Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar, Li Philip Kam-Tao, Tantisattamo Ekamol, Kumaraswami Latha, Liakopoulos Vassilios, Lui Siu-Fai, Ulasi Ifeoma, Andreoli Sharon, Balducci Alessandro, Dupuis Sophie, Harris Tess, Hradsky Anne, Knight Richard, Kumar Sajay, Ng Maggie, Poidevin Alice, Saadi Gamal, Tong Allison
International Federation of Kidney Foundation-World Kidney Alliance (IFKF-WKA), Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and Kidney Transplantation, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA.
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Carol & Richard Yu PD Research Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Nephrol Ther. 2021 Apr;17(2):69-73. doi: 10.1016/j.nephro.2021.02.001. Epub 2021 Mar 23.
Living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with hardships for patients and their care partners. Empowering patients and their care partners, including family members and friends involved in their care, may help minimize the burden and consequences of CKD-related symptoms to enable increased life participation. There is a need to broaden the focus on living well with kidney disease and reengagement in life, including emphasis on the patient being in control. The World Kidney Day (WKD) Joint Steering Committee has declared 2021 the year of "Living Well with Kidney Disease" in an effort to increase education about and awareness of the important goal of patient empowerment and life participation. This calls for the development and implementation of validated patient-reported outcome measures to assess and address areas of life participation in routine care. It could be supported by regulatory agencies as a metric for quality care or to support labeling claims for medicines and devices. Funding agencies could establish targeted calls for research that address the priorities of patients. Patients with kidney disease and their care partners should feel supported to live well through concerted efforts by kidney care communities, including during pandemics. In the overall wellness program for patients with kidney disease, the need for prevention should be reiterated. Early detection with prolonged course of wellness despite kidney disease, after effective secondary and tertiary prevention programs, should be promoted. WKD 2021 continues to call for increased awareness of the importance of preventive measures across populations, professionals, and policy makers, applicable to both developed and developing countries.