Today, kidney issues dramatically impact global health, especially the health of children. In developing countries, millions of people – most of them children – die each year from diseases that are preventable and treatable. For many of these children, kidney problems represent a serious threat to their survival.
HIV Associated Nephropathy (HIVAN)
- Approximately 2.5 million children under age 15 have AIDS
- Kidney disease in HIV is associated with increased mortality
- At least 2 – 10 % of HIV patients, and likely many more, are also affected by HIVAN (confirmed by biopsy)
Diarrheal Disease
- Diarrhea is the #2 cause of death in children worldwide
- Diarrheal disease can result in severe fluid and electrolyte disturbances and acute kidney injury
Low Birth Weight
- Infants with low birth weight are seen in malnourished populations, disproportionately in low income areas
- Low birth weight infants are at greater risk of small kidneys
- These small babies are more likely to develop significant elevations in blood pressure as teenagers
Urological Disease
- Congenital abnormalities of the bladder and kidneys are a major cause of chronic kidney disease in children, and are often not recognized in infancy
- After birth, these children are at risk for obstruction and infection, which worsens their prognosis
- There are many non-invasive tests such as renal ultrasound and urine dipsticks, which can be used to detect kidney and bladder abnormalities in utero and shortly after birth