Chronic Kidney Disease Affects 4.9 Percent of Children and Adolescents in India

Impaired kidney function - Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) - has become a public health problem in India, as it affects 4.9 percent of Indian children and adolescents.

Almost 4.9 percent of Indian children and adolescents suffer from impaired kidney function, reports a first nationwide survey.

What is Impaired kidney function?

Impaired kidney function causes kidney damage to worsen over several months or years -- chronic kidney disease (CKD) ().

‘First nationwide survey estimates that 4.9 percent of children and adolescents in India suffer from impaired kidney function. #KidneyHealth #KidneyDisease #ChildHealth’

It is a significant public health problem, and its burden in children and adolescents in India is not well described.

The new study by researchers from All India Institute of Medical Sciences - Bathinda and Vijaypur, and The George Institute for Global Health (NS:GLOH) India, is based on the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) of 24,690 children and adolescents aged 5-19 years between 2016 and 18.

The results showed 4.9 percent of children and adolescents, which amounts to around 49,000 cases per million population suffer from impaired kidney function.

Alert Study on Poor Kidney Function Damages Heart With Stroke
Researchers found out that poor kidney function is directly associated with specific stroke subtypes, particularly cardioembolic stroke, in a large cohort of patients.

The "key predictors include age, rural residence, lower maternal education, and stunting. Addressing these factors is crucial for improving child health outcomes", said Prof. Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director, The George Institute for Global Health, India, in a post on X.

Prevalence of Impaired Kidney Function in India

The prevalence of impaired kidney function was found more in males and rural areas.

Chronic Kidney Disease Linked to Lower IQ Level in Children
The IQ level of children affected with Chronic Kidney Disease was less compared to the normal children. They also had problems with executive function, academic skills, visual and memory power.

Further, Andhra Pradesh, followed by Telangana and West Bengal showed the highest cases, while the prevalence was lowest in Tamil Nadu (NS:TNNP), Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Kerala.

"The high prevalence of impaired kidney function among Indian children and adolescents underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies to address this growing public health issue. Time to prioritize pediatric kidney health in national health," said Vivekanand Jha.

Prevention of Kidney Disease
Kidney damage is usually detected at advanced stages. Healthy lifestyle, keeping diabetes and blood pressure under check, and regular tests can help prevent it.

Reference:

Impaired Kidney Function - (https://www.drugs.com/cg/impaired-kidney-function.html)

Source-IANS