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A simple and inexpensive urine test that can be routinely performed in family physicians’ offices can help identify individuals who are silently experiencing rapid kidney function decline (RKFD), according to new research. The test could help save lives because RKFD predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but serial assessment of kidney function by measuring estimated GFR (eGFR) is not cost effective for the general population.
“Our new strategy using a simple urine dipstick allows clinicians to follow fewer patients with serial eGFR assessments to identify those with rapid kidney function decline,” said William Clark, MD, of the University of Western Ontario
Although vascular and soft tissue calcification can be deadly, physicians currently have no reliable tools for determining an individual’s calcification risk. This is particularly pertinent to nephrologists and others who care for patients with compromised kidney function because pathologic vascular calcification has been called “the killer of patients with chronic kidney disease” (Mizobuchi M, et al.
“We currently have quite a good idea about pathomechanisms triggering progressive calcification, and we think we know about a number of clinical factors predicting calcification progression including hyperphosphatemia, high calcium burden, and inflammation,” said Markus Ketteler,
Solar power can help offset the high utility costs of hemodialysis, making the treatments more environmentally friendly, report scientists in Australia. The findings, published recently in the
Hemodialysis treatments for kidney failure patients require a considerable amount of basic utilities such as water and power, leaving a vast carbon footprint behind that is sure to grow as the incidence and prevalence of dialysis use inevitably rise worldwide.“As our planet’s population continues to grow, so does
Small clinical trials have shown that reducing dietary acid load can slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but long-term, population-based studies have been lacking. Now, in an analysis of the 1988–1994 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), investigators revealed that patients with CKD who consumed high-acid diets were three times more likely to experience ESRD than were patients who consumed low-acid diets. The findings suggest that efforts to improve diet quality at both the population and the individual patient levels could potentially improve CKD outcomes.
Researchers have noted that contemporary Western diets are becoming more acid
While numerous research articles provide valuable insights on the potential of electronic health records (EHRs) to improve patient care, there continues to be a need to identify methods for more effectively designing and using EHRs, especially in the management of patients with chronic conditions. A new feature in the
“CKD is common and its care is suboptimal, allowing significant room to show improvement as EHRs are optimized, and because CKD is defined
The incidence of stroke is estimated to be 2- to 7-times higher in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) than in individuals with normal kidney function, depending on age and the population studied. Also, patients with CKD have a higher risk of developing dementia than the general population.
Results from a new study indicate that decreased blood flow to the brain may play a role. The study, which is published in the
Wait times for kidney transplants throughout the United States vary widely, so that some individuals can receive a deceased donor’s kidney within just one year while others must wait up to a decade. Researchers are investigating the issues related to organ allocation inequities and are searching for ways to remedy them.
“The predominant variable influencing access to kidney transplantation in the United States, even more important than race or insurance status, is geography,” said Alan Leichtman, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. “When rates are compared across states, access to living donor transplantation and to waitlisting for
Most patients—from 60 to 97 percent—undergoing dialysis experience profound fatigue.
Undergoing dialysis may not be a physically strenuous activity, but dialysis patients with end stage renal disease experience profound levels of fatigue. While physicians may be aware that fatigue is a debilitating symptom experienced by patients undergoing dialysis, there is only limited information on its prevalence and its association with patient outcomes.
A recent study sheds light on the incidence and effects of fatigue in incident hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients (Jhamb M, et al.
Certain highly pervasive environmental pollutants may have a variety of negative effects on kidney health, according to an analysis of all relevant studies published on this topic to date.
In the
For patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD), barriers to kidney transplantation can come from a range of sources. Referral to a transplant center is an essential first step for patients who may be transplant candidates, and it’s one that relies on actions taken by the leadership and staff at dialysis centers.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as the kidney community, have called for the development of quality measures for dialysis facilities to improve performance and equity in access to kidney transplantation, but little progress has been made. As described in a recent
