Early identification and management of chronic kidney disease: summary of NICE guidance

Chronic kidney disease is associated with substantial comorbidity including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, anemia, and renal bone disease. People with chronic kidney disease have a far greater likelihood of cardiovascular death than progression to established renal failure. Chronic kidney disease has been highlighted as a public health problem through the international adoption of the US National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative staging system and because the prevalence of the disease as defined by the staging system has risen from 10% to 13% (in 1999-2004) of the non-institutionalized adult US population. Here, Crowe et al summarize the most recent recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for identifying and managing chronic kidney disease.