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Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.

High risk groups include people with diabetes, hypertension and a family history of kidney disease.

deCODEme analyzes your DNA and provides you with a personalized risk assessment for Chronic Kidney Disease.

Knowing your risk for Chronic Kidney Disease can increase your awareness and empower you to take preventive steps to protect your kidneys

The kidneys keep the blood chemically balanced

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located on either side of the spine, just below the rib cage. Each kidney contains about a million tiny blood-filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron contains a glomerulus, that filters and conveys waste from the blood and into the urine. Neprhons also carry a small blood vessel that returns the filtered blood back to the body´s circulatory system. It is in this way that the kidneys fulfill their primary function – to remove waste products and excess water from the blood and deliver them to the bladder as urine. The kidneys also help control blood pressure and regulate red blood cell production in the bone marrow.

Chronic Kidney Disease is a result of damaged nephrons

Chronic Kidney Disease typically develops as a result of other common diseases, primarily diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. These diseases gradually damage the kidney´s nephrons (and their glomeruli), such that they lose their capacity to filter waste and toxins from the blood and leak essential blood proteins into the urine. Kidney function is reflected by the so-called glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which decreases gradually and constantly in Chronic Kidney Disease. However, perceptible symptoms may not become apparent until after years or even decades of declining kidney function. A widely used surrogate measure of the GFR is the concentration of the protein creatinine in blood, which increases as kidney function declines.

Early diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease is crucial

In advanced stages, Chronic Kidney Disease can ultimately lead to complete kidney failure and the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation. People with Chronic Kidney Disease also have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and side-effects to various medications. As a result, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to slow down kidney damage and concomitant health problems.

Chronic Kidney Disease is a growing health problem

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the U.S. has reported that 16.8% of all adults above the age of 20 years have Chronic Kidney Disease. This represents a 16% increase from the previous decade, making the disease a growing problem. This increase is partly explained by the increasing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. Chronic Kidney Disease is most prevalent among individuals above 60 years of age (39.4%) and more common among Hispanics, African Americans, Asians or Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans, than people of European descent.

Genetic variants are associated with risk of Chronic Kidney Disease

Not everyone has the same risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease. Research suggests that this disease has a strong familial component. Recently, scientists identified a common genetic variant (rs4293393-T), associated with increased risk of Chronic Kidney Disease. This variant is positioned next to the UMOD gene on chromosome 16p12, which encodes the protein uromodulin (sometimes called the Tamm-Horsfall protein), which is the most abundant protein in urine.

deCODEme calculates your genetic risk for Chronic Kidney Disease

The deCODEme Complete Scan identifies the genetic variant on chromosome 16 and uses it to provide customers of European descent with a personalized interpretation of their genetic risk for decreased glomerular filtration rate, the hallmark of Chronic Kidney Disease.

At present, the necessary scientific information to interpret the genetic risk for customers of other ethnicities is not available. This information will be added as soon as it becomes available and we are assured of its quality.

This content was last reviewed on February 08, 2010.

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