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ABOUT KIDNEY DISEASE

• The kidneys are a pair of fist-sized organs

located on either side of the spinal column 

that perform life-sustaining functions to 

keep the rest of the body in balance.

• Early kidney disease has few symptoms.

As it worsens, many complications—such 

as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis 

(thickening and hardening of the artery 

walls), anemia, weak bones, and nerve 

damage—can develop.

• Some forms of kidney failure are

temporary and may get better. This is 

called acute kidney failure. Chronic or 

end-stage kidney failure is the result 

of a scarring process that leads to the 

shutdown of the kidneys.

• Chronic kidney failure does not get

better. Veterans with chronic kidney 

failure need dialysis treatments (artificial 

replacement of kidney function) for the 

rest of their lives, or may receive a kidney 

transplant.

VA RESEARCH ON KIDNEY 

DISEASE: OVERVIEW

• In 2012, VA and the University of Michigan

began creating a national kidney disease 

registry to monitor kidney disease among 

Veterans. This registry will provide 

information on kidney disease to Veterans, 

help identify those at risk for kidney 

disease, and improve access to care.

• Dr. Thomas E. Starzl conducted the first

long-term successful kidney transplant in 

1962 while on the staff of the Denver VA 

Medical Center.

• Research has found that rates of

chronic kidney disease are higher among 

Veterans than in the general population. 

VA researchers are working on ways to 

diagnose chronic kidney disease earlier 

and more effectively treat it.

• VA researchers are studying the

relationship between kidney disease and 

other diseases to find better therapies and 

drug treatments for the condition.

SELECTED MILESTONES AND 

MAJOR EVENTS

1962 – Conducted the first long-term 

successful kidney transplant, by Dr. 

Thomas E. Starzl, a VA surgeon and 

researcher

1998 – Learned that if erythropoietin is 

injected under the skin instead of into a 

vein, smaller doses of the medication can 

be used

2008 – Determined that high-intensity 

renal-replacement therapy in critically 

ill patients with acute kidney injury is no 

better than less intensive therapy

2012 – Established, along with the 

University of Michigan, a National Kidney 

Disease Registry to monitor kidney disease 

among Veterans

2015 – Found that patients with chronic 

kidney disease were more likely to have 

vascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, 

and cancer than those without the 

condition

RECENT STUDIES: SELECTED 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Patients with chronic kidney disease

are more likely to have other chronic 

diseases such as vascular disease, 

diabetes, and cancer. A study involving 

VA researchers in Richmond, Va., and 

Buffalo, N.Y., showed that Veterans have a 

higher rate of CKD than the general U.S. 

population, and those with CKD had much 

higher rates of other diseases, compared 

with other populations of kidney patients. 

VA research on 

KIDNEY DISEASE

Kidney disease kills 90,0000 Americans every year—more 

than cancers of the breast and prostate combined.

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VA researchers are working on ways 

to diagnose chronic kidney disease 

earlier and treat it more effectively.

The researchers say overall, CKD is a 

growing epidemic associated with a 

high frequency of chronic illnesses. 

(Renal Failure, Dec. 16, 2015)

• Patients who develop acute kidney 

injury during hospitalization are 

at substantial risk to develop 

chronic kidney disease, according 

to an analysis of Veterans Health 

Administration data. Timing of AKI 

recovery is a strong predictor of the risk 

for chronic kidney disease. (American 

Journal of Kidney Diseases, Dec. 12, 2015)

• Diabetes can often lead to endstage renal disease, also known as 

kidney failure, which requires dialysis or 

kidney transplant. The VA Nephropathy 

in Diabetes Trial found that high blood 

pressure in proteinuric diabetic kidney 

disease is associated with worse kidney 

outcomes and that control of blood 

pressure can delay disease progression. 

(Clinical Journal of the American Society 

of Nephrology, Dec. 7, 2015)

• Many medications given to older 

Veterans may cause problems for 

those with chronic kidney disease. 

Researchers examining VA pharmacy, 

lab, and other data sources found that 

several drugs that should not be taken 

when kidney function is impaired are 

being prescribed, and that some drugs 

are being prescribed at too high a 

dose to older Veterans. (Journal of the 

American Geriatrics Society, Oct. 27, 2015)

• Veterans with restless leg 

syndrome were three times more 

likely to have kidney disease, relative 

to those without RLS, according to 

a study led by researchers from the 

Memphis VA Medical Center. People 

with RLS feel an uncontrollable urge to 

keep moving their legs when they lie 

down and try to rest. (Journal of Sleep 

Research, Sept. 17, 2015)

• The Million Veteran Program is the 

nation’s largest database linking 

genetic, clinical, lifestyle and military 

exposure information, and has 

enrolled more than 450,000 Veterans. 

Dr. Adriana Hung at the VA Tennessee 

Valley Healthcare System will use this 

program to study how genes affect the 

risk and progression of kidney disease. 

(VA Research Currents, July 6, 2015)

• Researchers at the VA Palo Alto 

Health Care System found that 

patients with end-stage renal disease 

who had taken part in an education 

program had a lower mortality rate than 

those who had not participated. Nearly 

26 million Americans are estimated to 

have chronic kidney disease, yet many 

don’t even know it. Education about the 

disease and treatment options can make 

a big difference in patient outcomes, say 

the researchers. (Kidney International,

March 2014)

• A VA and National Institutes of 

Health research team found that 

undergoing dialysis six times a week 

was not any better for critically ill 

patients with acute kidney injury than 

undergoing the treatment three times 

a week. AKI is a sudden loss of kidney 

function that develops within 48 hours. 

AKI can be caused by disease, some 

antibiotics, injuries or other issues. (New 

England Journal of Medicine, July 3, 2008)

For more information on VA studies 

on kidney disease and other key topics 

relating to Veterans’ health, please 

visit www.research.va.gov/topics

KIDNEY DISEASE

Updated September 2016 • For a digital version of this fact sheet with active links to sources, visit www.research.va.gov/topics