Community-based screening for chronic kidney disease among populations older than 40 years in Beijing

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem, while data from developing countries are limited. We sought to investigate the epidemiological features of kidney damage in metropolis-residing Chinese adults (>40 years old), and to determine the associated factors of CKD. METHODS: Two thousand three hundred and fifty-three residents in one district of Beijing were interviewed and tested for albuminuria, reduced renal function, haematuria and pyuria. The associations between demographic characteristics, health characteristics and indicators of kidney damage were examined. RESULTS: Albuminuria was detected in 6.2% of subjects; reduced renal function was found in 5.2% of subjects; haematuria was found in 0.8% and non-infective pyuria was found in 0.09%. Approximately, 11.3% (95% confidence interval: 10.0-12.8%) of subjects had at least one indicator of kidney damage. The awareness rate of CKD was only 7.2%. Systolic blood pressure and diabetes were independently associated with albuminuria. Age, diastolic blood pressure, hypercholesteraemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and hyperuricaemia were independently associated with reduced renal function. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the prevalence of CKD in a community-based population within a developing country, determined using protocols recommended by kidney disease improving global outcomes (KDIGO). The prevalence of CKD in our population was close to the levels observed in developed countries, and the spectrum of CKD and associated factors were similar to developed countries. Results from this study suggest that strategies aimed at an intervention of hypertension and other metabolic disorders might prove effective in controlling the pandemic of CKD in China, as well as other developing countries.