Awareness is the key word of World Kidney Day 2024 which is celebrated on March 14th all over the world with a single objective: to promote information and awareness to preserve kidney health and prevent chronic kidney disease. Among the joint initiatives SIN (Italian Society of Nephrology) and FIR (Italian Kidney Foundation) activated throughout the country: free screening in hospitals and reception centres, in sports centers and in public places; information points; prevention in schools; illuminated monuments in various Italian cities and a live social event on the Facebook page of the Italian Society of Nephrology with “The expert responds”. In terms of prevention, nephrologists recommend 8 rules for a correct lifestyle including daily walks, a low-fat diet, but also monitoring blood sugar levels and blood pressure. And then an adequate intake of liquids, periodic checks, avoiding smoking and taking anti-inflammatory drugs. In our country, more than 4 million people suffer from chronic kidney disease; of these, approximately 100 thousand have reached a level of severity that requires life-saving therapies. Furthermore, 45 thousand are undergoing dialysis, while 28 thousand have undergone a kidney transplant. “While until a few years ago we had no tools to treat chronic kidney disease, now we finally have drugs and therapeutic or dietary attention that allow us to greatly slow down the progression of renal failure – concludes Massimo Morosetti, President of FIR-ETS – Italian Foundation of Rene, Director of the Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Giovan Battista Grassi Hospital in Rome – to the point that, in the majority of cases, the treated subjects will never need dialysis or a kidney transplant”. On the part of SIN, the commitment is to “promote concrete actions to raise awareness of this condition which in the most advanced and serious stages (dialysis and transplant) has important personal and social repercussions, as well as a significant impact on the resources of our healthcare system Country” concludes Stefano Bianchi, President of the Italian Society of Nephrology.
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