(RxWiki News) Cigarette smoking may increase kidney disease risk among African-Americans, according to a new study.
This study evaluated questionnaires for over 3,600 African-Americans, ages 21 to 84, who were part of Jackson Heart Study in the Jackson, Mississippi, area.
After adjusting for several factors, the researchers behind this study found that patients who smoked showed kidney function decline when compared to those who did not smoke.
In fact, decline in kidney function was 83 percent higher for smokers. Furthermore, the rate of kidney decline appeared to be worse in patients who smoked more.
Patients in this study who smoked also had higher inflammation levels compared to those who did not smoke. This finding suggests a possible link between smoking and kidney function decline.
"It’s important for those who have risk factors for kidney disease to realize that smoking is a significant risk factor and could ultimately end up leading to dialysis," said lead study author Dr. Michael Hall, of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, in a press release.
These findings are consistent with previous studies involving other ethnic groups, these researchers noted.
Speak with your doctor about smoking cessation and risk factors for kidney disease.
This study was recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products funded this study. The authors did not disclose any financial conflicts of interests.
