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Vanek L, Gülmez D, Kurnikowski A, Krenn S, Mussnig S, Lewandowski M, Gauckler P, Pirklbauer M, Horn S, Brunner M, Zitt E, Kirsch B, Windpessl M, Eller K, Odler B, Aringer I, Wiesholzer M, Stamm T, Jauré A, Hecking M. Patient and Caregiver Perspectives on Gender Disparity in Chronic Kidney Disease: Questionnaire Survey, Based on an Interview Study. Am J Nephrol 2024; 55:561-582. [PMID: 39191222 PMCID: PMC11446334 DOI: 10.1159/000540850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in stages 3-5 without albuminuria occurs more often in women than in men; however, most patients initiating and receiving kidney replacement therapy are men. Sex-determined biological factors and gender-related aspects both likely account for this discrepancy. Patient opinions on gender-related discrepancies in kidney care have not been investigated. METHODS Building upon the findings of semi-structured interviews previously conducted with CKD patients and their caregivers, two questionnaires were developed to investigate patient behavior and opinions relating to gender and CKD. These questionnaires containing 39 items were distributed to eight outpatient clinics in Austria. Responses were descriptively analyzed and compared between genders, as well as between age-groups and CKD stages. RESULTS Questionnaires from 783 patients and 98 caregivers were included in the analysis and covered health awareness and self-management of disease, the impact of gender roles and gender equality, and patient autonomy and trust in the health-care system. A total of 56.1% of men patients and 63.1% of women patients found that women were better at looking after their health compared to men (41.1%/34.3% no difference, 2.8%/2.6% men better). A total of 95.4% of men patients, 95.0% of women patients, 100% of men caregivers, and 95.5% of women caregivers stated that all patients with kidney disease were treated completely equally, irrespective of gender. CONCLUSION Neither the patients nor the caregivers stated gender-determined treatment decisions in CKD care. Both men and women however agreed that women are better at maintaining their own health and excel in disease self-management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Vanek
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria,
- Center for Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria,
| | - Dilara Gülmez
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amelie Kurnikowski
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Krenn
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Mussnig
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michał Lewandowski
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Gauckler
- Medical University of Innsbruck, Clinical Department of Nephrology and Hypertensiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Markus Pirklbauer
- Medical University of Innsbruck, Clinical Department of Nephrology and Hypertensiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabine Horn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Landeskrankhaus Villach, Villach, Austria
| | - Maria Brunner
- Department of Internal Medicine, Landeskrankhaus Villach, Villach, Austria
| | - Emanuel Zitt
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch, Feldkirch, Austria
| | - Bernhard Kirsch
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Landesklinikum Mistelbach, Mistelbach, Austria
| | - Martin Windpessl
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen, Wels, Austria
| | - Kathrin Eller
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Balasz Odler
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Ida Aringer
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Universitätsklinikum St. Pölten, St. Pölten, Austria
| | - Martin Wiesholzer
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Universitätsklinikum St. Pölten, St. Pölten, Austria
| | - Tanja Stamm
- Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems (Institute of Outcomes Research), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Allison Jauré
- Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Manfred Hecking
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Turino Miranda K, Greene DN, Collister D, Krasowski MD, Ahmed SB, Cirrincione LR, Rosas SE, Saad N, Pierre CC. A Holistic Framework for the Evaluation of Kidney Function in a Gender-Diverse Landscape. Am J Kidney Dis 2024; 84:232-240. [PMID: 38458377 DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2024.01.522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The most commonly used equations to estimate glomerular filtration rate incorporate a binary male-female sex coefficient, which has important implications for the care of transgender, gender-diverse, and nonbinary (TGD) people. Whether "sex assigned at birth" or a binary "gender identity" is most appropriate for the computation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is unknown. Furthermore, the use of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) for the development of physical changes to align TGD people with their affirmed gender is increasingly common, and may result in changes in serum creatinine and cystatin C, the biomarkers commonly used to estimate glomerular filtration rate. The paucity of current literature evaluating chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and outcomes in TGD individuals on GAHT makes it difficult to assess any effects of GAHT on kidney function. Whether alterations in serum creatinine reflect changes in glomerular filtration rate or simply changes in muscle mass is unknown. Therefore, we propose a holistic framework to evaluate kidney function in TGD people. The framework focuses on kidney disease prevalence, risk factors, sex hormones, eGFR, other kidney function assessment tools, and the mitigation of health inequities in TGD people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keila Turino Miranda
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dina N Greene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; LetsGetChecked Laboratories, Monrovia, California
| | - David Collister
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Matthew D Krasowski
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Sofia B Ahmed
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Kidney Disease Network, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Sylvia E Rosas
- Kidney and Hypertension Unit, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Nephrology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nathalie Saad
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Christina C Pierre
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Chesnaye NC, Carrero JJ, Hecking M, Jager KJ. Differences in the epidemiology, management and outcomes of kidney disease in men and women. Nat Rev Nephrol 2024; 20:7-20. [PMID: 37985869 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-023-00784-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Improved understanding of differences in kidney disease epidemiology, management and outcomes in men and women could help nephrologists to better meet the needs of their patients from a sex- and gender-specific perspective. Evidence of sex differences in the risk and outcomes of acute kidney injury is mixed and dependent on aetiology. Women have a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3-5 than men, whereas men have a higher prevalence of albuminuria and hence CKD stages 1-2. Men show a faster decline in kidney function, progress more frequently to kidney failure and have higher mortality and risk of cardiovascular disease than women. However, the protective effect of female sex is reduced with CKD progression. Women are less likely than men to be aware of, screened for and diagnosed with CKD, started on antiproteinuric medication and referred to nephrologist care. They also consistently report a poorer health-related quality of life and a higher symptom burden than men. Women experience greater barriers than men to access the waiting list for kidney transplantation, particularly with respect to older age and obesity. However, women also have longer survival than men after transplantation, which may partly explain the comparable prevalence of transplantation between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Chesnaye
- ERA Registry, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Informatics, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Juan Jesus Carrero
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Manfred Hecking
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kitty J Jager
- ERA Registry, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Informatics, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Williams P. Retaining Race in Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis and Treatment. Cureus 2023; 15:e45054. [PMID: 37701164 PMCID: PMC10495104 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The best overall measure of kidney function is glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as commonly estimated from serum creatinine concentrations (eGFRcr) using formulas that correct for the higher average creatinine concentrations in Blacks. After two decades of use, these formulas have come under scrutiny for estimating GFR differently in Blacks and non-Blacks. Discussions of whether to include race (Black vs. non-Black) in the calculation of eGFRcr fail to acknowledge that the original race-based eGFRcr provided the same CKD treatment recommendations for Blacks and non-Blacks based on directly (exogenously) measured GFR. Nevertheless, the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology Task Force on Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Disease removed race in CKD treatment guidelines and pushed for the immediate adoption of a race-free eGFRcr formula by physicians and clinical laboratories. This formula is projected to negate CKD in 5.51 million White and other non-Black adults and reclassify CKD to less severe stages in another 4.59 million non-Blacks, in order to expand treatment eligibility to 434,000 Blacks not previously diagnosed and to 584,000 Blacks previously diagnosed with less severe CKD. This review examines: 1) the validity of the arguments for removing the original race correction, and 2) the performance of the proposed replacement formula. Excluding race in the derivation of eGFRcr changed the statistical bias from +3.7 to -3.6 ml/min/1.73m2 in Blacks and from +0.5 to +3.9 in non-Blacks, i.e., promoting CKD diagnosis in Blacks at the cost of restricting diagnosis in non-Blacks. By doing so, the revised eGFRcr greatly exaggerates the purported racial disparity in CKD burden. Claims that the revised formulas identify heretofore undiagnosed CKD in Blacks are not supported when studies that used kidney failure replacement therapy and mortality are interpreted as proxies for baseline CKD. Alternatively, a race-stratified eGFRcr (i.e., separate equations for Blacks and non-Blacks) would provide the least biased eGFRcr for both Blacks and non-Blacks and the best medical treatment for all patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Williams
- Life Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA
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Eckenrode HE, Carwie JC, Curtis LM. Does Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy Increase the Risk of Kidney Disease? Semin Nephrol 2022; 42:151284. [PMID: 36435684 DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2022.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Kidney health and manifestation of disease in transgender men, women, and nonbinary individuals are not well understood. Transgender individuals commonly receive gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) to align their outward appearance with their gender. Recent attention to the differences in fundamental kidney parameters has identified that transgender individuals may manifest levels of these biomarkers differently than their cisgender counterparts. Improving understanding of the differences in biomarkers and in the development of kidney disease is essential to providing appropriate kidney care to this vulnerable population. In this review, we introduce the current information related to GAHT and kidney health and highlight the significant gaps in our understanding of how GAHT may affect kidney physiology and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han E Eckenrode
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | | | - Lisa M Curtis
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
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Ahmed SB. Introduction: Sex and Gender in Kidney Health and Disease: Time for a Paradigm Shift. Semin Nephrol 2022; 42:99-100. [PMID: 35718370 DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2022.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia B Ahmed
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Kidney Disease Network, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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