APOL1 Genotypes Associated With High CKD Risk Are Common Among Individuals Living In West Africa, Research Suggests

MedPage Today (10/29, Phend) reports research found that “APOL1 genotypes associated with high risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) were common among individuals living in West Africa, suggesting a mechanism at play in the high rates of kidney disease in African Americans.” The study found that “more than 40% of the Ghanaian and Nigerian individuals tested carried APOL1 variants linked to increased risk of chronic kidney disease, and the risk of kidney disease was ‘dose’ dependent.” The findings were presented at ASN Kidney Week and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.