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Chronic kidney diseases of uncertain etiology (CKDue) in Sri Lanka: geographic distribution and environmental implications

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Abstract

The increase in the number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients from the north central region of Sri Lanka has become a environmental health issue of national concern. Unlike in other countries where long-standing diabetes and hypertension are the leading causes of renal diseases, the majority of CKD patients from this part of Sri Lanka do not show any identifiable cause. As the disease is restricted to a remarkably specific geographical terrain, particularly in the north central dry zone of the country, multidisciplinary in-depth research studies are required to identify possible etiologies and risk factors. During this study, population screening in the prevalent region and outside the region, analysis of geoenvironmental and biochemical samples were carried out. Population screening that was carried out using a multistage sampling technique indicated that the point prevalence of CKD with uncertain etiology is about 2–3% among those above 18 years of age. Drinking water collected from high-prevalent and non-endemic regions was analyzed for their trace and ultratrace element contents, including the nephrotoxic heavy metals Cd and U using ICP-MS. The results indicate that the affected regions contain moderate to high levels of fluoride. The Cd contents in drinking water, rice from affected regions and urine from symptomatic and non-symptomatic patients were much lower indicating that Cd is not a contributing factor for CKD with uncertain etiology in Sri Lanka. Although no single geochemical parameter could be clearly and directly related to the CKD etiology on the basis of the elements determined during this study, it is very likely that the unique hydrogeochemistry of the drinking water is closely associated with the incidence of the disease.

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Acknowledgments

Ethical approval has been obtained from the Research and Ethical Clearance committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya for this study. Japanese team was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant Nos. 21406018 and 17109007), Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology (No. 1300001), Japan Science and Technology Agency and Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (No. H21-food-003) and a grant from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan (No. 18018022). The funding agents had no roles in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    Rohana Chandrajith & C. B. Dissanayake

  2. Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Shanika Nanayakkara, Kouji Harada & Akio Koizumi

  3. Department of Public Health, Iwate Medical University, Morioka-shi, Iwate, Japan

    Kozuyoshi Itai

  4. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    T. N. C. Aturaliya

  5. Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka

    C. B. Dissanayake

  6. Nephrology Unit, General Hospital (Teaching), Kandy, Sri Lanka

    Thilak Abeysekera

  7. Miyagi University of Education, Sendai, Japan

    Takao Watanabe

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  1. Rohana Chandrajith
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  2. Shanika Nanayakkara
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  3. Kozuyoshi Itai
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  4. T. N. C. Aturaliya
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  5. C. B. Dissanayake
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Correspondence to Rohana Chandrajith.

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Chandrajith, R., Nanayakkara, S., Itai, K. et al. Chronic kidney diseases of uncertain etiology (CKDue) in Sri Lanka: geographic distribution and environmental implications. Environ Geochem Health 33, 267–278 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9339-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9339-1

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