The kidney is a bean-shaped organ located on the back of our body. It turns wastes and excess water in our body into urine and discharges it out of the body, and keeps the concentration of electrolytes necessary for metabolism such as sodium, potassium, and calcium at a constant level at all times.
Chronic kidney disease refers to a condition in which the kidneys are damaged and unable to function. Waste products are not filtered out, so they continue to accumulate in the body, and the concentration of water and electrolytes cannot be maintained properly.
As symptoms progress, ▲nausea/vomiting ▲loss of appetite ▲fatigue ▲swelling of feet/legs ▲leg rats ▲frequent urination ▲dry skin and itching appear. Later, excessive wastes in the body can affect the nervous system and cause fainting, convulsions, and seizures, or pulmonary edema may occur as the amount of water in the body continues to increase.
Chronic kidney disease can be divided into five stages according to the residual function of the kidneys. 90% or more is stage 1, 60-90% is stage 2, 30-60% is stage 3, and 15-30% is stage 4. In the last stage 5, kidney function has fallen to less than 15%. When it reaches the 5th stage, renal replacement therapy is essential to replace the function of the kidneys.
Renal replacement therapy includes kidney transplantation, peritoneal dialysis, and hemodialysis. In fact, kidney transplantation, in which a healthy kidney is transplanted, is the best method, but it is very difficult to find a kidney donor, and rejection may occur following transplantation.
Peritoneal dialysis has the advantage of being able to perform dialysis at home, and because waste products are removed 24 hours a day, food and fluid intake are somewhat free. However, since 2 liters of dialysis fluid must be injected into the stomach at all times, the stomach is stuffy and there is a risk of hernia. In this process, foreign bacteria may invade and cause inflammation.
Lee Ji-yeon, chief of the nephrology department at Gangnam Peter’s Hospital, said, “Currently, the most commonly used renal replacement therapy in Korea is hemodialysis. Since it is performed in a hospital, there is no risk of infection, and it is safe to meet medical staff regularly to receive treatment. Traveling abroad can be difficult because you have to visit the hospital regularly,” he explained.
According to the statistics released by the Korean Society of Nephrology in 2021, 135,017 hemodialysis patients from 2001 to 2020 investigated the change in mortality over the past 20 years. The mortality rate of hemodialysis patients rapidly increased from 116 per 1,000 person-years in 2005 (used when the subject’s observation period is different, and one year of observation per person is usually considered as a person-year unit), 87 in 2010, and 19 in 2020. appeared to decrease.
Manager Lee Ji-yeon said, “Chronic kidney disease is no longer a ‘deadly disease’. You can lead a healthy life through steady dialysis treatment, diet management, and consultation with a specialist.”
