Home Dialysis Central update
[Vol.4, No.7, July 24, 2007]
Happy Birthday to Home Dialysis Central! We launched the site on July 1, 2004, and are very proud of our efforts to raise awareness and use of PD and home HD. Help us celebrate by sharing our FREE postcard handouts today!
Home Dialysis: Your Life, Your Choice DVD now available!
The wait is over! You can now order Home Dialysis Central's brand new DVD featuring PD, daily, and nocturnal home HD through the lives of 6 dialyzors, with commentary from 3 expert nephrologists. Snag a copy for yourself, give one to every dialyzor in your clinic, or use them in CKD classes.
ESRD funding threatened to aid children's insurance
Capitol Hill sources say a proposal is afoot to divert $1 billion of Medicare ESRD Program funding to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). We all want children insured—but not at the expense of dialyzor care. You can help! Use our Legislative Action Center zip code finder and write to or call your representatives. Tell your story—and ask them to find SCHIP funding elsewhere. Do it today!
Peritoneal cell transplants - a future option for PD?
Over time, glucose-based PD fluid can cause fibrosis and blood vessel changes to the peritoneal membrane, making PD impossible. But what if you could transplant the cells lining the peritoneum and grow a new layer from your own tissue? Could PD continue? Researchers are looking into this intriguing possibility. Read the abstract.
Redefining HD adequacy based on phosphorus
High phosphorus levels in dialyzors cause a host of life-threatening problems—but a higher HD dose based on urea clearance doesn't save lives. In this month's Seminars in Dialysis, a new article suggests that we use phosphorus removal as a marker instead. Daily and nocturnal HD both remove more phosphorus than standard HD. It's time to give another marker a try. Read the abstract.
"PD is a great choice for people who want to take care of themselves!"
When her brother's donated kidney finally failed after 6 years and a bout of pneumonia, Gloria Allard found herself on hemodialysis with an IJ catheter. After her team assured her that good technique would reduce her chances of getting an infection, Gloria decided to rely on PD while she waits for a new transplant. Read her story.
Topic of the month: how to protect yourself in the hospital
Whether from an access clot, chest pain, or a broken bone, at some point you may need a hospital stay. If you know what to ask, you can feel better and help avoid errors. Read more.
Innovative papers: cycler PD helps relieve sleep apnea
Sleep problems are common in people with kidney failure. Sleep apnea causes breathing pauses that can cause heart damage. In this paper by Drs. Tang et al, dialyzors using cycler PD in an overnight sleep lab had lower levels of sleep apnea—and less total body water content than they did on CAPD. Read the summary.
Who pays for home dialysis and training?
Click here to learn the answers to this & other questions about Medicare payment for PD and home hemo.
Read all about it!
Review home dialysis-related news, courtesy of Nephrology News & Issues. This week's stories include:
- Study: ESRD patients struggling with Medicare Part D
- ASN wants more patient-centered approach
- Baxter down on recall, raises 2007 outlook
Featured link: NocturnalDialysis.org
Find a whole world of information about nocturnal dialysis from Dr. John Agar's site down under—where they are far ahead of us in terms of numbers of dialyzors at home. Read about dialysis choices, how dialysis works, an overview of nocturnal HD, and much more. Learn more.
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