Doctors have long known that some families have more members with kidney disease than others. Studying the genes of families that have more kidney disease is just one of the research areas supported by the National Kidney Foundation. One recent research project looked at how genes affect the causes of kidney disease. “My grandfather had hypertension for 45 years,” reported Dr. Sun Woo Kang, a South Korean–born nephrologist and researcher. “My father has had diabetes and hypertension for 25 years. He also had heart bypass surgery. Then, it was recently discovered that I had certain precursors for cardiovascular or kidney disease similar to my father, and my father’s father. I became even more interested in human genetics as it relates to cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.” Dr Kang is working long hours in the laboratory at the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics at the University of California at San Diego.

Dr Kang’s research is funded with a National Kidney Foundation Fellowship. He is testing blood samples and DNA of patients with kidney failure, who volunteered because they were on dialysis at one of three Southern California medical centers. It is hoped this will help him discover if any genetic factors exist when it comes to cardiovascular and kidney disease. “Of people suffering from hypertension, there is a small group that is genetically at a high risk of developing hypertensive kidney disease,” he says. “I’m here to find out why and to help them.” That group, Dr. Kang adds, would get more intensive treatment, shown to reduce the onset of this disease.

Since kidney disease can affect some families more than others, Dr. Kang is one of many researchers who are looking for genes by collecting blood samples from people with CKD and their families. Then, they compare the genes in those with kidney disease to a group of individuals who do not have kidney disease. Understanding the causes of kidney disease could lead to new ways to treat these medical problems. In addition, knowing which people carry kidney disease genes will allow doctors to find people at risk earlier. If they know who is at risk for developing kidney disease, they may know who could benefit most from early treatment and more frequent doctor visits.

If you have diabetes and have a brother, sister or parent with diabetic kidney disease, the chance that you will have kidney disease during is higher. Genes might be part of the reason that African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Native American or Native Alaskan people have higher risks. If you have diabetes but do not have a relative with diabetic kidney disease, you have a lower chance of having diabetic kidney disease over the course of your lifetime.

Like diabetes and hypertension, family history is a strong predictor of having heart disease in the general population. And, heart disease is a strong predictor of chronic kidney disease. Family history is one way physicians who treat families can look more closely for certain diseases. If someone in your family has heart disease, you should talk to your doctor about being tested for kidney disease.

Journal of Nephrology and Urology is an Open Access peer-reviewed publication that discusses current research and advancements in diagnosis and management of kidney disorders as well as related epidemiology, pathophysiology and molecular genetics.

To submit a new manuscript authors should use the online submission system. Authors may submit their manuscript via online tracking system https://www.imedpub.com/submissions/nephrology-urology.html or as an attachment to email:  nephrolurol@imedpubjournals.com

Regards
Mercy Eleanor
Editorial Assistant
Journal of Nephrology and Urology