The burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adult populations has found to be greater than previously estimated, according to the latest real-world evidence study.
Results from the CArdioREnal and MEtabolic (CaReMe) CKD study which was sponsored by AstraZeneca found that around 10% of the adult population are estimated to have CKD.
The study1, which estimated the prevalence, outcomes and cost of CKD, included 2.4 million CKD patients across nine countries in Europe, plus Israel and Canada. While CKD is estimated to be one of the most common diseases affecting one in 10 adults, it was found that two out of three patients identified to have CKD in the study were not diagnosed. This put them at high risk of morbidity and mortality and also represented a potential burden on healthcare systems.
The study also found that between 6-9% of patients with CKD die each year, and the leading cause of hospital visits and healthcare costs were CKD events and co-morbidities such as heart failure (HF). The researchers estimate that the impact of CKD is expected to rise in coming years, with both the total number of CKD cases and costs for managing CKD projected to increase even further.
Official comments
Professor Navdeep Tangri, MD PhD, Department of Medicine and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, said: “To date, estimates of the prevalence, impact and costs of CKD varied widely due to limited studies of the disease. The CaReMe CKD study is one of the largest, longest and broadest studies assessing this chronic disease and adding to the body of evidence for CKD. The results highlight the considerable public health impact of CKD and the importance of early detection and disease management to improve patients’ lives and reduce healthcare costs.”
Alexander de Giorgio-Miller, Senior Vice President, Global Medical, AstraZeneca, said: “We know there remains significant unmet need in chronic kidney disease, with millions more patients yet to be diagnosed. Real world evidence studies like this are critical to build our understanding of the gaps in diagnosis and clinical care pathways, and to set ambitious quality standards to give patients better access to medicines with the potential to prevent disease progression, disability and premature death.”
References
1: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(22)00132-6/fulltext
