Urinary biomarkers in kidney disease.

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects many people worldwide and early diagnosis is essential for successful treatment and improved outcome. Unfortunately, current methods are insufficient especially for early disease detection. However, advances in the analytical methods for urinary biomarkers may provide a unique opportunity for diagnosis and management of CKD. This review explores evolving technology and highlights the importance of early marker detection in these patients.

APPROACH

A search strategy was set up using the terms CKD, biomarkers, and urine. The search included 53 studies comprising 37 biomarkers. The value of these biomarkers for CKD are based on their ability to diagnose CKD, monitor progression, assess mortality and nephrotoxicity.

RESULTS

KIM-1 was the best marker for diagnosis as it increased with the development of incident CKD. DKK3 increased in patients with declining eGFR, whereas UMOD decreased in those with declining kidney function. Unfortunately, none fulfilled all criteria to adequately assess mortality and nephrotoxicity.

CONCLUSION

New developments in the field of urinalysis using smart toilets may open several possibilities for urinary biomarkers. This review explored which biomarkers could be used for CKD disease detection and management.