In people aged 18 to 39, decreased kidney function was associated with a higher risk of death and stroke.
- Among young adults aged 18 to 39, 18% had slightly below normal kidney function.
- For those with a 20-30% decline in kidney function, the risk of death from cardiac events and kidney failure was high.
- However, the absolute risk of any of these events remained low, namely less than 2 per 1,000.
“There is a dogma that healthy young adults need not worry about a decline in kidney function until it is reduced to half the normal level,” said Dr. Manish Sood, nephrologist and professor at the University of Ottawa (Canada), in a statement.
However, the study, which he carried out with other researchers, found that even a slight reduction in kidney function was associated with increased health risks. To reach this conclusion, the scientists reviewed the medical records of more than 8 million adults dating from January 2008 to March 2021. The adults had all had a blood test for kidney function, but had no history of kidney disease.
18% of young adults had slightly below normal kidney function
According to the results, published in the journal The BMJ, 18% of people aged 18 to 39 had kidney function that was slightly below normal, but not low enough to be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. The authors reported that for young adults, a 20-30% decline in kidney function was associated with a 1.4-fold increased risk of death, 1.3-fold increased risk of cardiac events, and 6 times the risk of kidney failure.
“Fortunately, the absolute risk for people in this gray zone is low, but when considering the whole population, the impact could be very large. We need more research to confirm these results and see if we can reduce the risk by changing our lifestyle,” said Dr. Greg Knoll, co-lead author of the work.
Earlier follow-up in case of a slight decrease in kidney function
As a reminder, the kidney function test is relatively inexpensive, quick and easy to perform. However, the team is not currently suggesting routine testing for all people. On the other hand, if a patient has had a kidney test that shows a slight reduction in organ function, this should warrant medical follow-up. All adults can also reduce their risk of kidney disease by eating a healthy, low-salt diet, exercising regularly, and limiting alcohol intake.
