Measuring three blood biomarkers could help to identify patients that have a high risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
The Framingham Offspring Study, conducte by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, enrolled 2,300 participants who had a normal kidney function when they provided the blood samples in 1995-98.
After 9.5 years, about 9% of them had developed chronic kidney disease and 8% had high levels of protein in their urine – a condition known as macroalbuminuria – which indicates deteriorating kidney condition.
The researchers tested the blood samples from 1995-98 and analysed if a set of six.
They found that three significantly identified the patient's risk of chronic kidney disease and macroalbuminuria.
The three biomarkers identified are: homocysteine, a marker of atherosclerosis risk; aldosterone, a hormone that affects salt handling by the kidneys; and B-type natriuretic peptide, an indicator of heart damage.
According to the researchers, with further testing these biomarkers would predict the chronic kidney disease risk and also provide important clues regarding how it develops.
