Private MD News

Metabolic syndrome increases risk of kidney disease, study finds

Category: Diabetes

Individuals who receive lab tests indicating they have metabolic syndrome may be significantly more likely to suffer from chronic kidney disease, particularly if they have very poorly controlled glucose levels.

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by abdominal obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. Patients with the condition often end up developing heart disease or diabetes, the latter being closely associated with kidney dysfunction.

For the study, researchers tracked the health records of nearly 1,500 adults over a period of three years. They found that those who had symptoms of metabolic syndrome faced a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease. The addition of persistently high glucose levels further increased the chances that a participant would develop kidney problems.

The team said that metabolic syndrome is most common among older individuals. Finding ways to address the health issue among seniors may be a key to preventing a high prevalence of kidney disease.

"Our study suggests that people can safeguard their kidneys when they take care of their blood glucose levels and lose weight," said Chung-Jen Yen, who led the study.