Today in kidney research
Brief for 2026-09-18 · generated 2026-09-18T23:14:57.308Z
Two early studies offer hints but no proven treatments yet.
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A low-protein diet study is promising but has not been checked by other experts yet.
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A mouse study found a way to protect kidneys during infection, but it has not been tested in people.
Today's news is mostly preliminary. Researchers are looking at diet and infection protection, but neither has been confirmed in human trials. These findings are early steps and do not change current care guidelines.
Association between blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio and kidney stones: A cross-sectional study based on NHANES
This preprint looked at a blood test ratio called BAR and its link to kidney stones. It used data from the NHANES survey. It is an observational study, so it shows a link, not proof of cause. The study is not yet peer-reviewed, so the findings are preliminary.
Hepatitis E virus immunoglobulin G seropositivity and kidney dysfunction among United States adults
This preprint checked if past exposure to Hepatitis E virus is linked to kidney problems in US adults. It used data from national health surveys. It is an observational study, so it shows a link, not proof of cause. The study is not yet peer-reviewed, so the findings are preliminary.
African-specific variants at the GATM locus and genetic bias in creatinine-based GFR estimation
This study explains why kidney function tests can be less accurate for people of African ancestry. A specific gene change causes the body to make more creatinine, a waste product. This raises the creatinine level in the blood without actually changing how well the kidneys filter. The result is that standard tests may underestimate kidney function in these patients. This finding helps doctors interpret test results more fairly.
Frailty in children with chronic kidney disease and kidney failure
This commentary discusses frailty in children with kidney disease. It notes that frailty in kids looks different than in adults, often showing as lost growth or development. The authors argue for early screening to catch these issues. They suggest that childhood frailty may be reversible, unlike in adults. There are no new trial results in this piece.
Somatostatin analogues for ADPKD: ending the confusing story of mGFR and eGFR
This commentary reviews a recent trial of a drug called lanreotide for polycystic kidney disease. The drug did not slow the decline in measured kidney function. However, it did show a slight effect on estimated kidney function. The authors discuss why these two measures can give different results. This piece is an opinion on the trial data, not a new study.
Uremic toxins and parathyroid hormone have distinct effects on bone
This is a short letter to the editor. The authors discuss a recent study on bone health in kidney disease. They point out that the link between toxins and bone was known before. There are no new results in this letter.
The Case | Persistent hyperkalemia in a normotensive woman
This is a case report about a 55-year-old woman with high blood potassium. She had no symptoms and normal blood pressure. Her records showed high levels for about 10 years. This is one person's story, not a large study.
Interferon signature in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–negative patients
This is a short letter to the editor. The authors comment on a study about a specific immune signal in kidney disease. They praise the work but add no new data. There are no new results here.
A Pragmatic Trial Comparing Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin Through Cluster Randomization Embedded in the Electronic Health Record
A new study is starting to compare two diabetes drugs, empagliflozin and dapagliflozin. It will look at how well these drugs help people with kidney disease and heart failure. The study uses computer records to assign patients to groups. There are no results yet.
SGLT2 Inhibitors: Dual Effects on Erythropoiesis and Bone Metabolism.
This review looks at how a common diabetes drug affects blood and bones. It notes that the drug can raise blood cell counts and change bone minerals. It raises questions about how this might affect bone health in people with kidney disease. There are no new patient results in this review.
Association between central thyroid hormone dysregulation and chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study.
This study looked at 2,759 people with type 2 diabetes. It found a link between thyroid hormone issues and kidney disease. This shows a connection, but it does not prove that one causes the other.
Chronic Kidney Disease Severity and Progression to Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.
This study looked at people with type 2 diabetes and eye disease. It found a link between kidney disease and worse eye problems. The study is observational, so it shows a connection but not proof of cause. It does not test a new treatment.
Clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis analysis of childhood ANCA-associated vasculitis.
This study reviewed children with a rare blood vessel inflammation. It looked at how the disease affects their kidneys. It is an observational study, so it shows links but not proof of cause. It helps doctors understand this rare condition better.
Caseous Peripheral Medial Arterial Calcification With Inflammation and Luminal Occlusion.
This is a case report about one man with kidney failure. He had a rare type of calcium buildup in his leg artery. It blocked blood flow and led to amputation. This is a single story, not a large study with results.
Efficacy and safety of telitacicept combined with standard of care in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis: a real-world retrospective study.
This study looked at 112 people with lupus kidney disease. It compared a drug called telitacicept with standard care. It is a retrospective study, so it shows a link, not proof of cause. The drug may help control the disease.
New Insights into the Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Diabetic Kidney Disease in the Omics Era.
This is a review of how energy problems in cells drive diabetic kidney disease. It explains the science behind the damage. There are no new trial results in this article. It summarizes what is already known.
Development and validation of an explainable machine learning model for differentiating diabetic nephropathy from diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes
This study is starting. It aims to build a computer model that tells the difference between kidney and eye damage in people with type 2 diabetes. There are no results yet.
Vitamin D deficiency and the long-term risk of new-onset abdominal aortic aneurysm and severe aortic events: a multicenter propensity score–matched cohort study
This study is starting. It looks at the link between low vitamin D and a bulge in the main artery of the belly. There are no results yet.
Identification of a novel metabolic and lipidomic signature for 90-day functional outcome after ischemic stroke: an exploratory proof-of-concept study
This study is starting. It looks for blood markers that predict recovery after a stroke. There are no results yet.
Endocrine regulation of uromodulin in aging
This review is starting. It discusses how hormones control a kidney protein as people age. There are no results yet.
Tonsillar Tfh cells contribute to the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy in collaboration with memory B cells
This study is starting. It looks at how immune cells in the tonsils may cause a type of kidney disease. There are no results yet.
Integrative multi-omics analysis prioritizes compartment-specific candidate targets of gut microbiota metabolites in diabetic kidney disease
This study is starting. It looks for gut bacteria targets that might help people with diabetic kidney disease. There are no results yet.
Poor prognosis of acute kidney injury superimposed on chronic kidney disease: potential mechanisms, risk factors and novel biomarkers
This review is starting. It discusses why sudden kidney injury is dangerous for people with long-term kidney disease. There are no results yet.
A Woman With Generalized Abdominal Pain
This is a case report about an 81-year-old woman with stage 3 kidney disease. She went to the emergency room with belly pain. Doctors used ultrasound to find air in her belly. This report describes one person's experience. It does not test a new treatment or show what works for many people.
CONTRAST-INDUCED NEPHROPATHY IN PATIENTS WITH STABLE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND PROGNOSIS OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
This study looked at 462 people with heart disease who had a dye test. It checked if the dye caused kidney damage. It also tracked what happened to them over one year. This is an observational study, so it shows a link but not proof of cause. It helps us understand the risks of these tests.
Glucosuria as a Marker of Adherence to Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and Clinical Outcomes in Real-World Practice.
This study looked at 45,711 people taking SGLT2 drugs, a class of medicine that protects the kidneys. It found that checking for sugar in the urine is a good way to see if a person is actually taking the pill. This is an observational study, so it shows a link but not proof of cause. It helps doctors know if a patient is taking their medicine.
The clinical features of anti-CNTN1 antibodies associated autoimmune nodopathies with nephropathy: a case series.
This study looked at 11 people with a rare nerve condition and kidney disease. It is a case series, which is a small observational study. It shows a link between the two conditions but not proof of cause.
Microvascular dysfunction in chronic kidney disease: A feasibility study.
This study checks if a light-based tool can measure blood flow in the legs of people with kidney disease. It is a feasibility study, which means it tests if the method works. It does not report results on how to slow kidney decline yet.
Patients’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences of malnutrition risk management in heart failure: a qualitative study
This study is starting. It asks people with heart failure about their food and nutrition risks. There are no results yet.
Lower-limb neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for adults with kidney failure undergoing dialysis.
This is a large review of studies on electrical muscle stimulation for people on dialysis. It found that the evidence is still uncertain. We do not know yet if this treatment helps people keep their muscle strength.
Frailty Syndrome in Non-geriatric Dialysis Patients in Georgia: Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in a Cross-Sectional Study.
This study looked at 50 younger adults on dialysis to see how many were frail, or physically weak. It is an observational study, so it shows a link but not proof of cause. It helps doctors understand frailty in this group.
Growing old before growing up
This is a personal account from a caregiver of a child with kidney disease. It describes how the illness affects the child's growth and daily life. It is a story, not a scientific trial with results.
Cadherin-11 and the mechanobiology of the fibrogenic niche
Researchers found that blocking a protein called cadherin-11 can limit scarring in the kidneys. This was tested in animal models of kidney injury, not in people yet. The protein helps cells generate force, which drives the scarring process. Stopping this process preserved kidney function in the animals. This suggests a new target for future drugs to prevent kidney damage.
Nephrin missense variants affecting post-translational modifications and surface exposure in the slit diaphragm
This is a short letter to the editor. The authors discuss a new study on the structure of the kidney's filter. They praise the high-resolution imaging used. There are no new results in this letter.
Megalin: from structure to function
This review explains how a protein called megalin works in the kidney. It looks at how this protein helps the kidney filter blood and manage waste. The article discusses how changes in this protein might lead to kidney disease. There are no new patient results in this piece.
Increased mechanical load remodels the glomerular matrix and accelerates Alport kidney disease: processed data and analysis code
This study used mice to see how extra stress on the kidney changes its structure. It found that this stress can speed up a specific type of kidney disease in the animals. The data is from lab tests, not from people yet.
Early diagnosis of radiation-induced renal injury: from lagging indicators to multimodal, pre-fibrotic detection
This review is starting. It discusses how to spot kidney damage from radiation before scarring begins. There are no results yet.
Therapeutic Horizons of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Nephrology: From Early Acute Lesions to Complex Chronic Kidney Disease.
This item discusses stem cells as a possible treatment for kidney disease. The record does not include an abstract or specific results. We cannot grade the evidence or explain the findings without more details from the source.
Arginase 2 deficiency mitigates sepsis-associated acute kidney injury by alleviating lipid accumulation.
In mice, blocking a specific protein helped protect kidneys during severe infection. This was done in animals, not people yet. The study shows a link between this protein and kidney damage, but it is not proof of cause in humans.
Is a 4% genetic diagnostic yield in living kidney donors truly negligible?
This letter questions a recent study on genetic testing for kidney donors. The authors argue that a 4% chance of finding a gene issue is not small. They suggest testing all donors, not just some. There are no new results here.
Xenotransplantation of the Porcine Lung-From Immunological Barriers to Emerging Experimental Strategies.
This review discusses using pig lungs for human transplants. It explains why the body often rejects these organs and how scientists are trying to fix that. It notes that pig heart and kidney transplants are already in trials. There are no new patient results in this review.
Total intravenous anesthesia in kidney transplantation: A narrative review
This is a review of how anesthesia is used during kidney transplants. It discusses using only IV drugs for sleep during surgery. There are no new trial results in this article. It summarizes what is already known.
https://www.era-online.org/publications/survival-benefit-of-deceased-donor-kidney-transplantation-versus-continued-dialysis-international-target-trial-emulation/
This item points to a major study on kidney transplants versus dialysis. The website blocked access, so we could not read the results. We cannot grade the evidence or explain the findings without access to the full text.
Advancing the Future of Kidney Care: NKF Hosts Capitol Hill Roundtable on Kidney Xenotransplantation
This is a news article about a meeting on kidney transplants from animals. It is a discussion, not a study with results. There are no new findings to report yet.
Improving the Collaborative Health of Adult Dyads
This study looks at how patients and their care partners work together. It aims to help people with chronic conditions like kidney disease manage their health. The study focuses on older adults and those in rural areas. There are no results yet.
Proceedings of the 33rd European Paediatric Rheumatology Congress.
This is a collection of short summaries from a medical conference. It covers many topics, including kidney issues in children. There are no new results from a single study here. It is a record of what was discussed.
Dental Professionals’ Knowledge of Oral Health in Chronic Kidney Disease: Exploratory Survey
This item is a survey about what dental professionals know regarding kidney disease. The record does not include an abstract or summary of the findings. Because we do not have the details, we cannot grade the evidence or explain the results.
Perinatal Risk and Outcomes Among Individuals Insured by Medicare
This study compared pregnant women on Medicare with those on other insurance. It looked at health risks and baby outcomes. This is an observational study, so it shows a link but not proof of cause. It helps us understand the challenges for pregnant people with chronic conditions.
Coverage gaps
What did not reach today's brief, and why. A dashboard that hides its own blind spots is worse than no dashboard.
- YouTube, National Kidney Foundation: youtube: HTTP 500
- YouTube, NephJC / Freely Filtered: youtube: HTTP 500
- YouTube, Dr Joe Dispenza: youtube: HTTP 404
- YouTube — National Kidney Foundation: youtube: HTTP 404
- YouTube — Dr. Joe Dispenza: youtube: HTTP 404
- YouTube — NephJC / Freely Filtered: youtube: HTTP 404