Depression Could Create Havoc in Kidneys too

Depression is a mental condition of concern among adults and elderly people. It seems to be a leading cause of disability around the world, affecting more than 264 million globally, according to the reports of the World Health Organization, 2020. A new research now reveals that people who had persistent depressive symptoms are highly vulnerable to develop kidney disease. Previous study findings found that people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were more likely to experience rapid kidney function decline in case of underlying depressive conditions.

The new research team led by Xianhui Qin, MD from Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, in China demonstrates how come individuals with no previous history of kidney disease but experience persistent depressive symptoms are in likelihood to develop a rapid decline in kidney function. The findings of this study are published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology .

"CKD is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and mortality worldwide. Therefore, the identification of more modifiable risk factors may possibly reduce the huge burden of CKD and its related complications by leading to early detection and prevention," said Dr. Qin.

Depressed people at the risk of kidney disease

The research team examined 4,763 individuals with healthy kidneys who were enrolled in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The percentage of people with depressive symptoms was 39% and after a median follow-up of 4 years, rapid kidney function decline was encountered in 260 participants, who constitute about 6% of the total.

When adjustments were made for some confounding factors, it was found that individuals who had persistent depressive symptoms showed 1.4 times increased risk of rapid kidney function decline than those who had infrequent depressive symptoms.

"While our study does not show causality, it demonstrated that high depressive symptoms were significantly associated with a rapid decline in kidney function among Chinese adults with normal kidney function. If further confirmed, our data provide some evidence for depressive symptom screening and effective psychosocial interventions to improve the prevention of CKD," Qin concluded.

Source-Medindia