Veverimer versus placebo in patients with metabolic acidosis associated with chronic kidney disease: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, controlled, phase 3 trial. (Cory)

Wesson DE, et al. Veverimer versus placebo in patients with metabolic acidosis associated with chronic kidney disease: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2019 Apr 6;393(10179):1417-1427.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease lose the capacity to fully excrete endogenous acid, resulting in chronic metabolic acidosis that increases the risk of disease progression and causes muscle catabolism and bone resorption. Veverimer, a non-absorbed, counterion-free, polymeric drug, selectively binds and removes hydrochloric acid from the gastrointestinal lumen, unlike current oral sodium bicarbonate therapy for metabolic acidosis that only neutralises accumulated acid. We assessed the efficacy and safety of veverimeras a treatment for metabolic acidosis in patients with chronic kidney disease.

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Looking for Airways Periostin in Severe Asthma: Could It Be Useful for Clustering Type 2 Endotype? (Carroll)

Carpagnano GE, et al. Looking for Airways Periostin in Severe Asthma: Could It Be Useful for Clustering Type 2 Endotype? Chest. 2018 Nov;154(5):1083-1090.

BACKGROUND: Severe asthma is heterogeneous clinically and biologically and is often difficult to control. In particular, the type 2 (T2) immunity endotype of severe asthma is gaining increasing interest because it is susceptible to newly developed biologic treatments that can transform the quality of life of these patients. The aim of this study was to analyze periostin concentrations in the airways of patients with severe asthma, evaluating its role in clustering the T2 endotype.

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Hemolysis During Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Associations With Circuitry, Complications, and Mortality. (Carroll)

Dalton HJ, et al. Hemolysis During Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Associations With Circuitry, Complications, and Mortality. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2018 Nov;19(11):1067-1076.

OBJECTIVES: To describe factors associated with hemolysis during pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and the relationships between hemolysis, complications, and mortality.

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Goal-directed platelet transfusions correct platelet dysfunction and may improve survival in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. (Newman)

Furay E, et al. Goal-directed platelet transfusions correct platelet dysfunction and may improve survival in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2018 Nov;85(5):881-887.

BACKGROUND: Platelet dysfunction, defined as adenosine diphosphate inhibition greater than 60% on thromboelastogram, is an independent predictor of increased mortality in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). We changed our practice to transfuse platelets for all patients with severe TBI and platelet dysfunction. We hypothesized that platelet transfusions would correct platelet dysfunction and improve mortality in patients with severe TBI.

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