Chronic kidney disease has become one of the world's most widespread and deadly health problems, with record numbers of people now estimated to have reduced kidney function.
A 2025 global analysis found that the number of people living with the condition rose from 378 million in 1990 to 788 million in 2023. As the global population has grown and aged, chronic kidney disease has moved into the top 10 causes of death worldwide for the first time.
The work was led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Glasgow, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. It examined the growing toll of a disease that slowly weakens the kidneys' ability to remove waste and extra fluid from the blood.
In mild cases, people may feel no symptoms at all. In advanced cases, patients may need dialysis, kidney replacement therapy, or a kidney transplant.
A Disease Many People Never See Coming
