At the American Society of Nephrology's (ASN) Kidney Week 2011, Fresenius Medical Care, the nation's leading provider of kidney dialysis services and renal products, is presenting research abstracts about dialysis treatment, patient care and outcomes. Fresenius Medical Care will highlight advances in areas critical to quality patient care, including its important catheter reduction efforts.

Kidney Week 2011 takes place Nov. 8-13 in Philadelphia, and organizers are expecting more than 13,000 attendees, including more than 10,000 scientists and clinicians. The largest scientific gathering of kidney disease experts worldwide, Kidney Week is an opportunity for researchers to discuss important advances in the care of patients with kidney and related disorders.

The Fresenius Medical Care studies being presented this year include:

  • The Use of Crit-Line to Monitor and Quantify Fluid Removal Rates in Dialysis Patients During a Baseline Observational Period. Linda H. Ficociello, PhD, Len A. Usvyat, Michael Black, Patrice B. Taylor, RN, Heather J. Ansede, Kay D. Cuaton-maier, RN, Antoinette M. Ordish, RN, Paul Balter, MD, Paul M. Zabetakis, MD, Claudy Mullon, PhD and Jose A. Diaz-Buxo, MD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA, and Renal Research Institute (RRI), New York, NY.
  • Outcomes from a Multi-Center Catheter Reduction Collaborative Program. Alex Rosenblum, RN, CNN, Eduardo Lacson, Jr., MD, MPH, Jill Hall, RN, CNN, Shu-Fang Lin, MA, Raymond Hakim, MD, PhD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA.
  • Lower Dialysate Na+ Impacts Weight Gain & Fluid Overload Hospitalizations. Eduardo Lacson Jr., MD, John Rogus, ScD, Peter Kotanko, MD, Nathan W. Levin, MD, Raymond Hakim, MD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA, and Renal Research Institute, New York, NY.
  • Effect of Oral Nutritional Supplements on Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients. Eduardo Lacson, Jr., MD, MPH, Weiling Wang, MS, Barbara Zebrowski, RD, Michael Lazarus, MD, Raymond Hakim, MD, PhD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA.
  • Hypoglycemia-Related Hospitalization in Diabetic Hemodialysis Patients. Eduardo Lacson, Jr., MD, MPH, Weiling Wang, MS, Michael Lazarus, MD, Mark Williams, MD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA, and Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA.
  • Outcomes of Peritonitis in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients. Eduardo Lacson, Jr., MD, Nien-Chen Li, MS, Raymond Hakim, MD, Michael Lazarus, MD, Frank Maddux, MD, Joseph Pulliam, MD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA.
  • A Blood Flow - Dialysate Flow Ratio Maintains Dialysis Adequacy While Reducing the Quantity of Dialysate Used per Treatment. Linda H. Ficociello, PhD, Norma J. Ofsthun, PhD, J. Michael Lazarus, MD, Claudy Mullon, PhD and Jose A. Diaz-Buxo, MD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA.
  • Intradialytic Hypotension (IH): Variation in Dialysis Facilities. Jeffrey J. Sands, MD, Len A. Usvyat, Sandi Moore, Mary T. Sullivan, Jonathan H. Segal, MD, Paul M. Zabetakis, MD and Jose A. Diaz-Buxo, MD. Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, MA, Renal Research Institute and University of Michigan.

Kidney Week 2011, the largest nephrology meeting of its kind, will provide a forum to discuss the latest findings in renal research and engage in educational sessions related to advances in the care of patients with kidney and related disorders. Fresenius Medical Care contributes research to ASN each year regarding the management of its patient population, to further the advancement of kidney care quality and patient outcomes.

Founded in 1966, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is the world's largest professional society devoted to the study of kidney disease. Comprised of 11,000 physicians and scientists, ASN continues to promote expert patient care, to advance medical research, and to educate the renal community. ASN also informs policymakers about issues of importance to kidney doctors and their patients. ASN funds research, and through its world-renowned meetings and first-class publications, disseminates information and educational tools that empower physicians.

Note to media: Please spell out "Fresenius Medical Care" in all company references. Do not abbreviate "Fresenius Medical Care" with "FMC" as this acronym may be confused with another company, which is not related to Fresenius Medical Care.

About Fresenius Medical Care

Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS) is the world's leading company devoted to patient-oriented renal therapy. Through more than 2,700 clinics in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa, we provide kidney dialysis treatments to approximately 215,000 patients worldwide. We are also the world's leading maker of dialysis products such as hemodialysis machines, dialyzers and related disposable products. Chronic kidney failure is a condition that affects about 2 million individuals worldwide.

For more information about the company's more than 1,800 U.S. dialysis facilities, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com (in English and Spanish). For more information about Fresenius Medical Care, visit www.fmc-ag.com or www.fmcna.com.

Loomis Group
Suzanne Wier, 1-617-638-0022
wiers@loomisgroup.com
or
Fresenius Medical Care
Jane A. Kramer, 1-781-699-9704
media.relations@fmc-na.com