Global chronic kidney disease cases nearly double to 788 million in 2023
The Story
A global study reports that chronic kidney disease affected nearly 788 million people worldwide in 2023, up from 378 million in 1990. The condition has become one of the top 10 causes of death globally for the first time. The analysis was led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Glasgow, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Key Facts
- Chronic kidney disease affected about 788 million people in 2023, compared to 378 million in 1990.
- About 14% of adults worldwide have chronic kidney disease.
- An estimated 1.5 million people died from the condition in 2023.
- After adjusting for age, deaths were more than 6% higher than in 1993.
- The disease is a major risk factor for heart disease, contributing to about 12% of global cardiovascular deaths.
- Researchers reviewed 2,230 published research papers and national health datasets from 133 countries.
- The World Health Organization placed chronic kidney disease on its noncommunicable disease agenda in May 2025.
- The report was published in The Lancet and presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s annual Kidney Week conference.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
The article notes that chronic kidney disease may be even more common than the estimates suggest because many people are never tested.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, director of NYU Langone’s Optimal Aging Institute
- Morgan Grams, MD, PhD, Susan and Morris Mark Professor of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine
- Patrick Mark, PhD, University of Glasgow
- Lauryn Stafford, MS, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
- Jennifer Lees, PhD, University of Glasgow
- Theo Vos, PhD, IHME
- Liane Ong, PhD, IHME
Sources: ScienceDaily
