-
Hepatitis B – epidemics to vaccination
Tragedy to biotech, 1965-76 Hepatitis B virion model. medicalgraphics.de The first cases of dialysis-associated hepatitis were reported in 1965, killing a nurse, porter, and patient, and infecting several others in Manchester. The ‘Australia antigen’ was identified in Philadelphia in the same year, and the following year associated with hepatitis. A key observation was the new…
-
The renal data revolution from 1980
Renal units pioneer electronic records In the UK through the 1970s and 1980s renal units found themselves responsible for increasing numbers of patients, and services were stretched to capacity and beyond in seeking to cope with pressure of new starts. Managing their complex treatments and monitoring frequent test results was a major problem for understaffed…
-
The discovery of an effective treatment for renal anemia
In 1986 recombinant erythropoietin is the product of years of research Anaemia was a major cause of morbidity in patients with end stage renal disease until recombinant erythropoietin became available at the end of the 1980s. Before long-term dialysis was available, haemoglobin (Hb) levels fell to a mean of about 8 g/dl (80 g/l) at…
-
The first randomised controlled trial in dialysis
In 1980 the NCDS led to the first minimum standards for dialysis The National Cooperative Dialysis Study (NCDS) reported in March 1980. It led to the widespread acceptance of minimum standards for ‘dialysis dose’ worldwide. However few people have read the full study. It is hard to find in libraries, and you can’t get it…
-
Peritoneal dialysis becomes a treatment for endstage renal disease
Many small improvements Peritoneal dialysis (PD) for endstage renal failure was first given as intermittent intensive treatments (IPD) given continuously for 1-2 days once weekly. Patients would generally have a new rigid PD catheter inserted each week under local anaesthetic, be treated for up to 48h, then receive no dialysis for 5 days. Its first…