Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Global Study Finds Chronic Kidney Disease Now a Top-10 Killer, Affecting Nearly 800 Million

Rising deaths tied to diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity prompt calls for early urine testing, broader access to affordable care.

Overview

  • The Lancet-published GBD 2023 analysis estimates about 788–800 million adults living with chronic kidney disease in 2023, more than double the 1990 total.
  • CKD ranked ninth for global mortality in 2023 with nearly 1.5 million deaths, one of the few leading causes with rising age-standardized death rates since 1990 (24.9 to 26.5 per 100,000).
  • Kidney dysfunction contributed to almost 12% of cardiovascular deaths in 2023, ranking seventh among global cardiovascular risk factors.
  • Most cases were in early stages, yet access to dialysis and transplantation remains limited in many regions, intensifying the focus on prevention and equitable treatment access.
  • Prevalence was highest in North Africa and the Middle East, South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean, with China (~152 million) and India (~138 million) bearing the largest national burdens.