Kidney Week

Abstract: TH-PO1231

Genetically-Anchored Kidney Aging and Risk of Incident CKD

Session Information

• Late-Breaking Research Posters
  October 22, 2026 | Location: Exhibit Hall A, Convention Center
  Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

• 2201 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

Authors

• Chou, Che-yi, Asia University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan

Che-yi Chou, MD, PhD

• Cho, Sungkweon, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea (the Republic of)

Sungkweon Cho, MD, PhD

• Chang, David R., China Medical University Hospital Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung City, Taiwan

David R. Chang, MD

• Chen, Hung-Lin, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Hung-Lin Chen, PhD

• Lin, Yu-Ting, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Yu-Ting Lin, PhD

• Chiang, Hsiu-Yin, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Hsiu-Yin Chiang, MS, PhD

• Kuo, Chin-Chi, China Medical University Hospital Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung City, Taiwan

Chin-Chi Kuo, MD, PhD, MPH

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is commonly defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) cutoff (<60 mL/min/1.73 m²), which may miss individuals above this threshold who are already at elevated risk of CKD. We developed a genetically anchored framework that defines accelerated kidney aging (AKA) as kidney function lower than that of age-, sex-, and genetically matched healthy peers.

Methods

We meta-analyzed genome-wide association studies of eGFR in 596,097 East Asians and constructed an eGFR polygenic score (PGS_eGFR). Using a healthy reference population from a longitudinal cohort at a Taiwanese medical center, we derived age-, sex-, and PGS_eGFR-specific eGFR percentile distributions. AKA was defined as an observed eGFR below the 10^th percentile of the corresponding reference distribution. Associations with incident CKD were evaluated in the Taiwanese clinical cohort and validated in 427,715 UK Biobank (UKB) participants using UKB-specific PGS_eGFR and reference distributions.

Results

AKA identified high CKD risk among individuals with preserved kidney function. Compared with individuals without AKA, increases in absolute risk for 5-year CKD of 79.1 (95% CI, 72.5 to 86.1), 61.1 (55.0 to 67.4), and 39.2 (34.7 to 43.5) were noted per 1,000 persons in low, intermediate, and high PGS_eGFR strata, respectively (Table 1). PGS_eGFR and AKA interacted supra-additively, with absolute risk highest among individuals with both low PGS_eGFR and AKA (Figure 1). Findings were reproduced in the UKB.

Conclusion

The genetically anchored AKA framework identified increased risk of incident CKD among individuals with eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m². Low PGS_eGFR and AKA compounded each other, supporting earlier, personalized kidney health risk stratification.

Table 1

Figure 1

Funding

• Government Support - Non-U.S.