Examining chronic kidney disease management in a single center

Abstract

The management of patients with chronic kidney disease in outpatient clinics was assessed for the ability to achieve targets of care advocated in clinical practice guidelines. 272 records of outpatients with increased serum creatinine (> or = 1.5 mg/dl for women, > or = 2.0 mg/dl for men) were reviewed for details of their assessment and management. Prevailing data on blood pressure, anemia, bone disease and lipid status as well as therapeutic changes were evaluated. The subjects were aged 64 +/- 18 years, serum creatinine 2.6 +/- 1.1 mg/dl, and calculated GFR (MDRD formula) 19.2 +/- 9.9 ml/min. Median UproV was 1.0 (0.024 - 12.4) g/day. Causes of CKD were diabetes (33.5%), HTN (8.8%), GN (19.5%), and adult PKD (3.3%). Treatment targets were BP < 130/85 mmHg, Hct > or = 36%, serum Ca++ > or = 8.5 mg/dl, serum Po4 < 4.5 mg/dl and cholesterol < 200 mg/dl. Of the patients with abnormal findings, mean values for SBP were 153 +/- 17 mmHg, DBP 93 +/- 6 mmHg, Hct 31.7 +/- 2.9%, Ca++ 8.0 +/- 0.7 mg/dl, PO4 5.6 +/- 1.0 mg/dl, and cholesterol 236 +/- 37 mg/dl. Only a minority of patients with abnormal values had their treatment altered. Furthermore, only 54% of patients with hypertension were treated with either ACEi or ARB therapy. Finally, only 6% of patients with hypercholesterolemia had fasting lipid levels measured. This data suggests that treatment of patients with CKD has improved, but that many opportunities exist to optimize their care.