KDIGO News
Expert Input Sought as Public Review Period Commences for First Global Transplant Guidelines
Toronto, Canada (May 31, 2008) – Expert and organizational reviewers are invited to submit input to the first international clinical guidelines for the Care of the Kidney Transplant Recipient (CKTR) being developed by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). KDIGO is a global organization, managed by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) that is improving care and outcomes through the development and implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Reviewers are encouraged to sign up at the National Kidney Foundation booth at the American Transplant Congress (ATC) meeting held here or online at www.kdigo.org
According to Martin Zeier, MD, Head of Heidelberg Kidney Center, Department of Nephrology in Heidelberg, Germany and CKTR Co-Chair, “The success of transplantation over the last 10 years has created new challenges. With the advent of new surgical techniques and various new drug therapies that are improving graft survival, there is an increase in the number of transplants performed. This also means there is an increase in the number of patients who now require ongoing medical care and follow up to manage the complications associated with chronic kidney disease and monitor the long-term effects of immunosuppressive drugs on their health. These complications can threaten the recipient’s life, the survival of the graft and increase the cost of care. All these factors prompted us to begin developing these guidelines which are designed to provide standards of care that will allow the maximum number of patients to benefit from transplantation.”
“What is unique about the KDIGO guidelines is that after a rigorous data review by working groups, the draft document is opened up to the entire transplant community for comment,” continues Zeier. The Care of the Kidney Transplant Guidelines, written for nephrologists, transplant physicians, and general practitioners, who provide long term post-transplant care, will address issues relating to the clinical management of patients with a functioning kidney transplant. The scope of work includes the following areas:
- Cardiovascular disease management for kidney transplant recipients
- Treatment of hypertension in this population
- Controlling diabetes
- Non-traditional risk factors
- Choosing immunosuppressive agents
- Preventing acute rejection and maintaining long term graft function
- Post-transplant cancer
- Anemia
Guideline Development Process
KDIGO’s guideline development process is modeled on NKF’s successful series of guidelines on chronic kidney disease and its treatment known as KDOQI or Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative. The KDIGO process empowers an independent work group and three methodology centers from different parts of the world to examine the evidence and formulate practice guidelines recommending ways to improve outcomes. Before they are finalized, the draft guidelines undergo internal review by the KDIGO Board of Directors, organizational review by key patient, medical and health organizations and then a public review period. Once reviewer comments are incorporated, the guidelines are finalized and published in peer-reviewed journals.
Public review period for the CKTR guidelines commences in the fall of 2008 and the final guidelines will be published in Kidney International in early 2009.
The KDIGO Transplant Guidelines are sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, Belo Foundation, Coca-Cola Company, Dole Food Company, JC Penney, NATCO, The Organization for Transplant Professionals, Robert and Jane Cizik Foundation and Transwestern Commercial Services.
KDIGO is dedicated to improving the care and outcomes of kidney disease patients worldwide by promoting coordination, collaboration, and integration of initiatives to develop and implement clinical practices guidelines. For more information or to become a reviewer, visit www.kdigo.org or the National Kidney Foundation booth at the ATC meeting.
