Archives of Nephrology and Renal Studies

Thermal ablation (TA) is increasingly used as a treatment for localized renal masses (LRMs, <4 cm) especially in older or comorbid patients. Our previous article by Mershon et al., highlighted the safety and efficacy of TA for treatment of LRMs in select patients. In this presentation, we update that work and discuss new frontiers for TA including patient selection, procedural improvements, and outcomes.

Our modern world is facing extraordinary circumstances while passing through a serious pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which may lead to multi-organ system failure & death. Bcell depletion could compromise antiviral immunity, which makes the safety of rituximab use in the COVID19 era unclear.

With the advent of the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), patients requiring anticoagulation for common conditions such as atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism no longer need to worry about dietary restrictions or regular monitoring of the international normalized ratio which complicated warfarin treatment.

In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and declared it a pandemic on March 11, 2020 [1]. Over one hundred and eighty-five million people have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 and roughly four million have died worldwide so far

One of the most important renal nursing procedures is the cannulation of a vascular access (VA), a procedure that is carried out on every single dialysis treatment. VA cannulation method is still a procedure that reflects local unit practices and the skill of the individual nurse. Despite the impact needling has on VA survival and patient outcome, no universal or standardized method has been proposed for cannulation. 

The Randomized intervention for Vesicoureteral Reflux (RiVUR) study was an effort by the National Institute of Health to identify the most significant question on the management of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), i.e. Did antibiotic prophylaxis reduce the incidence of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) in children with VUR? During the initial phases of the RiVUR study, several similar studies were performed that seemed to indicate lack of benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis in VUR.

Due to changes in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) policies in many countries and the impact of COVID-19, the importance and demand for peritoneal dialysis (PD) as a home dialysis treatment modality is growing prominently [1]. However, peritoneal membrane dysfunction remains a bottleneck restricting the application of PD. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new methods to accurately assess peritoneal function.

The development of direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of Hepatitis C (HCV) has changed the practice of treating patients with HCV. In particular, organ transplant recipients who have not previously been exposed to HCV are now able to consider receiving an organ from a donor who is infected with HCV, and anticipate effective antiviral therapy after transplantation.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) represent 80% of urinary infections in a hospital setting [1]. CAUTIs are not only the most common hospital associated infections, but also are the most avoidable, with up to 69% of the cases being preventable [2]. Approximately nine thousands of deaths each year may be attributable to CAUTIs [2].

After establishing the new standard of care of isotonic fluids for maintenance therapy, there has not been a systematic follow-up to determine whether the goal of the switch has been achieved or whether there have been any unexpected complications with the change. This is a brief review of the history of maintenance intravenous fluids and potential complications of isotonic fluid therapy spurred by a case.

Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic conditions that can significantly impair the overall quality of life. Diabetic nephropathy is a diabetes-associated renal damage condition and one of the most common diabetes-induced renal complications. The hyperglycaemia associated with diabetes is considered one of the key factors associated with the renal damage. The endocannabinoid system is a complex biological process involved in various physiological activities, while its impairment is directly associated with numerous pathological conditions as well.

Renalase, a newly discovered flavin-adenine dinucleotide-dependent amine oxidase released by the kidney, circulates in the blood and has an impact on heart function and systemic blood pressure. We conducted the research in Babylon from February to July of 2016. We collected 50 blood samples from patients with end stage renal disease admitted to Merjan Teaching Hospital in Babylon Province, Iraq. In addition to the control group (50 samples) of healthy people aged 11 to 80, all patients and control groups were from the same ethnic group (Arab).