Chronic Kidney Disease — Another Step Forward

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) will be the fifth highest cause of years of life lost worldwide by 2040.¹ CKD is defined as a sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m² of body-surface area or a urinary albumin excretion of 30 mg or more per day, or both, for more than 3 months. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes 2012 guidelines classified CKD and the risk of progression on the basis of both eGFR and the degree of albuminuria (the lower the eGFR and the higher the albuminuria, the worse the prognosis).².