April 2025 CKD Insider Newsletter
- one track health
- Apr 30
- 6 min read
Welcome to the Chronic Kidney Disease Insider Newsletter. If you are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis, have had a kidney transplant or are helping care for someone who is, this newsletter was created for you! The CKD Insider Newsletter provides actionable information for you and your family to help you manage your health in consultation with your doctor.
In this month’s CKD Insider:
For adults with CKD (on dialysis)
For adults with CKD (not on dialysis):
Latest News from Kidney Organizations
AAKP National High Potassium Awareness Day 2025 Webinar
The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is hosting this virtual event to share knoledge about high potassium, also known as hyperkalemia.
Are You O-K+ Virtual Webinar
New Dietary Insights to Tackle High Potassium in Kidney Disease
May 1, 2025
3:00 - 4:00 pm Eastern Time
Register here.
National Alliance for Care at home: Caringinfo Resources
Living with kidney disease often involves complex treatment decisions and potential transitions in care, making advance care planning especially important. For patients managing dialysis, transplantation considerations, or progressive kidney disease, clearly documenting healthcare wishes ensures your voice is heard even when you cannot speak for yourself.
Access resources at CaringInfo.org or with your healthcare team to help guide these important conversations with loved ones.
AAKP Annual Global Summit on Kidney Disease Innovations
The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is co-hosting this event with the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Global Summit has grown to become the largest patient-led kidney innovations conference in the world, reaching 100 countries and engaging tens of thousands since inception in 2019. This event is a great opportunity for you to learn and engage will people in the same situation as you, whether you have CKD, are on dialysis or have had a kidney transplant, this is an informative conference worth your time. If you register and miss it you can always watch the video rewind videos.
Global Summit on Kidney Disease Innovations
May 22nd and May 23rd
Virtual Event
Learn more and register here.
Your Fun Tip of the Day
Stroll Through Flower Gardens
If you are feeling in need of a change, take a walk through the beautiful flowers that are blooming. This season, many botanical gardens are showcasing spectacular orchid displays and cherry blossoms—perfect for a relaxing and inspiring outing.
There's nothing like the vibrant beauty of orchids in full bloom, and the fresh floral air to lift your spirits! Did you know there are over 25,000 species of orchids—so odds are, you’ll spot one you’ve never seen before. You can revisit the pictures you take and the memories you made whenever you need them, like when you are inside wishing you were outside. Enjoy!
Inspiration and tips:
California Flower Fields has 45 acres of vibrant flowers. Tip: visit on a weekday to skip the crowds, soak in the magic, and save with their weekday specials!
Pennsylvania Longwood Gardens
Check out your own local gardens, you might be surprised by what you find!
Retroactive study results: IDPN therapy improves albumin levels for malnourished dialysis patients
What it is: A recent retroactive study initated by Patient Care America showed Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition (IDPN) – a precision medicine therapy for malnourished dialysis patients - can effectively improve albumin levels for this group. This study examined data from 2,270 patients across 1,039 dialysis centers in 43 states and showed that 82% of 1631 patients saw meaningful increase in albumin levels within 6 months.
Why it's important: If you are on dialysis or have received a kidney transplant, you know that the protein Albumin is a critical marker for your overall health and low levels of albumin are associated with increased risks of hospitalization, complications and mortality.
If your albumin levels are low and your dialysis care team has not discussed IDPN therapy with you, bring this to their attention and speak with your nephrologist to determine if this therapy is appropriate for you.
Study Title: Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition During In-Center Hemodialysis of Patients Leads to Increase in Albumin Without Compromising Safety: Retrospective Analysis
Read the article here.
FDA Approves First Clinical Trial for Genetically Engineered Pig Kidney Transplants into Humans
What it is: The FDA has approved a clinical trial to evaluate genetically engineered pig kidneys for transplantation into humans. One issue with using organs from pigs is that the body recognizes it as not human and can reject the kidney. These genetically engineered pig kidneys, called UKidney, have been modified to address these issues by eliminating the genes that express proteins that identify the cells as not human, inserting genes that ensure proper organ size, and inserting genes that help avoid an immune response.
This initial trial will be small, enrolling six patients with kidney failure that have been on dialysis for at least six months.
Why it’s important: There are far more people that need a kidney than there are available organs for transplantation and every day patients pass away while waiting for an organ. Additionally, because human organ donation is usually unplanned, by the time an organ gets to the recipient it has been sustained artificially for hours and is not always usable. Using a genetically modified pig kidney would allow for planned procedures that could avoid this donor organ loss and the need for long-term immunosuppression for the recipient.
The study is not yet enrolling, but when it is, information for locations and enrollment information will be found here.
Read more here.
FDA provides accelerated approval of Vanrafia (atrasentan) for Proteinuria in IgA Nephropathy
What it is: VANRAFIA™ is a prescription medicine, known generically as atrasentan, used to reduce protein in the urine (proteinuria) in adults with a kidney disease called primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) who are at risk of their disease getting worse quickly.
This April, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Vanrafia to reduce proteinuria in patients with primary IgA Nephropathy (IgAN). This accelerated approval was granted because early data from the Phase III ALIGN trial showed a significant reduction (~36%) in proteinuria. This benefit was observed in patients that were on SGLT2 inhibitors as well as those that were not.
Why it’s important: If you have chronic kidney disease and have been diagnosed with Primary IgAN, this medication is a treatment option for you that you should discuss with your nephrologist. About 50% of IgAN patients experience kidney failure within 10 to 20 years of their diagnosis. Lowering proteinuria, a term that generally indicates a urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) greater than ≥1.5 g/g, is key to slowing kidney decline. Standard of care for treating proteinuria includes RAS (renin-angiotensin system) inhibitors. Atrasentan is a selective therapy that can be used in addition to standard of care treatments.
Notes: It is not known if VANRAFIA is safe and effective in children. VANRAFIA is approved based on a reduction of proteinuria. Continued approval may require results from an ongoing study to determine whether VANRAFIA slows decline in kidney function. Vanrafia™ is the first endothelin A receptor antagonist.
Clinical Trial Investigates New Cell Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients with Type II Diabetes
What it is: A new cell-based therapy called Renal Autologous Cell Therapy (REACT) uses kidney cells collected from a portion of the patient’s own kidney called the cortex. These cells are selected for their ability to block inflammation and promote cell survival and growth. They are expanded outside the body and then injected back into the kidney cortex to stimulate regeneration. Following a successful Phase 2 trial, a Phase 3 clinical trial is now launching to test REACT at more than 60 locations across and outside the US.
Why it’s important: While there are many treatments aimed to slow CKD progression, REACT could actually restore kidney function in people with CKD using the person's own cells, therefore avoiding the need for immunosuppression or long-term medication that is needed for people who receive a kidney transplant.
Interested in Enrolling? If you are interested in participating in this trial, study sites are recruiting across the country with locations in 18 different states still recruiting participants. You can find out more about the trial and see participating locations, and their contact information, here.
Read more here.
An Integrated CKD Care Model in Rochester, Minnesota Substantially Cuts Hospital Admissions and Emergency Department Visits
A recent study showed that at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, an integrated model for providing CKD care has resulted in fewer hospital admissions (26% reduction) and emergency department visits (30% reduction). This interdisciplinary approach involves a registry that coordinates care between a team of specialists, emphasizing evidence-based pathways, patient education, and shared decision-making. This approach yielded better results, slowing disease progression and in one case a patient improved from Stage II to Stage I.
Read more here or see the published study here. If you live near Rochester, Minnesota, you may consider benefiting from this integrated care approach.
If you found this informative, please share this with anyone you know that can benefit from staying informed and getting a boost of positivity.
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