Researchers found that CKD patients may get some medicinal benefits from consuming caffeine. They found that those who consumed higher amounts of caffeine—between 206.5 to 1,378.5 milligrams daily—cut their mortality risk by nearly a quarter compared to those who consumed lower amounts.
Source: Medical News Today
DaVita Sells Medical Group Division to UnitedHealth Group for $4.9 Billion
The medical group will become part of UnitedHealth Group’s OptumCare division, which has affiliations with over 30,000 physicians and works with more than 80 health plans. DaVita has struggled to create a profit with its medical group since it launched five years ago.
Source: Nephrology News & Issues
Patients with HIV Who Receive Antiretroviral Combo May be at Increased Risk of CKD
Patients receiving the drug tenofovir with a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor were at greater risk of developing CKD than those who received tenofovir with a non-nucleosidic reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
Source: Renal & Urology News
Kidney Disease a Risk Factor for Diabetes
If patients with kidney disease progress toward kidney failure, they may also develop diabetes, researchers have found. The elevated levels of urea raise the risk for diabetes. These higher levels pose a 23 percent increased risk of developing diabetes, according to the study.
Source: Nephrology News & Issues
Medication Discrepancies are Common in Advanced CKD
For patients with stage 4 or 5 CKD, medication discrepancies like taking different dosages than prescribed are common. These discrepancies could pose serious risks. They commonly happen because late stage CKD patients are frequently hospitalized and can experience fragmented medical care and inadequate communication and pharmacology.
Researchers found that of the 713 patients they studied, over half had at least one discrepancy and more than 12 percent had five or more.
Source: Renal & Urology News
Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Use May Increase CKD, ESRD Risk
Researchers found patients who took PPIs for heartburn or acid reflex were at a significantly increased risk of developing CKD or ESRD. Researchers are working to determine whether the association is causal or requires additional investigation.
Source: Renal & Urology News
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