Hispanic and Latino people have a higher incident rate for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) than non-Hispanics, but less studies have been done on chronic kidney disease (CKD) incident rates in the same population. In a 2020 study published in the Journal of American Society of Nephrology, researchers investigated the frequency of occurrence and risk factors for CKD in Hispanic communities in the U.S.*

What they did

Using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, the study used data from 8,774 adult Hispanic and/or Latino people living in Chicago, Miami, the Bronx (New York City), and San Diego. The data was obtained from in-person clinic visits and follow-up assessments via telephone.

What they found

Over 5.9 years of follow-up:

• 648 of the 8,774 participants developed CKD.
• In comparison with Mexican participants, Puerto Ricans had the highest risk of CKD incidence at 79%, due to differences in sociological and demographic characteristics.                   
• Identified risk factors include blood pressure (BP) higher than 140/90 mm Hg; a higher level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); lower eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate); and higher urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR).

HbAc indicates the presence of excessive sugar in the blood that usually occurs in diabetes. An elevated ACR shows high permeability for albumin in the glomerulus of the kidney, whose measurement helps identify kidney disease.

Other risk factors may include:

• older age, 
• female gender, and 
• presence of cardiovascular disease.          

What this means

The study identified a need for “culturally tailored public health interventions among Hispanics/Latinos focusing on prevention and control of risk factors, including diabetes and hypertension.” Doing this may help decrease the burden of CKD and ESKD on Hispanic and Latino communities.

*Ricardo, A.C.; Loop, M.S.; Gonzalez, F.; Lora, C.M.; et al. (2020, June 1). “Incident Chronic Kidney Disease Risk among Hispanics/Latinos in the United States: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).” Journal of American Society of Nephrology.