Fighting Inflammation Key to Improved Survival in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients


Researchers from Keele University and Cardiff University in the UK have uncovered the link between systemic and peritoneal inflammation and PD patient survival.  In peritoneal dialysis (PD), the peritoneum, a semi-permeable membrane in the abdomen, is used to filter the wastes, salts, and excess fluids from the bloodstream. According to the statistics, only 1 PD patient … Continue reading Fighting Inflammation Key to Improved Survival in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Researchers Target Muscle Wasting in Chronic Kidney Disease


A new study from Baylor College of Medicine and an international team of researchers may one day lead to an effective treatment for muscle loss associated with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. Until now, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause of muscle wasting, which can increase the risk of death in these … Continue reading Researchers Target Muscle Wasting in Chronic Kidney Disease

UCLA Researchers Invent Portable Device for Common Kidney Tests


UCLA researchers have developed an ingenious portable device capable of conducting a common kidney test quickly and accurately at home or anywhere. The testing package, which includes disposable fluorescent test tubes, a smartphone app, software and an optical attachment, weighs less than a third of a pound and could cost around $50 to $100. The … Continue reading UCLA Researchers Invent Portable Device for Common Kidney Tests

Researchers Find Gene Variants Linked to Kidney Problems in Lupus Patients


There are many unknowns in lupus, an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, which can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs. There is no cure for lupus. Symptoms are controlled with a variety of drugs that don’t work for everyone and have harmful side effects. Doctors don’t know why around … Continue reading Researchers Find Gene Variants Linked to Kidney Problems in Lupus Patients

Surprising Mechanism Discovered in PKD


Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine have discovered a new mechanism that affects both the severity and progression of PKD. Previously, cyst growth has been linked to mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes and their associated proteins, polycystin-1 and -2. Scientists have found that defective cilia in renal tube cells also play a … Continue reading Surprising Mechanism Discovered in PKD

Kidney Stones Tied to Raised Heart Disease Risk for Women


Researchers at Columbus Gemelli Hospital in Rome have found that women, but not men, with a history of kidney stones have a higher risk of coronary heart disease, a condition in which plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries.  They studied 242,105 men and women in the U.S., 19,678 of whom reported a history of kidney … Continue reading Kidney Stones Tied to Raised Heart Disease Risk for Women