ReviewAmerican journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation2014
CKD of unknown origin in Central America: the case for a Mesoamerican nephropathy.
Review in American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 158 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
158 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 378 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pediatric kidney health outcomes in communities impacted by chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu): a systematic review.Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · 2026Pooled it
- Leptospirosis as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease: A systematic review of observational studies.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2019Pooled it
- Pesticide exposures and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology: an epidemiologic review.Environmental health : a global access science source · 2017Pooled it
- CKD of Uncertain Etiology: A Systematic Review.Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN · 2016Pooled it
- Longitudinal assessment of kidney function in migrant farm workers.Environmental research · 2021Trial
- Increased Serum Sodium and Serum Osmolarity Are Independent Risk Factors for Developing Chronic Kidney Disease; 5 Year Cohort Study.PloS one · 2017Trial
- Two decades of trust: reflections on a partnership transforming paediatric kidney care in Guatemala.Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · 2026Article
- The Need for Omics Studies in Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu): A Narrative Review and Perspective.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Kidney health among adolescents living in a high-risk region for CKDu.BMC nephrology · 2026Article
- Experiences of heat stress and adapting practices among farmworkers in northwest Nicaragua: a qualitative study.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Mesoamerican nephropathy: A silent epidemic at the nexus of climate, labor, and health.AIMS public health · 2026Article
- CKDu-AGRI Study-a population-based cross-sectional study of chronic kidney disease and chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology among agricultural workers in Tamil Nadu, India.The Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia · 2025Article
- Longitudinal Estimated GFR Trajectories Among Workers at High Risk for CKD of Unknown Etiology.Kidney international reports · 2025Article
- The Impact of Polycrisis on Healthcare Systems-Analyzing Challenges and the Role of Social Epidemiology.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Prevalence and risk factors of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Northeast Thailand.Journal of nephrology · 2025Article
- Development, validation, and reliability of a questionnaire to assess risk-factors of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology.Journal of nephrology · 2025Article
- Evolution of Chronic Kidney Disease in Different Regions of the World.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Acute Onset of Mesoamerican Nephropathy in a Patient With Chronic Gout and Occupational Exposure: A Case Report.Cureus · 2025Article
- Article
- Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease and its underlying etiologies from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.BMC public health · 2025Article
98 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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3 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
An epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin has emerged in the last decade in Central America and has been named Mesoamerican nephropathy. This form of chronic kidney disease is present primarily in young male agricultural workers from communities along the Pacific coast, especially workers in the sugarcane fields. In general, these men have a history of manual labor under very hot conditions in agricultural fields. Clinically, they usually present with normal or mildly elevated systemic blood pressure, asymptomatic yet progressive reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate, low-grade non-nephrotic proteinuria, and often hyperuricemia and or hypokalemia. Diabetes is absent in this population. Kidney biopsies that have been performed show a chronic tubulointerstitial disease with associated secondary glomerulosclerosis and some signs of glomerular ischemia. The cause of the disease is unknown; this article discusses and analyzes some of the etiologic possibilities currently under consideration. It is relevant to highlight that recurrent dehydration is suggested in multiple studies, a condition that possibly could be exacerbated in some cases by other conditions, including the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. At present, Mesoamerican nephropathy is a medical enigma yet to be solved.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.