When discussing kidney health, the usual suspects often include diabetes, hypertension, or chronic kidney disease. However, a groundbreaking study has unveiled a potential link between seemingly unrelated conditions like depression and asthma and the risk of kidney failure. This new research highlighted how multiple chronic conditions can accelerate kidney function decline. Keep reading as we understand deeper.
Findings in the study
Published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the study aimed to explore the relationship between kidney failure and chronic health conditions, including asthma and depression. Researchers found that older adults with multiple chronic conditions experienced a faster decline in kidney function compared to those with fewer health issues.
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The study found that the reduction in kidney function is not equally caused by all chronic diseases. Cardiometabolic disorders, including diabetes and heart-related ailments, present the greatest threat to kidney function, even though depression and asthma have been linked to it.
“Our findings emphasise the importance of a comprehensive assessment that considers not only the overall chronic disease burden but also the complex interplay between diseases when evaluating the risk of kidney function decline in older adults,” explained Giorgi Beridze, one of the study’s authors. He added that individuals with high-risk multimorbidity patterns could particularly benefit from closer kidney monitoring, healthier lifestyle choices, and timely medical interventions.
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How the study was conducted
The study monitored about 3,100 elderly people for 15 years to evaluate the effects of different chronic disease combinations on kidney health. In addition to providing medical histories and undergoing physical examinations, the participants—who were mostly women and were 74 years old—also had regular kidney function tests using blood tests that calculated their glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
A staggering 87% of participants had more than one chronic illness, showing how common complicated health problems are in the elderly population. Among those surveyed, researchers found five different patterns of chronic diseases. The group with cardiometabolic problems exhibited the most serious decline in the kidneys among them; their kidney filtration rates dropped almost three and a half times more quickly than those in the group with the lowest risk.
