Latest Conference Articles

There are many factors to consider when treating patients who may be infected with the Ebola virus, including several that are unique to the virus and that had not been widely considered prior to the current outbreak.

Treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with CKD may help prevent disease progression. Ablation has been shown produce marked improvement in kidney function as measured by eGFR. A prospective study of individuals undergoing catheter ablation for AF showed that most patients remained AF-free, and that eGFR improved significantly for those with persistent or longstanding persistent AF.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism can occur in CKD when the kidney loses its ability to produce active metabolites of vitamin D, and reduces phosphorus excretion. Cinacalcet seeks to interrupt the progression to severe unremitting hyperparathyroidism by mimicking calcium to the calcium-sensing receptors that control parathyroid hormone levels.

Physicians caring for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) must strike a balance between ensuring optimal lipid control for protection from vascular events, while avoiding undue risk.

Affecting just one in every 100,000 people, ANCA-associated vasculitis is not one of the more common conditions nephrologists will encounter. However, without proper treatment it can have serious adverse effects on a patient's life.

For patients on dialysis one of the biggest concerns is whether their blood pressure will stay at a healthy level during the process. While there have been some advances made more work needs to be done to help patients in need.

Despite achieving optimal goals for "bad" cholesterol levels, individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease still have an elevated risk of vascular complications.

Heart failure and other cardiac events can leave lasting effects on the lives of patients. Scientists are working on ways to help make the recovery process easier and smoother by generating cells that can help the healing process.

The recent outbreak of the Ebola virus has taught doctors a lot about treatment patients need. This includes nephrologists who have had to tackle new challenges for patients in kidney failure.

In the past patients diagnosed as obese would be automatically disqualified from receiving a kidney transplant. Now, thanks to advances in robotic surgery there are new options that can help give these patients a new lease on life.

From the very earliest age a person's kidneys play a pivotal role in their overall health. This can be especially true for premature babies and others who have suffered early kidney injuries. The treatment they receive can go a long way in helping them with the rest of their lives.

A liver damaged by hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be replaced by transplantation, but HCV recurs universally and, unchecked, will damage the new liver as well. Study results show a new combination of direct-acting antivirals combined with ribavirin eradicated HCV for most transplant patients with recurrent HCV genotype 1 infection and liver damage.

Three strategies for achieving one-time screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) show variable success, but all detected more cases of HCV than current practice.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic recently reported, at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (The Liver Meeting 2014), in Boston, MA, on the safety and efficacy in post-liver transplant of 2 new oral medications, simeprevir and sofosbuvir, within a 12-week treatment span.

A screening tool that uses a common marker for liver malignancy or inflammation in combination with other values holds promise for improved screening accuracy in hepatocellular carcinoma.

New combinations of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) may point the way to hepatitis C virus (HCV) cures without ribavirin (RBV) for some patients.

As the rapidly evolving field of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment progresses, clinicians can look to an expanding array of clinical trials to guide and individualize treatment decisions.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) represents a complex and heterogenous disease entity, with an increasing incidence for both genders and worldwide.

Outcomes for liver transplant recipients have never been better, and long-term survival will depend on a holistic approach that includes evidence-based health surveillance by hepatologists and others to optimize screening and primary prevention in this population.

Hepatorenal syndrome, a potentially deadly complication of ascites in liver disease that represents a devastating metabolic cascade of organ failure, should be recognized early and managed vigorously.

A small but rigorous 6-month randomized, controlled parallel arm trial comparing alternate day fasting and daily calorie restriction showed that each approach can result in significant weight loss for individuals who are overweight or have obesity, with similar adherence between the two methods of dieting.

Alternate day fasting can be an effective weight loss strategy, but optimal meal timing on fast days has not been thoroughly examined.

For individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a low carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet in combination with exercise resulted in superior glycemic control with less medication use than did a higher carbohydrate diet

Acceptance-based therapy encourages a mindful but nonjudgmental approach to give participants the tools to note, but not act on, urges to overeat or to make unhealthy food choices.

Use positive language, start with the basics, and keep it fun. These are the fundamentals in designing a family-based program to combat childhood obesity.

Mindfulness-based treatment for obesity and binge eating disorder can promote self-regulation and yield significant results. A dose-response effect may yield better results for those who practice the approach more intensively.

Pediatric obesity is increasing in prevalence, with severe childhood obesity being seen more and more frequently.

There is currently no algorithm to guide clinicians in deciding which medication to choose to help promote weight loss in individuals with obesity. Rather, clinicians must take stock of a variety of factors when making treatment decisions for a particular patient.

The range of medication choices to treat obesity is expanding, and a rational prescribing plan requires a solid grasp of medication side effects.

Physicians treating individuals affected by obesity who are contemplating laparascopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) have a new risk assessment tool available. The user-friendly online risk calculator uses a robust statistical model and can offer an accurate preoperative risk assessment, based on updated outcome data.