Kidney Week

Randomized controlled trials remain the gold standard, but a researcher at Kidney Week 2012 says that new approaches and study designs are needed that reflect real-world drug use and account for confounding variables.

Patients with end-stage renal disease who live in the Midwest begin dialysis at an earlier stage than patients who live in other regions of the US.

Results from the TEMPO trial presented at Kidney Week 2012 show that treatment with tolvaptan slowed the increase in total kidney volume and the decline in kidney function in patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

Increasing numbers of people are on kidney transplant waiting lists. However, the number of potential living donors may shrink as more Americans qualify as pre-diabetic, making them less than ideal donor candidates.

Experts at Kidney Week 2012 discuss several treatment options for hyponatremia, including fluid restriction, loop diuretics, and the use of selective vasopressin V2-receptor antagonists.

A diet rich in highly alkaline fruits and vegetables helps reduce a marker of kidney injury and preserve kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease.

The powerful immunosuppressive drugs used to prevent allograft rejection are associated with severe side effects. A "mixed chimerism" strategy in which patients undergo simultaneous bone marrow and kidney transplant from the same donor may improve transplant survival and reduce the need for these drugs.

Use of peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease is declining due to lack of physician training and awareness, financial disincentives, and other factors. However, with proper patient and provider education, it is possible to grow a successful peritoneal dialysis program.

Study results reported at Kidney Week 2012 reveal that patients with early-stage CKD fare better in the public health system, which also appears to produce fewer racial and ethnic health disparities in care delivered to this population.

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