A study regarding the effect that reductions in kidney functions have on heart and blood vessel damage has been supported by QEHB Charity. For years, it has been known that people with long-standing kidney disease are at increased risk of heart disease. Jonathan Townend, M.D., is the senior author of the research paper and Professor of Cardiology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. He has concluded, from the research carried out, that: “Even in very healthy people, a small reduction in kidney function from normal to just a bit below normal was associated with an increase in the mass of the left ventricle, a change that makes the heart stiffer and impairs its ability to contract...if kidney disease really is a cause of heart disease it may be a major public health problem." However, since kidney disease patients often have varying risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, the direct effect of reductions in kidney function on the heart has been considered tentative and uncertain. In order to find a direct link, researchers for the project compared 68 kidney donors with an extremely healthy lifestyle against 56 controls during the first year following the surgery. In contrast to the controls, the researchers found that the kidney donors experienced an expected decline in kidney function, increase in mass of the left ventricle (a strong indicator for future heart disease), and increase in the measures of heart damage (as determined by blood tests), and no difference in blood pressure. “This is evidence that reduction in kidney function itself leads directly to measurable adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels, even without other risk factors. More research is needed to know just what aspects of reduced kidney function are responsible for the effects,” Townend said. However, due to these finding, kidney donors have been urged not to worry. “Kidney donors are already highly selected as healthy individuals. Our paper has shown that kidney donation causes very small adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels that took careful and accurate measurements to detect. We do not yet know if these effects are maintained over the long term. Even if there is a small increase in your long-term risk of heart disease after donation, it is still likely that you will be at lower than average risk, Townend said. Co-authors are William E. Moody, B.Med.Sc.; Charles J. Ferro, M.D.; Nicola C. Edwards, Ph.D.; Colin D. Chue, Ph.D., M.R.C.P.; Erica Lai Sze Lin, B.Med.Sc., M.B.Ch.B.; Robin J. Taylor, M.R.C.P.; Paul Cockwell, Ph.D.; and Richard P. Steeds, M.D., M.A. Author disclosures are on the manuscript. QEHB Charity is delighted to have supported this study. To find out more about any of the various funds QEHB Charity supports, click here.