To investigate the sonographic appearance of kidneys in farmers from a population-based study performed in a rural area of central-south Chile.
To investigate the sonographic appearance of kidneys in farmers from a population-based study performed in a rural area of central-south Chile.
Camilo G. Sotomayor; Roberto Jalil; Claudia Foerster; Andrea Huidobro; Catterina Ferreccio; Sandra Cortés-Arancibia
To investigate the sonographic appearance of kidneys in farmers from a population-based study performed in a rural area of central-south Chile.
Maule Cohort (MAUCO) is a rural population-based study following-up 7000 workers in Chile, with a one-third rate of farmer study subjects. In a sample of these patients, we conducted a cross-sectional study (2022-2023), performing clinical interviews, questionnaires, and kidney ultrasound examinations (right and left lateral decubitus position).
We studied 549 patients [331 (60%) male; mean age, 55±8 year-old; median body mass index (BMI), 29.4 (IQR, 26.5-32.7); 155 (28%) with hypertension; 77 (14%) with diabetes mellitus; 53 (10%) with insulin resistance; 38 (7%) with any kidney disease; and 26 (5%) with chronic kidney disease]. 355 (65%) patients reported a formal work. Right and left longitudinal diameter of the kidneys were 109±10 and 110±10 mm. Right and left transverse diameter were 44 (IQR, 40-47) and 45 (IQR, 42-49) mm. Right and left parenchymal diameter were 17 (IQR, 15-18) and 17 (IQR, 16-19) mm. On the right, elevated parenchymal echogenicity, cystic mases, solid mases, renal calculi and hydronephrosis were reported in 54 (10%), 44 (8%), 1 (0.2%), 32 (6%), 1 (0.2%) patients. On the left, elevated parenchymal echogenicity, cystic mases, solid mases, renal calculi and hydronephrosis were reported in 34 (6%), 59 (11%), 2 (0.4%), 43 (8%), 2 (0.4%) patients. Longitudinal and parenchymal diameter, and elevated parenchymal echogenicity in any kidney were each associated with age, BMI, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (P<0.01 for all).
These preliminary results show that sonographic appearance of kidneys in farmers from this well-characterized rural population in Chile agree with previous reports in the literature. Further analyses are warranted to identify potential risk factors of kidney disease in rural areas of developing countries, and its association with sonographic findings.
