SCD and chronic kidney disease: Also, patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD had higher levels of serum stearic acid but not oleic acid, as well as a consequent lower desaturation index that is reflective of SCD activity compared with subjects with normal kidney function.(15) In the present study, we confirmed that the amount of 16:1, the desaturation index (16:1/16:0), and the levels of SCD mRNA expression were significantly decreased in GM of CKD rats compared with control.