Scientists have uncovered differences in gene expression of patients with chronic kidney disease compared with healthy individuals, which could explain the development of the condition. This is according to a study published in the journal Genome Biology.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disorder in which the kidneys are severely damaged, making them unable to sufficiently filter blood. This damage to the kidneys can lead to other health problems, including cardiovascular disease, bone disease and anemia.
According to the American Kidney Fund, kidney disease is the eighth leading cause of death in the US, and approximately 31 million Americans suffer from CKD.
The research team says previous studies have shown that health conditions within the uterus during pregnancy - such as babies who are too small for gestational age due to lack of nutrients, or too large due to pregnancy-related diabetes - may play a role in an infant's "over-a-lifetime" risk of CKD.
Other research has shown that individuals with diabetes who had "poor control" over the condition 25 years previously may be at increased risk of kidney disease, even if they have had outstanding glucose control 10 years before.
Katalin Susztak, of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the study authors, notes that this is known as the "metabolic memory effect" - the kidney cells are able to remember a previously bad metabolic environment.
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