Kidney Disease Increasing in U.S.

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The increase in the prevalence of kidney disease appears due to more cases of high blood pressure and diabetes being diagnosed, and much of that is caused by obesity. This increase in obesity seems to explain the increase in extra protein in the urine but only part of the decrease in the glomerular filtration rate, Coresh said.

Chronic kidney disease increases the risk of heart disease as well as kidney failure and other complications. Currently, there are about 500,000 people with kidney failure who are treated by dialysis or transplantation in the United States, and that number is expected to increase to 750,000 by 2015, Coresh said.

"If diabetes continues to increase, and obesity continues to increase, then it stands to reason that the prevalence of kidney disease will continue to increase," he said.

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Dr. Ajay Singh, chief of the renal division and director of dialysis at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, thinks this study clearly shows the need for more research in preventing and treating chronic kidney disease.

"This data shows that the prevalence of kidney disease is increasing, and that it appears to reflect, at least in part, the increasing incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity," said Singh, who's also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The findings also underscore the importance of early recognition of kidney disease and the need for preventive strategies, Singh said. "Since current treatments only slow down kidney progression, more research dollars need to be allocated to understanding the reasons why kidney disease progresses and how we may be able to prevent it," he said.

More information

For more on kidney disease, visit the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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