Comment On: Changes in Renal Blood Flow after Surgically Induced Weight Loss: Can Bariatric Surgery Halt the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease?

Obesity is a predominating risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the 21st century. The mechanisms through which obesity promotes CKD are believed to be manifold and include glomerular hyperfiltration and intraglomerular hypertension, an upregulated pro-inflammatory adipokine pattern, fatty kidney, cardiopulmonary disease, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, increased circulating free fatty acids and sympathetic tone, and hyperglycemia.1 These factors lead to more downstream effects like hypertension, oxidative stress, inflammation, renal hypoxemia, and fibrosis that ultimately CKD.