World “kidney” day on 10th March

[sharif]

World “kidney” day on 10th March
I want to express and share that my Kidney transplantation in 14th Dec 2004 done by RTD COL MUKTAR of Kidney Centre, Rawalpindi. By the grace of God I got second life and thank those people who have supported me financially, morally and who donates kidney for me. In short God bless all people and keep away from all worries and problems.

I salute Dr. ADIB RIZVI who is running SUIT a Govt hospital in very organizes way where all people treatment without any difference or race. He is man of principal for which entire Pakistani should be proud of him because he devoted his entire life in the causes of SUIT patients.

I am worried after Dr. Adib Rizvi who will be head of SUIT and he or she have capable to run same way SUIT as Dr. Adib Rizvi managed. I pray for his long life so he can stay and worked for kidney patient which is the noblest cause and he is not hungry for cheap publicity but only expect reward from God.

I want to say those who are kidney patient have 2 options to survive one go for dialysis for life time or get KIDNEY TRANSPLANATION. I request to Health Minister and Prime Minister of Pakistan please does not ban the kidney donation to those who are patient. Please fix a uniform amount for Kidney donor so other person can save his life.


Thanking You.


Yours faithfully


( Ashfaq Sharif )

 

[waltky]

Seven signs of kidney damage...

7 Symptoms That Suggest You Have Kidney Damage
2 Apr.`11 - There are no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy. The only sign of kidney damage may be small amounts of protein leaking into the urine (microalbuminuria). Normally, protein is not found in urine except during periods of high fever, strenuous exercise, pregnancy, or infection.

In people with type 1 diabetes, diabetic nephropathy usually develops 5 to 10 years after the onset of diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes may find out that they already have a small amount of protein in the urine (microalbuminuria) at the time diabetes is diagnosed, because they may have had diabetes for several years. As diabetic nephropathy progresses, your kidneys cannot do their job as well. Your kidneys cannot clear toxins or drugs from your body as well. And your kidneys cannot balance the chemicals in your blood very well. You may:

Lose more protein in your urine (macroalbuminuria, also known as overt nephropathy).
Have higher blood pressure.
Have higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

You may have symptoms if your nephropathy gets worse. These symptoms include:

Swelling (edema), first in the feet and legs and later throughout your body.
Poor appetite.
Weight loss.
Weakness.
Feeling tired or worn out.
Nausea or vomiting.
Trouble sleeping.

See the topic Chronic Kidney Disease for more information. If the kidneys are severely damaged, blood sugar levels may drop because the kidneys cannot remove excess insulin or filter oral medicines that increase insulin production, such as glipizide (Glucotrol) or glyburide (for example, Micronase).

7 Symptoms That Suggest You Have Kidney Damage - Type 2 Diabetes - Health.com

 

[allan9mccall]

And what if we have continuous pain in one of the kidney and not able to get rid of it?

 

[waltky]

Allan: Could be a kidney stone, tumor, or...

Herbal Medicines Linked to Kidney Disease
March 19, 2013 - Scientists in Britain have pulled together previous studies about an ingredient in some herbal medicines that can cause severe kidney disease and cancer.

The research is a wake-up call to users of some traditional remedies and to governments that could regulate use of the herbs. In the early 1990s, an epidemic of kidney disease broke out in Belgium among young women who had been treated with Chinese herbal medicines at a weight-loss clinic. The herbs come from a family called Aristolochia. They are used to treat skin conditions, joint pain and other symptoms. Graham Lord of Kings College London says the ailment was traced to aristolochic acid, an ingredient in some of the herbs. “It binds to DNA and causes kidney disease," Lord says. "It causes cancer in areas where it’s most concentrated, which probably explains why the cancers are mostly focused around the urinary tract and the kidney.”

Lord is the lead author of a new paper describing the kidney disease, now known as aristolochic acid neuropathy (AAN), and suggesting standardized diagnosis and treatment protocols. Herbs containing aristolochic acid are banned from Europe and the United States, and the resulting form of kidney disease is now mostly found elsewhere. “Import bans, working with the herbal practitioners that in the past have used this drug, can be extraordinarily effective,” Lord says.

In places where use of these herbs is common, cases of AAN persist. “In Chinese Taiwan, there’s epidemiological surveys suggesting that tens if not hundreds of thousands of people have been exposed to this particular herb,” says Lord, who acknowledges it’s hard to know how many people are actually getting kidney disease from these herbs. A definitive diagnosis requires advanced testing to differentiate from other kinds of kidney disease.

In his review of two decades of published medical literature, Lord found reports of the disease in Europe, North America and Asia. But nothing in other areas of the world where herbal medicines are widely used. “That’s probably because we’ve not looked in a systematic manner," he says. "It would surprise me if there wasn’t an incidence of this disease in Africa and in South America as well.” Treatment of AAN usually requires dialysis or even kidney transplant. Lord says it’s important to identify kidney disease caused by aristolochic acid, so doctors can monitor the patient for cancer, which is more likely than with other causes of kidney failure.

Herbal Medicines Linked to Kidney Disease

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Now dat's as ugly as a plumber's butt...

'Apple shape' linked to higher risk of kidney disease
11 April 2013 - Carrying excess weight around the abdomen is linked to an increased risk of kidney disease, a study suggests.

It was already known that being "apple-shaped", as opposed to "pear-shaped", added to the risk of developing cardiovascular problems. This research, in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, found signs of kidney problems in even otherwise healthy apple-shaped people. UK experts said people needed to take more care of their kidney health.

Abdominal fat also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease

The research, by a team at the University Medical Center Groningen, in the Netherlands, looked at more than 300 people who had either a healthy bodyweight. or who were overweight. They found that having a higher waist-to-hip ratio - seen in those who were more apple-shaped - was associated with lower kidney function, reduced kidney blood flow and higher blood pressure in the kidneys. This was the case even in those who were otherwise healthy.

'Growing problem'

Arjan Kwakernaak, who led the study, said: "We found that apple-shaped persons - even if totally healthy and with a normal blood pressure - have an elevated blood pressure in their kidneys. "When they are also overweight or obese, this is even worse." The findings suggest that these individuals may benefit from treatments that reduce kidney blood pressure - such as cutting salt levels and targeted drug treatments.

A spokesman for Kidney Research UK said: "We understand already that central - 'apple' - obesity is associated with higher cardiovascular risk than peripheral - 'pear' - obesity. "This demonstrates that the same is true for kidney disease." He added: "This is further evidence that there is a link between obesity and the growing problem of kidney disease, and that more needs to be done to make people aware of the importance of protecting kidney function."

BBC News - 'Apple shape' linked to higher risk of kidney disease

 

[waltky]

Kidney problems linked to air pollution...

Kidney problems linked to traffic fumes
14 May 2013 - Living close to a busy road may increase your risk of developing kidney problems, research suggests.

The US investigators who discovered a link in 1,100 patients believe traffic pollution could harm the arteries that supply the kidneys. Experts already know that long-term exposure to exhaust fumes increases the risk of vascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke. The work is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The study authors, Dr Murray Mittleman and colleagues at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, measured kidney function using a recognised test called the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The GFR is an indicator of how well the kidneys are working. A low GFR suggests kidney problems. Half of the stroke patients in the study lived within 1km of a major road in the Boston metropolitan region, and the rest lived between 1km and 10km (six miles) away.

Polluted air

Those patients who lived closest to a major road had the lowest GFR even after taking account of factors such as age, sex, race, smoking and other underlying medical conditions. The difference in GFR between these patients and those who lived further away from traffic pollution was comparable to a reduction in GFR associated with being four years older, the researchers say. Dr Tim Chico, a heart expert at the University of Sheffield in the UK, said: "The importance of healthy kidneys is often overlooked, but many of the things that can damage the heart also affect these vital organs. "Many people are unaware of the close link between heart and kidney disease, but problems with one often lead to problems with the other."

For example, most people with kidney disease had high blood pressure, which increased risk of heart disease, while heart disease and its treatment frequently placed a strain on kidney function, he said. "Since we know traffic pollution increases the risk of heart disease, the message of this study - that traffic pollution might damage the kidneys - is perhaps to be expected. "The responsibility to reduce traffic pollution falls on everyone, and this study is yet another reason - as if we needed one - to travel on foot or bike where possible."

But he cautioned that the current study only showed a link - it does not prove living next to a road definitely affects kidney function. The researchers were unable to control for all socio-economic factors and all of the patients in the study had recently suffered a stroke. They say more studies looking at different groups of people are needed to confirm the findings.

BBC News - Kidney problems linked to traffic fumes

 

[whitehall]

Every healthy person has a spare. Why don't they let you sell it?

 

[waltky]

Ultrasound could be used to prevent AKI...

Ultrasound 'may stop kidney injury' from surgery
1 August 2013 > Ultrasound treatments could be used to prevent a common kidney complication than can arise after major surgery, researchers suggest.

The work, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, was carried out on mice. But the researchers said there could be a "rapid translation" to human studies because the treatment for acute kidney injury (AKI) was simple and routine. Experts said the study suggested potential for new therapies. AKI is the sudden loss of kidney function, which can easily develop in any sick person through infection such as pneumonia, diarrhoea or a heart attack. AKI can develop after major surgery, such as some kinds of heart surgery, because the kidneys can be deprived of normal blood flow during the procedure. Once it has developed, there are few treatment options.

'Protection'

The University of Virginia team exposed anesthetised mice to ultrasound using a routine clinical imaging system 24 hours before disrupting the blood supply to the kidneys. They then found the mice still had healthy kidneys after blood flow was restored. But in other mice, who were given a "sham" ultrasound, the same disruption led to significant kidney injury. The researchers suggest the ultrasound treatment stimulated an anti-inflammatory response from the spleen that then protected the kidneys.

Dr Mark Okusa, who led the study, said: "Our studies using non-invasive ultrasound now provide us with an active treatment that appears to be simple, effective, and nontoxic for the prevention of acute kidney injury. "To our knowledge this has never been described for the prevention of tissue or organ injury. "Interestingly, we suspect that similar mechanisms that lead to kidney injury may also lead to lung, heart, and liver damage and that this form of therapy might be effective for prevention of injury in other organs as well."

Prof Donal O'Donoghue, the former national clinical director for kidney care, who has called for action over the level of AKI, said the paper was interesting. He added: "It suggests that there are protective strategies over and above good basic fluid and medicines management care that are the cornerstones of prevention. "Studying the animal model further is the next step . But we also need to invest in AKI research in the UK."

BBC News - Ultrasound 'may stop kidney injury' from surgery

 

[waltky]

New test to predict kidney disease 5 years prior to damage onset...

Blood test can predict kidney disease 5 years before damage starts
Nov. 6, 2015 - Although current tests work well for monitoring and treating the disease, the ability to predict its development could help doctors prevent it.

Testing blood for soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, or suPAR, can predict a patient's risk of developing chronic kidney disease, or CKD, as early as five years before damage from the condition is seen, according to a new study. Researchers compare finding the significance of suPAR to discovering the role that testing cholesterol levels now plays in diagnosing cardiovascular disease. CKD affects more than 15 percent of people in the United States and causes about 47,000 deaths per year. Most people do not know they have it until the disease is advanced. The symptoms of chronic kidney disease -- blood in the urine, swollen hands and feet, and excessive thirst -- usually don't show up until severe damage has been done to organs.

Although dialysis can be used to manage kidney disease, researchers said a method of predicting risk for its development could help treat the condition earlier or even prevent it.​

The two markers used for CKD, measuring creatinine levels in the blood and protein levels in urine, can help doctors monitor the condition, but they are not sensitive enough to catch the disease early or predict risk for its development. "The observation that high suPAR levels predict the future development of chronic kidney disease in different populations suggests this molecule may be a target for treatment to improve clinical outcomes in the majority of patients at risk for future kidney disease," said Dr. Howard Trachtman, a pediatric nephrologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, in a press release. "Blocking suPAR may prove to be comparable in its application to the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers which are among the few drugs approved for treatment of chronic kidney disease."

Researchers analyzed renal function in 2,292 people participating in the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank between 2003 and 2009 who had a mean age of 63 and 65 percent of whom were men. Participants were measured for suPAR and creatinine levels at the start of the study and in follow-ups. The data showed 40 percent of participants had high suPAR levels and creatinine levels that did not indicate CKD, but went on to develop the condition during the next five years. Just 10 percent of participants with low suPAR levels developed the condition. While suPAR levels alone can show the risk for developing CKD, researchers said other risk factors must be explored, and more research with larger and more diverse groups of patients will be needed to refine the test for common use. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Blood test can predict kidney disease 5 years before damage starts - UPI.com

 

[Arianrhod]

Bumping this, because it's full of valuable information and it's getting buried by threads from posters who don't even know what forum they're in.

I expect they'll keep bumping their own threads just to "win," though.

Would you consider posting this in the Health & Lifestyle forum as well?

 

[Arianrhod]

Bump. Because this is more important than the "I know you are but what am I?" mob...

 

[AlfredHowes]

I think common man should be make aware of the symptoms of kidney disorder. Unless and untill he don't know the symptoms he always take things lightly.
Click here.

 

[Arianrhod]

I think common man should be make aware of the symptoms of kidney disorder. Unless and untill he don't know the symptoms he always take things lightly.
Click here.

Thank you! I'm also posting a reputable site in English, because I doubt many posters here are fluent in French:

Chronic kidney disease Symptoms - Mayo Clinic

 

[waltky]

Climate change can contribute to kidney disease...

Climate change can contribute to kidney disease, study says
Thu, Jun 23, 2016 - A mysterious and deadly kidney disease has been plaguing workers in the sugar fields of Central America. In the past 20 years, about 20,000 workers have died of the disease, and the crisis has been growing worse.

At first the epidemic was thought to be caused by chemicals such as pesticides, but the disease only affected workers in coastal areas — those working at higher altitude in hills were largely unaffected. A study found that hard work in the hot climate of the lowlands left workers dehydrated, putting such a heavy strain on their kidneys that it fatally damaged them. “When it’s extremely hot, the risk for kidney damage really begins to become evident,” Richard Johnson of the University of Colorado, Denver, said.

Similar epidemics of kidney disease were also found in farm workers in other hot climates, in Sri Lanka, Egypt and Andhra Pradesh in India. As global temperatures rise and heat waves become more intense, so the new type of kidney disease is increasing, according to the study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Another impact of global warming is more cases of kidney stones. This painful condition results from salts crystallizing in the kidneys, often caused by dehydration. In the US, about 50 percent more cases of kidney stones occur in the warm climate of southern regions than northern states. The number of cases has been rising since temperatures began to warm noticeably in the late 1970s, especially in the summer. As the climate warms further, the high-risk zone for kidney stones is expected to expand northwards, with more new cases predicted.

Climate change can contribute to kidney disease, study says - Taipei Times