The kidneys do amazing work every hour to keep us healthy and well. But how many of us are aware of what they do, or what can harm them? Kidney disease affects around 1 in 10 people worldwide and if left untreated, causes damage to the kidneys over several months or years, impairing their ability to function as they usually do.1 There are many risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and inflammation of the intricate filtering structures in the kidneys.
Today, more than 850 million people worldwide are estimated to have kidney disease. By 2030, cases are set to grow by around 15% and by 2040, they are predicted to become the fifth leading cause of lives lost.2 These alarming numbers highlight the massive unmet need in nephrology, compelling us to study the kidneys and do more to protect them from progressive damage, maintain function and reduce the tremendous healthcare burden these individuals carry.
Yet, many people with kidney disease will have progressive loss of kidney function without ever knowing until the later stages of disease. This is why it’s so important that more people know about their own kidney health.
What the kidneys do: The kidneys perform many complicated tasks in the body, the main job being to filter the blood and remove excess water and toxins. They also control blood pressure, keep the bones healthy, and help produce red blood cells, which enable oxygen to travel from the lungs to the organs and muscles around the body.1
Taking a closer look at lupus nephritis, a potentially life-threatening manifestation of the autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).3 The damage caused to the kidneys by lupus nephritis usually gets worse over time, with up to one-third of people progressing to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) within 10 years, where the only treatment options are dialysis or transplant.4 Currently, there is no cure for lupus nephritis.4
Lupus nephritis affects approximately 1.7 million people worldwide and predominantly affects women, mostly of colour and usually of childbearing age.5,6 The impact of the disease is profound, making everyday tasks challenging and affecting how people with lupus nephritis achieve goals, like having careers or families.
It is our goal through our research, to improve our understanding of the disease biology and heterogeneity of lupus nephritis so we can improve outcomes for patients and ultimately preserve kidney function, and help delay or prevent people from progressing to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).
References
World Kidney Day fact sheet
Francis A et al. Chronic kidney disease and the global public health agenda: an international consensus. Nature Reviews Nephrology. 2024;20:473-485.
Hocaoglu et al. Incidence, prevalence, and mortality of lupus nephritis: a population-based study over four decades—The Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023;75(4):567–73.
Mok C, et al. Treatment of lupus nephritis: consensus evidence and perspectives. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2023;19:227-38.
Tian J, et al. Global epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus: a comprehensive systematic analysis and modelling study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2023;82:351-56.
Anders HJ, et al. Lupus nephritis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020;6(1):7. doi: 10.1038/s41572-019-0141-9.
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