Pharma

WASHINGTON—Vitamin D treatment for patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease might reduce their risk of death by more than 25 percent, according to a study to be published in the August Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.Many CKD patients take an oral form of activated vitamin D called calcitriol to treat elevated levels of parathyroid hormone, according ...

EXTON, Pa.—Safety concerns regarding anemia drugs have led to a decrease in the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in predialysis patients, according to a recent report.The use of ESAs in CKD stage 4 patients decreased from 54 percent in the first quarter of 2007 to 42 percent in the first quarter of 2008, according to a report by the market research ...

IS THE ESRD PROVIDER community trapped in a flawed delivery system that benefits a few large organizations at the expense of the small dialysis provider? Given that Amgen has the power to unilaterally set pricing for Epogen (EPO), the question is, will Amgen ever level the playing field for these independent dialysis facilities? I speak with a lot of independent ...

Shire Pharmaceuticals has launched On Track, a program designed to improve adherence to disease management regimens dialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia, or elevated levels of phosphorus in the blood. On Track was designed to provide resources to patients, healthcare professionals (HCPs) and renal care teams that can help them identify “real world” solutions to adherence-related challenges.Approximately half of all end-stage renal ...

SAN FRANCISCO—Why do black patients with advanced kidney disease have higher levels of creatinine, a standard indicator of kidney function, than whites? Contrary to what doctors have thought, the difference may not necessarily reflect differences in muscle mass related to younger age or differences in body composition, according to a study in the July 2008 issue of the Clinical Journal ...