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A Possible Zebrafish Model of Polycystic Kidney Disease: Knockdown of wnt5a Causes Cysts in Zebrafish Kidneys
Published on: December 2, 2014
Burden, access, and disparities in kidney disease
Deidra C Crews1,2,3, Aminu K Bello4, Gamal Saadi5
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 301 Mason F. Lord Drive, Suite 2500, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA. dcrews1@jhmi.edu.
Kidney disease affects millions globally, with significant disparities in detection and care. Strengthening infrastructure and adopting pragmatic approaches are crucial for kidney health equity worldwide.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nephrology
- Global Health Equity
Background:
- Kidney disease is a major global health issue impacting over 750 million people.
- Significant disparities exist worldwide in kidney disease detection, treatment, and care provision, influenced by socio-economic and political factors.
Discussion:
- Many nations lack essential resources like basic diagnostics, a specialized nephrology workforce, and universal healthcare access for kidney patients.
- The current state of global capacity for kidney disease prevention and management is insufficient, particularly in low-resource settings.
Key Insights:
- There's a critical need to enhance basic infrastructure for kidney care services, enabling early detection and management of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Pragmatic strategies for delivering renal replacement therapies (RRT) are essential to address the growing burden of kidney failure.
Outlook:
- Achieving universal health coverage by 2030 is a global goal, but tailored approaches are needed to integrate essential kidney care elements.
- Focusing on feasible and regionally important kidney care interventions is vital for reducing disease burden and advancing kidney health equity.
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Kidney Structure
External Anatomy of the Kidney
The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space on either side of the vertebral column, protected posteriorly by the 11th and 12th ribs. The right kidney sits slightly lower than the left owing to the presence of the liver...

