The Central American Epidemic of CKD

Recent reports have described an apparent epidemic of CKD along the Pacific coast of Central America, such that CKD is a leading cause of death among working-age men in lower-altitude agricultural communities in this region. Given the limited availability of kidney replacement therapies in this region, CKD often is a terminal diagnosis, lending greater urgency to the identification of a modifiable cause. This article discusses the epidemiology of CKD in this region, reviews the clinical features of this CKD outbreak, discusses potential causes and the evidence supporting these hypotheses, and highlights the wider implications of this epidemic of CKD.