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The aim of this study is to determine whether new European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equation is more applicable than Asian-modified CKD-EPI equation in clinical practice, having a higher accuracy in estimating GFR in our external CKD population. We calculated estimated GFREKFC and GFRCKD-EPI independently using the EKFC and Asian-modified CKD-EPI formulas, respectively. The clinical diagnostic performance of the two equations was assessed and compared by median bias, precision, accuracy (P30) and so on, using 99mTc-DTPA dual plasma sample clearance method as a reference method for GFR measurement (mGFR). The equation that met the following targets was superior: (1) median bias within ± 3 mL/min/1.73 m2; (2) P30 > 75%; and (3) better precision and 95% limits of agreement in Bland–Altman analysis. Totally, 160 CKD patients were recruited in our external cohort. GFREKFC was highly related to mGFR, with a regression equation of GFREKFC=mGFR × 0.87 + 5.27. Compared with the Asian-modified CKD-EPI equation, EKFC equation demonstrated a wider median bias (–1.64 vs. 0.84 mL/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.01) that was within 3 mL/min/1.73 m2 and not clinically meaningful. Furthermore, the precision (12.69 vs. 12.72 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.42), 95% limits of agreement in Bland–Altman analysis (42.4 vs. 44.4 mL/min/1.73 m2) and incorrect reclassification index of the two target equations were almost identical. Although, EKFC equation had a slightly better P30 (80.0% vs. 74.4%, p = 0.01). The overall performance of EKFC equation is acceptable. There is no clinically meaningful difference in the performance of the Asian-modified CKD-EPI and EKFC equations within the limits imposed by the small sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to detect the expression of ceruloplasmin in the peripheral blood of patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy and explore the mechanisms of iron metabolism disorder in drug‐resistant epilepsy. Peripheral blood was collected from 32 patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy, labeled the drug‐resistant group; 30 patients who were drug responsive, labeled the drug‐responsive group; and 34 healthy people, named the normal group.The expression levels of ceruloplasmin mRNA and ceruloplasmin protein in the peripheral blood of the 3 groups were detected using real‐time fluorescence‐based quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The differences in the expression of ceruloplasmin mRNA of different seizure frequencies and types, electroencephalogram abnormal discharges, and different medication methods were analyzed and compared. The relative expression of ceruloplasmin mRNA and ceruloplasmin protein in the drug‐resistant epilepsy group was significantly higher than that in the drug‐responsive group (P =.002 and.010, respectively) and higher in the drug‐responsive group compared with the normal group (P =.014 and.005, respectively). The relative expression of ceruloplasmin mRNA in patients with epilepsy using different medication methods was statistically significant (P =.001). Patients who received a combination of 2 or 3 drugs exhibited a higher expression than those treated with single‐drug treatment, whereas those who received a combination of 3 drugs had a higher expression than those with 2 drugs (P =.013,.001, and.011, respectively). There was no significant difference in the relative expression of Cp mRNA in patients with epilepsy with different seizure frequencies and types and abnormal electroencephalogram discharges (all P >.05). The increased expression of ceruloplasmin in the peripheral blood of patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy was closely related to the different medication methods, but no obvious correlation with epileptic seizure frequencies or types and abnormal electroencephalogram discharges was identified. The increased expression of ceruloplasmin enhanced iron oxidative damage and may be the potential mechanism of drug‐resistant epilepsy and may be one of the drug resistance indicators for combination drugs when treating drug‐resistant epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]