Nephrology

Patients who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) require 20% less warfarin and more monitoring for bleeding than patients who have normal kidney function.

A recent study presented at Kidney Week 2013 suggests that a plain X-ray is a reliable and inexpensive tool for assessing the risks of cardiovascular events and death in patients who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are not on dialysis.

Early diagnosis by primary care physicians and aggressive treatment are essential to slowing the epidemic of kidney and cardiovascular disease.

Many young adults age 18-24 with high blood pressure remain undiagnosed with hypertension, even after long-term physician care.

Randomized controlled trials remain the gold standard, but a researcher at Kidney Week 2012 says that new approaches and study designs are needed that reflect real-world drug use and account for confounding variables.

Results from the TEMPO trial presented at Kidney Week 2012 show that treatment with tolvaptan slowed the increase in total kidney volume and the decline in kidney function in patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

Increasing numbers of people are on kidney transplant waiting lists. However, the number of potential living donors may shrink as more Americans qualify as pre-diabetic, making them less than ideal donor candidates.

Experts at Kidney Week 2012 discuss several treatment options for hyponatremia, including fluid restriction, loop diuretics, and the use of selective vasopressin V2-receptor antagonists.

A diet rich in highly alkaline fruits and vegetables helps reduce a marker of kidney injury and preserve kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease.

The powerful immunosuppressive drugs used to prevent allograft rejection are associated with severe side effects. A "mixed chimerism" strategy in which patients undergo simultaneous bone marrow and kidney transplant from the same donor may improve transplant survival and reduce the need for these drugs.

Use of peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease is declining due to lack of physician training and awareness, financial disincentives, and other factors. However, with proper patient and provider education, it is possible to grow a successful peritoneal dialysis program.

Study results reported at Kidney Week 2012 reveal that patients with early-stage CKD fare better in the public health system, which also appears to produce fewer racial and ethnic health disparities in care delivered to this population.

People with chronic kidney disease, even those who have undergone a kidney transplant, can benefit from regular physical exercise.

A hormone can predict which kidney patients will develop heart problems, require dialysis, or die prematurely.

Serum uric acid control in gout was poor among patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD) and even worse among those with CKD.

George Bakris, MD, discusses combination therapies for treating hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes.

The CUBN gene variant was associated with albuminuria in more than 70,000 individuals, both with and without diabetes.

Low-levels of the anti-aging hormone Klotho may presage the presence of kidney disease and its deadly cardiovascular complications.

Measuring cystatin C levels is more accurate than creatinine testing in predicting serious complications of kidney disease.

Overlapping clinical definitions of the causes and characteristics of intradialytic hypertension make it a frustrating condition to diagnose and treat

AASK trial data show mutation in MYH9 gene significantly increases risk of ESRD in African Americans with kidney disease related to hypertension.

Prominent cardiologist has some blunt advice for clinicians who are trying to apply JNC 7 guidelines in patients with CKD.

CKD stage is a predictor of incident AF and mortality risk in elderly patients. Patients with CKD also frequently exhibit major EKG abnormalities.

SHARP trial shows that combination statin therapy in patients with CKD reduces risk of heart attack and stroke without raising cancer risk.

By targeting a novel inflammatory pathway, bardoxolone methyl can reduce the stage of chronic kidney disease and improve estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Researchers continue to study the cardiovascular benefits associated with the DASH diet. Patients with CKD should adjust potassium intake.

Patients with chronic kidney disease treated by a nephrologist earlier in the care process face decreased risk of end-stage renal disease and death.

Study showing racial differences in rate of kidney function decline may point to new opportunities for kidney disease prevention.

Evidence-based strategies can alleviate gaps in providers' knowledge of chronic kidney disease and diabetes in underserved patient populations.