On "World Kidney Day", which is held on the second Thursday of March every year, attention is drawn to the importance of chronic kidney disease.
At the meeting, information was shared to raise public awareness about chronic kidney disease, to draw attention to the risk factors that lead to chronic kidney disease and the importance of early diagnosis in preserving kidney function. Accordingly, there are approximately 850 million chronic kidney patients worldwide. In Turkey, as of this year, more than 68.000 patients are receiving dialysis treatment due to end-stage renal failure. On the other hand, 6 percent of women of childbearing age have chronic kidney disease.
Providing information about kidney transplantation in Turkey at the press conference, President of the Turkish Nephrology Association, Prof. Dr. Alaattin Yıldız said, “Kidney transplantation is the most selective treatment for advanced stage renal failure. It has positive effects on cardiovascular health as it restores full kidney functions to the patient. For this reason, life expectancy is much longer than that of patients receiving dialysis treatment. Approximately more than 3.500 kidney transplants are performed annually in our country. Since kidney transplantation is very successful in our country at high international standards, approximately 10 percent of transplants are performed within the scope of health tourism for patients coming from abroad. The success of kidney transplantation begins with detailed evaluation of the recipient and donor in the preoperative period. In this way, problems that may develop after transplantation can be predicted and kidneys can be donated successfully early. The early period after transplantation, especially the first month, is very important. Passing this period smoothly with close follow-up of the patient determines the long-term life of the kidney. "In the later period, nephrological follow-up of the transplant patient at longer intervals is important in terms of preventing complications that may develop and treating them early," he said.
In his speech, Turkish Nephrology Association Treasurer Prof. shared figures about dialysis treatments in Turkey. Dr. Ali Rıza Odabaş said, “As of this year, approximately more than 68 thousand patients in our country are receiving dialysis treatment due to end-stage renal failure. 64 of these patients are treated with hemodialysis, 300 with peritoneal dialysis, and 3 with home hemodialysis. Currently, our country ranks second in Europe and third in the world in terms of the number of home hemodialysis patients. Many of the hemodialysis patients, whose number exceeds 250 thousand in our country, have comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. These patients have a high tendency to infections and life-threatening problems, especially heart diseases, are frequently encountered. In addition, serious problems such as bone problems related to kidney failure, problems with vascular access for hemodialysis, and blockages in the vessels due to calcification are also frequently observed. "In short, it is a patient group that is difficult to follow and treat and requires physician experience and good management," he said.
