(Press-News.org) Individuals who require long-term hemodialysis therapy have a high risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and related death, with CV risk factors that are similar to the general population (traditional risk factors) as well as others related to having kidney disease or being on dialysis (non-traditional risk factors). In the PISCES multicenter randomized trial, investigators evaluated the effect of taking omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (fish oil) capsules versus placebo capsules every day on serious CV events such as fatal and non-fatal heart attacks and strokes, peripheral vascular disease needing a limb amputation, and CV-related death. The trial, which included 26 dialysis units in Canada and Australia that recruited 1,228 patients on hemodialysis, found that the rate of serious CV outcomes was reduced by approximately half in patients who took fish oil capsules compared with placebo capsules, with reductions in CV death, heart attacks, stroke and peripheral vascular disease needing an amputation. “Additional studies are ongoing to better understand the mechanisms underlying these benefits,” said corresponding author Charmaine Lok, MD, of the University Health Network and the University of Toronto.
Protection Against Incidences of Serious Cardiovascular Events Study with Daily Fish Oil Supplementation in Patients on Dialysis (PISCES)
Patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI) in the hospital often need to start dialysis. The LIBERation from AcuTE Dialysis (LIBERATE-D) trial randomized hospitalized patients with AKI to receive hemodialysis only when specific clinical and metabolic indications were met (conservative dialysis strategy) versus thrice weekly hemodialysis (conventional arm with dialysis cessation based on urine output or creatinine clearance). In the conservative dialysis (intervention) arm, 70 of 109 (64%) participants recovered their kidney function at hospital discharge versus 55 of 109 (50%) participants in the conventional (control) arm. Those in the conservative dialysis arm received fewer dialysis sessions per week and recovered earlier. “Unlike patients with kidney failure, there is the potential for some hospitalized patients with acute kidney injury to recover enough kidney function to come off dialysis, which is a very important clinical and patient-centered outcome. In this clinical trial, we tested an approach to managing dialysis that increased the likelihood of these patients coming off dialysis—the first intervention ever demonstrated to have such a beneficial effect,” said senior author Chi-yuan Hsu, MD, MS, of the University of California San Francisco. “Our next steps will be to continue to test and refine this intervention in more patients and additional settings,” added first author, Kathleen Liu, MD, PhD, MAS
LIBERation from AcuTE Dialysis (LIBERATE-D)
In a randomized clinical trial involving 2,046 hospitalized patients, investigators utilized an AI-based model that is often used in marketing to predict which patients would benefit from clinician-directed electronic alerts for acute kidney injury. Although targeted alerts did not significantly improve the risk of progression of kidney injury, needing dialysis, or mortality among patients, they led to less nephrology consults and lower risk of hospital readmission. “Targeting alerts based on predicted benefit might improve patient outcomes while reducing alert fatigue,” said corresponding author Laura Aponte Becerra, MD, of Yale University.
Individual Treatment Effect Modeling for AKI Alerts: A Randomized Trial
Older kidney transplant patients are less likely to reject their new organ but are more vulnerable to medication side effects. The OPTIMIZE study tested whether less intense immuno-suppression could improve their outcomes. The 379-participant trial compared everolimus and reduced-dose tacrolimus versus mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus immunosuppression. The lighter treatment regimen was safe but did not lead to better survival or kidney function at 2 years after transplantation. “More research is needed to find the best balance for older transplant recipients,” said corresponding author Stefan Berger, MD, PhD, of the University Medical Center Groningen, in the Netherlands.
Randomized Clinical Trial in Older Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients Comparing Everolimus and Reduced-Dose Tacrolimus with Mycophenolate and Tacrolimus Immunosuppression: The OPTIMIZE Study
In the SURPASS-CVOT trial, people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease were given either tirzepatide (which activates receptors for both glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptideand glucagon-like peptide-1) or dulaglutide (which activates only the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor). The study showed that treatment with tirzepatide compared with dulaglutide slowed kidney function decline and reduced the risk of serious kidney events among those at high risk or very high risk of chronic kidney disease. “These findings demonstrate the potential for benefits of tirzepatide when treating high-risk patients,” said corresponding author Sophia Zoungas, PhD, of Monash University, in Australia.
Tirzepatide vs. Dulaglutide Is Associated with Reduced Major Kidney Events in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes, CVD, and Very High-Risk Kidney Diseases
Guidelines have different levels of recommendation for use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors depending on diabetes status and urine albumin:creatinine ratio (uACR). In a meta-analysis of 8 large placebo-control trials including 58,816 participants, investigators found that SGLT2 inhbitors helped protect the kidneys, reduce deaths, and lower hospitalizations in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), regardless of whether they had diabetes or their level of albuminuria. In people with more protein in their urine, more cases of kidney disease progression were prevented, while in those with lower levels, the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths avoided were similar in people with and without diabetes. Overall, the benefits far outweighed the risks, supporting the broad use of these drugs in people with CKD. “These data encourage removal of stratification by level of albuminuria from guideline recommendations for use of SGLT2 inhibitors in chronic kidney disease, and consequently help maximize widespread utilization,” said lead author Natalie Staplin, PhD, of the University of Oxford.
Net Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors by Diabetes Status and Albuminuria
Join ASN and approximately 12,000 other kidney professionals from across the globe at Kidney Week 2025 in Houston, TX. The world's premier nephrology meeting, Kidney Week, provides participants with exciting and challenging opportunities to exchange knowledge, learn the latest scientific and medical advances, and listen to engaging and provocative discussions with leading experts in the field. Early programs begin on November 5, followed by the Annual Meeting from November 6-9. Follow the conversation at #KidneyWk.
About the American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has nearly 22,000 members representing 141 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
# # #
END
Weaning patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) from dialysis while they are still hospitalized may save them from remaining on the treatment for the rest of their lives, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco.
Instead, some patients who may have the potential to recover kidney function while hospitalized are transferred to outpatient centers with fewer specialty doctors and less intensive monitoring, where subtle signs of recovery may be overlooked.
Although dialysis is needed to support patients with low kidney function, paradoxically it can delay or even prevent the ...
About The Study: A conservative dialysis strategy in dialysis-requiring acute kidney injury resulted in a shorter time to and higher rates of recovery of kidney function in the unadjusted analysis. Given uncertainty regarding the estimated effect size, this approach should be tested in a larger study population.
Author Contact Information: The Corresponding Authors of the study are Kathleen D. Liu, MD, PhD, MAS, and Chi-yuan Hsu, MD, MSc. Suzanne Leigh, Senior Public Information Representative at UCSF, can assist with scheduling interviews. Suzanne can be reached at suzanne.leigh@ucsf.edu.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link ...
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — For 60 years, Medicare has served as a social safety net. Workers pay into the system over their lifetimes with the expectation that they will be able to access affordable health care when they turn 65. But for a growing number of Americans, especially Black Americans, that expectation is going unfulfilled.
That’s according to a new study led by researchers at Brown University and Harvard University, which found that a rising number of premature deaths prevent many Americans from reaching the age of Medicare ...
In California’s Death Valley, where summer temperatures regularly soar above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, life seems almost impossible. Yet among the cracked earth and blinding sunlight, one native plant not only survives — it thrives.
That plant, Tidestromia oblongifolia, has helped Michigan State University scientists uncover how life can flourish in extreme heat, revealing a potential blueprint for engineering crops that can adapt to our changing climate.
In a new paper published in Current Biology, Research Foundation Professor Seung Yon “Sue” Rhee and Research ...
About The Study: Between 2012 and 2022, premature mortality among adults ages 18 to 64 in the U.S. increased by over 27%. During this period, racial disparities in premature mortality widened substantially, with Black individuals experiencing persistently higher and worsening rates compared with white individuals across most states. These results raise concerns about structural inequities within the Medicare entitlement and financing system. Despite contributing to Medicare throughout their working lives, Black individuals in the U.S. are less likely to ...
About The Study: In this case series, nonoptimal temperatures were critical environmental contributors associated with mortality burden, with differential vulnerability by geographic location, cause of death, and demographic factors. These findings highlight the need for urgent actions against temperature-related health burdens through tailored climate and public health strategies, considering the local context and demographic profiles.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding ...
Reaching for CBD-infused lotion or oil may seem like a low-risk way to find pain relief, but little is actually known about the impact that CBD has on the nervous system.
Over the past decade, the use of cannabis products for pain management has increased, in part because in 2018 Congress signed a law removing hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act, thereby legalizing hemp-derived CBD. Today, it is most commonly found in oil form, as well as in lotions and cosmetics, and it is widely understood that CBD does not cause a ‘high’. However, what CBD does in the human body and brain is not well understood. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration ...
Los Angeles, CA – November 7, 2025 - The Terasaki Institute proudly announces that Johnson V. John, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Institute, has been appointed as a standing member of the Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering (MTE) Study Section within the Center for Scientific Review at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His four-year term is scheduled to begin in November 2025.
The MTE Study Section plays a central role in the NIH’s rigorous peer-review process, evaluating competitive research proposals focused on biomaterials, cellular and molecular strategies, and engineering approaches that drive ...
Researchers have unveiled the intricate molecular mechanisms governing TCF/LEF-mediated transcription in the canonical Wnt pathway, identifying these proteins as promising therapeutic targets for cancer and fibrotic diseases. The review, published in Current Molecular Pharmacology, systematically dissects how four mammalian TCF/LEF paralogs—TCF7, LEF1, TCF7L1, and TCF7L2—achieve functional specificity through modular domain architecture and extensive alternative splicing.
"TCF/LEF proteins function as the final integrators of Wnt signals, converting β-catenin ...
A team co-led by engineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a new design strategy for metal alloy negative electrodes that could significantly improve the performance and durability of next-generation solid-state batteries. The work could help advance the path toward practical, high-performance energy storage for electric vehicles.
The team focused on negative electrodes made of lithium-aluminum alloy. They studied how lithium ions move through different phases of the material — a lithium-rich “beta” phase and ...
