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KIDNEY DISEASE
Kidney Disease, Diabetes, Anemia, What's the connection? In this section, find out more about how kidney disease, especially if it's coupled with diabetes, can cause anemia. One of the most debilitating side effects of anemia is fatigue, or excessive tiredness. If you've been feeling especially tired since you developed kidney problems, you might have anemia.

ANEMIA AND FATIGUE
Anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells (RBCs), which contain hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen throughout the body. If your body's tissues receive less oxygen, this can lead to fatigue (excessive tiredness) and weakness. Normal red blood cell production requires erythropoietin, a hormone produced in the kidneys, and an adequate supply of iron. The kidneys of people with kidney disease inadequately produce erythropoietin, and thus often develop anemia. And anemia can cause fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.

CANCER
Chemotherapy helps eliminate cancer cells, but it also eliminates good, healthy cells, such as blood cells. It can decrease your red blood cell (RBC) levels, causing anemia. Because it is the hemoglobin in your RBCs that carries oxygen throughout your body, a fall in these oxygen-rich cells can cause your energy level to drop. Cancer-related fatigue affects 76% of patients undergoing chemotherapy, many of whom describe it as a total lack of energy. Some 60% of those patients report that fatigue affects their lives more than any other side effect, including nausea, pain, and depression, and 89% said it had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities. If you are concerned about weakness and fatigue following chemotherapy, ask your doctor about treatment options regarding anemia/fatigue.

Chemotherapy helps eliminate cancer cells, but it also eliminates good, healthy cells, such as blood cells. It can decrease your red blood cell (RBC) levels, causing anemia. Because it is the hemoglobin in your RBCs that carries oxygen throughout your body, a fall in these oxygen-rich cells can cause your energy level to drop. Cancer-related fatigue affects 76% of patients undergoing chemotherapy, many of whom describe it as a total lack of energy. Some 60% of those patients report that fatigue affects their lives more than any other side effect, including nausea, pain, and depression, and 89% said it had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities. If you are concerned about weakness and fatigue following chemotherapy, ask your doctor about treatment options regarding anemia/fatigue.

MEDICINES -- HOW WE HELP
EPREX often is prescribed for people who are anemic due to chemotherapy treatment for nonmyeloid cancers (those that do not involve the bone marrow). The increase in red blood cells takes place gradually and depends on your individual response to the medication. For most people , it takes time before there is a substantial increase in the number of red blood cells.

1. ASIAN COLLOQUIUM IN NEPHROLOGY 2002
   We have been requested to host the Asian Colloquium of Nephrology 2002 in Manila and we are making the preparations to hold it in April 2002 together with our annual convention.
   

2. PSN RESEARCH FUND
   We are pleased to inform you that our research fund has recently received grants from both Asia Renal Care and NephroSystems, Inc. and this would enable PSN to support additional research projects being done by the members. The Board of Directors would like to reassure everyone that all patient data submitted to PSN as part of the renal registry projects will remain confidential and no private companies will be given access to patient data.