Monday, December 1, 2014

Sickle Cell Trait Has Possible Link to Chronic Kidney Disease Among African Americans



A large multicohort study, conducted by a research team at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, found a possible association between sickle cell trait (SCT) and chronic kidney disease (CKD.) African Americans with a sickle cell trait do not develop sickle cell anemia but instead carry a single copy of the gene that is known to cause the disease. Sickle cell anemia is a disease that is characterized by misshaped red blood cells (sickle cells) that are sticky and stiff leaving the blood vessels more prone to obstruction. In contrast, SCT is less severe where only in very rare cases do people develop deformed red blood cells as a result of severe dehydration.
The researchers noted a gap in knowledge regarding possible conditions influenced by SCT. They highlight that African Americans have a disproportionately higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease and progression to end-stage renal disease (ERD.)  “SCT may be an important and unrecognized risk factor for renal disease in this population.” The study analyzed 5 US population based studies involving 2,233 African American participants 1,248 of which has SCT. 2,233 individuals had CKD, with 19.2% of individuals with SCT and 13.5 without the condition.
These findings imply that there is a higher risk for developing CKD in African Americans with SCT. In addition, researchers found that individuals with SCT have a faster decline in the rate at which fluids are filtered through the kidney. Further, 31.8% of people with SCT experienced albuminuria, a sign of a kidney disorder characterized by excessive protein in urine.
This study suggests the need for more research on kidney disease and other renal complications. Kidney failure is the 8th leading cause of deaths in the US. 90% of people with stage 3 CKD are unaware (Kidney Fund.Org, 2012.) This article is specifically significant to me because I have family members who have complications with their kidneys and who are on dialysis. If there is a better way to detect possible links between genes and the development of kidney disease perhaps possible interventions and medications can decrease the number of people affected in this vulnerable population.  

Additional Link: Kidney Fund. Org. (2012, August 12). Kidney Disease Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.kidneyfund.org/about-us/assets/pdfs/akf-kidneydiseasestatistics-2012.pdf

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