We have reported on this several times in the past, and now some such devices have been validated by a contest award. But when will we see them in production and in regular use?
The contest had 16 concepts submitted. The winners are invited to develop their ideas into prototypes and to compete in the second phase of the competition, in which up to three winners will be awarded $500,000 each next year.
Let's wait and see what happens after the winners get the funding boost.
Saturday, 11 May 2019
Sunday, 5 May 2019
Plans for Mobile Kidney Dialysis Unit in Scottish Highlands
The population in the Scottish Highlands is spread over a large area of the country. Giving every local hospital a dialysis unit could be an expensive solution to treat a small number of people each week. So crisis-hit NHS Highland is planning to introduce a mobile kidney dialysis unit across the region to save patients from having to travel hundreds of miles a week to Inverness for treatment. This could help with its cash flow problems and a big financial black hole.
This will only help a small number of patients, but reduce costs and the inconvenience these patients face due to the long distances they have to travel and easy family life problems.
You can read about this news here.
This will only help a small number of patients, but reduce costs and the inconvenience these patients face due to the long distances they have to travel and easy family life problems.
You can read about this news here.
Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Diabetes Drug May Prevent or Slow Kidney Disease
Recent research reports that a drug normally used to control blood sugar levels in diabetics helps to prevent or slow down kidney disease.
The new study tested Invokana, a daily pill sold now to help control blood sugar, to see if it also could help prevent kidney disease when added to standard treatments.
For the study, about 13,000 people with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease from around the world were to be given Invokana or dummy pills. Independent monitors stopped the study early, after 4,400 people had been treated for about 2.5 years on average, when it was clear the drug was helping.
Those on the drug had a 30% lower risk of one of these problems — kidney failure, need for dialysis, need for a kidney transplant, death from kidney- or heart-related causes, or other signs that kidneys were failing.
For every 1,000 people taking the drug for 2.5 years, there would be 47 fewer cases of one of these problems, researchers estimate.
This seems a pretty important result and could help a large number of people.
You can read the story here, from April 2019. And the report from the manufacturers is also available.
However, we came across other reports that paint a worrying problem.
The Food and Drug Administration issued safety warnings about Invokana, which may increase the risk of severe urinary tract infection and diabetic ketoacidosis leading to kidney failure. There's a report on that here
Patients can also have problems with increased risk of bone fractures which could lead to foot or leg amputations in a small number of cases.
These are not reported as regular events from taking the drug, they affect a small number of patients, so while a bit disturbing, it doesn't mean those taking the drug should stop - drug companies have to mention almost every report of a problem encountered.
The new study tested Invokana, a daily pill sold now to help control blood sugar, to see if it also could help prevent kidney disease when added to standard treatments.
For the study, about 13,000 people with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease from around the world were to be given Invokana or dummy pills. Independent monitors stopped the study early, after 4,400 people had been treated for about 2.5 years on average, when it was clear the drug was helping.
Those on the drug had a 30% lower risk of one of these problems — kidney failure, need for dialysis, need for a kidney transplant, death from kidney- or heart-related causes, or other signs that kidneys were failing.
For every 1,000 people taking the drug for 2.5 years, there would be 47 fewer cases of one of these problems, researchers estimate.
This seems a pretty important result and could help a large number of people.
You can read the story here, from April 2019. And the report from the manufacturers is also available.
However, we came across other reports that paint a worrying problem.
The Food and Drug Administration issued safety warnings about Invokana, which may increase the risk of severe urinary tract infection and diabetic ketoacidosis leading to kidney failure. There's a report on that here
Patients can also have problems with increased risk of bone fractures which could lead to foot or leg amputations in a small number of cases.
These are not reported as regular events from taking the drug, they affect a small number of patients, so while a bit disturbing, it doesn't mean those taking the drug should stop - drug companies have to mention almost every report of a problem encountered.
Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Patients to be offered choice over setting and type of dialysis treatment
This UK news item is interesting.
People being treated with dialysis after kidney failure are to be offered a choice over where and what type of treatment they have.
New recommendations say patients, in discussion with their clinician, can choose which type of dialysis is right for them and where they can have their treatment.
There are three types of dialysis which are offered on the NHS depending on local arrangements and which is right for the patient:
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) takes places at home. It involves pumping dialysis fluid into the space inside your abdomen to draw out waste products from the blood passing through vessels lining the inside of the abdomen.
Haemodialysis (HD) and haemodiafiltration (HDF) can take place at home or in hospital. Both involve diverting blood into an external machine, where it's filtered before being returned to the body.
Previously peritoneal dialysis (PD) was the first choice of dialysis treatment for people with residual renal function and adults without another significant disease or disorder. Children under the age of two will continue to be offered peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the first instance.
After deciding which type of dialysis is right for them, the patient in consultation with their clinician, will decide whether their treatment takes place at home or in hospital. This will also depend on local arrangements.
For our overseas readers, health care for residents in the UK is free, and has been since 1948, and treatment is not decided by your insurance company..
People being treated with dialysis after kidney failure are to be offered a choice over where and what type of treatment they have.
New recommendations say patients, in discussion with their clinician, can choose which type of dialysis is right for them and where they can have their treatment.
There are three types of dialysis which are offered on the NHS depending on local arrangements and which is right for the patient:
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) takes places at home. It involves pumping dialysis fluid into the space inside your abdomen to draw out waste products from the blood passing through vessels lining the inside of the abdomen.
Haemodialysis (HD) and haemodiafiltration (HDF) can take place at home or in hospital. Both involve diverting blood into an external machine, where it's filtered before being returned to the body.
Previously peritoneal dialysis (PD) was the first choice of dialysis treatment for people with residual renal function and adults without another significant disease or disorder. Children under the age of two will continue to be offered peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the first instance.
After deciding which type of dialysis is right for them, the patient in consultation with their clinician, will decide whether their treatment takes place at home or in hospital. This will also depend on local arrangements.
For our overseas readers, health care for residents in the UK is free, and has been since 1948, and treatment is not decided by your insurance company..
Monday, 10 September 2018
Research aims to prevent kidney failure caused by type 2 diabetes
A grant of $1.75 million spread over four years has been made to study how to prevent kidney damage and, ultimately, failure, caused by type 2 diabetes.
The chief researcher in this project is Dr Krisztian Stadler, who has published 56 research articles which are often quoted in other scientists' work.
"Kidney disease is a major complication of obesity and type 2 diabetes," Dr. Krisztian Stadler said. "Our projects focus on discovering the mechanisms that lead to the death of proximal tubular epithelial cells."
Tubular epithelial cells play a crucial role in kidney function, and the cells require high amounts of a specific type of energy source to work correctly - lipids and fatty acids, Dr. Stadler said. Unfortunately, people with type 2 diabetes have lipid metabolism derailments. Their kidney tubular cells can't properly burn fat or make enough of the molecule adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to meet the cells' energy needs. Without enough ATP, tubular epithelial cells wither and die.
"Our hope is that by understanding these mechanisms, future interventions can be designed not only to treat but to prevent tubular cell injury and kidney failure," Dr. Stadler said.
You can read the press release here
The chief researcher in this project is Dr Krisztian Stadler, who has published 56 research articles which are often quoted in other scientists' work.
"Kidney disease is a major complication of obesity and type 2 diabetes," Dr. Krisztian Stadler said. "Our projects focus on discovering the mechanisms that lead to the death of proximal tubular epithelial cells."
Tubular epithelial cells play a crucial role in kidney function, and the cells require high amounts of a specific type of energy source to work correctly - lipids and fatty acids, Dr. Stadler said. Unfortunately, people with type 2 diabetes have lipid metabolism derailments. Their kidney tubular cells can't properly burn fat or make enough of the molecule adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to meet the cells' energy needs. Without enough ATP, tubular epithelial cells wither and die.
"Our hope is that by understanding these mechanisms, future interventions can be designed not only to treat but to prevent tubular cell injury and kidney failure," Dr. Stadler said.
You can read the press release here
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