What causes chronic kidney disease in farming communities in Central America
Official title: Exploring risk factors and predictors of endemic CKDu in agricultural regions of four Central America countries
Funded at Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica · NIH-11403180 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for causes and early warning signs of a common chronic kidney disease that affects young agricultural workers in Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Heredia, Costa Rica) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $183,953 |
| NIH project number | 3U01DK130046-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11403180 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people living or working in rural agricultural areas of Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, or Guatemala—including young adults and sugarcane or other field workers—with or without known CKDu.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside the study regions or whose kidney disease has a known cause unrelated to agricultural exposures may not benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You would be followed over time along with other people from rural agricultural communities to see how kidney function changes. The team will collect health information, work and living conditions, and samples such as blood and other biospecimens. They will record heat exposure, infections, and possible chemical exposures, and store samples for genetic and biomarker testing through the CURE consortium. The goal is to find risk factors and early markers that predict worsening kidney function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could help prevent illness by identifying causes and early warning signs so people can get earlier care or safer working conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has pointed to heat stress, work strain, and possible chemical exposures as contributors, but causes remain unclear, and this multi-country, long-term approach with biomarker collection is a more comprehensive effort.
Where this research is happening
-
Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Heredia, Costa Rica Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Crowe, Jennifer — Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
- Study coordinator: Crowe, Jennifer
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.