Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Nephrology
Published in: BMC Nephrology 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Commentary

Global dimensions of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu): a modern era environmental and/or occupational nephropathy?

Authors: Virginia M. Weaver, Jeffrey J. Fadrowski, Bernard G. Jaar

Published in: BMC Nephrology | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Excerpt

Diabetes and hypertension are the predominant risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) globally. Infectious diseases resulting in glomerulonephritis are also important in low-income countries [1, 2]. However, in the past two decades, a severe form of CKD has been reported in individuals without these risk factors. CKD of unknown etiology (CKDu) affects adults in their third to fifth decade and is often fatal due to disease progression and lack of dialysis or transplant options in the involved geographic areas. CKDu has been reported in Sri Lanka, several Central American countries, the state of Andhra Prakesh in India and the El-Minia Governorate in Egypt. …
Literature
1.
2.
Jha V, Garcia-Garcia G, Iseki K, Li Z, Naicker S, Plattner B, et al. Chronic kidney disease: global dimension and perspectives. Lancet. 2013;382(9888):260–72.PubMedCrossRef
3.
Jayatilake N, Mendis S, Maheepala P, Mehta FR. Chronic kidney disease of uncertain aetiology: prevalence and causative factors in a developing country. BMC Nephrol. 2013;14:180.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
4.
Jayasumana C, Gajanayake R, Siribaddana S. Importance of Arsenic and pesticides in epidemic chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka. BMC Nephrol. 2014;15(1):124.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
5.
Redmon JH, Elledge MF, Womack DS, Wickremashinghe R, Wanigasuriya KP, Peiris-John RJ, et al. Additional perspectives on chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka--lessons learned from the WHO CKDu population prevalence study. BMC Nephrol. 2014;15:125.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
6.
Almaguer M, Herrera R, Orantes CM. Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in agricultural communities. MEDICC Rev. 2014;16(2):9–15.PubMed
7.
Siriwardhana EA, Perera PA, Sivakanesan R, Abeysekara T, Nugegoda DB, Weerakoon KG. Is the staple diet eaten in Medawachchiya, Sri Lanka, a predisposing factor in the development of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology? - A comparison based on urinary beta2-microglobulin measurements. BMC Nephrol. 2014;15:103.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
8.
9.
Wijkstrom J, Leiva R, Elinder CG, Leiva S, Trujillo Z, Trujillo L, et al. Clinical and pathological characterization of Mesoamerican nephropathy: a new kidney disease in Central America. Am J Kidney Dis. 2013;62(5):908–18.PubMedCrossRef
10.
Wijetunge S, Ratnatunga NV, Abeysekera DT, Wazil AW, Selvarajah M, Ratnatunga CN. Retrospective analysis of renal histology in asymptomatic patients with probable chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Med J. 2013;58(4):142–7.PubMedCrossRef
11.
Nanayakkara S, Komiya T, Ratnatunga N, Senevirathna ST, Harada KH, Hitomi T, et al. Tubulointerstitial damage as the major pathological lesion in endemic chronic kidney disease among farmers in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Environ Health Prev Med. 2012;17(3):213–21.PubMedCrossRef
12.
Athuraliya NT, Abeysekera TD, Amerasinghe PH, Kumarasiri R, Bandara P, Karunaratne U, et al. Uncertain etiologies of proteinuric-chronic kidney disease in rural Sri Lanka. Kidney Int. 2011;80(11):1212–21.PubMedCrossRef
13.
De Broe ME. Chinese herbs nephropathy and Balkan endemic nephropathy: toward a single entity, aristolochic acid nephropathy. Kidney Int. 2012;81(6):513–5.PubMedCrossRef
14.
Henderson DA. A follow-up of cases of plumbism in children. Australas Ann Med. 1954;3(3):219–24.PubMed
15.
Henderson DA. Chronic nephritis in Queensland. Australas Ann Med. 1955;4(3):163–77.PubMed
16.
Inglis JA, Henderson DA, Emmerson BT. The pathology and pathogenesis of chronic lead nephropathy occurring in Queensland. J Pathol. 1978;124(2):65–76.PubMedCrossRef
17.
Henderson DA, Inglis JA. The lead content of bone in chronic Bright’s disease. Australas Ann Med. 1957;6(2):145–54.PubMed
18.
Emmerson BT. Chronic lead nephropathy: the diagnostic use of calcium EDTA and the association with gout. Australas Ann Med. 1963;12:310–24.PubMed
19.
Loghman-Adham M. Aminoaciduria and glycosuria following severe childhood lead poisoning. Pediatr Nephrol. 1998;12(3):218–21.PubMedCrossRef
20.
Hu H. A 50-year follow-up of childhood plumbism. Hypertension, renal function, and hemoglobin levels among survivors. Am J Dis Child. 1991;145(6):681–7.PubMedCrossRef
21.
Moel DI, Sachs HK. Renal function 17 to 23 years after chelation therapy for childhood plumbism. Kidney Int. 1992;42(5):1226–31.PubMedCrossRef
22.
23.
Chowdhury R, Darrow L, McClellan W, Sarnat S, Steenland K. Incident ESRD among participants in a lead surveillance program. Am J Kidney Dis. 2014;64(1):25–31.PubMedCrossRef
24.
Wedeen RP, Malik DK, Batuman V. Detection and treatment of occupational lead nephropathy. Arch Intern Med. 1979;139(1):53–7.PubMedCrossRef
25.
McClean MD, Amador J, Laws R, Kaufman J, Weiner D, Rodrıguez J, et al. Biological Sampling Report: Investigating Biomarkers of Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease Among Workers in Western Nicaragua. 2012. 2012.
26.
Nogawa K, Kobayashi E, Honda R, Ishizaki A, Kawano S, Matsuda H. Renal dysfunctions of inhabitants in a cadmium-polluted area. Environ Res. 1980;23(1):13–23.PubMedCrossRef
27.
Nogawa K, Kido T. Biological monitoring of cadmium exposure in itai-itai disease epidemiology. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1993;65(1 Suppl):S43–6.PubMedCrossRef
28.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, Updated Tables. Atlanta, GA: Department of Health and Human Services; 2012.
29.
Kido T, Nordberg GF, Roels HA. Cadmium-induced renal effects. In: De Broe ME, Porter GA, Bennett WM, Verpooten GA, editors. Clinical Nephrotoxins: Renal Injury from Drugs and Chemicals. 2nd ed. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 2003. p. 507–30.CrossRef
30.
Kido T, Nogawa K, Ishizaki M, Honda R, Tsuritani I, Yamada Y, et al. Long-term observation of serum creatinine and arterial blood pH in persons with cadmium-induced renal dysfunction. Arch Environ Health. 1990;45(1):35–41.PubMedCrossRef
31.
Nishijo M, Morikawa Y, Nakagawa H, Tawara K, Miura K, Kido T, et al. Causes of death and renal tubular dysfunction in residents exposed to cadmium in the environment. Occup Environ Med. 2006;63(8):545–50.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
32.
Honda R, Swaddiwudhipong W, Nishijo M, Mahasakpan P, Teeyakasem W, Ruangyuttikarn W, et al. Cadmium induced renal dysfunction among residents of rice farming area downstream from a zinc-mineralized belt in Thailand. Toxicol Lett. 2010;198(1):26–32.PubMedCrossRef
33.
Staessen JA, Lauwerys RR, Buchet JP, Bulpitt CJ, Rondia D, Vanrenterghem Y, et al. Impairment of renal function with increasing blood lead concentrations in the general population. The Cadmibel Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1992;327(3):151–6.PubMedCrossRef
34.
Adams RG, Harrison JF, Scott P. The development of cadmium-induced proteinuria, impaired renal function, and osteomalacia in alkaline battery workers. Q J Med. 1969;38(152):425–43.PubMed
35.
Roels HA, Lauwerys RR, Buchet JP, Bernard AM, Vos A, Oversteyns M. Health significance of cadmium induced renal dysfunction: a five year follow up. Br J Ind Med. 1989;46(11):755–64.PubMedPubMedCentral
36.
Wanigasuriya K. Update on uncertain etiology of chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka’s north-central dry zone. MEDICC Rev. 2014;16(2):61–5.PubMed
37.
Weiner DE, McClean MD, Kaufman JS, Brooks DR. The Central American epidemic of CKD. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013;8(3):504–11.PubMedCrossRef
38.
Zheng L, Kuo CC, Fadrowski J, Agnew J, Weaver VM, Navas-Acien A. Arsenic and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2014;1(3):192–207.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
39.
Chiu HF, Yang CY. Decreasing trend in renal disease mortality after cessation from arsenic exposure in a previous arseniasis-endemic area in southwestern Taiwan. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2005;68(5):319–27.PubMedCrossRef
40.
Zheng LY, Umans JG, Yeh F, Francesconi KA, Goessler W, Silbergeld EK, et al. The association of urine arsenic with prevalent and incident chronic kidney disease: evidence from the strong heart study. Epidemiology. 2015;26(4):601–12.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
41.
Wang PX, Li HT, Zhang L, Liu JM. The clinical profile and prognosis of Chinese children with melamine-induced kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:868202.PubMedPubMedCentral
42.
O’Brien KL, Selanikio JD, Hecdivert C, Placide MF, Louis M, Barr DB, et al. Epidemic of pediatric deaths from acute renal failure caused by diethylene glycol poisoning. Acute Renal Failure Investigation Team. JAMA. 1998;279(15):1175–80.PubMedCrossRef
43.
Gupta M, Singh N, Verma S. South Asians and cardiovascular risk: what clinicians should know. Circulation. 2006;113(25):e924–9.PubMedCrossRef
44.
Rajapurkar MM, John GT, Kirpalani AL, Abraham G, Agarwal SK, Almeida AF, et al. What do we know about chronic kidney disease in India: first report of the Indian CKD registry. BMC Nephrol. 2012;13:10.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
45.
Peraza S, Wesseling C, Aragon A, Leiva R, Garcia-Trabanino RA, Torres C, et al. Decreased kidney function among agricultural workers in El Salvador. Am J Kidney Dis. 2012;59(4):531–40.PubMedCrossRef
46.
Paula Santos U, Zanetta DM, Terra-Filho M, Burdmann EA. Burnt sugarcane harvesting is associated with acute renal dysfunction. Kidney Int. 2015;87(4):792–9.PubMedCrossRef
47.
Roncal Jimenez CA, Ishimoto T, Lanaspa MA, Rivard CJ, Nakagawa T, Ejaz AA, et al. Fructokinase activity mediates dehydration-induced renal injury. Kidney Int. 2014;86(2):294–302.PubMedCrossRef
48.
Johnson RJ, Glaser J, Sanchez-Lozada LG. Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology: a disease related to global warming? MEDICC Rev. 2014;16(2):79–80.PubMed
49.
Benavides FG, Wesseling C, Delclos GL, Felknor S, Pinilla J, Rodrigo F. Working conditions and health in Central America: a survey of 12,024 workers in six countries. Occup Environ Med. 2014;71(7):459–65.PubMedCrossRef
50.
VanDervort DR, Lopez DL, Orantes CM, Rodriguez DS. Spatial distribution of unspecified chronic kidney disease in El Salvador by crop area cultivated and ambient temperature. MEDICC Rev. 2014;16(2):31–8.PubMed
51.
52.
Reddy DV, Gunasekar A. Chronic kidney disease in two coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, India: role of drinking water. Environ Geochem Health. 2013;35(4):439–54.PubMedCrossRef
53.
El Minshawy O. End-stage renal disease in the El-Minia Governorate, upper Egypt: an epidemiological study. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2011;22(5):1048–54.PubMed
54.
Kamel E, El-Minshawy O. Environmental Factors Incriminated in the Development of End Stage Renal Disease in El-Minia Governorate, Upper Egypt. Int J Nephrol Urol. 2010;2(3):431–7.
55.
Torres C, Aragon A, Gonzalez M, Lopez I, Jakobsson K, Elinder CG, et al. Decreased Kidney Function of Unknown Cause in Nicaragua: A Community-Based Survey. Am J Kidney Dis. 2010;55(3):485–96.PubMedCrossRef
56.
Lopez-Marin L, Chavez Y, Garcia XA, Flores WM, Garcia YM, Herrera R, et al. Histopathology of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Salvadoran agricultural communities. MEDICC Rev. 2014;16(2):49–54.PubMed
57.
Nanayakkara S, Senevirathna ST, Karunaratne U, Chandrajith R, Harada KH, Hitomi T, et al. Evidence of tubular damage in the very early stage of chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health Prev Med. 2012;17(2):109–17.PubMedCrossRef
58.
Metadata
Title
Global dimensions of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu): a modern era environmental and/or occupational nephropathy?
Authors
Virginia M. Weaver
Jeffrey J. Fadrowski
Bernard G. Jaar
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Nephrology / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2369
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-015-0105-6

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

BMC Nephrology 1/2015 Go to the issue

Research article

Periodontal disease, chronic kidney disease and mortality: results from the third national health and nutrition examination survey

Research article

The chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation combining creatinine and cystatin C accurately assesses renal function in patients with cirrhosis

Research article

Relationship between parathyroid mass and parathyroid hormone level in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism

Study protocol

The Kidney Awareness Registry and Education (KARE) study: protocol of a randomized controlled trial to enhance provider and patient engagement with chronic kidney disease

Research article

Specialist and primary care physicians’ views on barriers to adequate preparation of patients for renal replacement therapy: a qualitative study

Case report

Cytomegalovirus infection can mimic genetic nephrotic syndrome: a case report

ACC 2024 Congress Coverage

Heart Failure Video

Year in Review: Heart failure and cardiomyopathies

Watch now

Watch this official video from ACC.24. Dr. Biykem Bozkurt discuss last year's major advances in heart failure and cardiomyopathies.

Semaglutide benefits people with type 2 diabetes and obesity-related heart failure

16-04-2024 Type 2 Diabetes News

Incentivised to exercise

11-04-2024 Lifestyle Modifications News

New intervention for STEMI-related cardiogenic shock

10-04-2024 Myocardial Infarction News

» View more highlights on the ACC 2024 congress hub page

Image Credits