Chronic kidney disease cases driven by rising diabetes rates in new study

The kidneys work continuously to purify the blood, balance minerals, and regulate blood pressure. Their efficiency often means that most people do not realize there is a problem until a significant portion of their function has deteriorated. 

This makes chronic kidney disease a particularly dangerous and hidden threat.

The disease hits millions of people worldwide, sharply raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and early death. With diabetes on the rise across the globe, scientists warn that it is now changing the landscape of kidney disease.

A team at Boston University recently reviewed national health data spanning from 2013 to 2023.

Their detailed study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that while the overall number of Americans living with chronic kidney disease remained stable at one in seven adults, the proportion of cases caused by diabetes increased markedly.

READ MORE: Lung transplants may save some cancer patients

The researchers studied information from more than 25,000 adults, using tests that measured how well the kidneys filtered waste and checked for unusual protein in the urine.

Their findings showed that kidney disease linked to diabetes rose from 4.7 percent to 5.7 percent, while cases not tied to diabetes stayed the same. This shift points to diabetes becoming a leading cause of kidney damage.

The study also pointed out ongoing health disparities. Black Americans and people with less education still face much higher rates of kidney disease, showing how deeply social and economic components shape health.

Researchers also pointed out a troubling link between kidney and heart disease. About one in four people with heart disease also live with chronic kidney disease.

Doctors currently emphasize that these connected conditions need to be managed together, not as separate issues.

Even with new medicines such as SGLT2 inhibitors and finerenone designed for people with diabetes, the study found that these advances have not yet lowered the total number of chronic kidney disease cases.

To combat this hidden threat, experts underline that preventing diabetes, strictly controlling blood sugar, managing blood pressure, and performing regular kidney screenings are more critical than ever to enable early detection and survival.