Early diagnosis of active kidney damage
with the innovative biomarker Dkk3
because your kidneys know no pain
Test based on ELISA technology
for non-invasive diagnostics in urine
Millions suffer from kidney disease - only a few know it
The kidneys perform vital detoxification functions in our body. Chronic kidney disease often goes unnoticed for a long time, as it causes neither pain nor other obvious symptoms. As a result, only a few of those affected are aware of their ongoing kidney damage. Regardless of the different causes, the course of chronic kidney disease is always characterized by the progressive loss of kidney function. In the event of a complete loss of kidney function, only renal replacement therapy can preserve life.
Dkk3 - Biomarker for the diagnosis of progressive kidney disease
Representative figures on the frequency of kidney failure in Germany were published for the first time in 2016 in a large study on the health of adults. A total of 7,116 men and women were examined. A significant impairment of kidney function, i.e. a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m², is present in around 2.3% of all people between the ages of 18 and 79 (figure), which corresponds to almost 2 million people in the general population. The authors also emphasized that many of those affected were unaware of their kidney disease as it was asymptomatic. This often prevents timely measures from being taken to effectively slow down the progression of kidney disease.
In a joint statement, three international nephrology societies - International Society of Nephrology, American Society of Nephrology and European Renal Association - have drawn attention to the growing number of people with kidney disease worldwide [Francis A et al. Chronic kidney disease and the global public health agenda: an international consensus. Nat Rev Nephrol 2024; 20: 473-485]. They also highlighted the fact that kidney disease is underestimated in many ways, as most people are unaware of their kidney disease for a long time.
The currently used indirect kidney damage markers such as proteinuria do not provide information about the existence of active kidney damage, nor whether this disastrous process is progressing. Established laboratory parameters for the assessment of kidney function, such as creatinine or cystatin C in the blood and the GFR estimated from these (eGFR), reflect kidney function at the time of determination, but also give no information about the degree of activity of kidney damage and its further progression.
Dickkopf-3 (Dkk3) is an innovative biomarker for the early diagnosis of active, progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). In people with confirmed CKD, the amount of Dkk3 excreted in the urine (uDkk3) correlates with the subsequent loss of kidney function, i.e. uDkk3 predicts the progression of kidney damage (CKD progression). The success of therapeutic measures to slow progression, such as lowering blood pressure or pharmacological interventions, can also be checked by measuring Dkk3 in the urine [Zewinger et al, J Am Soc Nephrol 2018; Schunk et al, Lancet 2019; Speer et al, Lancet Child & Adolescent Health 2023].
