The Chronic Kidney Disease in Elderly Population

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important problem in the elderly as well as in general population. The CKD is defined either by a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of less than 60 ml/min/1.73m(2) BSA or by the presence of kidney damage, assessed most commonly by the finding of albuminuria for three or more consecutive months. The severity of CKD can be classified as follows : stage 1, kidney damage with a normal or increased GFR (more than 90ml/min/1.73m(2) BSA); stage 2, kidney damage with a mild decrease in GFR (89 to 60ml/min/1.73m(2) BSA); stage 3, a moderate decrease in GFR (59 to 30ml/min/1.73m(2) BSA); stage 4, a severe decrease in GFR (15 to 29ml/min/1.73m(2) BSA); stage 5, kidney failure (i.e., a GFR of less than 15 ml/min/1.73m(2) or conditions requiring dialysis). The CKD in elderly population is closely related with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, functional limitation, and death. We now have to assess the risk among the elderly patients with CKD for the prevention of morbidity and mortality. Clinicians should measure albuminuria and estimate GFR from serum creatinine to detect CKD. Patients with CKD should be evaluated appropriately and treated according to the underlying cause of CKD. Moreover, the medical society should make an effort to inform individuals with increased risk to develop CKD and the necessity of simple diagnostic tests for CKD.