New drugs have increased the potential benefits of screening but many unanswered questions remain about the best way to identify people for treatment, say Vageesh Jain and colleagues
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity that is often diagnosed late. Data from a large medical records study found a high prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 kidney disease (62-96%) across five high income countries.1 An estimated 11-13% of the global population have diagnosed CKD,2 and it is independently associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, end stage kidney disease, and all-cause mortality.
CKD is increasingly common in the ageing UK population, with a prevalence of 7.4% among women and men 60-79 years of age in England and 29% in adults older than 80 years of age in 2021.3 It is responsible for 40 000-45 000 premature deaths and £1.5bn (€1.7bn; $2bn) in expenditure each year,4 with most people dying from cardiovascular disease rather than end
Among individuals with kidney failure who received dialysis at clinics several times each week, COVID-19 risks were higher in patients who were older, had diabetes, lived in local communities with higher COVID-19 rates, and received dialysis at clinics that served a larger number of patients.
Risks were lower in patients who received dialysis in clinics with a higher number of available side rooms and that had mask policies for asymptomatic patients.