Hyderabad: National Health Survey conducted by the Union Health Ministry’s report has revealed over 20% of the young generation in Telangana state are having high levels of serum creatinine.
Children aged between 10-19 years in the state have been found to have higher levels of serum creatinine in their blood.
Apart from Telangana state Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim have alarming figures according to the fact sheets of the recently conducted National Health Survey.
High levels of serum creatinine indicate malfunctioning of kidneys as the normal values range between 0.3-0.8 mg/dL.
Creatinine is the waste product produced from the normal breakdown of muscle tissue which is filtered through the kidneys and excreted in urine.
The creatinine levels are measured to check kidney function. Thought the higher levels of serum creatinine is not an uncommon issue, but this can further develop into congenital disorders.
“Children
who did not have proper kidney formation (at the developmental stage in their
mother’s womb) will have this problem, which usually gets manifested this way,
or genetic mutation or environmental conditions,” NIMS nephrologist Dr Swarna
Latha said.
“These changes can be observed in the early
stage itself, while still in the womb. We need to carry out more studies to
understand why it happens,” the doctor added.
The doctor also revealed hypertension, diabetes
cases are also growing alarmingly.
General physician Dr Rasana Satyanarayaan has suggested that the kidney malfunction could be due to indiscriminate use of drugs, including antibiotics.
“The kidney fully develop a couple of months after the babies are born. There could be some infections due to hospitalization. If indiscriminate use of antibiotics, which have high nephrotoxic substances, then it can also lead to such conditions,” he added.