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As global temperatures rise, chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) is increasingly affecting people, especially in regions like Central America and South Asia, where extreme heat is prevalent. Research indicates that CKDu is predominantly impacting outdoor workers in industries such as agriculture, roofing, and landscaping—many of whom are in their twenties, thirties, and forties. This is an alarming discovery, given that typical chronic kidney disease patients are usually aged 60 and older.
But what is the link between a warming climate and an increase in CKDu? What are the symptoms of the illness, and can it be prevented? Click through now to find out those answers and more.
According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, the summer of 2024 was the hottest on record. Global temperatures were 0.69°C (33.2°F) above historical averages, beating the previous high set in 2023.
While extreme heat exposure is commonly associated with heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration, researchers are finding that it can also contribute to long-term health problems like heart disease and kidney failure.
A study conducted in 2022 found that patients with CKDu had worked in the landscaping, roofing, or agriculture industries. It also suggested that individuals working in high-stress environments might be at greater risk of developing kidney disease in a warming climate.
Extreme heat makes the cardiovascular system work exponentially harder in order to keep the body at a safe temperature. Over time, this can take a toll on organs like the heart and kidneys.
Chronic kidney disease means that the kidneys are damaged and are not working effectively to filter out wastes, toxins, and excess water from the blood.
The kidneys also help with other functions like bone and red blood cell health. When the kidneys lose their function, the waste builds up in the blood.
Kidney disease is diagnosed via blood tests to check for creatinine levels, which indicate how well the kidneys are filtering blood, and urine tests to detect protein or blood. Imaging tests or a kidney biopsy may also be used to assess kidney damage.
Kidney disease is "chronic" because kidney function decreases over time. Not everyone with chronic kidney disease will develop kidney failure, but the disease often worsens without treatment.
Depending on the stage of kidney disease, a healthcare practitioner may prescribe medication, dialysis (a procedure that uses machines to remove waste products from the body), or a kidney transplant.
Dialysis is an expensive treatment, averaging around US$90,000 per patient annually in the United States. As the number of patients rises, the total healthcare cost would increase substantially.
Symptoms are often not noticeable in the early stages of kidney disease, but as it progresses you may experience increased frequency of urination, loss of appetite, and fatigue or low energy levels.
Other noticeable symptoms include swelling of your hands, feet, and ankles, muscle cramps, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath, and puffy eyes.
Some of the complications of kidney disease include, anemia, weak and brittle bones, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
In recent decades, younger people in Sri Lanka, Central America, India, and Saudi Arabia have been attending dialysis centers with severe kidney damage and none of the typical risk factors.
People are more at risk of chronic kidney disease if they have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, are over the age of 60, or have a family history of kidney disease.
Experts aren't certain whether heat is the primary cause of kidney disease in otherwise healthy young people. Other factors such as pesticides, contaminated drinking water, or using painkillers could be contributing factors.
Wildfire smoke carries microscopic particles that can reach the bloodstream and kidneys, which can be damaged over time.
Some experts believe high temperatures while working a demanding physical job accelerate kidney injuries that accumulate over time.
Farmworkers, particularly those with few labor protections, face specific risk factors, such as payment systems that discourage water breaks.
In May 2024, a published study found that workers who are paid a piece rate for the amount of food picked rather than hours worked had higher rates of acute kidney injury.
Workers have to push themselves in extreme heat to pick fruits and vegetables as quickly as possible. While they know they need to drink water to stay safe, low wages and the pressure to meet quotas force them to keep working.
Immigrant workers in the US often have to return to their home countries because they can't access the healthcare system, relying on their families for care.
Currently, only a handful of US states have heat exposure standards. Some states, notably Florida and Texas, prohibit local governments from enacting protections.
In July 2024, the Biden administration proposed a national heat standard that experts believe could help prevent a surge in heat-related illnesses.
Researchers conducting a study of sugar cane workers in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, an area with high chronic kidney disease rates, found that providing basic protections, such as access to drinking water and breaks in shaded areas, reduced the risk of incident kidney injury.
The link between rising temperatures and increasing cases of CKDu suggests that the disease could be the first of its kind caused by climate change. Like the coal miner's black lung, it can be prevented with the addition of workplace safety standards.
Black lung disease, or coal workers' pneumoconiosis, occurs when coal dust is inhaled. Continuous exposure causes scarring in the lungs, impairing the ability to breathe.
Research is ongoing to figure out what long-term exposure to higher temperatures means for the general population. In a warming climate, we could all be at risk of kidney dysfunction.
Research has found that for every 1°C (33.8°F) increase in temperature, the estimated risk of hospitalization for renal diseases, like kidney disease, lasting up to seven days increased by 0.9%.
Sources: (The Guardian) (World Economic Forum) (Time) (Cleveland Clinic)
See also: This might be the first nation officially erased by climate change
Is a warming climate putting people at risk of kidney disease?
Could kidney disease be the black lung of climate change?
LIFESTYLE Illness
As global temperatures rise, chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) is increasingly affecting people, especially in regions like Central America and South Asia, where extreme heat is prevalent. Research indicates that CKDu is predominantly impacting outdoor workers in industries such as agriculture, roofing, and landscaping—many of whom are in their twenties, thirties, and forties. This is an alarming discovery, given that typical chronic kidney disease patients are usually aged 60 and older.
But what is the link between a warming climate and an increase in CKDu? What are the symptoms of the illness, and can it be prevented? Click through now to find out those answers and more.