Insufficient Sleep May Impact Kidney Health

Highlights• Shorter sleep duration was significantly linked with a more rapid decline in kidney function among participants in the Nurses’ Health Study. • The findings, which point to the importance of sleep for maintaining kidney health, will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3–8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.Newswise — San Diego, CA (November 5, 2015) — Many of the body’s processes follow a natural daily rhythm or so-called circadian clock that is based on regular sleep-wake cycles. Now a new study finds that kidney function may be compromised when sleep is disrupted. The findings will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3¬–8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

Although sleep disruption has been studied extensively in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, its link with chronic kidney disease is unclear. To investigate, researchers led by Ciaran Joseph McMullan, MD, MMSc (Brigham and Women's Hospital) analyzed information on 4238 participants from the Nurses' Health Study with kidney function measurements on at least 2 occasions over an 11-year period.

The researchers found that shorter sleep duration was significantly linked with a more rapid decline in kidney function. As an example, women sleeping ≤5 hours per night had a 65% increased likelihood of experiencing a rapid decline in kidney function compared with women sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night, after controlling for various factors.

“This is the first prospective study to find that shorter sleep duration is associated with a more rapid decline in renal function,” said Dr. McMullan. “The findings of this paper coupled with research from others suggest that renal physiology may be adversely affected by disruption in sleep, including sleep restriction.”

Study: “Association of short sleep duration and rapid decline in renal function” (Abstract TH-PO529)

ASN Kidney Week 2015, the largest nephrology meeting of its kind, will provide a forum for more than 13,000 professionals to discuss the latest findings in kidney health research and engage in educational sessions related to advances in the care of patients with kidney and related disorders. Kidney Week 2015 will take place November 3–8, 2015 in San Diego, CA.The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.Founded in 1966, and with nearly 16,000 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.# # #