Nomenclature for Kidney Function and Disease: Executive Summary and Glossary From a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Consensus Conference

Abstract

A primary obligation of medical journals is the responsible, professional, and expeditious delivery of knowledge from researchers and practitioners to the wider community. 1 The task of journal editors, therefore, rests not merely in selecting what to publish, but in large measure judging how it can best be communicated. The challenge of improving descriptions of kidney function and disease in medical publishing was the impetus for a KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) Consensus Conference held in June 2019. The conference goals included standardizing and refining kidney-related nomenclature used in English-language scientific articles and developing a glossary that can be used by journals. 2 The rationale for the conference was that the worldwide burden of kidney disease is rising, but public awareness remains limited, underscoring the need for effective communication by stakeholders in the kidney health community. [3][4][5][6] Despite this need, the nomenclature for describing kidney function and disease lacks uniformity and clarity. Two decades ago, a survey of hundreds of published articles and meeting abstracts reported a broad array of overlapping, confusing terms for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and advocated adoption of unambiguous terminology. 7 Nevertheless, terms flagged by that analysis as problematic, such as "chronic renal failure" and "pre-dialysis," still appear in current-day publications. A coherent, shared nomenclature could improve communication at all levels, to not only foster better appreciation of the burden of disease but also aid understanding of how patients feel about their disease, allow more effective communication between kidney disease specialists and other clinicians, advance more straightforward comparison and integration of datasets, enable better recognition of gaps in knowledge for future research, and facilitate more comprehensive public health policies for acute and chronic kidney disease.Developing consistent, patient-centered, and precise descriptions of kidney function and disease in the scientific literature is an important objective to align communication in clinical practice, research, and public health. Although some terms have been in use for decades, the increased exchange of information among stakeholders makes it timely to revisit nomenclature in order to ensure consistency. The goal is to facilitate communication within and across disciplines and between practitioners and patients, with the ultimate hope of improving outcomes through consistency and precision.

Qualitative research methods and its application in nephrology

“…33 These changes help to promote greater uniformity in the terminology used in medical practice, in research, by editors and authors in academia, in government and in industry. 34 Table 2 provides an overview of the studies described in Example 2 and 3.…”

“…For example, the use of the term “kidney” instead of “renal”, “kidney failure” instead of “end stage kidney disease”, and the actual value of the glomerular filtration rate instead of the term “decreased kidney function” 33 . These changes help to promote greater uniformity in the terminology used in medical practice, in research, by editors and authors in academia, in government and in industry 34 . Table 2 provides an overview of the studies described in Example 2 and 3.…”

Prognostic Value of Baseline Biochemical Parameters Among Severe COVID-19 Patients Admitted to an Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital in South Africa.

“…The levels of various parameters were determined as follows: sodium (Na + ) and potassium (K + ) using indirect ion-selective electrode potentiometry, creatinine enzymatically, urea using a kinetic assay with urease, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzymatically, bilirubin using the colorimetric diazo method, C-reactive protein (CRP) immunoturbidimetrically and high-sensitivity Troponin T, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), procalcitonin (PCT) and ferritin using an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) using a turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay. The estimated glomerular ltration rate (eGFR) was determined using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula without correction for race; a calculation recommended by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) report [13]. The NHLS Chemical Pathology laboratory is accredited by the South African National Accreditation Services (SANAS), a regulatory body responsible for laboratory conformity to ISO15189 assessments in South Africa.…”

KRCP's past and future path

“…In addition, in cooperation with leading journals, we simultaneously published a section unifying and clarifying the nomenclature for kidney function and diseases to effectively improve global communication [ 6 , 7 ]. Moreover, KRCP provided a venue for the shared consensus from joint academic meetings with the Korean Diabetes Association [ 8 , 9 ].…”