Early detection key to preventing chronic kidney disease for adults with diabetes
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About one third of adults with diabetes has chronic kidney disease, making early detection and treatment of CKD important for improving health outcomes. However, many won’t know they have the disease until it has progressed.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is partnering with the diagnostics company Renalytix to develop a diabetes kidney care pathway and model to encourage early detection, improve treatment and reduce risk.
In an interview with Healio, Nuha El Sayed, MD, MMSc, instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and vice president of health care improvement at ADA, discussed the connection between diabetes and kidney disease and the benefits of early detection.
Healio: What is the connection between diabetes and kidney disease? How important is CKD detection and management in treating the growing population of people with diabetes?
El Sayed: Diabetes is the leading cause for kidney failure in the U.S. It is the primary cause of kidney failure in so many of those individuals. Typically, kidney disease has no symptoms until it is very far advanced. That is why it is critically important to screen for early disease, at which point one can do a great deal to prevent progression of kidney disease.
In the U.S., we know that screening rates are relatively low, and there is a huge opportunity for improvement. The American Diabetes Association is working closely with other organizations to change this.
Healio: Does CKD in people with diabetes often go undetected?
El Sayed: Most people with kidney disease do not know they have it. Sadly, there are numerous examples of people going to an emergency room feeling ill and at that moment being informed that they have kidney failure related to diabetes and require dialysis. Meanwhile, this disease process had gone on for years, unrecognized.
Healio: What are some of the benefits of early detection of CKD for people with diabetes?
El Sayed: Early recognition of kidney disease allows for treatment to prevent any further loss. The good news is that people have a good amount of extra kidney function, and if one can detect some loss of kidney function early, there are a number of steps that one can do to slow down the process. Controlling blood glucose and blood pressure are the most important ones, and there are medications that can specifically protect the kidneys, like ACE inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Healio: How does the development of new treatments and screening techniques affect the trajectory of those diagnosed with diabetic kidney disease?
El Sayed: The number of adults with diagnosed diabetes is expected to reach 60 million by 2060 in the United States alone, with up to 40% expected to develop chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is a silent disease, that each year kills more people than breast and prostate cancer alone. We must identify new avenues in terms of therapeutic strategies and early detection.
Healio: Could you tell me more about the details of the comprehensive diabetes kidney care pathway and model? What are the goals for creating this model?
El Sayed: The comprehensive diabetes kidney care pathway and model is aimed at tackling the issues described above. It will help guide clinicians on how to best manage and prevent the progression of chronic kidney disease and understand the importance of early detection and will also engage with people with diabetes to raise their awareness and empower them to protect their kidneys and thrive.
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Healio interview
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