Stealth killer: Patients may be unaware of failing kidneys

He once enjoyed spending hours in the yard, forming vases and bowls on his newly acquired wood turning lathe, but 69-year-old Taylorsville resident Duane Slaughter spends his time much differently these days.

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning, Slaughter sits in a chair for three hours at the Oquirrh Artificial Kidney Center in Taylorsville.

Slaughter's kidneys are failing, and the tri-weekly dialysis treatment he receives is enough to keep his body going but doesn't allow him the energy to indulge in his hobbies.

He spends the hours at the treatment center hooked up to a machine via a surgically created fistula in his arm.

He can't move around much, but he makes the most of his time, preparing Sunday School lessons, writing his life history, reading the newspaper and chatting with fellow dialysis patients.

Some of Slaughter's friends from the center have died in recent years, bringing the reality of his situation close to home, he said.

Now, the Type 1 diabetic meets people with kidney problems on a daily basis: the frail, blind, diabetic woman; the young, big Polynesian man; and a the 37-year-old man in a wheelchair.

But before the Type 1 diabetic started dialysis treatment for his failing kidneys in 2008, he didn't know anyone with kidney problems.

Yet Slaughter is one of 26 million American adults with chronic kidney disease, with numbers rising at an alarming rate.

"We really have an epidemic of kidney disease going on right now," said Dr. Gerald Stephanz, a nephrologist at Central Utah Clinic in Provo who works with the National Kidney Foundation of Utah and Idaho.

The aging baby boomer generation and the rising rates of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are resulting in increased kidney failure among the U.S. population, Dr. Stephanz said.

Ultimately, sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets are at the root of these issues, as such factors cause diabetes, kidney failure and heart disease, he said.

And despite the widespread problem, kidney disease is surrounded by myths and misconceptions.

"I like to joke that kidney disease isn't as sexy as heart disease — you don't hear a lot about it in the news," Dr. Stephanz said.

"It's just been overlooked for quite some time, but hopefully it is starting to move to the forefront (of media attention)."

In an effort to increase awareness, the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations will host World Kidney Day on March 11.

Dr. Stephanz said the day will be used to give free Kidney Early Evaluation Program screenings for anyone at increased risk of developing kidney disease.

World Kidney Day is also meant to highlight the fact that CKD can be treated if detected early, and diabetes can often be prevented with proper treatment, diet and exercise.