Aging and the Kidneys: Anatomy, Physiology and Consequences for Defining Chronic Kidney Disease

The varied functions of the kidneys are influenced by the complex process of aging. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) steadily declines with normal aging, and the progress of this process can be influenced by superimposed diseases. Microscopically, nephron numbers decrease as global glomerulosclerosis becomes more evident. The precise mechanisms underlying nephron loss with aging are not well understood, but derangements in podocyte biology appear to be involved. Classifications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) incorporate GFR values and attendant risk of adverse events. Arbitrary and fixed thresholds of GFR for defining CKD have led to an overdiagnosis of CKD in the elderly. An age-sensitive definition of CKD could offer a solution to this problem and more meaningfully capture the prognostic implications of CKD.