Advanced kidney disease may make you poor

Washington DC: Advanced chronic kidney disease are the significant predictors of falling into poverty, as are the black ethnicity, low educational attainment, single adult household and low income, according to a recent study.

The study stated that advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may cause considerable financial strains for patients and their families.

The impact of CKD on a patient's household income is unclear. To determine whether CKD severity and side effects associated with the disease and its treatment were associated with a fall into poverty, Rachael Morton from the University of Sydney and her colleagues examined information on individuals with moderate-to-severe CKD who were participating in the Study of Heart and Renal Protection (SHARP) and were followed for a median of 5 years.

The researchers found that CKD severity, but not side effects, was a significant predictor of a fall into poverty. Participants who received kidney transplants were 52 percent less likely to fall into poverty. Black ethnicity, low educational attainment, single adult household and low income at the start of the study were also linked with a fall into poverty.

Patients in advanced stages of CKD are at an increased risk of falling into financial hardship, the authors concluded, adding that kidney transplantation may have a role in reducing the risks of household poverty due to CKD.

The study will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3¬-8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.