Retinal age is a validated biomarker of overall aging. Researchers have found in a new study that retinal ageing shows efficacy as a potentially important, non-invasive biomarker to predict the risk of end-stage kidney disease. Cox proportional hazards regression models to investigate the association of retinal age gap with incident end-stage kidney disease.

Among 35,864 United Kingdom residents, every one-year increase in retinal age, assessed by retinal microvasculature changes, was associated with a 10% higher risk of incident kidney failure over 11 years of follow-up. There is a pressing need to identify early predictive biomarkers of kidney failure, given its associated substantial morbidity and mortality. Ageing biomarkers have been associated with kidney failure but their clinical application has been challenging.

Understanding the long-term effects of AKI and the probable risk factors for dementia is essential in the context of public health. In a 2018 report, EurekAlert! specified that AKI is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia, according to a study presented at the ASN Kidney Week that year. According to a separate report by the National Kidney Foundation, the probability of losing an individual's mental faculties with age is increased in older adults who have chronic kidney disease.

While there is no known cure, early detection for dementia remains one of the most important factors in positive outcomes for both patients and families. Understanding the long-term consequences of AKI and the potential risk factors for dementia is vital in the context of public health. Using data from a community-based cohort of participants enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, researchers found that participants with hospitalizations for AKI were at higher risk of dementia than those without such hospitalizations.