CKD: has implications well beyond the risk of dialysis
Kidney disease does affect 1:10 adults. It is defined as: “abnormalities of kidney structure and/or function present for greater than three months, with implications for health.”
A recent New York Times article describes a debate between nephrologists whereby some assert that lower eGFR is not necessarily kidney disease, and that because most older individuals with impaired kidney function do not go on to dialysis, we should not label them as such.
Large bodies of evidence exist that describe the increased risk of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), drug toxicity, hospitalization, cardiovascular events, infections and death, where evidence of kidney abnormalities is present.
Kidney disease as a global health problem, is more than just about whether or not people need dialysis. Note that all people with diabetes do not have complications from diabetes. Neither do they all require insulin or medication, but we have not put an age limit or ask that we do not call them diabetics.
At ISN, we support the accurate diagnosis and management of people with acute and chronic kidney disease, as both have implications for individuals, families, society and healthcare systems.
