Dubai: Of 600 plus residents screened during a two-week campaign for kidney health, almost 50 per cent have the risk factors — diabetes, hypertension and/or obesity, for chronic kidney disease (CKD), Gulf News has learnt.
The figures are results from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) campaign that concluded with a screening camp at Dubai Hospital on Thursday to mark World Kidney Day, which aims to raise awareness towards kidney health on a global level.
Around 40 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease, cautioned nephrologists during the screening.
The high prevalence kidney disease in the emirate is a concern, they said due to the high rate of Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and rising obesity – all risk factors for kidney disease. The concern is also due to the fact that a majority of individuals with early stages of CKD go undiagnosed because there are few or no symptoms.
Available figures suggest that the UAE has a diabetes prevalence rate of 19.2 per cent as per the Diabetes Atlas 2011 released by (IDF) in 2012, and 1 in 15 individuals in Dubai is diagnosed with hypertension, according to a 2012 survey by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Speaking to Gulf News, Dr Mohammad Railey, consultant head of the Nephrology Department at Dubai Hospital said screening should be a priority among residents who have Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, who are obese or smoke and/or are over 50, and those who have personal or family history of diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease. High blood pressure is present in approximately 80 per cent of patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). 8 to 10 per cent of the adult population have some form of kidney damage, and every year millions die prematurely of complications related to their kidney disease.
“Two simple tests on small samples of blood and urine can detect kidney damage or deterioration. If undetected, it could lead to progressive loss of kidney function, leading to kidney failure and the need for dialysis [a clinical purification of blood to substitute for the normal function of the kidney] or transplantation,” he said.
At the Dubai Hospital, 240 patients are on dialysis. Every year, there is a 10-15 per cent rise in the number of patients who require dialysis, he said.
Amna Khalifa Al Hadari, Senior Specialist Registrar from the Hospital’s Nephrology Department added, “More and more people are showing up at screenings with undiagnosed diabetes and hypertension.”
Clinical dietician Najla Obaid advised residents to control their risk factors by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
She told Gulf News, “The majority of people screened were hypertensive patients and did not eat well; we advised salt reduction in diet.”
The DHA campaign which included tests for blood, urine, blood pressure, blood sugar and weight, was organised by the Dubai Hospital’s Nephrology department.
