Elevated Inflammation and Poor Diet Quality Associated with Lower eGFR in United States Adults: An NHANES 2015–2018 Analysis

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease is prevalent within the United States likely due to dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and diet quality (DQ) and their effect on the eGFR. A cross-sectional secondary data analysis study was conducted among adults (n = 6230) using NHANES 2015–2018 data. DQ was determined by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015). Multivariable linear regressions were conducted based on eGFR (≥90 or 2) after adjustments for age, race/ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease awareness. All analyses were performed in SAS version 9.4 with a statistical significance of p 2 were older and had a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes and had higher hs-CRP compared to participants with an eGFR ≥ 90 (p p p = 0.03), whereas their hs-CRP had a negative significant relationship on thier eGFR (p p < 0.001). Overall, low DQ and elevated hs-CRP contributed to a reduction in kidney function. Efforts to improve dietary intake and strategies to reduce inflammation and improve kidney function are necessary.

Keywords

• chronic kidney disease
• inflammation
• diet quality
• NHANES