Acculturation and chronic kidney disease in the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Hispanics/Latinos are burdened by chronic kidney disease (CKD). The role of acculturation in this population has not been explored. We studied the association of acculturation with CKD and cardiovascular risk factor control. We performed cross-sectional analyses of 13,164 U.S. Hispanics/Latinos enrolled in the HCHS/SOL Study between 2008 and 2011. Acculturation was measured using the language and ethnic social relations subscales of the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics, and proxies of acculturation (language preference, place of birth and duration of residence in U.S.). CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 or urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g. On multivariable analyses stratified by age, lower language subscale score was associated with higher odds of CKD among those older than 65 (OR 1.29, 95% CI, 1.03, 1.63). No significant association was found between proxies of acculturation and CKD in this age strata. Among individuals aged 18-44, a lower language subscale score was associated with lower eGFR (β = −0.77 ml/min/1.73 m2, 95% CI −1.43, −0.10 per 1 SD increase) and a similar pattern was observed for ethnic social relations. Among those older than 65, lower language subscale score was associated with higher log-albuminuria (β = 0.12, 95% CI 0.03, 0.22). Among individuals with CKD, acculturation measures were not associated with control of cardiovascular risk factors. In conclusion, lower language acculturation was associated with a higher prevalence of CKD in individuals older than 65. These findings suggest that older individuals with lower language acculturation represent a high risk group for CKD.