The Use of ‘Omics for Diagnosing and Predicting Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Scoping Review

Globally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) contributes substantial morbidity and mortality. Recently, various ‘omics platforms have provided insight into the molecular basis of kidney dysfunction. This scoping review is a synthesis of the current literature on the use of different ‘omics platforms to identify biomarkers that could be used to detect early-stage CKD, predict disease progression, and identify pathways leading to CKD. This review includes 123 articles published from January 2007 to May 2021, following a structured selection process. The most common type of ‘omic platform was proteomics, appearing in 55 of the studies and two of these included a metabolomics component. Most studies (n = 91) reported on CKD associated with diabetes mellitus. Thirteen studies that provided information on the biomarkers associated with CKD and explored potential pathways involved in CKD are discussed. The biomarkers that are associated with risk or early detection of CKD are SNPs in the MYH9/APOL1 and UMOD genes, the proteomic CKD273 biomarker panel and metabolite pantothenic acid. Pantothenic acid and the CKD273 biomarker panel were also involved in predicting CKD progression. Retinoic acid pathway genes, UMOD, and pantothenic acid provided insight into potential pathways leading to CKD. The biomarkers were mainly used to detect CKD and predict progression in high-income, European ancestry populations, highlighting the need for representative ‘omics research in other populations with disparate socio-economic strata, including Africans, since disease etiologies may differ across ethnic groups. To assess the transferability of findings, it is essential to do research in diverse populations.