A Vienna study shows high blood pressure silently damages kidney cells before symptoms emerge. Researchers used AI to analyze podocyte changes in renal tissue. The findings highlight hypertension’s early impact, separate from diabetes. Early detection could help prevent irreversible kidney decline.
March 31, 2025
High BP can damage kidney functions even before symptoms appear: Study
"Early detection and
treatment could help slow kidney disease progression" - Rainer Oberbauer
& Heinz Regele
High BP can damage kidney
functions even before symptoms appear: Study
Hypertension or high blood
pressure can have a significant impact on kidney function, much before clinical
symptoms begin to appear, according to a study that stressed the importance of
early detection.
Key Points
1 Hypertension alters kidney podocytes before symptoms
2 AI-driven analysis reveals structural damage
3 Changes occur independently of diabetes
4 Early intervention may prevent renal decline
The research, led by a team from
the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, found that high blood pressure can
lead to abnormalities in the podocytes -- specialised cells in the renal filter
-- even without other pre-existing conditions such as diabetes.
"Early detection and
treatment could help to slow the progression of kidney disease and prevent
long-term damage," said the researchers Rainer Oberbauer and Heinz Regele
from the varsity.
For the study, published in the
journal "Hypertension", the team analysed kidney tissue from a total
of 99 patients: who either suffered from high blood pressure (arterial
hypertension) and type 2 diabetes or did not have either of the two conditions.
High BP and diabetes are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease.
The study was conducted on
unaffected renal tissue samples from tumour nephrectomies -- a surgical
procedure in which a kidney is removed in whole or in part to treat a kidney
tumour.
Using modern imaging and
computer-assisted methods, the size and density of the podocytes and the volume
of the renal corpuscles (glomeruli) were determined in the tissue samples.
Podocytes are specialised cells
of the renal corpuscles (glomeruli) that play a crucial role in the filtering
function of the kidney. Their size and density are important indicators of the
health of the kidney tissue.
Artificial intelligence in the
form of deep-learning-based image analysis was used for the analysis. With the
help of a specially trained algorithm, digital tissue sections were
automatically analysed to precisely capture the structure of podocytes and
glomeruli.
"The results show that
patients with hypertension have a reduced density of podocytes compared to
healthy controls and that their cell nuclei are enlarged compared to those of
healthy controls," said first author Christopher Paschen.
These changes occurred
independently of the additional diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and likely
represent the first microscopically visible step towards impaired renal
function.
This indicates that high blood
pressure can cause structural damage to the kidneys at an early stage and
before clinical symptoms appear, the researchers explained.
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