Research Updates in Kidney and Urologic Health
Patient Education Publications Online:
With just a few quick clicks of a mouse,
practitioners can instantly put publications from the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) into the hands of their patients. These publications are designed to help people understand a broad range of kidney or urologic disorders; all content is reviewed by scientists at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
Visitors to the NKUDIC home page at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov need only point and click on "Kidney and Urologic Diseases" and a list of topics will appear. The online documents are the same as the hard-copy versions, which are still available by mail.
By using this online service, health care providers can maintain a bottomless inventory of appropriate patient education materials. Even in the case of an infrequently occurring condition, the patient can usually walk out of the physician's office with a printout or a reliable reference to reinforce a consultation.
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Preventing Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a
major health problem, responsible for
nearly 10 million trips to doctors each year. Although UTIs are easily treatable with prescription oral antibiotics, patients should take the entire prescription, even if symptoms disappear before the last dose. Women can prevent future infections primarily through good personal hygiene and increased consumption of fluids.
Patients should drink up to eight glasses of water a day to dilute urine in the bladder and
to cause more frequent urination, which helps flush bacteria from the urethra. Studies have demonstrated that drinking cranberry juice helps prevent UTIs.
Heeding the urge to void is important to prevent weakening of the bladder. Any unnecessary straining is harmful and may promote the onset of infection from weakened bladder tissue.
Commonsense precautions can be a critical factor in preventing the spread of bacteria. Women should always wash and wipe themselves from front to back, that is, from vagina
to anus, to prevent bacteria from collecting
near the urinary tract. Also, tampons should
be replaced as often as possible to prevent bacterial growth.
Many commonly used bathroom products can increase the possibility of a UTI. Perfumed or scented soaps, shampoos, and deodorants, as well as condoms and spermicides, can irritate the tissues of the urethra and make infection more likely. Taking showers instead of baths decreases the possibility of infection by avoiding the bacteria that can spread in standing water.
As far as sexual activity is concerned, following a few simple routines is necessary to help stave off infection. Drinking plenty of water before and after intercourse ensures a steady flow of urine, which serves to flush out bacteria before they can spread. In addition, cleansing oneself before and after sex is always a good idea.
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Meeting Reports
Experts on Nutrition in Renal Disease Recommend Trial To Test Benefits of Nutritional Support
In September 1998, the National Institute
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases' (NIDDK's) Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (DKUHD) sponsored a meeting in Baltimore on Critical Issues in the Care of the Dialysis Patient.
Nutrition in renal disease was a major focus
of the meeting.
Work groups made recommendations in the areas of basic science, epidemiology, and clinical trials. The basic science work group called for more research into the mechanisms that cause impaired nutritional status in people with renal disease. The epidemiology work group recommended study designs to identify independent associations between individual risk factors and the development of malnutrition. The clinical trials work group recommended small clinical trials to study the protein and energy needs of patients with chronic renal insufficiency and end-stage renal disease.
All three of the work groups emphasized the need for large-scale trials to test the hypothesis that nutritional support will decrease the morbidity and mortality of malnourished dialysis patients.
Workshop Goers Seek Better Therapy
for Kidney Stones
Kidney stone disease was the focus of a 2-day workshop sponsored by the NIDDK/NIH Office of Rare Diseases. In December 1998, more than 150 research investigators, clinicians, and patients gathered to hear international experts give state-of-the-art presentations on the pathogenesis and treatment strategies for the most common type
of kidney stone (oxalate) and the inherited disorders of hyperoxaluria and oxalosis. Attendees called for the development of new treatment approaches, including genetic therapy, and the establishment of a well-defined database for cohort studies to enhance our understanding
of the pathogenesis of these diseases. The
workshop was cosponsored by the Oxalosis
and Hyperoxaluria Foundation and the Pediatric Urology and Nephrology Associations.
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| Workshop/Conference Title |
Date of Conference or Workshop |
Contact |
| Women and Renal Disease (Cosponsored by the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health
and Women in Nephrology) |
September 14–17,1999 |
Paul Kimmel, M.D.
301–594–7717 |
| Epidemiology of Chronic Renal Insufficiency |
September 27–28, 1999 |
John Kusek, Ph.D.
301–594–7717 |
| Membrane Transport: Lessons from Bacteria, Yeast, Plants, Worms, and Flies |
December 6–7, 1999 |
M. James Scherbenske, Ph.D.
301–594–7719 |
| New Directions in PKD |
Spring 2000 |
Gladys Hirschman, M.D.
301–594–7717 |
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