By Shawn M. Carter
PHILADELPHIA — Patients with kidney disease who opted to withdraw from dialysis typically survived around 1 week, according to data presented at ASN Kidney Week.
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of patients referred to a kidney supportive care service who stopped hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis between 2016 and 2023.
Read the full article in Healio.
When the time comes each year for open enrollment, transplant patients face a unique set of considerations. The process, which can already be overwhelming for the average individual, takes on added significance for those who have undergone or are waiting for a transplant. As a caregiver or patient, it’s essential to understand how to navigate this period effectively. Here are 9 tips to help navigate open enrollment with transplant needs in mind.
Read the complete article on CareDx.com.
By Andrew Rhoades
Greater salt consumption was linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
“We already know that limiting salt can reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, but this study shows for the first time that taking the saltshaker off the table can help prevent type 2 diabetes as well,” Lu Qi, MD, PhD, a professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, said in a press release.
Read the full article in Healio.
There are people like me who want to become kidney donors. If we want to increase that number, we must ease the burden on transplant donors and recipients and help them navigate the donation process.
By Shmuly Yanklowitz
For many years I debated: Should I be an organ donor?
As a faith leader who regularly speaks about the value of life, and as a healthy individual with an interest in organ donation, I was genuinely excited about the possibility to save another person.
Nonetheless, it was a very big decision and one I did not take lightly. Read the full article in USA Today.
By Abigail Brooks, MA
60.2% of infant living-related liver transplant recipients developed AKI within 7 days of surgery and experienced more frequent serious complications, longer hospital stays, and a greater duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation compared to those who did not develop AKI.
Preoperative transfusion and decreased serum creatine levels are independently associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in infant living-related liver transplant recipients with biliary atresia, according to findings from a retrospective study. Read more in HCP Live.
by Prabhjot Sohal
According to nephrologist Dr. Amit Garg, for those with advanced chronic kidney disease, the treatment options are stark: continuous dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.
“A kidney transplant not only gives a patient up to a decade of longer life and quality of life, but data also shows that every 100 kidney transplant procedures save the health care system a staggering $20 million over five years by sidelining dialysis costs. Read the full article in Medical Xpress.
Who am I now if I’m no longer a nurse, active mom, or needy CF patient?
By Jennifer Bleecher
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines identity as “the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.” Having a genetic, progressive, and life-shortening disease such as cystic fibrosis (CF) can consume a large part of a person’s physical, mental, and emotional state. It can feel that the disease becomes your identity.
CF was a fatal disease in 1971, when I was born. The average life expectancy at the time was 12. My symptoms were mild when I was young, so my mom decided not to share that prognosis with me. Back then, pancreatic enzymes and antibiotics were the only medications available to treat CF. The internet wasn’t born yet, so I had limited access to information about my disease. Read the article in Cystic Fibrosis News Today.
By Dr. Mariella Ortigosa-Goggins
For the past several years, there has been a lot of attention directed toward ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in industries across the United States, including in the accessing and delivery of equitable health care. As an example, while African Americans are at a much higher risk of being diagnosed with kidney disease, the community continues to face several disparities when attempting to access organ transplantation services.
Read the complete article in The Miami Times.
By Mike Bassett
BOSTON — Prioritizing emergency liver transplantation for patients with severe acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) resulted in relatively good survival outcomes, according to a U.K. study presented here.
Among 39 critically ill patients who were able to undergo emergency transplant, survival reached 85% at a median follow-up of 171 days, with a 1-year survival rate of 78%, reported William Bernal, MD, of King’s College Hospital in London. Read the full article in MedPage Today.
UC Davis Health’s new liver transplant program is only such program in California north of San Francisco
(SACRAMENTO) Juan Velasco is enjoying a new chapter of his life in Rio Dell, in Northern California’s Humboldt County.
This past summer, after working 22 years as a water distribution operator for the City of Eureka, Velasco had finally retired. However, within a few weeks he began experiencing intense pain in his abdomen. Soon after, his stomach and legs began to swell with fluid.
Read the full story in UC Davis Health News.