KARACHI, Oct 18: Heavy metal traces in water used by Karachiites, particularly those consuming unfiltered water procured through drilling, were one of the factors exposing people to serious kidney diseases.

This view was expressed by nephrologists who discussed kidney problems at the Liaquat National Hospital (LNH) here on Saturday.

They said that indiscriminate use of traditional drugs again with traces of heavy metals might also be a factor leading to kidney complications.

They also noted that misconceptions about efficacy of high protein-rich food, indiscriminate use of allopathic medicines and increased use of food additives were fast exposing people to serious kidney complications, and ultimately to the end- stage renal failure condition.

They regretted the fact that poor understanding on the part of general medical practitioners regarding evidence of protein in urine, above a certain level, as a major symptom of renal disease among patients, had only made matters worse.

Prof Iffat Yazdani, speaking at the a medical education programme organized by the nephrology and transplantation department, said a little attention from GPs could help reduce the incidence of renal diseases by 50 to 75 per cent.

Noting that a surge had been witnessed in the incidence of the end-stage renal failure among people of all ages in the country, she said early, prompt and proper medical intervention by specialists could prevent serious conditions.

With particular reference to proteinuria, she said cost-effective and simple test provisions were available and there was need for adequate utilization, more particularly by GPs, at the first level of medical care. She said that 70 per cent of end- stage renal failure cases among children went unnoticed in the country due to lack of proper care at initial stages.

Dr Nasreen Samad, discussing instances of protienuria, a major cause of end-stage renal failure in children, said no less than five per cent of all kids visiting the OPDs at LNH had the problem which was manifested in frequent bouts of infections, mainly the upper respiratory tract infection.

“Tendency in mothers or care-providers to administer non-steroids to children on their own, without proper medical prescription, aggravates the situation,” she said, urging mothers not to overlook, under any condition, recurrent episodes of high fever, infections and swelling in their children.

She also stressed prevention of allergies and due care when kids might have experienced bug stings or insect bites.

Dr Syed Shahzad Ahmed and Dr Farzana Adnan, in their presentations, said that adults, if denied timely intervention to treat proteinuria, were more vulnerable to serious conditions, which might be aggravated by a wide range of infections, ailments and malignancies.