http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. A daily dose of sodium bicarbonate -- baking soda, already used for baking, cleaning, acid indigestion, sunburn, and more -- slows the decline of kidney function in some patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), reports an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). "This cheap and simple strategy also improves patients' nutritional status, and has the potential of translating into significant economic, quality of life, and clinical outcome benefits," comments Magdi Yaqoob, MD (Royal London Hospital). http://phys.org/news166986646.html Medicine & Health Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:11:12 EST news166986646 Physician-scientists from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center believe that a heightened level a certain growth factor in the blood may explain why blacks have a greater prevalence of hypertension and kidney disease compared to whites. Results from a new study are the first to show that an elevated level of a protein, called transforming growth factor B1 (TGF-B1), raises the risk of hypertension and renal disease in humans. http://phys.org/news166722533.html Medicine & Health Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:53:18 EST news166722533 Dialysis treatments do not affect the heart health of kidney disease patients who have had a heart attack, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). Since cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in kidney disease patients, the findings are good news for individuals who need the treatments. http://phys.org/news166379457.html Medicine & Health Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:50:01 EST news166379457 Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) in collaboration with scientists at the University of Louisville and the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France, have identified the target antigen PLA2R in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (kidney disease), which has implications for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. These findings appear in the July 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. http://phys.org/news165688655.html Medicine & Health Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:10:01 EST news165688655 A low dose of oral interferon alpha shows promise in preserving beta cell function for patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, according to researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. http://phys.org/news165656173.html Medicine & Health Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:10:01 EST news165656173 Even at very high doses, gadolinium-based contrast agents alone are not sufficient to cause nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with kidney problems, according to a study performed at the Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL. NSF is a rare and serious syndrome that leads to fibrosis of the skin, joints and even internal organs. Some research indicates NSF is caused by gadolinium-based contrast agents that are commonly used today during MR procedures. http://phys.org/news165595660.html Medicine & Health Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:47:58 EST news165595660 Kidney injury that can arise after undergoing certain medical imaging procedures increases a patient's risk of having a stroke or heart attack over the next year or two, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that seemingly minor and reversible kidney damage from these common clinical procedures is a serious health threat. http://phys.org/news165172611.html Medicine & Health Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:17:30 EST news165172611 Medical scientists at the University of Leicester are investigating how a species of fish from the Pacific Ocean could help provide answers to tackling chronic conditions such as hereditary high blood pressure and kidney disease. http://phys.org/news164888782.html Medicine & Health Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:27:52 EST news164888782 Angiotensin 1-7, a hormone in the body that has cardiovascular benefits, improves the metabolic syndrome in rats, according to a new study. http://phys.org/news163851366.html Medicine & Health Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:16:31 EST news163851366 Dialysis takes hours of kidney disease patients' time several days a week, so why not do it at night while sleeping? Overnight dialysis is more convenient for some patients and offers significant benefits over shorter daytime treatments, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that overnight dialysis is a viable alternative for patients with irreversible kidney disease, particularly in dialysis clinics where there are constraints on time and resources. http://phys.org/news162155432.html Medicine & Health Thu, 21 May 2009 20:10:59 EST news162155432 For the first time, a combination of aspirin and the anti-platelet drug dipyridamole has been shown to significantly reduce blockages and extend the useful life of new artery-vein access grafts used for hemodialysis, according to a study by the Dialysis Access Consortium (DAC). The study, supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, will be published in the May 21, 2009, New England Journal of Medicine. http://phys.org/news162107557.html Medicine & Health Thu, 21 May 2009 06:53:07 EST news162107557 A team of researchers from the United States, the Netherlands and Iceland has identified three genes containing common mutations that are associated with altered kidney disease risk. One of the discovered genes, the UMOD gene, produces Tamm-Horsfall protein, the most common protein in the urine of healthy individuals. Although the Tamm-Horsfall protein has been known for almost 60 years, its functions are not well understood and its relationship to chronic kidney disease risk was not known previously. The findings are published in the May 10 issue of Nature Genetics. http://phys.org/news161182324.html Medicine & Health Sun, 10 May 2009 13:54:37 EST news161182324 Making sure you see your doctor and have tests run on a regular basis can prevent serious complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results suggest that patients who follow preventive measures are more likely to stay healthy. http://phys.org/news160941605.html Medicine & Health Thu, 07 May 2009 19:00:44 EST news160941605 Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, poses a serious health threat for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that hypoglycemia may account for some portion of the excess heart-related deaths seen in CKD patients. http://phys.org/news160939799.html Medicine & Health Thu, 07 May 2009 18:31:02 EST news160939799 The more pills a dialysis patients takes, the worse their health-related quality of life, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that increasing the number of medications to control patients' disease may interfere with their ability to enjoy normal activities. http://phys.org/news160936832.html Medicine & Health Thu, 07 May 2009 17:41:13 EST news160936832 Preliminary research suggests that higher than normal levels of the protein albumin in urine is associated with an increased risk for blood clots in the deep veins of the legs or lungs (venous thromboembolism; VTE), according to a study in the May 6 issue of JAMA. http://phys.org/news160763198.html Medicine & Health Tue, 05 May 2009 17:27:14 EST news160763198 Moderate kidney disease increases an older man's risk of developing certain cancers, according to an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). Given that chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about a third of older men, maintaining kidney function could help prevent cancer in the general population. http://phys.org/news160381478.html Medicine & Health Fri, 01 May 2009 07:27:18 EST news160381478 Robotic trained surgeons at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia presented a new and novel approach to surgically treat urothelial cancer (in the lining of the bladder or kidney) today at the American Urological Association's Annual Meeting. Using da Vinci® robot-assisted technology, urologic cancer surgeons perform complicated urologic cases using minimally invasive surgery. http://phys.org/news159967639.html Medicine & Health Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:29:26 EST news159967639 Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have gained a key insight into a disease that is devastating the UK's fish farming industry. The researchers have discovered that fish can harbour and spread proliferative kidney disease (PKD), a cause of major stock losses on fish farms, as well as being affected by the infection. http://phys.org/news159776635.html Biology Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:24:24 EST news159776635 Kidney disease patients who are educated about dialysis are more likely to undergo a standard but under-utilized dialysis-related procedure than less knowledgeable patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that patients' knowledge about dialysis affects whether they receive optimal care and that physicians should work to educate their patients. http://phys.org/news159727594.html Medicine & Health Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:47:17 EST news159727594 The American College of Physicians (ACP) today released "Know Your Numbers: A Guide to Managing High Blood Pressure." Available for free to ACP member physicians to distribute to patients and their families, the guidebook and accompanying DVD -- featuring sportscaster James Brown -- will help patients learn about high blood pressure, what steps to take to control it, and how to lower the risk of heart and blood vessel problems. http://phys.org/news159540874.html Medicine & Health Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:54:56 EST news159540874 Blacks in the United States are more likely to require dialysis and develop end stage renal disease (ESRD) than whites, but they also live longer than whites once they reach later stages of kidney disease. A study of this phenomenon will appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). http://phys.org/news159037530.html Medicine & Health Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:06:21 EST news159037530 Measuring kidney function by assessing two different factors—glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urinary albumin levels—helps determine which patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) will develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD), according to a study appearing in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). This combination test could help physicians identify patients at high risk of serious kidney trouble and allow them to intervene at an early stage. http://phys.org/news158433390.html Medicine & Health Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:17:10 EST news158433390 For men with Fabry disease, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with agalsidase alfa slows deterioration of kidney function, reports a study in the online edition of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). "The results provide further evidence that ERT with agalsidase alfa may slow the progression of kidney disease, provided that ERT is initiated early in the disease process," comments Michael L. West, MD (Dalhousie University, Canada). http://phys.org/news158433132.html Medicine & Health Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:12:42 EST news158433132 In chronic kidney disease patients, different levels of anemia treatment have a beneficial effect on the heart and improve quality of life, according to a pair of studies appearing in the April 2009 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that different levels of treatment may be warranted for different patients. http://phys.org/news157826654.html Medicine & Health Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:45:05 EST news157826654 Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a process that controls the amount of fat that cells store for use as a back-up energy source. Disruption of this process allows cellular fat to accumulate — a key factor in age-related metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The study is published today in the online version of Nature. http://phys.org/news157815546.html Medicine & Health Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:39:39 EST news157815546 For patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), receiving care from a nephrologist in the months before starting dialysis reduces the risk of death during the first year on dialysis, reports a study in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The study also shows geographic "clusters" where pre-dialysis care for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not optimal. "Assistance to improve pre-dialysis care might be profitably targeted to specific treatment centers and the health care systems they serve," comments William McClellan, MD (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA). http://phys.org/news157221721.html Medicine & Health Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:42:34 EST news157221721 Researchers in Canada are reporting that proteins found in a common garden pea show promise as a natural food additive or new dietary supplement for fighting high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Those potentially life-threatening conditions affect millions of people worldwide. http://phys.org/news156956108.html Medicine & Health Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:55:57 EST news156956108 Characteristics associated with proteinuria—a predictor of decline in child kidney function—have been identified, according to a study appearing in the March 2009 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that the level of kidney impairment, the cause of kidney disease, and race are linked to proteinuria—the presence of protein in the urine. The results provide new information regarding the importance of proteinuria and the factors associated with its development in the largest group of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) ever studied. http://phys.org/news156617392.html Medicine & Health Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:55:46 EST news156617392 Older people with comorbidities and those with multiple hospital admissions related to heart failure are unlikely to receive a meaningful survival benefit from implanted defibrillators, found a study in CMAJ by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg611.pdf. http://phys.org/news156449760.html Medicine & Health Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:16:29 EST news156449760