Germany faces kidney disease detection gap as cases rise

A nationwide study has revealed that chronic kidney disease is frequently undetected in Germany, often remaining asymptomatic until significant damage has occurred. Approximately 10% of adults in the country are estimated to be affected, a figure that is currently trending upward.

Research from the NAKO study, conducted by a team at the University Medical Center Freiburg, analyzed blood samples from 195,000 adults and urine samples from 35,000 participants. The findings indicate that roughly 18.4% of participants showed abnormal values when urine analysis was included.

Symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, or cardiovascular issues typically only emerge once the kidneys are severely impaired. Currently, 100,000 people in Germany require regular dialysis, while another 20,000 live with donor kidneys. Experts from the German Society of Nephrology (DGfN) note that while new therapies can delay disease progression, early detection remains a critical challenge as many patients feel healthy despite functional loss.