Hot Topics in Kidney Health

Deciding to become a living donor

Many potential living organ donors have questions, such as what does the journey look like, and how do you know if you are eligible to donate? If you are one of them, this podcast is for you. On this episode, our panel will share the first-hand experience of being a living donor and walk you through the evaluation process.

 

In this episode, you will hear from:

Tania Kasongo

Tania was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in Ohio. She is very passionate about health and wellness. She is a living kidney donor and donated her kidney in 2014 for her father. Tania graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in French. She works as an Events Marketing Manager for the American Chemical Society, and has her own event planning business, Yowa Events. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering and is very involved in her community. She has volunteered for various organizations such as New York Cares, Ronald McDonald House charities, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and many more. She is also a strong advocate for diabetes, kidney health, and organ donation. Other activities Tania enjoys are exercising, traveling, cooking, and horticulture.

Jennifer Bruns, LMSW

Jennifer is a social worker who has worked with kidney patients for the past 23 years in the fields of dialysis, transplant and inpatient care. Jennifer has also served on the executive committee for the Council of Nephrology Social Workers and she is a living kidney donor.

Miriam Goodwin

Miriam is the Director of Health Policy for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). In this capacity, she helps to define and execute NKF’s public policy agenda with the federal government, working closely with patients, patient advocates, and professionals to ensure that public policy has the priorities of kidney patients at its center.  Prior to joining NKF, Miriam was a member of the policy team at Roche/Genentech, where she worked to shape the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) commitments for the PDUFA V and PDUFA VI reauthorization cycles.  Miriam earned her MPP from the George Washington University and a BA in biology from Earlham College. She is also a living kidney donor. 

 

Further resources on living donation:

General Information on Living Donation

How do I donate a kidney?

Infórmate Acerca de la Donación de Riñón en Vida para Hispanos/Latinos (Learn About Living Kidney Donation for Hispanics/Latinos)

For additional information, visit kidney.org/livingdonation. 

 

BONUS: New study looks at APOL1 gene: do you have it?

Some diseases run in the family, when more than one person has the same kind of illness passed down through genes. One of those genes, called APOL1, has variations that are linked to an increased risk for kidney disease, especially in under-resourced communities of color. In today's bonus episode, we discuss how a clinical research study is looking to understand the effect of APOL1 on kidney transplant outcomes from living and deceased donors, and why it's important for you to be part of this research study.

In this episode, you will hear from:

Marva Moxey-Mims, MD, FASN

Dr. Moxey-Mims is Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Nephrology at Children’s National Health System, Washington, D.C.  Dr. Moxey-Mims serves as the Study Chair of the APOLLO Steering Committee and Chair of the Publications & Presentation Committee.

Jonah Odim, MD

Dr. Odim is Chief of the Clinical Transplantation Section at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Dr. Odim serves as a representative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the APOLLO Steering Committee and member of the Dissemination Working Group.

Glenda V. Roberts 

Glenda is the Director of External Relations & Patient Engagement for the Center for Dialysis Innovation at the University of Washington Kidney Research Institute.  Glenda serves as a member of the APOLLO Community Advisory Committee, the Recruitment Committee, and the Dissemination Working Group.

Sylvia E. Rosas, MD, MSCE

Dr. Rosas is a nephrologist and epidemiologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Sylvia serves as the Principal Investigator of APOLLO Clinical Center 09 (Harvard University) and member of the Dissemination Working Group.

Krista Lentine, MD, PhD, FAST, FAST

Dr. Lentine is Medical Director of Living Donation, Co-Director of Clinical Research, and Mid-America Transplant/Jane A. Beckman Endowed Chair in Transplantation at Saint Louis University (SLU). Krista serves as co-Principal Investigator for APOLLO Clinical Center 03 (Johns Hopkins | SLU), member of the Data, Ancillary Studies, and Publications & Presentation Committees, and chair of the Dissemination Working Group.

Denay Richards

Ms. Richards and her family were born in the Caribbean when her mother was diagnosed with ESRD. They moved to the United States, where her mother was told that she had about 3 months to live. On August 29th, 2000, Denay’s father donated a kidney to her and in 2020 they celebrated their 20 year - “kidneyversary.” As a child, Denay loved helping her mother with the dialysis process, organizing medications, and attending hospital visits. It was this exposure to the medical field that encouraged Denay to pursue a career in surgery. In 2019 she graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Molecular Biology and as of 2021 is an MD/PhD student in a dual degree program with Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Princeton University. In 2019, she earned a double board qualification as a fitness nutrition specialist and personal trainer under the International Sports Sciences Association. In 2020, Denay was diagnosed with an APOL1 mutation that is more prevalent in the African American community and has been linked to early kidney failure. Denay says that her diagnosis has empowered her to expand education about renal health, fitness/nutrition, and genetic predispositions for kidney failure to the world, especially disenfranchised populations that are at greater risk.

 

Genetics and kidney disease: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/genetics-kidney-disease

Pregnancy and kidney disease

Pregnancy can be an exciting time for most people, but what does it look like if you are a kidney patient? What does pregnancy look like if they have kidney disease, are on dialysis, or have received a transplant? In this episode, we’ll hear useful facts and tips from transplant nephrologist Dr. Mariana Markell, as well as personal stories from Cari Maxwell and Katie Reed, two mothers living with kidney disease.

 

In this episode, you'll hear from:

Dr. Mariana Markell 

Dr. Markell is a graduate of Yale University and New York Medical College and received her Residency and Fellowship training at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and UCLA Medical Center. At SUNY Downstate she has served as the Director of Inpatient Dialysis and created the first Transplant Nephrology Fellowship Program in New York City. She currently continues to care for general and transplant nephrology patients while serving at the Medical Director of Kidney Transplantation. Her research interests include the impact of social determinants of health and issues in women’s health in the person with kidney disease.

Katie Reed

Katie Reed has autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial MUC1 kidney disease (ADTKD-MUC1) and is a recent recipient of a successful kidney transplant. Katie is a board member for the Rare Kidney Disease Foundation, which focuses on raising awareness of ADTKD, building up the ADTKD community, and advocating for patients and families. Katie and her husband reside in North Carolina and are parents to two young children. In their free time, you can find the Reeds out and about at local parks, watching a thrilling game of preschool-aged soccer, cheering for the Steelers, or taking over Disney World in matching family shirts. Professionally, Katie is a Managing Director with Afton Partners, a consultancy focused on funding policy, governance, and sustainability strategies for education and human services organizations.

Cari Maxwell 

Cari was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) in 1989. Through healthy living and choices, she managed her disease on her own for many years following the example of her father, who experienced ESRD in the early 1980s. A registered organ donor provided a near-perfect matching kidney to him and that gift of life granted Cari and her family 31 additional years with him before he passed away in October of 2018. Advancements in treatment for PKD patients are very close to Cari’s heart, not only for herself but also for her other two siblings and oldest child that are diagnosed with ADPKD and for the likelihood that her two younger children may also be one day. She was fortunate to be able to participate in the clinical trial for the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for PKD – a treatment she still benefits from today.

Cari is a member of the National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Advocacy Committee, and she champions patient education, early detection, and scientific advancement through patient-oriented clinical research. She hopes that through her commitment to the awareness of chronic kidney diseases, others will take an active role in their health journey through early detection, healthy choices, and becoming a strong voice of advocacy for themselves and others. Cari is a wife and mother to three daughters and works full-time as the Director of Culture & Operations for a growing technology integration firm near Hershey, PA.

 

For more information on pregnancy and kidney disease, visit https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/pregnancy.

What are SGLT2 Inhibitors and are they the right drug for you?

You might have heard about drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors used in treatment of kidney disease, but, just like many other kidney patients, you might not know if they’re right for you. On this episode, we explain how different SGLT2 inhibitors are from other kidney disease medications, discuss side effects, cost, and the ongoing research around this category of drugs.

 

On this episode you will hear from:

Katherine Tuttle, MD

Dr. Tuttle is Executive Director for Research at Providence Health Care, Co-Principal Investigator of the Institute of Translational Health Sciences and Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Tuttle earned her medical degree and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. She was a fellow in Metabolism and Endocrinology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Her Nephrology fellowship training was performed at University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. 

Dr. Tuttle's major research interests are in clinical and translational science for diabetes and chronic kidney disease. She has published over 250 original research contributions and served two terms as Associate Editor for the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and the American Journal of Kidney Disease. Dr. Tuttle has received many honors and awards including the Medal of Excellence from the American Association of Kidney Patients, Garbed Eknoyan Award from the National Kidney Foundation, the YWCA Woman of Achievement Award in Science, and two Outstanding Clinical Faculty Awards at the University of Washington. Dr. Tuttle served on the Board of Directors for the Kidney Health Initiative and has chaired numerous kidney and diabetes related working groups and committees for organizations including the NIDDK/NIH, the National Kidney Foundation, the American Society of Nephrology, the International Society of Nephrology, and the American Diabetes Association.  

Jane DeMeis, patient

Ms. DeMeis became involved with the National Kidney Foundation when she was diagnosed in 2018 with stage 4 kidney disease. Ms. DeMeis was the Director of Education and Organizational Development for U R Medicine Home Care. Part of her responsibilities was working with clinicians in teaching them how to present education to patients. She also was the Chairperson of the Patient Family Centered Care program and worked with improving home care through patient advocacy.  In 2018, Ms. DeMeis retired. She had been fighting CKD along with Psoriatic Arthritis for over 8 years and needed to focus on her health.  She currently serves as a member of NKF's Kidney Advocacy Committee, as an Ambassador for NKF's online communities, and also as a NKF Peer mentor. Ms. DeMeis is the Chairperson of the Perinton Ambulance Corps and when Covid allows will be bringing Kidney education to their Community Outreach program. Her other volunteer activities include working with clients for the Perinton Food Shelf, on the Executive Board of the Perinton Historical Society as the Director of Communications, as a member of the Fairport Village Tree Board, and sings with the Perinton Senior Chorus.

 

Looking for tips on how to limit your sodium? We have you covered.

How much sodium is safe for kidney patients?

Most patients on dialysis need to limit the amount of sodium in their diets. But how much sodium is safe and what are some ways to add flavor to your diet? On today's episode, our experts cover examples of high sodium foods, recommendations for low sodium substitutes, and how much sodium people with kidney disease should have as a part of a healthy diet.

In this episode, you will hear from:

Melissa Prest, DCN, MS, RDN, CSR, LDN

Melissa Prest is the Foundation Dietitian for the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. In this role, she focuses on nutrition education for individuals at risk for and/or diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.  Melissa is also involved in program planning for patients and professionals.  Prior to working with NKFI, Melissa practiced in a dialysis center providing medical nutrition therapy for individuals treated with renal replacement therapy. Melissa completed her doctorate in clinical nutrition from Rutgers University and her master’s degree in clinical nutrition from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.  Dr. Prest holds multiple local, state, and national volunteer leadership roles with the Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Illinois Council on Renal Nutrition, the NKF Council on Renal Nutrition, the Renal Dietitian Practice Group and serves a as National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “In addition to being able to form a long-term patient-clinician relationship, what I most enjoy about working with persons living with chronic conditions is seeing the impact of making healthy behavior changes on their quality of life.”

Chef Duane Sunwold

Chef Duane is a CKD patient who put his disease into remission by changing his diet and following his doctor’s recommendations. Duane is currently a culinary arts instructor at the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy.  He has spent his culinary career cooking in the Pacific Northwest and was a private chef for the Bill Gates family.  Duane has presented his culinary accomplishments to medical professionals and patients around the United States.  Duane has also participated on a PCORI research grant with Washington State University and was a core member on a CDC’s sodium reduction grant for the Spokane Regional Health District. 

For more information on sodium and a CKD diet, visit here. 

For tips on limiting your sodium, visit here. 

What do changes to eGFR calculation mean for patients?

As a kidney patient, you most likely know your estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR, and that it’s a way to check how well your kidneys are working. In the past some medical calculations, including a way to measure eGFR, included race in their estimates. In September, NKF and the American Society of Nephrology announced that their joint taskforce recommended a new, race-free approach to measuring eGFR. What does this new equation mean for patients, especially those who identify as Black or African American? In this episode, we sat down with two members of that taskforce to get the facts.

 

In this episode, you will hear from:

 

Mallika L. Mendu, MD, MBA

Mallika Mendu, MD, MBA is Executive Medical Director of Clinical Operations for Brigham Health, in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Mendu is also a practicing nephrologist and Associate Medical Director of Mass General Brigham Population Health Management. She received her MD and MBA degrees from the Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Management. During her internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, she was involved in the Medicine Management Leadership Track and developed an interest in addressing system-level deficiencies in quality and care delivery by implementing innovative interventions. She pursued nephrology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Mendu’s administrative responsibilities are focused on care continuum management and inpatient operations. Her research efforts relate to care delivery innovation, quality and safety and population health. 

 

Glenda Roberts

Glenda is a passionate activist for kidney research and patients living with kidney disease. She’s involved in myriad patient-centered national and international health care transformation initiatives. All are focused on addressing patient preferences and improving patient-reported outcomes. Glenda brings the patient voice to a number of NIH/NIDDK government and industry research efforts, as well as, the ASN COVID-19 Response Team and the ASN COVID-19 Transplant Subcommittee. She’s a member of the ISN, the Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) Patient and Family Partnership Council (PFPC); Can-SOLVE CKD International Research Advisory Committee; Home Dialyzors United Advisory Board and she’s has been an Ambassador for the American Association of Kidney Patients since 2018.

 

Learn more about what this means for people living with kidney disease: https://www.kidney.org/newsletter/changes-to-egfr-calculation-and-what-means-people-living-kidney-disease 

BONUS: Coping with pediatric kidney disease

Nearly 10,000 children in the country are diagnosed with kidney failure and require either dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive. What does a pediatric kidney disease diagnosis look like for families and how can loved ones can offer their support? This bonus episode features a conversation from The Journey Continues, a podcast by the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. Host and kidney transplant recipient Monica Fox spoke about pediatric kidney disease with Katie Adduci, a nurse and living kidney donor to her son Max, as well as Nicole duMont, a licensed social worker who has worked with children in all stages of kidney disease and transplantation.

Download and subscribe to "The Journey Continues" in Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you like to listen.

Tips for overcoming financial hardship

Many kidney disease patients often face financial hardships, such as having to leave a job or struggling to pay for medications. Applying for or maintaining insurance may also be overwhelming and may create challenges with access to care. In today’s episode, physician and a postdoctoral research fellow Dr. Isaac Acquah talks about his recent research into the financial impact on people with chronic kidney disease with guests Beth Witten, a social worker, and Charles Pecoraro, a dialysis patient.

In this episode, you will hear from:

 

Dr. Isaac Acquah, MD, MPH

Dr. Isaac Acquah is a physician and a postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Outcomes Research  at Houston Methodist Hospital. He holds an MD degree from the University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is particularly concerned about health care disparities and social determinants of health. Prior to moving to the United States, he practiced in both rural and urban settings where he directly experienced the influences of these determinants on a person’s health. His current work as a postdoctoral fellow involves understanding health care disparities among different patient populations and how they affect patient outcomes.

 

Beth Witten

Beth Witten is a renal social worker. She has worked with dialysis and transplant patients for over 40 years. She has been an NKF employee and volunteer and past chair of NKF's social work council. Beth ran CKD classes for many years. She consults with the nonprofit Medical Education Institute. Beth speaks and writes on choosing a treatment, paying for treatment, working and living your best life with kidney disease.  

 

Charles Pecoraro

Charles Pecoraro is a dialysis patient who is also currently on the transplant waitlist at Mayo Clinic in Florida.  In June 2019 he was diagnosed and treated for Malignant Melanoma Cancer.  In follow up visits with his PCP, they found he had high blood pressure.  He experienced debilitating emotional, mental, and physical symptoms from CKD that ultimately affected his ability to continue working and he lost the business he had owned for many years.  He also experienced delays in care due to insurance issues and ultimately started on dialysis emergently in March 2020. Charles is a kidney advocate with NKF. 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• dol.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)
• ssa.gov/redbook or (800) 772-1213 (Social Security Disability Insurance)
• Healthcare.gov
• Medicare.gov
• Needymeds.org and mat.org (Medicine Assistance Tool)
• Benefits.gov
• Unitedway.org
• shiphelp.org or (877) 839-2675 (State Health Insurance Programs)
  
  

How to become an advocate for kidney health

Over the past year, NKF advocates have won a number of policy campaigns both in Congress and state capitals across the country. While these victories will improve the lives of kidney patients nationwide, we’re not done yet. We need every voice for kidney health to join the fight to ensure that we are heard across the country. In this episode, we discussed some recent wins and our upcoming challenges for the kidney advocate community with Jeff Currey, a Connecticut State Representative and kidney transplant recipient, and Armand Halter, an NKF patient advocate who helped lead NKF’s efforts to pass the Connecticut version of the Living Donor Protection Act.

 

In this episode, you will hear from:

 

CT Representative Jeff Currey:

Rep. Jeff Currey is a United States State Senator in Connecticut who who was re-elected to a fourth term in 2020 to serve the 11th Assembly District. Currey, who went public with his kidney failure prognosis in 2020, received a kidney transplant from a longtime friend in January 2021. In May he supported and advocate for the Living Donor Protection Act (HB 6387) in Connecticut, which prohibits insurers from discriminating against living organ donors and creates a committee to promote kidney donation in the state.

 

Armand Halter:

Armand Halter is a patient-advocate from Connecticut who has led NKF’s efforts to pass a state version of the Living Donor Protection Act (HB 6387) in Connecticut, including testifying on February 11th. He has also been a mentor to fellow advocates and helped organize Connecticut advocates in their efforts to pass bills and raise awareness in the state legislature.

 

For more information on NKF's advocacy efforts and how to become an advocate yourself, visit voices.kidney.org. You can also email us directly at advocacy@kidney.org.

BONUS: Systemic Lupus and Lupus Nephritis

This bonus episode features a conversation about lupus nephritis between rheumatologist Dr. Irene Blanco and Shanika Chuying, a person living with the disease. Lupus nephritis causes inflammation of the small blood vessels that filter waste in the kidneys and is one of the most common yet dangerous complications of lupus. Half of all Americans living with lupus will at some point develop lupus nephritis and up to 3 out of 10 people with lupus nephritis will develop kidney failure within 15 years of their diagnosis. Dr. Blanco and Shanika will discuss the facts about diagnosis and treatment of the disease as well as clear up some common misconceptions.

In this episode you will hear from Irene Blanco, M.D., M.S., a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Associate Dean for Office of Diversity Enhancement. She specializes in the treatment of people with autoimmune diseases, such as lupus. You will also hear from Shanika Chuying, a person living with lupus nephritis.

For more information on lupus and lupus nephritis, visit kidney.org/atoz/content/lupus. You can find a full transcript of the conversation at kidney.org/doctor-patient-dialogue.

 

Delta variant and COVID-19 booster shots

A major worry for many people right now is the Delta variant, a highly contagious strain of COVID-19 which is making headlines across the United States. The FDA has just authorized a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so that immune compromised patients can better protecting themselves from the virus. What does this mean for CKD, dialysis, and transplant patients? We spoke with Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, NKF Chief Medical Officer, in a recent Facebook Live to share the facts about the Delta variant, COVID-19 booster shots, and other concerns facing kidney patients.

 

In this episode, you will hear from:

Joseph A. Vassalotti, MD:

Nephrologist Joseph A. Vassalotti, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer of the National Kidney Foundation and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology, at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, NY. He received his medical degree with Distinction in Research from the SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine Residency and Nephrology Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. At NKF, his major focus is implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in chronic kidney disease (CKD), including the NKF’s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI), particularly through guidance of the NKF’s primary care initiative, called CKDintercept. He has served as co-principal investigator for the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), demonstration project “CKD Health Evaluation and Risk Information Sharing” (CHERISH), which aimed to identify individuals at high risk for kidney disease in the U.S. and as an investigator for the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored clustered practice randomized trial entitled, “Evidenced-Based Primary Care for Kidney Disease.”

 

For more resources on COVID-19 for kidney patients, visit www.kidney.org/coronavirus

Plant-based diets: Can they work for kidney patients?

Today’s hot topic is plant-based diets. For some kidney patients, eating more plant-based foods may help prevent and slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. But what exactly does a plant-based diet entail and how do you know if this diet is right for you?

In this episode, you will hear from:

 

Brittany Sparks, RDN, CSR:

Brittany Sparks is a registered dietician and board-certified specialist in renal nutrition. Her private practice focuses heavily in helping those with chronic kidney disease. She provides evidenced based medical nutrition therapy and enjoys speaking nationally on nutrition-related topics. She also creates recipes and teaches how to follow through with nutrition recommendations in the kitchen.

 

Eric Singer:

Eric Singer was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in 2007 and currently advocates for whole food, plant-based diets.

 

Additional resources:

Finding a dietitian - https://bit.ly/378LNtG

Finding a dietitian - https://bit.ly/3xcfa8Q

KDOQI guidelines: https://bit.ly/3rIxxRC

Plant-based Recipes: https://bit.ly/3ycxNLt

More plant-based info: https://bit.ly/3BUr8aP

Creating an inclusive and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ kidney patients

For many in the LGBTQ+ community, fear of discrimination and harassment can get in the way of seeking medical care when they are sick and can put them at increased risk of serious health problems, including kidney disease. In this episode, we discussed how to create an inclusive and affirming environment in a healthcare setting with Dr. Dinushika Mohottige and Dr. Mitchell R. Lunn, two experts in sexual and gender minority health, as well as living kidney donor and the first openly gay elected state legislator in Pennsylvania history, Rep. Brian Sims.

In this episode, you will hear from:

 

Dinushika Mohottige, MD, MPH:

Dr. Mohottige is a Nephrologist and Medical Instructor in the Division of Nephrology at Duke University Hospitals. She received a B.A. in Public Policy and a Health Policy Certificate from Duke University in 2006, where she was a Robertson Scholar. She then earned an MPH in Health Behavior/Health Education from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and a medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, followed by Internal Medicine and Nephrology training at Duke University. She now works under the mentorship of Dr. Ebony Boulware and Dr. Clarissa Diamantidis to engage in patient and community-centered, inequity-focused research around the impact of socio-structural factors on kidney health and kidney transplantation.

 

Mitchell R. Lunn, MD, MAS, FACP, FASN:

Dr. Lunn is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Nephrology of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. As an internist and nephrologist with a strong interest in technology and sexual and gender minority health, Mitch’s research is designed to characterize the health and well-being of these populations. Mitch is the co-director of PRIDEnet, a participant-powered research network of SGM people that engages SGM communities at all stages of the biomedical research process: research question generation and prioritization, study design, recruitment, participation, data analysis, and results dissemination. He currently serves on the American Society of Nephrology’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

 

PA State Representative Brian Sims:

Brian Sims is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 182nd district. Elected in 2012, Sims is also a lawyer and activist on LGBTQ+ civil rights. Sims is the first openly gay elected state legislator in Pennsylvania history. In January of 2020, he donated his kidney to his friend. He has been vocal about supporting organ and tissue donation. Currently, he is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in the 2022 election.

 

What the new CDC masking guidance means for kidney patients

The CDC's new masking guidance says fully vaccinated people do not have to wear masks, but does that include kidney patients? Are people who are immune comprised fully protected by the vaccine? We have collected some of our patients’ most pressing questions about the new masking guidance and have asked Dr. Joe Vassalotti, NKF Chief Medical Officer, to answer them.

We answer the following questions:

1. Is it safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have kidney disease?
2. Should I go to the doctor to determine if I have developed antibodies from the COVID-19 vaccine?
3. If I don’t develop antibodies after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, should I get another one?
4. I am a transplant recipient. Will the vaccine protect me if I get COVID-19, even if it’s only 50% effective?
5. I am a dialysis recipient. Will the vaccine protect me if I get COVID-19, even if it’s only 50% effective?
6. I’m a transplant patient. Does my family need to continue wearing a mask around me and others?
7. Is it safe for a transplant or dialysis patient to work in an office without a mask with a coworker who is not vaccinated and won’t wear a mask?
8. I am immunosuppressed and vaccinated, but my grandson is not. Should I continue wearing a mask around him?
9. Is it safe for fully vaccinated family members to be around transplant and dialysis patients without a mask?
10. If someone already had COVID-19 do they need two doses of the vaccine?
11. If a transplant or dialysis patient did not get second shot in time, can they start the process over?
12. Did the new masking guidelines from the CDC create a false sense of security?
13. What should kidney patients do if they get COVID-19?

 

In this episode, you will hear from:

Joseph A. Vassalotti, MD:

Nephrologist Joseph A. Vassalotti, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer of the National Kidney Foundation and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology, at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, NY. He received his medical degree with Distinction in Research from the SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine Residency and Nephrology Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. At NKF, his major focus is implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in chronic kidney disease (CKD), including the NKF’s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI), particularly through guidance of the NKF’s primary care initiative, called CKDintercept. He has served as co-principal investigator for the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), demonstration project “CKD Health Evaluation and Risk Information Sharing” (CHERISH), which aimed to identify individuals at high risk for kidney disease in the U.S. and as an investigator for the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored clustered practice randomized trial entitled, “Evidenced-Based Primary Care for Kidney Disease.”

 

For more resources on COVID-19 for kidney patients, visit www.kidney.org/coronavirus

 

Coping with depression & anxiety during a global pandemic

Depression and anxiety affect many Americans but they are especially common in those with chronic illness like kidney disease. How has depression and/or anxiety affected you during your journey with kidney disease? We spoke with Tracey Doss-Simmons, LMSW, an outpatient social worker at a dialysis center in Michigan, and two dialysis patients, Ellyne and Sean, to get their insight.