Validating myo-inositol, a novel renal biomarker for kidney disease.

Year of award: 2024

Grantholders

  • Dr Catherine Omosule

    University of Ghana Medical Centre, Ghana

Project summary

Kidney diseases are a major global health concern. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are important for improving clinical outcomes. However, the existing creatinine-based diagnostic standards exhibit limitations in sensitivity and specificity, particularly in individuals of African descent, whose kidney function is overestimated as it declines. This hinders accurate assessment of their renal health, impacting eligibility for transplantation and depriving them of optimal care. Consequently, there is a pressing need for renal biomarkers that demonstrate efficacy across diverse patient populations. Our preliminary research has identified myo-inositol as a promising biomarker for kidney disease. In a small and diverse cohort of Caucasian and African Americans, myo-inositol demonstrated independence from sex and race, contrasting with creatinine. It notably increased 33 hours before creatinine in patients who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and exhibited excellent sensitivity (98.9%) and specificity (100%) for chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to investigate myo-inositol as a renal biomarker in Ghanaians, a demographic with a high prevalence of kidney diseases. We hypothesize that myo-inositol will exhibit excellent diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for assessing AKI and CKD in this population. The research addresses the critical need for effective biomarkers that transcend demographic variations to enhance kidney disease management.