Background:
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a health problem of global concern. Approximately 1 in 10 adults worldwide have CKD and that number is increasing. CKD is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. There is no reliable information regarding the epidemiology or impact of CKD in Irish people. The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) is a longitudinal cohort study of over 8000 members of the Irish general population. TILDA has generated detailed health assessments of its participants. Because CKD is primarily a disease of older age, TILDA is the perfect setting in which to study CKD in Ireland.
Aims:
The aims of the proposed research are three-fold: to capture the prevalence, demographics and risk factor associations of CKD in an at-risk Irish cohort; to determine the impact of CKD on cognitive function, physical performance and quality of life in older Irish adults; to identify the high risk individual with CKD who would benefit most from intervention.
Methods:
The prevalence of CKD in Ireland will be determined, and its associations with cardiovascular risk factors and chronic diseases assessed. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for CKD by risk factor will be generated. Multivariable-adjusted cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of CKD stage with measures of progressive frailty and physical decline, cognitive decline and quality of life will be determined. The relationship between continuous GFR and adverse outcomes will be modelled using linear or restricted cubic spline functions, as appropriate, to identify inflection points for increased risk and define subsets of CKD at increased risk.
Anticipated Outcomes:
The results of this research will identify individuals with CKD at highest risk of adverse outcomes. This information will form an essential part of a blueprint national strategy for the detection and management of CKD in Ireland.
