With a nurse educator, more urgent-start patients choose self-care treatments

As many as half of people start dialysis with no prior plan for it. When a renal triage nurse sees these patients, the chances that they will opt for PD, home HD, or transplant was significantly higher.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

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Review: What do we know now about more-frequent HD?

Studies have shown since the 1960s that more-frequent dialysis improves outcomes. The recent Frequent Hemodialysis Network trials confirmed these findings. This article reviews the data.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

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Nocturnal HD helps people grow cells that lead to healthy new blood vessels

Growth of new blood vessels is impaired with standard in-center HD. The cells that grow blood vessels don't work as well as they should, because waste levels in the blood are still too high, even with treatment. But, nocturnal HD is another story. With the blood much cleaner, there was significantly better cell function.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

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Ratios of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats may impact health in kidney disease

Western diets tend to have too much omega 6 and not enough omega 3 fatty acids. In 145 people on standard in-center HD, having too much omega 6 was linked with significantly higher inflammation.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

Tags: Chronic kidney disease

Dialysis removes Vitamin B6; supplements can help

A meta-analysis has found 24-56% Vitamin B6 deficiencies, a problem made worse by ESAs, some phosphate binders, and modern dialyzer membranes. B6 supplementation recommendations may need to be updated.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

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PD is safe and efficient for urgent dialysis starts

Researchers in Germany followed 123 people who started dialysis without a prior plan (66 did PD, 54 did standard in-center HD). Those on HD had much higher infection rates and somewhat (but not significantly) lower survival.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

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Choosing PD may mean fewer access procedures for you

In a study of 369 Canadians with ESRD, 224 (61%!) chose PD, and just 145 (39%) chose HD. After an average of 1.3 years, those who chose PD had significantly fewer access procedures. PD catheters were less likely to fail than HD access.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-07-26)

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Better survival on home HD than PD in England and Wales

A study from the UK compared 225 people on home HD from 1997 to 2005 with age and sex matched people on PD and standard HD. Those on home HD lived significantly longer than those on PD—even when the researchers adjusted for those who received transplants or were on the wait list.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-06-21)

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Statin use may boost PD survival

A new study from Korea has found that taking a statin drug to lower cholesterol helped people on PD live longer—whether or not they had diabetes. The researchers suggest that larger, randomized studies are now needed.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-06-21)

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Risk factors linked to renal cell cancer (RCC) after long-term dialysis

RCC occurs at higher rates in those who have been on dialysis for many years. If you know the risk factors, you can ask for screening. Those at highest risk in a large study were men; older people; ESRD caused by an obstruction, FSGS, or tuberous sclerosis; and those whose kidneys grew new cysts.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-06-21)

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