Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is used in the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD)^1,2 and is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and kidney failure in a wide range of populations.^3-6 Clinical guidelines recommend reporting estimated GFR when serum creatinine level is measured^1,2; 84% of US laboratories report estimated GFR.⁷ Although the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation is recommended for estimating GFR,^1,2,8,9 the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) has recently proposed an alternative equation, which applies different coefficients to the same 4 variables used in the MDRD Study equation (age, sex, race, and serum creatinine level).¹⁰ The new CKD-EPI equation estimates measured GFR more accurately than the MDRD Study equation in most,^10-18 but not all^19,20 studies. However; only 4% of US laboratories reporting estimated GFR used the CKD-EPI equation in June 2011; 92% of laboratories still used the MDRD Study equation and 4% used other equations.⁷

Diabetes is a serious and costly disease that is becoming increasingly common in many countries. The role of diabetes as a cancer risk factor remains unclear. To examine the relationship between fasting serum glucose and diabetes and risk of all cancers and specific cancers in men and women in Korea. Ten-year prospective cohort study of 1,298,385 Koreans (829,770 men and 468,615 women) aged 30 to 95 years who received health insurance from the National Health Insurance Corp and had a biennial medical evaluation in 1992-1995 (with follow-up for up to 10 years). Death from cancer and registry-documented incident cancer or hospital admission for cancer. During the 10 years of follow-up, there were 20,566 cancer deaths in men and 5907 cancer deaths in women. Using Cox proportional hazards models and controlling for smoking and alcohol use, the stratum with the highest fasting serum glucose (> or =140 mg/dL [> or =7.8 mmol/L]) had higher death rates from all cancers combined (hazard ratio [HR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-1.37 in men and HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.09-1.39 in women) compared with the stratum with the lowest level (<90 mg/dL [<5.0 mmol/L]). By cancer site, the association was strongest for pancreatic cancer, comparing the highest and lowest strata in men (HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.52-2.41) and in women (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.43-2.93). Significant associations were also found for cancers of the esophagus, liver, and colon/rectum in men and of the liver and cervix in women, and there were significant trends with glucose level for cancers of the esophagus, colon/rectum, liver, pancreas, and bile duct in men and of the liver and pancreas in women. Of the 26,473 total cancer deaths in men and women, 848 were estimated as attributable to having a fasting serum glucose level of less than 90 mg/dL. For cancer incidence, the general patterns reflected those found for mortality. For persons with a diagnosis of diabetes or a fasting serum glucose level greater than 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L), risks for cancer incidence and mortality were generally elevated compared with those without diabetes. In Korea, elevated fasting serum glucose levels and a diagnosis of diabetes are independent risk factors for several major cancers, and the risk tends to increase with an increased level of fasting serum glucose.

Obesity is associated with diverse health risks, but the role of body weight as a risk factor for death remains controversial.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing in incidence and prevalence worldwide.¹ Rates of progression to kidney failure vary among individuals with CKD and depend on the severity of kidney disease, comorbid conditions, and risk of dying before kidney failure onset.^2,3 Interventions to slow CKD progression, planning for initiation of dialysis and transplant, and early creation of arteriovenous fistula have been advocated, but these strategies may be expensive and are associated with risks. Treatment would ideally be recommended only for patients at high risk of progression and for whom the benefit exceeds the harm.^4,5

Terri Beaty and colleagues report a genome-wide association study of cleft lip with/without cleft palate. They identified variants near MAFB and ABCA4 associated with risk of this birth defect in case-parent trios of European and Asian ancestry. Case-parent trios were used in a genome-wide association study of cleft lip with and without cleft palate. SNPs near two genes not previously associated with cleft lip with and without cleft palate (MAFB, most significant SNP rs13041247, with odds ratio (OR) per minor allele = 0.704, 95% CI 0.635–0.778, P = 1.44 × 10−11; and ABCA4, most significant SNP rs560426, with OR = 1.432, 95% CI 1.292–1.587, P = 5.01 × 10−12) and two previously identified regions (at chromosome 8q24 and IRF6) attained genome-wide significance. Stratifying trios into European and Asian ancestry groups revealed differences in statistical significance, although estimated effect sizes remained similar. Replication studies from several populations showed confirming evidence, with families of European ancestry giving stronger evidence for markers in 8q24, whereas Asian families showed stronger evidence for association with MAFB and ABCA4. Expression studies support a role for MAFB in palatal development.

Objective To examine the relation between the normal range of serum aminotransferase concentration and mortality from liver disease. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Korea Medical Insurance Corporation study with eight years' follow up. Participants 94 533 men and 47 522 women aged 35-59 years. Main outcome measure Mortality from liver diseases according to death certificate. Results There was a positive association between the aminotransferase concentration, even within normal range (35-40 IU/l), and mortality from liver disease. Compared with the concentration < 20 IU/l, the adjusted relative risks for an aspartate aminotransferase concentration of 20-29 IU/l and 30-39 IU/l were 2.5 (95% confidence interval 2.0 to 3.0) and 8.0 (6.6 to 9.8) in men and 3.3 (1.7 to 6.4) and 18.2 (8.1 to 40.4) in women, respectively, The corresponding risks for alanine aminotransferase were 2.9 (2.4 to 3.5) and 9.5 (7.9 to 11.5) in men and 3.8 (1.9 to 7.7) and 6.6 (1.5 to 25.6) in women, respectively. According to receiver operating characteristic curves the best cut-off values for the prediction of liver disease in men were 31 IU/l for aspartate aminotransferase and 30 IU/l for alanine aminotransferase. Conclusion People with slightly increased aminotransferase activity, but still within the normal range, should be closely observed and further investigated for liver diseases.