Nephrology News and Research

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Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.

First Edition: January 25, 2013

Today's headlines include various state-level reports about how budget issues are impacting health policy decisions.

28 Jan 2013

Takeda receives FDA approval for Nesina, Kazano and Oseni to treat type 2 diabetes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved three new related products for use with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes: Nesina (alogliptin) tablets, Kazano (alogliptin and metformin hydrochloride) tablets, and Oseni (alogliptin and pioglitazone) tablets.

28 Jan 2013

Children with eczema have distinct gut microbiome

Infants with eczema have more diverse total gut microbiota than those without the skin condition, show study findings.

25 Jan 2013

Simple urine test picks up mesalamine non-adherence

A readily available urine test could identify ulcerative colitis patients who are non-adherent to their mesalamine therapy, research shows.

25 Jan 2013

Munching on melamine may harm kidney health

Eating hot food off melamine plates appears to result in significant melamine leaching into the digestive system, suggest findings from a small study.

25 Jan 2013

VRAM flap success for dorsal vaginal and perineal reconstruction

Reconstruction of the dorsal vagina or perineum using the vertical rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap following extensive surgery and intraoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer results in favorable surgical and quality of life outcomes, research shows.

25 Jan 2013

Efficacy of docusate called into question

Docusate does not significantly improve the management of constipation in hospice patients, show the results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

25 Jan 2013

Kidney disease increases risk of premature death in diabetic patients

One in every 10 Americans has diabetes, and a third or more of those with the condition will develop kidney disease. It may be possible to live a long and healthy life with diabetes, but once kidney disease develops, the risk of dying prematurely increases significantly, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

25 Jan 2013

Ibuprofen and naproxen can cause kidney damage in children

Sick children, especially those with some dehydration from flu or other illnesses, risk significant kidney injury if given drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, Indiana University School of Medicine researchers said Friday.

25 Jan 2013

NSAIDs cause acute kidney injury in some children

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are commonly used to treat pain and reduce fever in children. However, the use of NSAIDs has been shown to cause acute kidney injury (AKI) in some children

25 Jan 2013

Researchers to develop new diagnostic tools and treatments for people with rare diseases

A multi-million Euro initiative is bringing together researchers from across the world to develop new diagnostic tools and new treatments for people with rare diseases and to connect research data in this area on a global scale.

25 Jan 2013

Women taking tacrolimus drug can breast feed their babies

Women taking the immunosuppressant tacrolimus can rest assured that breast feeding will not elevate their babies' exposure to the drug, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

24 Jan 2013

Boosting estrogen levels may help reduce urinary infections in menopausal women

Estrogen levels drop dramatically in menopause, a time when the risk of urinary tract infections increases significantly.

24 Jan 2013

Amgen drug gets boost in fiscal cliff legislation

Just two weeks after pleading guilty in a major federal fraud case, Amgen, the world's largest biotechnology firm, scored a largely unnoticed coup on Capitol Hill: Lawmakers inserted a paragraph into the "fiscal cliff" bill that did not mention the company by name but strongly favored one of its drugs.

23 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: A 'fail safe' and a 'time bomb' in health law; Reason for 'optimism' about health costs?

Although Republicans are eager to repeal the entire 2010 healthcare reform law, they started the new session of Congress last week by taking aim at one provision in particular: the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a yet-to-be-named group of 15 presidential appointees from various healthcare disciplines that could play a key role in limiting the growth of Medicare spending. Critics argue that it's a bad idea and even un-American to put so much power in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.

23 Jan 2013

Galectin Therapeutics' GR-MD-02 reverses diabetic nephropathy in preclinical study

Galectin Therapeutics, the leading developer of therapeutics that target galectin proteins to treat fibrosis and cancer, today announced new preclinical data on the efficacy of anti-galectin therapy on diabetic kidney disease.

23 Jan 2013

Pregnant women with hypertensive disorders more likely to develop end-stage renal disease

Women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are at higher risk of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease compared with women without the disorders, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

22 Jan 2013

Tattooing poses HCV risk

Hepatitis C virus infection is more common in people who have had a tattoo, research shows.

21 Jan 2013

Itch-specific nerve cells: an interview with Associate Professor Xinzhong Dong

Itch was actually defined by a German physician more than 350 years ago. His name was Samuel Hafenreffer. He defined itch as an unpleasant sensation that makes people want to scratch. You probably think this is a very simple definition but itch is really a very complex sensory modality.

21 Jan 2013

DaVita forms joint venture with Riches Healthcare

DaVita, the kidney care division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. and a leading provider of kidney care services, today announced the formation of a joint venture with Riches Healthcare (RHC), through which a new entity - DaVita Taiwan - will provide services to four dialysis clinics. DaVita will own a majority share of the joint venture entity.

21 Jan 2013