Also in this section

• Renal
• National Indigenous Dialysis and Transplantation Symposium 2008 Presentations
• Studies
• Director - Alan Cass
• Director - Vlado Perkovic

Renal

Overview

The Renal Division focuses on the development and implementation of treatment and prevention strategies for kidney disease. We also work to improve equity in health outcomes and equity in access to health care for patients with kidney disease. Aboriginal renal health is an important focus of the Division's work.

Burden of renal disease

In Australia, approximately 14% of the adult population has at least one marker of kidney damage, and kidney disease is listed as a cause of death for approximately 1 in 10 Australians.

Disproportionate burden for Indigenous Australians

Among Indigenous Australians, rates of end-stage kidney disease are up to thirty times the national average. A similar excess burden of kidney disease has been demonstrated among indigenous populations throughout the world, ethnic minorities, and the socioeconomically disadvantaged.

A growing global problem

Population ageing and the global diabetes epidemic, along with high rates of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and smoking are leading to significant increases in the number of patients with chronic and end-stage kidney disease globally. The number of persons receiving renal replacement therapy - maintenance dialysis or a kidney transplant - around the world is projected to at least double in the next decade.

Treatment and prevention

The good news is that even small reductions in the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease substantially reduce the probability of experiencing end-stage disease, cardiovascular morbidity, or premature death. Treatments of chronic kidney disease in its early stages, addressing cardiovascular risk, and risk factor reduction, have the potential to be highly cost-effective.

New Projects

• ACTIVE Dialysis

• ETC (Erythropoietin Triallists Collaboration)

Ongoing Projects

• RENAL This study is looking at the effect of different doses of dialysis (renal replacement therapy) in patients with severe, acute kidney failure in the intensive care unit (ICU).

• The Burden of Chronic Kidney Disease Aims to establish the human and financial burden of chronic kidney disease in Australia and internationally and to explore the cost-effectiveness of screening and intervention to prevent progression of disease.

• SHARP Aims to determine the effects of cholesterol lowering with a combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe on the risk of major vascular complications in patients with chronic kidney diseases.

• IMPAKT IMPAKT comprises five component studies aimed at identifying Indigenous Australians' barriers to accessing renal transplantation, and proposing strategies to reduce disparities in Indigenous Australians' access to renal transplantation.

• KANYINI Improving health outcomes for Aboriginal Australians with chronic disease through strategies to reduce systems barriers to necessary care

Future Directions

In collaboration with a network of Chinese nephrologists, we are developing a proposal for a large-scale multi-centre clinical trial in dialysis. We also plan to further develop partnerships with Indigenous researchers, communities, and health services to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal Australians with chronic kidney disease through strategies to reduce systems barriers to necessary care.