KARACHI, April 18: The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) on Thursday warned of an ‘alarming’ rise in risk factors for chronic kidney disease in the population of Sindh.

In a statement issued here, the SIUT released the results of the physical examinations, which its doctors undertook last month, of 982 people on the occasion of World Kidney Day.

These people had been examined at the three centres of the SIUT in Karachi, Sukkur and Kathore.

The doctors carried out physical examination, blood and urine tests and ultrasound of kidneys of 982 visitors.

The results of the 982 people screened in 2013 when compared to the results of similar examinations carried out in 2009 showed that the number of overweight and obese people had increased from 28 per cent in 2009 to 41 per cent in 2013; while the number of people suffering from hypertension increased from 15 per cent to 24 per cent.

There is also an increase in incidence of diabetes from 12 per cent to 16 per cent and renal stones from six per cent to 7.5 per cent.  Chronic kidney disease was diagnosed in 3.6 per cent people as compared to 2.5 per cent in 2009.

SIUT officials said there was an urgent need to increase awareness of these health problems.