Experts have recently found that dementia risk could potentially be diagnosed through a test for kidney problems. The study suggests that a simple urine test for kidney disease could also warn if patients are at risk of dementia. However, although experts have revealed that the exact link between renal failure and dementia is not fully understood, can this finding be used in future research to finally discover the long awaited cure for the said disease?
Kidney Test And Alzheimer 's Disease: What's The Link?
According to reports, experts have allegedly analyzed 27,805 people and 22 previous studies surrounding kidney problems and cognitive ability. In one of his statements reported by Express, study lead author Dr. Kay Deckers at Maastricht University has revealed that kidney dysfunction has long been considered as a possible risk factor for cognitive impairment or dementia.
Dr. Deckers explains that chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dementia share a number of risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, and both show similar effects on the brain, so they may have shared vascular factors or there may even be a direct effect on the brain from kidney problems.
Furthermore, as per Daily Mail, Dr. Deckers added that both kidney disease and dementia are as important as public health problems considering the rising health care costs for the society. In another recent study, it was found that the number of people suffering from dementia has reportedly increased across the globe. Meanwhile, researchers claimed that a previous meta-analysis has found a 39 percent increased odds for cognitive impairment in patients with CKD. Consequently, Dr. Deckers looked at protein in the urine, also called albuminuria or proteinuria and have allegedly concluded that protein in urine specimen was associated with a modestly increased risk of cognitive impairment or dementia
Ultimately, experts have highly emphasized that more research is needed in order to accurately determine whether kidney problems are in fact a cause of dementia or if they are both caused by the same factors.
