Tamil Nadu has one of the highest incidence of diabetes in India, and nearly 30% of the patients develop chronic kidney disease (CKD), said K. Sampathkumar, Head, Department of Nephrology, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Re-search Centre, Madurai. Addressing media on the eve of World Kidney Day on Wednesday, he said diabetes and hypertension continued to be the common causes of CKD. Other risk factors included obesity, high cholesterol level, smoking, alcoholism and high intake of salt in the range of 12 to 15 gram per day. Over-the-counter pain killers were also a factor. Stressing the importance of early diagnosis of the disease, Paul Vincent, Consultant, Department of Urology, said there would not be many symptoms during early stages of kidney-related diseases. Symptoms like swelling in legs or face, blood stains in urine, change in pattern of urination, poor appetite and exhaustion even after minor workouts must not be ignored. As per Indian CKD Regis-try, a voluntary reporting body on CKD patients, the State had about 65,000 patients, with some 15,000 requiring advanced treatment like dialysis or kidney transplants, they said.
Source: The Hindu
Date: 14.03.19
