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January 2007 Issue of Renal And Urology News

World Literature Review

Low-Osmolar Contrast Agent Is Safer For the Kidneys

A large Swedish study of patients undergoing coronary procedures shows that renal failure is more likely to develop with the use of an iso-osmolar rather ...

Hypoalbuminemia Predicts Hypotension During Dialysis

Hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for hypotension during hemodialysis, Japanese researchers report.

HIFU May Be Feasible For High-Risk Prostate Cancer

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can produce good short-term outcomes in patients with high-risk prostate cancer, researchers in Italy conclude.

Study Reveals Epidemiology of Glomerulopathies in Brazil

Five-year data gathered by the Paulista Registry of Glomerulopathies in São Paulo, Brazil, shows that focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis is the most common primary glomerular ...

Small Renal Tumors Treatable with Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of small renal tumors is a promising alternative to surgery, investigators in Poland report.

FDA News

Advisory Issued on Erythropoietin and CKD Patients

In response to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2006;355: 2085-2098) and covered extensively in the lay media, the FDA has ...

New Software Features for Insulin Pump Approved

Smiths Medical MD, Inc., of St. Paul, Minn., has received clearance for new software features on its CozMore insulin technology system.

Review for Oral Anti-diabetes Drug Extended

A three-month extension until the end of February has been granted in the FDA’s review period for Novartis AG’s oral anti-diabetes medicine Galvus (vildagliptin).

Clinical Trials for Cholesterol Treatment Halted

Pfizer has notified FDA of its suspension of a large Phase 3 trial evaluating torcetrapib/atorvastatin (T/A), an investigational cardiovascular therapy designed to raise levels of ...

Legal Issues

Patient Claims Surgery Left Him with a Deformed Penis

Dr. H, age 35, recently graduated from a well-recognized urology residency and considered himself a well-trained surgeon who could deal with almost anything. He joined ...

Malpractice News

Liability Claims Stabilizing Thanks to Tort Reform

The overall frequency of medical malpractice claims has not increased for the second straight year, according to figures reported by a representative sampling of 700 ...

Verbal Drug Orders Often Misunderstood

Patients are at greater risk of medication errors when clinicians order drugs in person or via telephone, according to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory, an ...

Brain-Damaged Man Receives $217 Million Award

A jury awarded nearly $217 million in damages to a Tampa man left brain-damaged when emergency-room doctors misdiagnosed stroke symptoms. After a three-week civil trial, ...

Renal Nutrition Update

Benefits of Glycemic Control Unclear

MEASURED BY glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), poor diabetic metabolic control correlates with the complications such as nephropathy, as demonstrated in two important studies, the Diabetes ...

Your Money

How to Shrink Taxes on Investments

INVESTORS HAVE good reason to be pleased. During the first 10 months of 2006, the Standard Poor’s 500-stock index returned 12.1%. But along with those ...

General News

Antidepressants May Harm Male Fertility

SELECTIVE serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may inhibit sperm transport, resulting in impaired sperm motility and concentration in some men, researchers report.

BMD May Be Decreased Post-Transplant

BONE MINERAL density (BMD) may be reduced and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels elevated in long-term renal transplant patients with good graft function, according to Swedish ...

CRP Predicts Worse RCC Survival

HIGH PREOPERATIVE C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with worse survival in patients who undergo radical nephrectomy for localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to ...

Cuffed Catheters Are Riskier

SAN DIEGO—Cuffed catheters for hemodialysis patients are associated with a 46% higher risk of septicemia or endocarditis compared with temporary catheters, according to a study ...

Duloxetine May Relieve OAB Symptoms

DULOXETINE, a serotonin-noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor, may be an effective treatment for women with symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB). Duloxetine is marketed as Cymbalta for treating ...

Early Use of ED Drugs Beneficial

EARLY USE of phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDEIs) following brachytherapy is associated with improved erectile function compared with late use of the drugs.

Full Correction of Anemia May Be Bad

ACHIEVING HIGH hemoglobin levels in patients with CKD anemia may confer no cardiovascular benefit and could even increase the risk of death and cardiac problems, ...

Gene Therapy for ED Moves Forward

THE FIRST human study using gene transfer to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) shows promising results, according to researchers.

Guidelines Urged for UTIs in the ICU

TORONTO—Guidelines are needed for managing positive urine cultures in the ICU because clinicians often prescribe antibiotics inappropriately, researchers reported here at the annual meeting of ...

Immunotherapy-Chemo Combo Possible

NEW YORK—Immunotherapy with sipuleucel-T followed by docetaxel chemotherapy may prolong survival in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), a researcher reported here at the Chemotherapy ...

Incontinence Procedures Cure Similarly

TENSION-FREE vaginal tape (TVT) and colposuspension have similar long-term efficacy for treating primary urodynamic stress incontinence, according to recent study findings presented at the International ...

Infliximab Shows Promise for SLE

WASHINGTON, DC—Infliximab is effective for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nephritis when used in combination with azathioprine or methotrexate, according to data presented here at the ...

Marginal Kidneys Are Okay

SAN DIEGO—Kidneys from marginal and ideal deceased kidney donors are associated with similar patients and graft survival, a team of researchers concluded.

Metformin Improves Survival

SAN DIEGO—Treatment of type 2 diabetes with metformin alone or in combination with other hypoglycemic agents is associated with decreased all-cause mortality compared with anti-diabetic ...

New Medication Improves PCa Outcomes

NEW YORK—A high-dose oral formulation of calcitriol, called DN 101 and used in combination with docetaxel, is associated with longer survival in men with hormone-refractory ...

Hyperuricemia Linked to CKD in African Americans

Hyperuricemia may be strongly associated with CKD in African Americans.

Strict perioperative glucose control nephroprotective

Strict blood glucose control with insulin may reduce the risk of postoperative renal impairment and renal failure after cardiac surgery, data suggest.

Anemia Increases the Rate of Progression to ESRD

Anemia in CKD patients is an important risk factor for progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Overactive Bladder Boosts Risk of ED

OVERACTIVE BLADDER (OAB) symptoms in middle-aged or older men are associated with an increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED).

Post-MI Mortality Risk Linked to GFR

CHICAGO—Using plasma fasting glucose level and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in conjunction with the TIMI risk index improves 30-day mortality predictions following acute MI, data ...

Renal Stones Linked to Migraine Drug

TOPIRAMATE (Topamax), a drug for epileptic seizures and migraine headaches, may cause systemic metabolic acidosis, lower urinary citrate excretion, and raise urinary pH if used ...

Risk of High BP Linked to Uric Acid, Study Says

SERUM URIC acid is strongly associated with hypertension in African Americans, suggesting that a simple blood test could predict risk, and that treatments to lower ...

Rotating-Shift Workers at Increased PCa Risk

ROTATING-SHIFT work is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, according to a Japanese study.

Sildenafil May Decrease BP

REGULAR USE of sildenafil lowers BP in patients with hypertension, according to researchers in the United Kingdom.

Sodium Bicarbonate May Increase CN Risk

SODIUM BICARBONATE may increase the risk of contrast nephropathy (CN), recent findings suggest.

Sorafenib Outcomes Unaffected by Age

ISTANBUL—Age does not affect clinical outcomes in sorafenib-treated patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), researchers announced here at the 31st congress of the European ...

Study: IV, Oral Iron Similar

IV and oral iron increase hemoglobin similarly in non-dialysis CKD patients, but IV iron may result in more rapid repletion of iron stores.

Study: Microalbuminuria, LVH Linked

MICROALBUMINURIA is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in the general population, new data suggest.

Type of Dialysis Affects Body Weight

BODY COMPOSITION tends to change significantly during the first year of dialysis, but the changes depend on which type of dialysis is administered.

Varicocele Surgery May Improve Semen

NEW ORLEANS—Varicocelectomy may significantly improve semen parameters such as sperm count, motility, and morphology in infertile men with palpable lesions, according to a new meta-analysis ...

Feature

Dialysis Centers Go Patient Friendly

A mural featuring a sun-dappled lake, crimson and azure birds, lush flowers, and palm trees adorns one waiting room wall. In another, a comfy couch ...

Review articles

Vasectomy: What the Evidence Shows

EVEN THOUGH the American Urological Association has developed guidelines for numerous conditions, there are none for vasectomy. Yet this is one of the most common ...