Fat and renal failure
By admin
Published: October 5, 2009
Obesity and renal failure
The relationship between kidney disease and obesity is explored by a systematic review of the available evidence by Sankar et al. The key take home points from the article are as follows.
- Obesity is important because nearly 2/3 of american adults are overweight and 50% of this number are obese. Thus giving rise to a very large prevalence. Any health conditions tied to obesity are therefore going to be equally prevalent.
- Obesity increases the incidence of known risk factors for kidney disease such as hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia.
- Obesity is a unique independent risk factor for kidney disease.
- Chronic kidney disease is increasing. Currently 20 million americans have CKD.
- The number of patients requiring dialysis will increase exponentially over time.
- The contribution of obesity to ESRD is likely to be very signficant directly and indirectly via diabetes and hypertension.
- The effects of weightloss on progression to ESRD is not clear.
The authors found that weight loss may offer benefits to patients with kidney disease. Weightloss resulted in decreased protein in the urine as well as stabilisation of a measure of kidney function the GFR. The benefits were more pronounced in patients who had bariatric surgery. The current evidence is pointing to a role of weightloss via surgical methods if necessary to slow the progression of CKD. To speak to this point more studies with longer follow up will be needed.
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About Roger: Dr. Roger Smith is a nephrologist currently employed to the government of Jamaica. He is the Nephrologist in charge of Spanish Town Dialysis Unit. His interests are lupus nephritis and other glomerulopathies. He was previously a lecturer in Nephrology at the University of the West Indies in the Department of Internal Medicine and Coordinator of the Urogenital Module before moving into private and government practice. |
Tagged with: obesity
