Pediatric and adult point of view on the gut-kidney axis in CKD.

Abstract

Chronic non-communicable diseases pose a significant global health challenge, with the human gut microbiota emerging as a key player in several (patho) physiological functions, including immunity, metabolic homeostasis, and inflammation. While dysbiosis, or imbalance in taxonomy and function of gut microbiota, has been implicated in chronic kidney disease (CKD), whether it is a cause or consequence of the disease remains controversial. Understanding the gut microbiota's role in CKD pathogenesis is essential for developing novel therapeutic interventions. CKD in children presents unique opportunities for studying disease-specific mechanisms due to the absence of comorbidities typically seen in adults, such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, although few studies exist. On the other hand, unlike the relatively stable gut microbiota of healthy adults, the infant's microbiome undergoes significant development and maturation during the early years of life. Integrating knowledge from both pediatric and adult populations may provide a comprehensive understanding of gut microbiota dysbiosis in CKD. This review aims to provide an overview of the gut microbiota's development in healthy individuals and CKD patients and discusses how these findings can inform personalized treatment approaches to CKD.