Objective To analyze the causes of early death in elderly patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis ( MHD) and major risk factors.Methods A retrospective study was conducted.Fourty-three patients who had undergone MHD between January 2005 and December 2015 and died within 3 -12 months after hemodialysis in the Hemodialysis Center of China Aerospace Center Hospital were included in Group A while 106 patients who had undergone hemodialysis in the same period but survived for over 12 months were selected as control group(Group B).Results The main causes of early death of 43 elderly patients with MHD were cardiovascular ( 46.5%) and cerebrovascular diseases ( 25.6%) (CCVD), and infections(14.0%).The age,proportion of patients with diabetes and CVD,and the proportion of patients using the central venous catheter( CVC) as vascular access were higher in Group A,but the level of hemoglobin and serum albumin was lower.Indicators of cardiac structure and function showed that the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd),left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT),and left ventricular myocardial quality index(LVMI)in Group A were well above those in Group B, but EF and E/A ratio were significantly lower(P<0.05 and P<0.01).COX regression analysis indicated that the comorbidity with CVD, a lower level of serum albumin and EF were the main risk factors for early mortality in elderly patients under MHD.Conclusion The main cause of early death in elderly MHD patients is CCVD.The comorbidity of CVD, malnutrition and decreased left ventricular systolic function might be the main risk factors for early mortality in elderly MHD patients.Early and adequate dialysis,active treatment of underlying diseases, and the correction of hypoalbuminemia can decrease complications,prolong life and improve the quality of life.

PURPOSE: The treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains challenging, due to the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor receptors. This study was designed to evaluate the efficiency and safety of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy, following regular chemotherapy, for patients with TNBC. METHODS: A total of 340 patients with postmastectomy TNBC, from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2014, were included in this retrospective study. Seventy-seven patients received CIK cell immunotherapy, following regular chemotherapy (arm 1), and 263 patients received regular chemotherapy alone (arm 2). The primary aim was overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), and the treatment responses and adverse events were also evaluated. RESULTS: The 5-year DFS and OS rates in arm 1 were 77.9% and 94.3%, compared with 69.8% and 85.6% in arm 2, respectively (p=0.159 and p=0.035, respectively). This clearly shows that there was no statistical difference in the 5-year DFS between the two groups. Multivariate analyses of arm 1 indicated that a Karnofsky performance score (KPS) ≥90 and stage I/IIA disease were significantly associated with a prolonged DFS period (hazard ratio [HR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09–0.74; p=0.012; and HR 0.21; 95% CI, 0.06–0.82; p=0.024, respectively), but a KPS ≥90 and stage I/IIA disease were not independent prognostic factors for OS. Toxicity was mild in patients who received the CIK therapy. CONCLUSION: The data suggested that CIK cell immunotherapy improved the efficiency of regular chemotherapy in patients with TNBC, and the side effects of CIK cell immunotherapy were mild.
Arm ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Progesterone ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Retrospective Studies ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms*