Scientists Develop ‘Sensor’ For Early Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), also known as chronic kidney failure, describes the gradual loss of kidney function due to various reasons. In its early stages, CKD displays symptoms like loss of appetite, itching and high blood pressure. It may not become evident until kidney function become significantly impaired, proving fatal.

A few diagnostic tests from blood samples and urine samples and further tests from screening to imaging can nail down CKD. But with blood tests and urine tests, doctors cannot be specific, as the tests only prove effective when the kidney function comes down by 50%. By this time, patients would have lost crucial time.

Researchers have now devised a special “sensor” that can detect CKD in a matter of minutes.

The technique uses a highly sensitive electrochemical technique, which can be used to detect different stages of the disease. The researchers modified a multi-walled carbon nanotube electrode that will catch the biomarker of CKD–Cystatin C.

It has made the detection of the protein Cystatin C easier, enabling doctors to detect kidney troubles in patients much more easily.

(Note: Cystatin C is a protein produced by the cells of the human body. When its production increases normal levels, it indicates problems in the kidney.)

A Researcher told, “This technique could detect Cystatin C concentrations corresponding to baseline as well as different stages of CKD. Specificity of the sensor was tested against creatinine, albumin, and gliadin and was found to be highly specific for Cystatin C.”

Previously, in urine tests, the number of creatinine compounds and albumin were combinedly used to detect CKD. But these compounds depended on various factors like age, sex, previous ailments, muscle mass, etc. But cystatin C is less dependent on these factors.

With patients suffering from diabetes and cardiovascular disease being prone to CKD, the new method could potentially be a boon to millions.

“If CKD is detected at an early stage (Stage 1 or 2), mere modifications in diet and intake of ACE inhibitors may prevent the progression to end-stage renal disease,” said the Dr.

It’s also interesting to note that Cystatin C also is being studied for its role in predicting onset or deterioration of cardiovascular disease and brain disorders.

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Reduced salt intake may protect heart, kidney

Reducing sodium intake may provide benefits to health of kidney and heart among the patients with chronic kidney disease, a new study has claimed.

Urinary excretion of proteins, including albumin, is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therapies that reduce such albuminuria can slow kidney function decline and also have beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels.

Currently available therapies do not eliminate albuminuria in many patients, leaving these individuals with what is known as residual albuminuria.

Researchers led by Martin de Borst from University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands, studied two interventions that have demonstrated potential for reducing residual albuminuria: dietary sodium restriction and a drug (paricalcitol) that activates the vitamin D receptor.

In a randomised trial that included 45 patients with CKD, each intervention was added to an optimised conventional treatment regimen during four 8-week periods.

The researchers found that dietary sodium restriction led to a significant reduction of residual albuminuria and blood pressure, whereas paricalcitol had no significant effect on these measures.

The combination of paricalcitol and a low sodium diet, however, resulted in the lowest albuminuria levels.

"What we found was that sodium restriction provided a relatively large beneficial effect, whereas the effect of paricalcitol was small," said de Borst.

"Thus, the impact of the combined intervention was largely due to the protective effect of sodium restriction," he said.

Most people consume twice as much sodium as the two grammes per day recommended by the World Health Association.

"In our study, patients consumed on average four grammes of sodium per day, which is well in line with global trends in sodium consumption among CKD patients," said de Borst.

"Interestingly, following our intervention aimed at reduced sodium intake, patients consumed 2.5 grammes per day, which is still above the recommended level," he said.

"This moderate restriction resulted in a strong reduction in albuminuria and blood pressure, indicating that even a moderate reduction in sodium intake may provide serious health benefits," he added.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

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