U-Shaped Association of BMI and Outcomes in Patients with CKD, Study Finds

New research reveals a relatively consistent U-shaped association between BMI and clinical outcomes, with the best outcomes observed in overweight and mildly obese patients. Among a nationally representative cohort of 453,946 US veterans with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m², BMI levels <25 kg/m² were associated with worse outcomes in all patients, independent of severity of CKD. BMI levels ≥35 kg/m² were associated with worse outcomes in patients with earlier stages of CKD, but this association was attenuated in those patients with eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m². The findings are published in JASN.