CKD Rising Among Women Globally, With Metabolic Factors Driving Increase: Study
China: An estimated 359 million women worldwide are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with cases increasing by 90.65% since 1990, a study published in the Chinese Medical Journal has shown. The rise is largely linked to metabolic risk factors, while diabetic kidney disease accounted for about 16% of CKD cases and one-third of CKD-related deaths.
The study, led by Chongbin Liu, Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Changsha, Hunan, China, and colleagues, examined global trends in CKD among women and explored its relationship with metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Researchers analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 and used Joinpoint regression to assess changes in CKD burden over time. The analysis considered age groups, five CKD subtypes, sociodemographic index (SDI), contributing risk factors, and cardiovascular outcomes associated with impaired kidney function.
The global burden of CKD among women increased substantially between 1990 and 2021. The researchers also identified important differences according to age and socioeconomic status, highlighting the growing impact of CKD across both older and reproductive-age women.
Key findings included:
- The number of women living with CKD reached 359 million in 2021, representing a 90.65% increase from 1990.
- The absolute number of women with diabetic kidney disease nearly doubled during the study period.
- Nearly two-thirds of women with CKD were postmenopausal, with age-standardized mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) rates reaching 64.03 and 1493.31 per 100,000, respectively.
- CKD prevalence among women of reproductive age continued to rise, with an average annual percentage change of 0.13%.
- Mortality and DALY rates were highest in regions with low or low-middle SDI, while age-standardized prevalence was greatest in low-middle SDI regions.
- Metabolic factors were the leading contributors to CKD, with risks associated with high fasting glucose and high body mass index increasing by 40.66% and 112.17%, respectively, among women of reproductive age.
- Cardiovascular disease attributable to impaired kidney function accounted for 18.19 million DALYs, representing 46.70% of the overall disease burden, with ischemic heart disease contributing the largest share.
- Population growth and population aging accounted for 58.63% and 26.64%, respectively, of the increase in CKD burden.
The findings highlight a growing metabolic–renal–cardiovascular burden among women, driven largely by obesity and abnormal glucose metabolism. The rising CKD burden in women of reproductive age underscores the need for earlier identification and management of metabolic risks.
The study has limitations, including reliance on modeled GBD estimates, regional variations in data quality and reporting, and limited information on individual CKD stages and clinical subgroups. Hormonal and pregnancy-related factors may also not have been fully captured.
The researchers called for earlier prevention and management of metabolic risk factors and better access to kidney care, particularly in resource-limited regions, to curb the rising global burden of CKD among women.
Reference:
Liu, C., Qu, X., Xi, Y., Zhang, Z., Yang, M., Liu, S., Liu, H., Sheng, Z., & Sun, L. (2026). Chronic kidney disease in women: Global trends and metabolic-cardiovascular associations. Chinese Medical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1097/CM9.0000000000004100
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