The FDA has recently issued a black box warning label for any tumor necrosis factor a, TNFa, blockers.

The consumption of these drugs has been associated with the increased risk of developing Legionella as well as Listeria infections. Reports stated that between the years of 1999 and 2010, 80 people developed Legionella and 14 of those patients passed away due to the severity of the disease.

Previous risks already connected to the TNFa blockers include the risk for tuberculosis, histoplasmosis and hepatitis B. Additional information was provided by the FDA regarding this medication which included the knowledge that TNFa blockers can decrease a patient's immune system which can lower the ability to fight off infection. 

Several prescription drugs and other agents have been given black box warning labels by the FDA. Gadolinium-based contrast agents were given a black box warning label by the FDA in 2007. This labeling is largely due to the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with kidney disease. If you have nephrogenic systemic fibrosis as a result of being administered a gadolinium-based agent, please contact the NSF attorneys of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187 today. 

Gadolinium is a contrast-agent that is issued to a patient during an MRI scan. This agent is inserted into the bloodstream so it has the ability to highlight tumors and show them in a different color so doctors can easily recognize a difference.

The agent, when entering the bloodstream, has no color but it will have a very bright color in contrast with the MRI scan. By using this agent during the scan, the ability to properly detect an abnormal area is higher, resulting in a more accurate diagnosis. 

Gadolinium has been used in over 100 countries and there are over 80 million recored reports of using the agent. This non-radioactive contrast agent can sometimes cause side effects in individuals. Patients with kidney problems have a hard time flushing the agent from their system and prolonged exposure to the agent could increase the chances of severe side effects. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a serious side effect caused by gadolinium. 

If you have developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis as a result of being administed a gadolinium-based agent, please contact the NSF attorneys of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187 today. 

The contrast agent, gadolinium, is commonly used in patients who undergo MRI scans. The scans are usually quick and painless but the after effects are a different story.

A common side effect of using gadolinium-based agents during MRI scans is a headache. These headaches can range from subtle pain to excruciating pain. The headache can also last for hours in some patients. 

Users who have experienced these side effects have recommended numerous remedies to cure the pain. Some of these solutions include; flushing out the gadolinium with excess amounts of water, eating right after an MRI scan has been conducted or in some cases a glass of wine may help with the pain. These are solutions recommended by patients who have experienced these nasty headaches first hand. 

Gadolinium-based contrast agents can also cause much more serious side effects in patients including nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.  If you have developed this disorder as a result of being administered a gadolinium-based agent, please contact the NSF attorneys of of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187 today. 

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is a condition that can result from the contact with Gadolinium in patients with kidney problems. This syndrome is serious and life-changing.

There are several symptoms associated with NSF including: 

• Hardening of the skin 
• Dry,irritated areas of the skin 
• Patches of skin that become red or dark
• Joints becoming rigid and inflexible mainly in the hands and feet

NSF currently has no cure and in some cases can even result in death.

If you have developed NSF and have any of these symptoms as a result of gadolinium, please contact the NSF lawyers of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187 today.

The contrast agent, gadolinium, is commonly used in patients undergoing an MRI. Patients with kidney problems need to be cautious due to complications directly resulting from the use of this agent. Gadolinium is usually removed by the kidneys after the MRI, but people with kidney problems may not be able to eliminate gadolinium resulting in extended contact with the agent. 

It is advised to talk to a doctor about kidney function before an MRI is performed. Possibilities of other imaging tests may be a solution to avoiding gadolinium. If the contrast agent has to be used in a patient with kidney problems, it is highly recommended to obtain hemodialysis directly after the MRI. Hemodialysis will help extract the agent from the body before it negatively affects the function of the kidneys. 

People with severe kidney problems may develop nephrogenic systemic fibrosis as a result of using gadolinium. Symptoms of this disease include limited joint movement and thickening of the skin. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this disease.  

If you have developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis as a result of being administered a gadolinium-based contrast agent, please contact the NSF attorneys of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187 today. 

Different types of contrast agents used in MRI scans have been discovered to lead to the development of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in certain instances. These contast agents include Omniscan, ProHance, OptiMARK, Magnevist, and Multihance.

Omniscan was introduced in 1988 by GE Healthcare. The gadodiamide injection, which in unsafe for patients with impaired kidney function, has led to the majority of NSF diagnosis. ProHance is a gadoteridol injection which is most commonly used to detect tumors and other medical issues in the central nervous system. For scans of the brain, liver, and spine, the gadoversetamide injection OptiMARK is normally used. The gadobenate dimeglumine and gadopentetate dimeglumine injections of Multihance and Magnevist have also been linked t NSF.

Although each of these gadolinium-based injections have passed FDA examination, MRIs using these contrast agents have resulted in symptoms of skin tightening, muscle weakness, the stiffening of joints, and kidney problems.

If you have developed NSF after being administered a gadolinium-based contrast agent, please contact the NSF attorneys of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187 today.

A new study found that 12 percent of stage five chronic kidney disease patients develop nephrogenic systemic fibrosis after being exposed to gadolinium.

According to an article published in Kidney and Beyond, the prevalence of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis after exposure to gadolinium is up to 12 percent in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease after a single exposure. No treatment has been shown to be effective, although there are some patients who have shown improvement in their clinical symptoms with regaining of renal function especially after transplantation.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a recently diagnosed disease that occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease and acute renal failure. Patients afflicted with the disease develop skin thickening and fibrosis, or hardening, of the tissues of the upper or lower extremities. The fibrosis is usually symmetrical. In some cases the progression of the disease is rapid, leading to joint contractures confining the patient to a wheelchair. Systemic involvement may occur, which can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and in some cases death.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis has been linked to exposure to gadolinium, most commonly in the form of gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents. If you have developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis after being administered a gadolinium-based contrast agent, please contact the NSF Lawyers of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187.