Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology and Management Strategies

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an estimated 10–13 per cent of the global adult population and represents a growing public health challenge. The burden is unevenly distributed, with higher prevalence in regions experiencing rapid urbanisation, ageing populations and rising rates of diabetes and hypertension. CKD is often asymptomatic until advanced stages, making early detection through routine assessment of renal function essential. Key risk factors include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease, with social determinants such as poverty, environmental toxins and limited access to healthcare exacerbating disparities in low- and middle-income countries. CKD progression not only leads to end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or transplantation but also drives cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Management strategies emphasise timely diagnosis, control of blood pressure and glycaemia, minimisation of nephrotoxic exposures and use of renoprotective agents. Multidisciplinary care models integrate primary care, nephrology, dietetics and patient education to slow disease progression and reduce complications. Novel therapeutic approaches, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, show promise in reducing albuminuria and preserving renal function. Health system interventions—such as screening programmes, care pathways and telemedicine—are critical to enhance early intervention, optimise resource allocation and address the substantial economic impact of CKD worldwide.

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Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology and Management Strategies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in chronic kidney disease epidemiology and management strategies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): A calculated measure of kidney filtering capacity based on serum creatinine, age, sex and race.

Albuminuria: The presence of albumin in urine, indicating glomerular damage and a predictor of CKD progression.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD): The stage of CKD at which kidney function is insufficient for life without dialysis or transplantation.

Microsimulation model: A computational framework that simulates disease progression and costs at the individual patient level to project population outcomes.

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs): A metric combining years of life lost and years lived with disability to quantify overall disease burden.

References

1. Projecting the economic burden of chronic kidney disease at the patient level (Inside CKD): a microsimulation modelling study. EClinicalMedicine (2024).
2. Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet (2020).
3. Prevalence, outcomes, and cost of chronic kidney disease in a contemporary population of 2·4 million patients from 11 countries: The CaReMe CKD study. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe (2022).
4. Global Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLOS ONE (2016).
5. Chronic kidney disease in low- and middle-income countries. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation (2016).