The estimated global burden of chronic kidney disease CKD attributable to air pollution fine particulate matter PM less than 2.5 m is significant amounting to more than 10.7 million cases per year. The researchers used the Global Burden of Disease study methodologies to estimate the burden of CKD attributable to air pollution. Epidemiologic measures of the burden of CKD attributable to air pollution included years living with disability YLD meaning years living with kidney disease years of life lost YLL meaning early death attributable to kidney disease and disability adjusted life years DALY a measure that combines the burden of living with the disease and the early death caused by the disease . The global annual burden of incident CKD attributable to high PM2.5 levels was 10 784 514 95 Uncertainty Interval 7 821 109 13 857 623 . YLD YLL and DALYs of CKD attributable to high PM2.5 were 2 185 317 1 418 442 3 061 477 7 897 941 5 471 081 10 514 433 and 10 083 258 7 064 399 13 323 685 respectively. The study also found that burden of disease varies greatly by geography. India along with Nigeria Bangladesh and Pakistan had the high attributable burden of disease exceeding 200 incident cases of CKD per 100 000 population. India was also amongst the countries that reported highest DALYs that included Mexico Central America Southeast Asia and Northern Africa. DALYs per 100 000 were 366.71 251.05 498.01 in Nicaragua and 353.93 260.05 449.24 in Mexico compared to 44.59 24.07 65.74 in the United States. These findings were presented at the recently concluded ASN Kidney Week 2017 in New Orleans Louisiana USA. Keeping BP cholesterol body weight blood sugar within healthy limits avoiding overuse of OTC painkillers smoking eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are some of the ways to protect kidney health. Air pollution has become a major threat to society today. Air pollution has been at an extremely high level particularly in the Delhi NCR region and continues to remain the hazardous category. Studies have shown that air pollution can damage the kidneys. A significant association between exposure to PM2.5 and risk of incident CKD decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR and progression to end stage renal disease was reported online September 2 2017 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. It s now time perhaps to add air pollution PM2.5 to the list of risk factors for chronic kidney disease and recommend avoiding or limiting air pollution exposure to the list of measures generally advised to prevent delay chronic kidney disease. It has become important to also note the air pollution levels in different areas in your city before venturing out to avoid exposure to pollution. Source American Society of Nephrology News Release November 4 2017