ASN Press Releases: 2018
Latest Release: OPIOIDS MAY CARRY UNIQUE RISKS FOR PATIENTS ON HEMODIALYSIS
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Sixty-four percent of US patients undergoing hemodialysis in 2011 received opioids for pain, which is one of the most common reported symptoms in this patient population.
Opioid use was associated with higher risks of altered mental status, fall, and fracture in a dose-dependent manner, and these risks were present even when patients were not prescribed high opioid doses.
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- DIALYSIS PROVIDERS' AWARENESS OF RACIAL DISPARITIES IN TRANSPLANTATION IS LOW
Among 655 healthcare providers at dialysis clinics in the United States, 19% were aware of racial disparities in waitlisting.
Although a quarter of dialysis facilities had >5% racial difference in waitlisting within their own facilities, only 5% of the providers were aware of the disparity at their own facilities.
Nearly 70,000 US patients have end-stage renal disease, and most would benefit from kidney transplantation.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
- FINNISH STUDY REVEALS LARGE DROP IN INFECTION-RELATED DEATHS FOLLOWING KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION
The risk of death due to infectious causes after kidney transplantation in Finland has dropped by half since the 1990s.
Common bacterial infections remain the most frequent cause of infection-related deaths among transplant recipients.
Infections are the most common non-cardiovascular causes of death after kidney transplantation
Thursday, April 5, 2018
- ASN and AAKP Advocates are on Capitol Hill Urging Congress to Support KidneyX
Advocates from the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) are meeting with representatives, senators, and their respective staffs today to urge Congress to support KidneyX, a new public-private partnership to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
- EXPERTS ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED TO PREVENT INFECTIONS IN HEMODIALYSIS FACILITIES
Kidney failure patients undergoing hemodialysis are vulnerable to infectious threats, many of which may be life-threatening and spread to others in dialysis facilities
New articles provide important information on infections and their prevention in patients undergoing hemodialysis and transmission in dialysis facilities.
In the first year of hemodialysis, infection is the leading cause of death. In the prevalent hemodialysis population, it is a very close second most frequent cause.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
- STUDY ADDRESSES BARRIERS TO KIDNEY DISEASE SCREENING AMONG BLACK AMERICANS
In a study of Black Americans who participated in focus group sessions, certain participant factors—such as knowledge of kidney disease and spiritual and cultural influences—and logistical factors—such as convenience and awareness of scheduling—were identified as barriers that may prevent Black Americans from being screened for kidney disease.
Black Americans are at increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
- MOST LIVING KIDNEY DONORS ARE WOMEN, AND MEN ARE DONATING LESS THAN BEFORE
Between 2005 and 2015, the unadjusted rate of living kidney donation in the United States was 30.1 and 19.3 per million population in women and men, respectively.
After adjusting for differences in age, race, the incidence of kidney failure, and geographic factors, the incidence of donation was 44% higher in women.
Over time, the incidence of donation was stable in women but declined in men. The decline was most marked in men from lower income groups.
Thursday, March 8, 2018
- ASN CELEBRATES WORLD KIDNEY DAY AND ITS THEME OF "KIDNEYS & WOMEN'S HEALTH"
In celebration of the World Kidney Day 2018's theme of "Kidneys & Women's Health: Include, Value, Empower," the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is highlighting several articles in its journals, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) and Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), that are focused on women's kidney health.
Monday, March 5, 2018
- NEW RESEARCH MAY EXPLAIN THE LINK BETWEEN HEMODIALYSIS AND BRAIN FUNCTION DECLINE Hemodialysis causes decreased blood flow to the brain.
In a group of older patients undergoing hemodialysis, cerebral blood flow declined by 10%, from before the start to the end of hemodialysis.
Cerebral blood flow declined in all brain regions that were examined, including the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes; cerebellum; and thalamus.
Thursday, March 1, 2018
- ANALYSIS FINDS LOWER IQ IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
An analysis of published studies indicates that children with chronic kidney disease may have lower intellectual functioning compared than children in the general population.
Compared with children with mild-to-moderate stage kidney disease and with kidney transplants, children on dialysis had the lowest IQ scores.
Deficits were evident for attention, memory, and executive function domains.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
- RESEARCH COMPARES MOUSE AND HUMAN KIDNEY DEVELOPMENT
Three new research articles compare human and mouse kidney development to identify shared and novel features.
The studies provide new detailed molecular data to guide future research.
The studies revealed deep conservation of certain processes, but also significant differences in gene expression during kidney development, as well as in the timing, scale, organization, and molecular profile of key cell types and cell structures.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
- BLOOD SODIUM LEVELS MAY AFFECT COGNITION IN OLDER ADULTS
In generally healthy older men, slightly lower sodium levels in the blood were related to both cognitive impairment and declines in cognitive function over time.
Additional studies are needed to determine whether correction of lower serum sodium may influence cognition in older adults.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
- METHOD ASSESSES HOW WELL DIALYSIS CLINICS REFER PATIENTS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
A new method may be useful for assessing dialysis facilities' performance concerning referrals to transplant centers. The method, which is described in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), may help improve patients' chances of receiving potentially life-saving kidney transplants.
Thursday, January 25, 2018
- STUDY EXAMINES EMPLOYMENT TRENDS AMONG PATIENTS WITH KIDNEY FAILURE
• Among working-aged adults who started dialysis between 1996 and 2013, employment was low throughout the study period at 23-24%, and 38% of patients who were employed 6 months prior to being diagnosed with kidney failure stopped working by the time they initiated dialysis.
• After accounting for differences in patients over time, the probability of employment in kidney failure patients increased slightly over time.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
- EXPERTS CALL FOR ACTION TO ADDRESS PHYSICIAN BURNOUT IN NEPHROLOGY
Kidney specialists face increasing work demands, high rates of burnout, and declining interest in nephrology as a career. A group of articles publishing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) sheds light on how that these factors threaten to reduce job satisfaction and impair the delivery of high-quality care to patients with kidney diseases.
Thursday, January 11, 2018