Brussels, 05/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - Chronic renal diseases are becoming a priority on the European public health agenda. The Commission is preparing an action plan on transplants and a directive on the quality and safety of grafts (EU 9609). The European Parliament is also ready to put this question on its agenda, explained Frieda Brepoels (EPP-ED, Belgium) to a symposium on Tuesday 4 March at the European Parliament in Brussels, which was tackling the issue of “Chronic Kidney Disease - Europe's silent epidemic - a wake-up call”. This symposium was organised on the initiative of Ms Brepoels as part of the celebrations marking World Kidney Day on 13 March. Renowned nephrologists, psychologists, care assistants, politicians, doctors and representatives from patient organisations took part in the event where the Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) and the World Kidney Association launched an appeal for European health policies to prevent and treat chronic renal diseases.
10% of the total population in Europe is affected by renal diseases or chronic renal insufficiency. Scientists at the symposium said that the only real treatment is transplants, the replacement of the diseased organ, for which donors are needed but who are not coming forward. Dialysis is therefore indispensable while waiting for a donor. Patients also have to tackle other obstacles: treatment costs are very expensive. Strict diets, sport, family support and regular check-ups are the basis of the programmes that enable transplant patients to build their lives again, as well as counselling support against depression and other psychological problems. In the future, the number of people affected by these diseases is expected to grow very rapidly. There is a link between these diseases and other modern ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and cardio-vascular disease. Prevention and early detection of the symptoms are therefore essential for being able to live healthy long lives. Scientists and medical experts said that it was essential that: 1) people understand what living with the disease really means, 2) the sufferer accepts his/her disease, 3) governments do not just help sufferers but also put prevention policies in place.
The chairman of the European Kidney Health Alliance, Professor Andrew Rees (Institute of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Vienna, Austria) stressed that renal disease represented a serious challenge for Europeans and care personnel. He explained that renal function was: - to filter blood and to eliminate excess water, salts and toxic waste; - to maintain the normal volume and chemical composition of the body ; - to make essential proteins that control blood pressure; - to preserve healthy bones; - and to prevent anaemia. The challenges posed by chronic kidney disease (CKD) are as follow: - CKD is common and often initially symptomless; - people with severe CKD need dialysis or a kidney transplant; - transplantation is the best treatment but limited by donors. Professor Rees pointed out that the EKHA's objectives were to raise awareness of kidney disease, promote uniform standards of care, support research and development, cooperate with European organisations and facilitate exchange of information. Professor Rees concluded that they needed to “convince policy makers that we now need urgent action to make better kidney health a priority for Europe”.
Frieda Brepoels pointed out that during the next ten years the number of people suffering from cardio-vascular disease and diabetes would double. Commenting on the communication “Organ Donation and Transplantation: Policy Actions at EU-Level”, the EP rapporteur declared: “I strongly believe that the European Union can play a leading role in this regard”. She stated that efforts had to be made at a European level in prevention, but also added that member states should exchange their experiences in this field and do everything they can to improve available technology for detecting the disease in time, and for guaranteeing all Europeans equal access to excellent health care services. Ms Brepoels also identified a significant obstacle to patients - the cost of dialysis and transplants.
Former hotel manager, Valérie Twomey, who has received a transplant, spoke about her own experience, the small daily steps taken, diet, sport, total support from the family and her life after the transplant. She concluded that the kidney transplant had saved her life and was simply the best way of treating sufferers. She called for people to fill in their kidney donor cards.
Karen Jenkins, renal nurse, explained how her working day was spent, as well as the difficulties encountered by kidney disease patients after organ transplants - such as depression because dialysis had to continue.
The professor of nephrology at the University Medical Center in Groningen, the Netherlands, Paul E. de Jong, looked at the economic repercussions of suffering from kidney disease. He gave some advice to the medical and paramedical world, “To enhance patients' wellbeing to the maximum, albumineria, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, whether or not there is diabetes, and the glomerular filtration rate have to be monitored”.
Doctor Donald Donaghue, Clinical Director for Kidney Care, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, UK, set out public health strategies to identify chronic renal insufficiency and prevent complications. He set out the main prevention and treatment principles of renal diseases, “the most difficult being education, rehabilitation and encouragement”. He also said that the discovery of proteineria (a defect in glomerular filtration) is good indicator of a chronic renal insufficiency risk factor. (G.B.)