Kidney function and nephrotoxic drug use among older home-dwelling persons with or without diabetes in Finland

BACKGROUND: Due to these changes in kidney function, aging kidneys are more prone to drug-induced impairments in renal properties. Diabetes has been associated with the declined kidney function and an elevated risk of renal failure. The aim of this study is to compare kidney function and potentially nephrotoxic drug use among home-dwelling older persons with or without diabetes. METHODS: A total of 259 persons with and 259 persons without diabetes and aged ≥65 years were randomly selected to participate in a health examination with complete data gathered from 363 individuals (187 with diabetes and 176 without diabetes). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using CKD-EPI equation. Each participant was categorized based on the nephrotoxic profile of their medications. RESULTS: There were no differences in mean eGFR values (77.5 ± 18.8 vs. 80.5 ± 14.8 ml/min/1.73m(2), p = 0.089) or in the proportion of participants with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m(2) among persons with diabetes (16% vs. 10%, p = 0.070), compared to persons without diabetes. Potentially nephrotoxic drug use was similar between the groups. The mean number of potentially nephrotoxic drugs was 1.06 ± 0.88 in those with and 0.97 ± 1.05 in those without diabetes (p = 0.39). CONCLUSIONS: The kidney function of older persons with diabetes does not differ from that of older persons without diabetes and furthermore potentially nephrotoxic drug use seem to play only a minor role in the decline in kidney function among home-dwelling persons in the Inner-Savo district.