The kidneys play the role of “purification station” of the blood but they also help to maintain water at a constant level in the body, to balance the levels of mineral salts, or to produce hormones. 139971043/natali_mis – stock.adobe.com
Before World Day, March 9, specialists remind that people at risk should have regular tests.
The kidney is an organ that we rarely worry about. Nearly one in two French people even think that it is not essential to the functioning of the human body (1). However, the kidney or rather the kidneys are just as important as our heart or our lungs for our survival.
Not only do they indeed play the role of a “purification station” of the blood, eliminating toxins from the body in the urine, but they also help to maintain a constant level of water in the body, to balance the level of mineral salts such 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 would be affected”underlines the Pr Luc Frimat, president of the French-speaking Society of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, during a conference organized by the Kidney Foundation, ahead of the world day dedicated to this organ which will take place on March 9th.
Dietary support
The exact number of chronic patients is difficult to assess precisely, because it is a silent and progressive disease. Even sick, the kidneys can continue to fulfill their role for many years, without any symptoms appearing, until, having become totally defective, they pose a mortal risk. The only solution is then to resort to dialysis or a transplant. In 2019, more than 91,000 people live thanks to these treatments: more than 50,000 by dialysis and 41,000 by transplantation. Unfortunately, many patients arrive “directly” at the terminal stage of the disease. “Of the 10,000 people who go on dialysis each year, a third of them do so urgently”recalls the Pr Christian Combes, President of the Kidney Foundation. However, a simple urine analysis, looking for albumin, and a blood test to measure creatinine would allow the disease to be detected well before this stage. “This screening should be carried out systematically in people at risk. But that is far from the case.”hammers the Pr Luc Frimat. Indeed, according to Medicare, 84% of people at risk have not benefited from an albuminuria assay.
At the forefront of people to screen are diabetics and hypertensives. Thus, almost two out of three people living with type 2 diabetes and one out of three of those living with high blood pressure suffer from kidney disease. “Half of the patients who go on dialysis have these diseases. With significant differences between regions. The highest percentages being observed in the North and East, where high blood pressure, diabetes and precariousness are more frequent.explains the Pr Christian Combes.
Early detection is all the more important since it is possible to slow down the progression of the disease thanks to lifestyle and dietary measures: quitting smoking, doing physical activity, losing weight, eating less salt, less animal protein… These measures are accompanied by the prescription of drugs that protect the kidney.
If the kidney disease progresses despite everything, it is now recommended to resort to a transplant as a priority. Dialysis is no longer considered the systematic management strategy, especially in the oldest or most fragile patients. This cumbersome technique can alter the quality of life of patients. “We offer some patients conservative treatments”explains the Pr Luc Frimat. The objective is to prevent and treat the complications of the disease, without starting dialysis. This combines dietary management (particularly low-protein diet) with medication and other treatments to relieve symptoms such as pruritus, nausea and pain.
(1) Ipsos survey for AstraZeneca, with the support of patient associations: Alliance du Coeur, the National Collective of Obese Associations (CNAO), France Rein.
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