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| Take Charge of Your Healthcare with
My Health™ |  |
AAKP My Health™ features new tools to help you take charge of your health!
Now you can print an emergency contact card and receive doctor appointment reminders!
The site also allows you to:
· Track your lab results
· Log your medications
· List your healthcare team members
· Prepare information for doctor visits
· Test your kidney knowledge
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| Income, Race Combine to Make Perfect Storm for Kidney Disease | | African Americans with incomes below the poverty line have a significantly higher risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) than higher-income African-Americans or whites of any socioeconomic status. This news is according to a new study appearing in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. Prevalence among those with family incomes below the poverty line was 27 percent greater than those living above it. However, when the researchers combined socioeconomic and racial data, they found that low socioeconomic status was associated with a greater prevalence of CKD in African-Americans, but not whites. African-Americans living below the poverty line were 33 percent more likely to have CKD than whites of similar socioeconomic status. The finding persisted even after accounting for other factors known to increase the rate of CKD, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and tobacco, alcohol and drug use. Researchers believe there are several reasons why socioeconomic status seems to affect the rates of CKD in African-Americans and whites differently, including genetics, stress, and health behaviors such as diet and exercise habits. The study could help researchers eventually develop strategies to prevent CKD in vulnerable populations. |
| CKD-Related Anemia Occurs Earlier in Women than Men |  New research shows anemia occurs earlier in women with CKD than men. Researchers examined the effect of gender on the level and time of anemia and iron deficiency. In both genders, the prevalence of anemia generally increased with decreasing glomerular filtration rate (GFR), but was higher in women at all GFRs. In addition, the study revealed that ferritin (iron) level in men was not associated with GFR. In women, however, ferritin level increased significantly with decreasing GFR. For more information on anemia, download AAKP's brochure Understanding Anemia in Kidney Disease, http://www.aakp.org/brochures/anemia-brochure/. |
| Order Your Artwork Greeting Cards! |
Order your 2010 AAKP Greeting Cards today! The cards were created by kidney disease patients and their family members. To preview the greeting cards, visit the AAKP website, www.aakp.org. AAKP is taking pre-orders for these cards. The cards come in packs of 12 and are $20 per pack. To pre-order your greeting cards, call AAKP at (800) 749-2257 or visit www.aakp.org. |
| Software Predicts Kidney Disease Risk |
New risk-assessment software for chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been written by experts at Nottingham University. The software, called Qkidney, allows doctors to accurately predict which patients are most likely to develop CKD. The risk calculator will help doctors decide which patients need testing for the disease or could benefit from assessment, closer monitoring or intervention to reduce their risk.
To create the software, the researchers studied data collected from 364 general practices on 1.57 million patients ages 35-74 years. They followed these patients over a seven-year period and identified factors that predicted increased risk of CKD, such as age, ethnicity, smoking status, obesity, blood-pressure levels, family history of kidney disease, use of painkillers and other medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, health failure and heart disease. A web-based calculator can be found at www.qkidney.org. While the calculator has been designed primarily for use by clinicians, it can also be used by patients.
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| Deadline Extended for Annual Awards Nominations |
 AAKP has extended the deadline for Annual Award nominations to Thursday, July 15. Each year during the Annual Convention, AAKP presents its prestigious Annual Awards to those who have made a significant contribution to the renal community and have helped carry out AAKP's mission.
Award categories include:
- Kris Robinson Memorial Award
- Samuel J. Orenstein Award
- AAKP Patient Comeback of the Year Award
- Josephine Berman Award
- Peter Lundin, MD Award
- Dominick Gentile, MD Award
- Caregiver of the Year Award
- AAKP Volunteer of the Year Award
- Kidney Patient Support Group of the Year
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| Attend a Kidney Beginnings: Live Program Near You! |
 Kidney Beginnings: Live is heading to Arlington, VA; Orlando, FL; and San Antonio, TX. Kidney Beginnings: Live is a FREE educational program designed to educate individuals about the basics of kidney disease and proper kidney care. Attendees receive complimentary educational materials, learn about kidney disease in a welcoming atmosphere and have the opportunity to have questions answered by local health care professionals.
Please continue to check the AAKP website for more upcoming locations and dates.
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