Chronic kidney disease is on the increase around the world

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Doctors in Britain warn of the burden of kidney disease which is being driven by diabetes and an aging population.
Rates of end stage kidney disease in the UK are around 100 per million of the population - a figure that has doubled in the last decade, although it is still less than in the US, which is 336 per million. Commenting on this, doctors at the Sheffield Kidney Institute in England say that it is the increase in type 2 diabetes which is probably responsible for the rapid increase in end stage kidney disease.

They believe that the number with diabetes, currently 154 million worldwide, could double in the next 20 years. The cost of treating the accompanying rise in kidney diseae will be substantial, especially in developing countries. In the US alone, the cost will reach 29 billion dollars by 2010. Clearly more should be done to detect chronic kidney disease and this should be linked to a clear prevention strategy. Doing more to control high blood pressure - a known risk factor - could help. But mass population screening for kidney problems is not practical or cost effective. Instead, those most at risk should be helped to avoid kidney disease.

Source
British Medical Journal 11th March 2006 Volume 332 pages 563-564

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