CHENNAI: Almost one in every five adults in Tamil Nadu have elevated renal parameters, which indicate the need to increase awareness about Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in the State, says the preliminary report of the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine on a survey conducted in February 2022.
With the availability of information on CKD limited to reported cases in hospitals, through insurance claims, and reports of other non-communicable diseases, the State lacks enough data on the cause of the disease.
Hence, a ‘Tamil Nadu Chronic Kidney Disease Prevalence Survey’ was conducted among adults in 177 different areas across the State. The study was funded by the National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu.
The Institute of Community Medicine identified the 177 clusters by cluster random sampling method based on population size.
From each cluster, 30 adult participants were included for the survey to arrive at a sample size of 5,310. A questionnaire jointly-developed by the Institute of Community Medicine and Institute of Nephrology was administered to each participant. Their blood and urine were tested.
Among them, 455 (9.5%) had elevated serum creatinine level, 276 (5.8%) had albumin, and 367 (7.7%) had RBCs in urine. Overall, 934 (19.7%) had either blood in urine, albumin in urine, or an elevated serum creatinine level. The survey notes that screening for CKD, especially among those with risk factors like Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension, is vital as early diagnosis and timely management can prevent its progression.
The individuals identified as potentially at risk of having CKD will be followed up after three months and undergo a retesting. Only if they have consistent abnormal values, they will be confirmed as having CKD. The results are being communicated to the participants. The GBD estimates and systematic reviews provide a rough estimate of prevalence of CKD in TN, at around 10%.