Gene variant found among African Americans that leads to end stagerenal disease

GHN News - Researchers
have recently found a gene variant that links an increased risk of
kidney disease for African Americans with hypertension.

At

the 43rd Annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrologists this study was presenting, revealing that End
Stage Renal Disease occurs in the African American population at a rate
13.1 times greater than that of counterparts in the white population.

"We
found that individuals with the common genotype were approximately 1.5
times more likely to have progressive kidney disease than those with
other genotypes," comments Brad C. Astor, PhD (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health, Baltimore). T

This
gene variant, MYH9,  could contribute to this End Stage Renal Disease,
the findings observe.  Researchers also observe they don't know why this
difference occurs.

"African
Americans are at much higher risk of ESRD compared to white Americans,
but the reasons for this discrepancy are unknown," Astor explains. "A
genetic variation of the MYH9 gene, common in African Americans, was
recently found to be associated with ESRD in individuals without
diabetes. We examined the association between this genetic variation and
progression of kidney disease in African Americans with hypertensive
nephrosclerosis."

This
new evidence linking MYH9 variants to racial differences in kidney
disease rates and outcomes helps those in the medical profession to
provide additional education and support for those most likely at risk
of ESRD.

 "Associations
between specific genetic variations and outcomes can help us understand
the pathophysiologic processes involved in progressive kidney disease
and may lead to areas of research to slow or prevent progressive kidney

disease," says Astor.