Free Republic

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risks for cardiovascular mortality and chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression in patients with early-stage disease, according to a study. Yanhong Lin and colleagues examined the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency on cardiovascular mortality and kidney outcomes in patients with early-stage CKD. The analysis included 9,229 adult patients with CKD (stages 1 to 3) from 19 medical centers across China (January 2000 to May 2021). The researchers found that compared with patients having 25(OH)D ≥20 ng/mL, a there was a significantly higher risk for cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 1.90) and CKD progression (hazard...

Researchers have uncovered a mechanism by which a hormone can protect the blood vessels in the kidneys from the damage caused by diabetes. In doing so, the team has identified a potential early treatment strategy to prevent or slow progression of kidney disease in people with diabetes. Kidney damage from diabetes usually happens slowly over many years. One of the ways damage can be caused is by disruption of the glycocalyx—a thin gel-like layer lining the surface of the blood vessels forming part of the tiny filters of the kidney ('glomeruli')—due to high blood sugar levels over a long period...

Hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) is a novel risk factor for incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general population, according to a study. Yasuto Nakasone, M.D. and colleagues examined the impact of HGI as a predictor for incident CKD in the general population in a study using data from 23,467 CKD-free individuals followed for a mean of 5.1 years. The researchers found that CKD developed in 2,540 individuals, and following low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), HGI was the second most robust predictor for CKD. The hazard ratio of HGI for CKD was 1.293 after adjustment for 11 covariates, including...

In a study looking at the long-term effects of hospitalized patients who have acute kidney injury (AKI), a sudden but temporary loss of kidney function, researchers found that higher levels of certain biomarkers in urine and blood can predict a patient's risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). AKI occurs when your kidneys stop working properly, which can cause waste to build up in your blood, making it hard for the body to balance fluids. Although treatable, AKI could lead to CKD, a much more severe and potentially fatal condition, and other heart problems. AKI is most commonly seen in...

This is the true story of how President Trump saved my life.In early 2017, I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and its partner in death, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).In the emergency room, my blood pressure was 242 over 160. It’s a miracle I didn’t stroke out and die.I was quickly diagnosed, spent days in the hospital and then began years of dialysis and the debilitating wait for that most elusive of gifts: a kidney transplant.On July 10, 2019, President Trump signed his ground-breaking “Advancing American Kidney Health” Executive Order. (Here is a link to the video from...

High cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels are associated with a reduced risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study. Setor K. Kunutsor, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues quantified the nature and magnitude of the association between CRF and CKD in a cohort of 2,099 men aged 42 to 61 years with normal kidney function at baseline. Data from repeat measurements of CRF taken 11 years after baseline were used to make correction for within-person variability. During a median follow-up of 25.8 years, 197 CKD events were recorded. The researchers found that for CRF, the age-adjusted regression dilution ratio was 0.59....

Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, reduced the risk for hospitalization for any cause in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with and without type 2 diabetes. The findings suggest that dapagliflozin should be considered in such patients. Patients with CKD are often hospitalized, contributing to lower quality of life and higher health care costs. Prior studies have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors can reduce cardiovascular events and slow progression to kidney damage in patients with or without diabetes. The effect of these drugs on hospitalizations in patients with CKD is less clear. Researchers from University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands...

An all Indiana University School of Medicine team found that chlorthalidone was effective in lowering blood pressure in individuals with advanced kidney disease. "Kidneys are key regulators of blood pressure. When an individual has chronic kidney disease, the kidneys are unable to control blood pressure," said Agarwal. "If a person suffers from chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure, it is more likely their kidney disease will advance even further and lead to other health issues such as heart failure." Chlorthalidone was approved by the FDA in 1960 for treatment of high blood pressure or hypertension. However, it was largely...

DALLAS – Feb. 17, 2011 – Low levels of the anti-aging hormone Klotho may serve as an early warning sign of the presence of kidney disease and its deadly cardiovascular complications, according to findings by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers. Using mice, investigators found that soft-tissue calcification, a common and serious side effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD), improves when Klotho hormone levels are restored. The study is available online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The essential Klotho protein, which is produced by the kidneys, often plummets in CKD. This may explain why supplementing Klotho levels...