Depression appears to increase the risk of kidney failure. Previous research has shown that depression is linked to adverse outcomes in dialysis patients.
To examine whether depression is associated with kidney function decline, researchers followed 5,785 people in the United States for 10 years. At the start of the study, the participants were 65 years of age and older and were not on kidney dialysis. The researchers measured the depressive symptoms among the participants.
It was found that depression was more common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients at the beginning of the study. It was 20 percent more common in people with chronic kidney disease than in those without the disease. Depression was also linked to a higher rate of hospitalisation for acute kidney injury, even after adjusting for heart disease, inflammatory markers, and lifestyle factors such as body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity.
The researchers are currently examining factors that may explain the link between depression and kidney disease and failure. These could include delays in seeking medical care, the effect that depression has on the immune and nervous systems, and miscommunication between patients and doctors.
To examine whether depression is associated with kidney function decline, researchers followed 5,785 people in the United States for 10 years. At the start of the study, the participants were 65 years of age and older and were not on kidney dialysis. The researchers measured the depressive symptoms among the participants.
It was found that depression was more common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients at the beginning of the study. It was 20 percent more common in people with chronic kidney disease than in those without the disease. Depression was also linked to a higher rate of hospitalisation for acute kidney injury, even after adjusting for heart disease, inflammatory markers, and lifestyle factors such as body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity.
The researchers are currently examining factors that may explain the link between depression and kidney disease and failure. These could include delays in seeking medical care, the effect that depression has on the immune and nervous systems, and miscommunication between patients and doctors.