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Mesoamerican endemic nephropathy is a type of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin, present in pockets of high prevalence along the Pacific Ocean coast of the Mesoamerican region, from southwest Mexico to Costa Rica. The disease is common in young adult men, most often yet not exclusively from agricultural communities, and with a high mortality rate. Kidney biopsy specimens show primarily tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis with some glomerular changes attributed to ischemia. Exposure to agrochemicals, heavy metals or metalloids, intense physical activity under heat stress with dehydration, infections, among other possible causes have been hypothesized as the culprit of the disease. Hypokalemia and hyperuricemia are frequent clinical features. Early diagnosis is key to initiate timely treatment and slow down the progression to end-stage kidney disease. At present, our knowledge about the magnitude of the disease burden imposed by Mesoamerican endemic nephropathy is clearly incomplete and its cause has not been determined. There is a need to implement epidemiologic and mechanistic research projects as well as formal chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease registries in the Mesoamerican region to better understand the real extent of the epidemic, delimit risk populations, and to construct sound public health policy decisions., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin has emerged in the last decade in Central America and has been named Mesoamerican nephropathy. This form of chronic kidney disease is present primarily in young male agricultural workers from communities along the Pacific coast, especially workers in the sugarcane fields. In general, these men have a history of manual labor under very hot conditions in agricultural fields. Clinically, they usually present with normal or mildly elevated systemic blood pressure, asymptomatic yet progressive reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate, low-grade non-nephrotic proteinuria, and often hyperuricemia and or hypokalemia. Diabetes is absent in this population. Kidney biopsies that have been performed show a chronic tubulointerstitial disease with associated secondary glomerulosclerosis and some signs of glomerular ischemia. The cause of the disease is unknown; this article discusses and analyzes some of the etiologic possibilities currently under consideration. It is relevant to highlight that recurrent dehydration is suggested in multiple studies, a condition that possibly could be exacerbated in some cases by other conditions, including the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. At present, Mesoamerican nephropathy is a medical enigma yet to be solved., (Copyright © 2014 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.)