What new drugs can nephrologists look forward to in the next year or two?

Chloë Harman

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0475 | Full Text | PDF (55K)

When should patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis be switched from induction to maintenance therapy?

Oliver Flossmann and Kirsten de Groot

In formulating a clear and succinct answer to the question posed by this Viewpoint, the authors highlight several important considerations. They discuss how the choice of induction agent, the presence of risk factors for relapse and the definition of remission can influence the timing of the switch to maintenance therapy and/or the duration of maintenance treatment in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis.

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0468 | Full Text | PDF (86K)

Promising results for patients undergoing retransplantation after PTLD

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0371 | Full Text | PDF (84K)

Standardization of end-of-life decision-making in chronic dialysis patients

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0413 | Full Text | PDF (63K)

Comparing survival of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in The Netherlands

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0415 | Full Text | PDF (80K)

Kidney plus partial liver transplantation: a new option for highly sensitized patients?

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0430 | Full Text | PDF (84K)

Distalization of the anastomosis reduces high inflow rates in hemodialysis fistulas

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0431 | Full Text | PDF (79K)

High prevalence of ghost authorship in industry-initiated trials

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0435 | Full Text | PDF (83K)

High-flux biocompatible dialyzer membranes improve outcome in patients with diabetes

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0454 | Full Text | PDF (62K)

Patients on dialysis after renal graft failure have increased risk of death

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0455 | Full Text | PDF (62K)

Adult and female cases of nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0456 | Full Text | PDF (62K)

Asymptomatic urinary tract infection is unlikely to cause proteinuria or microalbuminuria

Lindsay E Nicolle

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0446 | Full Text | PDF (87K)

What level of serum calcitonin indicates medullary thyroid carcinoma in patients with chronic kidney disease?

Alain Meyrier

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0464 | Full Text | PDF (87K)

Optimizing automated peritoneal dialysis: increasing nightly dialysate flow vs adding a manual daytime exchange

Simon J Davies

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0448 | Full Text | PDF (88K)

Can we simplify the measurement of cardiovascular calcification in hemodialysis patients?

Kosaku Nitta

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0451 | Full Text | PDF (87K)

Vascular access recirculation: setting a new detection method in the context of the overall utility of detection

Edwin Wijnen, Frank M van der Sande, Jeroen P Kooman and Karel M Leunissen

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0453 | Full Text | PDF (88K)

Does a vascular access surveillance program reduce access-related costs and complications?

Ralf Schindler

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0445 | Full Text | PDF (88K)

Central venous catheter-related bacteremia in chronic hemodialysis patients: epidemiology and evidence-based management

Ratnaja Katneni and S Susan Hedayati

The frequency with which central venous catheters are used as permanent access for maintenance hemodialysis is likely to increase in the future as the dialysis population ages and the quality of peripheral vasculature concomitantly declines. It is, therefore, essential that clinicians who manage dialysis patients stay abreast of the latest recommendations for prevention and treatment of catheter-related blood stream infections. This timely Review covers risk factors as well as data that underlie current best practice.

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0447 | Full Text | PDF (301K)

Technology Insight: artificial extracorporeal liver support—how does Prometheus^® compare with MARS^®?

Peter Krisper and Rudolf E Stauber

Here, Krisper and Stauber analyze the relative efficiency, clinical outcomes, safety and potential indications of two different 'liver dialysis' systems. Despite their 'experimental' status, the Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System (MARS^®) and Prometheus^®, developed by Gambro and Fresenius Medical Care, respectively, are increasingly used to treat patients with severe hepatic failure. Preliminary data are promising, and large-scale randomized trials with the aim of proving a survival benefit are underway.

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0466 | Full Text | PDF (325K)

Mechanisms of Disease: the complement system in renal injury—new ways of looking at an old foe

Katherine M Brown, Steven H Sacks and Neil S Sheerin

A team from King's College London presents an overview of the role of complement activation and complement regulatory proteins in kidney injury. They extend their discussion beyond immune-complex-mediated glomerular diseases such as lupus nephritis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis to other forms of renal injury in which complement has a role, such as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and graft rejection. Their concise and easy to read article includes a discussion of the therapeutic potential of manipulating complement inhibition.

doi:10.1038/ncpneph0465 | Full Text | PDF (283K)