Vanderbilt University researchers are coming to some surprising conclusions about abnormally low levels of oxygen in organs or tissues (hypoxia) and the effect on kidney disease. Hypoxia has been linked to inflammation in a number of ailments, including kidney disease, where it is also believed to cause kidney scarring or fibrosis. When hypoxia occurs, the body … Continue reading Low Oxygen Could Protect Ailing Kidneys
TNF Proteins May Warn of Diabetic Kidney Disease Risk
Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Joslin Diabetes Center have discovered that high levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors found in the blood of patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes may predict incidence of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure years later. TNF proteins can trigger inflammation, which has been linked to … Continue reading TNF Proteins May Warn of Diabetic Kidney Disease Risk
Pirfenidone Improves Kidney Function in Diabetic Patients
Researchers from UC San Diego, the National Institutes of Health, and the Mayo Clinic have shown that an experimental drug called pirfenidone can stop damage and improve kidney function in diabetic patients. Study participants treated with a small amount of the drug for one year showed improved glomerular filtration rates. Pirfenidone, an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic … Continue reading Pirfenidone Improves Kidney Function in Diabetic Patients
New Understanding of Kidney Gene Changes in Diabetic Nephropathy
Researchers at the University of Louisville have used a mouse model to show how human kidney genes change as diabetic nephropathy progresses. By studying gene expression, they discovered that inflammatory genes underwent the most changes. Paul Epstein, Ph.D., acting director of the Kosair Children’s Hospital Research Institute said, “In future studies, we can use this … Continue reading New Understanding of Kidney Gene Changes in Diabetic Nephropathy