Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Physicians of any specialty may be the first persons to whom prospective parents turn for information about the acquisition and storage of stem cells derived from cord blood. Stem cells can potentially be used to treat many diseases, yet they are not a panacea. This article provides an overview of their current and possible future applications. ⋯ Autologous stem cells from cord blood have poor prospects for use in regenerative medicine, because they have to be cryopreserved until use. Physicians should tell prospective parents that they have no reason to feel guilty if they choose not to store cord blood in a private bank.
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Chronic renal disease is common, and its prevalence is rising. Its main causes are hypertension and diabetes mellitus. An abnormally low glomerular filtration rate (GFR) often escapes medical notice in the earliest, most treatable stage, so that an increasing number of patients progress to end-stage renal failure. Early recognition of low GFR would thus be an important clinical advance. ⋯ Creatinine- and cystatin C-based equations for the estimation of GFR are valuable tools for the early diagnosis of chronic renal disease and for disease staging according to the US National Kidney Foundation criteria.