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Fujie S, Horii N, Kajimoto H, Yamazaki H, Inoue K, Iemitsu K, Uchida M, Arimitsu T, Shinohara Y, Sanada K, Miyachi M, Iemitsu M. Impact of resistance training and chicken intake on vascular and muscle health in elderly women. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2025; 16. [PMID: 39569460 DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance training is a well-known exercise therapy for preventing and improving lacks of muscle mass, strength, and quality with advances in age; however, its effects on arterial stiffness are not beneficial. Additionally, a higher intake of protein, which is an effective nutrient for muscle health, results in lower arterial stiffness. Whether the combination of moderate to high-intensity resistance training and high-protein intake would improve muscle mass, strength, and quality and cancel the resistance training-induced increase in arterial stiffness in elderly women remains unclear. METHODS Ninety-three elderly women (67.2 ± 5.3 years) were randomly divided into four groups; sedentary control (CON), higher dietary animal protein intake (HP), resistance training (RT), and combination of RT and HP (RT + HP) groups. Participants in the RT and RT + HP groups completed 12 weeks of resistance training (exercise intensity at 70% of one-repetition maximum (1-RM), three sets with 10 repetitions of leg extension and curls, 3 days/week). In addition to the daily diet, the HP and RT + HP groups consumed steamed chicken breast as a high-protein diet. RESULTS Percent changes in thickness (indices of muscle mass) and echo intensity (index of muscle quality) in the quadriceps muscle, 1-RM of leg extension and curls (index of muscle strength), and circulating C1q levels (a potential biomarker of muscle fibrosis) in the RT and RT + HP groups significantly improved after both RT and RT + HP interventions (P < 0.05). Percent changes in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and carotid β-stiffness (indices of arterial stiffness), and circulating angiotensin II (a vasoconstrictor peptide hormone) levels via each intervention were significantly higher in the RT group (4.9 ± 12.7%, 13.8 ± 13.5%, 94.9 ± 132.7%, respectively), as compared with the CON group (-2.5 ± 5.9%, 0.2 ± 8.1%, 21.2 ± 79.3%, respectively) (P < 0.05). Of note, no significant differences in the cfPWV, carotid β-stiffness, and circulating angiotensin II levels between the RT + HP (-2.4 ± 9.3%, 2.4 ± 10.3%, -5.7 ± 29.6%, respectively) and CON groups were observed. Furthermore, significant positive relationships between the percent changes in circulating angiotensin II levels, and cfPWV (r = 0.438, P < 0.01) and carotid β-stiffness (r = 0.328, P < 0.01) were observed. CONCLUSIONS The combination of moderate to high-intensity resistance training and regular intake of steamed chicken breast as a high-protein food could increase muscle mass, strength, and quality and could cancel resistance training-induced increases in arterial stiffness in elderly women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumpei Fujie
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Naoki Horii
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kajimoto
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Henry Yamazaki
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Inoue
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiko Iemitsu
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Masataka Uchida
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Takuma Arimitsu
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
- Faculty of Health Care, Undergraduate Department of Human Health, Hachinohe Gakuin University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Yasushi Shinohara
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Sanada
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | | | - Motoyuki Iemitsu
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
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Zununi Vahed S, Hejazian SM, Ardalan M, Anagnostou F, Pavon-Djavid G, Barzegari A. The impacts of dietary antioxidants on cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients: An update on the cellular and molecular mechanisms. Nutr Rev 2025; 83:e615-e634. [PMID: 38728008 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2025] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular-related complications (CVCs) are the primary cause of death in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), accounting for greater than half of all deaths. Beyond traditional risk factors, chronic inflammation, extreme oxidative stress (OS), and endothelial dysfunction emerge as major contributors to accelerated CVCs in HD patients. Ample evidence shows that HD patients are constantly exposed to excessive OS, due to uremic toxins and pro-oxidant molecules that overwhelm the defense antioxidant mechanisms. The present study highlights the efficiency of natural antioxidant supplementation in managing HD-induced inflammation, OS, and consequently CVCs. Moreover, it discusses the underlying molecular mechanisms by which these antioxidants can decrease mitochondrial and endothelial dysfunction and ameliorate CVCs in HD patients. Given the complex nature of OS and its molecular pathways, the utilization of specific antioxidants as a polypharmacotherapy may be necessary for targeting each dysregulated signaling pathway and reducing the burden of CVCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Fani Anagnostou
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR7052, INSERM U1271, ENVA, B3OA, F-75010 Paris, France
- Service of Odontology, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Graciela Pavon-Djavid
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM UMR-S 1148, Laboratory for Vascular Translational Science, Nanotechnologies for Vascular Medicine and Imaging, 93430 Villetaneuse, France
| | - Abolfazl Barzegari
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM UMR-S 1148, Laboratory for Vascular Translational Science, Nanotechnologies for Vascular Medicine and Imaging, 93430 Villetaneuse, France
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Zinellu A, Mangoni AA. Arginine, Transsulfuration, and Folic Acid Pathway Metabolomics in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cells 2023; 12:2180. [PMID: 37681911 PMCID: PMC10486395 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in biomarkers of nitric oxide dysregulation and oxidative stress to guide management and identify new therapeutic targets in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between circulating metabolites within the arginine (arginine, citrulline, ornithine, asymmetric, ADMA, and symmetric, SDMA dimethylarginine), transsulfuration (methionine, homocysteine, and cysteine) and folic acid (folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12) metabolic pathways and COPD. We searched electronic databases from inception to 30 June 2023 and assessed the risk of bias and the certainty of evidence. In 21 eligible studies, compared to healthy controls, patients with stable COPD had significantly lower methionine (standardized mean difference, SMD = -0.50, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.05, p = 0.029) and folic acid (SMD = -0.37, 95% CI -0.65 to -0.09, p = 0.009), and higher homocysteine (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.07, p < 0.001) and cysteine concentrations (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.66, p = 0.038). Additionally, COPD was associated with significantly higher ADMA (SMD = 1.27, 95% CI 0.08 to 2.46, p = 0.037), SDMA (SMD = 3.94, 95% CI 0.79 to 7.08, p = 0.014), and ornithine concentrations (SMD = 0.67, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.22, p = 0.015). In subgroup analysis, the SMD of homocysteine was significantly associated with the biological matrix assessed and the forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity ratio, but not with age, study location, or analytical method used. Our study suggests that the presence of significant alterations in metabolites within the arginine, transsulfuration, and folic acid pathways can be useful for assessing nitric oxide dysregulation and oxidative stress and identifying novel treatment targets in COPD. (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023448036.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Zinellu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Arduino A. Mangoni
- Discipline of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Flinders Medical Centre, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
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Ahlskog JE. Levodopa, homocysteine and Parkinson's disease: What's the problem? Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2023; 109:105357. [PMID: 36922273 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Elevated circulating homocysteine levels have been associated with cognitive impairment and cardio-cerebro-vascular events. Levodopa treatment of Parkinson's disease tends to further elevate circulating homocysteine levels due to the metabolism of levodopa via catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). COMT co-factors are vitamins B12, B6 and folic acid. Accumulating deficiencies of these vitamins are presumed to be the substrate for the homocysteine elevation. B-vitamin therapy reduces homocysteine levels. This begs the question of whether Parkinson's disease patients on levodopa should be concurrently treated with ongoing B-vitamin therapy (versus long-term monitoring of B-vitamins/homocysteine). There is a substantial literature on this topic that has accumulated over the last quarter-century, and this topic is still debated. This review summarizes the relevant literature with the aim of approximating closure on this issue. Also, noteworthy is that Parkinson's disease patients with renal insufficiency may not tolerate cyanocobalamin, the standard oral B12 supplement due to facilitation of renal decline; alternatives are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Eric Ahlskog
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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Cerebrovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, and Chronic Kidney Disease: Interplays and Influences. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2022; 22:757-766. [PMID: 36181576 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-022-01230-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We reviewed reasons for the high cardiovascular risk (CVD) of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and explored alternatives to treatment of traditional risk factors to reduce CVD in CKD. RECENT FINDINGS Besides traditional risk factors, patients with CKD are exposed to uremic toxins of two kinds: systemically derived toxins include asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), total homocysteine (tHcy), thiocyanate, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 6. Gut-derived uremic toxins (GDUT), products of the intestinal microbiome, include hippuric acid, indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, p-cresyl glucuronide, phenylacetylglutamine, and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Cyanocobalamin is toxic in patients with CKD. Approaches to reducing plasma levels of these uremic toxins would include diet to reduce GDUT, kidney transplantation, more intensive dialysis, and vitamin therapy to lower tHcy with methylcobalamin rather than cyanocobalamin. The high CVD risk in CKD requires consideration of therapies beyond treatment of traditional risk factors.
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Supplementation with Folic Acid and Cardiovascular Outcomes in End-Stage Kidney Disease: A Multi-Institution Cohort Study. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14194162. [PMID: 36235814 PMCID: PMC9570520 DOI: 10.3390/nu14194162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Folate is a water-soluble vitamin and is essential for maintaining cell functions. Dialysis removes folate, and folate deficiency is reported in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). However, there is no consensus as to the appropriate dosage of folate supplements and their advantages and disadvantages for patients with ESKD. METHODS This study was based on the electronic medical records of the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) of the Chang Gung Medical Foundation. We included patients who were diagnosed with ESKD, initiated hemodialysis, and were given folic acid supplements at any point from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2019. The patients were divided into weekly and daily folic acid supplementation groups. We reduced the effects of confounding through the inverse probability of treatment weighting based on the propensity score. RESULTS We identified 2081 and 954 newly diagnosed patients with ESKD, who received daily and weekly folic acid supplements. The mean follow-up time was 5.8 years, and the event rates of arteriovenous access thrombosis were 17.0% and 23.6% in the daily and weekly folic acid supplementation groups (sub-distribution hazard ratio = 0.69, 95% confidence interval = 0.61 to 0.77), respectively. Neither group significantly differed in the occurrence of other clinical events, such as major cardiovascular cardiac events (e.g., myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke), all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, infection death, malignancy, and adverse effects. CONCLUSION a daily 5 mg folic acid supplementation might result in a lower event rate of arteriovenous access thrombosis in patients with ESKD than weekly folic acid supplementation. Further prospective studies are warranted to explore the preventive effect of folate on thrombosis.
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Spence JD, Hankey GJ. Problem in the Recent American Heart Association Guideline on Secondary Stroke Prevention: B Vitamins to Lower Homocysteine Do Prevent Stroke. Stroke 2022; 53:2702-2708. [PMID: 35748292 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.122.038640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we discuss a problem in the most recent American Heart Association guideline on secondary stroke prevention that apparently arose from the rules of evidence imposed on the guideline panel. We are told by the cochair of the panel that American Heart Association rules about guidelines for secondary prevention prohibited consideration of primary prevention studies and secondary analyses of secondary prevention studies. However, evidence-based medicine should consider all the best external evidence available and also clinical judgement. The most important problem in the guideline was the recommendation that B vitamins to lower homocysteine do not prevent recurrent stroke. When considering all the best external evidence, it is clear that B vitamins do prevent stroke, but in the early secondary stroke prevention studies, the benefit of B vitamins in participants with good renal function was apparently offset by harm from cyanocobalamin among participants with renal failure (level B-R evidence). We review the evidence that B vitamins should be used to prevent stroke, both in primary and secondary stroke prevention (class 2a recommendation). We also review issues in folate metabolism that require further study, with regard to the form of folate to be used for stroke prevention. We recommend that the guideline be revised to say that B vitamins to lower homocysteine prevent stroke and that methylcobalamin or hydroxycobalamin should be used instead of cyanocobalamin.
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Affiliation(s)
- J David Spence
- Divisions of Neurology and Clinical Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, Canada (J.D.S.)
| | - Graeme J Hankey
- Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia (G.J.H.)
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Spence JD. Reducing the Risk of Stroke in Patients with Impaired Renal Function: Nutritional Issues. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021; 30:105376. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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Lu PH, Yu MC, Wei MJ, Kuo KL. The Therapeutic Strategies for Uremic Toxins Control in Chronic Kidney Disease. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:573. [PMID: 34437444 PMCID: PMC8402511 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Uremic toxins (UTs) are mainly produced by protein metabolized by the intestinal microbiota and converted in the liver or by mitochondria or other enzymes. The accumulation of UTs can damage the intestinal barrier integrity and cause vascular damage and progressive kidney damage. Together, these factors lead to metabolic imbalances, which in turn increase oxidative stress and inflammation and then produce uremia that affects many organs and causes diseases including renal fibrosis, vascular disease, and renal osteodystrophy. This article is based on the theory of the intestinal-renal axis, from bench to bedside, and it discusses nonextracorporeal therapies for UTs, which are classified into three categories: medication, diet and supplement therapy, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and other therapies. The effects of medications such as AST-120 and meclofenamate are described. Diet and supplement therapies include plant-based diet, very low-protein diet, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and nutraceuticals. The research status of Chinese herbal medicine is discussed for CAM and other therapies. This review can provide some treatment recommendations for the reduction of UTs in patients with chronic kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Hsun Lu
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei 23142, Taiwan; (P.-H.L.); (M.-C.Y.); (M.-J.W.)
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97048, Taiwan
| | - Min-Chien Yu
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei 23142, Taiwan; (P.-H.L.); (M.-C.Y.); (M.-J.W.)
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97048, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Jiun Wei
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei 23142, Taiwan; (P.-H.L.); (M.-C.Y.); (M.-J.W.)
| | - Ko-Lin Kuo
- Division of Nephrology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei 23142, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97048, Taiwan
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Florea A, Kooi ME, Mess W, Schurgers LJ, Bucerius J, Mottaghy FM. Effects of Combined Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Na[ 18F]F PET/MRI in Patients with Carotid Artery Disease: The INTRICATE Rationale and Trial Design. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13030994. [PMID: 33808652 PMCID: PMC8003489 DOI: 10.3390/nu13030994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRICATE is a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled feasibility study, assessing the influence of combined vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 supplementation on micro-calcification in carotid artery disease as imaged by hybrid Sodium [18F]Fluoride (Na[18F]F) positron emission tomography (PET)/ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Arterial calcification is an actively regulated process and results from the imbalance between calcification promoting and inhibiting factors. Considering the recent advancements in medical imaging, ultrasound (US), PET/MRI, and computed tomography (CT) can be used for the selection and stratification of patients with atherosclerosis. Fifty-two subjects with asymptomatic carotid artery disease on at least one side of the neck will be included in the study. At baseline, an Na[18F]F PET/MRI and CT examination will be performed. Afterwards, subjects will be randomized (1:1) to a vitamin K (400 µg MK-7/day) and vitamin D3 (80 µg/day) or to placebo. At the 3-month follow-up, subjects will undergo a second Na[18F]F PET/MRI and CT scan. The primary endpoint is the change in Na[18F]F PET/MRI (baseline vs. after 3 months) in the treatment group as compared to the placebo arm. Secondary endpoints are changes in plaque composition and in blood-biomarkers. The INTRICATE trial bears the potential to open novel avenues for future large scale randomized controlled trials to intervene in the plaque development and micro-calcification progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Florea
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands; (M.E.K.); (J.B.)
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - M. Eline Kooi
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands; (M.E.K.); (J.B.)
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Werner Mess
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Leon J. Schurgers
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan Bucerius
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands; (M.E.K.); (J.B.)
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Felix M. Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands; (M.E.K.); (J.B.)
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-241-80-88741
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Abstract
In 44 years of practicing stroke prevention, I have learned many lessons; in this article, I hope to impart some of them. Three areas of my research are discussed. Controlling resistant hypertension is markedly improved by physiologically individualized therapy based on renin/aldosterone phenotyping; this is particularly important in black patients. Measurement of carotid plaque burden strongly predicts cardiovascular risk and is useful for genetic research and for a process called treating arteries instead of risk factors. Doing so in high-risk patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis was associated with a >80% reduction in the 2-year risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. It also permitted the identification of extremes of atherosclerosis that are useful for studying both the genetics and the biology of atherosclerosis. Patients with very high plaque burden despite low levels of risk factors have an unexplained phenotype; those with little or no plaque despite high levels of risk factors are protected. Patients with unexplained atherosclerosis have higher plasma levels of toxic metabolites produced by the intestinal microbiome largely from egg yolk, red meat, and protein, and those metabolites are renally excreted. This has important dietary implications for stroke prevention. Lowering of plasma total homocysteine with B vitamins significantly reduces the risk of stroke. That was not apparent in early studies because harm from cyanocobalamin among participants with renal failure obscured the benefit among those with good renal function. We should be using B vitamins to prevent stroke but should use methylcobalamin or oxocobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. David Spence
- Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Samodelov SL, Gai Z, Kullak-Ublick GA, Visentin M. Renal Reabsorption of Folates: Pharmacological and Toxicological Snapshots. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11102353. [PMID: 31581752 PMCID: PMC6836044 DOI: 10.3390/nu11102353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Folates are water-soluble B9 vitamins that serve as one-carbon donors in the de novo synthesis of thymidylate and purines, and in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Due to their key roles in nucleic acid synthesis and in DNA methylation, inhibiting the folate pathway is still one of the most efficient approaches for the treatment of several tumors. Methotrexate and pemetrexed are the most prescribed antifolates and are mainly used in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, osteosarcoma, and lung cancers. Normal levels of folates in the blood are maintained not only by proper dietary intake and intestinal absorption, but also by an efficient renal reabsorption that seems to be primarily mediated by the glycosylphosphatidylinositol- (GPI) anchored protein folate receptor α (FRα), which is highly expressed at the brush-border membrane of proximal tubule cells. Folate deficiency due to malnutrition, impaired intestinal absorption or increased urinary elimination is associated with severe hematological and neurological deficits. This review describes the role of the kidneys in folate homeostasis, the molecular basis of folate handling by the kidneys, and the use of high dose folic acid as a model of acute kidney injury. Finally, we provide an overview on the development of folate-based compounds and their possible therapeutic potential and toxicological ramifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia L Samodelov
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Zhibo Gai
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Gerd A Kullak-Ublick
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Mechanistic Safety, CMO & Patient Safety, Global Drug Development, Novartis Pharma, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Michele Visentin
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Nutrition and Risk of Stroke. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11030647. [PMID: 30884883 PMCID: PMC6470893 DOI: 10.3390/nu11030647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrition is far more important in stroke risk than most physcians suppose. Healthy lifestyle choices reduce the risk of stroke by ~80%, and of the factors that increase the risk of stroke, the worst is diet: only ~0.1% of Americans consume a healthy diet, and only 8.3% consume a somewhat healthy diet. The situation is probably not much better in most other countries. A Cretan Mediterranean diet, high in olive oil, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and low in cholesterol and saturated fat, can reduce stroke by 40% or more in high-risk patients. The role of the intestinal microbiome in cardiovascular risk is emerging; high levels of toxic metabolites produced by intestinal bacteria from meat (particularly red meat) and egg yolk are renally excreted. Patients with renal impairment, including the elderly, should limit red meat and avoid egg yolk, as should other patients at high risk of stroke. Salt intake should be limited to 2–3 grams per day. Metabolic B12 deficiency is common and usually missed. It has serious neurological consequences, including an increase in the risk of stroke. It now clear that B vitamins to lower homocysteine reduce the risk of stroke, but we should probably be using methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin.
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Abstract
There have been recent advances in stroke prevention in nutrition, blood pressure control, antiplatelet therapy, anticoagulation, identification of high-risk asymptomatic carotid stenosis, and percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale. There is evidence that the Mediterranean diet significantly reduces the risk of stroke and that B vitamins lower homocysteine, thus preventing stroke. The benefit of B vitamins to lower homocysteine was masked by harm from cyanocobalamin among study participants with impaired renal function; we should be using methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin. Blood pressure control can be markedly improved by individualized therapy based on phenotyping by plasma renin and aldosterone. Loss of function mutations of CYP2D19 impair activation of clopidogrel and limits its efficacy; ticagrelor can avoid this problem. New oral anticoagulants that are not significantly more likely than aspirin to cause severe bleeding, and prolonged monitoring for atrial fibrillation (AF), have revolutionized the prevention of cardioembolic stroke. Most patients (~90%) with asymptomatic carotid stenosis are better treated with intensive medical therapy; the few that could benefit from stenting or endarterectomy can be identified by a number of approaches, the best validated of which is transcranial Doppler (TCD) embolus detection. Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale has been shown to be efficacious but should only be implemented in selected patients; they can be identified by clinical clues to paradoxical embolism and by TCD estimation of shunt grade. “Treating arteries instead of treating risk factors,” and recent findings related to the intestinal microbiome and atherosclerosis point the way to promising advances in future.
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Hankey GJ. B vitamins for stroke prevention. Stroke Vasc Neurol 2018; 3:51-58. [PMID: 30022794 PMCID: PMC6047336 DOI: 10.1136/svn-2018-000156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplementation with B vitamins (vitamin B9(folic acid), vitamin B12 and vitamin B6) lowers blood total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations by about 25% and reduces the relative risk of stroke overall by about 10% (risk ratio (RR) 0.90, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.99) compared with placebo. Homocysteine-lowering interventions have no significant effect on myocardial infarction, death from any cause or adverse outcomes. Factors that appear to modify the effect of B vitamins on stroke risk include low folic acid status, high tHcy, high cyanocobalamin dose in patients with impaired renal function and concurrent antiplatelet therapy. In regions with increasing levels or established policies of population folate supplementation, evidence from observational genetic epidemiological studies and randomised controlled clinical trials is concordant in suggesting an absence of benefit from lowering of homocysteine with folic acid for prevention of stroke. Clinical trials indicate that in countries which mandate folic acid fortification of food, folic acid supplementation has no significant effect on reducing stroke risk (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.23). However, in countries without mandatory folic acid food fortification, folic acid supplementation reduces the risk of stroke by about 15% (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.94). Folic acid alone or in combination with minimal cyanocobalamin (≤0.05 mg/day) is associated with an even greater reduction in risk of future stroke by 25% (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.86), whereas the combination of folic acid and a higher dose of cyanocobalamin (≥0.4 mg/day) is not associated with a reduced risk of future stroke (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.05). The lack of benefit of folic acid plus higher doses of cyanocobalamin (≥0.4 mg/day) was observed in trials which all included participants with chronic kidney disease. Because metabolic B12 deficiency is very common and usually not diagnosed, future randomised trials of homocysteine-lowering interventions for stroke prevention should probably test a combination of folic acid and methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin, and perhaps vitamin B6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graeme J Hankey
- UWA Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
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Abstract
Early trials of B vitamin therapy to lower plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) reported no reduction of stroke with high doses of folate/B6 and cyanocobalamin 400–1,000 μg daily. In patients with diabetic nephropathy, folate/B6 and cyanocobalamin 1,000 μg daily accelerated the decline of renal function and doubled cardiovascular events. Patients with renal failure have high cyanide levels. The French SUpplementation with FOlate, vitamin B6 and B12 and/or OMega-3 fatty acids (Su.Fol.OM3) trial—with the best renal function of the early trials and the lowest dose of cyanocobalamin (20 μg daily)—reported a 43% reduction of stroke. Then the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT) reported that folic acid alone reduced stroke and was beneficial even in patients with impaired renal function. Patient-level data from the Vitamin Intervention to Prevent Stroke (VISP) and VITAmins TO Prevent Stroke (VITATOPS) trials and meta-analyses stratified by renal function and dose of cyanocobalamin confirmed that harm from cyanocobalamin among participants with renal impairment obscured the benefit of B vitamins in the early trials. It does seem that B vitamins reduce the risk of stroke. In the era of folate fortification, B12 is the main nutritional determinant of tHcy, and metabolic B12 deficiency is very common and usually missed. Therefore, folate alone is not the optimal way to lower tHcy: the use of folate (and possibly B6) with methylcobalamin or oxocobalamin should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- J David Spence
- Stroke Prevention & Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Spence JD, Yi Q, Hankey GJ. B vitamins in stroke prevention: time to reconsider. Lancet Neurol 2017; 16:750-760. [PMID: 28816120 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(17)30180-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 03/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
B vitamin therapy lowers plasma total homocysteine concentrations, and might be a beneficial intervention for stroke prevention; however, cyanocobalamin (a form of vitamin B12) can accelerate decline in renal function and increase the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with impaired renal function. Although early trials did not show benefit in reduction of stroke, these results might have been due to harm in participants with impaired renal function. In patients with diabetic nephropathy, cyanocobalamin is harmful, whereas B vitamins appear to reduce cardiovascular events in study participants with normal renal function. Our meta-analysis of individual patient data from two large trials of B vitamin therapy (VISP and VITATOPS) indicates that patients with impaired renal function who are exposed to high-dose cyanocobalamin do not benefit from therapy with B vitamins for the prevention of stroke (risk ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·84-1·27), however, patients with normal renal function who are not exposed to high-dose cyanocobalamin benefit significantly from this treatment (0.78, 0·67-0·90; interaction p=0·03). The potential benefits of B vitamin therapy with folic acid and methylcobalamin or hydroxycobalamin, instead of cyanocobalamin, to lower homocysteine concentrations in people at high risk of stroke warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J David Spence
- Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Qilong Yi
- Canadian Blood Services, Epidemiology and Surveillance, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Graeme J Hankey
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
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18
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Abstract
Recent advances in secondary stroke prevention include new evidence in hypertension, nutrition, anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, intracranial stenosis, percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale, and lipid-lowering therapy. Individualized therapy for hypertension based on phenotyping with plasma renin and aldosterone markedly improves blood pressure control in patients with resistant hypertension. A Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of stroke by nearly half. The diagnosis and treatment of metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency, and B vitamins to lower homocysteine, can reduce the risk of stroke by approximately 30%. There are problems with clopidogrel that can be overcome by using ticagrelor, and new anticoagulant drugs markedly improve anticoagulation for stroke prevention, particularly in atrial fibrillation. There are pharmacokinetic problems with dabigatran that deserve attention. Intensive medical therapy is better than stenting for intracranial stenosis, and new therapies directed at proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 (PCSK9) will revolutionize lipid-lowering therapy. In the past, it was estimated that rational therapy could reduce recurrent stroke by about 80%. With recent advances, we should be able to do even better.
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Affiliation(s)
- J David Spence
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Vijayakumar A, Kim EK, Kim H, Choi YJ, Huh KB, Chang N. Effects of folic acid supplementation on serum homocysteine levels, lipid profiles, and vascular parameters in post-menopausal Korean women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutr Res Pract 2017; 11:327-333. [PMID: 28765779 PMCID: PMC5537542 DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2017.11.4.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Complications of diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, are associated with increased mortality among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Homocysteine has been recently identified as a predictor of cardiovascular disease-related complications in diabetes. We investigated whether or not supplementation with folic acid tablets can lower homocysteine levels and improve parameters related with vascular complications. SUBJECTS/METHODS We conducted a non-randomized 8-week trial involving postmenopausal diabetic women (n = 25) supplemented with 800 µg of folic acid (400 µg twice a day) daily. Subjects' serum levels of folate, homocysteine, and vitamin B12 were measured, along with vascular function and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. RESULTS Folic acid supplementation significantly increased serum folate levels (P < 0.0001), reduced homocysteine levels (P < 0.0001), and increased vitamin B12 levels (P = 0.0063). There were significant decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as the ratios of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities were not altered by supplementation. Changes in serum vitamin B12 after folic acid supplementation were negatively correlated with changes in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. CONCLUSIONS In this study on postmenopausal Korean women with type 2 diabetes mellitus, folic acid supplementation reduced serum homocysteine levels, increased serum folate and vitamin B12 levels, and lowered lipid parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy Vijayakumar
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Eun-Kyung Kim
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Hyesook Kim
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Young Ju Choi
- Huh's Diabetes Clinics & 21C Diabetes and Vascular Research Institute, Seoul 04101, Korea
| | - Kap Bum Huh
- Huh's Diabetes Clinics & 21C Diabetes and Vascular Research Institute, Seoul 04101, Korea
| | - Namsoo Chang
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
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Spence JD. Rational Medical Therapy Is the Key to Effective Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. Can J Cardiol 2017; 33:626-634. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Revised: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Crosstalk between Vitamins A, B12, D, K, C, and E Status and Arterial Stiffness. DISEASE MARKERS 2017; 2017:8784971. [PMID: 28167849 PMCID: PMC5266829 DOI: 10.1155/2017/8784971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Arterial stiffness is associated with cardiovascular risk, morbidity, and mortality. The present paper reviews the main vitamins related to arterial stiffness and enabling destiffening, their mechanisms of action, providing a brief description of the latest studies in the area, and their implications for primary cardiovascular prevention, clinical practice, and therapy. Despite inconsistent evidence for destiffening induced by vitamin supplementation in several randomized clinical trials, positive results were obtained in specific populations. The main mechanisms are related to antiatherogenic effects, improvement of endothelial function (vitamins A, C, D, and E) and metabolic profile (vitamins A, B12, C, D, and K), inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (vitamin D), anti-inflammatory (vitamins A, D, E, and K) and antioxidant effects (vitamins A, C, and E), decrease of homocysteine level (vitamin B12), and reversing calcification of arteries (vitamin K). Vitamins A, B12, C, D, E, and K status is important in evaluating cardiovascular risk, and vitamin supplementation may be an effective, individualized, and inexpensive destiffening therapy.
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Spence JD. Homocysteine lowering for stroke prevention: Unravelling the complexity of the evidence. Int J Stroke 2016; 11:744-7. [PMID: 27462097 DOI: 10.1177/1747493016662038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Elevated levels of total homocysteine impair endothelial dysfunction and increase thrombosis. Homocysteine is causal in animal models, and in human studies, elevated total homocysteine is significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis, lacunar infarction, and markedly increased risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Because two of the early large trials of B vitamin therapy (Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention and the Norwegian Vitamin Study) did not show any reduction of stroke, and the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 trial was mistakenly interpreted as not showing a reduction of stroke (because the authors could not think of a biological difference between stroke and myocardial infarction), there has been widespread pessimism regarding treatment to lower total homocysteine for stroke prevention. However, the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 trial, the French trial of folic acid and omega three oils, the Vitamins to Prevent Stroke subgroup excluding antiplatelet therapy all showed a significant reduction of stroke. Reasons why the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention trial were negative included folate fortification in North America, provision of injections of B12 to patients with low baseline serum B12, and as it turns out, harm from cyanide in cyanocobalamin among participants with impaired renal function. In the Diabetic Intervention with Vitamins in Nephropathy trial, B vitamins including cyanocobalamin were harmful, and in a Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention subgroup excluding participants who received B12 injections and those with impaired renal function, there was a statistically significant reduction of stroke/myocardial infarction/vascular death. In 2015, the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT), in over 20,000 participants followed for 5 years, showed a significant reduction of stroke with folic acid in a setting where folate fortification has not been implemented. In the setting of folate fortification, the main causes of elevated total homocysteine are renal failure and metabolic B12 deficiency; the latter is very common among stroke patients (30% over age 71), and frequently missed. Serum B12 and total homocysteine should be checked routinely in stroke patients and elevated total homocysteine should be treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- J David Spence
- Stroke Prevention & Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Western University, London, Canada
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23
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Nigwekar SU, Kang A, Zoungas S, Cass A, Gallagher MP, Kulshrestha S, Navaneethan SD, Perkovic V, Strippoli GFM, Jardine MJ, Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Group. Interventions for lowering plasma homocysteine levels in dialysis patients. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016; 2016:CD004683. [PMID: 27243372 PMCID: PMC8520736 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd004683.pub4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have high rates of cardiovascular events. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of homocysteine-lowering therapies have not shown reductions in cardiovascular event rates in the general population. However, people with kidney disease have higher levels of homocysteine and may have different mechanisms of cardiovascular disease. We performed a systematic review of the effect of homocysteine-lowering therapies in people with ESKD. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms of established homocysteine lowering therapy (folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12) on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular event rates in patients with ESKD. SEARCH METHODS We searched Cochrane Kidney and Transplant's Specialised Register to 25 January 2016 through contact with the Information Specialist using search terms relevant to this review. SELECTION CRITERIA Studies conducted in people with ESKD that reported at least 100 patient-years of follow-up and assessed the effect of therapies that are known to have homocysteine-lowering properties were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently extracted data using a standardised form. The primary outcome was cardiovascular mortality. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, incident cardiovascular disease (fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and coronary revascularisation), cerebrovascular disease (stroke and cerebrovascular revascularisation), peripheral vascular disease (lower limb amputation), venous thromboembolic disease (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism), thrombosis of dialysis access, and adverse events. The effects of homocysteine-lowering therapies on outcomes were assessed with meta-analyses using random-effects models. Prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted. MAIN RESULTS We included six studies that reported data on 2452 participants with ESKD. Interventions investigated were folic acid with or without other vitamins (vitamin B6, vitamin B12). Participants' mean age was 48 to 65 years, and proportions of male participants ranged from 50% to 98%.Homocysteine-lowering therapy probably leads to little or no effect on cardiovascular mortality (4 studies, 1186 participants: RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.22). There was no evidence of heterogeneity among the included studies (I² = 0%). Homocysteine-lowering therapy had little or no effect on all-cause mortality or any other of this review's secondary outcomes. All prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses demonstrated little or no difference. Reported adverse events were mild and there was no increase in the incidence of adverse events from homocysteine-lowering therapies (3 studies, 1248 participants: RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.47; I(2) = 0%). Overall, studies were assessed as being at low risk of bias and there was no evidence of publication bias. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Homocysteine-lowering therapies were not found to reduce mortality (cardiovascular and all-cause) or cardiovascular events among people with ESKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar U Nigwekar
- Harvard Medical SchoolDivision of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Scholars in Clinical Sciences ProgramBostonMAUSA
| | - Amy Kang
- The University of SydneySydney Medical SchoolSydneyNSWAustralia
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of SydneyRenal and Metabolic DivisionCamperdownNSWAustralia
| | - Sophia Zoungas
- Monash UniversityDiabetes and Vascular Research Program, Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineClaytonVICAustralia
| | - Alan Cass
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of SydneyRenal and Metabolic DivisionCamperdownNSWAustralia
- Menzies School of Health ResearchPO Box 41096CasuarinaNTAustralia0811
| | - Martin P Gallagher
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of SydneyRenal and Metabolic DivisionCamperdownNSWAustralia
| | - Satyarth Kulshrestha
- University of Iowa Carver College of MedicineDepartment of Nephrology200 Hawkins Drive‐T307GHIowa CityIAUSA52242
| | | | - Vlado Perkovic
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of SydneyRenal and Metabolic DivisionCamperdownNSWAustralia
| | - Giovanni FM Strippoli
- The Children's Hospital at WestmeadCochrane Kidney and Transplant, Centre for Kidney ResearchWestmeadNSWAustralia2145
- University of BariDepartment of Emergency and Organ TransplantationBariItaly
- DiaverumMedical Scientific OfficeLundSweden
- Diaverum AcademyBariItaly
- The University of SydneySydney School of Public HealthSydneyAustralia
| | - Meg J Jardine
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of SydneyRenal and Metabolic DivisionCamperdownNSWAustralia
- Concord Repatriation General HospitalDepartment of Renal MedicineHospital RoadConcordNSWAustralia2139
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Duschek N, Basic J, Falkensammer J, Taher F, Assadian A. B-Vitamin Serum Concentrations Predicting Long-Term Overall and Stroke-Free Survival after Carotid Endarterectomy. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2016; 25:1235-1243. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2016.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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25
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Metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency: a missed opportunity to prevent dementia and stroke. Nutr Res 2016; 36:109-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Harris E, Rowsell R, Pipingas A, Macpherson H. No effect of multivitamin supplementation on central blood pressure in healthy older people: A randomized controlled trial. Atherosclerosis 2016; 246:236-42. [PMID: 26812001 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Central blood pressure rises with age, which increases cardiovascular risk. There is some evidence that nutritional supplements may be useful to reduce central blood pressures in older people, but no studies have investigated the effects of multivitamin supplements for this purpose. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of 16-weeks supplementation with gender-specific multivitamin and herbal supplements. METHOD Participants were healthy individuals, free from heart disease, and included 160 females aged ≥ 50 and 79 males aged 50-65 years. Analyses of co-variance, correcting for baseline cardiovascular assessments, were used to determine the effects of supplementation on central cardiovascular measures including augmentation index, augmentation pressure and pulse pressure. Significance was set at p = 0.016. RESULTS No effects of multivitamin supplementation were observed in either males or females (respectively) for central augmentation index (p = 0.841; p = 0.296), central augmentation pressure (p = 0.794; p = 0.442), and central pulse pressure (p = 0.078; p = 0.304). Similarly, there was no treatment effect observed for brachial systolic, diastolic or pulse pressures. CONCLUSION Four months multivitamin supplementation does not appear to exert any benefit to measures of central blood pressure in healthy older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Harris
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Vic, 3000, Australia; Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122, Australia.
| | - Renee Rowsell
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122, Australia.
| | - Andrew Pipingas
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122, Australia.
| | - Helen Macpherson
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122, Australia; Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic, 3125, Australia.
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27
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McCully KS. Homocysteine Metabolism, Atherosclerosis, and Diseases of Aging. Compr Physiol 2015; 6:471-505. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c150021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Spence JD, Urquhart BL, Bang H. Effect of renal impairment on atherosclerosis: only partially mediated by homocysteine. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2015; 31:937-44. [PMID: 26567910 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfv380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular risk and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) are high in patients with renal failure. High tHcy may account for a substantial part of the increased risk. We assessed mediation by tHcy of the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR CKD/EPI) with carotid total plaque area (TPA) and carotid stenosis. METHODS TPA and carotid stenosis were measured by ultrasound. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the effects of eGFR and/or tHcy after adjustment for age, sex, systolic blood pressure (SBP), smoking, LDL, HDL and weight. RESULTS Complete data were available for 1967 patients. eGFR decreased, and TPA and total stenosis increased linearly with age. After adjustment [age, sex, SBP, smoking (in pack years), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and weight], eGFR and tHcy were independently associated with TPA (P < 0.01), but when both were added to the model, their significance was attenuated (P = 0.06 for eGFR, 0.03 for tHcy). Mediation analysis showed that tHcy seems to contribute to a significant mediation of the association of eGFR with TPA but not stenosis; after adjustment for the set of risk factors listed above, tHcy still demonstrated significant mediation on TPA (P = 0.03), but not on stenosis (P = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS tHcy accounts for a significant part, but not all of the effect of renal impairment on atherosclerosis. Other uremic toxins including metabolic products of the intestinal microbiome may explain residual effects of renal failure on atherosclerosis. Therapeutic approaches arising from that hypothesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J David Spence
- Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Bradley L Urquhart
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Heejung Bang
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Homocysteine, Ischemic Stroke, and Coronary Heart Disease in Hypertensive Patients. Stroke 2015; 46:1777-86. [DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.115.009111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Purpose—
Total homocysteine level (tHcy) is a risk factor of ischemic stroke (IS) and coronary heart disease. However, the results are conflicting and mainly focused on healthy individuals in developed countries.
Methods—
A prospective, population-based cohort study was conducted among 5935 participants from 60 communities in the city of Shenzhen, China. A Cox regression analysis was applied to evaluate the contribution of tHcy to the risk of IS and coronary heart disease. The effect of folic acid supplementation on tHcy levels was also evaluated among 501 patients with essential hypertension, who received an average of 2.5 years of folic acid supplementation.
Results—
After adjustment for confounding factors, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of IS caused by hyperhomocysteinemia were 2.18 (1.65–2.89), 2.40 (1.56–3.67), and 2.73 (1.83–4.08) in the total, male, and female participants, respectively. Compared with normal levels of tHcy (<15 μmol/L), the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for IS in the highest tHcy category (≥30 μmol/L) were 4.96 (3.03–8.12), 6.11 (3.44–10.85), and 1.84 (0.52–6.46) in the total, males, and females participants, respectively. However, we did not observe a significant relationship between tHcy and the risk of coronary heart disease. The 2.5 years of folic acid supplementation reduced tHcy levels by 6.7 μmol/L (27.92%) in patients with essential hypertension.
Conclusions—
Hyperhomocysteinemia in Chinese hypertensive patients is significantly associated with IS risk but not coronary heart disease susceptibility, and folic acid supplementation can efficiently reduce tHcy levels.
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Abstract
The homocysteine theory of arteriosclerosis was discovered by study of arteriosclerotic plaques occurring in homocystinuria, a disease caused by deficiencies of cystathionine synthase, methionine synthase or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. According to the homocysteine theory, metabolic and nutritional abnormalities leading to elevation of plasma homocysteine cause atherosclerosis in the general population without these rare enzymatic abnormalities. Through studies of metabolism of homocysteine thiolactone, the anhydride of homocysteine, in cell cultures from homocystinuric children, the pathway for synthesis of sulfate was found to be dependent upon thioretinamide, the amide formed from retinoic acid and homocysteine thiolactone. Two molecules of thioretinamide form the complex thioretinaco with cobalamin, and oxidative phosphorylation is catalyzed by reduction of oxygen, which is bound to thioretinaco ozonide, by electrons from electron transport particles. Atherogenesis is attributed to formation of aggregates of homocysteinylated lipoproteins with microorganisms, which obstruct the vasa vasorum during formation of arterial vulnerable plaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kilmer S McCully
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, 1400 Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA
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The association between vitamin B12, albuminuria and reduced kidney function: an observational cohort study. BMC Nephrol 2015; 16:7. [PMID: 25644490 PMCID: PMC4361211 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2369-16-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Variants in CUBN, the gene encoding cubilin, a proximal tubular transport protein, have been associated with albuminuria and vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency. We hypothesized that low levels of B12 would be associated with albuminuria in a population-based cohort. Methods We analyzed participants from the Framingham Heart Study (n = 2965, mean age 58 years, 53% female) who provided samples for plasma B12. Logistic regression models adjusted for covariates including homocysteine were constructed to test the association between B12 and prevalent albuminuria (UACR ≥17 mg/g [men] and ≥25 mg/g [women]) and reduced kidney function (defined as an eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, RKF). Because of a significant interaction between B12 and homocysteine in the prevalent RKF model (p = 0.005), the model was stratified by the median homocysteine levels. Logistic regression models were constructed to test the association between B12 and incident albuminuria and RKF. The results were replicated in 4445 participants from NHANES 2003–2004. Results Baseline B12 levels ranged from 50-1690 pg/ml. Elevated B12 was associated with prevalent albuminuria (OR 1.44 per 1 SD increase, 95% CI 1.10-1.87) and RKF (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.30-2.60). However after stratifying by median homocysteine levels, this relationship remained only in the higher homocysteine stratum. There was no association between B12 and incident albuminuria (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.79 – 1.73) or RKF (OR 1.45, 95% CI 0.97 – 1.88). In the NHANES cohort, elevated B12 was associated with RKF after full covariate adjustment (OR 3.06, 95% CI 2.30-4.08). There was no association with albuminuria. Conclusion In participants with high baseline homocysteine levels, increased plasma B12 was associated with RKF.
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Xia XS, Li X, Wang L, Wang JZ, Ma JP, Wu CJ. Supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B₁₂ reduces plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine in patients with acute ischemic stroke. J Clin Neurosci 2014; 21:1586-90. [PMID: 24814858 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2013.11.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Increased levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) have been observed in patients with acute ischemic stroke. We aimed to investigate the correlation between ADMA and ischemic stroke, and evaluate the effect of supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B12 on concentrations of ADMA. Patients were randomized into intervention and non-intervention groups within 3 days after symptom onset. Intervention group patients were treated with folic acid (5mg daily) and vitamin B12 (500 μg twice daily) for 12 weeks. ADMA and homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations were measured before treatment (baseline) and 2 and 12 weeks after treatment. The laboratory measures were also collected from healthy controls. Eighty five subjects were enrolled in this study, from whom 72 with complete baseline and follow-up laboratory data were included in the present analysis. Thirty four patients were assigned to the intervention group and 38 patients to the non-intervention group. Sixty people were enrolled as healthy controls. Levels of ADMA and Hcy were raised (p<0.05) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. With supplementation of both folic acid and vitamin B12, the levels of ADMA and Hcy decreased significantly at 2 and 12 weeks (p<0.05). The present study reconfirmed that ADMA can be regarded as a risk biomarker for acute ischemic stroke. We observed that with supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B12, levels of ADMA were decreased in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Shuang Xia
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, No. 23, Pingjiang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300211, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, No. 23, Pingjiang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300211, China.
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Geratology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ji-Zuo Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, No. 23, Pingjiang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300211, China
| | - Jin-Ping Ma
- Department of Geratology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Cun-Jin Wu
- Department of Geratology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Kosmadakis G, Da Costa Correia E, Carceles O, Somda F, Aguilera D. Vitamins in dialysis: who, when and how much? Ren Fail 2014; 36:638-50. [DOI: 10.3109/0886022x.2014.882714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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Killen JP, Brenninger VL. Hydroxocobalamin supplementation and erythropoisis stimulating agent hyporesponsiveness in haemodialysis patients. Nephrology (Carlton) 2014; 19:164-71. [PMID: 24422907 DOI: 10.1111/nep.12205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term haemodialysis patients may be at risk of hydrosoluble vitamin deficiencies. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that in patients with serum B12 < 300 pmol/L, intramuscular hydroxocobalamin reduces erythropoietin requirements whilst maintaining haemoglobin concentrations (Hb). METHODS Study design was prospective, non-randomized, open label, with single group assignment. In 61 patients hydroxocobalamin 1000 μg was given weekly for 3 weeks and erythropoietin dose adjusted to target a Hb of 11-12 g/L. The primary outcome was the change in erythropoietin requirements at 2 years. Secondary outcomes included assessment of change in biochemical or clinical parameters. RESULTS The erythropoietin dose reduced from 11 000 ± 7000 (10 000) IU to 5000 ± 6000 (3000) IU per week (P < 0.001) with no change in Hb 116 ± 16 (117) g/L before and after 114 ± 15 (113) g/L (P = 0.488) hydroxocobalamin supplementation. Serum albumin rose from 35 ± 4 (35) g/L to 36 ± 4 (36) g/L (P = 0.03). A significant rise in red cell folate (RCF) and serum vitamin B12 levels was observed. Serum ferritin rose despite a reduction in intravenous iron usage and no significant change in c-reactive protein or transferrin saturation. CONCLUSIONS In HD patients with B12 < 300 pmol/L, following treatment with hydroxocobalamin there was reduced erythropoietin requirements, maintained Hb and a small but significant rise in the serum albumin. RCF may be low in haemodialysis patients with metabolic cobalamin deficiency and rises significantly after supplementation. Hydroxocobalamin supplementation may have the potential to reduce the cost of anaemia management.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Killen
- Department of Renal Medicine, Cairns Hospital, North Cairns, Queensland, Australia
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Spence JD. B vitamin therapy for homocysteine: renal function and vitamin B12 determine cardiovascular outcomes. Clin Chem Lab Med 2013; 51:633-7. [DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2012-0465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Niwa T. Update of uremic toxin research by mass spectrometry. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2011; 30:510-521. [PMID: 21328600 DOI: 10.1002/mas.20323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2010] [Revised: 09/29/2010] [Accepted: 09/29/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometry (MS) has been successfully applied for the identification and quantification of uremic toxins and uremia-associated modified proteins. This review focuses on the recent progress in the MS analysis of uremic toxins. Uremic toxins include low-molecular weight solutes, protein-bound low-molecular weight solutes, and middle molecules (peptides and proteins). Based on MS analysis of these uremic toxins, the pathogenesis of the uremic symptoms will be elucidated to prevent and manage the symptoms. Notably, protein-bound uremic toxins such as indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionic acid have emerged as important targets of therapeutic removal. Hemodialysis even with a high-flux membrane cannot efficiently remove the protein-bound uremic toxins because of their high albumin-binding property. The accumulation of these protein-bound uremic toxins in the blood of dialysis patients might play an important role in the development of uremic complications such as cardiovascular disease. Indoxyl sulfate is the most promising protein-bound uremic toxin as a biomarker of progress in chronic kidney disease. Novel dialysis techniques or membranes should be developed to efficiently remove these protein-bound uremic toxins for the prevention and management of uremic complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshimitsu Niwa
- Department of Advanced Medicine for Uremia, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Saposnik
- From the Stroke Outcomes Research Unit, Stroke Outcomes Research Canada (SORCan), Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences & Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and the Departments of Medicine and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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