Hormone that prevents dehydration may linked to worsening kidney disease: Study

A new study led by an IndianAmerican researcher has found that a steroid hormone called aldosterone known to prevent dehydration by regulating salt and water in the body is linked to an increased risk of kidney failure in patients with chronic kidney disease CKDAldosterone is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands which sit above the kidneys It plays a central role in controlling blood pressure But too much of it can lead to high blood pressure cardiovascular and kidney diseasesThe study published in the European Heart Journal showed that the risk of CKD worsening and developing into endstage kidney disease was independent of whether or not patients had diabetesThe team led by Dr Ashish Verma Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Medicine US investigated the associations between aldosterone concentrations in the blood and kidney disease progression among 3680 participants aged between 21 and 74 years oldThey focused on CKD progression which was defined as a 50 per cent decline in the ability of the kidneys to filter blood through the glomerular blood vessels known as the estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR or endstage kidney disease whichever occurred first In the followup of nearly ten years CKD progression occurred in 1412 38 per cent of the participantsThe team found that higher aldosterone concentrations were associated with lower eGFR lower levels of potassium in the blood and higher potassium and protein concentrations in urineFurther they found that each doubling of aldosterone concentrations in the blood was linked to an 11 per cent increased risk of CKD progression Patients with concentrations in the top 25 per cent of the group had a 45 per cent increased risk compared to the 25 per cent of patients with the lowest aldosterone concentrations The risk was similar regardless of whether or not patients also had diabetesThe findings are important because they suggest that aldosterone plays a role in the progression not only of CKD but also heart and blood vessel problems and that an existing drug that targets the action of aldosterone may help to prevent CKD getting worseThe US Food and Drug Administration FDA has approved the use of finerenone for patients with CKD and diabetes Finerenone targets the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor MR When this receptor is activated by aldosterone elevated levels of the hormone lead to high blood pressure cardiovascular and kidney diseases Verma saidAlso Read Taking vitamin D supplementation can help keep depression at bay ResearchThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever