| dc.description.abstract | ‘The potential associations between kidney
function parameters derived from urinalysis
and symptoms of heat stress among Sri Lanka
agricultural workers were examined. Participants
in four villages (n=261) covering high- and low prevalence
chronic kidney disease (CKD) areas
completed a questionnaire to elicit symptoms
of heat stress and also provided urine samples.
Among 216 agricultural workers without diabetes
or kidney disease, the mean age of the sample was
46.6 and 37% were males. Among the heat stress
and dehydration symptoms, headache and dry
mouth were reported 3+ days/week by over 30%
of the population, and exhaustion, dizziness and
heart racing by over 20%. Participants in the three
villages from the high-prevalence CKD area were
more likely to show evidence of kidney damage
(ACR > 30, 72.2% vs. 55.6%, p < .05) and greater
heat stress-dehydration symptoms (8.4 vs. 6.1, p
< .001). In a circumscribed region of Sri Lanka,
villagers experiencing higher temperatures and
higher prevalence of CKDu overall had greater
evidence of kidney damage by standard urine
parameters, such as ACR, even after exclusion
of people with diabetes or CKD. Since the entire
sample consisted of agricultural workers using
similar farming practices, higher temperatures
may be a factor in the increased incidence of
kidney disease. Participants in the higher
temperature villages reported more symptoms
of dehydration and heat stress, consistent with
exposure to this environmental stress. | en_US |
