Timely screening for creatinine levels through a simple blood test, proper blood pressure monitoring and eating sensibly were some of the key takeaways at a conference held in Mumbai recently.

“Long standing diabetes is a major cause of kidney disease in affluent and urban population of India in Delhi and Chennai. Even in Singapore and Mumbai, Diabetes happens to be the major cause for Kidney failure,” informed leading Nephrologlist Dr Lye Wai Choong , Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore during his speech. 

Kidney stone, infections and kidney tissue inflammation are the causes of kidney disease outside major cities in India. Hypertension is a manifestation of kidney disease and is difficult to control it. Therefore, creatinine levels have to be assessed. It should be ideally at 1.3, if it is above that then kidneys are functioning at less than 50% and needs therapeutic intervention.

Dr Choong further remarked on the sidelines of the conference, “Fatty liver happens to the leading cause of Kidney disease. Our kidneys are the best kidneys no matter how bad they are. No kidney transplant last forever. Immunosuppression is double edged sword with side -effects. Therefore, post-transplant management is therefore important to help kidney transplant become successful.”  

Dispelling the myth about adverse affects of hypertensive medicines on Kidneys, Dr Choong clarified, “hypertensive medicines given to kidney disease patients need to be customized based on the patient’s medical condition and are widely available in India with no side effects”.

Besides this, early detection of Hepatitis B virus infection allows for timely intervention and treatment to prevent or delay serious complications in liver disease patients.

According to Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, Dr Kieron Lim, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore “Common causes of Liver Cirrhosis are Hepatitis B and Fatty Liver. Compounding problem further, 75% of people with Hepatitis B live in Asia and Fatty Liver is the most common problem in the world impacting people in the age group of 40 to 60 years. Estimated prevalence of Fatty Liver is 10-40 % in general population and 70% in diabetics.”

Non –alcoholic Fatty liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, affecting 17 to 46% of the developed world. Left undiagnosed, it may lead to complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.