Cromane man leads vital UL kidney research

RESEARCH carried out at University of Limerick, and led by a Cromane man, has found that the survival of patients with kidney failure is not linked to the type of treatment they choose to have.

There are two common types of treatment – peritoneal dialysis (PD), or haemodialysis (HD) at a dialysis centre for patients with kidney failure.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) at UL compared the survival of patients with kidney failure that were treated with either PD or HD, and found no difference in their survival rates.

Up until now, questions have been raised by the scientific community as to whether one type of treatment was better than the other.

This research means that patients now have a clear choice on what treatment to have.

The man behind the research is Professor Austin Stack, who hails from Stook Island in Cromane.

He was appointed as the first Foundation Chair of Medicine and lead investigator for kidney research consortium at UL.

“There has been huge debate on this issue, as they are very different treatments for kidney failure,” said Professor Stack.

“Defining whether one treatment confers a survival advantage over another for patients who develop kidney failure is of utmost importance. We have shown in this study that the life expectancy was virtually identical on either of these therapies.

“This is hugely important as it means that patients have a choice,” he added.

“Peritoneal dialysis is a form of dialysis that can be provided in one’s home and lead to better quality of life and greater independence. Economically, PD is the cheaper form of therapy compared to in-centre HD, with costs that are on average €20,000 lower.

“Given that PD has at least similar survival to HD, and the fact that PD is more cost effective and leads to better preservation of lifestyle, we advocate that PD should be encouraged as a first-line therapy for many patients with approaching kidney failure,” he concluded.

Mr Stack is also Consultant Nephrologist at University Hospital Limerick and sits on a number of international and national steering committees and advisory groups.

He was also instrumental in the development of what was the first National Renal Information System.

He is the son of Michael and Nora Stack, and he trained in Ireland and the United States. He has held previous academic posts at the University of Michigan and the University of Texas Medical School at Houston before taking up his appointment at UL.

Professor Austin Stack, a native of Stook island, Cromane.