Stories from the dialysis comunity across the globe.
Electrocardiogram Screening May Help Predict Kidney Disease Patients' Risk of ... - Newswise (press release)
Routine scans could help clinicians protect patients’ heart health
Highlight
• Certain electrocardiogram measures helped investigators identify a subgroup of individuals with chronic kidney disease who had substantially elevated risks of dying from heart disease.
An estimated 26 million people in the United States have chronic kidney disease, and heart disease is the leading cause of death in these patients.
Newswise — Washington, DC (July 9, 2015) — Several common measures obtained from electrocardiograms (ECGs) may help clinicians determine a kidney disease patient’s risk of dying from heart disease. The findings, which are published in a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), may be important for preserving kidney patients’ heart health.
ECG screening is not recommended for routinely assessing heart health in low-risk populations such as young athletes; however, would ECGs be useful in a higher-risk population such as those with chronic kidney disease (CKD), whose leading cause of death is heart disease?
To investigate, Rajat Deo, MD, MTR (Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania) and his colleagues evaluated whether a panel of 5 common ECG parameters could enhance prediction of CKD patients’ risk of dying over a median follow-up of 7.5 years.
Among 3587 patients in the study, 750 participants died. The researchers found that common ECG measures (PR interval, QRS duration, corrected QT interval, heart rate, and left ventricular hypertrophy) identified individuals with CKD who were at an especially high risk of dying from heart disease. “By enhancing the prediction of cardiovascular death in this population, we may find more effective and novel interventions to prevent the complications of cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Deo.
Additional research is needed to evaluate whether treating patients who are found to be at especially high risk due to ECG screening will help to improve and prolong the lives of individuals with CKD.
Study co-authors include Haochang Shou, PhD; Elsayed Soliman, MD, MSc, MS; Wei Yang, PhD; Joshua Arkin, MD; Xiaoming Zhang, MS; Raymond Townsend, MD; Alan Go, MD; Michael Shlipak, MD, MPH; and Harold Feldman, MD, MSCE.
Disclosures: The authors reported no financial disclosures.
The article, entitled “Electrocardiographic Measures and Prediction of Cardiovascular and Noncardiovascular Death in CKD,” will appear online at http://jasn.asnjournals.org/ on July 9, 2015.
The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.
Founded in 1966, and with more than 15,000 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.
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Tulane names regional dean for Baton Rouge General satellite campus | New ... - The Advocate
Dr. Robert Kenney, Tulane University School of Medicine, Baton Rouge General campus regional dean
Dr. Robert Kenney has been named by the Tulane University School of Medicine as regional dean, overseeing the Leadership Education Advocacy and Discovery Academy on its satellite campus at Baton Rouge General - Mid City.
Kenney serves as the General’s vice president of medical operations and is a core faculty member in the hospital’s Internal Medicine Residency Program.
He has nearly 30 years of nephrology practice experience. An alumni of the Tulane School of Medicine, Kenney completed his internal medicine residency training and fellowship in nephrology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas.
“Dr. Kenney’s depth of experience and leadership in driving the highest standards for clinical quality make him an excellent choice to lead the Baton Rouge satellite campus and continue to advance medical training in the region through our partnership with Baton Rouge General,” said Dr. Lee Hamm, senior vice president and dean of the Tulane University School of Medicine.
Since 2010, a total of 83 third- and fourth-year Tulane medical students have trained at the Baton Rouge satellite campus. To date, 44 students have graduated from the LEAD program. Overall, more than 100 medical students and residents train at Baton Rouge General’s two campuses each year.
Tulane names regional dean for Baton Rouge General satellite campus - The Advocate
Dr. Robert Kenney, Tulane University School of Medicine, Baton Rouge General campus regional dean
Dr. Robert Kenney has been named by the Tulane University School of Medicine as regional dean, overseeing the Leadership Education Advocacy and Discovery Academy on its satellite campus at Baton Rouge General - Mid City.
Kenney serves as the General’s vice president of medical operations and is a core faculty member in the hospital’s Internal Medicine Residency Program.
He has nearly 30 years of nephrology practice experience. An alumni of the Tulane School of Medicine, Kenney completed his internal medicine residency training and fellowship in nephrology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas.
“Dr. Kenney’s depth of experience and leadership in driving the highest standards for clinical quality make him an excellent choice to lead the Baton Rouge satellite campus and continue to advance medical training in the region through our partnership with Baton Rouge General,” said Dr. Lee Hamm, senior vice president and dean of the Tulane University School of Medicine.
Since 2010, a total of 83 third- and fourth-year Tulane medical students have trained at the Baton Rouge satellite campus. To date, 44 students have graduated from the LEAD program. Overall, more than 100 medical students and residents train at Baton Rouge General’s two campuses each year.
Public Release: 9-Jul-2015 ECG scans predict kidney disease patients' risk of ... - EurekAlert (press release)
Highlight
Certain electrocardiogram measures helped investigators identify a subgroup of individuals with chronic kidney disease who had substantially elevated risks of dying from heart disease.
An estimated 26 million people in the United States have chronic kidney disease, and heart disease is the leading cause of death in these patients.
Washington, DC (July 9, 2015) -- Several common measures obtained from electrocardiograms (ECGs) may help clinicians determine a kidney disease patient's risk of dying from heart disease. The findings, which are published in a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), may be important for preserving kidney patients' heart health.
ECG screening is not recommended for routinely assessing heart health in low-risk populations such as young athletes; however, would ECGs be useful in a higher-risk population such as those with chronic kidney disease (CKD), whose leading cause of death is heart disease?
To investigate, Rajat Deo, MD, MTR (Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania) and his colleagues evaluated whether a panel of 5 common ECG parameters could enhance prediction of CKD patients' risk of dying over a median follow-up of 7.5 years.
Among 3587 patients in the study, 750 participants died. The researchers found that common ECG measures (PR interval, QRS duration, corrected QT interval, heart rate, and left ventricular hypertrophy) identified individuals with CKD who were at an especially high risk of dying from heart disease. "By enhancing the prediction of cardiovascular death in this population, we may find more effective and novel interventions to prevent the complications of cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Deo.
Additional research is needed to evaluate whether treating patients who are found to be at especially high risk due to ECG screening will help to improve and prolong the lives of individuals with CKD.
###
Study co-authors include Haochang Shou, PhD; Elsayed Soliman, MD, MSc, MS; Wei Yang, PhD; Joshua Arkin, MD; Xiaoming Zhang, MS; Raymond Townsend, MD; Alan Go, MD; Michael Shlipak, MD, MPH; and Harold Feldman, MD, MSCE.
Disclosures: The authors reported no financial disclosures.
The article, entitled "Electrocardiographic Measures and Prediction of Cardiovascular and Noncardiovascular Death in CKD," will appear online at http://jasn.asnjournals.org/ on July 9, 2015.
The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.
Founded in 1966, and with more than 15,000 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.
Incarcerated dialysis patient sues surgeon over infection and injuries ... - Southeast Texas Record
A Henderson County resident filed a lawsuit against a Huntsville doctor asserting medical negligence in a case dating to 2011.
John Crocker of Athens sued Dr. Dave Khurana in Galveston County District Court on July 6, alleging liability in a series of medical procedures that he claims caused critical infection and injuries between 2011 and 2014.
According to the suit, the plaintiff was diagnosed with renal failure in late August 2011 and referred to Khurana for treatment. After surgery to implant a catheter, he began home dialysis in October 2011.
The suit states that due to an alleged violation of his pre-existing parole status, Crocker was remanded to a state hospital in Huntsville on April 18, 2013, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. While negotiating continued dialysis treatment, Crocker claims, he discovered that his catheter no longer functioned, having caused him to develop peritonitis at the implant site in May 2013.
The suit states that the patient’s infection was an aggressive strain of E. coli and staph; and that following additional surgery, his pain worsened and fluid leaked from his wound continuously for three days, impeding further dialysis.
According to the filing, a CT scan revealed that Crocker’s bladder had been punctured during surgery; he underwent yet another procedure. When he recovered sufficiently, he claims, he was denied his previous treatment method and forced to endure aggressive hemo-dialysis provided by the prison hospital for almost a year until his April 24, 2014, release.
Alleging negligence, severe physical pain, mental anguish, impairment, and medical expenses, Crocker blames the defendant for substandard care. He claims that Khurana failed to flush and properly maintain the peritoneal catheter, resulting in infection and multiple surgeries.
The plaintiff seeks up to $250,000 in compensation for damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney’s fees, expenses and costs. The plaintiff is represented by Dale Trimble of the Trimble Firm in Conroe.
Galveston County District Court case number 15-CV-0676.
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