From the Guidelines

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is underdiagnosed in females, with a prevalence of 12.6% in women compared to 9.7% in men.

The prevalence of CKD is higher in women than in men, with 12.6% of women affected compared to 9.7% of men 1.
CKD is often asymptomatic and can be identified through routine laboratory measurements, such as serum creatinine and urinary albumin levels 1.
The National Kidney Foundation defines CKD as either kidney damage or decreased kidney function (decreased GFR) for 3 or more months, and provides a five-stage classification system for CKD 1.
Early detection and treatment of CKD can prevent or delay adverse outcomes, such as progression to kidney failure, complications of decreased kidney function, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) 1.
The underdiagnosis of CKD in females may be due to a lack of awareness and agreement on a definition and classification of stages in the progression of CKD, as well as a lack of uniform application of simple tests for detection and evaluation 1.
Females are at a higher risk of underdiagnosis, and therefore, it is essential to increase awareness and screening for CKD in this population to prevent or delay adverse outcomes.

From the Research

The prevalence of underdiagnosed CKD in females is a significant concern, with studies indicating that women are more likely to have undiagnosed CKD than men 2.
A multinational observational study found that the prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD was higher in females than males, with odds ratios ranging from 1.29 to 1.77 across different countries 2.
Another study found that the estimated overall prevalence of CKD was higher in females (5.5%) than males (4.2%) in a large, unselected Portuguese population 3.
Factors associated with undiagnosed CKD in females include older age, stage 3a CKD, and lack of medical history of diabetes or hypertension 2.
The underdiagnosis of CKD in females may be due to various factors, including the protective effects of oestrogens, which may slow the decline of kidney function in women 4.
Additionally, elderly women may be more inclined to choose conservative care instead of renal replacement therapy, which may contribute to the underdiagnosis of CKD in this population 4.

The prevalence of CKD in females increases with age, with older women being more likely to have undiagnosed CKD 2, 3.
The most prevalent form of CKD in females is stage 3 CKD, with a significant proportion of women having stage 3a CKD 5, 2.
The prevalence of CKD in females is also higher in those with comorbidities, such as diabetes and hypertension 2, 3.
The use of kidney protective agents, such as renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, is low in females with CKD, which may contribute to the progression of the disease 5.