pre-pregnancy levels of BMI, blood pressure, fasting insulin and metabolites profile at age 18 and risk of miscarriage by age 24. The study included adult female offspring in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children with a pregnancy between 18 and 24 years of age (n=434 for BMI and blood pressure; n=265 for metabolites). We used log-binomial regression to calculate adjusted associations between cardiometabolic health measures and miscarriage. Results: The overall risk of miscarriage was 22%.  The adjusted relative risks for miscarriage were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92-1.00) for BMI (per unit increase), 0.98 (0.96-1.00) for systolic blood pressure, and 1.00 (0.97-1.04) for diastolic blood pressure (per 1 mmHg increase).  Total cholesterol, total lipids and phospholipids in HDL-cholesterol were associated with increased likelihood of miscarriage, but none of the p-values for the metabolites were below the corrected threshold for multiple testing (p-value ≤0.003). Conclusions: Our findings indicate no strong evidence to support a relationship between pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic health and risk of miscarriage in young, healthy women who became pregnant before age 24. Future studies are necessary that are able to evaluate this question in samples with a wider age range.

scholarly journals Predictors of mortality in adult patients with dengue: a study from South India

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 1605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasudeva Acharya ◽  
Mohammed Fahad Khan ◽  
Srinivas Kosuru ◽  
Sneha Mallya
Keyword(s):  
Renal Failure ◽  
Prothrombin Time ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
P Value ◽  
Bleeding Tendency ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Laboratory Parameters ◽  
Prolonged Prothrombin Time ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk

Background: Dengue is one of the important causes of acute febrile illnesses in India. Dengue can be a fatal disease, however there are no reliable markers which can predict mortality among these patients.Methods: A prospective cross sectional study was done in patients who were admitted to a tertiary care hospital with features of dengue fever. A total of 364 patients with IgM dengue serology positive were included in the study. Relevant clinical and laboratory parameters were collected from all patients. Association between clinico-laboratory parameters with mortality was studied using appropriate statistical methods.Results: Among the 364 patients recruited in this study, 14 (3.85%) patients died. Mortality among patients with age group 18-40 years was 2.04%, in patients aged above 40 years was 7.56%. Mortality among patients with hypotension was 42.42% (14 out of 33), bleeding manifestations was 15.38% (8/52), platelets <20,000/mm3 was 10.41% (10/96), ALT >200 was 13.04% (6/46), AST>200 was 12.34% (10/81), prolonged prothrombin time was 60%(12/20), renal failure was 28%(14/50), encephalopathy was 31.57% (6/19), multi organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS) was 43.33% (13/30), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was 45.45% (5/11), pleural effusion was 7.5% (6/80).Conclusions: The overall mortality in the present study was 3.85%. Following variables were associated with increased risk of death among the dengue patients: Age >40 years, presence of hypotension, platelets <20000 cells/mm3, ALT>200U/L, AST>200U/L, prolonged prothrombin time, presence of renal failure, encephalopathy, MODS, ARDS and bleeding tendency (p value <0.05). Early identification of factors associated with mortality can help to make appropriate decision on care required.

scholarly journals Assessment of Bone Marrow Function in Sickle Cell Anaemia Patients Using Corrected Reticulocyte Counts

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 4581-4581
Author(s):  
Titilola S. Akingbola ◽  
Chinedu Anthony Ezekekwu ◽  
Joseph Yaria ◽  
Santosh L. Saraf ◽  
Lewis L. Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Reticulocyte Count ◽  
P Value ◽  
Production Index ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Reticulocyte Production

Abstract Introduction: Chronic hemolysis occurs in sickle cell anemia as a result of recurrent sickling and other abnormalities of the red blood cells including eryptosis. Exuberant reticulocytosis is anticipated to partially compensate for the resultant anemia. Sickle cell anemia patients may also have aplastic crisis, bone marrow (BM) infarction and erythropoietin deficiency which could lead to reticulocytopenia despite the anemia. High degree of reticulocytosis among asymptomatic infants with sickle cell anemia has been associated with an increased risk of death or stroke during childhood. Assessment of BM function in sickle cell anemia is important due to potential complications associated with both under-activity and hyperactivity. This study aimed at evaluating the erythropoietic function of the BM in steady state sickle cell anemia using corrected reticulocyte counts. Methods: This study was carried out at the hematology clinic in the University College Hospital, Ibadan. HbSS patients in steady state were recruited from the hematology clinic. Local ethical committee approval was obtained and all participants gave written informed consent. Patients with M. tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, HIV and P. falciparum infection were excluded. Peripheral blood samples were analyzed using Sysmex Ki-X21 for complete blood count (CBC) and standard point of care for serum electrolytes and liver function tests. The glomerular filtration rates were calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula. Reticulocyte counts were determined manually using fresh samples from K2 EDTA bottles and methylene blue stain. Two drops of stain were mixed with two to four volumes of anticoagulated blood and incubated at 37ºC for 15 minutes. Afterwards, the cells were re-suspended and blood films were made. Corrected reticulocyte count and reticulocyte production index were calculated. Participants were categorized according to corrected reticulocyte counts of greater than or less than 2.5%. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine variables associated with corrected reticulocyte count <2.5%. Results: 92 HbSS patients were recruited with a mean (SD) age of 19.6 (5.8) years. There was no correlation between age and eGFR (p-value: 0.227). Median (range) reticulocyte count, corrected reticulocyte count and reticulocyte production index were 5.5 (0.5 - 29.9), 3.3 (0.1 - 17.1) and 1.7 (0.2 - 8.6) respectively. 40 (43.5%) patients had corrected reticulocyte count <2.5% and 52 (56.5%) had a corrected count >2.5%. Those corrected reticulocyte count <2.5% were older (p: 0.013), taller (p: 0.041) and had higher aspartate transaminase (AST) levels (p: 0.006) than those with corrected counts >2.5% (Table 1). CBC parameters were not different when compared between both groups. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis carried out showed that only AST was independently linked with corrected reticulocyte count <2.5% (R2: 0.172, p-value: 0.001) (Table 2). Table 1. Factors Associated with Low Reticulocyte Count Corrected count<2.5% Corrected count>2.5% p-Value Age (Mean, SD) 21.4 (6.3) 18.4 (5.0) 0.013 Gender (N, %) Male 22 (55.0) 28 (53.8) 0.912 Female 18 (45.0) 24 (46.2) Height (Mean, SD) 1.6 (0.1) 1.5 (0.1) 0.041 BMI (Mean, SD) 18.7 (3.1) 18.7 (3.0) 0.753 GFR (Mean, SD) 64.3 (37.7) 66.4 (29.3) 0.453 Bilirubin (Mean, SD) 1.7 (1.1) 1.9 (2.6) 0.674 AST (Mean, SD) 22.5 (13.5) 14.5 (6.6) 0.006 ALT (Mean, SD) 13.4 (7.7) 14.4 (11.1) 0.876 Table 2. Independent Predictors of Corrected Reticulocyte Count <2.5% or 95% CI p-Value Age 1.08 0.97 - 1.21 0.169 Height 19.8 0.11 - 366.10 0.259 AST 1.10 1.04 - 1.17 0.002 Hemoglobin 1.00 0.97 - 1.02 0.872 R2: 0.172, p: 0.001 Conclusion: Despite corrected reticulocyte count <2.5% in about half of the patients, there were similar hematological parameters and eGFR in both groups of patients. AST is a marker of hemolysis and low ALT rules out hepatic involvement. Since only 17.2% of the variability in BM response as assessed by corrected reticulocyte count could be accounted for by variables included in this study, there is a need to further evaluate the BM function of sickle cell patients to establish the causes of corrected reticulocyte count <2.5% in the setting of anemia, having ruled out erythropoietin as well as iron, folate or cobalamin deficiencies. This will aid the development of a functional algorithm for the individualized management of sickle cell disease patients with anemia. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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