Chronic renal failure risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aarti Narayan, M.B.B.S [2]

Overview

It is important to identify patients at risk for developing chronic renal disease, even in patients with a normal serum creatinine levels. Chronic renal failure, requiring dialysis or organ transplant, can often be prevented with early detection and treatment.

Risk factors

Diabetes and hypertension are the two most common risk factors for CKD. positive family history of CKD, autoimmune disease (including SLE, scleroderma, and polyarteritis nodosa), multiple myeloma and NSAID use. Only option C lists these correctly.

Age

• Risks of CKD increases with age

Race

• African-American or Hispanics are at increased risk
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Autoimmune diseases
• Presence of proteinuria
• Abnormal urinary sediments
• Structural abnormalities of the urinary tract
• Heart disease
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• African-American, American Indian or Asian-American race
  • Certain DNA sequences like allelic versions of APOL1 gene, of the West African ancestry, contributes to a several fold higher risk of some etiologies of Chronic renal failure e.g focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
• Family history of kidney disease
• Past history of Acute renal failure
• Age 65 or older