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Study shows chronic exposure to cadmium may cause liver disease

People with higher levels of cadmium in their urine — evidence of chronic exposure to the heavy metal found in industrial emissions and tobacco smoke — appear to be nearly 3.5 times more likely to die of liver disease than those with lower levels, according to a study by Johns Hopkins scientists.

10 May 2013

Children on dialysis for severe kidney disease have reduce risk of death

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.

10 May 2013

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals advances Phase 2 clinical trial of LX4211 in patients with type 1 diabetes

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it is progressing into the placebo-controlled portion of its Phase 2 clinical trial of LX4211 in patients with type 1 diabetes, having successfully completed the open-label, pioneer portion of the trial.

10 May 2013

Study finds disparity in live-donor kidney transplants in African Americans

While the percentage of kidney transplants involving live donors has remained stable for other minority populations, African Americans have seen a decline in live donors even as more of them receive kidney transplants, according to a study by Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

9 May 2013

Ochsner Medical Center performs Gulf South Region's first implant of SynCardia Total Artificial Heart

When Alfred Williams was admitted to Ochsner Medical Center in December, the 41-year-old father of five had exhausted all treatment options for his enlarged heart. His condition, known as dilated cardiomyopathy, had progressed to end-stage heart failure affecting both sides of his heart. Unable to walk, he had been confined to a bed for months. Hospice care seemed like the only option Mr. Williams had left… until doctors approached him about becoming Ochsner's first patient to receive the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart.

9 May 2013

Robotic partial nephrectomy involves excessive hospital charges

Robot-assisted surgery to remove kidney cancers has seen a rapid increase in use, and has both replaced and proven safer than laparoscopic procedures for the same purpose, according to a study by the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

8 May 2013

Patients with ASPS appear to benefit from anti-cancer drug, cediranib

Patients with advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS), a rare cancer, achieved some control of their disease using an experimental anti-cancer drug called cediranib.

8 May 2013

PCNL procedure to remove kidney stones in women has risen in recent years, study reveals

While the number of people - especially women - who have a minimally invasive procedure to remove kidney stones has risen in recent years, so has the rate of complications related to the surgery, according to a published study by Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

8 May 2013

Cost-effective endoscopic system for urological procedures launched by Cook Medical

A new, cost-effective endoscopic option is now available to urologists. Physicians can use the Flexor® Vue™ Deflecting Endoscopic System during urological procedures to access and visualize body cavities or organs.

7 May 2013

Single antibody could be key to treating multiple myeloma

A single antibody could be the key to treating multiple myeloma, or cancer of the blood, currently without cure or long-term treatment.

6 May 2013

Study finds decrease in mortality rates among children initiating ESKD treatment with dialysis

In a study that included more than 20,000 patients, there was a significant decrease in the United States in mortality rates over time among children and adolescents initiating end-stage kidney disease treatment with dialysis between 1990 and 2010, according to a study in the May 8 issue of JAMA.

5 May 2013

EPAC2 and diabetes: an interview with Dr. Hussain, Johns Hopkins University

EPAC stands for exchange protein activated by cyclic AMP (cAMP). cAMP is an (among many) intracellular messenger molecule. cAMP is generated when certain hormones stimulate a cell by binding to their receptor, which is at the outside surface of the cell.

3 May 2013

Cancer Genetics introduces proprietary urogenital cancer array for diagnosing kidney cancer

Cancer Genetics, Inc., a leader in oncology-focused personalized medicine, has launched a proprietary urogenital cancer array, UroGenRA, intended for kidney cancer diagnosis and subtyping in its own laboratory.

3 May 2013

Higher vitamin D levels confer no additional benefit

In recent years, healthy people have been bombarded by stories in the media and on health websites warning about the dangers of too-low vitamin D levels, and urging high doses of supplements to protect against everything from hypertension to hardening of the arteries to diabetes.

2 May 2013

AMGA, AMGF unveil two major resources to improve high blood pressure control

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2 May 2013

Study reveals link between binge drinking and risk for developing alcoholic liver disease

Long after a hangover, a night of bad decisions might take a bigger toll on the body than previously understood. Described in the current issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, a study at the University of Missouri has revealed a unique connection between binge drinking and the risk for developing alcoholic liver disease and a variety of other health problems.

2 May 2013

Kidney disease screening needs rethink in hypertension

The standard approach to detecting chronic kidney disease fails to spot the condition in about a quarter of patients with hypertension, a study suggests.

29 Apr 2013

Nephropathy risk lowered by glucose, BP control in Type 1 diabetes

Individuals with Type 1 diabetes should keep good control of their blood sugar levels and blood pressure to reduce their risk for developing nephropathy, say researchers.

29 Apr 2013

Veloxis seeks EMA approval to market LCP-Tacro for kidney transplant patients

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S today announced that it has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency seeking approval to market LCP-Tacro for the prevention of organ rejection in kidney transplant patients in the European Union.

29 Apr 2013

DaVita Hospital Services receives Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation

DaVita, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. and a leading provider of kidney care services, today announced that DaVita Hospital Services, the company's inpatient kidney care services, has received Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation from The Joint Commission.

29 Apr 2013