PLoS ONE (Jan 2020)

Sex differences in chronic kidney disease awareness among US adults, 1999 to 2018.

  • Sebastian Hödlmoser,
  • Wolfgang C Winkelmayer,
  • Jarcy Zee,
  • Roberto Pecoits-Filho,
  • Ronald L Pisoni,
  • Friedrich K Port,
  • Bruce M Robinson,
  • Robin Ristl,
  • Simon Krenn,
  • Amelie Kurnikowski,
  • Michał Lewandowski,
  • Allison Ton,
  • Juan Jesus Carrero,
  • Eva S Schernhammer,
  • Manfred Hecking

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243431
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 12
p. e0243431

Abstract

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BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is less prevalent among men than women, but more men than women initiate kidney replacement therapy. Differences in CKD awareness may contribute to this gender gap, which may further vary by race/ethnicity. We aimed to investigate trends in CKD awareness and the association between individual characteristics and CKD awareness among US men versus women.Methods and findingsWe conducted a serial, cross-sectional analysis of 10 cycles (1999-2018) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Adult participants with CKD stages G3-G5 (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ConclusionsCKD awareness is lower among US women than men. The narrowing gap between the sexes in more recent years and the results on CKD awareness by serum creatinine indicate that health care professionals have previously been relying on serum creatinine to inform patients about their condition, but in more recent years have been using eGFR, which accounts for women's lower serum creatinine levels due to their lower muscle mass. Additional efforts should be made to increase CKD awareness among both sexes.