- Background:
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has an age-dependent prevalence of 10% in adults. The majority of CKD patients are treated in general practice. Although international guidelines recommend referral in patients with GFR <30, the German Societies for Nephrology and Internal Medicine recommend specialist referral for all subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45 or eGFR 45-59 ml/min/ 1,73m2 with additional risk factors. This analysis was performed to evaluate the public health implications of lowering the threshold value for referral.
Methods:
Data of the population based cohort Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-2) were analysed to estimate the proportion of subjects who meet different referral criteria, billing data to estimate actual referral rate and public health implications of implementing different referral criteria were estimated with regard to cost and health resources utilization.
Results:
Data of 2328 subjects from SHIP-2 (53% female; age M = 57 Jahre, SD = 14)were analyzed. 3% ofBackground:
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has an age-dependent prevalence of 10% in adults. The majority of CKD patients are treated in general practice. Although international guidelines recommend referral in patients with GFR <30, the German Societies for Nephrology and Internal Medicine recommend specialist referral for all subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45 or eGFR 45-59 ml/min/ 1,73m2 with additional risk factors. This analysis was performed to evaluate the public health implications of lowering the threshold value for referral.
Methods:
Data of the population based cohort Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-2) were analysed to estimate the proportion of subjects who meet different referral criteria, billing data to estimate actual referral rate and public health implications of implementing different referral criteria were estimated with regard to cost and health resources utilization.
Results:
Data of 2328 subjects from SHIP-2 (53% female; age M = 57 Jahre, SD = 14)were analyzed. 3% of subjects had eGFR<45ml/min/1,73m2. 6% had an eGFR between 45-59 ml/min/1,73m2. Proposed German referral criteria were met by 8% of subjects, with 41% in the age group 80+ meeting referral criteria, wheras NICE and KDIGO criteria limited referral to 1-2%. Yearly referral as estimated from billing data was ca.2%. Results are preliminary and data comparing cost and health resources utilization will be available at the conference.
Conclusions:
Adherence to the proposed German referral criteria would greatly increase the number of referrals, especially in the elderly. This can lead to a major increase in cost, as well as serious problems with respect to the capacity of the nephrological workforce. Because of lack of a specific nephrological therapy in earlier stages of CKD in patients without additional risk factors, the benefit of increasing referrals in this group seems doubtful. Referral criteria for common medical conditions should be evaluated rigorously.…