PRAGUE, June 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —
The SHARP-study has shown that lowering LDL cholesterol with
ezetimibe/simvastatinleads to a significant reduction in major
atherosclerotic events among CKD-patients. Whether it also has a
favourable effect on renal disease progression was another of the
issues addressed by the SHARP study [abstract no. 2509]. In the
ezetimibe/simvastatin group, fewer patients reached the end point
“end stage renal disease”, but the difference was not significant
[p = 0.41].
No improvement in cardiovascular outcome due to optimised
treatment quality
Cardiovascular comorbidity in CKD patients is dramatically high.
The MASTERPLAN study [abstract no. 2511] aimed to evaluate whether
strict implementation of all the current treatment guidelines leads
to a better cardiovascular outcome in CKD patients. The primary
endpoint was a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke and
cardiovascular death. Despite intensified therapy and better lab
values it was not possible to significantly improve cardiovascular
outcome in the intervention group.
Benefits of tacrolimus therapy with prolonged release in
de novo kidney transplant patients
Various immunosuppressive drugs are available, one of these
being tacrolimus (Tac). There are tacrolimus products that release
their active substance immediately (Tac BID) and others that
release it in a prolonged manner (Tac QD). The open-label OSAKA
study [abstract no. 2505] compared these two drug forms in various
doses. Tac QD led to the achievement of target blood level in more
patients within the first few days after transplantation than Tac
BID in an identical dose.
Which SHPT therapy should be used?
In the randomised phase IV IMPACT study [abstract no. 2519] 272
hemodialyis patients with seconday hyperparathyreoidism received
either paricalcitol or cinacalcet plus low-dose vitamin D. This
interim analysis showed that in
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