Kidney Failure News and Research

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Study highlights importance of individualized, patient-centered therapies

In an analysis from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, one of the largest studies of its kind to determine whether intensive blood glucose (sugar) control worked better than standard blood sugar control among diabetics, results show that the benefits of intensive therapy need to be balanced against the increase in total and cardiovascular disease-related death, increased weight gain, and high risk for severe low blood sugar.

30 Jun 2010

School-based program lowers obesity and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in high risk youth

An intervention in middle schools lowered the obesity rate in students at highest risk for type 2 diabetes, those who started out overweight or obese in sixth grade, an NIH-funded study has found. However, schools that implemented the program did not differ from comparison schools in the study's primary outcome-the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined-which had declined 4 percent in both groups of schools by the end of the three-year study.

29 Jun 2010

Researchers discover genetic links to kidney failure, diabetic kidney disease

Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute will make two presentations at this week's 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, June 25-29, in Orlando, Florida.

28 Jun 2010

Cellonis' stem cells diabetes treatment helps reconstruct natural insulin production

Cellonis, a Beijing and HK-based biotech company, with its new personalized diabetes treatment concept has demonstrated an amazing improvement in their treated patients' conditions. The ongoing clinical study shows the treatment's best case could reconstruct a patient's natural insulin production and even reverse later complications like kidney failure. Treated patients may have the chance to return to the normal activities non-diabetes sufferers take for granted.

24 Jun 2010

Researchers treat acute kidney injury using cells genetically reprogrammed to produce protein

A protein whose primary role is in the embryonic development of kidneys may play a future role in treating kidney failure. Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have successfully treated acute kidney injury in laboratory experiments using cells that were genetically reprogrammed to produce the protein. The research suggests there could be a potential future treatment using such cells delivered intravenously instead of surgically.

23 Jun 2010

NHLBI funds nine research grants to determine safety and efficacy of red blood cell transfusions

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, is funding nine research grants to determine if the safety and efficacy of red blood cell transfusions vary depending on how long the cells have been stored. One of the grants supports the first large, multi-center, randomized clinical trial to compare outcomes in heart surgery patients who receive transfusions of red blood cells that have been stored for shorter or longer amounts of time.

22 Jun 2010

Study: Patients in predominantly black areas less likely to receive kidney-related care

Regardless of race, fewer people see a kidney specialist before starting dialysis if they live in predominantly black communities, reports a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology. The results highlight the importance of understanding why patients in predominantly black areas are less likely to receive kidney-related care while their kidney function is clearly declining.

18 Jun 2010

Alexion's Soliris may benefit patients with thrombotic microangiopathy from uncontrolled complement activation

Researchers reported today that Soliris® (eculizumab), a first-in-class terminal complement inhibitor developed by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., may provide clinical benefits to patients with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) resulting from uncontrolled complement activation. TMA, the formation of blood clots in capillaries and small arteries, can lead to life-threatening damage in multiple organs including kidney failure, thrombocytopenia (abnormally low platelet count) and anemia.

15 Jun 2010

CLC-5 protein plays active part in inherited kidney disorder: Scientists

Scientists from the University of Leeds have discovered the mechanisms of a protein known to play an active part in the inherited kidney disorder, Dent's disease. The findings provide a new focus for future therapies for the disease, for which there is currently no cure.

15 Jun 2010

Allopurinol exhibits potential benefits for CKD patients

A drug commonly used to treat gout may help maintain kidney disease patients' health, according to an analysis appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The research is the first to show that allopurinol treatment in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) decreases inflammation, slows the progression of kidney disease, and reduces patients' risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event or being hospitalized.

10 Jun 2010

Kidney dialysis patients unprepared for disasters: Study

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the survival of more than 5,800 Gulf Coast kidney dialysis patients was threatened as the storm forced closure of 94 dialysis units. Within a month 148 of these patients had died.

4 Jun 2010

Growth hormone treatment promotes growth in infants with CRF: Study

Infants with chronic renal failure grow slowly, a problem that usually improves with aggressive nutritional therapy. When it doesn't, growth hormone is a safe and effective treatment to promote growth, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

4 Jun 2010

Over-the-counter supplements can cause hypertension and kidney failure

Negative health effects linked to taking too much supplemental calcium are on the rise, according to a commentary appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

2 Jun 2010

Commonalities between flies and humans make valuable new model for galactosemia

Galactosemia is a metabolic disease resulting from an inherited defect that prevents the proper metabolism of galactose, a sugar commonly found in dairy products, like milk. Exposure of affected people to galactose, can damage most of their organ systems and can be fatal. The ability to study the disease is limited by a lack of animal models.

1 Jun 2010

DaVita provides hurricane hotline to help dialysis patients find clinics, schedule treatments during emergencies

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, announced today that the company will provide a hurricane hotline (1-800-400-8331) that is activated 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help dialysis patients find open clinics and schedule treatments during emergencies such as hurricanes and other natural disasters.

28 May 2010

IOM, UIC to convene regional meeting to discuss rising rates of diabetes, obesity in the U.S

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies will convene a regional meeting on Sept. 21 at the University of Illinois at Chicago to discuss the rapidly rising rates of diabetes and obesity in the U.S.

27 May 2010

Reducing consumption of sugary drinks can lower blood pressure: Research

Research led by Liwei Chen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Health at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has found that there is an association between sugary drinks and blood pressure and that by cutting daily consumption of sugary drinks by just one serving a day, people can lower their blood pressure.

25 May 2010

Compatibility between donated kidney's weight and weight of recipient improves success of transplantation

Receiving an organ low in weight in relation to the recipient's body weight increases kidney transplant recipients risk of complications and transplant failure, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results suggest that compatibility between a donated kidney's weight and the weight of the recipient could improve the success of transplantation.

21 May 2010

Tests of kidney function, damage predict risk of death from cardiovascular diseases: Study

Common tests of kidney function and damage predict the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and all causes, according to a paper from the Chronic Kidney Disease Prognosis Consortium, established last year by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes.

18 May 2010

Experts address fundamental questions related to renal failure in ICU

Despite the fact that recent medical advances have allowed healthcare professionals to stabilize patients who would have otherwise died, many stabilized patients later develop organ system failure. In fact, acute renal failure is one of the biggest threats to critically ill patients: forty percent of patients with this condition die.

14 May 2010