Chronic renal failure risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aarti Narayan, M.B.B.S [2]

Overview

It is important to identify patients at risk for developing chronic renal disease, even in patients with a normal serum creatinine levels. Chronic renal failure, requiring dialysis or organ transplant, can often be prevented with early detection and treatment.

Risk factors

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Autoimmune diseases
• Presence of proteinuria
• Abnormal urinary sediments
• Structural abnormalities of the urinary tract
• Heart disease
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• African-American, American Indian or Asian-American race
  • Certain DNA sequences like allelic versions of APOL1 gene, of the West African ancestry, contributes to a several fold higher risk of some etiologies of Chronic renal failure e.g focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
• Family history of kidney disease
• Past history of Acute renal failure
• Age 65 or older