A new wearable hemodialysis device for patients with end-stage renal failure is safe and effective, the findings from a pilot study suggest. The availability of a wearable device could improve the quality of life for these patients who typically must spend a few days each week at a dialysis center. Reuters Health Information
Among patients on dialysis being treated with epoetin, hemoglobin level variability per se is not a primary driver of increased mortality, according to a study of Medicare recipients. Rather, the amount of time in which hemoglobin levels are below the target range of 11 to 12.5 g/dL is the most significant risk factor for death. Reuters Health Information
Can outcomes from recent major clinical trials in diabetic kidney disease be achieved in clinical practice? The British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease
Analgesics other than phenacetin are not associated with an increased risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) at a relatively young age, according to a December 5th release from BMC Nephrology. Reuters Health Information
Lithium has a narrow therapeutic window, so toxicity is a particular concern. Hemodialysis treatment of a patient with acute, severe lithium self-intoxication is described. Laboratory Medicine
In a series of 19 patients, creation of a direct intrahepatic portacaval shunt (DIPS) achieved portal decompression in all patients and remained patent for up to 30 months, according to a report in the January issue of Radiology. Reuters Health Information
Kidney dysfunction independently increases the risk of cardiovascular death, apparently sudden cardiac death in particular, according to a report in the January American Heart Journal. Reuters Health Information
The association of exposure to gadolinium with the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with various stages of chronic kidney disease is studied. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
Higher levels of cystatin C are associated with an increased risk of heart failure, according to findings published in the January issue of the American Heart Journal. Reuters Health Information
