The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may surprise those unfamiliar with issues affecting these vital organs that help to purify the blood. According to the National Kidney Foundation® (NKF), one in 10 people worldwide is affected by CKD.

The NKF estimates that as many as 35.5 million adults in the United States have kidney disease, while the Kidney Foundation of Canada reports roughly four million people in Canada have kidney disease. It’s not uncommon to have kidney disease without knowing it, as Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, Chief Medical Officer of the NKF, notes that symptoms often do not appear until the late stages of the disease.  

But two tests, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR), are two easy ways to determine if you have kidney disease.  

The NKF recommends annual blood tests to screen for kidney disease. These tests, along with urine tests that may be part of annual wellness exams, can indicate whether a person has kidney disease. Individuals can also keep an eye out for various warning signs that suggest kidney function may not be normal.
 

  • Reduced energy or difficulty concentrating: Malfunctioning kidneys can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood, resulting in fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Kidney disease can also cause anemia, which is typically accompanied by fatigue. 
  • Difficulty sleeping: The NKF notes that kidney disease impairs the kidneys’ ability to filter toxins from the blood, which can make it difficult to sleep. 
  • Dry and itchy skin: Few may think that malfunctioning kidneys can adversely affect the skin, but it’s true. The NKF notes that when kidneys can no longer help the body maintain an appropriate balance of minerals and nutrients in the blood, it can lead to chronic kidney disease-associated pruritis, a hallmark of which is itchy skin. This is typically found in people with advanced kidney disease. 
  • Frequent urination: Kidney disease damages the kidneys’ filtration system, and that can lead to the need to urinate with greater frequency. However, the NKF notes that a need to urinate more often also might indicate a urinary infection or an enlarged prostate in men. 
  • Blood in the urine: Blood cells can leak into the urine when the kidney’s filters are damaged and do not filter waste from the blood as effectively as they should.  
  • Foamy urine: The NKF notes that kidney disease sometimes produces urine so foamy that a toilet must be flushed several times before the bubbles go away. The presence of foam indicates that a protein called albumin is in the urine. 

Additional signs that you might have CKD include persistent puffiness around the eyes, swollen ankles and feet, loss of appetite, and muscle cramping. Each of these symptoms may also indicate other health issues, so each should be brought to a physician’s attention. 

CKD is a global health problem, and individuals may need to be their own first line of defense. More information is available at www.kidney.org.