Project Details

Chronic kidney disease in Honduras and Guatemala

Ankana Daga, MD

Summary

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increasingly is being recognized as an important global public health problem. A subset of disease called CKD unknown cause (CKDu) mainly affects young male agricultural workers in countries such as Guatemala and Honduras. GAP: There is no study that has evaluated the monogenic causes, risk factors, socioeconomic parameters, and geographic distribution of pediatric CKD in Honduras and Guatemala. Also, data on whether CKDu manifests in children in these regions remains to be determined. HYPOTHESIS: 1: There is a subset of pediatric renal disease that is not due to traditional causes (CAKUT, glomerular), that originates from coastal areas in Honduras and Guatemala, which have also seen increases in adult CKDu. 2: Monogenic cause may explain a proportion of pediatric CKD in Honduras and Guatemala. METHODS: Our study aim is to enroll pediatric patients (age < 21 years) with CKD from Guatemala and Honduras for a multicenter retrospective case control study. The patients with CKDu being our case population, and CKD due to known causes being our control population. Patients with CKDu who provide consent for genetic testing will undergo whole exome sequencing to evaluate for monogenic cause of disease. RESULTS: Pending. IMPACT: The results of this research will provide a genetic, epidemiologic and demographic assessment of pediatric kidney disease in Honduras and Guatemala, where currently no to minimal data exists on kidney disease in children. This will likely result in immediate and coordinated action to address the epidemic of chronic kidney disease sweeping across Central America