American Society of Nephrology, Oct. 23-27

The annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (Kidney Week) was held this year from Oct. 23 to 27 in San Diego, attracting attendees from around the world, including nephrology specialists, researchers, scientists, and other health care professionals. The conference featured presentations focusing on the latest advances in the management of patients with kidney diseases and related disorders.

In one study, Hardik Dineshbhai Desai, M.B.B.S., of the Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Science in Bhuj, India, and colleagues found that chronic kidney disease (CKD) attributable to metabolic risk factors nearly tripled in women in terms of mortality between 1990 and 2021, with significant regional and income-related disparities evident.

The authors analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study and found that the annual percentage change (APC) in deaths due to CKD attributable to metabolic risk factors in women increased 3.39 percent from 1990 to 2021. While total percentage change in death increased by 180.91 percent (nearly tripled/close to threefold from 1990 to 2021), the growth rate, as indicated by the APC, has remained fairly consistent across decades, showing a slight upward trend in the most recent period (2010 to 2021).

Regionally, the highest APC in incidence was observed in Andean Latin America (3.52 percent) and Central Latin America (3.03 percent). In terms of World Health Organization income level, the highest APC in incidence was observed in middle-income regions, followed by high-income regions. For the mortality rate, the highest APC was observed in high-income regions (3.23 percent).

“This calls for urgent global health strategies focusing on prevention, early detection, and management of CKD, especially in regions and populations most at risk,” Desai said. “Clinicians should focus on gender-sensitive screening for CKD, especially targeting women with a history of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, as these conditions are linked to an increased risk of future metabolic syndrome and renal impairment. Integrating nephrology and women”s health in clinical practice can enhance early detection and intervention, thus improving outcomes.”

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In another study, Giselle Peschard, M.D., of the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues found that integrating multiple biomarkers into distinct kidney health dimensions provides valuable insights into the biological processes underlying CKD in individuals with diabetes.

Novel dimensions of kidney health were developed by combining a set of 17 urine and plasma biomarkers that had been individually associated with CKD progression in prior studies. The authors evaluated findings from two cohorts that included persons with diabetes and CKD: the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) and the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke.