Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2025
Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease
Published on: June 30, 2018
Kidney function evaluation in children and adolescents with obesity: a not-negligible need
Annalisa Barlabà1, Carolina Grella1, Mariagrazia Tammaro1
1Department of Woman, Child, and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Insights
Childhood obesity is a significant risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Early monitoring of kidney function in obese children is crucial to prevent potential renal impairments and CKD development.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Obesity is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Limited pediatric data exist on the association between obesity and renal function compared to adults.
- Emerging evidence suggests obesity impacts renal health from childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of kidney evaluation in children with obesity.
- To highlight the relationship between obesity and renal health in pediatric populations.
- To emphasize the importance of monitoring kidney function in at-risk children.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing data.
- Analysis of pathogenic mechanisms linking obesity, insulin resistance, and renal hemodynamics.
- Discussion of clinical implications for pediatric nephrology.
Main Results:
- Obesity affects renal health through complex mechanisms involving insulin resistance (IR).
- The interplay of obesity, IR, and renal hemodynamics can lead to kidney function impairments.
- Renal injury is a potential comorbidity of obesity in children, similar to cardiometabolic issues.
Conclusions:
- Kidney function monitoring is essential in the comprehensive assessment of children with obesity.
- Early detection and intervention are key to mitigating obesity-related renal risks in children.
- This overview underscores the need for increased attention to renal health in pediatric obesity management.
Abstract:
The role of obesity as risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been well-recognized. As previously demonstrated in adults, emerging data highlighted the relevant impact of obesity on renal function since childhood. As a matter of fact, obesity also affects renal health through a complex pathogenic mechanism in which insulin resistance (IR) plays a pivotal role. Worthy of note, the vicious interplay among obesity, IR, and renal hemodynamics clinically translates into a plethora of kidney function impairments potentially leading to CKD development. Therefore, renal injury needs to be added to the well-known spectrum of cardiometabolic obesity comorbidities (e.g., type 2 diabetes, IR, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease).
Conclusion:
Taking this into account, a careful and timely monitoring of kidney function should not be neglected in the global assessment of children with obesity. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the relevance of kidney evaluation in children with obesity by shedding lights on the intriguing relationship of obesity with renal health in this at-risk population.
What Is Known:
• Obesity has been found to be a risk factor for chronic kidney disease. • Unlike adults, pediatric data supporting the association between obesity and renal function are still limited.
What Is New:
• As observed in adults, obesity might affect renal function since childhood. • Kidney function should be carefully evaluated in children with obesity.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...
01:21External 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...
01:11Renal Failure: Dose Adjustments
Reduced renal clearance and elimination rate are common outcomes of renal impairment. These alterations lead to a prolonged elimination half-life and an altered apparent volume of distribution for drugs. As a result, dosage adjustments are typically necessary to maintain optimal drug levels in the body.
However, dosage adjustments...
01:13Introduction to Urinary System
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in the retroperitoneal space, on either side of the vertebral column, between the T12 and L3 vertebrae. They are partially protected by the rib cage and surrounded by perirenal fat, which provides cushioning. They are responsible for urine formation and play critical roles in regulating blood pressure, electrolyte levels, and hormone production. The ureters...
01:45Kidney Structure
01:12Internal Anatomy of the Kidney
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...