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December 2006 Issue of Renal And Urology News

Editor's Letter

No Borders for Pathogens

For centuries, human beings have spread diseases long distances through their travels. Yellow fever and the mosquitoes that transmit it, for instance, are thought to ...

World Literature Review

Ethanol Injections Effective for Urinary Retention

Transurethral ethanol injection into the prostate (TUEIP) is an effective treatment for persistent urinary retention resulting from prostatic obstruction, according to a Japanese study.

MRI-Guided Biopsy May Increase Accuracy of PCa Diagnosis

MRI-guided biopsy of the prostate may improve the diagnostic accuracy in men with elevated or rising PSA levels following previous negative transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsies, ...

Cyclosporine A May Benefit Some Nephrotic Patients

Twelve months of therapy with cyclosporine (CyA) with or without prednisolone induces remission in most nephrotic patients with membranous nephropathy of moderate severity, investigators in ...

Spironolactone Beneficial In Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy

Adding spironolactone to an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) is associated with a marked and sustained antiproteinuric effect in type 2 diabetics, ...

FDA News

Oral Drug for Chronic Hepatitis Cleared

Tyzeka (telbivudine) from Novartis Pharmaceuticals has been approved as a once-a-day oral treatment for adults with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Effort to Halt Vendors of Fraudulent Diabetes Cures on Web

As part of an effort by the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission to halt deceptive online advertisements and sales of products misrepresented as diabetes ...

Approvable Letter for Aranesp Extended Dosing

Amgen Inc., of Thousand Oaks, Calif., has received an approvable letter from the FDA for Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) for de novo once-every-two-week dosing and for ...

First in New Class of Diabetes Drugs Cleared

Merck & Co. has received approval of its New Drug Application (See FDA News, April 2006) for Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate) tablets, the first in a ...

Alert Issued for Counterfeit Glucose Test Strips

The FDA issued an alert regarding domestic sales of counterfeit blood glucose test strips for use with various models of LifeScan Inc.’s One Touch brand ...

Legal Issues

A Respected Urologist Misses Prostate Cancer

Dr. R is a successful urologist who had gathered a wide circle of referring physicians over his 15 years in urologic practice, and he prided ...

Malpractice News

Errors Factor in Most Malpractice Claims

Medical errors caused by missed and delayed diagnoses in the outpatient setting result in significant harm to patients, according to a recent review of medical ...

Botched Surgery Leads to $3.9 Million Verdict

A jury in Staten Island, N.Y., awarded $3.9 million to a man who experienced complications following vascular surgery.

Wrong-Site Surgery More Common Than Thought

While coverage of wrong-side, wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgery occasionally appears in the lay press, it has been virtually nonexistent in the medical literature.

Renal Nutrition Update

Low Sodium, Phosphorus Diets Tricky

CKD PATIENTS often are advised to restrict their dietary intake of some nutrients to slow disease progression and prevent complications. Sodium intake should be limited ...

Your Money

Real Estate Investments Still Shine

REAL ESTATE investments of all kinds have soared. During the five years ending on September 30, the average real estate mutual fund returned 21.9% annually. ...

The Appeal of Funds that Hold Both Stocks and Bonds

During the bull market that ended in 2000, investors learned that stocks can deliver big returns—and sudden losses. Since then, there has been a new ...

General News

ADT Use Increasing

Despite widespread early detection and aggressive treatment for prostate cancer in the United States, the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been increasing, researchers ...

Age Affects Post-Transplant Infection Risk

SAN FRANCISCO—Older age is among the risk factors for infection with gram-negative cephalosporin-resistant bacilli (CRB) in recipients of renal or renal-pancreas transplants, according to Spanish ...

Albuminuria Varies by Race

WITH OR without diabetes, racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to have albuminuria than whites, researchers conclude.

Alemtuzumab May Increase Infection Risk

TORONTO—Alemtuzumab decreases the likelihood of allograft rejection but it may increase the risk of severe infections following renal transplantation, data suggest.

Androgen Deprivation Increases Risks

TREATMENT WITH a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist is associated with increased risks of diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD), MI, and sudden cardiac death in men ...

Cell Phone Use Might Harm Semen

NEW ORLEANS—Using a cell phone for several hours a day may be associated with a decrease in semen quality, data suggest.

Continuing on Alendronate Beneficial

PHILADELPHIA—A second year of once-weekly treatment with alendronate continues to raise bone mass at the hip and spine and prevent bone loss in the distal ...

COX-2 Expression Predicts PCa Return

EXPRESSION OF cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in prostate cancer tissue is an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy.

E. coli Colonization Patterns Emerge

TORONTO—By examining temporal patterns of Escherichia coli colonization of the periurethra and urine, it may soon be possible to intervene and prevent recurrent UTIs in ...

Enterococcal UTIs Become Predominant

TORONTO—Enterococcus has emerged as the predominant pathogen associated with symptomatic UTIs in the first six months after renal transplantation, data show.

Familial Dysautonomia Hikes CKD Risk

CKD IS MORE likely to develop in patients with familial dysautonomia (FD) than the general population, data suggest.

Genitourinary TB An Emerging Threat

SAN FRANCISCO—Genitourinary tuberculosis (GUTB) cases are on the rise in the United States and globally, but they often are difficult to diagnose, leading to a ...

Higher PSA Hikes Rescue Failure Risk

PSA LEVELS and PSA doubling time (PSADT) prior to radiotherapy predict outcomes following rescue radiation therapy for men with prostate cancer.

Lower PSA Biopsy Cutoff Supported

AFRICAN-AMERICAN (AA) men with nonpalpable prostate cancer have greater cancer volumes and higher prostatectomy Gleason scores than white men with similar PSA levels at the ...

Medication Protects Bone in PCa Patients

PHILADELPHIA—Prostate cancer patients treated with luteinizing hormone- releasing hormone (LHRH) have increased bone turnover and rapid bone loss within six months. A recent study suggests ...

Naftopidil Monotherapy Is Sufficient

NAFTOPIDIL is effective first-line monotherapy for patients with storage symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), according to researchers in Japan.

Network May Improve Transplant Care

TORONTO—A new online communication system under development promises to allow the tracking of every tissue or organ from donor to recipient in the United States. ...

Rapamycin-Related Problems Probed

TREATMENT WITH rapamycin may be associated with myoglobinuria and severe acute renal failure (ARF) following renal transplantation, according to a new study.

Study: Brachytherapy Alone Is Effective

PATIENTS WITH intermediate-risk prostate cancer may be effectively treated with brachytherapy without supplemental pelvic radiotherapy, according to new findings.

Thiazolidinediones May Increase Bone Loss

PHILADELPHIA—After 15-36 months, diabetics taking thiazolidinediones had increased bone loss at the hip and spine, according to data presented here at the 28th annual meeting ...

Urinary Schistosomiasis May Increase

SAN FRANCISCO—Urinary schistosomiasis is a common infection in sub-Saharan Africa and the Mideast, and more cases could surface in the United States because of greater ...

Weigh Pros and Cons of West Nile Screening

SAN FRANCISCO—Transplant centers need to weigh the pros and cons of screening solid organs for West Nile virus prior to transplantation, a Canadian researcher said ...

Cover Articles

13% of Donors Found to Have Bacteremia

SAN FRANCISCO—Bacteremia occurs in 13% of solid organ donors and the causative pathogens infect about 3% of recipients, according to Spanish investigators.

Pyuria Poor Sign of UTI in Stone Cases

TORONTO—Pyuria may not be an accurate indicator of UTI in patients presenting with acute urolithiasis, California researchers report.

Isoflavones Good for Sperm

NEW ORLEANS—Boosting the intake of soy protein may improve semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity in infertile men, according to findings presented here at the ...

Feature

Pulling the Plug on Dialysis Patients

Nephrologist Jean Holley, MD, will never forget Deena and Mary (not their real names), two patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) she cared for 20 ...