Table 1.
Key takeaways from the conference
| • Use the term “kidney” rather than “renal” to describe kidney function and kidney disease. In English, the terms renal and kidney are still used interchangeably, resulting in different acronyms describing the same condition or status (e.g., ESRD/ESKD and RRT/KRT). It is more likely that patients and the public would understand the terms incorporating the more familiar noun “kidney,” rather than the less familiar adjective “renal,” which is derived from Latin and is labeled as technical in some dictionaries. Although writing guides may generally favor using an appropriate adjective over a noun as a modifier, there are high-profile precedents for the use of kidney as a modifier, such as AKI, CKD, and NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases). |
| • Avoid the term “end-stage.” Although rooted in US law, the term is not patient sensitive, may connote a stigma, and may discourage advocacy. In the US, ESRD (ESKD) is a synonym for receipt of KRT. However, KRT is a treatment rather than a disease. The term “kidney failure,” which is defined as GFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or treatment by dialysis, is as comprehensive as “ESRD/ESKD,” without suffering from its limitations. |
| • Improve characterization of the full spectrum of kidney failure. Although all patients with kidney failure have GFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or are undergoing treatment by dialysis, the severity of symptoms varies greatly. We lack terms to describe the severity of symptoms and signs, and yet they are indications for initiating KRT. There are also no common patient-reported outcome measures to describe severity. The term “kidney failure” in a chronic setting is defined as >3 months, whereas in an acute setting (i.e., AKI stage 3), it is reserved for a duration of ≤3 months. Kidney failure could be further classified according to patient-reported outcomes (symptoms). |
| • Use more-descriptive terms for treatments for kidney failure. Many patients with kidney failure do not undergo KRT. The terms “treated” vs. “untreated” have been used, but this is not consistent with the idea that supportive care is indeed treatment. Furthermore, in some cases, patients choose supportive care rather than KRT; in other cases, they do not have a choice because of lack of insurance or lack of availability. Finally, some patients may not be under the care of a physician at all. |
| • Avoid the use of “chronic kidney disease (CKD)” as a synonym for “GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2.” CKD includes markers of kidney damage or GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 for >3 months, so ascertainment of GFR without assessment for markers of kidney damage is insufficient for classification of CKD status when GFR > 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. If chronicity is not documented, it can be inferred on the basis of corroborative clinical data or presumed in the absence of clinical data to the contrary. |
| • Avoid the use of “acute kidney injury (AKI)” as a synonym for “acute kidney diseases and disorders (AKD).” AKD refers to kidney diseases and disorders with a duration of ≤3 months, whereas AKI refers to kidney diseases and disorders with onset within 1 week. |
| • Use “CKD GFR and albuminuria categories” and “AKI stages” to describe disease severity, rather than employing ill-defined terms such as “mild,” “moderate,” “severe,” and “advanced.” |
| • Use the terms “GFR categories” and “albuminuria categories” rather than “CKD stages” when describing the level of GFR and albuminuria in populations either without CKD or without ascertainment of both GFR and albuminuria. |
| • Use the term “risk categories” to describe combinations of the G (GFR) and A (albuminuria) categories from the KDIGO heat map (see Supplementary Figure S1). |
| • Use specific terms, such as “GFR,” “tubular secretion,” “tubular reabsorption,” “albuminuria,” and “proteinuria,” rather than general terms, such as “abnormal” or “reduced” kidney function, damage, or injury, when possible. Because kidney function comprises several functional categories, including excretory, endocrine, and metabolic functions, it should be described as specifically as possible. GFR is closely linked with the excretory function, but it should not be used as a synonym, because tubular reabsorption and excretion also contribute to excretory function. |
| • When referring to “decreased or decreasing GFR,” avoid the use of different, poorly defined terms such as “impaired kidney function,” “renal insufficiency,” “renal dysfunction,” “renal impairment,” “worsening kidney function,” and “kidney function decline.” |
| • When referring to GFR, use descriptive abbreviations (mGFR for measured GFR and eGFR for estimated GFR, with specific notation based on the endogenous filtration markers used (e.g., eGFRcr, eGFRcys, and eGFRcr-cys). Additional detail can be given in the methods. For mGFR, the methods should describe the exogenous filtration marker (e.g., inulin, iothalamate, iohexol) and clearance method (urinary clearance, plasma clearance). For eGFR, the methods should describe the estimating equation used (CKD-EPI; MDRD Study). |
| • Avoid referring to “albuminuria” or “proteinuria” as “decreased kidney function.” Albuminuria and proteinuria are markers of kidney damage, rather than measures of kidney function. |
| • When referring to albuminuria or proteinuria, avoid the terms “microalbuminuria” and “macroalbuminuria/clinical proteinuria.” Use the terms “moderately increased” or “severely increased” instead. |
| • When referring to albuminuria and proteinuria, use descriptive abbreviations, such as “urine albumin or protein excretion rates (AER and PER)” and “urine albumin–creatinine or protein–creatinine ratios (ACR and PCR).” |
ACR, albumin-creatinine ratio; AER, albumin excretion rate; AKD, acute kidney diseases and disorders; AKI, acute kidney injury; CKD, chronic kidney disease; CKD-EPI, CKD Epidemiology Collaboration; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; eGFRcr, estimated glomerular filtration rate derived from creatinine; eGFRcr-cys, estimated glomerular filtration rate derived from creatinine and cystatin C; eGFRcys, estimated glomerular filtration rate derived from cystatin C; ESKD, end-stage kidney disease; ESRD, end-stage renal disease; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; KDIGO, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes; KRT, kidney replacement therapy; MDRD, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease; mGFR, measured glomerular filtration rate; NIDDK, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; PCR, protein-creatinine ratio; PER, protein excretion rate; RRT, renal replacement therapy; US, United States.