Nephrologists hold silver confab
To highlight the complex interrelationship of the body's different organ systems with the kidney and the need for multidisciplinary approach in the holistic care of renal patients, the Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN) chose as its theme for this year's convention The Kidney in Systemic Diseases.
Dr. Alberto Chua, PSN president, formally opened the association's 25th annual meeting held on April 13 to 16 in association with the International Society of Nephrology-Commission for the Global Advancement of Nephrology (ISN-COMGAN). The ISN-COMGAN serves as a forum for sharing resources and expertise and for promoting continuing medical education in the management of kidney diseases around the world. The four-day meet also drew participants from other countries in Southeast Asia.
Dr. Eduardo Gotamco Tan, consultant at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center and former president of the PSN, was the keynote speaker. He relived the PSN's early days, the groundbreaking work of its pioneers, and the challenges they faced in the practice of nephrology.
The scientific sessions focused on how kidney function is affected by both physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. Among the topics dealt with were malignancy, immunologic diseases, chronic liver disease, toxic nephropathy, pregnancy, and ageing.
Hypertension and diabetes, the causes of end-stage renal disease, were the focus of the plenary sessions. One of the featured speakers was Prof. Eberhard Ritz of the Ruperto Carola University in Hiedelberg, Germany, who spoke about hypertension and the kidney and diabetic nephropathy. Stressing the link between kidney and blood pressure, he reviewed studies showing the renoprotective effect of blocking the renin-angiotensin system with the use of ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers.
On the other hand, nephropathy arising from type 2 diabetes is the single most common cause of end-stage renal disease. However, Ritz said diabetic patients with advanced renal disease are more likely to die from cardiovascular causes than kidney failure. "Fortunately, most measures designed to reduce progression of renal disease also reduce cardiovascular risks," he said.
During the convention, the PSN gave awards to Drs. Irmingarda Gueco (A-One), Libertad Nazareno-Rosales (Medical Education), and Oscar Naidas (Research).
The government's Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) was given the Presidential Award. REDCOP helps local health workers develop the capability and expertise in early recognition and treatment of renal and urinary-tract diseases and make proper referral of patients if necessary. It also conducts advocacy on disease prevention and control.
A. Mendoza
Excellence in pulmonary medicine
Excellence does not result from chance, charm, or good luck, but from a succession of excellent days lived in the pursuit of a worthy purpose."
Thus said pulmonologist Camilo Roa Jr. as he set the tone for the 24th annual convention of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) held March 1 to 4. Roa's honor lecture trained the lights on the convention's theme, 24K: Excellence in Pulmonary Medicine.
Noting that pulmonary diseases continue to hound Filipinos to a great extent, partly as a result of the worsening air pollution in the country, Roa said lung specialists face a big challenge. This challenge, he said, is aggravated by the inability of a large number of patients to afford even basic health care. The situation, he said, is true as well for other fields of medical specialization.
The demand for health service is high but the resources are limited, said Roa, adding that the challenge doctors face equally demands excellence from them. However, he admitted it is never easy to achieve excellence. "He who would attain highly must sacrifice great," he said. In the pursuit of excellence, Roa stressed that safety of the patient must be the paramount consideration.
Discussing quality issues in critical care in the first plenary session, Dr. Adrian Frutiger said that the government must be at the forefront of quality health care. But he noted that while the government provides the standards and policies of health care, "most public hospitals are below standard."
He said the "proliferation of big private hospitals is a manifestation of government failure" to make health care its priority.
Other plenary sessions tackled quality of care for hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia with Dr. Julio Ramirez as speaker, excellence in pleural diseases with Dr. Richard Light, airway remodeling in asthma with Dr. Leonardo Fabbri, latest guidelines in pulmonary hypertension with Dr. Ulrich Madeja, diving and drowning with Drs. Abundio Balgos and Michael Francis Perez, updates on guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with Dr. Sonia Bulsi, obstructive sleep apnea with Dr. Ral Alinio, global tuberculosis time bomb with Dr. Lee Reichman, and health professionals in tobacco control with Dr. Annette David.
A. Mendoza
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