Screening for kidney disease is not common enough

The kidney is an organ that we rarely worry about. Almost one in two French people even think that it is not essential for the functioning of the human body (1). However, the kidney or rather the kidneys are as important as our heart or lungs to our survival.

They not only play the role of a blood “cleaning station” that removes toxins from the body through urine, but also help maintain a constant level of water in the body, balance the level of mineral salts, such as: as potassium or sodium, or to produce hormones. When the kidneys no longer perform their functions properly, we speak of chronic kidney disease. “It is estimated that around 5 million French people may be affected”emphasizes P^r: Luc Frimat, president of the French Society of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, at a conference organized by the Kidney Foundation ahead of World Kidney Day on March 9.

Dietary support

It is difficult to accurately estimate the exact number of chronic patients because it is a silent and progressive disease. Even when the kidneys are diseased, they can continue to perform their role for many years, without any symptoms, until they become completely defective and present a deadly threat. The only solution in that case is to resort to dialysis or a transplant. In 2019, more than 91,000 people live thanks to these treatments, more than 50,000 through dialysis and 41,000 through transplants. Unfortunately, many patients “just” reach the terminal stage of the disease. “Of the 10,000 people who go on dialysis each year, one-third do so as an emergency.”reminds P^r: Christian Combs, president of the Kidney Foundation. However, a simple urinalysis, looking for albumin and a blood test to measure creatinine will allow you to detect the disease long before this stage. “This screening should be systematically conducted among people in the risk group. But that is far from the case.”P hits with a hammer^r: Luke Freemat. Indeed, according to Medicare, 84% of people at risk did not receive an albuminuria test.

Diabetics and hypertensives are at the forefront of screening people. Thus, almost two out of three people living with type 2 diabetes and one out of three people with high blood pressure have kidney disease. “Half of the dialysis patients have these diseases. With significant differences between regions. The highest percentages are seen in the north and east, where high blood pressure, diabetes and instability are more common.explains P^r: Christian Combs.

Early diagnosis is more important because it is possible to slow down the progression of the disease through lifestyle and diet: quitting smoking, physical activity, losing weight, eating less salt, less animal protein… These measures are accompanied by: the appointment of kidney-protecting drugs.

If, despite everything, kidney disease progresses, it is now recommended to turn to transplantation as a priority. Dialysis is no longer considered a systematic management strategy, especially in the oldest or most fragile patients. This difficult technique can change the quality of life of patients. “We offer conservative treatment to some patients”explains P^r: Luke Freemat. The goal is to prevent and treat complications of the disease without starting dialysis. This combines dietary management (especially a low-protein diet) with medication and other treatments to relieve symptoms such as itching, nausea, and pain.

(1) Ipsos survey for AstraZeneca supported by patient associations: Alliance du Coeur, National Collective of Associations of Obesity (CNAO), France Rein.

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