Welcome to the Chronic Kidney Disease Insider Newsletter. If you are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis, have had a kidney transplant or are helping care for someone who is, this newsletter was created for you! The CKD Insider Newsletter provides actionable information for you and your family to help you manage your health in consultation with your doctor.
In this month’s CKD Insider:
Expanded Medicare Coverage for the VitaGraft Kidney Transplant Rejection Test
EASi-KIDNEY Clinical Trial is Recruiting Participants with CKD
FDA Approved Ozempic to Treat Chronic Kidney Disease in people with Diabetes (Non-Dialysis)
Latest News (Clinical trial results & new hemodialysis system used for first time)
Latest News from Kidney Organizations
NKF Caregivers Presentation
National Kidney Foundation and Hartford Healthcare are hosting a virtual presentation for caregivers to help them get the support they need.
Date: Feb 5
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm ET
Sign up here
AAKP Healthline - Love your kidneys: Optimal Nutrition for Overall Health
Join AAKP’s HealthLine webinar as a renal dietitian shares practical tips, dietary strategies, and the latest insights into maintaining kidney function through balanced nutrition. Ask dialysis specific questions when you join.
Date: February 13
Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm EST
Register here.
TransplantLyfe Guide to Organ Transplantation and Support Group Meetings
Guide to organ transplantation includes all the information to help you understand what to expect once you have received your kidney transplant. Read the guide here.
Twice a month virtual support group meetings
Date: Feb 11 & Feb 26
Time: 6:30 pm EST
In order to register, create an account on TransplantLyfe (login here).
Your Fun Tip of the Day
Try a simple virtual pictionary game with friends!
Check out the latest free multiplayer drawing and guessing pictionary game. Skribbl made virtual pictionary very easy and quick for anyone to learn. A normal game consists of a few rounds, where every round a player has to draw their chosen word and others have to guess it to gain points!
The person with the most points at the end of the game, will then be crowned as the winner!
Check it out here: skribbl.io
If you find any games that you are enjoying playing on your own or with your friends while in dialysis, send us the names and we will feature them here! Have fun!
Expanded Medicare Coverage for the VitaGraft Kidney Transplant Rejection Test
What it is: The VitaGraft Kidney test (also known as Allaro Kidney) can test for donor-derived cell-free DNA (or dd-cfDNA) in a blood sample from a transplant recipient. The dd-cfDNA comes from the dying cells from the donor organ and it’s detection can indicate transplant rejection. The test has received expanded coverage from the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Molecular Diagnostics Test Program, or MolDX, which determines which molecular diagnostic tests are covered by Medicare.
Why it’s important: About 1 in 5 kidney transplant recipients experiences rejection in the first year. Early detection can prevent or postpone organ rejection. The VitaGraft Kidney Test can detect rejection 10 months sooner than other available detection methods.
EASi-KIDNEY Clinical Trial is Recruiting Participants with CKD
What it is: Easi-KIDNEY is a clinical trial for those with CKD to test a new drug called vicadrostat along with empagliflozin, a SGLT2 inhibitor, to determine whether the combination can slow kidney disease progression. While the trial is open to those on a variety of medications as well as with or without diabetes, those with a functional kidney transplant or currently on dialysis are excluded.
Why it’s important: Many people with CKD experience other diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Having multiple treatment options to meet the needs of patients with various conditions and current medications is important. If interested, learn more and see if you qualify to participate here. There are 20 sites worldwide, with three in the United States (Texas, Florida, and New Hampshire). You can contact the trial for US participants at unitedstates@bitrialsupport.com or 833-602-2368.
FDA Approved Ozempic to Treat Chronic Kidney Disease in people with Diabetes (Non-Dialysis)
What it is: Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, is a drug used to treat diabetes and weight loss, though recent studies have indicated it has benefits across several health outcomes. Last week, the FDA approved Ozempic for patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD not currently on dialysis.
Why it’s important: About 40% of patients with diabetes also have chronic kidney diseases. In clinical trials, Ozempic was able to slow kidney function decline, extending the time before patients needed dialysis, transplant, or experienced significant changes in eGFR. It was also able to decrease adverse events like heart attack and reduce deaths due to cardiovascular disease (29% reduction) and all causes (20% reduction). Read more here.
Latest News (Clinical trial results & new hemodialysis system used for first time)
SPRINT CKD Clinical Trial Finds Intensive Hypertension Treatment Has Pros and Cons
What it is: The SPRINT CKD Clinical Trial compared treating hypertensive CKD more intensively to lower blood pressure to 120 mm Hg compared to the standard which is 140 mm Hg. They found that intensive treatment to 120 mm Hg lowered cardiovascular risks, but increased the incidence of adverse events like acute kidney injury. Those with more advanced kidney disease were slightly more likely to experience adverse events if they received intensive hypertension treatment.
Why it’s important: The SPRINT CKD Trial offered important information to perform risk-benefit analyses for the treatment of hypertension in patients with CKD. Individual patient factors may dictate which treatment regimen is most appropriate. It’s important to note that this trial was completed prior to sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2s), GLP1 receptor agonists (like Ozempic), and nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (like finerenone) gained widespread adoption.
The First Patient was Treated with Moda-flx Hemodialysis System in California
What it is: The transportable Moda-flx Hemodialysis System has a wide range of flow rates, increased flexibility for treatment personalization, an integrated reverse osmosis filtration system, and an improved user interface. This month, the first patient to received dialysis using this system at North America Research Institute at Ontario-Holt Dialysis Center in Ontario, California.
Why it’s important: The Moda-flx System allows kidney care professionals to fully personalize the dialysis treatment for each patient, to better meet the needs of each person. Read more here.
If you found the information helpful, share the CKD Insider newsletter with anyone who might benefit!
Follow us on Instagram!
Copyright © 2025 | Life4ward, LLC | All rights reserved.
Comments