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ObjectiveThe epidemiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with cirrhosis and its clinical significance remain unclear. This study aimed (i) to investigate the pooled prevalence and/or incidence of AF in patients with cirrhosis and (ii) to assess the mortality risk of AF in patients with cirrhosis.Patients and methodsA literature search for studies that reported incidence of AF in patients with cirrhosis was carried out using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Database from inception through July 2018. Pooled incidence with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using a random-effect model. The protocol for this meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no. CRD42018102664).ResultsSeven cohort studies including 385 866 patients with cirrhosis were identified. The pooled estimated prevalence of AF in patients with cirrhosis was 5.0% (95% CI: 2.8–8.6%). When studies that solely assessed patients undergoing transplant evaluation or on transplant waiting list were excluded, the pooled estimated prevalence of AF in patients with cirrhosis was 7.4% (95% CI: 3.5–15.2%). There was a significant association between AF and increased mortality risk in cirrhotic patients with a pooled odds ratio of 1.44 (95% CI: 1.36–1.53).ConclusionThe overall estimated prevalence of AF among patients with cirrhosis is 5.0%. Our study demonstrates a statistically significant increased mortality risk in cirrhotic patients with AF.

AbstractObjectivePrevious studies have suggested a high incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart transplant recipients. However, incidence trends of AF in heart transplant recipients remain unclear. The study's aims were (1) to investigate the pooled incidence/incidence trends of AF following heart transplantation and (2) to assess the mortality risk of heart transplant recipients with AF.MethodsA literature search for studies that reported the incidence of AF following heart transplantation was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Database from inception through March 2018. Pooled incidence and odds ratios (OR) with 95%CI were calculated using a random‐effects model.ResultsEighteen studies (2 cohorts from clinical trials and 16 cohort studies) with 5393 heart transplant recipients were enrolled. The pooled estimated incidence of AF in heart transplant was 10.1% (95%CI: 7.6%‐13.2%). Meta‐analysis based on the type of anastomotic technique demonstrated a pooled estimated incidence of AF following heart transplantation of 18.7% (95%CI: 10.3%‐31.5%) and 11.1% (95%CI: 6.5%‐18.4%) by biatrial and bicaval techniques, respectively. There was a significant association between AF following a heart transplant and increased mortality risk with a pooled OR of 2.86 (95%CI: 2.08‐3.93). Meta‐regression analyses showed no significant correlations between the year of study and incidence of AF (P = 0.47) or mortality risk of AF after heart transplantation (P = 0.99).ConclusionsThe overall estimated incidence of AF following heart transplantation is 10.1%. There is a significant association between AF and increased mortality after transplantation. Furthermore, incidence and mortality risk of AF following heart transplant does not seem to decrease over time.

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to assess the nationwide trends in optimal diabetic care and complications of elderly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients over a 6‐year period in Thailand.MethodsT2DM patients aged 65 years or older who received medical care at public hospitals in Thailand from 2010 to 2015 were included. The optimal T2DM care in elderly patients was defined as (1) blood pressure (BP) < 140/90, (2) hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) < 7%, (3) low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) < 100 mg/dL, (4) use of antiplatelet medications, and (5) use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in hypertensive patients. T2DM treatment‐related complications included hospital admissions due to dysglycemia.ResultsA total of 54 295 elderly T2DM patients were enrolled in this study. From 2010 to 2015, there was an increasing trend in the achievement of BP control and use of antiplatelet medications (P for trend < 0.01), whereas there was a decreasing trend in the achievement of HbA1c and LDL‐C control among elderly T2DM patients (P for trend < 0.001). There was an increasing trend in the use of ACEI/ARB among elderly T2DM patients with hypertension (P for trend < 0.001). Hospital admissions due to dysglycemia decreased over the study period (P for trend < 0.001).ConclusionThere has been a trend change for diabetic care among elderly T2DM patients in Thailand. Further studies are needed to assess the impact on patient outcomes.

This meta-analysis was conducted with the aims to summarize all available evidence on (1) prevalence of pre-existing atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or incidence of AF following kidney transplantation; (2) the outcomes of kidney transplant recipients with AF; and (3) the trends of estimated incidence of AF following kidney transplantation over time. A literature search was conducted utilizing MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database from inception through March 2018. We included studies that reported (1) prevalence of pre-existing AF or incidence of AF following kidney transplantation or (2) outcomes of kidney transplant recipients with AF. Effect estimates from the individual study were extracted and combined utilizing random-effect, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird. The protocol for this meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no. CRD42018086192). Eight cohort studies with 137,709 kidney transplant recipients were enrolled. Overall, the pooled estimated prevalence of pre-existing AF in patients undergoing kidney transplantation was 7.0% (95% CI: 5.6–8.8%) and pooled estimated incidence of AF following kidney transplantation was 4.9% (95% CI: 1.7–13.0%). Meta-regression analyses were performed and showed no significant correlations between year of study and either prevalence of pre-existing AF (p = 0.93) or post-operative AF after kidney transplantation (p = 0.16). The pooled odds ratios (OR) of mortality among kidney transplant recipients with AF was 1.86 (3 studies; 95% CI: 1.03–3.35). In addition, AF is also associated with death-censored allograft loss (2 studies; OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.02–2.35) and stroke (3 studies; OR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.11–5.78) among kidney transplant recipients. Despite advances in medicine, incidence of AF following kidney transplant does not seem to decrease over time. In addition, there is a significant association of AF with increased mortality, allograft loss, and stroke after kidney transplantation.

ABSTRACTBackgroundComplications related to peritoneal dialysis (PD) in patients with autosomal‐dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), including intraperitoneal rupture of renal cyst, hernia, membrane failure and peritonitis, have been reported. However, long‐term clinical outcomes of ADPKD patients on PD remain unclear. We performed this meta‐analysis to assess the risks of death, technique failure and peritonitis in ADPKD patients on PD.MethodsA systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from inception to October 2017 to identify studies that evaluated the outcomes of ADPKD patients on PD, including the risks of death, technique failure and peritonitis. Non‐ADPKD patients on PD were used as controls. Effect estimates from the individual study were extracted and combined using the random‐effect, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird.ResultsTwelve cohort studies with a total of 14 673 patients on PD (931 ADPKD and 13 742 non‐ADPKD patients) were enrolled. Compared with non‐ADPKD status, ADPKD was associated with significantly decreased mortality risk with pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.68 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53–0.86; I2 = 0). There were no associations of ADPKD with the risks of technique failure of PD and peritonitis with pooled OR of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.79–1.10; I2 = 0) and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.75–1.05; I2 = 0), respectively. We found no publication bias as assessed by Egger's regression asymmetry test, with P = 0.90, 0.28 and 0.60 for the risks of mortality, technique failure and peritonitis in ADPKD patients on PD, respectively.ConclusionCompared with non‐ADPKD patients on PD, our study demonstrates that ADPKD patients on PD have 0.68‐fold decreased mortality risk. There are no associations of ADPKD status with the risks of technique failure or peritonitis.

Background/ObjectivesA negative association between cigarette smoking and celiac disease has been observed but results were inconsistent across the published studies. A meta‐analysis was conducted with the aim to identify all studies that investigated this association and to summarize the results of those studies.MethodsA comprehensive literature review was conducted utilizing MEDLINE and Embase databases through March 2018 to identify all cohort studies and case‐control studies that compared the risk of celiac disease among current and/or former smokers versus never‐smokers. Effect estimates from each study were extracted and combined together using the random‐effect, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird.ResultsA total of seven studies with 307,924 participants fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta‐analysis. The pooled analysis found a significantly decreased risk of celiac disease among current smokers compared with never‐smokers with the pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.52 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.32–0.84; I2 86%). However, the risk of celiac disease among former smokers was not significantly different from never‐smokers with the pooled OR of 1.10 (95% CI, 0.76–1.60; I2 of 73%).ConclusionsA significantly decreased risk of celiac disease among current smokers compared with never‐smokers was demonstrated in this meta‐analysis.