Study links genes to chronic kidney disease

An international study published in Nature
Genetics has identified 20 new gene variations linked to increased
susceptibility to chronic kidney disease (CKD)

The CKDGen consortium, which includes
researchers from Edinburgh, analysed genes of over 70,000 European people and
identified variations in 20 genes shared by people who had kidney disease. 13
of the genes are thought to influence renal function. The other seven appear
important in the production and secretion of creatine - a chemical waste
product made during metabolism, which the kidney is responsible for filtering
from the blood.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often observed
in patients with long-term problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Its prevalence increases with age, with women more likely to develop problems.
The symptoms of CKD include swollen ankles, hands and blood in the urine. These
symptoms can often go unnoticed, meaning it is now thought that CKD could affect
one in 10 adults.

Dr Jim Wilson, a geneticist at the University
of Edinburgh who worked on the study, has said the findings could be monumental
for kidney disease treatment but bringing this new information into clinical
use will take some time.

'It's a very critical first step towards a
completely new understanding of the biology behind CKD. Transferring what we've
found into clinical benefits will take some years', he said.