HDCN.com .... Hypertension, Dialysis, Kidney Disease, and Transplantation NEWS

Itching linked to neural polypeptide B.

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:13:08 GMT

New Scientist: Injecting NPPB directly into mice's skin produced no effect. But injecting it into the spine made both the genetically engineered and ordinary mice scratch themselves rapidly with their hind paws. "Unless you have a high-speed camera you don't see the individual scratches," says Hoon.

Off-topic: "The world is about to change."

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:02:58 GMT

Forbes: … if we consider the whole volume of the reactor core and the most conservative figures on energy production, we still get a value of (7.93 ± 0.8) 102 10^2 MJ/Liter that is one order of magnitude higher than any conventional source.

American Society for Hypertension annual scientific meeting in progress in San Francisco.

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:12:42 GMT

Medical News: Among the findings from the ASH meeting is research that suggests mobile phone calls may cause a rise in blood pressure; yoga may lower it; and despite the need to cut back on sodium to lower blood pressure, hypertensive individuals may have an increased desire for saltier foods.

Robotic surgery decreases complication rate in markedly obese recipients.

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:10:50 GMT

UIC: Obese patients who received robotic kidney transplants had fewer wound complications than patients who received traditional “open” transplant surgery, according to surgeons at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System. The findings should allow more obese patients to receive kidney transplants.

Institute of Medicine questions 1.5 g/day sodium limitation recommendations.

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:05:58 GMT

IOM: The CDC asked the IOM to examine the designs, methodologies, and conclusions in this latest body of research on dietary sodium intake and health outcomes in the general U.S. population and among individuals with hypertension; pre-hypertension; those 51 years of age and older; African Americans; and those with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and congestive heart failure. The IOM committee also was asked to comment on the implications of this new evidence for population-based strategies to gradually reduce sodium intake and to identify gaps in data and research and suggest ways to address them.

Mortality risk for children on dialysis decreases substantially.

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:24:45 GMT

Science Daily: Children on dialysis for severe kidney disease have a dramatically reduced risk of death compared to 20 years ago, a new study shows. The findings, from a study led by Dr. Bethany Foster from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), are very encouraging for children with end-stage kidney disease.

Hospital cost database now publicly available -- shows large disparities.

Wed, 08 May 2013 04:21:21 GMT

Huffpo: When a patient arrives at Bayonne Hospital Center in New Jersey requiring treatment for the respiratory ailment known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, she faces an official price tag of $99,690. Less than 30 miles away in the Bronx, N.Y., the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center charges only $7,044 for the same treatment, according to a massive federal database of national health care costs made public on Wednesday.

Atherosclerosis found in mummified remains of humans from preindustrial civilizations.

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:13:50 GMT

The Lancet: Interpretation: Atherosclerosis was common in four preindustrial populations including preagricultural hunter-gatherers. Although commonly assumed to be a modern disease, the presence of atherosclerosis in premodern human beings raises the possibility of a more basic predisposition to the disease.

Betatrophin may markedly increase insulin production in diabetes.

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:18:02 GMT

Medical News: In animal experiments the researchers found that betatrophin caused laboratory mice to produce beta cells at up to 30 times the normal rate.

Gut bacteria, lecithin, TMAO, and atherosclerosis in the NEJM.

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:43:46 GMT

NEJM: Conclusions The production of TMAO from dietary phosphatidylcholine is dependent on metabolism by the intestinal microbiota. Increased TMAO levels are associated with an increased risk of incident major adverse cardiovascular events.

HDCN payment certificate problem now solved.

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:32:03 GMT

If you were trying to renew your paid subscription to HDCN during the past few days, you may have encounted a "Help, get me out of here! Untrusted source" message. Please don't be alarmed. Our secure server certificate expired and now has been renewed. Apologies for the inconvenience. The information that is submitted during the renewal process on HDCN always remains encrypted. It was only the certificate attesting to this fact that had expired.

Sofosbuvir treatment for hepatitis C gives results comparable to interferon.

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:09:09 GMT

Health Day News: When the new drug, sofosbuvir, is combined with the medication ribavirin, cure rates are as high as traditional therapy, which pairs ribavirin and pegylated interferon, the researchers say. But patients taking sofosbuvir -- a once-a-day pill -- are spared the severe side effects associated with interferon.

Drinking beet juice lowers blood pressure by 10 mm Hg.

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:40:56 GMT

BBC: Drinking 250ml (8oz) cut high blood pressure readings by 10mm of mercury (mmHg) in a study of 15 patients, bringing some into the normal range, the journal Hypertension reports.

Decellularized kidney scaffolds reseeded with cultured cells produce rudimentary urine.

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:15:09 GMT

Nature: To regenerate functional tissue, we seeded rat kidney scaffolds with epithelial and endothelial cells and perfused these cell-seeded constructs in a whole-organ bioreactor. The resulting grafts produced rudimentary urine in vitro when perfused through their intrinsic vascular bed. When transplanted in an orthotopic position in rat, the grafts were perfused by the recipient's circulation and produced urine through the ureteral conduit in vivo.

Caveat physicus: Beall's list of scam open access journals and scientific meetings.

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:11:13 GMT

NY Times: The prestigious, academically sanctioned conference they had in mind has a slightly different name: Entomology 2013 (without the hyphen). The one they had signed up for featured speakers who were recruited by e-mail, not vetted by leading academics. Those who agreed to appear were later charged a hefty fee for the privilege, and pretty much anyone who paid got a spot on the podium that could be used to pad a resume.

Vitamin D deficiency impedes mitochondrial energy metabolism in muscle.

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:12:27 GMT

EurekAlert: Mitochondria use glucose and oxygen to make energy in a form that can be used to run the cell - an energy-rich molecule called ATP. Muscle cells need large amounts of ATP for movement and they use phosphocreatine as a ready and available energy source to make ATP. The mitochondria also replenish this phosphocreatine store after muscle contraction and measuring the time taken to replenish these stores is a measure of mitochondrial efficiency: better mitochondrial function is associated with shorter phosphocreatine recovery times. The team found that these recovery rates significantly improved after the patients took a fixed dose of oral vitamin D for 10-12 weeks. The average phosphocreatine recovery half time decreased from 34.4 sec to 27.8 sec. All patients reported an improvement in symptoms of fatigue after having taken the supplements. In a parallel study, the group demonstrated that low Vitamin D levels were associated with reduced mitochondrial function.

Please wash your kieselguhr before filtering your beer.

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:55:18 GMT

EurekAlert: Coelhan pointed out that beers produced in at least six other countries had higher arsenic amounts than German beers, according to a report published four years ago. He said that breweries, wineries and other food processors that use kieselguhr should be aware that the substance can release arsenic. Substitutes for kieselguhr are available, he noted, and simple measures like washing kieselguhr with water can remove the arsenic before use.

New theory implicating red meat in risk for atherosclerosis involves carnitine, intestinal bacteria, and TMAO.

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:28:30 GMT

Forbes: Led by Stanley Hazen, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic and elsewhere found that digestive tract bacteria metabolize carnitine into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), which has previously been linked to atherosclerosis in mice, though the exact mechanism is still unknown. The researchers found that these bacteria were able to flourish, and produce large amounts of TMAO, only in an environment of a carnitine-rich diet.

Hepatitis A virus has a cloaking device made from the infected host cell membrane.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:18:33 GMT

Science Daily: In a paper published online in Nature on March 31, Dr. Lemon's team discovered that hepatitis A virus does not have an envelope when found in the environment, but acquires one from the cells that it grows in within the liver. It circulates in the blood completely cloaked in these membranes.

Renal Physicians Association's Guide to Nephrology Practice 8th edition now available.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:08:51 GMT

RPA: The health care landscape has shifted and in today’s world of Health Care Reform, electronic health incentives and other legislative and regulatory changes affecting nephrology practices, this updated edition of the Renal Physicians Guide to Nephrology Practice is an essential reference not only for the new nephrology practitioner embarking on his or her career but also for the seasoned health care provider. This valuable resource includes information about the impact of the Affordable Care Act, regulations defining meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs), and the ongoing evolution of performance measurement in medicine. Available only from iTunes and Amazon for $19.99. Special Introductory price of $9.99 now available. .................................. To order from iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/guide-to-nephrology ................... To order from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/RPA-guide

Walking as good as running to lower heart disease risk.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:47:21 GMT

AHA: Walking briskly can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as much as running can, according to surprising findings reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

Chronic pain commonly associated with ischemic stroke.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:43:35 GMT

AHA: Chronic or persistent pain is a common — and likely under-recognized — complication of ischemic strokes (caused by a blocked blood vessel) according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke. In a large trial of treatments to prevent a second stroke, researchers found that 10.6 percent of more than 15,000 stroke survivors developed chronic pain.

Overweight in teenagers linked to later onset CKD.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:35:02 GMT

EurekAlert (JASN): Being overweight starting in young adulthood may significantly increase individuals' risks of developing kidney disease by the time they become seniors, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings emphasize the importance of excess weight as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD).

New meta analysis suggests benefits of salt reduction and dietary K increase.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:33:52 GMT

EurekAlert: Cutting down on salt and, at the same time, increasing levels of potassium in our diet will have major health and cost benefits across the world, according to studies published on bmj.com today. Such a strategy will save millions of lives every year from heart disease and stroke, say experts.

Malic acid mouth spay for xerostomia.

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:57:01 GMT

CanalUGR: Scientists from the universities of Granada and Murcia have confirmed the effectiveness of a product containing 1% malic acid that stimulates saliva production in patients with medication-induced xerostomy (dry mouth) Patients with dry mouth often have difficulty chewing, swallowing or even talking and their numbers have increased in recent years, due to a rise in taking medication, above all anti-depressants

Cholesterol-lowering eyedrops improve macular degeneration in mice.

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:31:44 GMT

Latino Post: Researchers took macrophages from old mice and humans with macular degeneration and discovered they had low levels of ABCA1, a protein that transports cholesterol from cells. The researchers then worked to activate receptors that would affect ABCA1 expression in mice, with the help of cholesterol-lowering drugs. They tested two types of drugs, finding both medications increased ABCA1 levels and improved cholesterol transport in macrophages --- thereby reducing the growth of new blood vessels.

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings abstract search tool.

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:10:41 GMT

NKF: This search tool can be used to quicky check the SCM13 posters.

Vel-negative blood type and transfusion risk now better understood.

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:01:26 GMT

U Vermont: For these people, successive blood transfusions could easily turn to kidney failure and death. So, for sixty years, doctors and researchers have hunted—unsuccessfully—for the underlying cause of this blood type. But now a team of scientists from the University of Vermont and France has found the missing molecule—a tiny protein called SMIM1—and the mystery is solved.

High potency statins increase risk of acute kidney injury (slightly).

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:58:23 GMT

EurekAlert: High potency statin users were 34% more likely to be hospitalised for AKI compared with low potency statin users in the first 120 days of treatment. Rates were not significantly increased in patients with CKD. This risk seemed to remain elevated for two years after initiation. The researchers estimate that 1,700 non-CKD patients need to be treated with a high potency statin instead of a low potency statin in order to cause one additional hospitalisation for AKI. They do say, however, that further studies are needed to determine the link between statins and kidney injury.

Macrophages found to play key role in regulating red blood cell levels.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:32:44 GMT

EurekAlert: Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that macrophages – white blood cells that play a key role in the immune response – also help to both produce and eliminate the body's red blood cells (RBCs). The findings could lead to novel therapies for diseases or conditions in which the red blood cell production is thrown out of balance. The study, conducted in mice, is published today in the online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

Olive oil plus yogurt combo most effective in achieving satiety.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:31:07 GMT

Technische Universitaet Muenchen: “Olive oil had the biggest satiety effect,” reports Prof. Peter Schieberle, Head of the TUM Chair of Food Chemistry and Director of the German Research Center for Food Chemistry. “The olive oil group showed a higher concentration of the satiety hormone serotonin in their blood. Subjectively speaking, these participants also reported that they found the olive oil yoghurt very filling.” During the study period, no member of this group recorded an increase in their body fat percentage or their weight.

Aggressive fluid resuscitation in shock worsens risk of cardiovascular collapse in children in study from Africa.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:28:46 GMT

EurekAlert: Prof Kathryn Maitland, from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine at Imperial College London, who led this study explained, "The children who were given this treatment (boluses) initially responded well compared to the control group. However, this did not translate into a better recovery at 48 hours - more children died in the group receiving boluses. The main cause of death, rather than fluid overload, was cardiovascular collapse."

Semaphorin A rises acutely, then falls back to baseline after acute kidney injury.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:26:34 GMT

EurekAlert: The protein, which is not usually measurable in urine, was quickly detected in a group of 60 pediatric patients following cardiopulmonary bypass surgery at Cincinnati's Children's Hospital. High levels of the protein were about 90 percent accurate at identifying the 26 children with acute kidney injury. In those patients, urine levels were high within two hours, peaked at six hours and essentially normalized 12 hours after surgery.

Cholecalciferol treatmen of African Americans with hypertension good.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:24:13 GMT

EurekAlert: Vitamin D supplements significantly reduced blood pressure in the first large controlled study of African-Americans, researchers report in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension. In the prospective trial, a three-month regimen of daily vitamin D increased circulating blood levels of vitamin D and resulted in a decrease in systolic blood pressure ranging from .7 to four mmHg (depending upon the dose given), compared with no change in participants who received a placebo.

Hospital epidemiology study suggests that 1/3 of antimicrobial drug prescriptions in dialysis patients are inappropriate.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:22:26 GMT

EurekAlert: Of the 1,003 doses of antibiotics, nearly one-third of antibiotic doses were classified as inappropriate. The most common reason for inappropriate administration was that conditions for infection were not met. Blood-stream infections were the most common misdiagnosed infection based on unmet criteria. The second most common reason for inappropriate antibiotic administration was using a potent antibiotic when an equally efficacious and available antibiotic less likely to promote resistant bacteria could have been used. The antibiotics most likely to be inappropriately prescribed included vancomycin, which is commonly used for skin-related infections and infections associated with the vascular access used for dialysis, and third or fourth generation cephalosporins, which are used for a broad array of infections.

Fluoroquinolone-resistant E. Coli strains becoming more common in elderly adults.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:20:06 GMT

EurekAlert: "The finding that clonal expansion of ST131 is occurring primarily in healthcare and long-term care facilities indicates an urgent need for improved antibiotic use and infection control practices within such institutions, both to reduce selection for ST131 and to block further transmission. Efforts that focus on reducing overuse and misuse of fluoroquinolones are likely to have the greatest impact on ST131 prevalence, given the strong association between ST131 and fluoroquinolone resistance," said Banerjee.

Darbepoietin treatment does not improve survival in anemic heart failure patients.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:18:10 GMT

EurekAlert (NEJM): Patients were randomly given either darbepoetin alfa or placebo. In the darbepoetin alfa group, 50.7 percent of the patients experienced death from any cause or hospitalization for worsening heart failure. In the placebo group, 49.5 percent of the patients experienced similar clinical outcomes.

Contact sports change skin bacteria populations.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:15:11 GMT

EurekAlert: The mixing of bacterial communities during a bout, the researchers found, was likely the result of skin-to-skin contact. "Human to human contact is the most parsimonious interpretation for the significant changes in skin microbiome we observed," the researchers concluded. Scientists have long known that bacteria can spread among people due to contact. This study is the first to illustrate the promise of using contact sports to understand how human interactions can influence our microbiome.

Small fiber polyneuropathy - newly diagnosed nerve disease in children.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:11:16 GMT

EurekAlert: Small-fiber polyneuropathy (SFPN) involves widespread damage to the type of nerve fibers that carry pain signals from the skin and also control autonomic functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and sweating. Most commonly associated with diabetes, SFPN can be caused by other disorders in older adults or by exposure to toxic substances. Typical symptoms include chronic pain in several parts of the body, often beginning in the feet or lower legs, along with symptoms of autonomic dysfunction such as gastrointestinal problems, dizziness or fainting when standing, rapid heart rate, and changes in the appearance of skin. Specific diagnostic criteria have been established for SFPN, and accurate diagnosis can guide appropriate treatment choice.

Trio of biomarkers may help identify early stage kidney cancer.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:42:58 GMT

EurekAlert: Next, the researchers tested the ability of the immunoassay to distinguish plasma samples from healthy controls and patients with kidney cancer using the same 189 plasma samples already tested. The results indicated that the three-marker assay was highly accurate. When it correctly identified 90 percent of the samples from healthy controls, it also correctly identified 94.4 percent of the samples from patients with kidney cancer. To validate the accuracy of the test, the researchers blind tested an additional 100 plasma samples from 73 healthy controls and 27 patients with kidney cancer. In this analysis, 67 of the samples from the 73 healthy controls and all of the samples from patients with kidney cancer were classified correctly.

Warm extracorporeal perfusion of liver for 24 hours leads to successful transplant.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:15:42 GMT

Times of India: In a world's first, scientists from Oxford University and doctors from King's College Hospital have successfully "kept alive" a donated human liver outside a human being and then successfully transplanted it into a patient in need of a new liver.

New Handbook of Nephrology title available from LWW.

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:19:07 GMT

Lippincott Williams and Wilkins: The Handbook of Nephrology offers an analytical yet understandable overview of nephrology — with an emphasis on principles and pathophysiology. Written in a clear, outline format, this handbook provides learning strategies and content not found in other books. This pocket-sized book offers medical students, interns, and residents a concise introduction to the field. Primary care physicians, internists, surgeons, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and physician assistants will also find this book useful.

Niacin drug plus antiflushing compound had substantial side effects.

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:03:07 GMT

Reuters: But Dr. Steven Nissen, head of cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, had some serious criticism about the study's design, execution and conclusions, and was not prepared to write off niacin therapy just yet for patients with very low HDL levels.

Mice cloned sequentially up to 25 times with no decrease in life span.

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:17:55 GMT

Science Daily: To prevent possible epigenetic changes, or modifications to DNA function that do not involve a change in the DNA itself, Wakayama and his team added trichostatin, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, to the cell culture medium. Using this technique, they increased cloning efficiency by up to 6-fold.

New study validates anti-aging effects of resveratrol.

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:15:50 GMT

Science Daily: "This was the killer experiment," said Sinclair. "There is no rational alternative explanation other than resveratrol directly activates SIRT1 in cells. Now that we know the exact location on SIRT1 where and how resveratrol works, we can engineer even better molecules that more precisely and effectively trigger the effects of resveratrol."

Link to CRE story on CDC's MMWR

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:45:25 GMT

MMWR: CRE has now spread throughout the United States but in most areas they remain relatively uncommon; about 4% of acute-care hospitals and 18% of long-term acute-care hospitals reported at least one CRE to the National Healthcare Safety Network in the first 6 months of 2012. Nearly all patients with CRE were currently or recently treated in a health-care setting. However, CRE could spread into the community among otherwise healthy persons.

CDC warns of carbenepam resistant Enterobacter (CRE superbug)

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:43:22 GMT

Wired: Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said both Tuesday, during a press conference announcing new CDC statistics on the advance of the highly drug-resistant bacteria known as CRE. His language — plus the fact that he conducted the entire press conference himself, instead of just making a brief opening statement — seem to me a clear signal that the CDC is taking this resistance problem seriously, and hoping we do too.

High salt diet linked to activation of Th-17 helper cells and multiple sclerosis in mice.

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:13:07 GMT

BBC: David Hafler, professor of immunobiology at Yale, told BBC news online: "In mouse models of MS, those fed high-salt diets had significantly worse disease. "We were all really quite surprised to see how changes in dietary salt could have such a profound effect."

Eulerian video magnification to monitor dialysis patients.

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:02:11 GMT

NY Times: Ok, maybe not yet. But why not? :-) As a detector for IDH?

Fatal allergic reactions to Omontys (peginesatide) trigger recall.

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 04:11:17 GMT

MedPage: All lots of the new anemia drug peginesatide (Omontys) have been recalled because of severe hypersensitivity reactions -- some fatal -- observed after the drug was approved last March. "No new or existing patients should receive Omontys," according to a statement from the two firms selling the drug, Affymax and Takeda. However, they stopped short of saying the product was being withdrawn from the market.

Hemodialysis abstracts from upcoming Annual Dialysis Conference in Seattle.

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:49:56 GMT

HDI: Hemodialysis Abstracts from the 33rd Annual Dialysis Conference 24th Annual Symposium on Pediatric Dialysis Seattle, Washington, March 9-12, 2013

New SARS coronavirus can spread like the common cold.

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:09:34 GMT

CTV News: Still, Thiel cautioned that just because the virus can easily infect human lung cells doesn't mean it has all the tools it would need to take off and spread widely among people. "We have shown that the airway cells can easily be infected. But this does not mean that the virus can easily be transmitted," he said. "I think this distinction is important."

MMWR: Synthetic cannabinoid use and acute kidney injury.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:15:55 GMT

CDC: Six of eight patients with a renal biopsy demonstrated acute tubular injury, and three of eight patients demonstrated features of acute interstitial nephritis. Kidney function recovery was apparent within 3 days of creatinine peak in most patients. However, five of the 16 patients required hemodialysis, and four patients received corticosteroids; none died. Other infectious, autoimmune, pharmacologic, or other toxic causes of AKI were not found.

JASN: Full text of RCT comparing hemodiafiltration to hemodialysis.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:12:28 GMT

JASN: (Maduell) The full text of the article is available at ths link. Conclusion: Compared with patients who continued on hemodialysis, those assigned to OL-HDF had a 30% lower risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.53–0.92; P=0.01), a 33% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.44–1.02; P=0.06), and a 55% lower risk of infection-related mortality (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.21–0.96; P=0.03).

Synthetic marijuana linked to acute interstitial nephritis.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:05:10 GMT

UPI: The health problem has not been previously diagnosed in users of the designer drug, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. The agency said 16 cases of acute kidney injury were reported in six states between March and December 2012. All of the 16 who received treatment between the ages of 15 and 33, CDC said, and all but one was male.

Dogs cured of type 1 diabetes by gene therapy.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:58:09 GMT

The Scientist: For the study, Spanish researchers induced diabetes in beagles between 6 months and 1 year old. They then injected the dogs’ skeletal muscles with viruses carrying genes for insulin and glucokinase, an enzyme involved in processing glucose. Following the treatment, the researcher confirmed that the genes had been incorporated into the DNA of the dogs, which were able to regulate their own blood sugar levels without medical help. And when they exercised, they no longer had episodes of hypoglycemia.

FHN study finds frequent dialysis associated with higher vascular access risks.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:52:27 GMT

Health Day News (JASN): In the first hospital-based trial, 31 percent of the 245 patients had to undergo repair of the blood-access site, lost use of the site or were hospitalized due to problems with the site. Complication rates were higher among the frequent-dialysis group: There were 33 repairs and 15 losses in the frequent-dialysis group compared with 17 repairs, 11 losses and one hospitalization in the standard-dialysis group. Overall, the risk for a problem with the blood-access site was 76 percent higher in the frequent-dialysis group than in the standard-dialysis group, the researchers reported.

Randomized trial shows that switching from HD to online-HDF lowers mortality by 30%.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:46:57 GMT

EurekAlert: Compared with patients who continued on hemodialysis, those assigned to OL-HDF had a 30% lower risk of dying from any cause, a 33% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular-related causes, and a 55% lower risk of dying from an infection.

Cure for Chagas disease found?

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:42:05 GMT

EurekAlert: In The Journal of Infectious Diseases (JID), Galina Lepesheva, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical College report curing both the acute and chronic forms of the infection in mice with a small molecule, VNI. VNI specifically inhibits a T. cruzi enzyme essential for cell multiplication and integrity. In mouse models of Chagas disease, VNI achieved cures with 100 percent survival and without toxic side effects.

Are mycotoxin progenitor molecules found in grains responsible for kidney toxicity?

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:38:39 GMT

EurekAlert: Dall'Asta explains that these "masked mycotoxins" are not included in current safety regulations because of uncertainty about what happens when people and animals eat them. The new study focused on two of the most widespread mycotoxin contaminants of grain crops — deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN). The authors say their results show, for the first time, that bacteria present in the large intestine in people deconjugate or "unmask" DON and ZEN, releasing the original toxic forms. "For this reason, masked mycotoxins should be considered when evaluating population exposure," the study concludes.

Another study shows increased cardiovascular risk in women with high calcium intake.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:33:09 GMT

EurekAlert: Women who had a higher dietary intake of calcium exceeding 1400mg/day and also used supplements had a higher death rate compared to those not taking supplements. Women with a high dietary calcium intake (>1400 mg/day) were more than twice as likely to die compared with women with a 600-999mg/day calcium intake.

ADAMTS7, thrombospondin, genetics, and arterial plaque.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:29:20 GMT

EurekAlert: In this study the scientists focused on a genetic region associated with coronary heart disease which contained the ADAMTS7 gene. This gene governs the production of an enzyme, also called ADAMTS7, which breaks down a structural protein called thrombospondin-5 in the arterial wall. This breakdown allows cells in the wall of the artery to move about more freely, and to migrate into the atherosclerotic plaques, making them larger and the affected artery narrower. By analysing genetic data from an earlier study which involved 787 people in Italy, together with ultrasound scans of their arteries, the researchers found that a particular variant of the ADAMTS7 gene was associated with a 50 per cent reduction in risk of atherosclerosis.

Off-patent generic drug amlexanox may beneficially affect diabetes.

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:01:06 GMT

EurekAlert: "Amlexanox appears to work in mice by inhibiting two genes—IKKE and TBK1—that we think together act as a sort of brake on metabolism," Saltiel said. "By releasing the brake, amlexanox seems to free the metabolic system to burn more, and possibly store less, energy."

New metabolic pathway identified in Staph bacteria as a target for novel antibiotics.

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:59:03 GMT

EurekAlert: Expanding on work that first described S. aureus PSMs in 2007, scientists at the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found that the transport system, which they call Pmt, is common to all S. aureus PSMs and critical for bacterial proliferation and disease development in a mouse model. Their experiments suggest that a drug interfering with Pmt's function could not only prevent production of the PSM toxins, but also directly lead to bacterial death.

Vitamin D potency varies widely in nonprescription supplements.

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:57:33 GMT

EurekAlert (JAMA): Vitamin D supplement potency varies widely, and the amount of vitamin D in over-the counter and compounded supplements does not necessarily match the amount listed on the label, according to a research letter published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The analysis showed that the amount of vitamin D in these supplements ranged from 9 percent to 146 percent of the amount listed on the label. Not only was there variation among different brands and manufacturers, but also among different pills from the same bottle.

Synthetic marijuana may damage the kidneys.

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:51:30 GMT

USA Today: A new report links the use of synthetic cannabinoids, which are sold under the names of "synthetic marijuana," "Spice" and "K2," with kidney damage.

Regular aspirin use associated with risk of age-related neovascular macular degeneration.

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 03:22:22 GMT

MedPage Today: After adjustment for age, sex, and history of smoking, the odds ratio for macular degeneration in aspirin users was 2.37 (95% CI 1.25 to 4.49), according to Jie Jin Wang, PhD, of the University of Sydney, and colleagues.

High urinary bisphenol A levels in children associated with higher urinary alb/creat levels.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:22:57 GMT

Health Day News: Children and teens with the highest BPA levels in their urine had a higher albumin-to-creatinine ratio than those with the lowest BPA levels. A higher albumin-to-creatinine ratio can be an early marker of kidney damage and future risk of heart disease, the researchers said.

DaVita announces drug supply agreement with Fresenius Medical Care.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:17:52 GMT

MarketWatch: FMC, a leading provider of dialysis services and maker of dialysis products, will use DaVita Rx(R) prescription drug services for its Medicare patients in the United States.

AWAK inks agreement with Baxter for wearable dialysis technology.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:14:52 GMT

Pharmabiz: AWAK Technologies, a research-focused, medical technology company, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Baxter International, Inc. for the development of innovative wearable dialysis technology. The agreement enables AWAK to continue the development of its investigational peritoneal dialysis-based automated wearable artificial kidney.

GAO claims that Medicare is overpaying for dialysis.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:07:32 GMT

AMA: A Government Accountability Office report concluded that Medicare is overpaying for end-stage renal disease services, but organizations representing treatment facilities said the study did not account for all care provided to patients.

FMC and DaVita lose legal case in Florida challenging laboratory referral law.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:04:27 GMT

Florida Today: A federal appeals court Thursday upheld the constitutionality of a heavily lobbied 2002 law that prevents Florida doctors from referring kidney-dialysis patients to labs in which the doctors have financial stakes.

Hematuria risk index helps discriminate which patients need a workup for cancer.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:01:16 GMT

EurekAlert: The test cohort consisted of 2630 patients, of whom 55 (2.1%) had a neoplasm detected and 50 (1.9%) had a pathologically confirmed urinary tract cancer. The strongest predictors of cancer were age of 50 years or older and a recent diagnosis of gross hematuria. Male sex was also predictive of cancer, whereas smoking history and 25 or more red blood cells per high-power field on a recent urinalysis were not statistically significant. The findings were used to create a Hematuria Risk Index to predict cancer risk and performed comparably in the validation cohort of 1784 patients. Overall, 32% of the population was identified as low risk and 0.2% had a cancer detected; 14% of the population was identified as high risk, of whom 11.1% had a cancer found.

Data mining approach shows that a diuretic + ACEI or ARB + NSAID is bad for the kidney

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:54:20 GMT

EurekAlert: Patients were tracked for nearly six years, during which time 2,215 were diagnosed with acute kidney injury that prompted admission to hospital or dialysis (7 in 10,000 person years). The results show that patients taking a double therapy combination of either a diuretic or an ACE inhibitors or ARB with an NSAID were at no increased risk of kidney injury. However, a triple therapy combination of a diuretic with an ACE inhibitor or ARB and an NSAID was associated with a 31% higher rate of kidney injury, particularly elevated in the first 30 days of treatment during which it was 82% higher.

Why antioxidants may be bad for you once you have cancer.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:51:49 GMT

He proposes that the cell-killing ability of currently used anti-cancer therapies – toxic chemotherapeutic agents such as Taxol as well as radiation treatment – is mainly due to the action of ROS to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This would explain "why cancers that become resistant to chemotherapeutic control become equally resistant to radiotherapy." The common feature would be their common dependence upon a ROS-mediated cell-killing mechanism.

Sodium excretion by weekly and monthly cycles in men revealed by astronaut testing.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:49:15 GMT

"It was the participants' stamina to precisely adhere to the daily menu plans and to accurately collect their urine for months that allowed scientific discovery," Titze said. The researchers found that nearly all (95 percent) of the ingested salt was excreted in the urine, but not on a daily basis. Instead, at constant salt intake, sodium excretion fluctuated with a weekly rhythm, resulting in sodium storage. The levels of the hormones aldosterone (a regulator of sodium excretion) and cortisol (no known major role in sodium balance) also fluctuated weekly. Changes in total body sodium levels fluctuated on monthly and longer cycles, Titze said. Sodium storage on this longer cycle was independent of salt intake and did not include weight gain, supporting the idea that sodium is stored without accompanying increases in water. The findings suggest that current medical practice and studies that rely on 24-hour urine samples to determine salt intake are not accurate, he said.

Gene therapy reprograms scar tissue in damaged hearts.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:29:25 GMT

The GMT genes alone reduced the amount of scar tissue by half compared to animals that did not receive the genes, and there were more heart muscle cells in the animals that were treated with GMT. The hearts of animals that received GMT alone also worked better as defined by ejection fraction than those who had not received genes. (Ejection fraction refers to the percentage of blood that is pumped out of a filled ventricle or pumping chamber of the heart.) The hearts of the animals that had received both the GMT and the VEGF gene transfers had an ejection fraction four times greater than that of the animals that had received only the GMT transfer.

Elevated levels of C-reactive protein associated with depression.

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:57:14 GMT

Eurekalert: Increasing CRP levels were associated with increasing risk for psychological distress and depression in analyses. For self-reported antidepressant use, the odds ratio was 1.38 for CRP levels of 1.01 to 3 mg/L, 2.02 for 3.01 to 10 mg/L, and 2.7 for greater than 10 mg/L compared with 0.01 to 1 mg/L. For prescription of antidepressants, the corresponding odds ratios were 1.08, 1.47 and 1.77, respectively; for hospitalization with depression they were 1.30, 1.84 and 2.27 respectively. Other analyses suggest that increasing CRP levels also were associated with increasing risk for hospitalization with depression, according to the study results.

Blood transfusion associated with increased risk of heart attack.

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:56:10 GMT

EurekAlert: "In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides evidence that rates of all-cause mortality and subsequent myocardial infarction are significantly higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving blood transfusion. Additional outcomes data are needed from randomized clinical trials that investigate important outcomes with adequate sample size and with low risk for bias," the authors conclude.

Gut bacteria may protect against atherosclerosis by making carotenoids.

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 03:43:06 GMT

EurekAlert: The researchers compared a group of stroke patients with a group of healthy subjects and found major differences in their gut microbiota. In particular, they showed that genes required for the production of carotenoids were more frequently found in gut microbiota from healthy subjects. The healthy subjects also had significantly higher levels of a certain carotenoid in the blood than the stroke survivors.

Anti-HIV drug protects leukoctyes against Staph. aureus infection.

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 03:41:18 GMT

EurekAlert: That same receptor has now been found to be critical to the ability of certain strains of Staph to specifically target and kill cells with CCR5, which orchestrate an immune response against the bacteria. The scientists discovered that one of the toxins the bacterium releases, called LukED, latches on to CCR5 and subsequently punches holes through the membrane of immune cells, causing them to rapidly die. The LukED toxin belongs to a family of proteins called leukotoxins, encoded and produced by Staph to fight off the immune system's defenses.

Endothelin antagonist sitaxentan good for CKD with heart disease.

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:57:06 GMT

Science Daily: Placebo and nifedipine did not affect three markers of heart-related problems: blood levels of uric acid; blood levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a blocker of NO production; and urine levels of endothelin-1. Sitaxentan treatment led to statistically significant reductions in all three of these markers. Sitaxentan reduced proteinuria (an excess excretion of protein in the urine) to a significantly greater extent than nifedipine. Proteinuria is an indicator of kidney dysfunction. Nifedpine and sitaxentan both reduced blood pressure to a similar extent.

Reprogrammed T-cells using an attenuated strain of HIV result in remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 06:27:48 GMT

NY Times: Three adults with chronic leukemia treated at the University of Pennsylvania have also had complete remissions, with no signs of disease; two of them have been well for more than two years, said Dr. David Porter. Four adults improved but did not have full remissions, and one was treated too recently to evaluate. A child improved and then relapsed. In two adults, the treatment did not work at all. The Pennsylvania researchers were presenting their results on Sunday and Monday in Atlanta at a meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

Kidney Care Partners initiative (PEAK) cuts initial dialysis patient mortality by 12%.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:03:12 GMT

Nephrology News: With six months of data collection remaining, a three-year effort by the renal community to cut first-year mortality among dialysis patients reached 12.3% of a 20% goal, a "pretty substantial" improvement by standards for similar health care initiatives, according to the Brown University data analyst who tracked the Kidney Care Partners initiative.

CMS clarified position on outpatient dialysis for patients with AKI.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:00:46 GMT

Nephrology News: The National Renal Administrators Association President Katrina Russell and other kidney care providers participated in a conference call with officials from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to discuss the regulations for treating Medicare beneficiaries with acute kidney injury.

Univ of Michigan and the Veterans Administration to set up VA kidney disease registry.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:57:56 GMT

U of Mich: “The registry will empower the VA to prevent kidney disease among veterans, slow its progression and potentially improve quality of life for veterans,” says U-M nephrologist Rajiv Saran, M.D., MRCP, M.S., associate director of the University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center and principal investigator of the project. Saran will collaborate with biostatisticians, organ transplant and health policy specialists on the $3.7 million project supported by the Veterans Affairs Innovation Initiative.

Inadvertent injection of bleach into dialysis system probed by regulators.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:55:26 GMT

St. Louis Today: Federal health officials are investigating a kidney dialysis center in Town and Country after eight patients were injected with bleach or other cleanser on Monday.

FDA issues new labeling requirements for heparin vials.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:53:13 GMT

MedWatch: This label change will require manufacturers of Heparin Lock Flush Solution, USP and Heparin Sodium Injection, USP to clearly state the strength of the entire container of the medication followed by how much of the medication is in 1 milliliter (mL). These modifications will eliminate the need for health care professionals to calculate the total amount of heparin medication in a product containing more than 1 mL, thereby reducing the risk of miscalculations that may result in medication errors.

Microbial stowaways in antiseptic products

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 05:25:10 GMT

NEJM Perspective: The reports implicate all commonly used antiseptic categories, including alcohol, iodophors, chlorhexidine gluconate, and quaternary ammonium products. Some potentially pathogenic organisms, such as Bacillus cereus, Burkholderia cepacia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens, have been implicated in more than one outbreak.

NKF-FDA workshop reviews endpoints for studies of chronic kidney disease.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 05:19:25 GMT

NKF: After extensive analysis of data from observational cohorts and interventional trials, the workshop planning committee and attendees recommended a 30 or 40% decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as new surrogate endpoints for some clinical trials in chronic kidney disease used for regulatory approval.

Protein that builds muscle after exercise identified.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 05:17:28 GMT

Science Daily: Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have isolated a previously unknown protein in muscles that spurs their growth and increased power following resistance exercise. They suggest that artificially raising the protein's levels might someday help prevent muscle loss caused by cancer, prolonged inactivity in hospital patients, and aging.

Beta-hydroxybutyrate, histone deacetylase, calorie restriction, and slower aging.

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 05:14:23 GMT

Science Daily: The researchers found that calorie restriction spurs beta-OHB production, which blocked the activity of a class of enzymes called histone deacetylases, or HDACs.

Aspirin tablet coatings may give rise to aspirin pseudoresistance.

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:19:51 GMT

Huffpo: As many as one third of people who take daily aspirin for heart-health reasons don't seem to reap the drug's blood clot-busting benefits, and a new study has identified a possible reason for why: the pill's coating.

Baxter purchase by Gambro a done deal.

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:17:01 GMT

Reuters: Healthcare products maker Baxter International Inc said on Tuesday that it would buy privately held Swedish dialysis product company Gambro AB for about $4 billion to expand its kidney therapy portfolio.

Single-treatment gene therapy targeting telomerase extends lifespan of mouse by 24%.

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 18:27:03 GMT

Science Daily: Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), led by its director María Blasco, have demonstrated that the mouse lifespan can be extended by the application in adult life of a single treatment acting directly on the animal's genes. And they have done so using gene therapy, a strategy never before employed to combat aging. The therapy has been found to be safe and effective in mice.

Mystery coronavirus circulating in Middle East causes acute kidney failure.

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:43:42 GMT

USA Today: Several of the patients sickened by the new coronavirus have had rapid kidney failure and others have suffered severe pneumonia and respiratory illnesses. The virus is most closely related to a bat virus and scientists are also considering whether bats or animals like camels or goats are a possible source of infection.

Dialysis patients speak video re infection control practices in 2012.

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:22:53 GMT

YouTube: Liza Walworth created this educational video for the ESRD Network of New England, Inc. in 2012 at Dialysis Clinic, Inc.'s facility at Tufts Medical Center. The video seeks to empower hemodialysis patients and to teach the importance of hand hygiene, proper equipment, and careful technique in preventing infection. The project was carried out under contract with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health for Region 1 (New England), United States Department of Health and Human Services, contract HHSP 233201100685P.

DaVita in the news on CNN regarding accusations of Medicare fraud.

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:21:14 GMT

CNN: "A company that runs 2.000 dialysis clinics in the U.S. is accused of making hundreds of millions through Medicare fraud. CNN's Drew Griffin investigates."

More on the Baxter effort to buy Gambro.

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:25:05 GMT

Seeking alpha: If the rumour mill is to be trusted, Baxter International (BAX) is on the verge of buying the private Swedish dialysis company Gambro for a cool $4bn, and, while one should not believe everything in the papers, it does look like a very good purchase for the Chicago-based company.

Dr. Joseph Murray, transplant pioneer, dies at age 93 in Boston.

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:20:59 GMT

Guardian: In the early 1950s, there had never been a successful human organ transplant. Murray and his associates at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, now Brigham and Women's Hospital, developed new surgical techniques, gaining knowledge by successfully transplanting kidneys on dogs. In December 1954, they found the right patients, 23-year-old Richard Herrick, who had end-stage kidney failure, and his identical twin, Ronald Herrick.

Heartbeat gives off more than 10 times the energy needed to power pacemakers.

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:57:11 GMT

Science News: Measurements of the prototype's performance, based on a wide range of simulated heartbeats, showed the energy harvester generated more than 10 times the power required by modern pacemakers. The device is about half the size of batteries now used in pacemakers and includes a self-powering back-up capacitor, Karami said. Researchers hope to integrate their technology into commercial pacemakers.

Genes controlling cortisol and aldosterone found to be implicated in human hypertension.

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:48:27 GMT

Tipster: To date, genes that are involved in the arising of this condition have proven difficult to be identified, but with this research project, researchers were able to identify a common mutation which is located on the genes that regulate the production of aldosterone and cortisol (important hormones secreted by adrenal glands) as being influential in high blood pressure development. This genes are represented by the corticosteroidogenic genes CYP11B2 and CYP11B1.

Firms race to develop renal denervation catheters to treat hypertension.

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:45:26 GMT

Star Tribune: This month, St. Jude Medical announced that its EnligHTN renal denervation system safely and effectively lowered blood pressure at six months. Boston Scientific also announced it will pay as much as $425 million for a California company that has developed a renal denervation system that has been approved for use in Europe and Australia. Medtronic's Symplicity system is on its third trial overall, first in the U.S., and has won European and Australian market approval. It has been used on more than 4,000 patients.

Baxter said to be in talks to buy Gambro.

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:40:36 GMT

Chicago Tribune: Baxter International Inc. is in talks to buy Swedish medical-equipment maker Gambro for about $4 billion, according to a source familiar with the situation. A deal is seen in two to three weeks but has not been completed, so it could fall apart, the source said on Friday. Baxter and Gambro could not be reached for comment.

Nanotechnology cures multiple sclerosis in mice; are other autoimmune diseases next?

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 21:27:18 GMT

Science Daily: "This is a highly significant breakthrough in translational immunotherapy," said Stephen Miller, a corresponding author of the study and the Judy Gugenheim Research Professor of Microbiology-Immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "The beauty of this new technology is it can be used in many immune-related diseases. We simply change the antigen that's delivered."

New DaVinci robotic surgery equipment reduces 3 small incisions to 1.

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:36:59 GMT

NY Times: Now there are robotic systems — one on the market, others in development — that are even less intrusive. They require only a single, small incision through which the robotic arms and camera enter.

DNA sequencing helps tracks the course of an MRSA outbreak in real time.

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:20:05 GMT

Science News: Parkhill and Brown's team analyzed MRSA samples from the 12 patients with DNA sequencing technology and found that all the MRSA bacteria were closely related, confirming an outbreak. While this sequencing study was underway, the hospital's infection control team found a MRSA case in the special care baby unit - 64 days after the last MRSA patient had left. The team used advanced DNA sequencing to show in real time that this strain was also part of the same outbreak, raising the possibility that a staff member was unknowingly carrying and transmitting the MRSA strain.

Loss of essential blood gene (Atpif1) leads to anemia.

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:26:26 GMT

EurekAlert: "Our study has established a unique functional link between Atpif1-regulated mitochondrial pH, redox potential, and [2Fe-2S] cluster binding to Fech in modulating its heme synthesis," said Dhvanit Shah, PhD, BWH Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, first study author. The researchers were also able to produce data on the human version of Atpif1, noting its functional importance for normal red blood cell differentiation, and noting that a deficiency may contribute to human diseases, such as congenital sideroblastic anemias and other diseases related to dysfunctional mitochondria (the energy powerhouses of cells).

Trio of new drugs from Abbott shows high cure rate for hepatitis C.

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:01:16 GMT

Reuters: A trio of oral medicines from Abbott Laboratories Inc to treat hepatitis C produced unprecedented cure rates in patients who had previously failed to benefit from standard treatment, as well as very high cure rates for newly treated patients, Abbott said on Saturday.

Pacemakers can self-recharge using the energy from a beating heart.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:41:37 GMT

BBC: A device which could harness energy from a beating heart can produce enough electricity to keep a pacemaker running, according to US researchers.

Randomized trial shows benefit for chelation therapy for heart disease.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:58:26 GMT

ABC News: A heart disease treatment that many doctors consider to be fringe medicine unexpectedly showed some promise in a federal study clouded by ethical and scientific controversy, causing debate about the results.

Cinacalcet for hyperparathyroidism trial results published in NEJM.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:56:49 GMT

NEJM: Results Forty-three percent of the cinacalcet group reached the primary end point, as compared with 5 percent of the placebo group (P<0.001). Overall, mean parathyroid hormone values decreased 43 percent in those receiving cinacalcet but increased 9 percent in the placebo group (P<0.001). The serum calcium–phosphorus product declined by 15 percent in the cinacalcet group and remained unchanged in the placebo group (P<0.001). Cinacalcet effectively reduced parathyroid hormone levels independently of disease severity or changes in vitamin D sterol dose.

NEJM: Coronary revascularization better than percutaneous procedures for diabetic patients.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:53:10 GMT

NEJM: Conclusions For patients with diabetes and advanced coronary artery disease, CABG was superior to PCI in that it significantly reduced rates of death and myocardial infarction, with a higher rate of stroke.

Tolvaptan for polycystic kidney disease trial published in NEJM.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:51:36 GMT

NEJM: Conclusions. Tolvaptan, as compared with placebo, slowed the increase in total kidney volume and the decline in kidney function over a 3-year period in patients with ADPKD but was associated with a higher discontinuation rate, owing to adverse events

Chicago area facilities board rejects plans for several new dialysis units from FMC and US Renal

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:49:01 GMT

Crain's Chicago Business: Suburban projects from two dialysis companies received the cold shoulder on Wednesday from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

ASN Kidney News - Kidney Week edition

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:45:46 GMT

ASN: Here is the ASN Kidney News summary of the annual meeting.

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2012 News - Sunday

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:42:43 GMT

AHA: The sessions news is published daily. This is the second day summary.

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2012 News - Saturday

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:42:06 GMT

AHA: The sessions news is published daily. This is the first day summary.

Nabilone shows benefits in managing pain of diabetic neuropathy.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:23:26 GMT

Science Blog: A study from the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute shows there is evidence to support a new drug therapy called nabilone to treat diabetic neuropathy, or nerve pain. Researchers enrolled 60 patients with diabetic neuropathy in a 12-week placebo controlled clinical study. At the end of the study, patients reported less pain and an improvement in sleep and anxiety when taking nabilone as compared to the placebo.

Eculizumab for atypical HUS shows promise on longer term treatment.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:19:28 GMT

Daily Finance: The data demonstrated that ongoing Soliris treatment for two years was associated with sustained inhibition of complement-mediated TMA, as indicated by a maintained increase in platelet count, and sustained improvement in renal function and TMA event-free status. The data were presented today at Kidney Week 2012, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) in San Diego. Additionally, data presented in a poster session at ASN support early initiation of Soliris therapy regardless of the presence or absence of genetic mutations in patients with aHUS.

CMS issues final policy for 2013 detailing policies and incentives in ESRD.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:14:05 GMT

CMS: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a final rule for calendar year (CY) 2013 that updates Medicare policies and payment rates for dialysis facilities paid under the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS). The final rule also strengthens incentives to improve quality of care and outcomes for patients through the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP). Performance scores on the QIP measures during the 2013 performance period will be used to inform payments to dialysis facilities in payment year (PY) 2015.

Weight loss by bariatric surgery can lead to reduced bone density.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:11:55 GMT

Science Daily: Unfortunately, some types of bariatric surgery may also cause bone loss, a cause for concern, particularly when carried out on young people who have not yet reached their peak bone mass, say endocrinologists from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, who have just published a review of current literature in the journal Obesity Reviews, now online.

Tolvaptan study shows promising results in polycystic kidney disease.

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 06:08:27 GMT

Science Daily (ASN): The multicenter study found tolvaptan demonstrated a nearly 50 percent reduction in the rate of increase in total kidney volume (a measurement of kidney cyst growth) in ADPKD patients over the study period, compared to placebo.

Will nanosilver drainwater contamination pose a problem for dialysis?

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:39:48 GMT

Science Daily: Silver nanoparticles have an antibacterial effect, and are used in a variety of consumer products such as workout clothing to prevent the smell of sweat. When the clothes are washed, nanoparticles are released and enter waste water treatment plants through waste water. The particles release silver ions that cannot be broken down at waste water treatment plants or in nature. The silver ions are toxic to many organisms.

DOPPS practice monitor updated in October 2012

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:48:37 GMT

DOPPS: Includes data on Kt/V, Hb, Ca, P, PTH, EPO, iron, P binder, vitamin D, and cinacalcet.

PKD foundation accepting nominations for LJ Kaplan prize until Dec 1.

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:46:05 GMT

PKD Foundation: The Lillian Jean Kaplan International Prize for the Advancement in the Understanding of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), created in 2002, recognizes a medical professional or researcher exhibiting excellence and leadership in PKD clinical or basic research. The US$50,000 cash prize is one of the most significant awards in the medical research field.

Sodium-modified hemodiafiltration use results in lower intradialytic hypotension

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:39:59 GMT

NDT (Locatelli et al): Conclusions. HFR-Aeq, a profiled dialysis supported by the Natrium sensor for the pre-dialysis Na+ measure, can significantly reduce the burden of IDH. This could have an important impact in every day dialysis practice.

Prolonged QRS and PR intervals in atrial fibrillation predict poor outcome.

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:32:03 GMT

EurekAlert: Researchers found that the strongest indicators of risk were prolonged QRS duration and prolonged PR and QT intervals, each of which is a measure of electrical waves that regulate heart rhythm. For example, a prolonged QRS duration is associated with an increased risk of multiple adverse cardiovascular outcomes including death and hospitalization. An increased PR interval is associated with cardiovascular death and sudden cardiac death. A prolonged corrected QT interval is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization and sudden arrhythmic death in men.

High blood resistin levels increase LDL cholesterol and impair efficacy of statins.

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:29:52 GMT

EurekAlert: Canadian scientists have discovered that a protein called resistin, secreted by fat tissue, causes high levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), increasing the risk of heart disease. The research, presented today at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, proves that resistin increases the production of LDL in human liver cells and also degrades LDL receptors in the liver. As a result, the liver is less able to clear "bad" cholesterol from the body. Resistin accelerates the accumulation of LDL in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.

IBM's Watson computer goes to medical school and takes the USMLE exam.

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:49:53 GMT

NY Times: Someday, Dr. Ferrucci said, Watson should be able to collect and assess all that patient data, and then construct “inference paths” toward a probable diagnosis – digesting information, missing nothing and winnowing choices for a human doctor.

Google crisis map for hurricane sandy

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:13:46 GMT

Google: On the web, however, Google has leveraged its mapping expertise to create an interactive Hurricane Sandy "crisis map," which combines a wealth of information from multiple sources to display everything from weather radar and cloud imagery, to webcam feeds and the location of emergency shelters. Google is encouraging other websites to repost the map and promotes a link to the resource when users search "Hurricane Sandy" on the web version of Google Maps. The tech giant has also created a second, New York City-specific version of the map.

ASN establishes foundation to fund kidney research: time for a cure

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:35:15 GMT

ASN: he American Society of Nephrology (ASN) has announced the creation of a new foundation—the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research—to propel major research advances in the treatment of kidney patients, and reach a cure for a disease that affects millions across the globe.

Dr. Beth Piraino appointed as new President of the U.S. National Kidney Foundation.

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:29:56 GMT

NKF: Beth Piraino, MD, of Pittsburgh, has been appointed President of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). She is currently a tenured Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

New treatment of malaria shows promise.

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:25:34 GMT

Imperial College: Researchers have identified a new means to eradicate malaria infections by rapidly killing the blood-borne Plasmodium parasites that cause the disease.

Using human stool to treat C. difficile colon infestations is safe and effective.

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:23:40 GMT

EurekAlert: Mayur Ramesh, M.D., a Henry Ford Infectious Diseases physician and senior author of the study, says the treatment, while appearing unconventional, has striking results. "More than 90 percent of the patients in our study were cured of their C.diff infection," says Dr. Ramesh. "This treatment is a viable option for patients who are not responding to conventional treatment and who want to avoid surgery."

RPA: Write your Congressperson to support extended immunosuppressive drug coverage for transplant patients.

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:49:49 GMT

RPA: Action Alert. Support Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients. All RPA members should contact their elected representatives in Washington to urge them to support the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act (S. 1454, H.R. 2969) to extend coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients.

Daily vibration combats prediabets in young mice.

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 23:39:36 GMT

Science Blog: In mice that mimic over-eating adolescents headed toward diabetes, 20 minutes of daily vibration for eight weeks restored a healthy balance of key pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators and was better than prescription drugs at reducing levels of hemoglobin A1c, the most accurate indicator of average blood glucose levels, said Dr. Jack C. Yu, Chief of the Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University.

Bardoxolone study terminated by safety monitoring committee.

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 23:23:13 GMT

Yahoo: Abbott Laboratories Inc said its partner, Reata Pharmaceuticals, was discontinuing a late-stage trial of their potential blockbuster treatment for chronic kidney disease and diabetes based on safety concerns raised by an independent safety committee.

Egg freezing works to preserve fertility.

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 22:51:36 GMT

Boston.com: Here’s good news for women who are thinking about freezing eggs from their ovaries because they’re not ready to have a baby -- and are worried that they’ll be too old when they are -- or are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation that might render them infertile. The technique really does work to achieve successful pregnancies and should no longer be considered experimental, according to new guidelines set to be issued Monday by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Vitamin D supplements may benefit lupus patients

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:48:50 GMT

EurekAlert: In a prospective clinical trial, Nathalie Costedoat-Chalumeau and colleagues set out to evaluate the safety and immunological effects of vitamin D supplementation in 20 SLE patients with low vitamin D levels. They observed these patients over six months and found that vitamin D was not only well-tolerated but, more importantly, there were no SLE flare-ups during the follow-up period. Vitamin D supplementation in these patients caused an increase in beneficial CD4+ cells (mature Th cells), an increase in Treg cells and a decrease of effector Th1 and Th17 cells. It also induced a decrease of memory B cell and anti-DNA antibodies – all beneficial for SLE symptoms. The authors found that no modification of existing immunosuppressant drugs was needed, nor any new drugs initiated.

Kidney grafts function longer in Europe than in the United States.

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:40:57 GMT

University of Heidelberg: Kidney transplants performed in Europe are considerably more successful in the long run than those performed in the United States. While the one-year survival rate is 90% in both Europe and the United States, after five years, 77% of the donor kidneys in Europe still function, while in the United States, this rate among white Americans is only 71%. After ten years, graft survival for the two groups is 56% versus 46%, respectively. The lower survival rates compared to Europe also apply to Hispanic Americans, in whom 48% of the transplanted kidneys still function after ten years, and particularly to African Americans, whose graft survival is a mere 33%.

Lower chloride use in intravenous fluids may reduce risk of acute kidney injury.

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:40:04 GMT

EurekAlert: "The findings of this study show that a chloride-restrictive intravenous strategy is associated with a decrease in the incidence of the more severe stages of AKI and the use of RRT. These findings, together with the previously reported observations that a chloride-liberal intravenous strategy can be associated with higher cost, and the easy availability of cheap alternatives suggest the need to exert prudence in the administration of fluids with supraphysiological concentrations of chloride, especially in critically ill patients with evidence of early acute renal dysfunction or at risk of acute dysfunction," the researchers write. "Our findings need to be confirmed in different health care systems and different ICUs."

Cranberry juice unlikely to help in cystitis.

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:38:11 GMT

EurekAlert: In the current review, the researchers gathered together evidence from 24 studies that involved a total of 4,473 people. These studies included 14 added since the 2008 update. Those in treatment groups were given cranberry juice, tablets or capsules, while those in control groups were given placebo cranberry products, water, methenamine hippurate, antibiotics, lactobacillus or nothing. Although in some studies there were small benefits for women suffering from recurring infections, women would have to consume two glasses of cranberry juice per day for long periods to prevent one infection. The researchers conclude that current evidence does not support cranberry juice as a means of preventing UTIs.

Some turtles excrete more urea via the mouth than in the urine.

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 04:43:39 GMT

Huffpo: "It is generally accepted that the kidney is responsible for the excretion of urea in vertebrates, except fish," said researcher Yuen Kwong Ip, a molecular physiologist at the National University of Singapore. "Contrary to this common notion, our results suggest that the mouth can be a major route of urea excretion in soft-shelled turtles.

Drs. Lefkowitz and Kobilka share chemistry Nobel prize for discovery of G-protein coupled receptors.

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:02:11 GMT

LA Times: Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz of Duke University Medical Center and Dr. Brian K. Kobilka of Stanford University School of Medicine were honored Wednesday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for their studies of signaling molecules known as G-protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs.

ASN Kidney Week 2012 abstracts now available

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:47:50 GMT

Kidney disease alters gut bacteria composition.

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:57:44 GMT

Science Daily: Chronic kidney disease changes the composition of intestinal bacterial microbes that normally play a crucial role in staving off disease-causing pathogens and maintaining micronutrient balance, according to UC Irvine researchers.

Appeals court overturns 83 million dollar judgement against Fresenius.

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:51:25 GMT

Nashville News: A federal appeals court has overturned an $82.6 million judgment against a former Nashville-based dialysis company.

Neuroprotectant drug effective in maintaining brain function after aneurysm surgery.

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:47:48 GMT

EurekAlert: The study, "Safety and efficacy of NA-1 for neuroprotection in iatrogenic stroke after endovascular aneurysm repair: a randomized controlled trial," published online today in The Lancet Neurology, was conducted concurrently with a laboratory study published in Science Translational Medicine, that predicted the benefits of the stroke drug. This landmark clinical trial was a randomized, double blinded, multi-centre trial that was conducted in Canada and the USA. The study evaluated the effectiveness of NA-1[Tat-NR2B9c] when it was administered after the onset of small strokes that are incurred by patients who undergo neurointerventional procedures to repair brain aneurysms. This type of small ischemic stroke occurs in over 90% of aneurysm patients after such a procedure, but usually does not cause overt neurological disability.

Bariatric surgery gives disappointing results in terms of sleep apnea.

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:45:59 GMT

Monash University: Although bariatric surgery results in greater weight loss than conventional measures, new research shows this does not translate into significantly greater improvement in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Researchers from Monash University, the Alfred Hospital and Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute conducted the first high-quality, randomised trial comparing the effect on OSA of surgical and medically-supervised weight loss in severely obese individuals.

New class of antimicrobial drugs active against Staph aureus discovered.

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:43:52 GMT

Ohio State: In two separate studies, researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have discovered a new class of treatment against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as well as evidence of a growing need to quickly genotype individual strains of the organism most commonly referred to as the "superbug."

Off-topic weekend tech: We're NASA and we know it (from mid-August).

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 16:38:40 GMT

Huffpo (Sci Am): Ok, a bit dated (from August), but still inspirational.

Eggs made from skin cells fertilized with male mouse sperm and give rise to seemingly normal mice.

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 06:23:43 GMT

BBC: Stem cells made from skin have become "grandparents" after generations of life were created in experiments by scientists in Japan. The cells were used to create eggs, which were fertilised to produce baby mice. These later had their own babies.

Incenter short daily hemodialysis associated with INCREASED mortality.

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 06:21:06 GMT

Kidney Int (Suri et al): Mean weekly treatment time was 15.7 h for daily and 11.9 h for conventional patients. During 1382 patient-years of follow-up, 170 patients died. Those receiving daily hemodialysis had a significantly higher mortality rate than those receiving conventional hemodialysis (15.6 and 10.9 deaths per 100 patient-years, respectively: hazard ratio 1.6). Similar results were found in prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Unlike previous studies, we found that in-center daily hemodialysis was not associated with any mortality benefit. Thus, decisions to undertake daily hemodialysis should be based on quality-of-life improvements, rather than on claims of improved survival.

Subcutaneous implantable defibrillator avoids the need for intravenous leads.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:29:48 GMT

Science Blog: A new ground-breaking technology was recently used at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) where two cardiologists, Dr. David Birnie and Dr. Pablo Nery, implanted a new innovative leadless defibrillator, the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD), to a 18 year-old patient. Under Health Canada’s special access program, this was only the third time this new type of ICD had been implanted in Canada.

National Kidney Foundation launches free magazine for CKD patients.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:26:23 GMT

NKF: Kidney Living is the National Kidney Foundation's FREE magazine for dialysis patients! Each issue will feature stories from people who are living well on dialysis, as well as tips for coping with kidney disease, healthy eating, finding support, and so much more. Kidney Living is free! Our first issue will be published in Fall 2012. The first 2,000 subscribers will get a FREE gift! Subscribe today!

Asahi recalls certain lots of Rexeed dialyzers.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:23:48 GMT

Nephrology News: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a Class II recall of some lots of the Asahi Kasei Rexeed 15SX hemodialyzer dialysis filters. Asahi said they became aware of adverse events that may be associated with a manufacturing change to certain lot numbers of the products, but they said there is no sufficient information to date to conclusively link these adverse events to the products. The following lot numbers are affected: 194349, 193T45, 193U46, 194H4R, 294S59, 295V68, 295Z5L, 29626X, and 296J6U

USRDS Annual Data Report now available.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:21:30 GMT

USRDS: This year's Annual Data Report features more extensive analyses of the Part D prescription drug plans, rehospitalization rates and cardiovascular disease in the CKD and ESRD populations. Click on a title to view a PDF of each chapter. PDF's, MS Excel files and PowerPoint slides can be downloaded by choosing the appropriate icon to the right of each chapter. Click here for information to order the printed ADR and CD

Cost-efficacy of diabetes screening called into question.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:19:49 GMT

Health Day News: Over an average follow-up of nearly 10 years, the overall death rates in the groups that had diabetes screening were no lower than in the group that had no screening. There also was no significant difference between the groups in the number of deaths specifically from diabetes, cardiovascular illness, cancer or other causes. The study appears Oct. 3 in the journal The Lancet.

UCSF artificial kidney program receives private donor funding.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 03:09:07 GMT

UCSF: A $750,000 gift from the John and Marcia Goldman Foundation is spurring a UCSF-led effort to create the first implantable artificial kidney for patients with kidney failure. The new funds, which augment a $2.25 million grant for the project from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this summer, will enable the team of bioengineers, physicians and scientists to conduct the critical research needed to bring the proposed device to clinical trials by 2017.

National Renal Administrators Conference to begin in Savannah, GA on October 10.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:48:19 GMT

NRAA: As the National Renal Administrators Association celebrates 35 years of advocacy and education in 2012, the Annual Conference provides an opportunity to examine the past, present and future of ESRD and patient care. This conference will provide a look at the history of the ESRD program and how it has evolved over forty years. It will also address the present legislative, legal, clinical and business issues facing the dialysis industry today and provide the tools needed to provide optimal patient care in the current environment. Lastly, the program will showcase some of the technology and projections shaping the future of ESRD care and treatment. The conference will provide medical directors, nurses and administrators with the opportunity to learn and share best practices and approaches to the medical, procedural, clinical and operational facets of ESRD patient care.

Missouri attorney drops inquiry into DaVita without filing any charges.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:27:04 GMT

Reuters: Dialysis clinic operator DaVita Inc said the U.S. Attorney's Office in St. Louis dropped a seven-year-long civil and criminal investigation into its financial and marketing practices and that no charges would be filed.

Increasing levels of FGF2 tied to age-related muscle wasting; reversed with an inhibitory drug.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:21:44 GMT

Human Kinetics: The researchers from King’s College London, Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital also discovered how to halt the ageing process in mice by administering a common a protein inhibiting drug. The study looked at stem cells found inside muscle and responsible for repairing injury to find out why the ability of muscles to regenerate declines with age.

100K units of vitamin D per month does not reduce incidence of colds.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:14:39 GMT

EurekAlert (JAMA): The average 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) level of participants at the beginning of the study was 29 ng/mL. Vitamin D supplementation resulted in an increase in serum 25-OHD levels that was maintained at greater than 48 ng/mL throughout the study. There were 593 URTI episodes in the vitamin D group and 611 in the placebo group.

University of Pennsylvania and LDOs to launch hemodialysis TIME trial as part of NIH HCS Research Collaboratory

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 05:16:20 GMT

NIH: Funds, totaling approximately $11.3 million, will support the first year of the Health Care Systems (HCS) Research Collaboratory, which will engage health care systems as research partners in conducting large-scale clinical studies. The funds are managed through the Common Fund at the National Institutes of Health.......The eight awards funded as part of the collaboratory include the HCS Research Collaboratory Coordinating Center (Duke University, Durham, N.C.; Dr. Robert M. Califf) and the following seven pragmatic clinical trial demonstration projects: ...... Pragmatic Trials in Maintenance Hemodialysis, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Dr. Laura M. Dember.

DaVita complains that it is being treated unfairly in Illinois by health facilities board.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:07:21 GMT

Chicago Business: Fighting to crack the Chicago market, dialysis provider DaVita Inc. says the state facilities board is allowing it to open fewer new clinics than its much bigger rival, Fresenius Medical Care A.

Oops! Nurse throws living donor kidney awaiting transplant into trash by mistake.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:04:50 GMT

Review: A nurse who accidentally disposed of a living donor's kidney during a transplant said she didn't realize it was in chilled, protective slush that she removed from an operating room, took down a hall to a dirty utility room and "flushed down a hopper," according to a report released by health officials on Monday.

New CDC report based on NHANES data focuses on prevalence of hypertension in US.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:02:03 GMT

Washington Post: A report issued Tuesday by the CDC finds that nearly a third of U.S. adults (nearly 67 million people) have hypertension — and that more than half of those people do not have their condition under control. Those estimates are based on data for nearly 23,000 participants in the federal National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2010.

Intravenous hypertonic saline solution reduces inflammation by shrinking cells.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:50:45 GMT

EurekAlert: The researchers injected solutions with low ions into mice. They found that these solutions acted as a danger signal, causing cells to swell. The swelling then activates a group of proteins called NLRP3 which then release inflammatory mediators. These activate neighbouring cells to increase inflammation. However, when a hypertonic solution was administered to the mouse it drew the water out of the cells shrinking them back to their original size. This in turn deactivated the signal for inflammation.

Lithium may not work in some patients; and these failures can be detect by lack of gene induction.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:40:53 GMT

EurekAlert: Lithium is a 'gold standard' drug for treating bipolar disorder, however not everyone responds in the same way. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders finds that this is true at the levels of gene activation, especially in the activation or repression of genes which alter the level the apoptosis (programmed cell death). Most notably BCL2, known to be important for the therapeutic effects of lithium, did not increase in non-responders. This can be tested in the blood of patients within four weeks of treatment.

Bacteriophages targeting Pseudomonas may be used to destroy biofilm.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:34:30 GMT

MU News: Infectious bacteria received a taste of their own medicine from University of Missouri researchers who used viruses to infect and kill colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, common disease-causing bacteria. The viruses, known as bacteriophages, could be used to efficiently sanitize water treatment facilities and may aid in the fight against deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Use of bacteriophages to kill bacteria that causes acne: Is S. aureus next?

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:31:41 GMT

EurekAlert: Scientists have isolated and studied the genomes of 11 viruses, known as phage, that can infect and kill the acne-causing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, potentially paving the way for topical therapies that use viruses or viral products to treat this vexing skin condition. Their results are reported in the September 25 issue of mBio(R), the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

Cost-effectivenes study of renal sympathetic denervation published.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:21:05 GMT

Medgadget: A new article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that the Medtronic renal denervation system, Symplicity, is a cost-effective strategy for treatment-resistant Hypertension. Currently, the Symplicity system is only available for investigational use in the United States. The statistical model used suggests that incorporating Standard of Care medication therapy, including 3 or greater medications, with renal denervation could potentially reduce cardiovascular mortality by 30% and all-cause mortality by 15% when compared to Standard of Care alone.

What's causing an epidemic of tubulointerstitial nephritis in Uddanam, India?

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:17:45 GMT

Public Integrity: Uddanam’s rich terrain seems an unlikely place for the mysterious strain of illness tormenting the area. For more than a decade, a rash of chronic kidney disease has been striking down the villagers of this remote agricultural belt in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. In some villages, the disease has impacted from 24 to 37 percent of the population, two to three times higher than elsewhere in the district, according to unpublished results from a study by Harvard Medical School.

DCI gives large grant to University of New Mexico to create kidney research institute.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:13:32 GMT

WDEF: The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center is getting a $6 million gift from the nation's largest nonprofit dialysis provider for the creation of a new kidney research institute. The university made the announcement Tuesday. The gift comes from Tennessee-based Dialysis Clinic Inc. The gift represents one of the largest private donations in the history of the Health Sciences Center. Officials say the institute will focus on research related to the function of the kidney and diseases that affect the organ. The goal is to improve care for those who are diagnosed with kidney disease.

Compound found in purple corn reduces macrophage activation in diabetic nephropathy in mice.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 02:52:48 GMT

Am Physiol Soc: Scientists from the Department of Food and Nutrition and Department of Biochemistry at Hallym University in Korea investigated the cellular and molecular activity of purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) to determine whether and how it affects the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Their findings suggest that PCA inhibits multiple pathways involved in the development of DN, which may help in developing therapies aimed at type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.

Oral insulin use delays appearance of type 1 diabetes.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 02:40:32 GMT

Diabetes Care: Overall, the oral insulin treatment effect in individuals with confirmed IAA >=80 nU/mL appeared to be maintained with additional follow-up; however, once therapy stopped, the rate of developing diabetes in the oral insulin group increased to a rate similar to that in the placebo group.

Deaf gerbils able to hear again after stem cell treatment.

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 18:52:11 GMT

BBC: A chemical soup was added to the stem cells that converted them into cells similar to the spiral ganglion neurons. These were then delicately injected into the inner ears of 18 deaf gerbils. Over 10 weeks the gerbils' hearing improved. On average 45% of their hearing range was restored by the end of the study.

Fish oil supplement meta-analysis in the news (found no benefit)

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:22:45 GMT

Detroit Free Press (JAMA): Taking fish oil pills rich in omega-3 fatty acids doesn't appear to have a significant effect on heart attacks, strokes or death, a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds.

Serious adverse effects of fluoroquinolones in the news.

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:17:41 GMT

NY Times: Dr. Etminan directed a study published in April in The Journal of the American Medical Association showing that the risk of suffering a potentially blinding retinal detachment was nearly fivefold higher among current users of fluoroquinolones, compared with nonusers. In another study submitted for publication, he documented a significantly increased risk of acute kidney failure among users of these drugs.

NNCC announces availability of two advanced level certifying exams for dialysis.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:58:16 GMT

Nephrology News: The title for the technician credential is Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician – Advanced (CCHT-A). It is designed for professionals who have been working in this area for five or more years, according to NNCC Executive Director Nancy Gallagher, RN. ............................................ The second new exam credential for LPNs/LVNs will earn those individuals the title of Certified Dialysis LPN (CD-LPN) or Certified Dialysis LVN (CD-LVN). This exam is also for more experienced providers who have been practicing for two or more years and have at least 2,000 hours as an LPN/LVN working with dialysis patients.

CDC MMWR emphasizes poor control of hypertension in the United States.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:54:57 GMT

CDC: Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years in 2003−2010 was 30.4% or an estimated 66.9 million. Among those with hypertension, an estimated 35.8 million (53.5%) did not have their hypertension controlled. Among these, an estimated 14.1 million (39.4%) were not aware of their hypertension, an estimated 5.7 million (15.8%) were aware of their hypertension but were not receiving pharmacologic treatment, and an estimated 16.0 million (44.8%) were aware of their hypertension and were being treated with medication. Of the 35.8 million U.S. adults with uncontrolled hypertension, 89.4% reported having a usual source of health care, and 85.2% reported having health insurance.

Drinking green tea will help you find the hidden platform when you're older.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:47:24 GMT

Science Blog: The team found that the ECGC treated mice required less time to find the hidden platform. Overall the results revealed that EGCG enhances learning and memory by improving object recognition and spatial memory.

Miniature glucose sensor may eliminate the need for needlesticks.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:43:42 GMT

Fraunhofer Institute: The principle of measurement involves an electrochemical reaction that is activated with the aid of an enzyme. Glucose oxidase converts glucose into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and other chemicals whose concentration can be measured with a potentiostat. This measurement is used for calculating the glucose level. The special feature of this biosensor: the chip, measuring just 0.5 x 2.0 millimeters, can fit more than just the nanopotentiostat itself. Indeed, Fraunhofer researchers have attached the entire diagnostic system to it. “It even has an integrated analog digital converter that converts the electrochemical signals into digital data,” explains Tom Zimmermann, business unit manager at IMS. The biosensor transmits the data via a wireless interface, for example to a mobile receiver. Thus, the patient can keep a steady eye on his or her glucose level. “In the past, you used to need a circuit board the size of a half-sheet of paper,” says Zimmermann. “And you also had to have a driver. But even these things are no longer necessary with our new sensor.”

Nonalcoholic red wine reduced blood pressure better than regular red wine.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:38:50 GMT

EurekAlert: The red wine and nonalcoholic wine contained equal amounts of polyphenols, an antioxidant that decreases blood pressure. During the red wine phase, the men had very little reduction in blood pressure and there was no change while drinking gin. However, after drinking non-alcoholic red wine, blood pressure decreased by about 6mmHg in systolic and 2mmHg in diastolic blood pressure — possibly reducing the risk of heart disease by 14 percent and stroke by as much as 20 percent. Researchers concluded that the alcohol in red wine weakens its ability to lower blood pressure. But polyphenols — still present after alcohol is removed from wine — are likely the beneficial element in wine.

CKD patients have reduced ability to prevent vascular calcification.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:37:12 GMT

EurekAlert (JASN): Now Andreas Pasch, MD (University Hospital and University of Bern, Inselspital, in Switzerland) and his colleagues have developed the first test capable of measuring the propensity for calcification to occur in blood. Using their new assay, the investigators found that both the blood of mice deficient in a protein that inhibits calcification and the blood of CKD patients on dialysis had a reduced ability to inhibit calcification. Blood from healthy volunteers did not.

Anti-PLA2R antibodies detected in 70% of patients with idiopathic membranous GN

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:34:54 GMT

EurekAlert (JASN): Among the major findings: .... 74% of patients tested positive for antiPLA2R antibodies by IIFT and 72% tested positive by ELISA. .... Concordance between both tests was excellent, with 94% agreement. .... Antibody levels significantly correlated with the severity of patients' disease. .... Spontaneous remissions occurred much less frequently among patients with high antibody levels (38% versus 4% in the lowest and highest groups, respectively).

ESRD program being examined as a model for cost-cutting in the Medicare system.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:29:39 GMT

Brown University: Amid a presidential campaign and facing the “fiscal cliff,” Americans hear a lot about federal spending, particularly for Medicare. But few probably know of either the history or the present watershed moment in the program’s 40-year struggle to contain costs and finance quality treatment for Americans with end-stage renal disease. In a timely new paper in the September edition of the journal Health Affairs, researchers chronicle the history of how Medicare has provided one of its most costly services, and point out that a new strategy, if successful, could become a fiscal model for the entire program.

Researchers decipher manic gene.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:27:10 GMT

EurekAlert: Using the patients' detailed clinical data, the researchers tested statistically which of the symptoms are especially closely related to the NCAN gene. "Here it became obvious that the NCAN gene is very closely and quite specifically correlated with the manic symptoms," says Prof. Dr. Marcella Rietschel from the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim. According to the data the gene is, however, not responsible for the depressive episodes in bipolar disorder.

Junk DNA turns out to play a major role in cell regulation.

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:34:42 GMT

NY Times: Now scientists have discovered a vital clue to unraveling these riddles. The human genome is packed with at least four million gene switches that reside in bits of DNA that once were dismissed as “junk” but that turn out to play critical roles in controlling how cells, organs and other tissues behave. The discovery, considered a major medical and scientific breakthrough, has enormous implications for human health because many complex diseases appear to be caused by tiny changes in hundreds of gene switches.

Protein found to regulate red blood cell size and number.

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 06:40:18 GMT

EurekAlert: "This is one of the rare cases where we can explain a normal human-to-human variation," says Lodish, who is also a professor of biology and bioengineering at MIT. "In a sense, it's a window on human evolution. Why this should have happened, we have no idea, but it does." Lodish likens cyclin D3's role in RBCs to that of a clock. In some people, the clock triggers RBC progenitors to mature after four rounds of cell division, resulting in fewer but larger RBCs. In others it goes off after five cell division cycles, which leads to production of a greater number of smaller RBCs. In both cases, the blood usually has the same ability to carry oxygen to distant tissues.

Caloric restriction in monkeys fails to result in increased longevity.

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 06:20:16 GMT

NY Times: The results of this major, long-awaited study, which began in 1987, are finally in. But it did not bring the vindication calorie restriction enthusiasts had anticipated. It turns out the skinny monkeys did not live any longer than those kept at more normal weights. Some lab test results improved, but only in monkeys put on the diet when they were old. The causes of death — cancer, heart disease — were the same in both the underfed and the normally fed monkeys.

Manuscript describing effects of acetic acid and sodium diacetate on acid-base balance now available.

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:37:56 GMT

Artificial Organs: Kohn, Kjellstrand and Ing: Dual -concentrate bicarbonate-based hemodialysis: Know your buffers. Art Organs, 2012, in press.

Check your computer for presence of Java plugin that can leave it vulnerable to hackers.

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:40:25 GMT

HP: Researchers have identified code that attacks machines by exploiting a newly discovered flaw in the latest version of Java. Once in, a second piece of software called "Poison Ivy" is released that lets hackers gain control of the infected computer, said Jaime Blasco, a research manager with AlienVault Labs. Several security firms advised users to immediately disable Java software -- installed in some form on the vast majority of personal computers around the world -- in their Internet browsers. Oracle says that Java sits on 97 percent of enterprise desktops.

Renal denervation for advanced heart failure

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 02:04:17 GMT

EurekAlert: There was no change in contractile function of the left side of the heart in patients who received standard drug treatment. "The improvement of the contractile function of the left side of the heart by more than 10% in patients after renal denervation was a surprise," said Dr Taborsky. "This parameter has practically not changed in patients treated by the classic drugs. The difference in response might be explained by a continuous decrease of the renal sympathetic activity in the complex pathophysiology of heart failure."

Niacin may help the body fight against Staph. aureus infection. via CEBPE gene.

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:05:50 GMT

EurekAlert: In laboratory tests with mice and human blood, Cedars-Sinai scientists found that vitamin B3 increased by up to 1,000 fold the ability of the immune system to kill staph bacteria. Beyond its findings related to vitamin B3, the study indicates that similar targeting of the CEBPE gene with other compounds may offer a new immune-boosting strategy to fight bacterial infections.

Dr. John Stokes, University of Iowa Division of Nephrology Chief, in Memoriam.

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 23:29:58 GMT

University of Iowa: A memorial service for Dr Stokes will be held on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012 at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Iowa City (1300 Melrose Avenue) beginning at 9:00 am. Letters of sympathy can be sent to his wife Jackie. For contact information, please contact the University of Iowa.

Just in time sequence analysis help solve how a multidrug resistant Klebsiella spread.

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 23:15:40 GMT

NY Times: Dr. Segre, a genome researcher, proposed sequencing the entire genome of the first patient’s bacteria and comparing it with the genome sequences of bacteria from other infected patients. That could enable scientists to detect minute genetic changes that were the bacterium’s fingerprints. And they could use that knowledge to track the chain of infection.

CD4 T cells linked to immunologically-mediated atherosclerosis; vaccine may be possible.

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:59:05 GMT

EurekAlert: Dr. Ley said he believes the antigen involved is actually a normal protein that the body mistakes as being foreign and therefore launches an immune attack resulting in inflammation in the arteries. "Essentially, we're saying that there appears to be a strong autoimmune component in heart disease," he said, explaining that autoimmune diseases result from the body's mistaken attack on normal cells. "Consequently, we could explore creating a "tolerogenic" vaccine, such as those now being explored in diabetes, which could induce tolerance by the body of this self-protein to stop the inflammatory attack."

(+)-naloxone blocks opioid addiction by an immunologic mechanism.

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:55:38 GMT

EurekAlert: IMAGE: This is concept art depicting addiction by Joshua Burton (School of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide). Click here for more information. "The drug (+)-naloxone automatically shuts down the addiction. It shuts down the need to take opioids, it cuts out behaviours associated with addiction, and the neurochemistry in the brain changes – dopamine, which is the chemical important for providing that sense of 'reward' from the drug, is no longer produced."

Obatoclax and flavopiridol for multiple myeloma.

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:52:47 GMT

EurekAlert: The study published online in the journal Cancer Research details a dramatic increase in multiple myeloma cell death caused by a combination of the drugs obatoclax and flavopiridol. The researchers, led by Steven Grant, M.D., Shirley Carter Olsson and Sture Gordon Olsson Chair in Oncology Research, associate director for translational research, program co-leader and member of Developmental Therapeutics and member of the Cancer Cell Signaling program at VCU Massey Cancer Center, found that the two drugs worked together through different mechanisms to promote a form of cell suicide known as apoptosis.

Meditation reduces activity of inflammation-associated genes.

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:51:02 GMT

EurekAlert: What to do? Researchers at UCLA now report that a simple meditation program lasting just eight weeks reduced loneliness in older adults. Further, knowing that loneliness is associated with an increase in the activity of inflammation-related genes that can promote a variety of diseases, the researchers examined gene expression and found that this same form of meditation significantly reduced expression of inflammatory genes.

Glial lymphatic system identified in the brain.

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:49:35 GMT

URMC: A previously unrecognized system that drains waste from the brain at a rapid clip has been discovered by neuroscientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The findings were published online August 15 in Science Translational Medicine.

Toxoplasma gondi infection linked to suicide attempts; T. gondi risk higher in dialysis patients

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:20:23 GMT

MSU: A parasite thought to be harmless and found in many people may actually be causing subtle changes in the brain, leading to suicide attempts. New research appearing in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry adds to the growing work linking an infection caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite to suicide attempts. Michigan State University’s Lena Brundin was one of the lead researchers on the team.

Adjusting and setting the dialysate total base concentration differs by dialysis machine.

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 23:21:13 GMT

Fix Dialysis: A Misidentified Problem: Analysis of FMC Bicarb/Buffer Documents from 2000-2012.

DOPPS Practice Monitor website

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 23:10:38 GMT

Reporting contemporary trends in dialysis practice.

CMS releases 2011 claims-based monitoring results - finds no change.

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:41:33 GMT

CMS: Throughout 2011, CMS monitored usage rates of ESRD-related drugs, biologicals, and related procedures and tracked specific health outcomes of ESRD Medicare beneficiaries. The report findings demonstrate that, while the ESRD PPS impacted utilization of certain ESRD-related services and procedures, no sustained changes in beneficiary health status were observed in 2011.

NxStage protests lack of improvement in reimbursement for home dialysis to CMS.

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:50:05 GMT

Mass Device: NxStage Medical expresses disappointment and disbelief that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid failed to update rules for home hemodialysis.

Thinner diabetics face higher death rate.

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:44:45 GMT

Science Blog: American adults of a normal weight with new-onset diabetes die at a higher rate than overweight/obese adults with the same disease, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

CDC online course in infection prevention in dialysis units.

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:34:25 GMT

CDC: CDC has created a new continuing education course “Infection Prevention in Dialysis Settings” for outpatient hemodialysis healthcare workers, including technicians and nurses. The 1-hour self-guided training course features a flash-based slide presentation and audio narration.

Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Oreopoulos obituary

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:25:19 GMT

PDI: The world of nephrology—and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in particular—was diminished with the recent passing of Dimitrios Oreopoulos.

Do neutrophils mediate insulin resistance in obesity?

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:20:53 GMT

EurekAlert: Using liver and fat cells from mice and humans and live mouse models, a team led by Jerrold M. Olefsky, MD, associate dean for scientific affairs at UC San Diego Health Sciences and professor of medicine, discovered that an enzyme secreted by neutrophils called neutrophil elastase (NE) impairs insulin signaling and boosts resistance. Conversely, deletion of NE in obese mice fed a high-fat diet improved insulin sensitivity.

Is there an obesity paradox in diabetes?

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 03:28:17 GMT

Reuters: Obesity and diabetes might not be the double whammy you'd expect, according to a fresh look at older studies.

Apoptosis inhibitor fusion protein ensures recovery from acute liver failure in mice.

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:54:06 GMT

Science Daily: Now Dr. Donath and his colleagues have fused ARC to a noninfectious fragment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), called TAT for short. The researchers used TAT as a shuttle to transfer this survival-switch construct into the liver. Mice with acute liver failure were given an intravenous or intraperitoneal injection with the construct. "Within just a few minutes the fusion protein TAT-ARC reached the liver of the animals and immediately began to take effect. ARC was able to stop the apoptosis of the liver cells, and all of the animals completely recovered," Dr. Donath said.

Diacetyl, an artificial butter flavor used in popcorn, linked to Alzheimer's disease worsening.

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:50:00 GMT

Science Blog: A new study raises concern about chronic exposure of workers in industry to a food flavoring ingredient used to produce the distinctive buttery flavor and aroma of microwave popcorn, margarines, snack foods, candy, baked goods, pet foods and other products. It found evidence that the ingredient, diacetyl (DA), intensifies the damaging effects of an abnormal brain protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The study appears in ACS’ journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

Suspended dialysis unit worker alleged to contaminate dialysate water with bleach.

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:18:30 GMT

Times Union: When a kidney dialysis center accused a worker of asking patients for painkillers, authorities said he became so enraged he sneaked back into the clinic and poured bleach into dialysis machines.

KDIGO releases new, 2012 version of anemia guidelines; 9.0 g/dL Hb is the new lower bound.

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:29:24 GMT

KDIGO: 3.4.3: For adult CKD 5D patients, we suggest that ESA therapy be used to avoid having the Hb concentration fall below 9.0 g/dl (90 g/l) by starting ESA therapy when the hemoglobin is between 9.0–10.0 g/dl (90–100 g/l). (2B)................................. 3.4.4: Individualization of therapy is reasonable as some patients may have improvements in quality of life at higher Hb concentration and ESA therapy may be started above 10.0 g/dl (100 g/l). (Not Graded).................

Total nephrectomy for renal cancer associated with late erectile dysfunction.

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:41:20 GMT

EurekAlert: The retrospective study evaluated two cohorts of men, totaling 432 patients, who underwent surgery for renal cell carcinoma. One group underwent complete removal of the kidney while the other had kidney-sparing surgery. Sexual function was accessed pre- and post-operatively with a sexual health questionnaire known as the International Index of Erectile Function. "What we are seeing is a dramatic yet delayed effect. Approximately six years after surgery, patients who had a total nephrectomy were 3.5 times more likely to develop erectile dysfunction compared to those who had kidney reconstruction," said Derweesh.

SPECT/CT helps to diagnose difficult cases of infectious endocarditis.

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:28:40 GMT

SNM: Of the 131 patients, 97 were found to have uptake indicating infection.The 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC SPECT/CT scan was true-positive in 46 of 51 patients and false negative in 5 of 51 cases (90 percent sensitivity, 94 percent negative predictive value and 100 percent specificity and positive predictor value). In addition, septic embolism was detected in 41 percent of the patients.

Higher serum bicarbonate associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk in Nurses Health Study.

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 04:22:14 GMT

CMAJ: Interpretation: Higher plasma bicarbonate levels were associated with lower odds of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus among women in the Nurses' Health Study. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding in different populations and to elucidate the mechanism for this relation.

CMS announces initial group of practices participating in the ACO (Accountable Care Organization) model.

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 04:19:59 GMT

CMS: Overview The Advance Payment Model is designed for physician-based and rural providers who have come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to the Medicare patients they serve. Through the Advance Payment ACO Model, selected participants will receive upfront and monthly payments, which they can use to make important investments in their care coordination infrastructure. The following Advance Payment ACOs were announced for the performance period that began on April 1, 2012:

Patient weight gain after change of acid concentrate supplier with same nominal dialysate sodium level.

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 16:44:31 GMT

IJAO: Conclusions: Changing dialysate acid concentrates, both labeled 1:44 dilution, led to the delivery of a higher dialysate sodium, resulting in weight gains, increased pre-dialysis blood pressure, but less symptomatic intradialytic hypotension. Following readjustment of volumetric dialysate mixing, excess weight gains and increased blood pressure resolved over 4 weeks, highlighting the importance of checking the delivered dialysate sodium following a change in dialysate acid concentrate.

New body shape index, based on height, BMI, and waist circumference, predicts mortality risk.

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:33:44 GMT

PLOS online: Conclusions. Body shape, as measured by ABSI, appears to be a substantial risk factor for premature mortality in the general population derivable from basic clinical measurements. ABSI expresses the excess risk from high WC in a convenient form that is complementary to BMI and to other known risk factors.

JASN early release: Rituximab shows good results in membranous nephropathy.

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:29:42 GMT

JASN: All 24 patients who had at least 4 years of follow-up achieved complete or partial remission. Rates of remission were similar between patients with or without previous immunosuppressive treatment. Four patients died and four progressed to ESRD. Measured GFR increased by a mean 13.2 (SD 19.6) ml/min per 1.73 m2 among those who achieved complete remission. Serum albumin significantly increased and albumin fractional clearance decreased among those achieving complete or partial remission. Proteinuria at baseline and the follow-up duration each independently predicted the decline of proteinuria. Furthermore, the magnitude of proteinuria reduction significantly correlated with slower GFR decline (P=0.0001). No treatment-related serious adverse events occurred. In summary, rituximab achieved disease remission and stabilized or improved renal function in a large cohort of high-risk patients with IMN.

JASN RCT finds no benefits of 3 phosphorus binding drugs on vascular calcification in predialysis CKD..

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:27:27 GMT

JASN: Active therapy did, however, significantly increase calcification of the coronary arteries and abdominal aorta (coronary: median increases of 18.1% versus 0.6%, P=0.05; abdominal aorta: median increases of 15.4% versus 3.4%, P=0.03). In conclusion, phosphate binders significantly lower serum and urinary phosphorus and attenuate progression of secondary hyperparathyroidism among patients with CKD who have normal or near-normal levels of serum phosphorus; however, they also promote the progression of vascular calcification. The safety and efficacy of phosphate binders in CKD remain uncertain.

FDA: Seizure risk from cefepime in patients with renal impairment.

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:01:02 GMT

FDA: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reminding health care professionals about the need to adjust the dosage of the antibacterial drug cefepime in patients with renal (kidney) impairment. There have been cases of a specific type of seizure called nonconvulsive status epilepticus associated with the use of cefepime, primarily in patients with renal impairment who did not receive appropriate dosage adjustments of cefepime. The Warnings and Precautions and Adverse Reactions sections of the cefepime label are being revised to highlight this risk.

FDA approves new phosphate-free colon cleansing prep.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:15:24 GMT

FDA: On July 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Prepopik (sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide and citric acid) to help cleanse the colon in adults preparing for colonoscopy. One dose of Prepopik consists of two packets of powder, each dissolved in cold water and taken at separate times. Patients should take Prepopik the night before colonoscopy and the morning of colonoscopy (Split-Dose regimen). If this is not possible, patients may take Prepopik in the afternoon and evening before the colonoscopy (Day-Before regimen).

Trial of EPO pump underway.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:09:58 GMT

Business Wire: Medgenics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: MDGN and AIM: MEDU, MEDG), the developer of Biopump(TM), a novel technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins in patients using their own tissue, announces the launch of its Phase IIa clinical trial in Israel of EPODUR(TM) Biopumps to treat anemia in patients with end-stage renal disease (“ESRD” or “kidney failure”) on dialysis, through the sustained delivery of erythropoietin (“EPO”). Following the Israeli Ministry of Health’s recent approval of the trial, Medgenics has enrolled and begun to treat the first two dialysis patients ever to receive EPODURE Biopumps.

Are you one of the U.S. top nephrologists? Check the U.S. News and World Report list.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:07:48 GMT

US News: There are 707 top nephrologists on the list of U.S. News Top Doctors. These physicians were selected based on a peer nomination process. Within this list of the best nephrologists, 109 have been named to a highly selective list of America's Top Doctors (ATD) by achieving national recognition for outstanding work.

FDA approves second diet drug within a month.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:52:28 GMT

NPR: After a 13-year hiatus, the Food and Drug Administration gave its OK to the second weight-loss drug in a month. This time it's Qsymia, previously called Qnexa, from Vivus. The pill contains two active ingredients: topiramate, an anti-seizure medicine, and phentermine, a stimulant.

Fresenius' Ulf Schneider talks about plans for global expansion, including china (video).

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:48:46 GMT

Wall Street Journal: Boss Talk. Fresenius on Growth. Fresenius SE & Co. Chairman Ulf M. Schneider on bringing Western-style health care to the developing world.

Off-topic technology: Gaze control of devices may help subjects with impaired motor ability.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:44:05 GMT

EurekAlert: To demonstrate the effectiveness of the eye-tracker, the researchers got subjects to play the video game Pong. In this game, the subject used his or her eyes to move a bat to hit a ball that was bouncing around the screen – a feat that is difficult to accomplish with other read-out mechanisms such as brain waves (EEG). Dr Aldo Faisal, Lecturer in Neurotechnology at Imperial's Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Computing, is confident in the ability to utilise eye movements given that six of the subjects, who had never used their eyes as a control input before, could still register a respectable score within 20 per cent of the able bodied users after just 10 minutes of using the device for the first time.

In frail elderly, higher blood pressures associated with increased survival.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:42:08 GMT

EurekAlert: Among the faster walkers, those with high blood pressure had a 35 percent greater risk of dying compared with those with normal blood pressure. In contrast, there was no association between high blood pressure and mortality in the slow walking group. Strikingly, those who were unable to complete the walking test had the opposite results – those with higher blood pressure had a 62 percent lower mortality rate.

Adding vitamin B12 to hepatitis C treatment regimen improves cure rate.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:40:13 GMT

EurekAlert: There was no difference between the two treatment approaches at 4 weeks, but there were significant differences in response at all the other time points, particularly 24 weeks after stopping treatment, which is the aim of HCV treatment and the closest it can be get to a cure. The effects were also significantly greater among those who carried the type 1 strain, which is particularly hard to treat, and those high levels of infection (high viral load) to begin with. Overall, adding vitamin B12 to standard therapy strengthened the rate of sustained viral response by 34%, the findings showed.

NEJM op ed: Teaching physicians about costs of medical care.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 20:04:48 GMT

NEJM (Rosenbaum and Lamas): Our profession has traditionally rewarded the broadest differential diagnosis and a patient care approach that uses resources as though they were unlimited. Good care, we believe, cannot be codified in dollar signs. But with health care costs threatening to bankrupt our country, the financial implications of medical decision making have become part of the national conversation.

New technology allows visualization of biofilm cities at the streetview level.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 20:00:49 GMT

Science Daily: The researchers were able to employ new techniques that allowed them to zoom into a street-level view of these biofilms, where they learned "how they grow from a single cell and come together to form rooms and whole buildings," Berk said. "Now, we can come up with a logical approach to discovering how to take down their building, or prevent them from forming the building itself."

Circadian clock cryptochromes tied to development of type 2 diabetes.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:58:49 GMT

Science Daily: Kay and his collaborators discovered in 2010 that cryptochrome plays a critical role in regulating the internal timing of our cyclical eating patterns, timing our fasting at night with our eating during the day to maintain a steady supply of glucose in our bloodstream. Other researchers have recently discovered that cryptochrome also has the potential to reduce high blood sugar from asthma medication by adjusting the time of day a patient takes their medication. "We found that if we increased cryptochrome levels genetically in the liver we could inhibit the production of glucose by the liver," said Kay.

CDC (MMWR): Updated recommendations regarding hepatitis B infected health care personnel.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:36:02 GMT

CDC: The previous recommendations have been updated to include the following changes: no prenotification of patients of a health-care provider's or student's HBV status; use of HBV DNA serum levels rather than hepatitis B e-antigen status to monitor infectivity; and, for those health-care professionals requiring oversight, specific suggestions for composition of expert review panels and threshold value of serum HBV DNA considered "safe" for practice (<1,000 IU/ml). These recommendations also explicitly address the issue of medical and dental students who are discovered to have chronic HBV infection. For most chronically HBV-infected providers and students who conform to current standards for infection control, HBV infection status alone does not require any curtailing of their practices or supervised learning experiences.

Home dialysis conference to be held in October of 2012 in Baltimore.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:33:16 GMT

Home Dialyzors United: Here’s your chance to join the home team! Home Dialyzors United (formerly NxStageUsers) is proud to organize our third annual conference and meetup from October 7 – 10, 2012 at the Best Western Plus Hotel & Conference Center in Baltimore, Maryland. You won’t want to miss this year’s HDU conference in exciting Baltimore. Now is the time to plan, get you hotel discounts, and be ready to experience the liberating "high" that past conference attendees talk about after a few days with THE most positive-thinking, proactive people, who just happen to have kidney disease. This Meet Up and Conference is a mind-changer!

Kidney broker sentenced to prison as donor recalls doubts.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:29:07 GMT

Bloomberg: In the first criminal organ-trafficking case in the U.S., Quick took the witness stand at the sentencing of Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, a Brooklyn, New York, man who pleaded guilty to brokering black-market sales of human kidneys to three Americans. After hearing Quick’s account of how Rosenbaum paid him $25,000 for a kidney, U.S. District Judge Anne Thompson sentenced Rosenbaum to 2 1/2 years in prison.

Cucurmin reduces incidence of type 2 diabetes in randomized control trial.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:00:48 GMT

Medical Xpress: After nine months the researchers found that 16.4 percent of the placebo group and none of the curcumin group were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Curcumin treatment was associated with significantly improved β-cell function, with higher homeostasis model assessment-β and lower C-peptide levels.

Chloramine - a concern not only for dialysis units but also for aquarium owners.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:55:33 GMT

Tulsa World: Chloramine-treated water is safe for people, but fish owners will need to buy new neutralizing agents because traditional cleaners remove only chlorine from water, said Scott Kosciolek, owner of Premier Aquatics. Fish in garden ponds may be at the greatest risk because some owners add water to their ponds from a hose.

Affymax inks deal to supply Omontys (peginesatide) to Fresenius in the U.S.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:53:26 GMT

Businessweek: The supply deal provides for discounts and rebates. Fresenius agreed to use Omontys at more than 100 U.S. dialysis centers within the next few weeks, and it may expand use of the drug from there. The companies did not disclose financial terms of the agreement, which is scheduled to end in April.

Ethanol consumption quickly slows elevated bone turnover rate; protects against osteoporosis in women.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:49:58 GMT

EurekAlert: In the current study, published online July 11 in the journal Menopause, researchers in OSU's Skeletal Biology Laboratory studied 40 early postmenopausal women who regularly had one or two drinks a day, were not on any hormone replacement therapies, and had no history of osteoporosis-related fractures. The researchers found evidence for increased bone turnover – a risk factor for osteoporotic fractures – during the two week period when the participants stopped drinking. Even more surprising: the researchers found that less than a day after the women resumed their normal drinking, their bone turnover rates returned to previous levels.

Post-menopausal hormone therapy linked to risk of high blood pressure.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:47:32 GMT

EurekAlert: The authors of the study, led by Joanne Lind of the University of Western Sydney, included 43,405 postmenopausal women in their study to identify the association. As Dr. Lind explains, the study shows that "longer use of menopausal hormone therapy is associated with having high blood pressure. It is therefore important that high blood pressure be conveyed as a health risk for women considering using menopausal hormone therapy."

Artificial Organs journal: Preprint of paper dealing with alkalinizing compounds in bicarbonate dialysate concentrates.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:54:23 GMT

Artificial Organs (Kohn et al): Preprint of a review detailing which compounds in dialysate concentrates that one needs to worry about because they generate bicarbonate after being metabolized.

JASN publishes paper comparing reimbursement for dialysis in various countries.

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:04:10 GMT

JASN (Vanholder et al): The comparison examines the United States, the province of Ontario in Canada, and five European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom). Important differences between countries exist, resulting in as much as a 3.3-fold difference between highest and lowest reimbursement rates for chronic hemodialysis. Differences persist even when our data were adjusted for per capita gross domestic product. Reimbursement for peritoneal dialysis is lower in most countries except Germany and the United States. The United Kingdom is the only country that has implemented an incentive if patients use an arteriovenous fistula. Although home hemodialysis (prolonged or daily dialysis) allows greater flexibility and better patient outcomes, reimbursement is only incentivized in The Netherlands. Unfortunately, it is not yet clear that such differences save money or improve quality of care. Future research should focus on directly testing both outcomes.

FDA approves viral load test for patients with CMV infection.

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:01:57 GMT

FDA: While a patient is undergoing anti-CMV therapy, a clinician can use the device to perform a series of tests to look for changes in a patient’s CMV viral load. A significant decrease in viral load from one test to the next may indicate that a particular therapy is effective, while an increase or no change may indicate the need for a different therapy. When used along with other clinical and laboratory data, this information can aid clinicians to manage and optimize patient care.

Consumer Reports rates pediatric practices in Massachusetts

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:15:05 GMT

Kaiser: Now Consumer Reports, a leading publisher of, among other things, buyers' guides for toasters and other appliances, has ventured into physician rating territory in Massachusetts. The ratings, published as an insert in the July issue for the magazine's Massachusetts subscribers and available online as well, put 487 primary-care and pediatric practices through their paces, assigning scores from 1 to 4 in each of five categories related to patient experience.

Avatar science fiction closer to reality than you would think.

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:01:34 GMT

BBC: Robot avatars have got a step closer to being the real world doubles of those who are paralysed or have locked-in-syndrome.

CMS leaves reimbursement for home hemodialysis largely unchanged.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:59:11 GMT

Mass Device: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid leave the home hemodialysis rule as it is, dashing some analysts' hopes of improved reimbursement status and a near-term upside for NxStage Medical.

Short course of immunotherapy reverses type 1 diabetes in mice.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:53:08 GMT

Newswise: Scientists at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have used injections of antibodies to rapidly reverse the onset of Type I diabetes in mice genetically bred to develop the disease. Moreover, just two injections maintained disease remission indefinitely without harming the immune system.

Platelet drug eltrombopag increases platelet count in aplastic anemia.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:00:51 GMT

EurekAlert (NEJM): Eltrombopag, a drug that was designed to stimulate production of platelets from the bone marrow and thereby improve blood clotting, can raise blood cell levels in some people with severe aplastic anemia who have failed all standard therapies.

Metformin may boost brain function via stimulation of new neuron formation.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:59:06 GMT

EurekAlert: The new evidence lends support to that promising idea in both mouse brains and human cells. Mice taking metformin not only showed an increase in the birth of new neurons, but they were also better able to learn the location of a hidden platform in a standard maze test of spatial learning.

Origin of follicular dendritic cells found.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:57:45 GMT

EurekAlert: In a paper which is being published in the journal Cell, Dr. Nike Kräutler in the team of Professor Adriano Aguzzi at the University of Zurich went after the latter question. Using novel markers identified in the Aguzzi laboratory in the past several years, they have identified clues suggesting that FDC precursor cells exist in the wall of blood vessels. This would explain many of the properties of FDCs, including the broad range of organs in which lymphoid follicles can arise during inflammatory conditions – because blood vessels are present in most organs of the body.

Fracture benefits of vitamin D in the elderly appear only at doses greater than 800 IU / day.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:02:57 GMT

NEJM: "Taking between 800 IUs and 2,000 IUs of vitamin D per day significantly reduced the risk of most fractures, including hip, wrist and forearm in both men and women age 65 and older," said Dawson-Hughes, the study's senior author. "Importantly, we saw there was no benefit to taking Vitamin D supplements in doses below 800 IUs per day for fracture prevention."

Off-topic: Large hadron collider rap revisited, in honor of the Higgs boson discovery

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:46:42 GMT

Yes, they did it! Congratulations to the large hadron collider team!

University of Louisville to partner with American Renal Associates for dialysis clinic.

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 19:40:28 GMT

Nephrology News: University Medical Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization established to benefit the University of Louisville School of Medicine, has entered into a joint venture with American Renal Associates to form a new dialysis organization that provides services to people in the Louisville region. University Kidney Center LLC began operations July 1, and is conducting business as the University of Louisville Renal Dialysis Center. UMF will hold 30% equity in the new joint venture