Abstract:
Chronic Kidney Disease of uncertain aetiology (CKD-u) is an emerging disease among
farmers in rural Sri Lanka. Studies on risk factors associated with CKD-u in Sri Lanka are rare.
The objective of the study was to identify the effects of family history of Chronic Kidney
Disease (CKD) and unhealthy habits of CKD-u patients in Sri Lanka against pertinent controls.
Risk factors associated with CKD-u were investigated using four control groups. They were
endemic CKD (ECKD), endemic control (EC), non-endemic CKD (NECKD), non-endemic
control (NEC). Information was gathered using a questionnaire. Chi square test of independency
was carried out to detect risk factors among the study groups. The percentage of smokers among
the male population of CKD-u, ECKD, EC, NECKD and NEC were 54%, 50%, 45%, 43% and
33% respectively. The percentages for alcohol consumers among the male population of CKD-u,
ECKD, EC, NECKD and NEC were 55 %, 42 %, 58 %, 45 % and 67 % respectively. The
percentages of betel chewers (male and female) among CKD-u, ECKD, EC, NECKD and NEC
were 86 %, 61 %, 63 %, 22 % and 51 % respectively. According to chi squared test, there was no
significant difference in smoking and alcohol consumption among CKD-u patients and other
control groups (p = 0.201 and 0.127 respectively). A significant difference (p < 0.001) in
chewing betel was observed between CKD-u and control groups. The odds of having CKD-u
were about three times higher than CKD in the endemic areas if they had a family history of the
disease. The odds of having CKD-u were about seven times higher than CKD in non-endemic
areas if they had a family history of the disease. In conclusion, chewing betel was significantly
higher among CKD-u patients when compared to the endemic and non-endemic CKD patients
and healthy control groups, while smoking and alcohol consumption were not significant. The
CKD-u group had the highest percentage for family history of CKD than other groups.
