Fresenius Medical Care Acquires NxStage Medical

The deal was for about $2 billion, or $30 per common share. The deal is expected to close in 2018. Fresenius hopes the acquisition will help it accelerate growth within the home dialysis markets.

Source: Nephrology News & Issues

DaVita Income Increases 139% in Q2 2017

Income increased to $127 million compared to $53 million in Q2 2016. During Q2 2017, DaVita acquired 44 dialysis centers and opened 27 dialysis centers in the United States.

Source: Nephrology News & Issues

Nutritional Status & Phosphorus-Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients

A new study found patients with abnormal serum phosphorus levels or poor nutritional status were linked with a higher mortality rate. Researchers found patients with high geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), high phosphorus levels could be a risk factor for vascular calcification.

Source: Renal & Urology News

Infection Risk Increases as Kidney Function Declines

Researchers in Sweden found those patients with stage 4 or higher chronic kidney disease developed infections outside a hospital setting six times faster than patients with normal kidney function.

Source: Renal & Urology News

Women Less Likely to Initiate Hemodialysis with AV Fistula

A recent study found women — especially African-American women — are less likely than men to initiate hemodialysis with an AV fistula. Though there isn’t a definitive answer as to why women are less likely to begin hemodialysis, some researchers speculate it could be because of poor fistula maturation rates.

Source: Renal & Urology News

Catheters Still Top Source of Bloodstream Infections

Researchers analyzed CDC data from outpatient hemodialysis facilities and found 77 percent ofbloodstream infections were related to accessing a patient’s blood, and 63 percent of those infections were in patients with central venous catheters.

Source: Kidney News Online