World Kidney Day: Kidney Health for All

One of my uncles is suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and has to undergo dialysis three times a week. This procedure itself is very slow and tedious. This condition wouldn’t have arisen if he had undergone kidney tests on time. Delay in diagnosis due to absence of symptoms and lack of awareness about the significance of timely diagnosis worsened his situation. 

There are many people like my Uncle who are suffering from kidney disease. The need of the hour is to address this challenge by promoting kidney screening tests which would ultimately improve the quality of life if done regularly.

Interestingly, the theme for this year’s World Kidney Day is “Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice.” It is celebrated on March 14th with multiple events and campaigns across the world. To mark the occasion, Yoda Diagnostics is raising awareness by educating people about kidney health, prevalence, symptoms, and causes of CKD, encouraging regular screening, and promoting the best decision-making.

CKD Burden – Worldwide and India

Recent statistics revealed that nearly 850 million people across the world are affected by kidney diseases [1]. One in ten adults has CKD [2] and it is predicted to be the fifth most common cause of global death by 2040 [3], if not addressed early. CKD is more prevalent among women, still, more men are under kidney care [6].

In India, one in eight Indians experience CKD [4]. The prevalence of CKD varies significantly throughout India from <1 to 17% [5]. In particular, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Odisha reported high levels of CKD [5]. Unfortunately, more than half of the Indian population gets diagnosed very late leading to expensive treatment or management [4]. Hence, tackling these health challenges is this year’s top priority.

A Closer Look on Kidney Function

The kidneys keep our body healthy by performing the following functions:

• Filter waste products from blood (120 ml/min) and eliminate them in the form of urine
• Balance electrolytes such as phosphorus, sodium, and potassium in the body
• Secrete hormones that activate vitamin D, control calcium metabolism, and regulate RBC production
• Regulate body fluids and control blood pressure

CKD – Causes and Symptoms

Loss of kidney function leads to chronic kidney disease. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two major causes of CKD. Other conditions include glomerulonephritis, kidney stones, and polycystic kidneys. Furthermore, people with high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and a family history of smoking and drinking are at a huge risk of developing CKD.

As mentioned already, diagnosis can often be late since CKD symptoms are subtle and overlooked.  The symptoms of CKD include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, shortness of breath, urinating less or more, sleep issues, feet/ankle/face/hand swelling, chest pain, reduced mental focus, general itching, and high blood pressure.

CKD can get worse over time leading to kidney failure. In such cases, you will have to opt for dialysis or kidney transplantation for survival. The good news is one can survive well with one healthy kidney. 

This is where early diagnosis and regular monitoring of kidney function followed by timely treatment is necessary to slow the progression of CKD and maintain the remaining kidney function.

Diagnosis of CKD

If you experience any of the above-listed symptoms, you can make proactive changes to your lifestyle such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, keeping the body hydrated, maintaining a healthy body weight, and following a low-fat, low-sugar, and low-salt diet.

However, timely screening is mandatory which would give you a heads up in getting the right treatment on time.

Why should you choose Yoda Diagnostics?

Unlike other labs, Yoda Diagnostics offers all kidney-related tests ranging from routine and radiology to specialized tests including pre-/post-transplantation under one roof.

• Routine screening involves a basic kidney function test where it measures uric acid, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, albumin-globulin ratio, rennin, alkaline phosphatase, etc.
• Radiology tests involve the ultrasonography of the abdomen which helps to determine the kidney size and architecture. It also detects the presence of kidney stones. 
• Specialty test – 1 involves a genomics test that comprises 375 genes to screen 32 hereditary kidney disorders. It is recommended for people with a family history of kidney disease. 
• Specialty test – 2: Are you opting for kidney transplantation? If so, you are supposed to undergo specialized tests for successful kidney transplantation. Yoda Diagnostics offers end-to-end solutions for transplantation work-up including pre- and post-transplantation testing to reduce graft rejection. This technology is accredited by the American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI). 
  • The pre-transplantation comprehensive solution includes the following tests:
    • Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Typing 
    • Panel Reactive Antigen (PRA) HLA – Class I & II Qualitative
    • Panel Reactive Antigen (PRA) HLA – Class I & II Quantitative
    • Donor Specific Antibodies (DSA) – Class I & II
    • Single Antigen Panel (SAP) HLA – Class I & II
    • Complement Dependent Cytotoxicity (CDC) Cross Matching
    • Flow Cytometry Cross Matching 
• The post-transplantation immunologic monitoring involves PRA and DSA tests. Furthermore, immunosuppression therapy is prescribed post-transplantation to prevent organ rejection. Unlike other labs, Yoda Diagnostics performs AI-based pharmacogenomics tests of multiple immunosuppressants (tacrolimus, everolimus, sirolimus, and ciclosporin). This test determines the optimal drug dose that ensures better safety and efficacy followed by reduction in graft rejection and susceptibility to infections. Hence, you can forget the old trial and error method for weekly drug dose optimization of tacrolimus since its dose is optimized by testing among Indians who underwent renal transplants! The result? This end-to-end diagnostic solution ensures the success of transplantation.

Final Thoughts

Early diagnosis of CKD is a real challenge, especially in India. The good news is the World Health Organization (WHO) Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease (PEN) Interventions promises hope for CKD prevention. 

Hence, on this World Kidney Day, let us also promise ourselves and our loved ones to be aware of CKD and make sure that CKD screening is done regularly. By doing so, we can advance towards timely access to care and optimal medication practice for leading a better quality of life.

References

1. https://www.theisn.org/more-than-850-million-worldwide-have-some-form-of-kidney-disease-help-raise-awareness/ 
2. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(22)00132-6/fulltext 
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9073222/ 
4. https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/chronic-kidney-disease-in-india-two-important-markers-to-detect-kidney-disease-101679656092675.html 
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5969474/ 
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9938018/