Messina was the protagonist of the 65th National Congress of the Italian Society of Nephrology (SIN) which took place in Riccione from 16 to 19 October and represented an important opportunity for meeting and discussion on the future of nephrology in Italy.
Under the scientific coordination of Messina Domenico Santoro, director of the Nephrology and Dialysis UOC of the Messina Polyclinic, during the event, the challenges linked to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which affects approximately 10% of the Italian population, and the importance of developing new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to tackle a growing disease were highlighted.
According to the professor Stefano Bianchi, president of the SINCKD currently affects approximately 5 million people in Italy, with an increase expected due to factors such as the aging of the population and the spread of related chronic diseases, such as type II diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
Bianchi declared: «CKD is a silent disease in its initial stages, often asymptomatic until the advanced stages, which makes it essential to identify subjects at risk well in advance and optimize treatment paths». In this regard, the congress marked a significant step with the creation of a Preventive Diagnostic Therapeutic Assistance Pathway (PPDTA), developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, aimed at improving the integrated management of CKD and slowing down its progression.
Among the pharmacological innovations presented, the Finerenone, an aldosterone antagonist, has gained a great deal of attention due to its recent availability in the National Health System. Along with this, semaglutide, already known for the treatment of type II diabetes, has shown promising results in reducing the risk of progression of diabetic kidney disease. Added to these are SGLT2 inhibitors, already considered a breakthrough in the treatment of CKD. “The introduction of these therapies could have a decisive impact in reducing the number of patients who progressively require dialysis,” said Bianchi.
Another central theme of the congress was xenotransplantation, which promises to be a future response to the chronic shortage of organs for transplantation. Professor Domenico Santoro, scientific director of the event, declared that, although xenotransplantation is still in the experimental phase, the first developments are encouraging and pave the way for concrete future possibilities. “It’s still early days, but it’s an area of research that could revolutionize kidney transplantation in the coming decades,” Santoro explained.
Particular attention was also paid to alternatives to conventional dialysis. Peritoneal dialysis, which brings significant advantages in terms of quality of life and less impact on cognitive functions, but remains one of the least exploited options in Italy. Currently, only 10% of dialysis patients choose this treatment, but theSIN’s goal is to double this percentage in the coming yearsthanks also to new scientific evidence that confirms its benefits.
There was also no lack of attention to women’s renal health. Kidney disease in pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, poses a risk to the mother and baby. To this end, the SIN has established a study group called “Kidney and Pregnancy”with the aim of improving the management of high-risk pregnancies and reducing renal complications in women.
The SIN Congress, which was attended by nephrologists from various European countries and the United States, confirmed itself as a hotbed of discussion on good practices and innovation, essential for outlining the future of nephrology in Italy, focusing on technologies, new therapeutic strategies and a Increasing attention to patients’ quality of life.
The clear message that emerged is that prevention and optimization of the management of CKD can make the difference in tackling what risks becoming one of the main causes of death by 2040.