Kidney News and Research

RSS

First study to compare complication rates after RAPN and LPN

Robot-assisted surgery has replaced another minimally invasive operation as the main procedure to treat kidney cancer while sparing part of the diseased organ, and with comparable results, according to a new research study by Henry Ford Hospital urologists.

16 May 2012

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound effective method for abdominal aortic aneurysms

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is an effective, noninvasive method for monitoring patients who undergo endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology.

15 May 2012

Excess protein in urine test predicts renal failure in patients with severe sepsis

Henry Ford Hospital researchers have found that the presence of excess protein in a common urine test is an effective prognostic marker of acute renal failure in patients with severe sepsis.

14 May 2012

Kidney transplants more frequent among NxStage home hemodialysis patients

NxStage Medical, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today commented on findings of the Chronic Disease Research Group (CDRG) study showing that patients receiving daily, or more frequent, home hemodialysis with the NxStage System One are more likely to receive a kidney transplant when compared with conventional thrice-weekly dialysis, particularly in patients not on the transplant waitlist at initiation of daily home hemodialysis.

14 May 2012

Lenalidomide delays progression of multiple myeloma after stem cell transplant

Multiple myeloma is a form of cancer where the plasma cells in the bone marrow grow out of control, causing damage to bones as well as predisposing patients to anemia, infection and kidney failure. A medical procedure called autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, commonly known as a stem cell transplant, is frequently an important treatment option for many patients.

14 May 2012

New EMR tool helps reduce unnecessary abdominal CT scan use among ER patients

A new electronic medical record tool that tallies patients' previous radiation exposure from CT scans helps reduce potentially unnecessary use of the tests among emergency room patients with abdominal pain, according to a study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that will be presented today at the annual meeting of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

14 May 2012

Positive results from Cytochroma CTAP101 Phase 2b clinical trial for CKD

Cytochroma today announced positive clinical trial results for its lead product, CTAP101 Capsules. In a recently completed Phase 2b trial, CTAP101 Capsules effectively and safely lowered elevated plasma intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in patients with Stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vitamin D insufficiency.

11 May 2012

Rituximab does not appear to benefit children with INS

The drug rituximab, an antibody that targets the immune system and is often used to treat immune disorders such as lymphoma and arthritis, has recently emerged as a potential treatment for a childhood kidney disorder known as idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

11 May 2012

A Better Method for Diagnosing Kidney Disease

Assessing glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using kidney filtration markers in blood is the standard means for determining kidney function, diagnosing kidney disease and measuring its progression. A higher filtration rate indicates healthy kidney function, while a lower rate points to various stages of kidney disease. A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that the new CKD-EPI equation for calculating GFR is a better predictor of risk for kidney disease and death compared to the most widely used method. The findings suggest that switching to the CKD-EPI equation for calculating GFR could focus efforts more efficiently, and improve assessment of patient future risk and treatment of kidney disease. The study is published in the May 9 edition of JAMA.

10 May 2012

New University of Florida research center to focus on rare genetic illness

With the support of a Major League Baseball star, a new University of Florida research center on an island settled by the Vikings could lead to breakthroughs about a rare genetic disorder and potentially change the course of care for high blood pressure and other common conditions.

10 May 2012

Truvada deemed safe & effective in HIV infection risk reduction

Gilead Sciences Inc's Truvada pills are deemed safe and effective for reducing the risk of HIV infection, U.S. regulators said on Tuesday. But they recommended a cautious approach for using the drug in efforts to prevent the virus that causes AIDS.

9 May 2012

CKD-EPI equation may provide more accurate risk prediction of death, ESRD

Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., principal investigator at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed), is the author of an invited editorial in JAMA. The editorial accompanied a study that included data from more than 1 million adults, and indicated the use of a newer risk prediction equation that classified fewer individuals as having chronic kidney disease and more accurately categorized the risk for death and end-stage renal disease.

9 May 2012

New clue to predicting pre-eclampsia, the most common and severe pregnancy-related disease

An indication of whether a mother will develop pre-eclampsia, the most common and severe pregnancy-related disease, has been identified by a University of Sydney study.

9 May 2012

Chemically altered proteins may be key to understanding memories

Having a fat head may not be a bad thing, according to new findings at The Johns Hopkins University. As reported in the February 9 issue of Neuron, researchers have made a significant discovery as to how adding fat molecules to proteins can influence the brain circuitry controlling cognitive function, including learning and memory.

8 May 2012

Cheaper anti-blindness drug could save NHS £85 million annually

Avastin (bevacizumab), which is used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration – the most common cause of blindness among the elderly costs only £60 per injection. But despite trials showing it is no less effective, another drug, Lucentis, is the current official choice, even though it costs £700 per shot. Avastin is intended to treat bowel cancer, but research by the National Institute for Health Research has shown that it also works just as effectively and safely as Lucentis in treating Wet AMD.

8 May 2012

Many unaware that persistent cough could be a warning for lung cancer

Most people are aware that that a lump in the breast is a warning sign of breast cancer and bleeding could indicate bowel, kidney or bladder cancer. However, only one in ten people knows that a persistent cough could point to lung cancer.

8 May 2012

Pall in-line filters can reduce severe complications, length of hospital stay in PICU

A recently published clinical study on infusion therapy indicates in-line filters from Pall Corporation can reduce severe complications and the length of a patient's stay in the pediatric intensive care unit.

From Pall Corporation 8 May 2012

Salix first quarter total product revenue increases 62% to $171.1M

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 and other business updates.

8 May 2012

Data from Idera IMO-8400 preclinical studies for SLE and psoriasis presented at AAI meeting

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced data from preclinical studies of IMO-8400, demonstrating a novel mechanism of action that may be applicable to the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriasis. IMO-8400 is an inhibitor of specific Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

7 May 2012

American CareSource launches ACS DiaSource solution for containment of dialysis costs

American CareSource Holdings, Inc. today introduced its new DiaSource solution for containment of dialysis costs. The solution is from Ancillary Care Services (ACS), the leading national network of ancillary healthcare providers and a wholly owned subsidiary of American CareSource.

7 May 2012