Journal Watch

  • Kidney pros would choose home dialysis

    A survey of kidney professionals done by Satellite Healthcare found that more than 90% would choose a home treatment if their kidneys failed—about half choosing PD and half choosing some type of home HD.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Dialyzors prefer buttonholes

    A new study of standard in-center HD dialyzors who have used the buttonhole technique for a year found that satisfaction averaged 8.5 (out of 10); 96% said they would recommend it; and 83% said it was easier for the nurses. (Of course, we'd far rather see folks putting in their own needles!)

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • What you don't know CAN hurt you!

    Health literacy means how well you understand and can use medical info to help yourself. In a new study of 480 folks on HD, those whose health literacy was highest lived longest—even adjusting for age, sex, race, and diabetes.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Nurse education after unplanned dialysis starts increases home treatments

    Each year, about half of those who start dialysis had little or no time to prepare. In a new study of 176 Canadians, assigning a nurse to teach new dialyzors increased the use of PD, home HD, and even transplant.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • November 2006 Kidney International supplement focuses on PD

    Is survival better on PD or HD? What factors predict PD success? What are best practices in PD catheter placement? Does use of biocompatible PD solution reduce peritonitis? Learn the answers to these and many other key PD questions in the November 2006 supplement of KI. (For kidney professionals who don't subscribe to Kidney International, we've compiled the links to all of the abstracts from the special supplement on PD (November 2006). You can find them below.

    Note to dialyzors: Kidney International is a medical journal for professionals. Feel free to read the abstracts—and please write and let us know if there is information you think we should focus on for a future "Life@Home" article. We'd love to hear from you!

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Vitamin D deficiency linked with EPO resistance

    What if resistance to EPO is related to low levels of vitamin D that tend to occur in people on dialysis? A new study looks at just that, and found a link. While more rigorous studies are needed, it's an intriguing thought...

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Watch your water soluble vitamins on nocturnal HD

    More dialysis washes more vitamins out of the blood, finds a new study from Australia. Among people who were doing nocturnal HD, levels of vitamin C and thiamine were low. Supplements may be wise—ask your doctor.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Nocturnal in-center treatments save lives

    A new study from Turkey matched 247 people on 8-hour nocturnal in-center HD 3 times a week with 247 doing standard 4-hour HD by age, sex, diabetes, and length of time on dialysis. After a year, those doing nocturnal had 72% better survival—a significant improvement.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Meta-analysis: Icodextrin PD fluid really does have advantages

    In a study of 9 randomized controlled trials, icodextrin removed much more water from the blood of people who did PD than standard glucose-based PD fluid without causing any more health problems for them.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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  • Yet another call for PD first

    Doctors at the University of Missouri have written an article noting that PD is under-used, and suggest ways to promote PD as a first dialysis option. Good idea!

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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