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	<title>Kidney Function &#187; Kidney Transplants</title>
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	<link>http://kidneyfunction.org</link>
	<description>Renal Information</description>
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		<title>Discussing Kidney Transplants</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/discussing-kidney-transplants/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/discussing-kidney-transplants/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 May 2010 10:52:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney donation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney transplantation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=21596</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In the following video, you will see kidney transplant recipient Don Fosnot and kidney donor Eileen Helms discuss the circumstances that brought them together that likely saved Don&#8217;s life:

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the following video, you will see kidney transplant recipient Don Fosnot and kidney donor Eileen Helms discuss the circumstances that brought them together that likely saved Don&#8217;s life:</p>
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		<title>Can Diabetics Receive Kidney Transplants?</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/can-diabetics-receive-kidney-transplants/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/can-diabetics-receive-kidney-transplants/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:49:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diabetes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=12833</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Short answer: Yes. Long answer&#8230;
If you suffer from diabetes, you can receive a kidney transplant form a living relative or from a deceased person. The amount of insulin that is required may increase as a result of the use of immunosupressant drugs to prevent rejection, an increased appetite for food and food intake and the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Short answer: Yes. Long answer&#8230;</p>
<p>If you suffer from diabetes, you can receive a kidney transplant form a living relative or from a deceased person. The amount of insulin that is required may increase as a result of the use of immunosupressant drugs to prevent rejection, an increased appetite for food and food intake and the more efficient breakdown of insulin in your body by the new kidney. Many physicians believe that kidney transplantation is the best suited method of treatment for people who are diabetic.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Stereoid Withdrawal</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/stereoid-withdrawal/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/stereoid-withdrawal/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:46:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney transplantation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steroid avoidance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steroid withdrawal]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=215</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Steroid withdrawal implies the discontinuation of steroid administration post-transplant and needs to be differentiated from steroid avoidance, in which steroids are administered only in the event of rejection. Steroid avoidance has never been popular in the United States, although it has been applied in European countries. Many patients who avoid steroids end up receiving them [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Steroid withdrawal implies the discontinuation of steroid administration post-transplant and needs to be differentiated from steroid avoidance, in which steroids are administered only in the event of rejection. Steroid avoidance has never been popular in the United States, although it has been applied in European countries. Many patients who avoid steroids end up receiving them for rejection anyway. Steroid withdrawal is a more tempting ploy that may be considered in select patients, although the anxiety associated with withdrawal (for both the patients and their physicians) has understandably dampened its popularity. Steroid withdrawal should be considered only in patients who are at least several months post-transplant, have not suffered recent or recurrent rejections, have excellent graft function, and are receiving relatively high doses of cyclosporine. There is some evidence that African-American transplant recipients may not be good candidates for withdrawal.</p>
<p>A clear-cut benefit of withdrawal, in terms of certain steroid-related side effects (bone disease, hyperlipidemia, etc) has not been demonstrated. There may be long-term deterioration in graft function in steroid withdrawn patients, who should be forewarned.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Cyclosporine Side Effects</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/cyclosporine-side-effects/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/cyclosporine-side-effects/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:40:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cyclosporine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nephrotoxicity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[side effects]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=196</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nephrotoxicity is the most important side effect of cyclosporine use and is also the major &#8220;thorn in the side&#8221; of this remarkable drug. It is most likely not a coincidence that the two most powerful immunosuppressants in clinical practice, cyclosporine and tacrolimus, have similar modes of immunosuppressant action and similar clinical and pathologic patterns of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Nephrotoxicity is the most important side effect of cyclosporine use and is also the major &#8220;thorn in the side&#8221; of this remarkable drug. It is most likely not a coincidence that the two most powerful immunosuppressants in clinical practice, cyclosporine and tacrolimus, have similar modes of immunosuppressant action and similar clinical and pathologic patterns of nephrotoxicity. Theories linking the mechanism of immunosuppresion and nephrotoxicity are very interesting topics of discussion among researchers.</p>
<p>The term &#8220;cyclosporine nephrotoxicity&#8221; is often used loosely, and it is important to note that this term encompasses several distinct and overlapping dromes which are produced by both functional and morphologic changes within the allograft.</p>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Coping with Kidney Problems</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/coping-with-kidney-problems/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/coping-with-kidney-problems/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:17:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Renal Info]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dialysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney failure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney function]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=150</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many patients reach a point where, without replacement of renal function, death would be inevitable. These techniques should be applied, however, the criterion of improving the quality of life for renal patients, and not just its survival when it is presented as a highly embarrassing situation.
This quality of life depends greatly on how prepared everyone [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Many patients reach a point where, without replacement of renal function, death would be inevitable. These techniques should be applied, however, the criterion of improving the quality of life for renal patients, and not just its survival when it is presented as a highly embarrassing situation.</p>
<p>This quality of life depends greatly on how prepared everyone is, and how much has been avoided and some risk factors in the pre-dialysis. If it comes to dialysis without hardly have known the disease itself, and significant damage in other organs and functions, quality of life is much less possible.</p>
<p>The treatment not only to try to maintain kidney function and eventually the loss, more control. It also means, for example in patients with diabetes, not to lose the vision nor any of its members, etc.. Many of these people are not meaning to be subjected to dialysis in order to increase their survival when the quality with which we live is extremely precarious.</p>
<p>Care and emotional and psychological support is essential to address the impact that means the replacement and its extension in time.</p>
<p>There is much to be done on prevention and treatment of kidney disease trying to avoid loss of function of this body, and new information will greatly help to achieve this.</p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Kidney Transplantation Progress</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/kidney-transplantation-progress/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/kidney-transplantation-progress/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:08:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney function]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney transplantation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=127</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The science of kidney transplantation has evolved rapidly in recent history. A great deal has been learned about immunobiology of the alloimmune response, the mechanism of action of immunosuppresive agents, and also the pathophysiology of acute and chronic transplant rejection. Constantly, new immunosuppresive agents are being developed and tested and fine tuned in clinical trials [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The science of kidney transplantation has evolved rapidly in recent history. A great deal has been learned about immunobiology of the alloimmune response, the mechanism of action of immunosuppresive agents, and also the pathophysiology of acute and chronic transplant rejection. Constantly, new immunosuppresive agents are being developed and tested and fine tuned in clinical trials and then introduced into actual clinical practice.</p>
<p>However, this entire process can also be quite frustrating. The demand for cadaveric organs is always increasing, while the supply has remained relatively the same. It is not uncommon for patients to wait months or even years for organs and many end up experiencing detrimental if not fatal loss of kidney function. Even though new immunosuppressive agents may have a favorable impact on the early post-transplant course, the way they impact the development of chronic graft failure is still not certain. If the supply of available organs is to be increased, it may mean introducing organs of less quality that may provide limited long-term kidney function.</p>
<p>The relatively high success rate of tranpslantation has brought with it unique and unanticipated challenges. The entire transplant community needs to know how to reap the benefits of new agents and protocols without increasing the risk of infection or the development of cancer.</p>
<p>Although kidney transplantation technology is still growing and evolving, so are the obstacles that it faces.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Will Medicare Cover Me?</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/will-medicare-cover-me/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/will-medicare-cover-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:23:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dialysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney failure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medicare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transplants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=120</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many patients struggling with improper kidney function are likely to be concerned with the cost of treatment. Federal law states that you need to be a Social Security or Railroad Retirement beneficiary or be &#8220;fully or currently&#8221; insured in order to be eligible for kidney disease provisions from Medicare.
If you have at least six quarters [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Many patients struggling with improper kidney function are likely to be concerned with the cost of treatment. Federal law states that you need to be a Social Security or Railroad Retirement beneficiary or be &#8220;fully or currently&#8221; insured in order to be eligible for kidney disease provisions from Medicare.</p>
<p>If you have at least six quarters of coverage during the entire 13-quarter in which dialysis or a transplant occurs, then you are currently insured. A fully insured patient has one quarter of coverage under the Social Security program for each year passing later than 1950, or after the year the patient turned 21 (if later), until the year that dialysis treatment begins or a kidney transplant occurs.</p>
<p>Under no circumstance will greater than 40 quarters of coverage be required to attain Medicare benefits.</p>
<p>Spouses or dependent children of an insured individual are also available for the benefits.</p>
<p>To get further information regarding Medicare eligibility, contact your local Social Security office. A social worker will be best suited to evaluate your individual scenario and assess whether or not you are eligible to receive Medicare benefits.</p>
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		<title>Kidney Donation may be less Risky than Previously Believed</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/kidney-donation-may-be-less-risky-than-previously-believed/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/kidney-donation-may-be-less-risky-than-previously-believed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:25:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney disease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney donation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney function]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transplants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=117</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The common belief for many years has been that although one can survive and live a reasonably normal life with just one kidney, it is much more preferrable to have two. However, a recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota suggests that normal kidney function may be achieved with just one kidney and that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The common belief for many years has been that although one can survive and live a reasonably normal life with just one kidney, it is much more preferrable to have two. However, a recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota suggests that normal kidney function may be achieved with just one kidney and that it may actually be no different than having two functioning kidneys.</p>
<p>This news couldn&#8217;t have come at a better time, as the worldwide demand for kidney donations is on the rise.</p>
<p>The lead author of this study, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, says that he hopes this new information will help alleviate the axienty most people have when it comes to kidney donation.</p>
<p>Dr Ibrahim and his colleagues conducted thorough research by tracking down nearly every one of the 3,700 individuals who had donated a kidney at the university&#8217;s transplant facility between 1963 all the way through 2007. Surprisingly, Ibrahim and his team discovered that the prevalence or risk factors of diabetes, high blood pressure, and of course kidney disease were actually about the same if not favorable when compared to non-donors of the approximate same age, gender, and race.  Life spans, in general, also were shown to be the same, if not longer.</p>
<p>Receiving a living kidney donation is the best case scenario for anyone suffering end-stage kidney disease who depend on dialysis machines for survival. Many doctors are now grateful for this study, as it offers evidence that can be used to encourage and reassure potential donors that they may donate a kidney without sacrificng their own kidney function.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re interested in becoming a kidney donor, check out <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;ct=res&amp;cd=1&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.livingdonorsonline.org%2Fkidney%2Fkidneyfaq.htm&amp;ei=atKDSc3MA5GYsAOk18x4&amp;usg=AFQjCNH2_FxRmogUTCQf_0o9xTNx-pZa5g&amp;sig2=B0HSg5BpcVPMahkvMIdz-A" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Living Donors Online</a> to determine your eligibility, and to get more information on the process.</p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Kidney Transplant Rejection</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/kidney-transplant-rejection/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/kidney-transplant-rejection/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:36:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Renal Info]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney function]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney transplant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney transplantation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renal health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transplant rejection]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=114</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is perfectly natural for the human body to react negatively to a transplant, as it is perceived as a foreign body that has been introduced and may be a threat. In order to reduce the chance of rejection and increase the chance of the new kidney taking and providing proper kidney function, your doctor [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It is perfectly natural for the human body to react negatively to a transplant, as it is perceived as a foreign body that has been introduced and may be a threat. In order to reduce the chance of rejection and increase the chance of the new kidney taking and providing proper kidney function, your doctor will prescribe drugs that work to suppress your immune system. In order to ensure your new kidney continues functioning properly, you will need to take this medication for the rest of your life. Ceasing to take the medication as directed will put you at risk of transplant rejection.</p>
<p>Even taking the drugs as prescribed does not eliminate the possibility of rejection 100%.  It is not uncommon for transplant patients who regularly take their medication as cheduled to experience rejection episodes. However, the chances of rejection are at their highest within the first few months following the transplant surgery.</p>
<p>The most noticeable indications that a rejection episode may be occuring are the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Soreness or pain in the kidney area</li>
<li>Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit</li>
<li>Urine output is decreased significantly</li>
<li>Sudden weight gain, swelling, or both</li>
<li>Increase in blood pressure</li>
<li>Flu-like symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are the recipient of a kidney transplant and you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you are strongly urged to visit or at least contact your physician as soon as possible.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Cadaver Kidneys</title>
		<link>http://kidneyfunction.org/cadaver-kidneys/</link>
		<comments>http://kidneyfunction.org/cadaver-kidneys/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:07:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kidney Transplants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Renal Info]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cadaver kidneys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kidney function]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transplants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://kidneyfunction.org/?p=101</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If kidney function deteriorates to the point where a transplant is required to save a life, there are two methods of obtaining a new kidney for the transplant. One method is by having a kidney donated by a living donor, the other is by receiving a functional kidney that is taken from someone who has [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If kidney function deteriorates to the point where a transplant is required to save a life, there are two methods of obtaining a new kidney for the transplant. One method is by having a kidney donated by a living donor, the other is by receiving a functional kidney that is taken from someone who has recently passed away. We will now take a closer look at the latter scenario.</p>
<p>When a kidney is removed from a recently deceased person  for the purpose of transplantation, it is known as a cadaver kidney. The kidney is briefly stored while tests are performed to determine the recipient best suited to receive it. In general, every effort is made to ensure that the kidney does not have to be stored for longer than 30 hours before it is used. However, there have been cases where kidneys that were stored for even greater periods of time were used in successful transplants.  Cadaver kidneys account for nearly 70% of all kidney transplants performed in the United States.</p>
<p><strong>Anonymity</strong></p>
<p>In the United States, policy does not allow the recipient of the cadaver kidney to know the identity of the person it came from. Likewise, the family of the deceased donor does not receive information pertaining to the recipient of the kidney.</p>
<p><strong>Wait Period</strong></p>
<p>Depending on the availability of a matching cadaver kidney, patients in need of a transplant may have to wait as much as 12 months or more. However, in some cases the wait period is considerably shorter.</p>
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