About End Stage Renal Disease

Approximately 225,000 people in Europe, 300,000 people in the United States and one million worldwide suffer from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and depend on haemodialysis to replace their kidney function. ESRD occurs when a significant portion of normal kidney function is lost. Healthy kidneys concentrate waste materials in the urine, maintain fluid (water) balance, manufacture vitamin D, stimulate red blood cell production, and maintain good bone and cardiac health by controlling serum phosphorus levels.

Physicians use haemodialysis to clear waste materials and excess water from the blood of ESRD patients. Vitamin D supplements and injections of erythropoietin (a red blood cell production agent) can be given when needed. However, serum phosphorus is not easily controlled and is largely a function of diet. Therefore, several therapeutic approaches (haemodialysis, dietary restrictions, and phosphate binders) are usually necessary to adequately control serum phosphorus levels. Haemodialysis alone is not able to effectively clear total body phosphorus since it is mainly found in our cells. Dietary phosphorus restriction reduces vital protein intake and can lead to malnutrition. Phosphate-binding agents may be effective in decreasing intestinal phosphorus absorption but in the longer term some phosphate binders are associated with such problems as aluminium toxicity, hypercalcaemia, extraskeletal calcification with increased risk of cardiac and coronary artery disease.

About Research

Genzyme is a global biotechnology company with a commitment to make a positive impact on the lives of patients with difficult diseases. This commitment ensures we continue to develop and deliver therapies and diagnostics, to insist on excellence and to act with integrity and openness.

Our commitment to research in the renal field ensures support of a variety of studies to develop further understanding of the disease processes and their treatment. One such area is in the progression and development of vascular complications of ESRD.

Vascular calcification ("furring up" of the arteries by deposits of calcium) is known to be a risk factor for heart disease and is particularly common in individuals with ESRD. It is associated with arterial stiffening and with an increased risk of premature death. The causes of arterial calcification are not clear but this process has been associated with older age, length of time on dialysis, the presence of diabetes, abnormalities of calcium and phosphorus metabolism and increased lipid levels.

In recognition of the importance of this area, Genzyme are currently supporting The National Kidney Research Fund (NKRF) in their Horizon project. A 3 year research grant has been awarded by the NKRF to an Independent research project to assess the prevalence of calcification of the arteries of patients with chronic kidney failure (but not yet on dialysis), what causes the process to occur and how it progresses as kidney failure declines.

Link to www.nkrf.org.uk

Last Revised: May 1 2004

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