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Journal of International Society of Nephrology Publishes Supplement Containing State-of-the-Art Data on Albuminuria

Posted on: Monday, 8 November 2004, 09:00 CST

Research at First-of-Its-Kind Conference Indicates that Albuminuria is an Independent Risk Marker for All Patients and is a Therapy Target for Kidney and Cardiovascular Disease

The November supplement to the International Society of Nephrology's Journal, Kidney International, contains data presented at the International Symposium of Albuminuria in New York last May. The supplement titled "Albuminuria: Risk Marker and Target for Treatment" includes a broad array of research on the protein's predictive power as a risk marker and therapy target, its mechanism of action, and advances in how it is measured. The results illustrate that albuminuria is an independent risk marker for kidney and cardiovascular disease not only in at-risk patients such as diabetics but also in the general population. Initial data also suggests that albuminuria can serve as an independent therapy target, irrespective of cholesterol, blood pressure and other commonly used drug efficacy parameters.

Highlights of additional research presented in the supplement include:

-- Microalbuminuria is associated with significant glomerular pathology and increased renal as well as cardiovascular risk (Mogensen et al., S-41).

-- Measurement of urinary albumin - before starting and during treatment - may be a useful tool to identify both diabetic and nondiabetic patients at high risk of renal and cardiovascular disease (Mann et al., S-61).

-- Combining the level of urinary albumin to the Framingham score results in a highly efficient primary prevention strategy (Asselbergs et al., S-113).

-- Clinical trial results suggest that HPLC techniques identify more people at risk especially when screening large populations (Brinkman et al., S-75).

"The data in the supplement overwhelmingly proves that excess albumin indicates risk for kidney and cardiovascular disease. We also know that commonly available drugs such as ACE-inhibitors and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBS) may lower albumin levels by as much as 40 percent. The most significant remaining question is, does a reduction in albumin levels result in protection against disease?" said Symposium Chair and Supplement Guest Editor Dr. Dick de Zeeuw, who is also Professor and Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the University Medical Center of Groningen in the Netherlands. "Initial data is indicating this is the case, but more research needs to be done. The intention is that during the follow-up conference, researchers will present results from additional intervention trials addressing this question. I feel strongly that as more results come in, the medical community will begin targeting albumin for reduction if abnormally high, just like with blood pressure and cholesterol. Future trials may also indicate that everyone - not just those at risk - should be tested for albuminuria regularly."

The follow-up conference is scheduled for 2005 in Europe, with the goal of establishing clear guidelines regarding the value of albumin in the clinic. In an introductory letter in the supplement, Guest Editors Drs. de Zeeuw, Marc Pfeffer and George Bakris explain that this upcoming conference will also discuss how and when the medical community should measure urinary albumin, and how albuminuria compares to glomerular filtration rate as a cardiovascular risk marker.

The May event was organized by the National Kidney Foundation and International Society of Nephrology, and was supported by the American Diabetes Association, American Society of Hypertension, American Society of Nephrology, European Society of Hypertension, International Diabetes Federation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the following councils of the American Heart Association: Council on Clinical Cardiology, Council on Cardiovascular Nursing, Council on High Blood Pressure Research, and the Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease. The Symposium was made possible by an educational grant by AusAm Biotechnologies, Inc.

About the National Kidney Foundation

The National Kidney Foundation is a major voluntary health organization which seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.

About the International Society of Nephrology

The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is committed to the worldwide advancement of education, science and patient care in nephrology. This goal is achieved by means of the Society's journal, the organization of international congresses and symposia, and various outreach programs around the world. The ISN acts as an international forum on nephrology for leading nephrologists as well as young investigators, from both developed and emerging countries. In view of the escalating problem of global kidney disease, the ISN has further adopted a mission of prevention and regression of chronic kidney disease. Further information is available at www.isn-online.org.

About AusAm

AusAm Biotechnologies, Inc. is a biotechnology research and development company commercializing both diagnostic and therapeutic products to identify and treat major diseases. Accumin(TM), AusAm's FDA-cleared diagnostic for the detection of intact albumin in urine, is the first direct test to measure a potential indicator of the beginning stages of kidney disease and it is currently offered by several reference laboratories and hospitals in the United States. For more information, visit www.ausambiotech.com.

Source: Business Wire

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