Q&A
Kidney Disease Progression: How to Attenuate Risk
Wondering what to tell patients with minor kidney disease about their disease progression? Get the information you need to determine risk and...
Per proposed thresholds, patients with a score < 5% would be deemed “low risk”; with scores of 5% to 15%, “intermediate risk”; and with scores > 15%, “high risk.”1,2
The Kidney Failure Risk Equation can be incorporated into clinic visits to provide context for lab results. For patients with low risk for progression, optimal care and lifestyle measures can be reinforced. For those with intermediate or high risk, more intensive treatments and appropriate referrals can be initiated. (The National Kidney Foundation advises referral when a patient’s estimated GFR is 20 mL/min or the urine ACR is ≥ 300 mg/g.3) Providing a numeric risk for progression can help alleviate the patient’s uncertainty surrounding the diagnosis of CKD. —NDM
Nicole D. McCormick, MS, MBA, NP-C, CCTC
University of Colorado Renal Transplant Clinic, Aurora, Colorado