Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies enabled the advancement of care for solid organ transplant recipients who have COVID-19, and many of the findings were discussed at the 2021 American Transplant Congress. Researchers discussed changes in prescribing, such as decreased use of hydroxychloroquine and increased use of remdesivir, evidence that kidney recipients are at higher risk of COVID-19 than recipients of other types of organs, and the importance of telehealth for minimizing risk of infection.

Health experts caution that fully vaccinated people can still get COVID-19, and those with weakened immune systems, those older than 65 years old, people with illnesses such as kidney disease or cancer, and organ transplant recipients tend to experience more serious breakthrough infections that can result in hospitalization, severe illness and even death. As of July 12, the CDC had documented nearly 5,500 hospitalizations or deaths due to breakthrough infections, and three-quarters of those involved patients older than 65.

Patients who had kidney dialysis and lived in cities where the water had detectable levels of lead had significantly lower hemoglobin concentration before and during the first month of their dialysis and they also received greater doses of drugs for treating anemia. The findings, to be published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, also revealed that Black patients were exposed to greater lead levels in drinking water, compared with white patients.

A study in the Journal of American Society of Nephrology found that patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease, regardless of their diabetes status, who received dapagliflozin experienced the same reductions in the risk for kidney function decline, kidney failure and death, as those with mild to moderate CKD who received the drug. The findings also showed that the rate of serious adverse events were the same between those treated with dapagliflozin and those treated with placebo.

A study in the journal Diabetes found that intraglomerular hemodynamic parameters were significantly linked with incident end-stage renal disease among patients with type 2 diabetes. The findings, based on data from 237 individuals, also found that intraglomerular hemodynamic parameters were correlated with structural lesions of diabetic kidney disease.

A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who took ertugliflozin had greater kidney function preservation, compared with those who took placebo. The findings, based on data from 8,246 patients that were followed for a median of three years, also revealed that those who took ertugliflozin experienced a slower decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate, regardless of their kidney status at the start of the study.

The CMS reported that more than 2 million people enrolled in health insurance coverage through HealthCare.gov and state-based exchanges from Feb. 15 to June 30 as part of the Affordable Care Act special enrollment period. The figure marks a record high, as does enrollment in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which reached 81 million as of February.

A bipartisan bill that cleared the Texas Legislature would require end-stage renal disease facilities to create contingency plans for emergencies that could result in power outages and care disruptions, and it would set requirements for continuity of care for outpatient and home dialysis recipients. The bill calls for facilities to work with disaster management officials to keep plans current and to form partnerships with other facilities for providing backup care if needed.

The FDA's Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee voted against recommending that roxadustat be approved approval as a treatment for chronic kidney disease-related anemia for dialysis-dependent patients and those not on dialysis, due to safety concerns regarding vascular access thrombosis. FibroGen executives proposed testing the drug at a lower dose in a one-year, 10,000-patient trial.

Professor Ron Ehrenberg of Cornell University's New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations waited five years for a kidney transplant before receiving the surprising news that his colleague Adam Seth Litwin had quietly been improving his health for two years so he could provide the organ. "In my mind, Ron personifies the best of the ILR School and of the university. I would give my heart to this enterprise if I could, so this is about as close I could get," Litwin said.

Many CKD patients experience pruritus (itching) daily, with a significant impact on quality of life. This online continuing education course provides information for allied health professionals, such as renal nurses, dietitians and social workers about the current understanding of CKD-related pruritus cause and treatment. It also provides tools to identify patients who may be suffering from CKD-related itch, and strategies to advocate with other health care team members for pruritus management in these patients. Register here. This activity is supported by an educational grant from Cara Therapeutics.

Kidney disease can lead to gout, and gout may lead to kidney disease. In fact, 1 out of 10 people with chronic kidney disease has gout, and an even higher percentage of people with gout have kidney disease. If your patients have either condition, it's important to talk to them about preventing and managing the other. Check out AKF's trusted resources -- videos, guides, booklets and engagement tools-curated from our multi-award winning Goutful education campaign to help you get the conversation started. Educational content made possible by Horizon Therapeutics.