Key Highlights
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The diabetes drug acarbose was found to protect kidney cells (podocytes) and improve kidney damage in diabetic mice by activating a protein called USP46. This discovery suggests a potential new way to treat diabetic kidney disease, a major cause of kidney failure, by repurposing an existing medication.
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A study in patients with severe kidney impairment and COVID-19 found that a reduced dose of the antiviral Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) was safe and maintained effective drug levels in the blood. This provides crucial guidance for safely treating a high-risk patient group who were previously excluded from using this important medication.
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A large European study of patients with a lung-scarring disease linked to a specific immune system antibody found that nearly 40% also had kidney involvement. This highlights the importance of checking kidney function in patients with this type of lung disease, as it often affects multiple organs.
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Researchers identified specific small RNA molecules in the blood that are associated with necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe intestinal disease in premature infants. Finding these biomarkers could lead to earlier diagnosis and better monitoring of this life-threatening condition.
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A study of over 2,200 patients with cardiac amyloidosis, a condition where protein builds up in the heart, found that the disease appears across the full range of heart pumping strength, not just in hearts with preserved function. This means doctors should consider this diagnosis even in patients with weakened hearts, as it requires specific treatment.
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