Chronic Kidney Disease Prevalence in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis From Community-Based Representative Evidence Between 2011 to 2023.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence varies widely across different regions of India. We aimed to identify the status of CKD in India, by systematically reviewing the published community-based studies between the period of January 2011 to December 2023. PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE were searched for peer-reviewed evidence. Records identified for full-text screening were imported into the Litmaps literature review tool to identify more relevant studies. Two researchers independently examined and retrieved the data. Quality assessment was conducted using the JBI tool for prevalence studies. A random effects model pooled the estimates. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression and sensitivity analysis explored heterogeneity sources and estimated robustness. Publication bias was assessed with a DOI plot and LFK index. Among the 7062 records identified, 18 studies were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of CKD from community-based studies in India was 13.24% (confidence intervals (CI) 10.52 to 16.22, I ² 99%, p < 0.001). CKD prevalence among men was 14.80%, while among women it was 13.51%. Southern administrative zone had a pooled CKD prevalence of 14.78%. Pooled CKD prevalence was higher in studies from rural areas (15.34%) compared to those from urban areas (10.65%). Significant heterogeneity was found. Subgroup analyses based on sampling strategy, quality score, publication year, and eGFR estimation equation showed no effect on the pooled prevalence. Prediction Intervals confirmed CKD prevalence in India in future studies will fall between 2.64% and 30.17%. This review indicates a rising trend of CKD (from 11.12% during the period 2011 to 2017, to 16.38% between 2018 to 2023) among Indians aged 15 years and above, over the past years. More future regional research is needed to tailor-make CKD interventions to detect early and manage well.
(© 2025 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.)