Glomerular Diseases Linked to Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Conditions

Highlights

• Adults with glomerular diseases have a 2.5-times higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than individuals in the general population.
• Results from the study will be presented online during ASN Kidney Week 2020 Reimagined October 19–October 25. 

Newswise — Washington, DC (October 24, 2020) — Adults with glomerular diseases—which affect the kidney’s filtering units where blood is cleaned—face a high risk of developing heart problems, according to a study that will be presented online during ASN Kidney Week 2020 Reimagined October 19–October 25.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in adults with reduced kidney function. To define the cardiovascular disease risk of patients with glomerular diseases—which include focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, and minimal change disease—investigators analyzed 2000–2012 information from a centralized kidney pathology registry in British Columbia, Canada.

Among 1,912 patients followed for a median of 6.8 years, there were 338 cardiovascular events, and the 10-year risk was 16.0% (7.7% for IgA nephropathy, 13.2% for minimal change disease, 19.4% for membranous nephropathy, and 27.0% for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis). Results showed cardiovascular event rates were high both prior to and after end stage kidney failure.

The risk of cardiovascular disease was 2.5-times higher in individuals with glomerular diseases compared with adults in the general population.

“Consideration of glomerular disease–specific factors can help improve cardiovascular risk prediction. Failure to take these novel factors into account will lead to underestimation of cardiovascular risk and underutilization of cardiovascular primary prevention strategies,” said lead author Heather Gunning (University of British Columbia). “Further research is ongoing into the impact of glomerular disease activity and therapy over time on cardiovascular risk. This will allow better understanding of the impact of glomerular disease on cardiovascular risk and whether treatment may modify this.”

Study: “The Risk of Cardiovascular Events is Higher in Patients with Glomerular Disease Compared to the General Population”

ASN Kidney Week 2020 Reimagined, 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 2020 Reimagined will take place October 19–October 25.

Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has more than 21,000 members representing 131 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org.

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