Chronic kidney disease affects 10-16% of individuals globally with increasing risk of serious health problems and early death in those with the condition. Due to the numerous and varied factors involved, patients with chronic kidney disease can have different signs and symptoms rather than a specific set of disease indicators. As a result, laboratory measurements or physical symptoms that act as substitutes for other signs and symptoms tend to be used to evaluate disease stage and progression. There is considerable interest in understanding how such measurements relate to clinical outcomes like end-stage renal disease, cardiovascular disease, and death, particularly in the context of genetic factors (or so-called risk alleles). The UK Biobank data resource offers a unique opportunity to study such relationships given its size, availability of clinician information, and its unique collection of genetic data.
This proposed research project aims to determine whether the UK Biobank contains sufficient numbers of chronic kidney disease patients and sufficiently complete corresponding data for a robust analysis of chronic kidney disease measurements and relevant clinical outcomes. The specific project goals, stated briefly, are:
1. Determine the number of chronic kidney disease patients in UK Biobank
2. Describe the UK Biobank chronic kidney disease patients in terms of demographics (e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity), chronic kidney disease-related indicators, and other clinical, laboratory, and genetic variables and
3. Determine if more complex analyses are possible to examine the relationship between chronic kidney disease measurements and specific health conditions.
The duration of this initial project is expected to require three months or less. The overarching goal is for this research to lead to a better understanding of chronic kidney disease in the context of genetic factors and ultimately to support development of novel treatments for certain subtypes of chronic kidney disease.