A biodegradable, synthetic scaffold that encourages blood vessel and tissue regeneration has been implanted in patients with kidney failure, and researchers expect to have interim results in June. The graft was tested in more than 300 animal studies with one to two years of follow-up, says Frans Moll, professor emeritus of vascular surgery at the University Medical Center Utrecht.

Research published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found the four-variable kidney failure risk equation is better than estimated glomerular filtration alone in predicting the two-year incidence of end-stage renal disease among patients with chronic kidney disease. "The four-variable KFRE showed better sensitivity and specificity in our study compared with eGFR alone, is easy to implement in routine clinical settings, and does not consider a patient's race," researchers noted.

A study published in the Clinical Kidney Journal found that removing race coefficients in the calculation of the estimated glomerular filtration rate may improve racial equity in preemptive listing for kidney transplantation. Researchers analyzed data from 385,087 kidney transplant candidates and found the adjusted odds for preemptive listing for white candidates compared with Black patients declined from 2.01 before eGFR modulation to 1.37 and 1.18, respectively, after the application of the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration and modification of diet in renal disease formula race coefficients to all non-Black candidates.

The AKI-Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan was associated with fewer days in intensive care, shorter hospital stays and a lower likelihood of renal replacement therapy with no increase in mortality risk compared with a control group, according to a study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The clinical decision support system standardizes decisions about renal replacement therapy for patients with acute kidney injury.

More studies are needed of palliative care for kidney transplant recipients following allograft failure, the developers of the KidneyPal palliative care service write in the journal Kidney Medicine. "While kidney palliative care is growing, patients with kidney failure tend to receive palliative care less frequently than other seriously ill patients, especially after transplantation," the experts write.

A cohort study published in the journal Neurology found no association between chronic kidney disease and pre-or post-event dementia in transient ischemic attack and stroke patients. "Dementia is more common in patients with CKD than in the general population but pre-dialysis CKD itself appears not to be independently associated with either pre- or post-stroke dementia, except possibly with late-onset dementia in those with minor stroke events," researchers wrote.

Curcumin may raise levels of helpful gut microbes that ameliorate the actions of toxins and alleviate symptoms of chronic kidney disease, according to a study published in the journal Nutrients. One of the key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease affects 13.4% of the world's population.

A letter signed by almost 20 lawmakers, led by Congressional Kidney Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind., and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., is calling on President Joe Biden to allocate $25 million for KidneyX in the fiscal year 2023 Presidential budget. The $25 million funding "would allow the program to expand its record of success and continue to drive innovation for people with kidney diseases," the lawmakers wrote.

The Supreme Court blocked an OSHA rule requiring businesses with at least 100 employees to ensure employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or are tested frequently and wear a mask at work. However, the justices declined to block a CMS vaccine mandate applying to health care workers.

An analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 showed the burden of chronic kidney disease is particularly high among lower-middle income countries and low-income countries. Addressing these regional disparities requires implementation of new preventive policies and interventions designed to address CKD risk factors and burden, the study authors wrote in the journal BMC Nephrology.

Dental hygienist Gail Weisberg of Hudson, Mass., who has end-stage renal failure, found a kidney donor after putting a sign in her car asking for help. Ms. Weisberg was approached by Debbie Munley, of Marlborough, who saw the car sign and was interested in being a donor, and tests showed Ms. Munley was a donor match and the kidney transplant is scheduled for Feb. 15.

AKF's Kidney Health Coach is a community health education program aimed at increasing awareness and promoting prevention of kidney disease. Health care professionals can earn CE credits by taking this free online course. Learn more.

Encourage your patients and staff to join us for a webinar about gout on Jan. 27 from 1-2 p.m. Sponsored by Horizon Therapeutics, this webinar will cover tips for managing gout at home, how health care teams can help patients manage gout, and how patients with gout can find support and other resources. Register for free.