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Early identification and risk stratification of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) facilitates specialty referrals and improves outcomes. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), based on creatinine clearance, is not practical for evaluation, because it is overly sensitive and misclassifies many patients. Serum creatinine level is used commonly but is confounded by clinical and demographic factors. In two studies, investigators explored the value of new combinations of biomarkers to assess risk for adverse outcomes in CKD.
In one cohort study, 27,000 patients (mean age, 65; 40% black; 21% diabetic; 59% hypertensive) were followed for an average of 5 years; about 1900 died, and 180 developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Risk fo…