Discovery of gene behind severe kidney complication
by admin ~ March 5th, 2010.
Researchers from Children’s Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have been able to discover a genetic cause in relation to a severe kidney complication, which is the second leading cause of kidney failure among children. This finding was disclosed by The NephCure Foundation.
The study was published online by Nature Genetics and may provide insights for developing effective treatment options to treat patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
From Sciencedaily.com:
FSGS attacks the kidney’s filtering system, causing proteins to be lost into the urine and reducing the kidney’s ability to filter wastes from the blood. According to NephCure, which helped fund the study, 26 million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease, of which FSGS is one of the most common forms.
Patients with FSGS are often treated with steroids, which are only partially effective and have very harsh side effects. In addition, they often face several trips a week to the hospital for dialysis, and many require a kidney transplant, along with lifelong treatment with powerful immunosuppressants to prevent organ rejection.
The research team was led by Elizabeth Brown, MD of Children’s Division of Nephrology, working in the laboratory of Martin Pollak, MD of the Renal Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Category: Anabolic Steroids | Tags: kidney failure, proteins, steroids