Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Clinical Practice Guideline Research Articles

Concordance of Chronic Kidney Disease Stage and Metformin Management Using CKD-EPI 2021 Race-Free Equation vs CKD-EPI 2009 Equation to Estimate Glomerular Filtration Rate.

To the Editor: Metformin is a first-line agent for the treatment of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. However, the risk of lactic acidosis necessitates close monitoring of renal function (1). The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) organization clinical practice guidelines recommend using an estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to assess renal function, categorize chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage, and guide metformin management (2). Multiple professional organizations have recommended implementation of the new CKD Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) 2021 race-free eGFR equation, calculated from creatinine (eGFRcr), that does not disproportionately affect any one group of individuals (35). In order to assess the potential impact of implementation, a retrospective analysis was performed to determine concordance of CKD stage and metformin management categories using the CKD-EPI 2021 vs CKD-EPI 2009 eGFRcr equations. Creatinine concentration (first result used if multiple measurements available), age, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and race from patients 18 years old with an active metformin medication between April 1, 2021, and July 1, 2021, were retrieved from the electronic health record. eGFRcr was calculated from reported serum creatinine (mg/dL) using both the CKD-EPI 2021 and CKD-EPI 2009 equations. Concordance, defined as the number (percentage) of eGFRcr values that fell into the same CKD stage and metformin management categories using each equation, was evaluated in both self-reported Black and non-Black patients. Patients whose race was listed as unknown in the medical record were excluded. Metformin management recommendation categories were defined according to the KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. KDIGO recommends continuing metformin use in patients with an eGFRcr 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 (CKD-1 to -3a), reviewing use for potential dosage adjustments with an eGFRcr 30 to 44 (CKD-3b), and discontinuing use when eGFRcr is 30 (CKD-4 to -5).

An Endorsement of the Removal of Race From GFR Estimation Equations: A Position Statement From the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative

An Endorsement of the Removal of Race From GFR Estimation Equations: A Position Statement From the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative

New Approaches to Diabetic Nephropathy from Bed to Bench.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). DN-related ESKD has the worst prognosis for survival compared with other causes. Due to the complex mechanisms of DN and the heterogeneous presentations, unmet needs exist for the renal outcome of diabetes mellitus. Clinical evidence for treating DN is rather solid. For example, the first Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guideline was published in October 2020: KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease. In December of 2020, the International Society of Nephrology published 60 (+1) breakthrough discoveries in nephrology. Among these breakthroughs, four important ones after 1980 were recognized, including glomerular hyperfiltration theory, renal protection by renin-angiotensin system inhibition, hypoxia-inducible factor, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. Here, we present a review on the pivotal and new mechanisms of DN from the implications of clinical studies and medications.

KDOQI US Commentary on the 2021 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Blood Pressure in CKD

The Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) convened a work group to review the 2021 KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) guideline for the management of blood pressure in chronic kidney disease (CKD). This commentary is the product of that work group and presents the recommendations and practice points from the KDIGO guideline in the context of US clinical practice. A critical addition to the KDIGO guideline is the recommendation for accurate assessment of blood pressure using standardized office blood pressure measurement. In the general adult population with CKD, KDIGO recommends a goal systolic blood pressureless than 120 mm Hg on the basis of results from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) and secondary analyses of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes-Blood Pressure (ACCORD-BP) trial. The KDOQI work group agreed with most of the recommendations while highlighting the weak evidence base especially for patients with diabetes and advanced CKD.

Management of Blood Pressure in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Not Receiving Dialysis: Synopsis of the 2021 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline.

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2021 clinical practice guideline for the management of blood pressure (BP) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) not receiving dialysis is an update of the KDIGO 2012 guideline on the same topic and reflects new evidence on the risks and benefits of BP-lowering therapy among patients with CKD. It is intended to support shared decision making by health care professionals working with patients with CKD worldwide. This article is a synopsis of the full guideline. The KDIGO leadership commissioned 2 co-chairs to convene an international Work Group of researchers and clinicians. After a Controversies Conference in September 2017, the Work Group defined the scope of the evidence review, which was undertaken by an evidence review team between October 2017 and April 2020. Evidence reviews were done according to the Cochrane Handbook. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach was used to guide the development of the recommendations and rate the strength and quality of the evidence. Practice points were included to provide guidance when evidence was insufficient to make a graded recommendation. The guideline was revised after public consultation between January and March 2020. The updated guideline comprises 11 recommendations and 20 practice points. This synopsis summarizes key recommendations pertinent to the diagnosis and management of high BP in adults with CKD, excluding those receiving kidney replacement therapy. In particular, the synopsis focuses on recommendations for standardized BP measurement and a target systolic BP of less than 120 mm Hg, because these recommendations differ from some other guidelines.

1046-P: Automated Early Flagging of Undiagnosed CKD Using Real-World Data

Aims: Early diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may delay disease progression since 45% of patients are not diagnosed until stage 3. We examine the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical guidelines that define rules based on the longitudinal progression of urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for flagging CKD in people with type 2 diabetes (T2-PwD). Methods: EHR data from over 400,000 T2-PwDs in the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC) database were used for this analysis. The KDIGO clinical practice guidelines defines CKD as persistently elevated urine albumin excretion (>=30 mg/g), or persistently reduced eGFR (< 60 ml/min per 1.73m2), or both, for more than 3 months. Our automated system scanned each patient’s longitudinal record and identified those patients with abnormal UACR and eGFR values in the cases where sufficient values were available. A flag associated with either UACR or eGFR or both and the date of flagging is indicated by the system if abnormal marker values persist for more than 3 months. CKD is indicated if one or both flags are triggered. Results: Out of 422,089 patients 35,573 (8%) were identified as diagnosed with CKD. Only 3% of these patients had at least 2 UACR readings and, therefore, the automated system considered primarily eGFR as the marker for flagging CKD. Out of 35,573 patients with CKD diagnosis, 16,342 (46%) had an eGFR warning flag that predated the CKD diagnosis date. The system flagged a potential identification as much as 599 days (median value) in advance of the diagnosis of CKD in the dataset. Conclusion: Our results show that earlier identification of CKD onset can be automated to flag patients wherein a positive diagnosis of CKD is likely. This flag can then prompt a confirmatory diagnosis of CKD, allowing better treatment interventions and management of CKD, reducing the burden of disease, and potentially decreasing costs associated with treatments in later CKD stages. Disclosure D. Malagarriga: None. S. Chittajallu: Employee; Self; Roche Diabetes Care. P. J. Galley: Employee; Self; Roche Diabetes Care. I. Singh: Employee; Self; Roche Diabetes Care. J. T. Odegard: Employee; Self; Roche Diabetes Care.

Managing patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease

In late 2020, the nonprofit organization Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) published a clinical practice guideline in the Annals of Internal Medicine on management of patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The new guidance focuses on comprehensive care needs, glycemic monitoring and targets, and educational and integrated care approaches. “The 2020 KDIGO clinical practice guideline on diabetes management incorporates recent kidney outcome data to provide specific recommendations on use of glucose-lowering agents to mitigate kidney and cardiovascular risk,” said Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDCES, FADCES, FASCP, vice-chair and Allen I. White Distinguished Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Washington State University in Pullman. “Recommendations from KDIGO complement current guidance from the endocrine and cardiology communities, but provides a succinct resource related to the specific care needs of patients with diabetes and CKD. Particularly important to pharmacists is the guideline's discussion of risk mitigation strategies and important counseling points to optimize patient safety,” said Neumiller. Patients with diabetes and CKD often have other comorbidities and a higher cardiovascular burden, so a comprehensive management approach is needed. KDIGO recommends use of an ACE inhibitor (ACEi) or an ARB in patients with diabetes, hypertension, and albuminuria, with these medications titrated to the highest approved dose that is tolerated. Use may also be considered in patients with diabetes, albuminuria, and normal blood pressure. Only one of these agents should be used at a time, as combination therapy with an ACEi and an ARB or one of these agents with a direct renin inhibitor may be potentially harmful. Close monitoring of blood pressure, potassium levels, and serum creatinine is needed within 2 to 4 weeks of initiation of therapy or when there is a dose increase. KDIGO recommends that hyperkalemia be managed by implementing measures to reduce potassium levels (e.g., moderating potassium intake, initiating diuretics) rather than by decreasing or discontinuing the ACEi or ARB immediately. In addition, KDIGO recommends continuation of the ACEi or ARB unless creatinine levels increase by more than 30%. The ACEi or ARB dose should be reduced or withdrawn in patients who develop symptomatic hypotension, uncontrolled hyperkalemia (despite interventions), and acute kidney injury. The guideline discusses tobacco cessation as part of the comprehensive care plan, with patients encouraged to avoid using any tobacco products and to reduce their exposure to secondhand smoke. A section on lifestyle intervention is also included, and clinicians are encouraged to review those recommendations in the full publication. KDIGO recommends that A1C levels be used to monitor glycemic control in patients with diabetes and CKD, with an individualized target ranging from <6.5% to <8.0% for those not treated with dialysis. Assessment twice per year is reasonable, but assessments as often as 4 times per year may be needed if glycemic targets are not met or after a change in antihyperglycemic therapy. For antihyperglycemic therapy, KDIGO recommends metformin in combination with a sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor for patients with type 2 diabetes, CKD, and an eGFR of 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 or greater. If patients do not reach their individualized glycemic target or are unable to use those medications, the guideline recommends use of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist as the next preferred agent. Other antihyperglycemic agents are also listed with a figure (i.e., Figure 4) that helps guide appropriate selection based on patient and provider preferences (e.g., weight loss, avoid injections, avoid hypoglycemia, potent glucose lowering needed), comorbidities (e.g., high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure), eGFR (e.g., dialysis), and cost. KDIGO recognizes that data on use of newer agents in patients with type 1 diabetes and CKD receiving insulin are sparse and makes no special recommendations for these patients. KDIGO discusses the importance of both a self-management education program and a team-based integrated approach to care. The self-education program should consider local context, cultures, and availability of resources and be tailored to individual preferences and learning styles. These programs can be delivered one-on-one or as a group-based model. The team-based approach should include both physician and nonphysician personnel and focus on regular assessments, control of multiple risk factors, and self-management to protect kidney function and reduce the risk for complications.

An early experience on the effect of solid organ transplant status on hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

We compared the outcome of COVID-19 in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) patients to a transplant naïve population. In total, 10356 adult hospital admissions for COVID-19 from March 1, 2020 to April 27, 2020 were analyzed. Data were collected on demographics, baseline clinical conditions, medications, immunosuppression, and COVID-19 course. Primary outcome was combined death or mechanical ventilation. We assessed the association between primary outcome and prognostic variables using bivariate and multivariate regression models. We also compared the primary endpoint in SOT patients to an age, gender, and comorbidity-matched control group. Bivariate analysis found transplant status, age, gender, race/ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, COPD, and GFR <60mL/min/1.73m2 to be significant predictors of combined death or mechanical ventilation. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, SOT status had a trend toward significance (odds ratio [OR] 1.29; 95% CI 0.99-1.69, p=.06). Compared to an age, gender, and comorbidity-matched control group, SOT patients had a higher combined risk of death or mechanical ventilation (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03-1.74, p=.027).

KDOQI US Commentary on the 2018 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for the Prevention, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hepatitis C

The first KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was published in 2008. The ensuing decade bore witness to remarkable advances in the treatment of HCV infection following the approval of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents that deliver cure rates routinely >95%. In this context, the KDIGO organization correctly recognized the need for an updated HCV guideline that would be relevant to the treatment of HCV-infected patients with kidney disease in the DAA era. The current NKF-KDOQI (National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative) commentary provides an in-depth review and perspective on the 2018 KDIGO guideline. Of note, the KDIGO work group made significant updates to guideline chapters 2 and 4 as a direct result of the availability of DAAs. The intent of this commentary is to provide useful interpretation for nephrologists and other practitioners caring for HCV-infected patients with chronic kidney disease, including dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients. The availability of DAA agents that are safe and highly effective has created new opportunities, such as the transplantation of kidneys from HCV-infected kidney donors. The ability to treat HCV infection in patients with kidney disease will have a significant impact on the care of our patients and should favorably influence long-term outcomes as well.

KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation.

The 2020 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation is intended to assist health care professionals worldwide who evaluate and manage potential candidates for deceased or living donor kidney transplantation. This guideline addresses general candidacy issues such as access to transplantation, patient demographic and health status factors, and immunological and psychosocial assessment. The roles of various risk factors and comorbid conditions governing an individual's suitability for transplantation such as adherence, tobacco use, diabetes, obesity, perioperative issues, causes of kidney failure, infections, malignancy, pulmonary disease, cardiac and peripheral arterial disease, neurologic disease, gastrointestinal and liver disease, hematologic disease, and bone and mineral disorder are also addressed. This guideline provides recommendations for evaluation of individual aspects of a candidate's profile such that each risk factor and comorbidity are considered separately. The goal is to assist the clinical team to assimilate all data relevant to an individual, consider this within their local health context, and make an overall judgment on candidacy for transplantation. The guideline development process followed the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Guideline recommendations are primarily based on systematic reviews of relevant studies and our assessment of the quality of that evidence, and the strengths of recommendations are provided. Limitations of the evidence are discussed with differences from previous guidelines noted and suggestions for future research are also provided.

KDOQI US Commentary on the 2017 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors

Living kidney donation is widely practiced throughout the world. During the past 2 decades, various groups have provided guidance about the evaluation and care of living donors. However, during this time, our knowledge in the field has advanced substantially and many agreed on the need for a comprehensive, unifying document. KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) addressed this issue at an international level with the publication of its clinical practice guideline on the evaluation and care of living kidney donors. The KDIGO work group extensively reviewed the available literature and wrote a series of guideline recommendations using various degrees of evidence when available. As has become recent practice, NKF-KDOQI (National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative) convened a work group to provide a commentary on the KDIGO guideline, with a focus on how these recommendations apply in the context of the United States. In the United States, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) guides and regulates the practice of living kidney donation. While the KDIGO guideline for the care of living kidney donors and UNOS policy are similar in most aspects of the care of living kidney donors, several important areas are not consistent or do not align with common practice by US transplantation programs in areas in which UNOS has not set specific policy. For the time being, and recognizing the value of the KDIGO guidelines, US transplantation programs should continue to follow UNOS policy.

Canadian Society of Transplantation and Canadian Society of Nephrology Commentary on the 2017 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors.

Purpose of review:To review an international guideline on the evaluation and care of living kidney donors and provide a commentary on the applicability of the recommendations to the Canadian donor population.Sources of information:We reviewed the 2017 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors and compared this guideline to the Canadian 2014 Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Protocol for Participating Donors.Methods:A working group was formed consisting of members from the Canadian Society of Transplantation and the Canadian Society of Nephrology. Members were selected to have representation from across Canada and in various subspecialties related to living kidney donation, including nephrology, surgery, transplantation, pediatrics, and ethics.Key findings:Many of the KDIGO Guideline recommendations align with the KPD Protocol recommendations. Canadian researchers have contributed to much of the evidence on donor evaluation and outcomes used to support the KDIGO Guideline recommendations.Limitations:Certain outcomes and risk assessment tools have yet to be validated in the Canadian donor population.Implications:Living kidney donors should be counseled on the risks of postdonation outcomes given recent evidence, understanding the limitations of the literature with respect to its generalizability to the Canadian donor population.

Preeclampsia Risks in Kidney Donors and Recipients.

To review the studies and practice guidelines on the preeclampsia risks in kidney donors and recipients. There is a small increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in pregnancies that follow kidney donation. Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline (2017) and the 2015 American Society of Transplantation (AST) consensus conference statement recommends counseling kidney donors about this increased risk. There is no observed increase in fetal complications or eclampsia post-kidney donation. Preeclampsia is more commonly observed in kidney transplant recipients than the general population and these patients should be co-managed with an obstetrician with experience in managing high risk pregnancies. Although preeclampsia has not been found to have a deleterious effect on renal graft function, it can cause premature delivery. Risk calculators have been proposed and an elevated pre-pregnancy creatinine seems to be an important risk. KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines (2009) recommends attempting pregnancy when kidney function is stable with proteinuria of less than 1g per day. The use of novel biomarkers for preeclampsia has not been published in this population. Preeclampsia is an important concern for female kidney donors and recipients of child-bearing age. These individuals should be appropriately counseled.

KDOQI US Commentary on the 2017 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline Update for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease–Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD)

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) encompasses laboratory and bone abnormalities and vascular calcification and has deleterious effects on clinical outcomes. KDOQI (Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative), an initiative of the National Kidney Foundation, addressed this issue with the publication of a clinical practice guideline for bone metabolism and disease in CKD in 2003, and 2 years later, a new definition and classification scheme for CKD-MBD was developed following a KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) Controversies Conference. The initial KDIGO guideline on CKD-MBD was then published in 2009. New evidence was subsequently reviewed at the 2013 KDIGO Controversies Conference, andin 2017, KDIGO issued a clinical practice guideline update for the diagnosis, evaluation, prevention, and treatment of CKD-MBD. This commentary presents the views of the KDOQI CKD-MBD work group convened bythe National Kidney Foundation. The KDOQI work group agrees with most of the KDIGO guideline update recommendations, particularly the suggestions regarding bone mineral density testing, joint assessments of longitudinal trends in mineral metabolism markers, and dietary phosphate counseling focused on phosphate additives. However, the KDOQI work group has some concerns about the suggestions related to hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia, phosphate-binder choice, and treatment of abnormal parathyroid hormone concentrations. The overall goal of this commentary is to provide a broad discussion for the US nephrology community regarding CKD-MBD and its diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors.

The 2017 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors is intended to assist medical professionals who evaluate living kidney donor candidates and provide care before, during and after donation. The guideline development process followed the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and guideline recommendations are based on systematic reviews of relevant studies that included critical appraisal of the quality of the evidence and the strength of recommendations. However, many recommendations, for which there was no evidence or no systematic search for evidence was undertaken by the Evidence Review Team, were issued as ungraded expert opinion recommendations. The guideline work group concluded that a comprehensive approach to risk assessment should replace decisions based on assessments of single risk factors in isolation. Original data analyses were undertaken to produce a “proof-in-concept” risk-prediction model for kidney failure to support a framework for quantitative risk assessment in the donor candidate evaluation and defensible shared decision making. This framework is grounded in the simultaneous consideration of each candidate's profile of demographic and health characteristics. The processes and framework for the donor candidate evaluation are presented, along with recommendations for optimal care before, during, and after donation. Limitations of the evidence are discussed, especially regarding the lack of definitive prospective studies and clinical outcome trials. Suggestions for future research, including the need for continued refinement of long-term risk prediction and novel approaches to estimating donation-attributable risks, are also provided.In citing this document, the following format should be used: Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Living Kidney Donor Work Group. KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors. Transplantation. 2017;101(Suppl 8S):S1–S109.

The effect of gender on aminoglycoside-associated nephrotoxicity .

The kidney disease improving global outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guidelines for acute kidney injury (AKI) has endorsed the widely held belief that female gender is a risk factor for aminoglycoside-associated nephrotoxicity (AAN). In contrast, female gender is protective in animal models. In light of this dichotomy, we sought to explore this relationship in greater detail. We performed a meta-analysis of studies published between 1978 and 2015 which examined aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity and provided gender-specific data. 24 studies were identified that provided univariate gender-specific data. The incidence of AAN did not differ between the sexes (odds ratio (OR) for females vs. males 1.00 (0.81, 1.22), p=0.97, n=5,980). Twelve studies utilized logistic regression analysis with gender as a covariate. Meta-analysis of the 5 studies that utilized multivariate analysis and reported gender-specific OR found no effect of gender on the risk of AAN (OR 0.99 (0.58, 1.69), p=0.96, n=2,994). Similarly, gender was not an independent risk factor for AAN in the remaining 7 studies that utilized multivariate analysis with gender as a covariate but failed to report gender-specific OR (n=1,636). Our meta-analysis contradicts the generally held consensus that female gender is an independent risk factor for the development of AAN. Our findings may have much wider implications insofar as AAN cannot be used as an example to support the conclusion of the KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines that female gender is an independent risk factor for AKI. .

Evidence Underlying KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) Guideline Recommendations: A Systematic Review

The KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) clinical practice guidelines establish international recommendations for the definition and treatment of kidney disease. Our objective was to characterize the strength of evidence supporting the KDIGO guidelines, the class of recommendations made, and the relationship between these. We reviewed and abstracted the level of evidence and strength of recommendations in the currently available KDIGO guidelines. KDIGO clinical practice guidelines target care of patients with kidney disease to improve outcomes. All KDIGO guidelines published on the KDIGO website as of November 2013 were included. Recommendations pertaining to disease, diagnosis, or treatment. Levels of evidence and strength of recommendations. Of 853 recommendations in 9 guidelines, 5% were supported by level A quality evidence; 17%, level B; 31%, level C; 18%, level D; and 20%, ungraded evidence. The strength of recommendations was class 1 for 25%, class 2 for 54%, and ungraded for 20%. Only 3% of recommendations were class 1 in strength and supported by level A evidence. Of the recommendations, 2% concerned disease definition and classification; 29%, diagnosis; and 69%, treatment. Our study included only the KDIGO guidelines. We did not assess historical changes in nephrology guidelines recommendations. KDIGO recommendations were based largely on weak evidence, reflecting expert opinion. Few recommendations were both strong and supported by high-level evidence.

Revisiting KDIGO clinical practice guideline on chronic kidney disease—mineral and bone disorder: a commentary from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes controversies conference

A new definition and classification of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) was proposed in 2005 and it was later followed by a guideline publication on this topic from Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) in 2009. This work recognized that CKD-MBD is a syndrome of bone abnormalities, laboratory abnormalities, and vascular calcification linked to fractures, cardiovascular disease, and mortality. Because of limited data at the time of the original guideline systematic review, many of the recommendations were cautiously vague. KDIGO convened a Controversies Conference in October 2013 to review the CKD-MBD literature published since the 2009 guideline. Specifically, the objective of this conference was to determine whether sufficient new data had emerged to support a reassessment of the CKD-MBD guideline and if so to determine the scope of these potential revisions. This report summarizes the results of these proceedings, highlighting important new studies conducted in the interval since the original KDIGO CKD-MBD guideline.

KDOQI US Commentary on the 2013 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for Lipid Management in CKD

The National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-KDOQI) guideline for management of dyslipidemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) was published in 2003. Since then, considerable evidence, including randomized controlled trials of statin therapy in adults with CKD, has helped better define medical treatments for dyslipidemia. In light of the new evidence, KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) formed a work group for the management of dyslipidemia in patients with CKD. This work group developed a new guideline that contains substantial changes from the prior KDOQI guideline. KDIGO recommends treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with CKD primarily based on risk for coronary heart disease, which is driven in large part by age. The KDIGO guideline does not recommend using low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level as a guide for identifying individuals with CKD to be treated or as treatment targets. Initiation of statin treatment is no longer recommended in dialysis patients. To assist US practitioners in interpreting and applying the KDIGO guideline, NKF-KDOQI convened a work group to write a commentary on this guideline. For the most part, our work group agreed with the recommendations of the KDIGO guideline, although we describe several areas in which we believe the guideline statements are either too strong or need to be more nuanced, areas of uncertainty and inconsistency, as well as additional research recommendations. The target audience for the KDIGO guideline includes nephrologists, primary care practitioners, and non-nephrology specialists such as cardiologists and endocrinologists. As such, we also put the current recommendations into the context of other clinical practice recommendations for cholesterol treatment.

Canadian Society of Nephrology Commentary on the KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for CKD Evaluation and Management

We congratulate the KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) work group on their comprehensive work in a broad subject area and agreed with many of the recommendations in their clinical practice guideline on the evaluation and management of chronic kidney disease. We concur with the KDIGO definitions and classification of kidney disease and welcome the addition of albuminuria categories at all levels of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the terminology of G categories rather than stages to describe level of GFR, the division of former stage 3 into new G categories 3a and 3b, and the addition of the underlying diagnosis. We agree with the use of the heat map to illustrate the relative contributions of low GFR and albuminuria to cardiovascular and renal risk, though we thought that the highest risk category was too broad, including as it does people at disparate levels of risk. We add an albuminuria category A4 for nephrotic-range proteinuria and D and T categories for patients on dialysis or with a functioning renal transplant. We recommend target blood pressure of 140/90mm Hg regardless of diabetes or proteinuria, and against the combination of angiotensin receptor blockers with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. We recommend against routine protein restriction. We concur on individualization of hemoglobin A1c targets. We do not agree with routine restriction of sodium intake to <2g/d, instead suggesting reduction of sodium intake in those with high intake (>3.3g/d). We suggest screening for anemia only when GFR is <30mL/min/1.73m(2). We recognize the absence of evidence on appropriate phosphate targets and methods of achieving them and do not agree with suggestions in this area. In drug dosing, we agree with the recommendation of using absolute clearance (ie, milliliters per minute), calculated from the patient's estimated GFR (which is normalized to 1.73m(2)) and the patient's actual anthropomorphic body surface area. We agree with referral to a nephrologist when GFR is <30mL/min/1.73m(2) (and for many other scenarios), but suggest urine albumin-creatinine ratio > 60mg/mmol or proteinuria with protein excretion > 1g/d as the referral threshold for proteinuria.