INFECTIONS ARE a serious complication and leading cause of death in debilitated patients, including those with cancer, immunosup-pression (e.g., transplantation or AIDS patients), diabetes, chronic renal failure, severe neurologic conditions such as Parkinsonism or spinal cord injury, and the elderly.1 For example, approximately 50% of patients dying from solid tumors who had a complete postmortem examination died from infection. Since debilitating factors frequently coexist, the impact is frequently compounded.1

It may be reasonable to postpone renal transplantation in patients with certain types of renal failure because late recovery of kidney function might occur, according to British researchers.

Researchers who studied a large cohort of Chinese men found an inverse relationship between alcohol consumption and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

TREATMENT with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is effective for carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the bladder, according to Japanese researchers.

Ascorbate deficiency is common among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and can be identified readily with serum ascorbate measurements, researchers in Australia report.

Thailand has a "remarkably high" prevalence of CKD among individuals aged 35 years and older, according to Thai and Australian researchers.

The efficacy of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) in the treatment of symptomatic BPH increases with prostate size, according to researchers in India.

Ascorbate deficiency is common among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and can be identified readily with serum ascorbate measurements, researchers in Australia report.

A diet high in vegetable intake is associated with a lower risk of surgically treated BPH, according to Australian researchers.

THE POSITIVE association between obesity and kidney disease (KD) is strongly supported by results of a recent meta-analysis by Wang et al (Kidney Int. 2008;73:19-33) that demonstrate a significantly increased risk for people with BMI greater than the normal range of 18.5-25 kg/m2. Along with CKD, the study also examined the occurrence of renal calculi and kidney cancer. According to the authors, 24.2% and 33.9% of KD cases among American men and women, respectively, could be prevented if overweight and obesity were eliminated.