A recent study published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia has found that nearly one in every 20 agricultural workers in Tamil Nadu suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD). Alarmingly, about half of these cases are attributed to chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu), which is notably prevalent among farm workers exposed to outdoor working conditions and environmental factors.
The study, conducted across diverse agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu with a robust sampling method, evaluated over 3,300 agricultural workers through clinical assessments and laboratory testing. Findings revealed a CKD prevalence rate of 5.31% among this population. Approximately 50% of these cases were CKDu, a condition not linked to typical risk factors like diabetes or hypertension but suspected to be associated with heat stress and exposure to agricultural chemicals or toxins.
Researchers measured kidney function using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a key indicator of kidney health. At the end of the first phase, 584 participants showed impaired kidney function, which reduced to 178 in the follow-up phase. Interestingly, 406 participants with reduced eGFR in phase one showed normal values in phase two, suggesting episodes of transient subclinical acute kidney injury (early kidney damage without symptoms) that might contribute to CKD progression.
The study also highlighted a strong correlation between prolonged weekly outdoor work hours and kidney health deterioration. Researchers emphasized that transient acute kidney injury, detected in 17.4% of participants, could significantly increase the risk of developing CKD over time.
This extensive study is the first to cover multiple agricultural zones in Tamil Nadu and offers a clearer estimate of CKD prevalence among agricultural workers, expanding understanding beyond previously studied smaller geographic hotspots.
The findings call for urgent public health interventions, deeper exploration of CKDu causes, and targeted preventive measures to protect vulnerable agricultural communities from this silent epidemic.
