Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Urology / Nephrology News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/urology-nephrology/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156242.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156242.php Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) in collaboration with scientists at the University of Louisville and the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France, have identified the target antigen PLA2R in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (kidney disease), which has implications for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. These findings appear in the July 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Urology / Nephrology Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156246.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156246.php GENE THERAPY: Defining immune pathways limiting gene therapy In gene therapy, recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are commonly used vehicles for delivering the therapeutic gene into target cells. One factor limiting the clinical application of such vehicles is that the immune system often mounts a response against the AAV vehicle. Genetics Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156109.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156109.php One of the most controversial issues in men's health is whether men should routinely have a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to screen for prostate cancer. Some experts argue that PSA testing saves lives by helping detect this common form of cancer early. Others say it triggers unnecessary treatment that disrupts many more lives than it saves. Prostate / Prostate Cancer Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156080.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156080.php AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAG) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for Feraheme™ (ferumoxytol) Injection for intravenous (IV) use as an iron replacement therapy for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease. The recommended dose of Feraheme is an initial 510 mg IV injection followed by a second 510 mg IV injection three to eight days later. Urology / Nephrology Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156029.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156029.php Even at very high doses, gadolinium-based contrast agents alone are not sufficient to cause nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with kidney problems, according to a study performed at the Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL. NSF is a rare and serious syndrome that leads to fibrosis of the skin, joints and even internal organs. Some research indicates NSF is caused by gadolinium-based contrast agents that are commonly used today during MR procedures. Urology / Nephrology Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155919.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155919.php Calixa Therapeutics Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of CXA-101 in patients with complicated urinary tract infections. CXA-101 is a new broad-spectrum, parenteral cephalosporin antibiotic with excellent in vitro and in vivo activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including drug resistant isolates. Calixa is investigating CXA-101 as a potential treatment for serious bacterial infections in hospitalized patients. Urology / Nephrology Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155926.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155926.php Even at very high doses, gadolinium-based contrast agents alone are not sufficient to cause nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with kidney problems, according to a study performed at the Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL. NSF is a rare and serious syndrome that leads to fibrosis of the skin, joints and even internal organs. Some research indicates NSF is caused by gadolinium-based contrast agents that are commonly used today during MR procedures. Urology / Nephrology Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155771.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155771.php DuoCort publishes data from its Phase I study for the rare and life threatening disease adrenal insufficiency. The release profile of DuoCort's new form of treatment with once-a-day hydrocortisone dosing closely resembles the physiological secretion pattern. The data is published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, a leading scientific journal for endocrinology. Urology / Nephrology Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155731.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155731.php Deterioration of renal function with CNI therapy has been widely reported in liver transplant recipients. Microproteinuria has been used to monitor the early changes of nephropathy in renal disease or cardiovascular events. However, whether microproteinuria could be used as an early and sensitive indicator to monitor CNI-related nephrotoxicity in liver transplant recipients has not been unequivocally addressed. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155739.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155739.php A discovery by scientists at deCODE genetics (Nasdaq: DCGN) and academic colleagues from Iceland, the Netherlands and Denmark has pointed to a common biological mechanism contributing to both kidney stones and decreased bone mineral density (BMD). About 60% of the population carry two copies of a single-letter variation in the human genome (SNP) on chromosome 21, putting them at roughly 65% greater likelihood of developing kidney stones than those who carry no copies. Urology / Nephrology Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155742.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155742.php Vantia Therapeutics, an emerging pharmaceutical company developing novel, small molecule drugs targeting large, underserved medical markets, announces positive results from a Phase IIa clinical trial of its lead development compound VA106483 for nocturia. The trial showed that oral VA106483 was successful in producing a predictable and sustained anti-diuretic effect in patients, as determined by increased osmolality and decreased urine output. Urology / Nephrology Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155659.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155659.php Kidney transplant patients have a weaker response to influenza immunization than healthy individuals, especially in the first six months after receiving a transplant, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation. Urology / Nephrology Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155599.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155599.php UroToday.com - Prostate and breast cancer appear to be homologous cancer in males and females respectively. Both cancers share hormone etiologies and are treated with hormonal manipulation. The incidence of these two hormone-dependent cancers has steadily risen throughout the twentieth century. Prostate / Prostate Cancer Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155582.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155582.php Laboratoires Pierre Fabre announce that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific advisory committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), has issued a positive opinion supporting approval and is recommending to grant marketing authorisation for JAVLOR(R) as monotherapy in metastatic treatment of bladder cancer (advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract after failure of a prior platinum-containing regimen). Urology / Nephrology Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155446.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155446.php The Roche Creatinine Plus enzymatic creatinine assay, for use with cobas® or MODULAR Analytics analysers, offers a specific and accurate alternative to the less specific Jaffé method, ensuring clinically more reliable results in the management of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)1. Users at GSTS (Guys, St Thomas', Serco) Pathology, London and the University Hospital, Coventry, amongst others, have found that the assay provides a more accurate assessment of renal function. Urology / Nephrology Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155406.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155406.php Joel B. Nelson, M.D., chairman of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's (UPMC) Department of Urology, performed his 2,000th radical prostatectomy at UPMC Shadyside, a milestone achieved by only a handful of surgeons worldwide. Radical prostatectomy, or removal of the entire prostate gland, is the most common treatment for patients with localized prostate cancer. Prostate / Prostate Cancer Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155420.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155420.php Kidney injury that can arise after undergoing certain medical imaging procedures increases a patient's risk of having a stroke or heart attack over the next year or two, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that seemingly minor and reversible kidney damage from these common clinical procedures is a serious health threat. Urology / Nephrology Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155348.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155348.php Almost half of kidney transplant candidates older than 60 who are put on the waiting list for a deceased-donor organ will die before getting a transplant, according to new findings from the University of Florida, Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University. Wait times to receive a deceased donor kidney transplant have increased over the years, but this study is the first to define and quantify what this wait time means for older patients. Transplants / Organ Donations Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155240.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155240.php FIRMAGON® (degarelix) a new fast-acting hormone treatment for advanced prostate cancer is being offically launched in the UK yesterday at the British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual Meeting in Glasgow. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and over 35,000 cases a year (1) are diagnosed in the UK , with 10,239 men dying in 2007.(2) Prostate cancer is fuelled by the male hormone testosterone. Prostate / Prostate Cancer Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155251.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155251.php Novasys Medical, Inc., a developer of innovative therapies in women's health, announced that as of July 1, 2009, First Coast Service Options, Inc. ("First Coast"), a large regional Medicare carrier serving over 3 million beneficiaries in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Women's Health / Gynecology Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155008.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155008.php Appendicitis is the most common childhood surgical emergency, but the diagnosis can be challenging, especially in children, often leading to either unnecessary surgery in children without appendicitis, or a ruptured appendix and serious complications when the condition is missed. Now, emergency medicine physicians and scientists at the Proteomics Center at Children's Hospital Boston demonstrate that a protein detectable in urine might serve as a "biomarker" for appendicitis. Urology / Nephrology Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154875.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154875.php A London surgeon is pioneering a new way to remove abdominal organs through the belly button using an approach called single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) which requires only a 10 mm cut in the navel to allow entry of a camera and all the surgical instruments and through which organs like the appendix and gall bladder can be removed. Cosmetic Medicine / Plastic Surgery Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154824.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154824.php Fresenius Medical Care, which operates the nation's leading network of dialysis clinics, today endorsed the Performance Excellence and Accountability in Kidney Care (PEAK) campaign recently launched by Kidney Care Partners (KCP) - a coalition of patient advocates, dialysis professionals, care providers and manufacturers working together to improve quality of care for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urology / Nephrology Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154747.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154747.php UroToday.com - Gluttony is becoming an ever-increasing problem in our pediatric patients, and this is directly correlated to an increase risk of stone disease. In this prospective study, 44 children who were being followed for obesity in the pediatric department were evaluated with respect to stone disease and stone forming risk factors using a 24-hour urine evaluation. Urology / Nephrology Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154748.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154748.php UroToday.com - In the online issue of the World Journal of Urology, a group headed by Professor Markus Hohenfellner compared the outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in men younger and older than age 70 years. They suggest that in well-selected men over age 70 years, the outcomes are comparable. The study cohort consisted of 626 men who underwent RP at their institution between 1990 and 2006. Prostate / Prostate Cancer