A recent study has suggested that people struggling with Anemia may be at a greater risk of developing chronic kidney issues. In the study which followed nearly 4000 patients with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease, nearly half were baseline Anemics, meaning their hemoglobin level was less than 12 g/dL.

Over a median period of 7.8 years, end-stage kidney disease occurred in 1010 patients with those who were anemic exhibiting a 1.6 times greater risk of end stage progression, as opposed to those without anemia. Men, particularly who had anemia, exhibited a 2.2 times greater risk of renal failure due to ESKD compared to the female anemics involved in the study. The risk factor was also similarly higher for non-Hispanic Caucasians, Hispanics and those who selected the ‘Other’ race category. Hemoglobin levels less than 13.1 g/dL was yet another significant risk factor, although it is noteworthy that Anemia status didn’t correlate with all-cause death.

According to the researchers, the association between anemia and the rate of kidney disease progression isn’t as clear-cut as they’d prefer, but theorized that it may be sue to anemia causing tissue hypoxia which leads to the release of cytokines that subsequently scar the kidneys and increase the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling blood pressure, heart rate and blood vessel constriction.

Although the study did establish potential risk factors for anemics living with kidney problems, more research is necessary to investigate alternative therapies for anemia and what effect, if any, they would have on the rate of of kidney failure progression.

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