FDA OKs Nitisinone for Ultra-Rare Black Urine Disease
The FDA approved nitisinone (Harliku) for the reduction of urine homogentisic acid (HGA) in adults with alkaptonuria, Cycle Pharmaceuticals announced on Thursday. Alkaptonuria is an ultra-rare hereditary disorder of tyrosine and phenylalanine catabolism, and is commonly known as black urine disease due to the noticeable buildup of HGA. A slow-progressing disease, alkaptonuria can cause tissue […]
Iodine Linked With Men’s Testosterone Levels
Lower iodine concentrations in the urine was independently associated with higher testosterone levels, a cross-sectional study found. Looking at nearly 3,000 U.S. men, those with lower urinary iodine concentrations had significantly higher total testosterone levels than men with either normal or high iodine levels (β -0.028, 95% CI -0.049 to -0.006, P=0.01), Arcangelo Barbonetti, PhD, […]
Urine Tests Before Surgery Blasted as Mostly Unnecessary
“The vast majority” of urine tests conducted prior to scheduled surgeries to check for infections “were not plausibly indicated,” said researchers who examined claims data from private insurers and Medicare. And while the individual tests didn’t cost much — about $17 — they added up to almost $50 million over the study’s 11-year duration, plus […]