Drug fails to help kidney transplant recipients

Results come from large, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

2013-01-11

(Press-News.org) Highlight While safe and well-tolerated, angiotensin II blockade did not lessen tissue scarring or prevent kidney failure in kidney transplant recipients.

Angiotensin II blockade is known to slow kidney disease progression in individuals without transplants.

Washington, DC (January 10, 2013) — A drug that protects the kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease does not seem to provide the same benefit to kidney transplant recipients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

Immunosuppressants help prolong the function of transplanted organs, but therapies that target non-immunological damage to these organs—such as elevated blood pressure and tissue scarring (or fibrosis)—have not been studied.

Angiotensin II blockade, which causes blood vessels to dilate, can slow the progression of kidney disease in individuals without kidney transplants. Hassan Ibrahim, MD (University of Minnesota) and his colleagues set out to test the strategy in transplant recipients. "To our knowledge this is the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of angiotensin II blockade in these patients," said Dr. Ibrahim.

The investigators assigned 153 kidney transplant recipients to receive the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan or placebo within three months of transplantation, continuing treatment for five years.

"Contrary to what has been observed in native kidney disease, angiotensin II blockade did not demonstrate a statistically significant benefit in lessening fibrosis or terminal kidney failure from severe fibrosis. Nevertheless, angiotensin II blockade was safe and well-tolerated," said Dr. Ibrahim. He noted that a similar trial is ongoing in Canada.

The findings provide valuable information for future studies of non-immunological therapies for kidney transplant recipients.

### Study co-authors include Scott Jackson, MS, Jeffrey Connaire, MD, Arthur Matas, MD, Arthur Ney, MD, Ann West, RN, Nicole Lentsch, RN, Jensina Ericksen, Jenny Bodner, RN, Bertram Kasiske, MD, FACP (Hennepin County Medical Center); Behzad Najafian, MD (University of Washington); and Michael Mauer, MD (University of Minnesota).

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by NIDDK (grant #U01 DK060706-09). The drug and placebo were provided by Merck Pharmaceuticals.

The article, entitled "Angiotensin II Blockade in Kidney Transplant Recipients," will appear online at http://jasn.asnjournals.org/ on January 10, 2013, doi: 10.1681/2012080777.

The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.

Founded in 1966, and with more than 13,500 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Kidneys sometimes removed unnecessarily due to misdiagnosis of genetic disorder

2013-01-11

Thousands of individuals have had kidneys removed unnecessarily because doctors misdiagnosed their disease. A new, international study published in The Lancet indicates that approximately one of every five individuals with kidney tumors common in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic disorder, has had a kidney removed. Moreover, 40 percent had some kind of surgical procedure performed. Proper diagnosis could have led to treatment that would have made surgery or kidney removal unnecessary, according to John Bissler, MD, a nephrologist at Cincinnati ...

A snapshot of pupfish evolution in action

2013-01-11

Chris Martin has bred more than 3,000 hybrid fish in his time as a graduate student in evolution and ecology at UC Davis, a pursuit that has helped him create one of the most comprehensive snapshots of natural selection in the wild and demonstrated a key prediction in evolutionary biology. "We can see a surprisingly complex snapshot of natural selection driving the evolution of new specialized species," said Martin, who with Professor Peter Wainwright published a paper on the topic in the Jan. 11, 2013, issue of the journal Science. The "adaptive landscape" is very ...

PLOS Pathogens additional press release -- Jan. 10, 2013

2013-01-11

January 10, 2013 Scientists engineer the Schmallenberg virus genome to understand how to reduce disease caused by the virus. Researchers from the MRC Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow in Scotland have developed methods to synthesize and change the genome of Schmallenberg virus (SBV). SBV is a recently discovered pathogen of livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats. The researchers have laid bare important ways by which this virus causes disease. The full report about the study publishes on January 10 in the Open Access journal, PLOS Pathogens. SBV ...

Breath test identifies bacteria's fingerprint

2013-01-11

Scientists have identified the chemical 'fingerprints' given off by specific bacteria when present in the lungs, potentially allowing for a quick and simple breath test to diagnose infections such as tuberculosis. Publishing their study today, 11 January, in IOP Publishing's Journal of Breath Research, the researchers have successfully distinguished between different types of bacteria, as well as different strains of the same bacteria, in the lungs of mice by analysing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in exhaled breath. It is hoped that a simple breath ...

Molecular machine could hold key to more efficient manufacturing

2013-01-11

VIDEO: Professor Leigh’s molecular machine is based on the ribosome. It features a functionalized nanometre-sized ring that moves along a molecular track, picking up building blocks located on the path and... Click here for more information. An industrial revolution on a minute scale is taking place in laboratories at The University of Manchester with the development of a highly complex machine that mimics how molecules are made in nature. The artificial molecular machine developed ...

New nanotech fiber: Robust handling, shocking performance

2013-01-11

VIDEO: Scientists have created the first pure carbon nanotube fibers that combine many of the best features of highly conductive metal wires, strong carbon fibers and pliable textile thread. In a... Click here for more information. Rice University's latest nanotechnology breakthrough was more than 10 years in the making, but it still came with a shock. Scientists from Rice, the Dutch firm Teijin Aramid, the U.S. Air Force and Israel's Technion Institute this week unveiled ...

Study: Model for brain signaling flawed

2013-01-11

A new study out today in the journal Science turns two decades of understanding about how brain cells communicate on its head. The study demonstrates that the tripartite synapse – a model long accepted by the scientific community and one in which multiple cells collaborate to move signals in the central nervous system – does not exist in the adult brain. "Our findings demonstrate that the tripartite synaptic model is incorrect," said Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., lead author of the study and co-director of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Center ...

Women with pre-eclampsia are at higher risk of complications following childbirth

2013-01-11

Women with pre-eclampsia are at a higher risk of complications following delivery and should continue to be monitored for up to 72 hours, suggests a new review published today (11/01/13) in The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (TOG). The review analyses the health risks associated with postnatal hypertension, elevated blood pressure that occurs after childbirth, and looks at the women at risk of this condition and treatments available. There is extensive literature on hypertension in the antenatal and intrapartum period, but there is little information on postpartum ...

Women should wait at least 12 months before trying for a baby following weight loss surgery

2013-01-11

Women should wait at least 12 months before trying for a baby following weight loss surgery and need further advice and information on reproductive issues, suggests a new evidence-based literature review published today (11/01/13) in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG). The review looks at the safety, advantages and limitations of bariatric surgery and multidisciplinary management of patients before, during and after pregnancy. With the prevalence of obesity among women of reproductive age expected to rise from 24.2% in 2005 to 28.3% in 2015, the number of women ...

HRT for postmenopausal symptoms can be recommended as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy

2013-01-11

Herbal and complementary medicines could be recommended as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for treating postmenopausal symptoms says a new review published today in The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (TOG). The review outlines the advantages and limitations of both pharmacological and herbal and complementary treatments for women with postmenopausal symptoms. The menopause is defined as the time after a woman's menstrual periods have ceased (12 months after a woman's final menstrual period). It is associated with an estrogen deficiency and can cause ...

Drug fails to help kidney transplant recipients

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: