時間係我哋所有人都擁有嘅資源。佢永遠唔會為任何人或事停低，某程度上，佢係宇宙中最公平嘅資產。畢竟，我哋只會變老，唔會回春；每一日過去，都令我哋嘅生物年齡不可逆地向上增加。當下，由於出生率下降，長者充斥我哋嘅日常周遭，我哋一早習以為常1。
隨住全球人口老化，我哋不得不仔細睇吓，當我哋真正變老嗰陣，究竟會發生咩事。年紀大咗，除咗會累積智慧，仲會帶嚟病痛，令生活日益艱難。拎重嘢變成苦差，行幾步路已經喘晒大氣，而慢性疾病就會好似獵食者埋伏咁，慢慢爬上你背脊。好多時，等我哋察覺到嘅時候已經太遲，死亡危機已經殺到埋身。
其中一種喺香港日益常見嘅慢性病就係慢性腎病（CKD），由2010年到2021年間2，病例翻咗接近一倍。慢性腎病成日俾人叫做「沉默的疾病」，因為佢本身冇乜明顯早期病徵。每10個患者入面，只有1個確診，但係每年因為呢個病而死亡嘅人數，仲多過乳癌或者前列腺癌3,4。
雖然去到後期死亡率好高，但如果及早發現病情惡化嘅跡象，就可以透過健康嘅生活習慣同埋藥物去控制病情發展。呢啲健康習慣包括做運動同埋飲充足嘅水，世衛建議每日飲3公升；不過好似香港呢類炎熱地區，佢哋建議進一步飲到4公升5。如果不幸發展到真係出現病徵，治療選項就會窄好多，剩返洗腎（透析）或者換腎。事實上，超過一半接受緊透析治療嘅病人係61歲以上6。要確保腎臟健康，定期檢查係關鍵。好似E-SENSE嘅VitoCheck呢類先進、非侵入性嘅影像平台，可以為器官健康提供一個無痛無創、容易觸及嘅窗口，喺傳統臨床檢查之外，擔當一個重要嘅早期預警角色。
References:
1World Bank. (2022). Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) | Data. Worldbank.org. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CBRT.IN
2Yue, N. C., Ho, S.-C., Mak, J. K. L., Cheng, F. W. T., Tam, E. Y. W., Lau, W. C. Y., Hoo, R. L. C., Tan, K. C. B., Yap, D. Y. H., & Cheung, C.-L. (2025). Prevalence and incidence of chronic kidney diseases in Hong Kong: a 12-year territory-wide retrospective cohort study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 64, 101726–101726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101726
3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Chronic kidney disease in the United States, 2023. Chronic Kidney Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/php/data-research/index.html
4National Kidney Foundation. (2024, August 26). Kidney Disease: Fact Sheet. National Kidney Foundation. https://www.kidney.org/about/kidney-disease-fact-sheet
5Water, Sanitation, And Health Programme (World Health Organization. (2005). Nutrients in drinking water. Water, Sanitation, And Health Protection And The Human Environment, World Health Organization.
6Chan, J. Y., Cheng, Y., Yuen, S., Wong, P., Cheng, H., Mo, K., Yung, C., Chow, K., Fung, S. K., Chak, W., Ma, M. K., Ho, T., Lee, A., Wong, S., Cheung, S., Ma, A. L., Szeto, C., Tang, S. C., & Lui, S. (2024). The Hong Kong Renal Registry: a recent update. Hong Kong Medical Journal. https://doi.org/10.12809/hkmj2411504
