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HDCN News Archive -- Nephrology Nursing
Jul03 In the kidney organ trade, sellers often have regrets and remorse over their decision.
Jul03 Dialysis patient celebrates 100th birthday
Jul03 Nephros gets FDA 510K approval for using its dual filter to clarify water for dialysis machines.
Jul03 Kidney disease education to be part of CMS 2010 proposal for coverage.
Jul03 CMS releases proposed changes to physician payment schedule for 2010.
Jul03 Low PSA 5 years after brachytherapy for prostate cancer and you're probably home free.
Jul03 Dialysis patients blogs about end-of-life issues
Jul02 Newspaper comic strip to target diabetes awareness among Hispanics.
Jul02 JBS Swift Co. beef associated with hospitalization of 12 persons in Washington D.C.
Jul02 Fresenius opens specialty pharmacy for renal patients in Nashville.
Jul02 Fresenius inks agreement with ART to market Citrasate dialysate.
Jul02 U.S. obesity problem intensifies.
Jul02 FDA reviewing safety data for Lantus (insulin glargine) in view of reports of increased cancer risk.
Jul02 CME proposes changes to physician payment in 2010, including dropping consultation codes.
Jul02 NEJM: Phospholipase A2 receptor is a target antigen in 70% of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
Jul02 Rebound hyperacidity, reflux symptoms in normals after stopping proton pump inhibitors
Jul02 Enalapril or losartan markedly slow progression of eye damage in type 1 diabetics.
Jul02 JBS Swift beef products recalled in Western states due to toxigenic E. coli.
Jul01 Institute of Medicine Comparative Effectiveness Report lists 100 priorities, including evaluation of different forms of dialysis.
Jul01 Nephrology consults via telemedicine in California hospital
Jul01 FDA advisory panel recommends banning Vicodin and Percocet and limiting maximum acetaminophen doses
Jun30 Six ways in which microbes are smarter than you think.
Jun30 Doctors increasingly communicate with patients on-line.
Jun30 Genetic study suggests that relationship between C reactive protein and CV disease is not causal.
Jun30 FDA grants marketing approval for Feraheme (ferumoxytol) by AMAG
Jun30 Key culprits in lupus (toll-like receptors) identified in mouse study.
Jun30 Cabbie leaves 81-year-old dialysis patient by the side of the road in Florida sun after argument.
Jun30 Common gene polymorphism affecting calcium excretion (claudin 14) linked to both kidney stones and osteoporosis.
Jun30 Jeddah to have Middle East region's largest dialysis center, will treat 800 patients
Jun30 Da Vita and Colorado physicians' group in legal battle over non-compete clause.
Jun26 Mechanism of BPA (bisphenol A) related infertility defined in mice.
Jun26 FDA to regulate tobacco.
Jun26 AJKD: Treatment guidelines for treatment of dialysis catheter-related bacteremia, and update.
Jun26 Inhaled growth hormone shown to be a safe and effective method of administration to children.
Jun26 Method of killing bacteria contained in biofilms on implants developed.
Jun26 CJASN: Study highlights long term kidney impairment associated with contrast nephropathy.
Jun26 Serum tryptophan and kynurenine levels increased in patients and cats with interstitial cystitis.
Jun26 Controversy over alleged mismanaged prostate cancer brachyterapy as Philadelphia VA hospital.
Jun26 Twin sisters on dialysis in the news.
Jun26 Dialysis patients' financial difficulties highlighted on the Daily Kos blog website.
Jun24 Two new enzymes, WWP-1 and PHA-4 implicated in longevity effects of caloric restriction (in roundworms).
Jun24 Helicobacter pylorii infection may be transmitted via vomitus or diarrhea.
Jun24 Analysis of large number of bariatric surgery patients shows the procedure to be relatively safe.
Jun24 Preserving Kru in peritoneal dialysis patients: role of dehydration and solution biocompatibility.
Jun24 Steve Jobs' liver transplant - why Tennessee?
Jun23 Archives: Meta-analysis suggests QOL benefits largely dissipate at Hb levels above 12 g/dL.
Jun23 Household pets can spread superbug infections such as MRSA.
Jun23 Edwards Life Sciences to sell its CRRT product line to Baxter for 56 M.
Jun23 Older Canadians who are mildly chubby live longer.
Jun20 New prostate cancer drug ipilimumab shows dramatic results in 2 patients.
Jun19 ABCG2 gene in the kidney found to affect urate transport and may be linked to gout.
Jun19 Clopidogrel may increase risk of death in patients with diabetic nephropathy.
Jun19 Nestle's Toll House cookie dough found to be contaminated with E. Coli O157:H7
Jun19 Fresenius to make saline for dialysis in Guadalajara, MX.
Jun17 Annals: Stents of no benefit in treating renal artery stenosis
Jun15 Baxter making swine flu vaccine: advances to full production rate.
Jun13 Higher vitamin D levels associated with successful weight loss in obese subjects on a diet.
Jun13 Ghrelin injections improve caloric intake in frail elderly women in a pilot study.
Jun13 FDA issues alert on increased death risk in liver transplant patients taking Rapamune.
Jun13 Sevelamer carbonate (Renvela) approved for sale in the European Union
Jun13 Endocrine Society 2009 meeting (June 10-13) abstracts on-line.
Jun10 Ferric citrate found to bind phosphate in phase II study with no marked adverse effects.
Jun10 Florida legislation passed that gives access to Medigap coverage to ESRD Medicare beneficiaries.
Jun09 High-MW-cutoff hemodialysis for multiple myeloma
Jun05 ADA Scientific Sessions 2009: Late-breaking abstracts handout
Jun05 ADA 2009 Scientific Sessions newsletter: Preview Edition
Jun05 American Diabetes Association 69th Sessions 2009 in New Orleans (home page)
Jun05 Aldosterone levels found to be increased in chubby teenage boys.
Jun05 Telaprevir substantially increases hepatitis C cure rates (NEJM)
Jun04 Halofuginone, Th17 cells, and autoimmunity.
Jun04 Sixty percent of United States bankruptcies driven by medical problems
Jun04 One in four nursing home residents in the UK carries MRSA.
Jun03 A new approach to hybrid organs involves reseeding collagen organ scaffolds from one species with cells of the recipient.
Jun03 FDA reports on serious liver failure risk in patients taking propylthiouracil.
Jun03 Cucurmin, the ingredient in curry, associated with protection against plaque-associated dementia in animals.
Jun02 Eculizumab effective in the prevention of antibody-mediated transplant rejection in preliminary data.
Jun02 Advances in the treatment of hepatitis B and C presented at conference.
Jun02 Stool DNA testing detects most colon and stomach cancers.
Jun01 Modified lycopene extract (ateronon) reduces harmful oxidation of fats.
Jun01 2009 American Transplant Congress opens in Boston - abstract link here.
May30 Results from 8 late-breaking clinical trials at Heart Failure 2009
May30 Continuous glucose monitoring in diabetes: Free journal supplement (17 articles)
May29 Holistic approach to CKD offers dialysis in a spa-like environment with numerous support services.
May29 FDA: Serious fungal infections associated with TNF-alpha blockers.
May29 Risks of aspirin outweight benefits for primary prevention of stroke, MI in those with normal kidney function.
May28 DaVita to move its corporate headquarters to Colorado
May26 Simplified chart may aid in diagnosing hypertension in children.
May26 FDA approves Samsca (tolvaptan) to treat hyponatremia.
May25 WCN 2009 newsletter: May 25, 2009
May25 WCN 2009 newsletter: May 24, 2009
May25 WCN 2009 News (.pdf) May 22.
May25 Search all abstracts from the World Congress of Nephrology 2009
May25 World Congress of Nephrology 2009: Poster sessions on-line
May25 Gene variant found that increases risk of both severe periodontitis and myocardial infarction.
May22 Institute of Medicine publishes recommendations for controlling conflicts of interest in the NEJM.
May22 CJASN: Study describes benefits of in-center nocturnal hemodialysis
May22 Fenofibrate reduces amputation risk in diabetics.
May22 NEJM: Aspirin plus dipyridamole increases primary vascular access patency by a modest amount in RCC.
May22 New anti-inflammatory drug candidate works by releasing hydrogen sulfide gas.
May22 Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1) involved in dietary restriction effects on aging.
May22 Libel laws threaten peer-reviewed publication of data critical of medical devices, procedures.
May22 Drinking from polycarbonate bottles for a week increases urinary bisphenol levels.
May20 Donations of organs decline in the U.S. with the economic downturn.
May19 NF-kappaB inhibitor might be ideal drug to combat osteoporosis and periodontitis.
May19 IBMT induces measurable changes on physiologic tests after only 5 days
May19 Guzzlers of large amounts of cola can get muscle weakness due to hypokalemia
May19 BCG vaccine has become less effective against TB due to mutation during continuous culture and this can be reversed.
May18 Edible vaccine against p24 protein of HIV elicits an antibody response in mice.
May18 Heart disease patients who are overweight do better and live longer.
May15 Use of CT angiography in the emergency room to help diagnose chest pain found to be cost-effective.
May15 Study emphasizes burden and cost of physician administrative work dealing with health plans.
May15 Congressional Health Subcommittee considers legislation that would allow lawsuits against FDA-approved medical devices in state courts.
May15 JASN early release: Low 25-D levels associated with coronary artery calcification progression
May15 High triglyceride levels associated with diabetic neuropathy
May15 Recessive gene associated with VUR localized to chromosome 12, but not yet identified.
May15 Interventional study in mice links cytomegalovirus infection to high blood pressure.
May15 Simulator training shown to improve central catheter insertion skills in trainee physicians.
May15 Virtual doctor visits similar to real visits in terms of patient and doctor satisfaction in RCT.
May14 When words can harm: the nocebo effect
May14 Monotherapy with DARA, an endothelin and angiotensin I receptor antagonist, lowers BP a lot.
May14 Formaldehyde exposure associated with blood and lymph system malignancies.
May14 Chronic exposure to formaldehyde associated with an increased risk of ALS.
May14 New projection is that Medicare funds will be gone by 2017.
May14 Home nocturnal dialysis? 3,480 liters per week of water use causes utility bill to skyrocket.
May14 ALLHAT follow-up study confirms benefits of chlorthalidone.
May13 New meta-analysis suggests that bicarbonate better than saline to prevent contrast nephropathy.
May13 Discharge from wastewater treatment plants loaded with multidrug-resistant superbugs.
May11 UMOD gene, associated with Tamm-Horsfall protein production, linked to kidney disease.
May11 Cyclophilin may play a key role in arterial damage associated with atherosclerosis.
May11 Vitamins C and E block improvement of insulin sensitivity with exercise.
May11 CDC issues guidance for H1N1 influenza prevention and management in dialysis settings.
May08 CJASN early release: Risk of hypoglycemia doubled in diabetic patients with CKD.
May08 Low BP associated with strokes and MI in patients with coronary artery disease.
May08 Combining dieting with exercise while standing/sitting/kneeling on a vibration plate machine lowers abdominal fat.
May08 Fresenius opens incenter nocturnal dialysis program in Spokane.
May08 FDA approves generic version of mycophenolate mofetil
May08 New mapping tool to track emerging diseases.
May07 Ghost sockets an early X-ray sign of future osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients taking bisphosphonates.
May07 Debate about pros and cons of comparative effectiveness research in the NEJM.
May07 Calcimimetics inhibits late-stage cyst growth in an animal model of ADPKD.
May06 Danish kidney specialist authors book on Napoleon's kidney disease.
May05 New monoclonal antibody prevents hepatitis C infection in preclinical studies.
May05 Addition of telaprevir to ribavirin/peg interferon to hepatitis C treatment improves response rate.
May05 Fresenius launches national retail pharmacy for dialysis patients.
May05 New CKD-EPI equation published in the Annals; more accurate than MDRD
May04 8th Annual Prevention in Renal Disease Conference, September 25-26, 2009 in Toronto.
May04 White blood cells walk like millipedes along blood vessel walls.
May03 Mathematica author Dr. Stephen Wolfram to launch new interactive internet search engine.
May02 Weekend Off-topic: Kiva -- Make a microloan to someone trying to start a small business in the developing world.
May01 Swine flu virus infection from a not-so-fearful perspective.
May01 Survey company releases report on usage trends for vitamin D, phosphate binders, and calcimimetics.
May01 AMAG drug nears approval
May01 Cerebral blood flow study documents effects of caffeine withdrawal and mechanism of associated headache.
May01 Cyclohexanone, found in plastic IV tubing (dialysis tubing?) and bags, causes taste alterations, myocardial stunning.
May01 FDA warns that Hydroxycut diet products associated with serious liver injury as well as rhabdomyolysis.
May01 Naturally occuring lithium in water supply seems to curb suicide rate.
Apr30 Urine screening test seems to predict presence of atherosclerotic disease.
Apr30 Pregabalin effective for restless legs syndrome in patients with normal renal function.
Apr30 Januvia (sitagliptin) pancreatitis risk suggests potential drug class effect on the pancreas for GLP-1 enhancers.
Apr29 CDC using twitter for swine flu updates
Apr29 KCER coalition web page gives updated info regarding swine flu and dialysis, including daily conference calls.
Apr29 Purdue animal study suggests that milk is better than calcium carbonate for building strong bones.
Apr28 NIDDK kidney-related funding opportunities web page.
Apr27 CDC swine flu guidance for healthcare professionals
Apr27 CDC swine flu update website
Apr27 Kidney Community Care Emergency Response (KCER) coalition pandemic flu info
Apr27 OSHA pandemic flu guide (2007) for health care workers and employers (104 page .pdf file)
Apr27 Diet sodas may theoretically help prevent kidney stones via their alkali (citrate and malate) content.
Apr27 CXCR4 overproduction, kallikreins linked to lupus nephritis in 2 separate studies.
Apr27 Biotech companies, including Baxter, scramble to respond to flu epidemic with vaccines.
Apr26 Statins may reduce prostate inflammation and reduce risk of prostate cancer
Apr26 Sodium in prepared foods frustrates attempts to implement low sodium diet in CHF patients.
Apr26 Dialysis patients dialyzed using autologously created blood vessels to form access.
Apr26 Pomegranate juice consumption slows rate of PSA rise in patients after failed primary therapy of prostate cancer.
Apr26 CDC: Update on swine flu infections in Texas and California.
Apr23 Mitochondrial peptide Humanin (HN) strongly affects insulin sensitivity.
Apr23 Bacteriophage used to successfully treat chronic Pseudomonas ear infection
Apr23 AJKD (May): Thrombocytosis -- due more to EPO excess or to iron-deficient erythropoiesis?
Apr23 JASN early release: Low creatinine production in sepsis may mask AKI.
Apr23 Low-sodium vegetable juice may help reduce body fat in patients with metabolic syndrome.
Apr23 Download KDQOL forms and tools
Apr22 Fructose vs. glucose drink study makes the New York Times; higher LDL and TG and abdominal fat.
Apr22 Alzheimer beta-amyloid can be degraded, and some drugs can increase breakdown rate 7-fold.
Apr22 Fresenius research focuses on KDQOL-36 and other measures of quality of life.
Apr22 Korean scientists clone pig with alpha 1,3 galactose gene knocked out, in hopes of pig organs for human transplants.
Apr22 Genzyme 1Q earnings rise 35%
Apr21 Fresenius finds that intensive patient education after initiation of dialysis improves outcomes.
Apr21 Ultrasound imaging now possible with smartphones to analyze and display the data.
Apr20 In-center nocturnal hemodialysis, this time by Fresenius, in the news.
Apr20 New Medicare billing rules emphasize prompt reporting of change of billing address and billing for retroactive services.
Apr20 Nobel prize winner Rita Levi Montalcini is 100-years old and still working.
Apr18 Ultrashort-acting prednisolone derivatives (antedrugs) stop inflammation and then are metabolized to avoid side effects.
Apr18 New stem cell treatment for age-related macular degeneration in development.
Apr17 New discoveries on how collagen activates platelets may lead to new treatments to prevent clotting.
Apr16 Heart risk in diabetics may be exaggerated.
Apr16 Endothelin A receptor antagonist darusentan shows promising results in resistant hypertension.
Apr16 Vegan Buddhist nuns, with calcium intake of 370 mg/day and protein intake of 35 g/day, have healthy bones.
Apr16 Rockwell continues with its evaluation of dialysate-based iron replacement therapy.
Apr16 J. Michael Lazarus to retire as CMO of Fresenius Medical Care NA; Raymond Hakim to replace him.
Apr16 Quest Diagnostics pays 302 M to Medicare to settle whistleblower lawsuit over alleged misbranding of its PTH assay kits
Apr16 JASN: Mycophenolate and cyclophosphamide similarly effective as induction therapy for lupus nephritis.
Apr16 Provenge prostate cancer vaccine significantly prolongs survival.
Apr14 Patient safety IRB firm caught in FDA sting will halt many of its operations voluntarily.
Apr14 Medicare announces participants in pilot program designed to prevent hospital readmissions.
Apr14 Aspirin and similar drugs associated with brain microbleeds in the elderly.
Apr14 A short course of teriparatide markedly accelerates bone fracture healing in the elderly.
Apr14 Ex-idol contestant Scott MacIntyre was recipient of a kidney transplant.
Apr14 Benefits of finasteride in reducing prostate cancer risk confirmed in new study.
Apr14 Lynda Szczech named President-Elect of the National Kidney Foundation.
Apr12 CXCL5, secreted by white adipose tissue, may be the link between obesity and inflammation and insulin resistance.
Apr12 Eccentric viewing techniques help some patients with age-related macular degeneration read.
Apr12 Pharma support of medical societies raises conflict of interest concerns.
Apr12 2nd Congress of the International Society for Hemodialysis, August 28-30, Hong Kong.
Apr12 18th International Vicenza Course on Peritoneal Dialysis, June 23-26, 2009.
Apr11 Changing from chlorine to chloramine increased lead levels in regional D.C. water system.
Apr11 Three papers on brown adipose tissue in this week's NEJM.
Apr11 One thousand 2007-2009 audiofiles and slide/audio talks added to HDCN's 20 topic-related channels.
Apr10 Have a wacky but great idea? Gates Foundation Round 3 Challenge grants now open (low cost diagnostics for the CKD crowd and induction of mucosal immunity for IgA aficionados)
Apr10 MIT tangled wire in a needle system may help avoid pushing the needle in too far.
Apr09 Gene fusion in prostate cancer cells leaves traces in the urine as a biomarker.
Apr09 New prostate cancer drug blocks androgen effects even when cancer cells upregulate receptor density.
A09 The stimulus package and its links to health information technology discussed in NEJM.
A09 FDA to review efficacy of some medical devices in use prior to 1976, including sorbent cartridges for hemoperfusion.
A09 Adenosine receptors in the gut tied to normal bowel motility.
A09 Joslin study shows adults have more brown fat than previously thought.
A09 TGF-beta a good guy in maintaining integrity of retinal blood vessels.
A09 Why premature application of guidelines may be dangerous
A07 New method of inducing transplantation tolerance works well in animals.
A07 Chemokine CXCL5, produced by fat cells, linked to inflammation and insulin resistance.
A07 Has the economic recession temporarily alleviated the nursing shortage?
A06 Headache? It could be caffeine withdrawal syndrome.
A06 Impax, a generic drug manufacturer, challenged by Genzyme with Renvela patent.
A06 Chlorthalidone increases SNS activity, spironolactone does not
A03 Murder by bleach in Texas dialysis unit hits the mainstream news.
A02 Consumpton of sugary beverages associated with weight loss or weight gain.
A02 Glitazones linked to diabetic macular edema
A02 Robot scientist independently makes some new scientific discoveries.
A02 GAO sting reveals that 1 of 3 commercial IRBs approves clearly risky protocol
A02 Natalie Cole needs a kidney; a number of fans call in to TV show offering one of theirs.
A01 Former Texas dialysis nurse charged with murder in bleach-related patient deaths.
A01 Red blood cells can be made by specialized endothelial cells in the embryo.
A01 Yeast-powered fuel cells (for implantable devices) derive energy from glucose in human blood.
A01 HLA matching may affect risk of liver fibrosis in hepatic transplant in patients with hepatitis C
M31 Build muscle while you can; no further increase in exercising octogenarian grannies.
M30 New lupus susceptibility gene (IRAK1) on the X-chromosome may explain increased risk of lupus in women.
M30 Variants of nisin, an FDA-approved antibiotic used in food preservation, show effectiveness against MRSA.
M30 Lipoic acid supplements markedly lower triglycerides in an animal model.
M30 Some stimulus-derived NIH research funds to focus on cost comparisons
M30 AURORA study confirms the 4D study: Statins of no benefit in dialysis patients.
M30 Radiofrequency ablation of renal sympathetic nerve activity results in sustained improvement in refractory hypertension.
M30 NEJM: Ventriculoplasty of no benefit when added to CABG in patients with CAD and heart failure.
M30 FDA approves mTOR inhibitor everolimus for treatment of advanced kidney cancer.
M29 Link to slide/audio and audio symposia on HDCN
M29 American College of Cardiology 2009 - Day 3 newsletter
M29 American College of Cardiology 2009 - Day 2 newsletter
M29 American College of Cardiology 2009 - Day1 newsletter
M29 Crestor (rosuvastatin) lowers risk of venous thromboembolism by 34%.
M28 NEJM: Two studies report on efficacy or lack of same with PSA/DRE screening for prostate cancer.
M28 2009 San Diego CRRT Conference abstracts on-line
M28 3rd annual scientific symposium on nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, May 9, at Yale, New Haven, CT.
M28 Corking shut the atrial appendage markedly reduces risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
M27 NIH solicits research grants on comparative effectiveness of medical therapies.
M26 AHA supports a lower sodium intake limit (1.5 g Na/day) for most Americans.
M26 Myxedema madness, or myxedema mania?
M26 Estrogen mimicking chemicals can leach out of plastic water bottles.
M26 Testing for endothelial function using a finger device that evaluates reactive hyperemia linked to CV outcomes.
M26 Preliminary data show potential benefits of catheter-based thrombolysis for stroke.
M26 Cholesterol crystals linked to arterial plaque disruption and heart attack.
M25 Natasha Richardson's family donates her organs after fatal head injury.
M25 Fructose and glucose have opposite effects on appetite in animal study.
M25 UK sciences impregnate silicone with antibiotics; resulting catheters have promising antimicrobial activity.
M25 Synsepalum dulcificum berry turns sour taste to sweet temporarily. May increase appetite in chronically ill.
M24 Cathelicidin antimicrobial protein levels, regulated by vitamin D, linked to infection risk in dialysis patients.
M24 Licorice can block absorption of cyclosporin
M24 FDA releases mandatory patient education guides for mycophenolate.
M24 Higher dose vitamin D may lower fracture risk in the elderly.
M24 New needle insertion device senses when a cavity has been entered.
M22 Ten genes associated with prolonged QT syndrome and risk of sudden cardiac death.
M22 FDA cautions of hepatitis, other infectious disease, risk from sharing insulin pens
M22 Correct warfarin dose determined by 3 genes only.
M22 Protein in yellow peas lowers BP by 20% in animal model of PKD.
M20 FDA panel gives nod to alternative to warfarin
M19 DNA-dependent protein kinase of key importance in metabolic regulation, esp. fat synthesis from CHO.
M19 Small but randomized lupus trial suggests that both cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine are useful additions to prednisone.
M18 Updated kidney cancer management guidelines to be presented at the European Association of Urology.
M18 Another statin (Crestor, rosuvastatin) fails to show a benefit (rumor has it) in dialysis patients.
M17 Kisspeptin found to be key to restoring ovarian cycling in some women.
M17 Shire sues Barr for patent infringement over Fosrenol clone.
M17 Transvaginal nephrectomy performed in Venezuela
M12 Dr. Margaret Hamburg proposed as new head of the FDA.
M12 HDL levels and glucose sensitivity linked to neck circumference.
M12 Low serum 25,D levels associated with higher BP and metabolic syndrome in teenagers.
M12 New anti-clotting compound derived from magnolia trees shows encouraging results in phase II safety study.
M11 Higher dose vitamin C (1-1.5 g/day) associated with reduced risk of gout.
M11 FDA issues class I recall of Baxter Colleague volumetric infusion pumps
M11 Folic acid supplementation may increase prostate cancer risk.
M11 Rituximab study as adjunct to MMF in lupus nephritis shows disappointing results.
M11 Fresenius shares fall on fears of US health legislation decreasing role of private insurance.
M10 Bacteriophage-derived enzyme Cpl-1 better than amoxicillin in treating pneumococcal pneumonia.
M09 Eating fish associated with increased intelligence in Swedish teens.
M09 Omental cells may play a role in regenerating the liver in an animal study.
M09 Cranberry juice proanthocyanidins, and not low pH, impair E. Coli attachment to urinary bladder endothelium
M06 Signs of enterovirus found in pancreases of 60% of children with type 1 diabetes, but rarely in controls.
M06 MMWR: Hepatitis C transmission at a dialysis unit
M05 NIH issues RFAs for Stimulus Challenge grants to help award 200 million dollars in new funding.
M04 Reduction of stroke risk associated with green/black tea drinking appears consistent and linear.
M04 FDA December, 2008 drug labeling changes (including Sensipar, CellCept, Actos)
M04 Bionic eye implant showing encouraging results.
M04 Night shift work adversely affects leptin levels and insulin resistance.
M04 Pharma consultancy of medical school faculty members in the news.
M03 Obama's health czar, Nancy-Ann DeParle, previously worked for DaVita dialysis.
M03 AMAG hopeful that the FDA will approve its injectable iron supplement.
M03 PGC-1b gene knockout prevents fructose-fed mice from developing insulin resistance.
F27 New target (CR6261) for flu vaccine may be effective against a broad variety of strains.
F26 Clavulanate plus meropenem found to be surprisingy effective in vitro against multidrug-resistant TB
F26 Cornell researchers develop and market a point-of-care urinary sodium test strips to monitor salt intake.
F25 High fat diet leads to obesity in mice via PKC-beta
F25 NEJM: Randomized trial of 4 different diets (low fat, low CHO, etc.) fails to find a single winner.
F25 Higher 25-D levels associated with reduced risk of catching cold.
F25 CMS requests feedback on information to be collected via CrownWeb
F25 Nephros 510k application of on-line hemodiafiltration module receives initial FDA response.
F25 Use of innovative kidney swaps involving multiple donors, increasing.
F25 New position of NKF re incentives for kidney donation in the news.
F23 FDA warns about risk of metabolic acidosis with epilepsy drug Zonegran (zonisamide)
F23 Ex-mayor of Washington DC, Marion Barry, gets a kidney transplant.
F23 Genes controlling atrial natriuretic peptide expression linked to hypertension.
F22 HDCN: Hypertension drug choice, Metabolic syndrome, Heart Failure symposium, more ADC talks, Renal Week audiofiles, ESA hypertension, type 4 RTA.
F21 2009 NANT meeting power point presentations
F20 MPO study to appear in the March issue of JASN (high-flux dialysis and survival RCT).
F20 Avosentan cuts urinary albumin excretion in diabetics.
F18 NEJM: Genetic testing helps predict warfarin dose.
F18 Baxter wins a round in patent infringement lawsuit against Fresenius over PD cycler.
F18 Study suggests that warfarin dose needs to be lower in patients with CKD.
F17 19 billion in the stimulus bill to develop a U.S. wide health information database.
F17 Iron overload an important co-factor in development of liver disease in alcoholics
F17 Ain't necessarily so series: oxidative stress may prolong, instead of shorten, life (worm study)
F17 CMS to cover bariatric surgery in obese type 2 diabetics.
F17 ANNA announces election results of national officers.
F16 Wearing of hijab (conservative female Muslim dress) lowers 25-vitamin D levels by 50%
F16 FDA approves Uloric (febuxostat) for treatment of gout.
F16 Restaurant reviewer Zagat plans to review doctors.
F15 FDA now requiring that each patient receiving CellCept (mycophenolate) receive a patient education guide.
F15 High MUFA, lower CHO diet good for diabetics: maybe a good diet for patients on PD?
F14 Sea sponges zap bacterial biofilms
F13 More about Dr. Willem Kolff
F13 Fructose-sweetened drinks increase postprandial serum triglycerides more than when glucose is used.
F13 Chewing gum containing phosphate binders dramatically lowers serum phosphate in dialysis patients.
F13 Fish oil supplements may protect the liver in obese mice with insulin resistance.
F13 New tattoo ink changes color according to glucose level; could be used to monitor blood sugar in diabetics.
F12 Draft version of Neanderthal genome completed
F12 MMWR: Coccidiomycosis incidence rate in California has tripled recently.
F12 FDA and consortium release first data on genetic associations with serious drug adverse events.
F12 Willem Kolff, pioneer in dialysis therapy, dies at age 97
F12 Eating eggs is good for you, according to British Nutritional Foundation
F11 Very high doses of candesartan effective in further reducing proteinuria.
F11 Healthies with high urinary protein have elevated risk of developing CKD
F11 Urine test may distinguish between aggressive and mild forms of prostate cancer.
F11 DaVita 4th quarter financial results surpass expectations.
F10 Many "natural" herbal weight loss products contain hidden pharmaceutical drugs.
F10 Vigorous exercise (running) may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
F10 JAMA: Educating CKD patients about phosphate additives in foods lowers serum phosphate by 0.6 mg/dL.
F10 Vancouver sets up pilot self-care nocturnal dialysis unit in one of its hospitals.
F10 American Heart Association focuses on the high risk of stroke in women
F10 NHANES study shows that women (but not men) who drink sugary sodas (but not diet sodas) have higher risk of albuminuria
F09 Fresenius 2008T dialysis machine receives 510(k) approval from the FDA.
F09 LSR, lipolysis-stimulated lipoprotein receptor, found to be deranged in type 2 diabetes with obesity.
F09 Monoclonal antibody against PIM-1 a potential new treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
F09 Price for genome sequencing of an individual patient falls to 5 thousand dollars.
F06 FDA approves antithrombin derived from the milk of genetically-modified goats.
F06 Diethylene glycol induced AKI - a problem that keeps resurfacing - most recently, in Nigeria.
F06 AAKP appoints Kim Buettner as Executive Director
F05 Sensory nerves in fat cells help regulate lipolysis, according to animal study.
F05 Regulatory approval for self-care dialysis (discussion blog)
F05 Journal of Renal Care (EDTNA) supplement on CKD-MBD
F05 Blood set tubing recall (CombiSet True Flow) due to potential for port cracks.
F04 Arginine discovery may help fight human obesity.
F03 Have trouble dunking the basketball? Check your vitamin D levels.
F03 FOXO3A gene variants associated with living beyond 100 in multiple parts of the world.
F03 FDA web pages, teaching program, focus on errors in luer-lock connections of IV tubing.
F03 NTSB probes multiple recent crashes of medical helicopters.
F03 Intestinal absorption-blocking sleeve gives encouraging weight loss results.
F03 Vaccines based against adenovirus under development
F03 Green tea completely blocks the anticancer effects of antimyeloma drug bortezomib.
F03 Trans-vaginal donor nephrectomy in the news.
F02 ICD-10 diagnostic code compliance requirements postponed until 2013.
F02 Brachytherapy cure rate for early stage prostate cancer reported to be 95% in new study.
J31 FDA advisory panel recommends that Darvon (propoxyphene) be pulled from the marked due to suicide risk, low efficacy.
J30 Sulfenic acid may be reason for potent anti-oxidant effect of garlic.
J30 FDA mandates detailed hyperkalemia warning for Aldactone (spironolactone)
J30 Stem cell transplants reverse early-stage multiple sclerosis in some patients.
J30 NKF launches program designed to reduce the wait for a transplanted kidney.
J29 Medicaid cuts and payer mix affect financial viability of dialysis units
J29 NEJM Perspective: Universal health care coverage vs. economic relief - a false choice
J28 Gene therapy for adenosine deaminase deficiency gives encouraging results.
J28 NEJM: Kidney donors have a normal lifespan.
J28 FDA cautions on combined use of clopidogrel and proton-pump inhibitors until more info is obtained.
J28 Four 30-second sprints on an exercise bicycle 3/week improve insulin effect - muscle glycogen depletion?
J28 Genzyme shares climb after Amgen abandons development of phosphate drug.
J28 A small amount of mercury was, and may still be, present in high-fructose corn syrup.
J26 Animal study suggests benefit of statins in preventing stroke in patients with cerebral cavernous angioma or malformation.
J26 Astronauts at the International Space Station lose an alarming amount of hip bone strength.
J26 Abstracts from 2009 Annual Dialysis Conference, to be held in March, 2009 in Houston, now available.
J25 18th International course on Peritoneal Dialysis, Vincenza, Italy, June 23-26, 2009
J23 Mississippi state house of representatives passes bill to fund dialysis patient transportation costs.
J22 Patient with new type of specific antibodies against T-cells may point to a new way to treat autoimmune disease.
J21 Interleukin-21 linked to lupus in an animal model.
J21 Urinary haufen identify patients with polyomavirus infection post transplant.
J21 JASN Early Release: Schwartz improves the Schwartz equation to estimate GFR, using both creatinine and cystatin.
J21 Health information technology may be part of the economic stimulus bill.
J20 NICE or not so nice? Congressional bill considers cost-effectiveness of prescribed drugs.
J20 Randomized (DRIP) trial reports benefits of dry weight reduction in dialysis pts. on 24-h blood pressures.
J20 Dr. Donald Gleason, who quantified atypical changes in prostate biopsies, dies at age 88.
J20 Flu vaccine controversy - cost benefits in nonESRD elderly a matter of some debate.
J20 FDA update on Salmonella investigation - focus on crackers and processed foods containing peanut butter.
J20 Low carb diet lowers liver fat better than standard low calorie diet
J20 Kidney transplant recipients with HIV have good allograft and patient survival.
J20 NANT 26th National Symposium to be held in Las Vegas, NV, February 10-12, 2009.
J19 Three new genes linked to childhood obesity identified.
J19 Trial of stem cell treatment to treat stroke patients approved for recruitment.
J19 CMS rescales launch of Crownweb to a pilot group of dialysis units.
J19 A look at U.S. government factors that may affect kidney care in 2009
J19 Indian subcontinent heart disease gene identified.
J19 NY - I want my kidney back - divorce drama - the recipient's (wife's) story
J17 CKD blogs multiply, provide unique perspectives.
J17 CMS announces start of implementation of CROWNWeb data system to begin February 1.
J17 Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario issues "alert" against combined use of ACEIs and ARBs.
J17 NIDDK pledges 12.5 M over the next five years to fund CKD biomarker grants.
J17 Diabetes cure in 5 years? These genetically-altered pigs could be the answer.
J17 New 2009 CPT codes for outpatient dialysis
J17 Kidney injury biomarker panel now commercially available for animal testing of new drugs
J17 NY Times and its readers opine on the kidney donor divorce drama.
J16 Mutations in gene regulating melatonin-mediated insulin secretion increase type 2 diabetes risk
J16 GAO report criticizes FDA on device testing
J16 Obama and Reid take aim at Medicare HMOs
J15 New family of antibiotics isolated from hydras and leeches.
J15 Source of endogenous salicylic acid identified as benzoic acid found in fruits and vegetables.
J15 HipA, a protein kinase, involved in bacterial dormancy, allowing survival during antibiotic therapy.
J15 NEJM perspective on chances of health care reform under Obama (.pdf)
J15 JASN early: Preconditioning animals with xenon gas lowers risk of ischemic injury.
J15 Telemedicine outpatient consultations predicted to become more popular in 2009.
J14 Codapedia - a free wiki dealing with proper coding for medical reimbursement, to launch in April of 2009
J14 NKF offers coffeehouse conversations - ask the expert conference calls for patients.
J14 JASN early release: Neither fructose nor vitamin C intake affect blood pressure.
J13 Human beta cells can easily be induced to replicate.
J13 Orlistat of no benefit in obese patients with fatty liver disease.
J13 Baxter announces 2008 Renal Discovery Grant winners
J12 Is there a United States connection to organ trafficking?
J12 High sodium to potassium ratio in the urine increases cardiovascular event rate.
J10 Latest U.S. survey shows 1/3 obese, 1/3 overweight.
J10 King Nut peanut butter distributed to nursing homes and hospitals may be linked to Salmonella outbreak.
J10 MedPac approves increased payment to dialysis units
J10 FDA expert panel recommends approval of drug (antithrombin alfa) extracted from the milk of genetically-engineered goats.
J09 Human insulin produced by genetically modified safflower plants ready for testing.
J09 New drug combo (Mozobil, VEGF, GCSF) induces the body to release new types of autologous "healing?" stem cells into the blood.
J08 Quest Diagnostics acknowledges errors (mostly overestimation) in vitamin D tests.
J08 Rep. Stark introduces Americare Health Act of 2009.
J08 You broke my heart - now give me back my kidney
J07 CDC reports on outbreaks of hepatitis B or C in outpatient clinics due to staff failures.
J07 New Bartonella species that infects humans (muscle fatigue, weakness, pericarditis) discovered.
J07 Clioquinol, a drug previously used in people to control diarrhea, shown to retard neurodegenerative disease.
J07 Atkins-style low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet superior in controlling blood glucose in type 2 diabetics.
J07 AAKP to award Medal of Excellence to Dr. Bob Schrier
J06 Antiviral therapy for adults with hepatitis B
J06 NIH Consensus Conference: Management of Hepatitis B
J05 Standard culture methods miss amniotic fluid infection in low-birth-weight deliveries: Implication for PD?
J01 New Year's Resolution? Quit smoking. American Lung Association support info.
J01 Cognitive decline associated with aging linked to higher blood glucose levels in nondiabetics.
J01 Dentists reporting jaw necrosis in patients taking oral bisphosphonates.
J01 MMWR: Lower acute MI rates after city implements smoke-free ordinance
J01 FDA and manufacturer warn or increased mortality risk in elderly patients with CKD treated with tinzaparin
D31 Perfused, machine-stored donor kidneys do better than donor kidneys packed in ice.
D31 Giant, multinucleated osteoclasts found in bone of long-term users of alendronate.
D31 Next generation of antifreezes developed with potential application to donor organ cryopreservation
D31 Feeling guilty about the health implications of eating holiday steaks? Marinate them in wine and you'll be OK.
D30 Scientists isolate genes that made 1918 flu lethal.
D29 Study of Amish identifies a new gene linked to sodium control and hypertension
D29 Nephrology Oral History Project posts initial interviews on the web.
D29 High-phosphate diets in nonuremic mice accelerate spread of lung cancer.
D27 Proteosome inhibitor and multiple myeloma drug bortezomib effective in reversing acute transplant rejection in a pilot study.
D26 New insights into how bacteria biofilm formation is triggered.
D24 Bone disease in CKD management tool developed in the UK wins IT award
D23 Thiazolidinediones associated with higher fracture risk in diabetic women.
D23 AMAG Pharma receives complete response letter from the FDA. Is it good news?
D23 Court dismisses lawsuit by seven health plans against Amgen
D19 CMS now rating nursing homes with 1 - 5 stars. Are dialysis units next?
D19 Noscapine, an ingredient in common cough medicines, slows spread of prostate cancer in mice.
D19 Low glycemic index diet improves lipid profile in diabetics
D19 Transplant surgeon acquitted in case involving allegations that he hastened an organ donor's death.
D18 Evidence mounts that probiotics may be useful to treat post-antibiotic diarrhea.
D18 FDA raises the bar for new diabetes drugs
D18 JASN early: MPO study results published. High flux marginally better, significantly so in patients with lower albumins or diabetes.
D18 JASN early: First morning urine better than spot urine to detect microalbuminuria
D17 Cleveland Clinic completes first U.S. face transplant
D17 Study backs the effectiveness of soap operas and dramas in health education.
D17 Longitudinal study shows infants and children who will later develop type 1 diabetes exhibit prior metabolic abnormalities.
D16 C.B. Fleet Co. recalls higher-dose oral phosphate bowel prep products; besieged with lawsuits.
D15 Lithonia, GA school sugar-free for 10 years with positive results.
D15 FDA approves premounted renal stent system manufactured by Boston Scientific
D15 Coke to market a new soft drink sweetened with stevia. Pepsi waiting for the FDA.
D15 DaVita gets subpoena related to Medicare claims for injectables.
D14 Study in the Amish links APOC3 gene mutation, triglycerides, and resistance to heart disease.
D13 CROWNweb data implementation costs being stressed in the blogosphere
D13 New study shows links between 30 genes and cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
D13 Should nephrologists give beta-blockers to their patients with CKD?
D13 Another FDA link regarding oral bowel preps.
D13 FDA alert regarding phosphate-containing oral bowel preps and new black box warning.
D11 Outbreak of hemolysis being investigated in a dialysis unit in Northern Ireland.
D11 FDA puts black box warning on phosphate-containing oral bowel prep drugs
D11 Fructose metabolism engages the liver in complex and possibly not beneficial ways.
D11 CJASN: Rosiglitazone may benefit patient with FSGS
D11 NEJM: Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease may share a common immunologic mechanism.
D11 Lack of vitamin D stunts growth and causes weight gain in girls.
D11 Low carbohydrate diets affect cognition skills.
D11 Studies in animals confirm addictive properties of sugar.
D11 Glitazones lower bone density substantially in women but not in men.
D09 New scientific journal dedicated to WATER to make its debut in January of 2009.
D09 Cost-benefit of newer renal anticancer drugs debated in the UK
D09 Statins adversely affect placental development in an in vitro model.
D09 Fresenius' APP reassures about the safety of its heparin supply; launches heparin safety website.
D09 Hapless roundworms that don't dauer well yield clues about a fat-burning enzyme
D08 Thiamine supplementation found to lower proteinuria in early type 2 diabetics.
D08 Reducing stress in laboratory mice by allowing nest-building; plus importance of temperature
D05 Int. Soc. Hemodialysis gives Scribner Trailblazer Award to Dr. Nathan Levin
D05 How many happy people are in your surroundings? Happiness found to rub off on others.
D05 Health care rationing and quality-adjusted years of life: Implications for dialysis in the blogs.
D05 Fresenius announces availability in Sweden of PVC- and phthalate-free PD dialysate bags and lines.
D04 Cleveland Clinic discloses all industry ties of its doctors on the Clinic's website.
D04 NEJM study shows that irbesartan of no benefit to patients with diastolic heart failure.
D04 Liver fat, rather than abdominal fat or shape, may be main cardiovascular risk.
D04 Wine and beer drinking increase omega-3 in the body independent of fish intake.
D04 HALT-C trial shows absolutely no impact of interferon on progression of hepatitis C
D03 Bicarbonate therapy lowers urinary calcium excretion in older adults.
D03 Gene therapy cures sickle cell disease in mice.
D03 Scientists film inner workings of the immune system sing multiphoton microscopy.
D03 NEJM publishes case control study of allergic reactions due to OSCS-contaminated heparin.
D03 Senators Baucus and Kennedy release their vision for health care reform.
D03 NEJM: ACEI plus amlodipine better than ACEI plus a thiazide in terms of cardiovascular events.
D02 Depression increases risk of subsequent visceral fat gain in longitudinal study.
D02 Consumer Reports investigates sodium content of foods: salt is present where one may not expect
D02 Cardiologists debate NEJM study comparing coronary CT scans with percutaneous angiography.
D02 FDA issues Question and Answer sheet for medication guides aimed at patients taking ESAs
D02 Tasimelteon resets melatonin level circadian cycle: potential benefit for jet lag, shift workers.
D01 Canadians publish best practice recommendations for stroke care.
N27 New studies confirm importance of sirtuin pathway in mammalian ageing; attention focuses on resveratrol.
N27 Mechanism of how the brain senses fatty foods identified.
N27 Serotonin formation rate in the gut linked to bone formation rate.
N26 Montreal starts up an on-line hemodiafiltration center. Will the U.S. be close behind?
N26 Binge drinking may damage the heart via acetaldehyde activation of macrophages.
N26 Vitamin K deficiency linked to insulin resistance in older men
N24 Vitamin D makes dialysis patients live longer? Say it ain't so, Joe! DOPPS pours cold water on the concept.
N21 Do your CKD patients still smoke? Who is still smoking in the US by state.
N21 Dialysis Compare website will now report patients with Hb above 12 as well as below 10 g/dL and will also change how patient survival is reported.
N21 MMWR: Survey of implementation of hepatitis B vaccination at birth in various countries
N21 Workplace hairspray exposure during pregnancy linked to hypospadias.
N20 Nephros pursues new product revenue aiming to sell its water filter to dialysis units, hospitals and the U.S. military.
N20 Bill Peckham blogs about Sen. Daschle and what his appointment as HHS secretary might mean for CKD care.
N19 Pie in the sky or pie on the table?: Diamond dialysis filter kept unclogged using electrostatic field.
N19 Designer organs progress: woman receives new trachea grown from her own stem cells.
N19 Did you know that your prescribing history is for sale? Fed appeals court supports NH law banning the practice.
N19 Trouble controlling serum phosphate? Chew on this...
N19 New GFR estimating equation first presented at Renal Week in the news.
N19 FDA advisory panel greenlights anti-MRSA antibiotic telavancin, but not approved by the FDA yet.
N18 New microRNA compound protects mice against heart failure.
N18 CDC updates guidelines for disinfection and sterilization in health care facilities.
N18 AAKP announces the death of its former Executive Director and CEO Kris Robinson
N18 AMA: Obama win accelerates drive for health care reform.
N18 NY Times article highlights growing burden of CKD.
N18 Anticancer drugs sunitinib and imatinib cause remission of type 1 diabetes in mice.
N18 Extreme calorie restriction (study in anorexic teens) impairs bone structure before bone density is affected.
N18 Five days of cipro cause pervasive and persistent changes in gut microflora abundance.
N17 Network 9/10 and RPA sponsored symposia on Conditions for Coverage and Medical Director Responsibilities
N17 Canadians issue new guidelines for CKD management
N17 Pain and itch responses can be separated and differentially targeted by drugs.
N17 UK panel of experts advises against presumed consent and donor opt out legislation.
N17 Dr. Chris Blagg appointed editor of Hemodialysis International.
N14 New xenotransplant technique in pigs based on modification of cell surface genes by altering pig sperm.
N14 Renal Week: Relative vitamin K2 deficiency linked to vascular calcification in ESRD
N13 Catheter thermoablation of atrial fibrillation far superior to drug treatment.
N13 Sen.Baucus unveils Universal Health Care proposal
N13 FDA: Review of atrial fib - bisphosphonate data suggests a weak or no relationship.
N11 Bone marrow reconstitution with CCR5-negative cells apparently cures AIDS in a leukemia patient.
N11 Sleep apnea associated with increased risk of sudden death.
N11 Pie in the sky or pie on the table? Nanoporous ceramic membranes may reject protein buildup.
N11 AHA Scientific Sessions 2008 in New Orleans, LA: Daily News, Nov 8 -12.
N09 Rosuvastatin given to patients with normal cholesterol levels but high CRPs markedly lowers CV risk.
N09 MP3 player earbuds should not be kept in shirt pockets in patients with pacemakers due to electrical interference.
N07 MDRD equation to estimate GFR is out, new CKD-EPI equation is in and is more accurate.
N07 Covidien recalls miscalibrated insulin syringes (overdose risk!) sold at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.
N06 Beta-alanine supplements increase fitness level in the elderly.
N06 MMWR: CDC recommendations against multiple puncture of parenteral medication vials.
N06 CMS announces Open Door Forum on CrownWeb and Dialysis Facility Compare on Nov 19.
N06 Dr. Bryan Becker appointed as President of the National Kidney Foundation.
N06 Swabbing the mouth with probiotics as good as chlorhexidine in reducine ventilator-associated pneumonia risk.
N06 Nicotinamide benefits cognition in an animal model.
N06 Cancer genetic blueprint revealed by comparing genomes of cancerous and noncancerous cells in the same patient.
N06 JASN early release: Serum phosphorus associated with coronary artery calcification in healthy young adults in longitudinal observational study.
N06 KDOQI announces expansion plans
N06 Ghrelin-like drug increases muscle mass by 20% in the elderly.
N04 Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) good for diagnosing certain liver conditions.
N04 Intraocular anti-VEGF drugs to treat retinal proliferative disoders may have a dark side.
N04 NK-22 cells - they're in the gut, they make IL-22, and are involved in mucosal immunity.
N04 New SIRT1 activating drug may protect against diet-induced obesity.
N04 1-alpha-25OH-D hydroxylase active in the lung; may be involved in immune defense.
N04 Strange, complex pharmacokinetics of methotrexate in RBCs have implications for clinical treatment.
N04 Incidence of proteinuria reduced in those diabeics who eat fish at least once a week.
O30 Study of Rockwell dialysate-side iron drug gets recommendation to continue by Data Safety Monitoring Board
O30 CDC issues new count of diabetes in the U.S. by state. Overall rate nearly doubles.
O30 Alpha-1-antitrypsin treatment improves success rate of pancreatic islet cell transplants.
O30 Do vegetarians get hemolytic uremic syndrome? Meat and dairy food ingestion implicated in new theory.
O29 Animal studies suggest potential benefits of drug holiday for patients taking sulfonylureas.
O29 Grapes protect the hearts and blood pressure of rats fed a salty diet.
O29 Transfusion with older blood increases risk of infection.
O29 Comments on KDIGO guidelines on prevention and treatment of hepatitis C in CKD.
O29 Patients with lupus being treated with hydroxychloroquine may have lower rate of kidney damage in observational study.
O29 Marked rise in kidney stones seen in U.S. children; cause is speculative.
O28 Topical treament for HSV cold sores achieves same results as oral systemic therapy.
O28 New computer algorithm that models the human body may be of use in anthropometric, nutritional research.
O28 Market research firm releases reports detailing changes in management of anemia, phosphate, and PTH.
O28 VEGF-based screening test for pre-eclampsia foreseen based on new research.
O28 French company develops a next generation totally implantable artificial heart.
O28 Plavix (clopidogrel) may be inactivated by some calcium channel blockers.
O28 Natalie Cole: Dialysis in the day, concerts at night.
O28 University of Michigan gets 3.8 M NIDDK Core Grant to fund kidney research
O28 Vitamin E and selenium found to be of no benefit in preventing prostate cancer.
O28 Another twist on the melamine tale: Now chickens who ate tainted feed lay melamine-contaminated eggs.
O28 UMC Nevada kidney transplant program closes due to Medicare standard regulations.
O27 Catlle vaccine that lowers their carriage rate of E.Coli O157:H7 approved for use in Canada.
O27 Runners burn more calories at rest than sedentary persons, and it's due to changes in the mitochondria.
O27 Risks of irregular heartbeat and atrial fibrillation increased with fosamax and other bisphosphonates.
O27 Costs of treating diabetes has nearly doubled in past 7 years.
O27 Pregnant women consuming flaxseed oil have a high (4x) risk of premature birth.
O27 Pentoxifylline lowers proteinuria alone or in addition to an ACE inhibitor.
O26 Genealogy of Hippocrates and the implications of the Hippocratic oath.
O23 Dennis Kogod promoted to be DaVita's Chief Operating Officer (COO)
O23 Amgen 3rd quarter net profit soars.
O23 Hydrogen sulfide may be a key regulator of blood pressure.
O23 Kaiser analyzes Presidential candidates' health care plans
O23 European watchdog agency suggests not using diet drug rimonabant due to depression side effects.
O23 New diet drug tesofensine appears to be remarkably effective.
O23 ASN 2008 abstracts now available for viewing.
O22 Journal of Renal Nutrition publishes composition of common salt substitutes.
O22 Steroid-sparing immunosuppression for renal transplant in the news.
O22 Upcoming paper in JASN suggests revised diagnostic ultrasound criteria for polycystic disease.
O22 Designing a new dialysis unit? Glade-green light, clear sky above, and lavender-scented pillows enhance relaxation.
O22 Low-levels of gut bacteria that secrete anti-inflammatory compounds may underlie or worsen Crohn's disease.
O22 Japanese study finds that eating quickly doubles risk of obesity.
O22 JAMA: Adverse case-mix disadvantages some hospitals in terms of pay for performance scores.
O22 FDA wants more info before approving AMAG drug ferumoxytol as an IV iron drug.
O20 Short chain fatty acids from gut bacteria slow intestinal transit time, thereby increasing nutrient absorption.
O20 NKF to fund two 3-year KDOQI research grants (each 150 K/yr x 3). Application deadline 01-Dec-08.
O20 Bad news: acrylamide in coffee. Good news: No increased GI cancer risk with acrylamide.
O17 EPA toughens standard on lead emissions by 90%.
O17 New Mycobacterium species identified that can cause bone infections in the immunocompromised.
O17 Urine test for prostate cancer gene improves early detection relative to free PSA levels.
O17 FDA creates drug safety information webpages for patients and health professionals.
O17 Risk/benefit ratio of preventive use of aspirin in diabetic patients called into question.
O16 Baxter earnings rise 19% in third quarter on sales of plasma-derived products.
O16 Outcomes in transplant tourism patients markedly worse than those transplanted in the U.S.
O16 Vitamin K does not slow age-related loss in bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
O16 Fructose feeding induces high triglycerides and leptin resistance in rats.
O16 Home dialysis equipment maker gets license to use some Hewlett-Packard inkjet printer patents for fluid path management.
O15 Resveratrol prevents liver fat accumulation in a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease.
O14 Resveratrol found in dark chocolate and cocoa.
O14 Alpha-1-antitrypsin therapy expands beta-cell populations in the pancreas of mice with a model of type 1 diabetes.
O14 B vitamins of no help in slowing progression of Alzheimer's disease.
O13 American Academy of Pediatrics ups vitamin D requirements in kids from 200 to 400 IU/day.
O13 Book Review: Clinical Guide to Use of Antithrombotic Agents in CAD
O13 Are you nuts about nuts? Nuts! One study fails to shell out any benefit.
O13 A series of abstracts presented at CRF meeting suggesting that triple anti-platelet therapy (adding cilostazol) improved outcomes.
O10 CDC reports on Listeria monocytogenes contamination of milk products after pasteurization.
O10 Newspapers dissect McCain vs.Obama proposals concerning health care.
O10 Is dietary turmeric the reason why Indians have a relatively low incidence of diabetic retinopathy?
O09 Retinylamine markedly slows age-related macular degeneration in an animal model.
O09 New physical activity guidelines: 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 times per week;
O08 A single dose of EPO injected after a heart attack can limit apoptosis and thereby reduce heart cell damage.
O08 10-year follow-up shows prolonged benefits of tight glucose control with sulfonylurea or metformin in UKPDS
O08 USRDS Annual Data report breaks out a separate section dealing with earlier stage CKD.
O07 One mechanism whereby ingestion of fatty foods (but not carbs or protein) can suppress hunger identified : OEA.
O07 Even occasional smoking can impair arterial function for a prolonged period.
O07 Medicare carrier switch causing payment delays and other problems nationwide.
O07 Complement pathway and the innate immune system implicated in age-related macular degeneration.
O07 Controlling computer games with brain waves: possible new hope for stroke victims?
O06 National Renal Administrators' Association requests that small dialysis organizations be allowed to data batch CPM reporting to Crown Web.
O06 One-dollar-a-month polypill containing ASA, thiazide, ACEI, and statin to undergo clinical testing.
O06 Just one session of exercise improves metabolic health in insulin-resistant obese subjects.
O06 Adipocyte precursor cells identified, opening up a new area of obesity research.
O06 Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of skin infections in patients with atopic dermatitis.
O06 New studies support use of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome.
O06 Disinfectant use can increase level of bacterial resistance.
O06 Preliminary results suggest a 20% mortality reduction with Dendreon's prostate cancer vaccine.
O06 Apparent failure to rinse sterilant from dialyzer prior to use may have led to patient death in Michigan.
O06 Nobel prize in medicine goes to Barre-Sinoussi and Montagnier for discovery of the AIDS virus (Gallo left out) and to zu Hausen for the discovery of HPV.
O03 MIT researchers make progress in developing a nose biosensor to sniff out disease.
O03 FDA weighs in on melanine-contaminated food with interim risk assessment document.
O03 On Nov 3, U.S. Supreme Court to hear key product liability court regarding use of FDA-recommended drug labels.
O03 Successful transplantation of frozen and thawed pig liver (into another pig) raises hope for an organ bank.
O03 A new brain - obesity- inflammation link discovered, showing how glucose/fat increases inflammation.
O03 Amgen wins an injunction preventing sale of Roche's Mircera in the United States.
O03 Higher dose zinc supplements associated with an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer.
O02 Is low vitamin D activity linked to increased thirst?
O02 Melamine-tainted candy pulled from Connecticut stores.
O01 Kidney sparing surgery gives good results in renal cancer.
O01 Medicare stops paying for 10 reasonably preventable medical errors.
S30 Lancet: New genes found that link to gout.
S30 Vitamin C may blunt effect of anticancer drugs
S29 Baxter gets 510K approval for in-line IV device designed to reduce bacterial contamination.
S29 AAKP director Kris Robinson resigns to pursue other opportunities.
S26 Popular Chinese candy that is available worldwide found contamined with melamine.
S26 Would you like your coffee black, or with milk, cream, or melamine? FDA warns US this time.
S26 Aptly named horny goat weed found to be a source of specific phosphodiesterase inhibitors.
S26 FDA early communication regarding ongoing safety review of German ESA stroke study.
S26 FDA involving itself in the use of ESAs as part of study trials after increased deaths in German stroke study.
S25 Tea found to contain relatively high fluoride levels (fluoride of potential concern in CKD patients)
S25 Pentazocine appears to dramatically prevent diabetic retinal damage in mice.
S24 Joint Commission issues safety alert regarding heparin dosing errors in hospitals.
S24 Int Soc Blood Purification (ISBP) abstracts online (from September, 2008 meeting)
S22 NY dialysis center shut down for unsanitary conditions; story hits the New York Times.
S22 Exercise program cuts liver fat by 40% in type 2 diabetics.
S22 Darapladib slows atherosclerosis in a pig model.
S22 Secondhand smoke exposure increases risk of peripheral artery disease in women.
S22 Two drug (cholinesterase inhibitor plus memantine) treatment slows progression rate of Alzheimer's disease.
S22 6 months of caloric restriction and 10% body weight loss does not cause young overweight adults to lose bone.
S20 Most FMC units in Texas now open again after hurricane Ike
S19 African American women have low white blood cell count.
S19 High-salt diet contributes very substantially to resistant hypertension.
S18 JASN paper in press identifies uric acid as a risk factor for CKD.
S18 Are statins ineffective for protection against cardiovascular risks in women?
S18 New mechanism for cardiac arrhythmia discovered.
S18 Thin men more vulnerable to osteoporosis.
S18 Listening to Mozart lowers high blood pressure (really)
S16 How should one properly dispose of unused drugs? No one seems to know.
S16 NHANES data analysis links elevated urine bisphenol levels to diabetes, cardiovascular disease.
S16 Chamomile tea cuts diabetes complications (in rats)
S16 US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) restricts FMC's ability to set its pricing on Venofer IV iron using its licensing agreement.
S16 Combining thiazides with potassium-sparing diuretics markedly lowers cardiovascular mortality.
S15 HDCN: Vaptans for hyponatremia (CME); Stabilizing hemoglobin (CNE); 29 RW07 audio talks; new NNJ CNEs.
S15 Fresenius patient information center and hotline for hurricane Ike victims
S15 Melamine-contamined baby formula poisons a large number of infants in China.
S15 Carbon nanotubes for water purification.
S15 Phase 1 trial of gene therapy using enkephalin for chronic pain starts recruitment.
S15 Carvedilol and alprenolol, but not other beta-blockers, stimulate cellular protective pathway in the heart.
S15 MYH9 gene variants linked to FSGS and diabetic kidney disease in African Americans.
S14 Hospitals and nursing homes contribute to water contamination with pharmaceuticals through their disposal methods.
S14 Sulforaphane from broccoli may protect lungs by activating detoxifying enzyme.
S13 5 pioneering scientists win Lasker medical prizes.
S13 Investigational drug effective against dormant tuberculosis bacteria.
S12 Cardioprotective effects of alcohol ingestion may be due to aldehyde dehydrogenase.
S12 FDA issues warning about melamine in one brand of baby formula manufactured in China.
S11 Rituximab prescribing info revised to reflect risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.
S11 Interstitial cystits may be treatable via the colon.
S10 Texas dialysis providers prepare for hurricane Ike.
S10 University of Pittsburgh to partner with DaVita, FMC in 18 regional dialysis clinics.
S10 Molecular mechanism of steroid-induced fatty liver determined.
S10 Pentazocine shows encouraging results in a mouse model of diabetic retinopathy.
S10 NEJM early release: Benefits of tight glucose control persist in type 2 DM at 10 years
S10 NEJM early release: Tight BP control has to be continued in type 2 diabetics; otherwise benefits are not maintained.
S09 Serotonin transport receptor levels in the brain change with the seasons; may reflect seasonal affective disorder.
S09 Low serum vitamin B12 levels associated with brain shrinkage in the elderly.
S08 Once-a-week sustained release exenatide lowers HbA1c better than twice daily shots.
S08 Genetic variants associated with markedly different vitamin B12 handling.
S08 Annual Dialysis Conference 2008 PD papers now available on-line
S05 Photographing what they eat helps dieters stick to weight-loss plans and identifies bingeing.
S05 Alternating linezolid and vancomycin usage periods in the ICU lowers MRSA prevalence.
S05 Bisphenol (present in polycarbonate plastics) linked to metabolic syndrome.
S05 High gas prices hit dialysis patients and others who need frequent medical treatment.
S05 FDA warns about invasive fungal lung infections in patients taking TNF-alpha blockers.
S05 Vaccination against core influenza virus antigens may obviate need for annual shots.
S04 Tired of jogging to burn more calories? Try working on a crossword puzzle.
S03 Sleep loss, even transient, increases NF-kappaB activity in humans.
S03 Higher serum calcium levels within the normal range associated with increased fatal prostate cancer risk in NHANES.
S03 Exercise increases risk of catching the flu, while quercetin lowers this risk (in mice)
S03 RPA and ESRD networks launch kidney patient safety initiative, including a new website.
S03 Cortinarius mushroom induced kidney failure in the news - Horse Whisperer author Nicholas Evans being the latest victim
S02 In vitro studies suggest role for antihistamine clemizole in treating hepatitis C
S02 TORC gene linked to both appetite regulation and fertility
S02 Think your fiance will make the perfect husband? Better first check his vasopressin receptor genotype!
S02 Genetic data stored at NIH temporarily withdrawn due to privacy concerns raised by new method of forensic SNP analysis
S02 How Tulane University hospital coped with Gustav evacuation
S02 Want to live longer? Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
S02 AJKD: Temporary iron depletion and relative thrombocytosis may underline increased mortality with high doses of EPO.
A29 Study suggests that flu shots may not reduce mortality in the elderly.
A29 Variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease transmissible by blood transfusion.
A29 Heated seats (applies to dialysis chairs) raise scrotal temperatures and affect sperm.
A29 Morton salt notifies customers of potassium chloride shortage due to labor strike at Canadian potash mines.
A29 List of CKD blogs
A29 Singh and Furberg editorialize against use of thiazolidinediones due to CV risk and lack of CV benefit.
A29 Pancreatic exocrine cells reprogrammed to make them into insulin-secreting beta cells
A29 100g/day of dark chocolate lowers blood pressure by 3 mm Hg.
A29 Eating two eggs a day while restricting caloric intake has no adverse effects on LDL cholesterol.
A27 Debate flares: Can obese patients be healthy?
A27 Webcam doctor visits take off in Hawaii
A26 More cases of fatal pancreatitis after Byetta reported.
A26 Allopurinol lowers blood pressure in hypertensive adolescents
A26 Newer gated CT scans diagnose coronary artery disease and obviate need for angiography.
A26 Leptin injections keep rats with type 1 diabetes alive without insulin.
A26 Twenty percent of Ayurvedic medicines found to be contaminated with lead, arsenic, or mercury.
A25 Renophobia: Brit panics when she finds kidney in a piece of chicken dinner !
A25 Longer-term low-dose IL-2 treatment (metronomic dosing) has fewer side effects when used for prostate cancer.
A25 New guidelines to treat rheumatoid arthritis focus on disease-modifying drugs.
A25 Some rice bran products found to contain high levels of arsenic.
A25 FDA approves Nplate (romiplostim) to stimulate bone marrow in thrombocytopenia.
A24 Bifidobacterium infantis may have systemic immune system benefits.
A22 Some evidence that Vytorin is, or maybe is not, associated with an increased cancer risk; FDA gets involved.
A22 New antimicrobial approach tames, rather than kills, pathogenic bacteria, lowering risk of emerging resistant strains.
A22 Fresenius stays strong in tough economic times.
A22 NEJM: Preeclampsia raises risk of subsequent CKD
A21 NKF launches education toolkit targeting treatment of patients with HIV and CKD.
A21 DaVita establishes Florida hotline for dialysis patients to be used during hurricanes.
A21 Blocking androgen receptors in prostate cancer may paradoxically enhance tumor growth.
A21 Taste receptor for calcium present in the mouths of mice.
A21 AMAG receives fast track designation from FDA for ferumoxytol as an MRI contrast agent.
A20 79 million US adults have problems related to medical care induced debt.
A20 First red blood cells grown in the lab.
A20 Individual genome analysis shows that drug sensitivity may be poorly predicted by skin color (presumed race)
A20 New survey shows obesity rates continue to increase in the United States.
A19 Lowering homocysteine with folic acid and B vitamins fails to reduce CV events in heart disease patients.
A19 Low-level arsenic exposure linked to increased type 2 diabetes risk.
A19 Effect of grapefruit juice on drug absorption and metabolism: new complexities
A19 Chronic lead poisoning from contaminated urban soils.
A19 Obesity epidemic due to increased food intake, and not decreased activity level.
A19 FDA warns of hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis with Byetta (exenatide)
A18 Researchers create milligram quantities of completely synthetic heparin
A18 Compensated organ donation pits the AMA against the NKF: The Satel article in Slate magazine.
A18 Wall Street Journal health blog debated ethics of organ donation, focusing on NKF opposition to the concept.
A18 Medicare finalizes its list of - no pay - preventable conditions in hospitalized patients.
A18 Anti-fibrosis drug developed by Australian scientists may help slow progression of CKD
A15 When is a potential heart donor really dead? NEJM report raises some ethical questions.
A15 Lancet: ONTARGET study shows mixed results for combined ARB/ACEI therapy; greater reduction of proteinuria but a higher renal event rate.
A15 Certain hepatitis B virus genotypes linked to liver cancer risk.
A15 Bariatric surgery - induced weight loss helps, but does not cure, sleep apnea.
A15 Infection control requirements from CDC incorporated into CMS conditions for coverage for dialysis units. MMWR, see p. 875.
A14 Monosodium glutamate use associated with weight gain.
A14 SpyCEP identified as key element to infectivity of group A strep associated with necrotizing fasciitis.
A14 CMS issues draft interpretive guidelines for surveyors re new conditions for coverage; requests comments (pdf).
A13 Enhancing lysosomal receptors for chaperone molecules prevents aging of mouse livers.
A13 NKF-FDA workshop: Proteinuria as a Surrogate Outcome in CKD: Link to presentations.
A13 T-cell furin linked to autoimmunity
A12 MicroRNA specific to endothelial cells associated with blood vessel branching, survival after cardiac infarction.
A11 Proton pump inhibitors increase fracture risk
A11 Prospective study of runners as they aged from 50 through 80 shows substantial benefits.
A08 FDA issues warning about risk of rhabdomyolysis when simvastatin is used with amiodarone.
A08 Immune response to early treatment of hepatitis C suggests that cure rate may be enhanced.
A08 FDA-mandated new labeling and medication guide for ESAs now activated.
A08 LabCorp via Litholink and the NKF launch an educational and information technology support program for early CKD detection.
A08 AHA issues recommendations for ambulatory BP monitoring is certain children and adolescents.
A08 Obese men face twin threat from prostate cancer
A08 Dr. Stan Lindenfeld appointed as Chief Medical Officer of U.S. Renal Care
A07 Proposed legislation would protect physicians who volunteer to treat poor patients from medical liability.
A07 Some foreign-trained physicians working under the J-1 visa waiver program complain of abusive working conditions.
A07 Occult hepatitis C viral infection present in 45% of hemodialysis patients with abnormal liver enzymes.
A07 New gene-based molecular test for prostate cancer ready for commercialization.
A07 U.K. National Health Service decides that 4 new drugs with some activity against kidney cancer are not cost-effective.
A07 NEJM: FGF-23 is a risk marker for death in incident dialysis patients
A06 NephCure announces recipients of research awards focusing on FSGS.
A06 November CJASN paper details benefits of rituximab in treating membranous nephropathy.
A06 Broccoli compounds reduce reactive oxygen species induced in blood vessels by hyperglycemia.
A05 IV calcium channel blocker wins FDA approval to treat acute hypertension.
A05 Baroreflex device to treat hypertension. A pipe dream? 200 million dollars raised so far says maybe not.
A05 New guidelines suggest that routine prostate cancer screening not be done in patients over 75 years of age.
A05 Physician and nurse blogs not uncommonly intrude on patient privacy rights and have undeclared conflicts of interest.
A05 New method of inducing tolerance using donor leukocytes shows promising results.
A05 Assay for serum hepcidin may help diagnose anemia of chronic disease.
A04 Patients with myeloma treated with ESAs may have poorer survival.
A02 Settlement will reduce acrylamide levels in potato chips.
A01 Shire stops selling its ESA Dynepo in Europe due to unfavorable market environment.
A01 FDA forces new labeling changes for ESAs under new law.
A01 R1626 shows promising effects against HCV viremia when combined with pegylated inferferon and ribavirin.
A01 Mouse data suggests that warfarin may inhibit fibrosis due to hepatitis C.
A01 Consensus statement suggests that HbA1c is the best test to detect early diabetes.
A01 Pluripotent stem cells obtained from skin cells used to generate motor neurons.
A01 Treating H. pylori infection markedly reduces risk of recurrent gastric cancer.
J31 Two new drugs have profound effects on exercise conditioning in mice.
J30 A year of quality-adjusted human life is worth 129,000 dollars?
J30 Incenter 3x/week nocturnal hemodialysis in the news.
J30 Does adiponectin have a dark side? Study associates it with increased cardiovascular risk.
J30 Bifidobacterium infantis continues to show promise as treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.
J29 New study highlights risk of losing bone density while following a low-calorie diet for weight loss.
J29 Manganese-containing nanobialys may be a useful alternative to gadolinium for MRI imaging, among other uses.
J29 Rember, a drug that is really a blue dye that prevents tau tangles, appears to slow Alzheimer's disease.
J29 Home dialysis in Ontario, Canada in the news
J29 Difficult patient kicked out of local dialysis center forced to dialyze in local hospital emergency room.
J29 FDA advised against eating green gook (tomalley) from American lobsters.
J29 Testosterone changes associated with perimenopausal increase in metabolic syndrome risk.
J29 Observational study suggests that statins may lower risk of senile dementia very substantially.
J28 TriPort device aids in performing umbilical laparoscopic surgery.
J28 Deep frozen organs function after being transplanted into animals 3 months later.
J28 E-prescribers see Medicare bonus, but late adopters will face pay cut
J27 Human autoantibodies from women with pre-eclampsia induce the condition in pregnant mice.
J26 Fist-clenching prior to phlebotomy can raise sample potassium levels.
J26 Amgen shares rise after success of its drug denosumab in lowering risk of bone fractures.
J25 NIDDK publishes strategic plan for addressing research on non-cancer-related prostate disease.
J25 U.S. House approves delay of Medicare trigger measure.
J24 Complement activation is increases in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
J24 In acute study, fructose increases lipogenesis relative to glucose.
J23 NEJM: Genetic mutation associated with most patients who develop myopathy on high-dose statins.
J23 Texas ESRD Network hurricane resource site
J23 Hurricane Dolly now at south Texas coast.
J23 How bacterial biofilms use chemical weapons against amoebas
J22 Dr. Arnold Kim gives up nephrology practice to attend to his Mac blogging site and other projects.
J22 As travel costs rise, more meetings go virtual.
J22 House Appropriations Subcommittee increases proposed FDA budget by more than 20% to over 2 billion dollars per year.
J22 Vagal nerve stimulation enhances spleen production of TNF: A brain to immune system connection?
J22 New type of chlorine-tolerant membranes developed for desalination.
J22 The cold, cruel facts?: Disease prevention programs may not lower costs in the long run?
J22 Ezetimibe plus simvastatin drug trial shows no effect on aortic valve stenosis progression.
J22 Prostate cancer drug abiraterone hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of advanced disease.
J22 Ice-tea aficionado develops kidney stones
J22 Woman who claimed water-loading diet caused brain damage due to seizures wins lawsuit.
J21 Dr. Joseph Letteri, an expert in kidney treatment; in memoriam
J21 Advance lowers risk of rejection of animal tissues.
J21 Anti-bacterial actions of cranberry juice explained by its action on fimbriae.
J21 Adding calcium hydroxide to seawater may reverse global warming.
J21 Drug industry: No more free pens, pads, or mugs for docs.
J21 Singapore mulls legal kidney trading.
J21 FDA finds incriminated Salmonella strain on jalapeno peppers
J19 Human blood vessels grown in mice
J18 In-center nocturnal dialysis in Colorado in the news.
J18 Donor nephrectomy via umbilical incision shortens donor post-op recovery time.
J18 Jonathan Himmelfarb to lead new Kidney Research Institute based in Seattle.
J17 Low-carb vs. low-fat supporters fight over importance of NEJM study on NY Times blog.
J17 FDA retracts Salmonella-related warning against eating raw tomatoes. Peppers still a potential risk factor.
J17 Genetic variant identified that increases risk of elevated triglycerides fourfold in Asian Americans.
J17 Peptidoglycans from gut bacteria may induce C. albicans to transform into infectious variant.
J17 Radiocontrast nephropathy studies may overestimate risk of AKI, since creatinine often increases in controls patients, also.
J17 U.S. population keeps getting fatter; esp. Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
J17 FDA safety recall: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate contaminated with yeast.
J17 AHA to launch new journal focusing on cardiovascular outcomes trials and methodology.
J17 Whole fruits and fruit juices have opposite effects on diabetes risk in Nurses' Health Study
J17 Atkins was right after all. NEJM study confirms benefits of low-carb and Mediterannean diets vs. low-fat diet.
J17 NEJM study shows that IVIG plus rituximab increases transplant success rates in HLA-sensitized patients.
J16 Doctors hopeful that improved blood thinners are on the horizon: Three new candidates.
J16 Annals: Low molecular weight heparin for 7 days better than stockings after arthroscopic knee surgery.
J16 Has the Achilles heel of the HIV virus been located?
J16 Cyclosporine increases expression of VEGF. Is this a mechanism for post-transplant cancer risk?
J16 Congress overrides Bush veto on Medicare bill that prevents physician payment cuts.
J15 Are kidney transplants performed at night less successful? A small European study suggests this possibility.
J15 GAO recommends prior authorization by Medicare of physican office-based diagnostic imaging tests.
J15 Bush to veto Medicare physician's pay patch bill today; Congress set to override.
J14 Will global warming spark a rise in kidney stone incidence?
J14 Nurses struggle with implications of new CMS policy re non-reimbursable adverse events.
J14 Track the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games
J14 CKD screening shows that a high percentage of Australia's indigenous population has kidney disease.
J14 FDA warning: Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with avastin plus sunitinib.
J14 Amgen's osteoporosis drug denosumab found effective in maintaining bone density in prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation.
J12 Triathlon athlete and dialysis patient Shad Ireland in the news.
J12 Pioneering heart surgeon Michael DeBakey dies at age 99.
J11 Dialysis patients in Scotland can access their lab results on-line.
J11 FDA lists May 2008 labeling changes: Aranesp (tumor progression) and CellCept (lymphoma and PML risk)
J11 Angiodynamics recalls its Centros dialysis catheter due to inadequate cuff attachment.
J11 U.S. News issues its annual rankings of hospitals by specialty.
J11 White House threatens to veto bill rescinding physician Medicare payment cuts. Does the Senate have the votes to override?
J11 Scientists image prostate cancer that has metastasized to pelvic lymph nodes.
J10 Aspirin may benefit patients with osteoporosis: a possible mechanism identified.
J10 Histone deactylase (HDAC) inhibitors protect ischemic tissue from injury.
J10 Computational biology approach leads to better understanding of immune response to presented antigen.
J10 Time of day affects antibody response to vaccination in men, but not women. Morning is best.
J10 U.S. National Public Radio examines health care system in 5 European countries.
J09 New form of Creutzfeld-Jakob-type of dementia discovered in the United States - no obvious cause.
J09 Salmonella outbreak continues: jalapeno peppers now thought to be a cause.
J09 Medicare bill that rescinds physician payment cuts passes in Senate with veto-proof majority.
J09 ESRD Network 14 (Texas) alert regarding contamination of at least one lot of Morton salt pellets by sodium ferrocyanide.
J09 Androgen-deprivation therapy does not help when given to older men with localized prostate cancer vs.watchful waiting alone..
J09 Fresenius signs sublicensing agreement with Luitpold to use Venofer in United States patients.
J08 Phosphate in CKD conference; September 26, 2008 in New York City.
J08 Stanford researchers find molecule that kills kidney cancer cells, STF-62247.
J08 Farm-raised tilapia fish has relatively low levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
J08 Fish oil plus red yeast lower cholesterol to the same extent as statin therapy.
J08 Transplant tourists running out of destinations.
J08 FDA adds boxed warning on risk of tendon rupture associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
J08 Overweight patients trying to lose weight lose twice as much if they keep a food diary.
J07 Swiss study suggests an 8% increase in failure rate when a male kidney is given to a woman recipient.
J07 Medicare double delay: Senate fails to act and CMS holds physician claims.
J07 Dr. Allen Alfrey, discoverer of the cause of aluminum-related dialysis dementia, in memoriam.
J07 Fresenius Medical buys heparin-maker APP pharmaceuticals.
J03 NEJM: Scanning the blood for circulating tumor cells using DNA technology helps guide treatment of metastatic disease.
J03 VA/NIH study of dialysis dose in acute kidney failure published in NEJM
J03 Pfizer will no longer work directly with for-profit CME companies.
J03 Novel antibiotic ceftobirole kills even the most resistant Staph. aureus.
J03 CMS releases 2007 ESRD Clinical Performance Measures report (.pdf)
J03 Secondary analysis of CHOIR data suggests that high EPO doses, rather than high Hb per se, associated with mortality.
J03 FDA panel recommends that all new diabetes drugs be screened for cardiovascular risk.
J02 New orally active, broad-spectrum angiogenesis inhibitor may be useful against many cancers.
J02 Secret of herpesvirus latency discovered in strands of microRNA.
J01 Caffeine intake increases rate at which muscle replenishes glycogen stores after exercise.
J01 Indocyanine green plus laser light kills even resistant bacteria; application to wound infections.
J01 Medicare proposes changes for dialysis reimbursement.
J01 More on the physician Medicare payment cut battle in the Congress.
J01 FDA may start focusing more on software reliability in medical devices.
J01 Bills pending in Congress would remove Supreme Court shield for medical device manufacturers.
J30 Doctors get temporary reprieve on Medicare cuts.
J30 Cancer cure strategy in mice to be tested in humans: transfusion of allogeneic cancer-killing leukocytes.
J30 Volcanoes turn out to be an important source of mercury pollution.
J30 Calcium supplementation alone does not reduce hip fracture risk in the elderly (new meta-analysis)
J30 AHA publishes cookbook focusing on healthy soul food recipes
J30 Sudden hearing loss associated with increased risk of future stroke.
J30 AHA launches hearthub.org, a website for patients.
J30 Prevalence of silent cerebral infarction in healthy (mean age 62) people at 11% in MRI study.
J30 AMA delegates oppose CMS no pay policy for "preventable" conditions that develop during hospital stay.
J28 Mortality rates similar at for-profit and not-for-profit dialysis chain patients; former use more EPO and IV iron.
J28 Bill to approve pathway for FDA approvals of biosimilars advocated as saving billions of dollars.
J28 Senate fails to take up legislation that would delay Medicare physician fee cut.
J28 FDA/Roche: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) warnings added to mycophenolate labeling.
J26 Fructose, but not glucose, increases visceral adipose tissue and triglycerides, and lower insulin sensitivity.
J26 Testing of athletes for illicit EPO use has high rate of false negatives.
J26 Gastric vagal block surgery less invasive, than bariatric surgery, but also effective in causing weight loss.
J26 Two siRNA in the Phase I/II pipeline for kidney disease, one for delayed graft function, the other for AKI
J26 Cethromycin for community-acquited MRSA.
J26 Allen Nissenson hired as Chief Medical Officer of DaVita
J25 R provides open access software for statistical analysis and graphing of results.
J25 House Medicare bill and the politics of competitive bidding for medical equipment
J25 House votes to block cut in physician Medicare fees.
J25 MRSA skin infections becoming commonplace in healthy athletes.
J25 Site indentified at which microRNAs may down-regulate immune response.
J25 Impending Medicare reimbursement cuts may affect delivery of care
J25 African Americans excrete less potassium in the urine, and it's not all due to dietary intake.
J25 Excessive amounts of lead found in indoor/outdoor carpeting and artificial grass.
J25 Radiofrequency equipment ID tags can halt dialysis machines, change ventilator settings, alter syringe pump performance in the ICU.
J25 Obesity drug rimonabant approved for NHS use in England and Wales.
J25 Breast-cancer gene BRCA2 linked to much shorter survival after prostate cancer.
J24 Take your meds and have a chance at winning the lottery.
J24 House reps Dingell and Barton plan bill pushing nationwide adoption of electronic medical record systems.
J23 Some academic sites offering on-line second opinion services.
J23 Brouhaha over inclusion of Social Security numbers on Medicare ID cards: Would take 8 years to change?
J23 Rapamycin may impact retardation in tuberous sclerosis and might be useful in treating autism.
J23 New source of cardiac stem cells found in the epicardium
J21 Might Tai-Chi benefit CKD patients who can't sleep well?
J20 ANNA Monthly enewsletter, June, 2008
J20 Abbott Labs research grant solicitation on VDRA: Deadline is June 30th.
J20 Stem cells give old muscles new pep
J19 Some pathogenic bacteria use nanosyringe to inject host cells with toxins.
J19 Might exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation be beneficial?
J19 Is fluoride in drinking water safe for patients with CKD?
J19 FDA cautions about increased mortality in elderly patients with dementia who had been treated with antipsychotic drugs
J19 Investigation of deaths at Lufkin dialysis center: How alleged criminal activity was uncovered.
J18 DNA-modified bacteria eat plant waste and excrete fuel oil.
J18 Computer generated warfarin dosing as effective as dosing by expert prescribers.
J18 HHV-8 herpes virus linked to ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes in Africa.
J17 Big breakfast diet more effective than low-carb diet in maintaining weight loss.
J17 Diabetes doubles the risk of hearing loss.
J16 Transportation fees impact some Canadian diaysis patients.
J16 British Medical Journal hosts interchange of views on appropriateness of paying live organ donors.
J16 Patients only rarely use online ratings to pick physicians.
J16 Do patients with combined liver/kidney transplants really need the kidney portion?
J16 Eating in response to stress? Ghrelin could be the reason why.
J16 Studies with fat cells suggest that resveratrol may help combat obesity.
J16 Etanercept slows cyst formation in a mouse model of PKD via inhibiting TNF-alpha.
J13 Senate Republicans block debate on Baucus bill, that would have delayed Medicare payment cuts.
J13 FDA and EMEA to consider biomarkers of renal injury in animal studies evaluating renal safety of new drugs.
J12 Baxter avian flu vaccine shows promise in early testing.
J12 XBP1, stimulated by a high-carb diet, may be a new target for treatment of dyslipidemias.
J12 Sequential treatment of lupus in women with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate preserves ovarian function.
J12 Patch-based vaccine effective against traveler's diarrhea.
J12 A subgroup of retinal cells linked to circadian cycle resetting and insomnia.
J12 FDA approves generic form of ramipril made by Lupin pharmaceuticals.
J11 Vitamin D protects heart-failure-prone rats against heart failure when fed a high-salt diet.
J11 Lupus more severe, and nephritis more common, in patients with Southern European ancestry.
J11 Fresenius helps to provide dialysis supplies to China earthquake victims.
J11 CMS gives researchers access to parts of the Medicare prescription drug benefit database.
J11 FDA: Concern about potential cancer risk in users of Regranex (becaplermin) gel (used to help heal foot ulcers in diabetics).
J11 ANNA releases new editions of its Certification Review Guide and Core Curriculum
J11 The American Heart Association translates key parts of its website to Spanish, Vietnamese, and simplified Chinese.
J11 Doctor of nursing practice degree - will this grant clinical privileges similar to that of an MD?
J10 Rosiglitazone may slow progression of diabetic eye disease.
J10 Would the proposed Baucus bill threaten smaller dialysis providers?
J10 Baucus unveils Medicare payment reform legislation that would impact on ESRD reimbursement.
J10 One more argument against smoking: Increased risk of age-related hearing loss.
J10 Etanercept plus exenatide increases efficacy of islet cell transplants over the standard Edmonton protocol.
J10 Eating diet rich in oily fish associated with markedly reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration.
J10 Large Australian RCT specifically shows that lowering HbA1C in diabetics to a 6.5% target protects the kidney.
J10 NEJM: Full text of ADVANCE trial, which showed a benefit of intensive glucose control (HbA1C to 6.5%)
J09 NEJM: Glycemic control in the ADVANCE vs. ACCORD trials (editorial)
J09 NEJM: ACCORD trial results published (full text): Intensive blood glucose lowering in diabetes may worsen outcomes.
J09 Myeloma drug Velcade (bortezomib) shows promise in treating lupus in an animal model.
J09 Observational study associated low 25-D levels with poor CV outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients.
J09 High blood levels of 25-vitamin D may increase risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
J09 VA diabetes trial reports at ADA. Lowering HbA1c below 7% associated with a trend for improved CV outcomes.
J09 115 year old woman found to have essentially normal brain on autopsy, with no evidence of Alzheimer's disease.
J09 Search abstracts being presented at the 2008 American Diabetes Association meeting.
J09 Study suggests benefits of a short nap for night-shift healthcare workers.
J06 Why the two diabetes trials of aggressively lowering HbA1c came up with different results.
J06 High-protein weight loss diet protects against the bone loss seen with standard low-fat higher carb diets.
J06 Nephros completes trial of clip-on hemodiafiltration module and high-efficiency b2-M hemodiafilter.
J06 Mechanism of action of niacin to increase HDL levels discovered.
J05 HHS releases comprehensive plan to speed nationwide adoption of health information technology.
J05 FDA: More on the ongoing review of TNF-blockers and cancer risk.
J05 Is your health record already on-line on your health insurer's website? If so, how tightly is this protected?
J05 Alcohol ingestion cuts risk of rheumatoid arthritis by 50%.
J05 Study in mice suggests resveratrol has marked cardioprotective effects.
J05 NEJM: Heparin contaminated with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate causes anaphylaxis via kallikrein activation.
J05 NEJM: Aliskiren plus losartan lowers proteinuria in diabetics.
J04 FDA reviewing reports of increased cancer risk associated with TNF- blocking drugs.
J03 Antibacterial wipes can actually spread drug-resistant bacteria if used on more than one surface.
J03 Salmonella outbreak in 9 states linked to raw tomatoes.
J03 Nova (R) renal - a contrast-free method for visualization of renal perfusion on MR scans.
J03 Magnetic control mechanism developed to steer swallowed mini-cameras for better GI tract images.
J03 Artificial blood vessel creation from smooth muscle cells makes major advances.
J03 NIH to fund research into bacteria colonizing various parts of the human body.
J03 Ultrasmall bacteria that can pass through dialysis filters identified in deep Greenland ice cores.
J03 USC researchers identify gene that controls blood glucose levels.
J03 Senate Bill would delay Medicare payment cuts to physicians.
J02 Taiwanese study links water chlorination to birth defects.
J02 Cubing and then boiling potatoes markedly reduces their content of potassium and other minerals.
M31 Fomer nurse at dialysis center arrested regarding question of injecting bleach intravenously into a patient.
M30 Cause of clubbing of the fingers in lung disease found - 15-HPGD.
M30 Whole milk as effective as 0.1% barium as GI contrast agent for CT.
M29 Diabetes Tech and Therapeutics journal supplement focuses on self-monitoring of blood glucose.
M29 Prucalopride shows promise in treating patients with severe constipation.
M29 Dehydrated tomatoes markedly lower prostate tumor growth in an animal model.
M29 New microsphere-based vaccine for type 1 diabetes to be tested in humans. It reverses diabetes in mice.
M28 Hope for stroke victims. Monkeys control prosthetic arm using brain waves to feed themselves.
M28 ADA Scientific Sessions start June 6th. Search abstracts at this link.
M28 Roche diabetes drug based on GLP-1 analogue, lowers HbA1c and engenders weight loss.
M28 Study suggests that salsalate may be of benefit in type 2 diabetics.
M28 RIP140 molecule involved in tumor cachexia, fatty liver, and associated inflammation.
M27 AMAG Pharmaceuticals signs agreement with 3SBio to commercialize ferumoxytol in China.
M27 Louisiana Senate passes bill that would shield disaster responders from civil liability lawsuits.
M27 Study suggests that RDA for children for cholecalciferol should be 2,000 IU/day, rather than 200 IU/day.
M27 New scoring method for coronary artery calcification that takes into account extent of calcium coverage.
M27 High-flavonoid cocoa can be a boost for diabetics.
M27 Should HbA1c be used instead of plasma glucose to screen for diabetes?
M27 Brooke Army medical center experimenting with stem cell treatment to regrow lost body parts.
M26 2008 American Transplant Congress to meet in Toronto starting May 31. Abstracts at this link.
M26 Qualitative changs in gut microflora affect insulin resistance.
M26 Six vs. three meals per day has no impact on weight loss.
M24 NxStage raises 43 million dollars from private placement sale of equity.
M23 Automated CPR machine helps save lives.
M23 FDA to use Medicare claims data to monitor drug side effects once drugs have been marketed.
M22 Biotech company to hold auction for people who want to clone their pet dog.
M22 FDA approves gut opioid antagonist Entereg, for use to prevent postoperative ileus.
M22 It's official: Home BP monitoring is now the standard of care.
M21 CMS launches hospital comparison website.
M21 President Bush signs genetic anti-discrimination act (GINA) into law.
M21 After heart attack, bivalirudin better than heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.
M21 Former Amgen executive Dr. Robert Brenner moves to AMAG.
M21 Modest red wine (but not beer) ingestion actually may lower risk of NAFLD - non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
M21 Protein structure is deciphered of steap3, a protein that regulates iron absorption in the gut.
M21 Denosumab (target of which is RANK ligand) increases bone mineral density more than continued alendronate treatment in postmenopausal women.
M20 NEJM: Palevsky-VA/NIH study shows that daily HD or more intense CRRT of no benefit in acute kidney injury
M20 Investigation into dialysis center deaths focuses on temporary use of 1.0 K dialysate concentrate.
M20 Google health now accepting patient information.
M19 Results of VA/NIH study on dialysis dose in acute kidney injury to be presented tomorrow, May 20th, in Toronto at ATS2008.
M19 Vaccine targeting amyloid beta protein prevents Alzheimer's disease in mice.
M19 Silver-coated endotracheal tube use dramatically reduces resistant infections in ICU patients.
M19 Protein that mimics phagocyte defensins effective against resistant bacteria on in vitro testing.
M19 Two California patients may have been rejected for liver transplant because of medical marijuana use.
M19 Breast cancer risk gene BRCA2 now also tied to prostate cancer risk.
M19 American Society of Hypertension Annual Meeting (May 14-17) - abstracts at this link
M19 Capsaicin plus a derivative of lidocaine cause pain relief without numbness. Will it work for cannulation pain?
M19 Sports utility vehicle crashes into University of Kansas dialysis center.
M19 Didusch center historical exhibit on Women Healers (7.5 mb .pdf file)
M18 Nephrology nurse practitioner and physician assistant meeting to be held July 17-18 in Arlington, VA.
M18 Didusch center for urologic history collections
M18 New superdrug may be useful against MRSA superbugs.
M17 FDA issues warning about birth defects in infants when mother took mycophenolate (MMF) during pregnancy.
M17 Is marrying your first cousin truly dangerous in terms of offspring? A critical examination of the data.
M17 FDA convenes to examine impact of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical, and now, medical device, advertising.
M17 Patient deaths at dialysis unit may have been caused by an employee with criminal intent.
M17 Former head of UCLA cadaver program indicted for selling body parts on the side, profiting directly from sales.
M16 Everolimus significantly delays progression of kidney cancer.
M16 Salmonella infection in people linked to exposure to dry dog food.
M16 View abstracts, posters being presented at the American Urologic Association annual meeting, May 17-22.
M16 Lymphocytic choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) - infected transplant organs cause 1 death and 1 serious injury at Boston-area hospital.
M16 MMWR: CDC recommends herpes zoster vaccine for all persons over age 60.
M16 Is on-line hemodiafiltration finally coming to the U.S.?
M16 Small molecule found that can disassemble amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease.
M16 MIT research team crafts films resistant to bacterial adhesion.
M16 New NHANES analysis finds CV mortality increased in patients following a lower salt intake.
M16 Local injection of muscle-derived autologous stem cells helps restore continence post-prostatectomy.
M15 Lower-dose tissue plasminogen activator treatment improves survival in patients with hemorrhagic stroke.
M15 Canadian scientists discover how tuberculosis bacteria evade destruction by macrophages.
M15 AFP Pharma raises price of heparin. Cost of a typical dialysis treatment will go up by a half-dollar.
M15 Fluvastatin found to markedly lower viral load in hepatitis C.
M15 Biopterin derivative may be effective treatment for severe heart failure.
M14 Yale scientists isolate estrogen-like substance secreted by osteoblasts.
M14 Dialysis access consortium trial results (clopidogrel) published in JAMA: less clotting, but no difference re AVF usability.
M13 Kidney market shut as Pakistan cuts supply.
M13 NxStage reports that it was able to double number of home dialysis patients in past year.
M13 Abstracts from 2008 Asian Pacific Congress of Nephrology at this link.
M13