Affiliation:
1. Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli (BMM), 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy
2. Research Unit of Clinical Epidemiology of Reggio Calabria, Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), National Research Council (CNR), 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition characterized by the gradual loss of kidney function over time and it is a worldwide health issue. The estimated frequency of CKD is 10% of the world’s population, but it varies greatly on a global scale. In absolute terms, the staggering number of subjects affected by various degrees of CKD is 850,000,000, and 85% of them are in low- to middle-income countries. The most important risk factors for chronic kidney disease are age, arterial hypertension, diabetes, obesity, proteinuria, dyslipidemia, and environmental risk factors such as dietary salt intake and a more recently investigated agent: pollution. In this narrative review, we will focus by choice just on some risk factors such as age, which is the most important non-modifiable risk factor, and among modifiable risk factors, we will focus on hypertension, salt intake, obesity, and sympathetic overactivity.