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April 2007 Issue of Renal And Urology News

Editor's Letter

Meeting Size Doesn’t Matter

World Literature Review

Sildenafil Shows Promise for Premature Ejaculation

Sildenafil is safe and more effective than paroxetine and the squeeze technique for treating premature ejaculation, according to a Chinese study.

Gallstone Disease in Renal Transplant Patients Defined

The incidence of gallstone disease in patients on a kidney transplantation waiting list is similar to that of the general population, but in transplant patients, ...

Prostate Cancer Risk Higher in Blacks than Whites

Prostate cancer is three times more likely to develop in black men than white men in the United Kingdom, although the risk is lower than ...

CRP Predicts PD-Associated Peritonitis Outcomes

Higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are independently associated with adverse outcomes in peritonitis associated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), according to Canadian researchers.

FDA News

FDA Strengthens ESA Safety Information

The FDA issued a public health advisory outlining new safety information, including revised product labeling about erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). The drugs affected by the safety ...

New Oral Treatment for High BP Approved

FDA has announced the approval of Tekturna (aliskiren) tablets for hypertension, both as monotherapy or in combination with other high-BP medications.

First-Line RCC Treatment Cleared in Sunitinib Labeling

New labeling of Sutent (sunitinib malate, Pfizer) has been approved that includes first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Two Applications Accepted for Sitagliptin Expansion

Two supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDAs) for Januvia (sitagliptin) have been accepted for review, and Merck expects FDA action by October.

Legal Issues

Gleason Score Is Focus of Malpractice Litigation

Dr. R, a 59-year-old urologist, felt he was nearing a well-deserved retirement, but then a malpractice case derailed his final plans.

Malpractice News

Briefings Boost Teamwork, Cut Chance of Surgical Error

Briefings Boost Teamwork, Cut Chance of Surgical Error A two-minute time-out before an operation significantly reduces risk of surgical mistakes while creating a more collaborative ...

Damages Cap Faces Constitutional Challenge

The constitutionality of Illinois’ limit on certain damage awards is being challenged by a plaintiff’s attorney in a Cook County circuit court.

Renal Nutrition Update

Encouraging Dietary Self-Monitoring

Protein malnutrition occurs frequently in patients on hemodialysis. When patient assessment indicates protein malnutrition, increased protein intake is recommended. Even if protein intake appears to ...

Your Money

Investing in Good Corporate Citizens

For decades, banks managing pensions and other institutions have practiced “social investing,” picking stocks in companies that meet ethical criteria. In the 1970s, some public ...

When Companies Buy Back Their Shares

More and more companies are buying back their own stock. In recent months, Caterpillar announced a $7.5 billion buyback, while Xerox said that it would ...

General News

CRP Predicts Advanced PCa Outcomes

ORLANDO—Blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) independently predict survival in men with metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), researchers conclude. CRP levels also predict the likelihood ...

Green Tea Adds to Anti-PCa Effect, Tests Show

TAKING GREEN tea together with low doses of a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor slows prostate cancer growth, laboratory tests show.

Higher BMI Increases PCa Death Risk

ORLANDO—Elevated BMI is in-dependently associated with higher prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) following radiation therapy and androgen suppression in men with locally advanced prostate cancer.

Cryo Techniques Give Similar Results

SEATTLE - Percutaneous cryoablation as a treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is as safe and effective as laparoscopic cryoablation in appropriate candidates, researchers reported ...

Drug Curbs PCa-Related Bone Problems

ORLANDO—Zoledronic acid provides long-term reduction of pain and risk of skeletal-related events (SREs) in men with bone metastases secondary to prostate cancer.

Drug Prevents PD Exit-Site Infections

DENVER—Gentamicin cream applied daily to the catheter exit site in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) reduces the rate of catheter infection, according to findings presented ...

Dutasteride Improves PCa Detection

Prostate cancer detection can be improved by pretreating men with dutasteride prior to biopsy guided by contrast-enhanced color Doppler (CECD) imaging, according to researchers.

Higher BMI Increases PCa Death Risk

ORLANDO—Elevated BMI is independently associated with higher prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) following radiation therapy and androgen suppression in men with locally advanced prostate cancer.

Higher Cardiac Death Risk Linked to ADT

ORLANDO—Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer may increase the risk of death from heart disease in men aged 65 years and older, according ...

How to Optimize Aldosterone Blockade

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is a well-known regulator of BP, and angiotensin II (AII) plays the primary role in constricting the postglomerular arterioles. This increases ...

IMRT Shows Promise for PCa Salvage

ORLANDO—Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) may offer a promising salvage option for prostate cancer patients who experience PSA relapse following radical prostatectomy, researchers said.

Non-Surgical Varicocele Repair Works

SEATTLE—Non-surgical transcatheter retrograde sclerotherapy of male varicocele is highly effective and enables more rapid recovery than surgery, researchers reported here at the Society of Interventional ...

One in 10 Have An ESRD History

NEARLY 10% of U.S. adults have a family history of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and these individuals may be at increased risk of developing kidney ...

Outpatient Stenting Is Safe And Effective

SEATTLE—Outpatient percutaneous renal artery stenting (PRAS) can be safely performed with few major complications, according to a Canadian study presented here at the annual meeting ...

Pediatric Kidneys Prove Viable Transplants

SAN DIEGO—En-bloc transplants of kidneys from infants and young children into adult recipients may offer better outcomes than deceased expanded criteria donor (ECD) organs, data ...

Post-Tx Infection Risks Identified

Younger age, female gender, and antibody induction are among the risk factors for infection-related hospitalizations following renal transplantation, according to two studies.

Post-Tx Diabetes Risks Characterized

Risk factors for new-onset diabetes after renal transplantation include tacrolimus immunosuppression and older age and heavier weight at the time of transplantation.

Primary Screening in Renal Patients

The medical care care of patients with renal disease includes notonly disease-specific care but preventive and general care as well as the treatment of minor ...

PSA Velocity Threshold is Too High

ORLANDO—New findings presented here suggest clinicians should use a lower PSA velocity (PSAV) to recommend prostate biopsies in men who have PSA levels less than ...

Radiotherapy May Lower PCa Detection

ORLANDO—Radiotherapy for rectal cancer decreases subsequent clinical detection of prostate cancer, researchers report.

Renal Nicotine Receptors Are Identified

Nicotine receptors on kidney cells may explain why cigarette smokers are vulnerable to kidney damage, researchers say.

Researchers: Aspirin Resistance Real

SAN FRANCISCO—Aspirin resistance is real and it is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular- and cerebrovascular events.

Sevelamer May Lower Death Risk

A study of new hemodialysis patients revealed that those treated with the phosphate binder sevelamer had a significantly lower death rate than those treated with ...

Statin Cuts Death Risk In Renal Patients

Simvastatin is safe and effective for the secondary prevention of all-cause mortality and major cardiac events in patients with mild chronic renal insufficiency (CRI), according ...

Stereotactic Radiosurgery Beneficial

SAN DIEGO—Stereotactic radiosurgery produces early and durable responses in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients with either previously untreated spinal metastases or spinal metastases that have ...

Taking Fewer Lanthanum Carbonate Pills

SAN DIEGO—Doses of lanthanum carbonate as high as 4,500 mg a day appear to be well tolerated and may provide serum phosphorus control for some ...

Ureteral Stone Treatments Comparable

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and ureteroscopy are both safe and effective for removing ureteral stones, and neither is clearly superior to the other, according ...

Urine Test May Improve PCa Diagnosis

ORLANDO—A urine assay for prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) is superior to serum PSA tests for predicting outcomes of repeat prostate biopsy, data show.

Vasectomies May Cause Brain Damage

Vasectomy may be a risk factor for primary progressive aphasia (PPA) in men, say researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Why Some Bedwetting Resists Therapy

Children with a form of nocturnal enuresis that does not respond to therapy may have more sodium and urea in their nighttime urine, possibly because ...

Would-Be Dads Should Avoid Hot Tubs

Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that immersion in hot water adversely affects male fertility.

Cover Articles

Dialysis Not A Post-CABG Risk

DENVER—Hemodialysis (HD)-dependent chronic renal failure (CRF) patients do not have higher mortality following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) than non-HD dependent CRF patients.

Drug Improves BMD, Lipids in ADT Recipients

ORLANDO—Toremifene increases bone mineral density (BMD) and improves lipid profiles in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for advanced prostate cancer, according to findings presented ...

Feature

Reverse Epidemiology: Dialysis Paradox

While obesity,While obesity, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are well-established harbingers of poor cardiovascular health and death, so-called reverse epidemiology holds that these physiological states actually increase ...