Padmavati Prabhu
Panaji
As the world observes the World Kidney Day today, which is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys, nephrologist Dr Shital Lengade said that nearly one-third cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Goa are related to diabetes.
“Now we see diabetes affecting us very early. Type 2 diabetes, which was earlier seen in the fifth or sixth decade of life, is now seen in people in their twenties and thirties,” said Dr Lengade.
He said diabetes-related kidney disease, which was usually seen in the sixth or seventh decade of life, is now seen in the fourth decade. “People as young as 45 years are visiting us with complaints of kidney failure because of diabetes. That is the change we are witnessing. Of all CKD cases in Goa, 30-35% are because of diabetes,” he said.
“Diabetes affecting the young population also has its other problems. Their control on sugar level is not very good and they have other lifestyle issues like stress, hypertension, leading to the kidney disease,” he said.
Dr Lengade suggested that it is essential and mandatory for any person who is suffering from diabetes or hypertension to undergo a renal function test right at the diagnosis level and at least once a year thereafter.
“As diabetes is a risk factor for kidney disease, unless the test is done, you will never diagnose it early.
The common practice we see in people suffering from diabetes is that they will only be concerned about getting their sugar level controlled. We should know that diabetes is not just a disease of blood sugar. It is basically a multi-system disease wherein high sugar is one factor. It tends to affect many organs including the heart, kidneys and eyes. But what people know is diabetes is only associated with sugar and that is where precaution towards other organs is ignored,” he said.
Dr Lengade said there is a need to create awareness among people to focus on other organs also apart from controlling their sugar level in case they are diabetic. “Only then we will have preventive measures for these complications,” he said and recommended tests to patients with diabetes for the prevention and early diagnosis of kidney disease.
“There are simple tests – urine examination, serum creatinine and Urine Albumin Creatinine Ratio (UACR). If every diabetic gets them done once in a year then we will never miss a kidney disease in its early stage. Now there are medicines available which can be used in the early stages of the disease to prevent its further progression. UACR is the first test that will be abnormal when you suffer from kidney disease,” he said.