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2008T Fresenius Hemodialysis

Interview with
Jeffrey H. Burbank
Founder& CEO of NxStage

Publication:

Exposure to bisphenol A is associated with low-grade albuminuria in Chinese adults

Mian Li, Yufang Bi, Lu Qi, Tiange Wang, Min Xu, Yun Huang, Yu Xu,Yuhong Chen, Jieli Lu
Weiqing Wang and Guang Ning
Kidney International , (7 March 2012) | doi:10.1038/ki.2012.6

In this study of middle-aged and elderly Chinese, our main finding is that higher urinary bisphenol A concentration was significantly associated with an increased risk of low-grade albuminuria, independent of conventional risk factors.

Were any of the findings unexpected?

In our study, bisphenol A concentration was significantly associated with an increased risk of low-grade albuminuria. However, no significant relationships between bisphenol A and combined micro- and macroalbuminuria were found. As micro- and macroalbuminuria were greater-grade manifestation of renal injury, it is likely that there are more metabolic risk factors associated with micro- and macroalbuminuria, some of which might veil the effect of bisphenol A.

However, the underlying reason remains unexplained and requires further exploration.

What should clinicians and patients take away from this study?

Our study demonstrated that bisphenol A exposure was associated with an increased risk of low-grade albuminuria in Chinese adults.

This study suggests that individuals who are highly exposed to bisphenol A may have higher risk of developing metabolic disorders.

What recommendations do you have for future studies as a result of your study?

As low-grade albuminuria is a predictor for chronic kidney diseases or diabetic nephropathy, it is possible that bisphenol A exposure might also contribute to renal disease progression.

Given the universal application of bisphenol A in our daily life, minimizing the exposure to bisphenol A is the logical next step to controlling the epidemic of a series of metabolic disorders.