High cholesterol may affect kidneys

According to a recent study, the kidneys of apparently healthy men who have high cholesterol levels are likely to be working below par. Despite extensive knowledge about abnormal lipid patterns in patients with end-stage renal disease, the association between cholesterol and the development of renal dysfunction is unclear. Researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, USA, examined pairs of blood samples collected an average of 14 years apart from 4,483 initially healthy men. It was found that by the end of the study, between 3 and 5 percent of the men had decreased kidney function, depending on the measurement used. The researchers reported that men with low HDL ("good") cholesterol and high non-HDL cholesterol had a twofold risk of renal insufficiency after adjustment for other risk factors. Since reduced kidney function might progress to kidney failure with very limited treatment options, the findings have important clinical implications. Controlling abnormal cholesterol levels in healthy individuals, with a healthy diet, might help to keep the kidneys healthy. The researchers have suggested that people with a high risk of kidney failure and an abnormal cholesterol profile should discuss the use of lipid-lowering drugs with their doctor.