WALTHAM, MA—(Marketwired – November 02, 2015) – Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the continent's leading provider of kidney care products and services, announced today that the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) accepted 47 abstracts authored by FMCNA clinicians and caregivers for presentation or publication as part of its Kidney Week 2015 conference. This is the highest number of acceptances of any dialysis provider. The conference is scheduled for November 3–8 in San Diego and is expected to attract more than 13,000 worldwide leading kidney professionals.
Eighty–five authors contributed to writing FMCNA's accepted abstracts and more than 1,200 FMCNA staff members were involved in the company's overall research efforts. The presentations, related to kidney care quality and the improvement of chronically ill patient outcomes, fall into eight general categories:
Mathematical modeling to improve patient outcomes
Enhancing incident patient dialysis care
Fluid management and blood pressure control
Improving management of cardiovascular disease
Dialysis access management and catheter reduction
Slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease
Global and local collaborative approaches to providing better kidney care
Improving management of bone and mineral metabolism
These initiatives continue to result in improved quality of life, fewer hospitalizations, reduced health care complications, better patient outcomes and savings to the health care system.
“We are grateful to the authors, caregivers, researchers and other academic collaborators who have helped Fresenius Medical Care make substantive contributions to advancing the state of the science of renal disease care,” said Dr. Frank Maddux, FMCNA Chief Medical Officer and Executive VP, Clinical and Scientific Affairs. “Their commitment to active research plays a critical role in helping us understand how best to treat patients who have renal and other chronic illnesses.”
Highlights of oral presentations involving FMCNA's staff at ASN's 2015 conference include:
Improvements in Time to Fistula Use in Incident Hemodialysis Patients in the Rapid Response Pilot Program; The Rapid Response pilot program uses enhanced education and vascular access monitoring techniques to reduce the time to use of a fistula vascular access in incident hemodialysis patients who initiated dialysis with a catheter. This oral presentation (TH–OR063) will be given by Karen G. Butler, MSN, RN; Vice President, Clinical Innovation Initiatives, FMCNA
Central Role for altered Arginine Methylation in Salt–Sensitive Hypertension in CKD: A Metabolomic Profiling Study; This study investigated the role of arginine metabolites in blood pressure control in stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease patients initiating a low sodium diet in the LoSalt clinical research trial. This oral presentation (FR–OR047) will be given by FMCNA's collaborator Anna V Mathew, MD; Department of Medicine–Nephrology, University of Michigan
Glycemic Markers and 2–Year Diabetic Hemodialysis Outcomes from the Glycemic Indices in Dialysis Evaluation Study; This study investigated biomarkers that may be more optimal for assessing glycemic control and the risk of negative health outcomes in hemodialysis patients with diabetes in the Glycemic Indices in Dialysis Evaluation (GIDE) trial. This oral presentation (TH–OR009) will be given by FMCNA's collaborator Mark E. Williams, MD, FASN; Joslin Diabetes Center
Fresenius Medical Care presents research to ASN each year to further the advancement of the quality of kidney care and improve patient outcomes.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius Medical Care North America is the premier health care company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry–leading network of dialysis facilities, outpatient cardiac and vascular labs, and urgent care centers, as well as the country's largest practice of hospitalist and post–acute providers, Fresenius Medical Care provides coordinated health care services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the world's only fully vertically integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products, and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FMCNA website at www.freseniusmedicalcare.us. For information about patient services, visit www.ultracare–dialysis.com.
About the American Society of Nephrology
Founded in 1966, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is the world's largest professional society devoted to the study of kidney disease. With 16,000 physician and scientist members, ASN leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients. ASN also informs policymakers about issues of importance to kidney doctors and their patients. ASN funds research, and through its world–renowned meetings and first–class publications, disseminates information and educational tools that empower physicians. For more information about the society, visit www.asn–online.org/.