For the World Kidney Day Joint Steering Committee. Mind the gap in kidney care: translating what we know into what we do


DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/nephrology.2024.2.93-110

Valerie A. Luyckx, Katherine R. Tuttle, Dina Abdellatif, Ricardo Correa-Rotter, Winston W.S. Fung, Agnès Haris, Li-Li Hsiao, Makram Khalife, Latha A. Kumaraswami, Fiona Loud, Vasundhara Raghavan, Stefanos Roumeliotis, Marianella Sierra, Ifeoma Ulasi, Bill Wang, Siu-Fai Lui, Vassilios Liakopoulos, Alessandro Balducci

1) Department of Public and Global Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; 2) Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; 3) Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; 4) Providence Medical Research Center, Providence Inland Northwest Health, Spokane, Washington, USA; 5) Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; 6) Department of Nephrology, Cairo University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt; 7) Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, National Medical Science and Nutrition Institute Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, Mexico; 8) Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China; 9) Nephrology Department, Péterfy Hospital, Budapest, Hungary; 10) ISN Patient Liaison Advisory Group; 11) Tamilnad Kidney Research (TANKER) Foundation, Chennai, India; 12) 2nd Department of Nephrology, AHEPA University Hospital Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; 13) Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria; 14) Division of Health System, Policy and Management, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; 15) 2nd Department of Nephrology, AHEPA University Hospital Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; 16) Italian Kidney Foundation, Rome, Italy
Historically, it takes an average of 17 years to move new treatments from clinical evidence to daily practice. Given the highly effective treatments now available to prevent or delay kidney disease onset and progression, this is far too long. The time is now to narrow the gap between what we know and what we do. Clear guidelines exist for the prevention and management of common risk factors for kidney disease, such as hypertension and diabetes, but only a fraction of people with these conditions worldwide are diagnosed, and even fewer are treated to target. Similarly, the vast majority of people living with kidney disease are unaware of their condition, because in the early stages it is often silent. Even among patients who have been diagnosed, many do not receive appropriate treatment for kidney disease. Considering the serious consequences of kidney disease progression, kidney failure, or death, it is imperative that treatments are initiated early and appropriately. Opportunities to diagnose and treat kidney disease early must be maximized beginning at the primary care level. Many systematic barriers exist, ranging from patient to clinician to health systems to societal factors. To preserve and improve kidney health for everyone everywhere, each of these barriers must be acknowledged so that sustainable solutions are developed and implemented without further delay.
Keywords: kidney care, equity, public health, World Kidney Day, chronic kidney disease
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About the Autors

Dr. Stefanos Roumeliotis, M.D, PhD, Nephrologist, 2nd Department of Nephrology, AHEPA Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 1 St. Kyriakidi street, 54636, Thessaloniki, Greece. Tel:+302310994694. email: st_roumeliotis@hotmail.com
* Valerie A. Luyckx, Department of Public and Global Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, Zurich 8001, Switzerland. E-mail: valerie.luyckx@uzh.ch
* Katherine R. Tuttle, Providence Medical Research Center, Providence Inland Northwest Health, 105 W 8th Avenue, Suite 250 E, Spokane, Washington 99204, USA.
E-mail: katherine.tuttle@providence.org


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