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A recent study conducted by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health and the National Institute of Perinatology in Mexico City, sheds light on the impact of environmental factors on kidney health in children. Published in the Science of the Total Environment journal, the study suggests that exposure to recent ambient temperatures and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) may lead to alterations in urinary and renal biomarkers, indicating potential subclinical glomerular or tubular injury in healthy preadolescents.
Air pollution and rising temperatures due to global warming have emerged as significant concerns affecting public health worldwide. While previous research has linked environmental pollutants to various health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, this study highlights their potential impact on kidney health in children, an area less explored in scientific literature.
The research team, led by Dr. María José Rosa, focused on a cohort of healthy preadolescents in Mexico City, aiming to assess the association between short-term ambient temperature and PM2.5 exposure with renal biomarkers. The study utilized data from the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment, and Social Stress Factors study, which recruited pregnant women without a medical history of kidney or heart disease between July 2007 and February 2011.
Despite facing challenges in achieving long-term follow-up, the researchers collected urine and fasting blood samples from 437 healthy infants, aged 8 to 12 years, with complete data on kidney and cardiovascular health. Satellite models were employed to estimate participants’ exposure to temperature and PM2.5 based on their place of residence.
The findings revealed several significant associations between environmental factors and renal biomarkers. While no evidence of association was found between ambient temperature and renal damage biomarkers, exposure to high temperatures was correlated with decreased cystatin C levels. On the other hand, exposure to PM2.5 was associated with increases in various urinary proteins linked to renal damage, including albumin, KIM-1, and glutathione S-transferase, among others.
Dr. Ximena Cortés, a pediatric nephrologist at the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City, emphasized the importance of the research in identifying new factors contributing to kidney damage. She highlighted the need for further investigation into the long-term effects of environmental exposure on kidney function, advocating for continued participant follow-up to assess potential acute or chronic damage.
As the study continues its cohort follow-up, researchers aim to explore the long-term effects of environmental exposure on kidney disease development in children. With air pollution data collected since before participants’ birth, the research seeks to unravel the exposure trajectory leading to kidney disease and inform strategies for mitigating environmental risks to children’s health.
The study underscores the urgency of addressing environmental factors as crucial determinants of kidney health in children, urging policymakers and healthcare professionals to prioritize measures aimed at reducing air pollution and mitigating the impact of climate change to safeguard the well-being of future generations.
