Nephrology News

Cannabis has been long misunderstood as a dangerous narcotic by federal regulators and has medicinal value for patients with chronic kidney disease, a speaker at the American Nephrology Nurses Association’s National Symposium said.

At the virtual Innovations in Dialysis: Expediting Advances Symposium, the chair of the Nephrologists Transforming Dialysis Safety program discussed measures the group has taken to reduce infections for patients on dialysis.

At the virtual Innovations in Dialysis: Expediting Advances Symposium, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., assured the audience that Congress continues its efforts to improve care for patients with kidney disease.

A speaker at the virtual Innovations in Dialysis: Expediting Advances Symposium discussed how patient-preference information can be used by the FDA in making regulatory decisions on devices designed for patients with kidney failure.

The goal of kidney replacement therapy must be helping patients to “live their lives as if they were free from disease to the extent possible,” according to a speaker at the virtual Innovations in Dialysis: Expediting Advances Symposium.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the chance of infection in patients on in-center dialysis, mandating that nephrology nurses be more diligent about following protocols to reduce the risk, a speaker said.

A study of dialysis facilities across the Unites States showed centers that treated a larger proportion of Black and Hispanic patients had lower rates of seasonal influenza vaccination than centers that had more white patients.

Study results showed patients on hemodialysis who received a modified low-phosphorous diet had similar phosphate levels as those receiving the standard diet, with the modified diet widening patients’ food choice and increasing fiber intake.

In collaboration with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the National Kidney Foundation has released the 2020 Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Although previous studies have indicated that intrauterine growth restriction increases risk for future kidney failure, an analysis conducted in Norway shows the condition is strongly associated with chronic kidney disease.