Renal news roundup from AKF

Researchers are studying the unique composition of snake urine, which lacks uric acid, as a potential treatment for kidney stones and gout. Snakes convert uric acid into solid urates, preventing crystallization, a process that could inspire new treatments for humans. HealthDay Ne...

Jared Higginbotham, a WBZ-TV photojournalist in Boston, spent five years on the kidney transplant list while managing the exhausting realities of dialysis and CKD. His life took a hopeful turn when coworker Andrea Courtois, inspired by a story on kidney donation and discovering s...

A significant mismatch between creatinine and cystatin C tests for kidney function can indicate a higher risk of kidney failure, heart disease and mortality, according to a study by researchers at NYU Langone Health. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical ...

Heat exposure is increasingly linked to the onset of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among workers, as evidenced by the story of Ignacio, a construction worker in Houston. Research highlights that prolonged work in hot environments can slowly damage kidneys, raising concerns about t...

The OPTIMIZE trial has found that low-dose immunosuppression is as effective as standard doses for kidney transplant recipients 65 and older. The study, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, showed similar rates of successful transplants, patient surviva...

Kidney transplant rates for Black patients have risen since the adoption of a race-neutral estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equation, according to a study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Wait times for Black kidney transplant candidates on the wai...

A retrospective cohort study based on Medicare data for more than 151,000 patients with diabetes receiving dialysis found that GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with lower risk of mortality, increased weight loss and increased likelihood of being waitlisted for kidney trans...

A study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology highlighted the potential benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients undergoing dialysis, particularly those with diabetes. The study found that CGM often detected episodes of hyperglycemia and hypogly...

A study in The Lancet found that CKD became the ninth-leading cause of death in the world in 2023, based on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. An estimated 788 million adults 20 and older have CKD. Risk factors include high glucose levels, systolic blood pressure and B...