Nephrology News and Research

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Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.

Organ transplantations plummet amid coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus disease has spread rapidly across nearly all countries across the globe, with more than 4.25 million people infected. The pandemic has taken a toll on the lives of people, especially those in locked down nations. Aside from the negative impact on economic and social aspects, patients who are sick with other diseases may also suffer from the effects of the pandemic.

12 May 2020

‘No intubation’: Seniors fearful of COVID-19 are changing their living wills

Last month, Minna Buck revised a document specifying her wishes should she become critically ill.

12 May 2020

Study reveals the effect of ancestry on molecular makeup of cancer

Questions about the genealogical imprint of tumors have hovered over cancer research since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003.

11 May 2020

ACR releases new guideline for management of gout

Today, the American College of Rheumatology released the 2020 Guideline for the Management of Gout.

11 May 2020

Gum Health Day 2020 to be celebrated worldwide on 12 May

"Say NO to bleeding gums" is the slogan for Gum Health Day 2020, to be celebrated worldwide on 12 May. Its goal is to raise public awareness about bleeding gums, which are usually a sign of a gum disease that will require treatment at the dental practice.

11 May 2020

Study demonstrates dynamic and broad-scale immune alterations in COVID-19 patient

A new case report released on the preprint server medRxiv* provides a detailed longitudinal analysis of the immune response associated with a fatal case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It highlights the need for addressing the source of hyper inflammation in the treatment approach.

10 May 2020

RNA interference machinery influences epithelial cell biology

Epithelial cells are held together and connected by several different types of structures that form cell-cell contacts.

9 May 2020

Predicting the dose for repurposing nitazoxanide in COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in May 2020 reports a model that could help evolve appropriate dosage protocols for future clinical trials of the repurposed drug nitazoxanide in COVID-19 prevention and treatment. The researchers say, “It was possible to achieve plasma and lung tizoxanide concentrations, using proven safe doses of nitazoxanide, that exceed the EC90 for SARS-CoV-2.”

7 May 2020

Modified dialysis device treats COVID-19

As part of a randomized controlled trial, a team from Lawson Health Research Institute is the first in the world to treat a patient with COVID-19 using a modified dialysis device.

7 May 2020

New preclinical study shows promise for treating necrotizing enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a rare inflammatory bowel disease, primarily affects premature infants and is a leading cause of death in the smallest and sickest of these patients.

6 May 2020

Cytokine storms created by COVID-19 could be reduced by using blood filter

Cytokine storms created by COVID-19 are causing major organ destruction and death, and for the first time in the United States, when patients begin to show signs of trouble, physicians are replacing the usual filter in a kidney dialysis machine with a filter known to trap these tiny proteins, with the goal of avoiding the devastation.

6 May 2020

Study finds two FDA-approved drugs are promising against COVID-19

Korean researchers have screened 48 FDA-approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2, and found that two, that are already FDA-approved for other illnesses, seem promising.

5 May 2020

Scientists receive $12-million grant to explore molecular mechanisms of heart injury and repair

Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. But significant disparities exist in the incidence and severity of heart disease, particularly between men and women, and major barriers remain for the successful long-term care of heart disease patients.

5 May 2020

COVID-19 progression linked to B cell activation

The disease course of COVID-19 is diverse, ranging from asymptomatic to fatal respiratory failure. Scientists have been working to uncover the immunological reasons behind this heterogeneity. A recent study on B cells, published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020, shows that extrafollicular B cells could be a marker of severe infection in the early stages, predicting the need for earlier immunomodulatory therapy.

4 May 2020

Rice scientist wins federal grant for eye research

A Rice University researcher has won a prestigious federal grant to study how a recently identified protein in the cornea aids development, homeostasis and wound healing in the eye.

4 May 2020

Study suggests ROBO2 pathway as therapeutic target for kidney diseases

Researchers have published a new study that suggests a signaling pathway called ROBO2 is a therapeutic target for kidney diseases, specifically kidney podocyte injury and glomerular diseases.

4 May 2020

AHA calls for specialized care for pregnant women with cardiovascular conditions

Women with cardiovascular conditions should be cared for during pregnancy by a cardio-obstetrics team or health care providers experienced in high-risk pregnancies to provide specialized maternity care for the mother and fetus, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement, Cardiovascular Considerations in Caring for Pregnant Patients, published today in the Association's flagship journal Circulation.

4 May 2020

Using photoacoustic imaging to visualize scarring in donor kidneys before transplant

When kidney transplants first came into practice in the 1950s, patients with chronic kidney disease could finally picture freedom from the unrelenting routine of blood-cleansing dialysis treatments. Just over a half-century later, demand has completely outstripped supply.

2 May 2020

AHA awards grants to 12 teams for fast-tracked heart and brain health research related to COVID-19

Less than a month after issuing a rapid response call for scientific research proposals for fast-tracked studies of the effects of COVID-19 on the body's cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, the American Heart Association has awarded $1.2 million in grants to teams at 12 institutions across the U.S. to begin this unprecedented work.

2 May 2020

New clinical trial to assess whether hypertension drug may reduce COVID-19 severity

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have launched a clinical trial to investigate whether a drug approved for treating high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetic kidney disease might also reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, lowering rates for intensive care unit admissions, the use of mechanical ventilators and all-cause mortality.

30 Apr 2020