The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases

The National Institutes of Health today announced the release of the first long-range plan for tackling digestive diseases, which affect as many as 70 million Americans each year.

Kidney disease is common, serious and treatable. Yet most Americans who have kidney problems still don't know it because they don't have symptoms, hampering efforts to prevent kidney failure. As part of its ongoing commitment to support research and to raise awareness about kidney health and how kidney disease can be prevented and treated, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), joins with other organizations to observe National Kidney Month in March and World Kidney Day, March 12.

Researchers in 20 medical centers across the country are enrolling adults with type 2 diabetes who have poorly controlled blood glucose to participate in a clinical study, Targeting Inflammation with Salsalate in Type 2 Diabetes (TINSAL-T2D). The study, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), is investigating whether salsalate, an anti-inflammatory drug used for years to manage arthritis pain, can reduce blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. If successful, the trial could lead to an effective, inexpensive way to treat the most common form of diabetes.