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At least 1,243 records · Page 69Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

DNA sequencing by indexer walking.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for DNA sequencing methods that are faster, more accurate, and less expensive than existing techniques. Here we present a new method for DNA analysis by means of indexer walking. METHODS: For DNA sequencing by indexer walking, we ligated double-stranded synthetic oligonucleotides (indexers) to DNA fragments that were produced by type IIS restriction endonucleases, which generate nonidentical 4-nucleotide 5' overhangs. The subsequent amplification (30 thermal cycles) of indexed DNA provided a template for automated DNA sequencing with fluorescent dideoxy terminators. The data gathered in the first sequencing reaction permitted further movement into the unknown nucleotide sequence by digestion of analyzed DNA with selected type IIS restriction endonuclease followed by ligation of the next indexer. A library of presynthesized indexers consisting of 256 oligonucleotides was used for bidirectional analysis of DNA molecules and provided universal primers for sequencing. RESULTS: The proposed protocol was successfully applied to sequencing of cryptic plasmids isolated from pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli. The overall error rate for base-calling was 0.5%, with a mean read length of 550 nucleotides. Approximately 1000 nucleotides of high-quality sequence could be obtained per day from a single clone. CONCLUSIONS: Indexer walking can be used as a low-cost procedure for nucleotide sequence determination of DNA molecules, such as natural plasmids, cDNA clones, and longer DNA fragments. It can also serve as an alternative method for gap filling at the final stage of genome sequencing projects.

DNA Primers↗
PubMed1983

Right ventricular stroke-work. An index of distribution of pulmonary perfusion in acute respiratory failure.

To evaluate the possibility that an elevated right ventricular stroke-work index observed in acute respiratory failure correlates with less dead space ventilation, 20 patients requiring mechanical ventilation were studied. Ratio of physiologic dead space to tidal volume was used as an index of distribution of pulmonary perfusion. An inverse linear relationship was found between right ventricular stroke-work index and dead space ratio (r = -0.74, p less than 0.001). No correlation was present between cardiac index and dead space ratio. To evaluate the effects of other hemodynamic data on the distribution of pulmonary perfusion, the patients were divided into two groups based on a dead space ratio. Comparison of the two groups revealed right ventricular stroke-work index was significantly higher in the low dead space ratio group (p less than 0.001). There were no differences in cardiac index, pulmonary-artery pressure, or right atrial pressures. These data suggest that elevated right ventricular stroke-work index in acute respiratory failure is associated with more even distribution of pulmonary perfusion, and that patients with a high dead space ratio were characterized by right ventricular dysfunction when compared to patients with a low dead space ratio.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Albumin index in spot urine from outpatients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The albumin index (mg/g . creatinine) was determined in untimed spot urine collected in the early morning from 92 randomly selected outpatients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The patients were divided into three groups: 49 patients with normo-albuminuria (albumin index less than 9.1), 24 with micro-albuminuria (albumin index between 9.1 and 100), and 19 with overt-albuminuria (albumin index over than 100). With diabetic duration, the frequency of the patients with overt-albuminuria was increased, but that with normo-albuminuria was decreased. The patients treated with only a diet almost showed normo-albuminuria. In contrast, micro-and overt-albuminuria were found more frequently in the patients treated with oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin. Micro- and overt-albuminuria were found more frequently in the patients with poor glycemic control than in those with good glycemic control. The urinary albumin index was significantly high in the micro-albuminuric patients with poor glycemic control. Similarly, micro- and overt-albuminuria were found more frequently in the patients associated with diabetic retinopathy or neuropathy than in those without diabetic complications. In addition, overt-albuminuria was found more frequently in the patients with hypertension. The urinary albumin index was significantly high in the overt-albuminuric patients with hypertension. In conclusion, the determination of the albumin index in spot urine may be outpatients with NIDDM.

Albuminuria↗
PubMed2006

Alpha-band electroencephalographic activity over occipital cortex indexes visuospatial attention bias and predicts visual target detection.

Covertly directing visual attention toward a spatial location in the absence of visual stimulation enhances future visual processing at the attended position. The neuronal correlates of these attention shifts involve modulation of neuronal "baseline" activity in early visual areas, presumably through top-down control from higher-order attentional systems. We used electroencephalography to study the largely unknown relationship between these neuronal modulations and behavioral outcome in an attention orienting paradigm. Covert visuospatial attention shifts to either a left or right peripheral position in the absence of visual stimulation resulted in differential modulations of oscillatory alpha-band (8-14 Hz) activity over left versus right posterior sites. These changes were driven by varying degrees of alpha-decreases being maximal contralateral to the attended position. When expressed as a lateralization index, these alpha-changes differed significantly between attention conditions, with negative values (alpha_right < alpha_left) indexing leftward and more positive values (alpha_left < or = alpha_right) indexing rightward attention. Moreover, this index appeared deterministic for processing of forthcoming visual targets. Collapsed over trials, there was an advantage for left target processing in accordance with an overall negative bias in alpha-index values. Across trials, left targets were detected most rapidly when preceded by negative index values. Detection of right targets was fastest in trials with most positive values. Our data indicate that collateral modulations of posterior alpha-activity, the momentary bias of visuospatial attention, and imminent visual processing are linked. They suggest that the momentary direction of attention, predicting spatial biases in imminent visual processing, can be estimated from a lateralization index of posterior alpha-activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

An inverse association between serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activity and Breslow's Lifestyle Index; its practical application for screening of subjects with unhealthy lifestyles.

We examined whether serum gammaGTP activity (gammaGTP) is associated with Breslow's lifestyle index and whether it could be used as a tool to detect subjects with unhealthy lifestyles. To that effect, 724 male Japanese workers excluding patients suffering from hepatitis virus infection, autoimmune liver diseases and apparently active bile duct diseases were cross-sectionally examined. gammaGTP was inversely associated with the total score of Breslow's index for all subjects (lambda=30.643) and in subjects aged 40 or more (lambda=37.073). The association was consistent even after adjustments of subjects' ages and levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and uric acid (p=0.0001). Among the seven lifestyle factors comprising Breslow's index, improper habits of drinking (p<0.0001), smoking (p=0.0204), exercise (p=0.0189) and body weight control (p<0.0001), were associated with increased gammaGTP. Even in a survey in which subjects who had proper habits of drinking and body weight control were selectively examined, improper habits of smoking and exercise still tended to be associated with increased gammaGTP. Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that gammaGTP was beneficial for detecting subjects who scored two or less on Breslow's index, at least in subjects aged 40 or more. gammaGTP was associated with insulin resistance level estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (p<0.0001), which was inversely associated with Breslow's index (p=0.0040). gammaGTP could be used as an objective substitute of Breslow's index, allowing us to identify subjects with low scores on Breslow's index, at least after sorting subjects properly. Such screening would enable interventions to correct subjects' unhealthy lifestyles, helping to solve lifestyle-related disease issues.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Silica exposure index in gold mining].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a cumulative silica exposure index, including time period, duration and intensity of exposure, and to test this index as for occurrence and severity of silicosis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out comprising 140 former gold miners from two localities in Southeastern Brazil between November 1997 and December 1999. Complete data on occupational and medical histories, chest x-rays and spirometry were analyzed. Borderline cases on the x-rays were also submitted to high-resolution chest computed tomography. The exposure index was the sum of scores obtained by logarithmic transformation of respirable silica concentration related to job tasks, mines and work time. Parametric tests were used for comparing averages between the groups of interest. RESULTS: The silica exposure index was able to discriminate the main outcome (silicosis) as well as other outcomes (tuberculosis and lung emphysema) in the whole group at p-values of 0.008, 0.016 and <0.001 respectively. In regard to the four main categories of silicosis, the Tukey test showed differences in the averages of the exposure index in the categories 0 and 3 and 1 and 3. However, in the borderline cases subgroup, the exposure index was not satisfactory for cases submitted to x-rays and tomography and it could not differentiate other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The silica exposure index represents an advance in exposure evaluation of former miners. However, other information, such as clinical and lung functional data are needed for better understanding disease progress in silica exposed cases, especially among borderline cases.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Combining phylogenetic and ecological information into a new index of host specificity.

Host specificity has 2 independent facets: the extent to which different host species are used by a parasite, and the phylogenetic distances among these hosts. Although the number of host species exploited by a parasite commonly is used as a measure of host specificity, it fails to capture ecological and phylogenetic differences among hosts. Here, a new index of host specificity, S(TD)*, is developed and illustrated. This index measures the average taxonomic distinctness among the host species used by a parasite, weighted for the parasite's prevalence in the different hosts. For a given number of host species, the index approaches its minimum value when a parasite achieves high prevalence in a few closely related host species, and the index approaches its highest value when a parasite reaches its highest prevalence values in distantly related host species. Simple hypothetical examples are used to demonstrate the index's computation and some of its properties. The new index is influenced independently both by the taxonomic (or phylogenetic) affinities of a set of host species and by the distribution of prevalence values among these hosts. A single value cannot truly capture all the nuances of a phenomenon as complex as host specificity; nevertheless, the proposed index incorporates the features of specificity that are most relevant to parasitologists and will be a useful tool for comparative studies.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

The NDNQI-Adapted Index of work satisfaction.

The valid measurement of nurses' job satisfaction is critical because job satisfaction is important for the retention of qualified nurses to provide patient care in hospitals. Two studies were conducted to adapt the Stamps Index of Work Satisfaction (1997b) to measure work satisfaction at the patient care unit level for use by the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). In Study 1 (n = 918 RNs) exploratory factor analysis of data obtained using the NDNQI-Adapted Index replicated the conceptual dimensions of the Stamps measure. Associations with scores on Job Enjoyment were evidence that the Index measured the intended construct. Using theta, the reliability of the composite subscales was .91. The adapted Work Satisfaction subscale scores explained 46% of the variance in Job Enjoyment, with each subscale contributing uniquely (p < .001). In Study 2 (n = 2277 RNs) confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling supported the 7-subscale structure for the Adapted Index (CFI [719] = .88; RMR = .05). Replication of associations between scores on the Index subscales and Job Enjoyment provided further evidence regarding validity of the data, since the Work Satisfaction subscales explained 56% of the variance in Job Enjoyment. The feasibility of using an on-line version of the Adapted-Index for data collection was demonstrated. The findings from the two studies indicate that the adapted Index of Work Satisfaction has a structure similar to the original instrument and is a reliable and valid measure of work satisfaction at the patient care unit level.

Factor Analysis, Statistical↗
PubMed2000

A non-invasive cardiovascular index for the quantification of arterial load.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to quantify steady and pulsatile components of arterial load in a concise and sensitive way by means of a new non-invasive cardiovascular index (NICI). METHODS AND RESULTS: NICI is based on non-invasively measured pressure (sphygmomanometer), stroke volume index and cardiac index (Doppler echocardiography and ECG) and yields a numerical value (in mm Hg). It expresses the difference between the actual arterial load and reference loading conditions as determined in a control group (29 M/35 F, age 34 +/- 13 yr.) of healthy subjects, with blood pressure 116/61 mm Hg (systolic/diastolic), stroke volume index (SVI) 34 +/- 18 ml.m-2 and cardiac index (CI) 2.1 +/- 0.5 l.min-1.m-2. NICI was calculated in the control group and in 23 borderline hypertensive subjects (10 M/13 F, age 65 +/- 12 yr.) with blood pressure 156/79 mm Hg, SVI 36 +/- 10 ml.m-2 and CI 2.4 +/- 0.6 l.min-1.m-2. NICI was higher in borderline hypertensives (33 +/- 51 vs. 0 +/- 34 mm Hg; P < 0.001) and was strongly correlated with total peripheral resistance index (r = 0.89; P < 0.001) and with the ratio of SVI and pulse pressure (r = -0.89; P < 0.001), expressing the combined effect of both known determinants of cardiac load. NICI was also correlated with effective arterial elastance index (r = 0.89; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: NICI quantifies, within a logical biomechanical framework, the arterial load as seen by the ejecting ventricle. It combines steady and pulsatile components of arterial load and has a single control value of zero mm Hg.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Use of hepatic tumor index on color Doppler sonography for differentiating large hepatic tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Color flow patterns on Doppler sonography are nonspecific for differentiating various hepatic tumors. We previously reported that a tumoral peak systolic flow velocity of 0.40 m/sec or greater suggested a malignant hepatic tumor rather than a hemangioma. However, tumoral peak systolic flow velocity failed to differentiate hepatocellular carcinomas and metastatic tumors. In this study, we attempted to assess the value of the hepatic tumor index for differentiating hepatocellular carcinomas and other hepatic tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Color Doppler sonography was performed in 80 patients with 108 hepatic lesions larger than 2.0 cm in diameter. The hepatic tumor index was calculated as the ratio of the tumoral peak systolic velocity to the peak systolic velocity of the right or left hepatic artery. RESULTS: Pulsatile color flow images were obtained in 42 of 48 hepatocellular carcinomas, 25 of 32 hepatic metastases, and 13 of 28 hemangiomas. The mean hepatic tumor indexes obtained from hepatocellular carcinomas, metastases, and hemangiomas were 1.14 +/- 0.37 (+/-SD), 0.63 +/- 0.22, and 0.60 +/- 0.17, respectively. The hepatic tumor indexes of hepatocellular carcinomas significantly exceeded those of metastases and hemangiomas (p < .01 in both cases). A hepatic tumor index equal to or greater than 1.0 was associated with 76% sensitivity, 92% specificity, and 82% accuracy in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinomas from hepatic metastases. In lesions with a tumoral peak systolic velocity of 0.40 m/sec or greater, a hepatic tumor index equal to or greater than 1.0 was associated with 91% sensitivity, 83% specificity, and 89% accuracy in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinomas from hepatic metastases. CONCLUSION: The hepatic tumor index on color Doppler sonography was useful in differentiating large hepatocellular carcinomas from hepatic metastases.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function indexes obtained from minimal model analysis of a meal tolerance test.

Modeling analysis of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide following a meal has been proposed as a means to estimate insulin sensitivity (S(i)) and beta-cell function from a single test. We compared the model-derived meal indexes with analogous indexes obtained from an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and hyperglycemic clamp (HGC) in 17 nondiabetic subjects (14 men, 3 women, aged 50 +/- 2 years [mean +/- SE], BMI 25.0 +/- 0.7 kg/m(2)). S(i) estimated from the meal was correlated with S(i) estimated from the IVGTT and the HGC (r = 0.59 and 0.76, respectively; P < 0.01 for both) but was approximately 2.3 and 1.4 times higher (P < 0.05 for both). The meal-derived estimate of the beta-cell's response to a steady-state change in glucose (static secretion index) was correlated with the HGC second-phase insulin response (r = 0.69; P = 0.002), but the estimated rate-of-change component (dynamic secretion index) was not correlated with first-phase insulin release from either the HGC or IVGTT. Indexes of beta-cell function obtained from the meal were significantly higher than those obtained from the HGC. In conclusion, insulin sensitivity and beta-cell indexes derived from a meal are not analogous to those from the clamp or IVGTT. Further work is needed before these indexes can be routinely used in clinical and epidemiological studies.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed2005

Rosiglitazone increases indexes of stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity in humans: link to insulin sensitization and the role of dominant-negative mutation in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma.

Fatty acid desaturases such as steaoryl-CoA desaturase (SCD) convert saturated to unsaturated fatty acids and are involved in lipogenesis. Observational and animal data suggest that SCD-1 activity is related to insulin sensitivity. However, the effects of insulin-sensitizing drugs on SCD gene expression and desaturase activities are unknown in humans. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study, 24 subjects with type 2 diabetes and one subject with partial lipodystrophy and diabetes due to dominant-negative mutation in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) gene (P467L) received placebo and rosiglitazone for 3 months. SCD gene expression in adipose tissue was determined in 23 subjects, and in a representative subgroup (n = 10) we assessed fatty acid composition in fasting plasma triglycerides to estimate SCD and delta6- and delta5-desaturase activity, using product-to-precursor indexes. SCD mRNA expression increased by 48% after rosiglitazone (P < 0.01). SCD and delta5-desaturase but not delta6-desaturase activity indexes were increased after rosiglitazone versus placebo (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The change in activity index but not the expression of SCD was associated with improved insulin sensitivity (r = 0.73, P < 0.05). In the P467L PPARgamma carrier, SCD and delta5-desaturase activity indexes were exceptionally low but were restored (52- and 15-fold increases, respectively) after rosiglitazone treatment. This study shows for the first time that rosiglitazone increases SCD activity indexes and gene expression in humans. An increased SCD activity index may reflect increased lipogenesis and might contribute to insulin sensitization by rosiglitazone. The restored SCD activity index after rosiglitazone in PPARgamma mutation supports a pivotal role of PPARgamma function in SCD regulation.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗
PubMed2003

Prevalence and major risk factors of reduced flow volume in lower extremities with normal ankle-brachial index in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the prevalence and major risk factors of reduced flow volume in lower extremities with normal ankle-brachial index (ABI) in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We recruited 208 consecutive type 2 diabetic patients and 33 age-matched nondiabetic subjects (control group) admitted to our hospital. Thirty-two of the patients had low ABI (<0.90) and intermittent claudication (peripheral arterial disease [PAD] group), and 176 patients had normal ABI (>0.9) (non-PAD group). We evaluated flow volume and resistive index, as an index of arterial resistance to blood flow, at the popliteal artery using gated two-dimensional cine-mode phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Simple linear regression analysis showed a negative correlation between resistive index and total flow volume in the non-PAD group (r = -0.714, P < 0.001). We defined the means +/- 2 SD of these parameters in the control group as the normal range; abnormal resistive index was >1.017, and abnormal flow volume was <50.8 ml/min. The non-PAD group was divided according to the levels of these parameters: 80 patients had both normal resistive index and normal flow volume (normal group); of 96 patients with higher resistive index, 63 had normal flow volume (borderline group) and 33 had reduced flow volume (reduced group). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the major risk factors for reduced flow volume were age, hypertension, and diabetic nephropathy (r(2) = 0.303, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of patients without PAD with reduced flow volume in the lower extremities was 16% (n = 33) and comparable with that of patients with PAD with intermittent claudication (n = 32), suggesting that increase in arterial resistance to blood flow may be one of the major causes of lower extremity arterial disease in Japan.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

A simultaneous procedure for deriving selection indexes with multiple restrictions.

The formulas given in literature for the construction of restricted indexes were designed only for the imposition of a single restriction (zero, fixed, or proportional). This study presents both the theory and the methods of a simultaneous procedure for constructing indexes with single or multiple restriction(s). Numerical examples are given to verify the theoretical development and to demonstrate the implementation of the procedure. The simultaneous procedure presented brings the construction of various restricted indexes into a simple computational scheme. In addition to the use of the proposed procedure to handle multiple traits, it can be used to modify the growth curve of meat animals or the lactation curve of dairy animals, which generally requires simultaneous imposition of different restrictions on different stages of the curves. A misconception in the literature is that the variance of an index (b'Pb) is not equal to the covariance between an index and its net merit (b'Ga) when the index is a restricted one. This study showed generally that b'Pb and b'Ga are equal in the restricted or unrestricted case only when elements of b represent the original solutions from the index equations and are not equal when elements of b are expressed in terms of proportions.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Genetic Component of Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle, Development of Heat Index Function.

Production data obtained from AIPL USDA included 119,337 first-parity, test-day records of 15,012 Holsteins from 134 Georgia farms collected in 1990 to 1997. Weather information was obtained from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network and included daily minimum, average, and maximum temperatures and humidity for 21 stations throughout the state. Each test-day record was augmented with weather information from the closest weather station. Analyses were based on models that included effects of herd-year-season, age, test day, milking frequency, and several types of heat and humidity. The best model used a temperature-humidity index. With this model, the average test-day yield for milk was about 26.3 kg for a temperature-humidity index <72 and decreased at about 0.2 kg per unit increase in the temperature-humidity index for a temperature-humidity index > or =72. For fat and protein, the test yield was 0.92 and 0.85 kg at a temperature-humidity index <72, respectively, and declined at a rate of 0.012 and 0.009 kg per degree of the temperature-humidity index, respectively. The temperature-humidity index calculated with the available weather information can be used to account for the effect of heat stress on production.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Development of an optimal index to improve lactation yield and persistency with the least selection intensity.

It is important to have improvement in both lactation milk yield and persistency. Modification of the lactation curve requires severe restrictions on selection criteria designed to simultaneously improve both milk yield and persistency. As a result, manipulating the lactation curve for improved persistency requires higher selection intensity than unrestricted selection based on 305-d estimated breeding value (EBV). Our study showed that for a given restriction imposed on both milk EBV and persistency, it is possible to derive different indexes to achieve this selection constraint with different degrees of selection intensity. Of the class of indexes that meets the same restriction, it is preferable to choose the index that requires the least selection intensity because it is easier to achieve the selection goal with the use of an index that requires a lower selection intensity than a higher selection intensity. An optimal index based on random regression (RR) coefficients was developed to achieve the prespecified stage genetic gains with the lowest selection intensity. A conversion equation was derived to convert the selection index based on RR coefficients to the selection index based on stage EBV with the lowest selection intensity. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the procedures developed compared with conventional selection based on 305-d milk EBV.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Changes of renal resistive index in response to hydration and diuretic administration in normal subjects and in patients with small ureteral stone.

The renal resistive index has been measured before and after hydration and administration of diuretics in persons with normal kidneys and in kidneys with small ureteral stone, either obstructing or nonobstructing, to assess induced flow changes and to identify features differentiating obstructing from nonobstructing stones. In normal kidneys the resistive index was normal (mean, 0.62+/-0.03); no changes in the resistive index occurred within 15 to 60 min after hydration alone, whereas the resistive index rose within 15 min after hydration plus administration of diuretics and then returned to initial values within 30 min. In both cases the resistive index decreased below basal values after 75 to 90 min. Similar changes were observed in kidneys with a nonobstructing ureteral stone. In kidneys with an obstructing ureteral stone the resistive index was higher than in normal subjects (mean, 0.73+/-0.02, P<0.01), increased further within 15 min after hydration and administration of diuretics (P<0.01), and remained higher than basal values during the following 90 min. In conclusion, different resistive index changes have been observed in response to hydration and diuretics in normal and obstructed kidneys. Duplex Doppler sonography and diuresis duplex Doppler sonography seem promising diagnostic tools to identify obstructing stones.

Diuretics↗
PubMed1998

Metabolic index in peritoneal dialysis.

To define protein anabolism or catabolism in our patients we retrospectively studied the 24-hour balances (B24 h), dietary protein intake (DPI), anthropometric parameters [body mass index (BMI), tricipital skin fold thickness (TF), and muscular arm circumference (MAC), using the rating scheme: undernourished (U): percentile (pc) < 15; normal (N): pc > 15 to pc < 85; obese (O): pc > 85], and urea kinetics (protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance) [PNA = PCR according to the Gotch-Borah (G), Blumenkrantz (B), and Randerson (R) formulas]. Nitrogen-balance [N-B = DPI(N)-PNA(N)], metabolic ratio (MR = DPI/PNA), and metabolic index (MI = IDPI/nPNA) were calculated as metabolic indicators. There were 215 evaluations (B24 h) in 44 patients, of whom 29 were male and 15 female, 35 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD), 9 on automated PD, age 58.2 +/- 15.6 years, followed-up for 15.3 +/- 10.2 months. Undernourished patients (BMI) showed higher N-B, MR, and MI irrespective of the formula used, but MR was only significant using the Blumenkrantz formula. For N-balance and metabolic index, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was significant with all formulas. The mean metabolic index (Randerson) in subgroups was: U: 1.09 +/- 0.27, n = 54; N: 0.90 +/- 0.25, n = 135; O: 0.87 +/- 0.27, n = 26 (ANOVA: P < 0.0001). The U-N and U-O subgroup comparison was significant (Newman-Keuls P < 0.01). We concluded that: (1) The metabolic index is more discriminating for protein metabolism than N-balance or metabolic ratio. (2) Most of the undernourished patients (BMI) are anabolic according to metabolic index and N-balance, and this indicates recovery. (3) Undernourished (low BMI) patients with metabolic index < 1 deserve special attention due to the risk of remaining malnourished.

Anthropometry↗