Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Nephrology for May 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
THURSDAY, May 31, 2018 -- The widespread shortages of injectable opioids and small-volume parenteral (SVP) solutions are jeopardizing patient care and placing a strain on hospital operations, according to a report published by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- Patients served by the beleaguered Veterans Affairs health system may have wider access to private care, thanks to a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate. President Donald Trump is known to support the bill, which now awaits his signature.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- South Asians in the United States have increased proportional mortality rates from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), although there are no unique risk factors in this population, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association published online May 24 in Circulation.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- For children with X-linked hypophosphatemia, subcutaneous burosumab is associated with decreases in rickets severity and with improved renal tubular phosphate reabsorption, according to a study published in the May 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- There is considerable global variation in personal health care access and quality, according to a study published online May 23 in The Lancet.
TUESDAY, May 22, 2018 -- Overall, 9.1 percent of individuals in the United States were uninsured in 2017, which was not significantly different from the level in 2016, according to a report published online May 22 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Centers for Health Statistics.
TUESDAY, May 22, 2018 -- Clinicians who provide emergency-only hemodialysis (EOHD) to undocumented immigrants experience moral distress and professional burnout, according to a study published online May 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Stigmatizing language used in medical records to describe patients can influence medical students and residents in terms of their attitudes towards the patient and their clinical decision-making, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Acute kidney injury (AKI) is independently associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events, especially heart failure, after hospital discharge, according to a study published online May 17 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2018 -- A nonprofit manufacturer could help keep generic drug prices down and maintain their supply, according to a perspective piece published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2018 -- Best practices have been developed for using electronic health records (EHRs) to enhance patient-centered care, according to an article published online in Medical Economics.
TUESDAY, May 15, 2018 -- Retacrit (epoetin alfa-epbx) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first "biosimilar" to the anemia drugs Epogen and Procrit.
TUESDAY, May 15, 2018 -- For pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery, early postoperative acetaminophen exposure may be associated with a reduced rate of acute kidney injury (AKI), according to a study published online May 14 in JAMA Pediatrics.
FRIDAY, May 11, 2018 -- Older adults with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a diverse midstream voided urine microbiome, according to a study published online April 12 in International Urology and Nephrology.
FRIDAY, May 11, 2018 -- Sofosbuvir-based treatment appears to guarantee renal safety for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus over one year of follow-up, according to a study published online May 7 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
THURSDAY, May 10, 2018 -- Recent use of oral antibiotics is associated with increased odds of nephrolithiasis, according to a study published online May 10 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
THURSDAY, May 10, 2018 -- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may be an early indicator of subsequent subclinical renal dysfunction, according to a study published online May 4 in Diabetes Care.
WEDNESDAY, May 9, 2018 -- Coaching to increase water intake does not significantly slow the decline in kidney function among adults with chronic kidney disease, according to a study published in the May 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
TUESDAY, May 8, 2018 -- Regulatory requirements are likely to be an important aspect of physician dissatisfaction with electronic health records (EHRs) that is driving burnout, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online May 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
TUESDAY, May 8, 2018 -- Type 2 diabetes is independently associated with a greater risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in women, but not in men, according to a study published online April 20 in Diabetes Care.
FRIDAY, May 4, 2018 -- Many organizations are not meeting the trial registration and results reporting requirements clarified by "The Final Rule," which had a compliance date of April 18, 2017, according to a study published online May 1 in BMC Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 4, 2018 -- A novel signal has been identified that is associated with microalbuminuria in Europeans with type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study published online April 27 in Diabetes.
THURSDAY, May 3, 2018 -- Sleep duration is associated with health-related quality of life among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study published online May 3 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
THURSDAY, May 3, 2018 -- Reduced kidney function, estimated using cystatin C, is associated with 20-year cumulative incidence of hearing impairment (HI), according to a study published online April 26 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
WEDNESDAY, May 2, 2018 -- For hospitalized adults with serious illness, receiving a palliative care consultation (PCC) is associated with a reduction in hospital costs, according to a review published online April 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
TUESDAY, May 1, 2018 -- Physicians should be aware of the correct protocol for, as well as the laws involved in, firing employees, according to a report published in Medical Economics.