A deadly disease that often goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage is causing premature deaths for up to 45,000 individuals annually in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that about one million people in the UK are living with this potentially fatal illness without being aware of it.
Recent research has shown a significant increase in the number of men and women worldwide with reduced kidney function. The figures have jumped from 378 million individuals in 1990 to 788 million in 2023, making chronic kidney disease one of the top 10 causes of death globally for the first time, as the world population has grown and aged.
A study conducted by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Glasgow, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington examined the rise of chronic kidney disease, a condition where the kidneys progressively lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. While mild cases may go unnoticed, severe stages may require dialysis, kidney replacement therapy, or organ transplantation.
The research revealed that approximately 14 percent of adults worldwide are affected by chronic kidney disease. Moreover, around 1.5 million individuals died from the disease in 2023, marking an increase of over 6 percent since 1993 when adjusting for variations in countries’ age demographics over time.
Chronic kidney disease has now been classified among the top 10 causes of death globally, alongside conditions such as stroke, heart disease, COPD, dementia, lung cancer, diabetes, lower respiratory infections, and hypertensive heart disease. This information was reported by the Daily Record.
According to senior author Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, director of NYU Langone’s Optimal Aging Institute, the study emphasizes that chronic kidney disease is a prevalent, deadly issue that is worsening and should be prioritized by policymakers worldwide, similar to cancer, heart disease, and mental health concerns.
The World Health Organization has recently included chronic kidney disease in its agenda to reduce premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases by a third by 2030. Dr. Coresh highlights the importance of understanding the population trends of this epidemic to address it effectively.
The most recent report, published in The Lancet, is considered the most comprehensive estimate of chronic kidney disease in nearly a decade. The study examined 2,230 research papers and national health datasets from 133 countries to assess the burden of disability caused by the disease.
The research revealed that chronic kidney disease not only leads to fatalities but also significantly increases the risk of heart disease, accounting for about 12 percent of global cardiovascular deaths. Additionally, in 2023, the disease ranked as the 12th leading cause of reduced quality of life due to disability.
While most individuals in the study were in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, prompt treatment with medications and lifestyle adjustments can prevent the need for more invasive and costly interventions like dialysis or kidney transplants, according to Dr. Coresh.
Co-lead author Morgan Grams, MD, PhD, the Susan and Morris Mark Professor of Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, emphasized the need for early detection of chronic kidney disease through urine testing and ensuring affordability and accessibility of treatment for diagnosed patients. Dr. Grams noted that new medications have emerged in the past five years that can slow down kidney disease progression and reduce the risk of heart-related complications.
Dr. Grams also cautioned that chronic kidney disease might be more widespread than currently understood, as it is frequently underdiagnosed. The NHS advises making healthy lifestyle changes and managing underlying health conditions to prevent chronic kidney disease. Early stages of the disease may not exhibit symptoms, and it is crucial to seek medical attention if persistent symptoms appear, as timely diagnosis and management can prevent the disease from progressing to advanced stages requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.