There appears to be a link between acute kidney injury and brain health. In one study, researchers at the Karolinska Institutet observed an increased risk of dementia.
In acute kidney injury, there is a sudden deterioration in kidney function. It is not uncommon in the elderly and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.
Previous studies have shown that there may be a link between acute kidney injury, previously called acute renal failure, and brain damage. In a new study, researchers at Karolinska Institutet investigated whether there is also an increased risk of dementia.
Kidney damage is associated with dementia.
The researchers analyzed data from more than 300,000 people over the age of 65. They were followed for twelve years.
Just over one in four study participants had at least one acute kidney injury during follow-up. They had a 49 percent higher risk of developing some form of dementia, the study showed, see fact box.
The risk was higher with severe kidney damage requiring hospital care.
“Our results suggest that acute kidney injury is not just an isolated event affecting kidney function, but can have broader consequences for brain health, among other things,” says researcher Hong Xu at Karolinska Institutet.
May lead to early interventions.
Next, the researchers will investigate the biological mechanisms that may underlie the link between kidney damage and dementia. They will also evaluate whether different medications, lifestyle changes, and follow-up after acute kidney injury can reduce the risk.
– Identifying acute kidney injury as a risk factor for dementia could lead to earlier interventions, preventive treatment and better patient care, says Professor Juan Jesus Carrero at the Karolinska Institutet.
The risk varies depending on the type of dementia.
Dementia was diagnosed in 16% of all participants in the current study. The researchers conducted separate analyses of the types of dementia that could be linked to acute kidney failure.
They found that the increased risk was 88% greater for Lewy body dementia or dementia caused by Parkinson's disease.
The risk of vascular dementia increased by 47 percent.
The increased risk of Alzheimer's disease was 31 percent.
Scientific study:
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