Question

Kidney disease is an increasing problem in China. The last study to examine risk factors of kidney disease in China was in 1997. You want to know about the current status of risk factors for kidney disease and would like to examine how the risk factors have changed since the last study in 1997.

1. What type of study would you conduct and why? 2. What sampling method would you use?

Answer 1

An individual's genetic and phenotypic make-up puts him/her at risk for kidney disease.

Factors such as race, gender, age, and family history are highly important.

For instance, being of African-American decent, older age, low birth weight and family history of kidney disease are considered to be strong risk factors for chronic kidney disease.

Moreover, smoking, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus can also lead to kidney disease.

An uncontrolled diabetic and/or hypertensive patient can easily and quickly progress to an end-stage kidney disease patient.

Exposure to heavy metals, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and the use of analgesic medications also constitute risks.

Experiencing acute kidney injury, a history of cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, hepatitis C virus, HIV infection, and malignancy are further risk factors.

Determination of serum creatinine levels and urinalysis in patients with chronic kidney disease risk will usually be sufficient for initial screening.

TYPE OF STUDY: I would prefer cohort study with special population taken into consideration and determining parameters like GFR , sr creatinine and risk factors mainly diabetes hypertension.

TYPE OF SAMPLING METHOD: systematic method or stratified method can be used