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November 2007 Issue of Renal And Urology News

World Literature Review

Ethanol May Ease Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Post-Tx

Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) is a useful and safe treatment alternative for patients with persistent post-transplant secondary hyperparathyroidism, researchers in Argentina report.

Older Age May Increase CKD Risk in Live Kidney Donors

Older age and hypertension increase the risk of renal impairment among live kidney donors, according to South Korean researchers.

PSA Density Predicts PSA Velocity, UK Study Shows

PSA density is an independent determinant of PSA velocity in untreated localized prostate cancer, a study in the UK concluded.

One Third of Standard BCG Dose May Be Sufficient

One third of the standard dose of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) could be recommended as adjuvant treatment for intermediate-risk superficial bladder tumors, Spanish researchers say.

FDA News

Once-Daily Combination Tablet Reduces High BP

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., of Parsippany, N.J., the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's second-largest pharmaceutical company, has received approval for Azor (amlodipine and olmesartan medoxomil), a once-daily ...

A Short-Course Therapy of Complicated UTI, Pyelonephritis Cleared

The FDA has approved the use of a five-day, once-daily regimen of Levaquin (levofloxacin) 750 mg IV and oral for the treatment of complicated UTI ...

Pen-Injectors for Glucose Control Approved

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of San Diego, announced the approval the SymlinPen 120 and the SymlinPen 60 pre-filled pen-injector devices for administering Symlin (pramlintide acetate) to ...

Chronic Dialysis Catheter with Over-the-Wire Delivery Okayed

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of Vancouver, Canada, has been given clearance to market the Hemo-Stream chronic dialysis catheter, the first device of its kind specifically designed ...

Legal Issues

Consent for Treatment Based on Misinformation

Dr. W, 56, was an experienced urologist in a small suburban community in the South. His surgical skills and common-sense approach earned him the trust ...

Malpractice News

Man Wins $1.6 Million in Missed Bladder Cancer Case

A terminally ill Illinois man has won a $1.6 million verdict against the general practitioner who failed to diagnose bladder cancer.

Post-op Paraplegia Leads to $1.8 Million Verdict

A Michigan jury awarded $1.8 million to John Shivers, a 75-year-old man who became paralyzed following bladder surgery.

Think Tank to Focus on Electronic Prescribing

Electronic medical records (EMR) and prescriptions can improve the actual delivery of care and services. With that in mind, a coalition of medical, pharmaceutical, and ...

Study: Poor Communication Gives Rise to Complaints

Your bedside manner matters. Doctors with poor attitudes or communication skills are more likely to face complaints with regulatory agencies than their more personable colleagues, ...

Renal Nutrition Update

Phosphorus Ignorance is Common

DESPITE regular dietary instruction, patients undergoing dialysis have a poor knowledge of dietary phosphorus compared with other nutrients important in CKD, according to researchers at ...

General News

Urinary Symptoms Common in Canada

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and urinary incontinence (UI) are common in the Canadian population, researchers report.

Prostatectomy Is Best PCa Option

Prostatectomy offers the best chance of long-term prostate cancer-specific survival for men with localized prostate cancer, according to researchers.

Single Drug May Suffice to Lower Albumin Excretion Rate

BLOCKING THE renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) with one drug may be just as effective as using two drugs at decreasing albuminuria in hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria ...

Tacrolimus Effective as Steroid Sparing Agent

A study of Chinese adult patients suggests that a 24-week course of tacrolimus is a favorable steroid-sparing drug for treating steroid-dependent minimal change nephritic syndrome ...

Active Surveillance Can Be An Option

ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE (AS) is a reasonable alternative to immediate intervention in appropriately selected patients with low-risk prostate cancer.

An Alternative Treatment for Phimosis

PARIS—Y-V preputioplasty is a viable alternative to circumcision for men with phimosis who wish to preserve their foreskin, according to investigators in the UK.

Combo May Be More Effective for LUTS

PARIS—Men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with BPH may benefit more from a combination of tolterodine extended-release and tamsulosin than from either medication ...

Dorsal Onlay Grafts Meet With Success

PARIS—Dorsal onlay grafts of buccal mucosa may provide another option for repairing pendulous urethral strictures, preliminary findings suggest.

Drug Guidelines May Endanger Kidneys

CHICAGO—New guidelines recommending higher-than-traditional concentrations of vancomycin could result in nephrotoxicity, according to new data presented here at the recent Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents ...

ED Linked To Lead

EGYPTIAN RESEARCHERS have found a link between chronic lead exposure and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Empiric UTI Therapy Switch Suggested

CHICAGO—An international survey of uropathogens isolated from women with uncomplicated UTIs suggests that physicians may need to rethink the antibiotics they use for empiric treatment.

HGPIN Is A Bad Sign

HIGH-GRADE prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) in retropubic radical prostatectomy specimens predicts a significantly higher risk of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, according to a study ...

Medication Lowers Risk of First SRE

PARIS—Zoledronic acid reduces the risk of a first skeletal-related event (SREs) in patients with early malignant bone disease associated with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

Vasculitis Need Not Stop Transplants

SYSTEMIC vasculitis (SV) in renal transplant recipients does not significantly affect patient and graft survival, an Italian study found.

Single Agent May Suffice To Decrease Albuminuria

USING A SINGLE drug to block the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) may be just as effective as using two drugs at decreasing albuminuria in hypertensive patients ...

Sirolimus + Voriconazole Can Be Safe

CHICAGO—Clinicians can safely use sirolimus and voriconazole concurrently if certain steps are followed, according to investigators.

Study: BPH Medications' Efficacy Not Equal

PARIS—Dutasteride is more effective than tamsulosin for treating men with moderate-to-severe urinary symptoms of BPH, data suggest.

Tacrolimus Use Advantageous

A STUDY OF Chinese adult patients suggests that a 24-week course of tacrolimus is a favorable steroid-sparing drug for treating steroid-dependent minimal change nephritic syndrome ...

New Penile Prostheses Found Easier to Use

PARIS—Early results suggest that patients like the newly modified AMS 700 series inflatable pump penis prosthesis.

TOT and TVT Comparable

TRANSOBTURATOR TAPE (TOT) is a safe and effective as tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) in surgery for stress urinary incontinence.

Urinary Symptoms Common

LOWER URINARY TRACT symptoms (LUTS) and urinary incontinence (UI) are common in the Canadian population, researchers report.

Robot Surgery May Improve Prostate Cancer Outcomes

PARIS—Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) for localized prostate tumors is associated with a relatively low positive margin rate, data show.

Robotic Cystectomies Have Advantages

ROBOTIC RADICAL cystectomy (RC) may offer advantages over open surgery without compromising pathologic measures of early oncologic efficacy, researchers suggest.

Cover Articles

Recurrent UTI, Diabetes Link

CHICAGO—Diabetes increases the likelihood of UTI recurrences in pre- and post-menopausal women, despite longer treatments with more potent initial antibiotics, a Dutch study shows.

Researchers Identify New Fungal Threat

CHICAGO—Zygomycosis, an invasive fungal infection with substantial morbidity and mortality, is increasing steadily in the United States among solid organ and stem cell transplant recipients, ...

Solifenacin Works for Difficult OAB

PATIENTS WITH severely bothersome overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms who have failed treatment with tolterodine ER may benefit by switching to solifenacin, research suggests.

Review articles

CAPD Peritonitis: Causes, Management

PERITONITIS IS a frequent complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and the most common cause of CAPD failure. About 60% of patients receiving CAPD ...

Secondary Hypertension: The Drug Link

MOST PATIENTS who have high BP have primary or essential hypertension, the cause of which is as yet unknown. About 5%-10% of adults with hypertension ...

Commentary

Shaping the Future of Kidney Care

The kidney-care community can point to more than 30 years of clinical accomplishments. In particular, the past 10 years have been marked by steady improvement ...

Robot Surgery Assistants Get 3-D View

DURING THE past five years, the da Vinci robot has increasingly been used to perform radical prostatectomies. This robotic technology has revolutionized prostate cancer surgery. ...