Abstract
BackgroundIncrease in the number of cases in Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka has become an environmental health issue of national concern. Even though, Northern Province is not identified as a high risk province, there is an increasing trend of CKDu after the end of civil war in the Northern territory.MethodsThe present study was conducted in Thunukkai Division in Mullaitivu District to investigate the socio demographic and clinical pattern of CKDu patients and to evaluate the quality of their water sources. The samples were selected by using stratified purposive random sampling method which represented 29% of total CKDu patients in Thunukkai Division. Pretested structured questionnaire was administrated to collect the data from CKDu patients.ResultsAmong the patients, 80% of them were male with an age range of 30-80, majority (88%) involved in farming. 26% and 20% of people were engaged in smoking and taking alcohol, respectively. 17% and 43% were suffered with diabetes and hypertension, respectively. Physicochemical characteristics of more than 50% of the water samples recorded higher electric conductivity, salinity, total dissolved solids, total hardness and Na levels compared to drinking water standards in Sri Lanka.ConclusionsThe association between serum creatine excreted by CKDu patients and water quality parameters were determined by using regression model, revealing a significant negative relationship with phosphate and positive relationship with Total Dissolved Solid and arsenic content of the drinking water. Thus, the study suggests, total dissolved solid and arsenic in drinking water have a positive correlation with CKDu in Thunukkai region in the Mullaitivu District.
Drinking Water Quality in Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Aetiology (CKDu) Prevalent and Non-prevalent Areas in Giradurukotte, Sri Lanka
