An international study has revealed that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) living in hotter climates experience a significantly faster decline in kidney function. Conducted by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the study is the first of its kind to offer medium-term global insights into the relationship between heat exposure and CKD progression, and it notes the need for urgent attention to climate-related health impacts, particularly as the planet continues to warm.*

Heat as Risk Factor for CKD Progression

Analyzing clinical data from 4,017 patients across 21 countries, the study found that people living in the hottest regions experienced an 8% greater annual decline in kidney function compared to those in temperate areas. This outcome was independent of other contributing factors such as:

• Diabetes, 
• High blood pressure, and 
• National income levels. 

Whether patients were from high-income countries like Japan or middle-income nations like Vietnam, the trend held steady, suggesting that heat alone—rather than socioeconomic or health disparities—is a key driver in the deterioration of kidney function.

Global Warming’s Toll on Kidney Health

CKD affects one in ten people globally, and while its early treatment is manageable, kidney failure demands expensive and intensive therapies like dialysis or transplants. In many of the hotter and less developed countries, however, such therapies are not widely available, rendering CKD a fatal diagnosis for many.

The study findings arrive at a critical moment, with average global temperatures already 1.1°C (33.98°F) above pre-industrial levels. Without rapid action to limit warming, the authors warn that millions of kidney patients in hot regions could face accelerated organ failure.

“This is a call to action,” said Professor Ben Caplin of UCL. “We now know heat plays a direct role in worsening CKD. That means we can and must test interventions like hydration protocols or heat exposure reduction to slow disease progression.”

With climate change intensifying, addressing heat stress in CKD patients is no longer optional; it’s a pressing global health imperative.

*University College London. (2024, April 5). Hot Climates Worsen Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes. News-Medical.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240405/Hot-climates-worsen-chronic-kidney-disease-outcomes.aspx 

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