Kidney Function

The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines have made a substantial impact on the overall care of adults and children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and have increased awareness of the importance of diagnosing and treating kidney disease for health care providers in all specialties, but especially primary care. Despite ongoing research, many key issues in clinical care remain controversial, with little evidence to support existing management practices. The evidence review process for developing the KDOQI guidelines not only summarizes existing research to create guidelines, but also identifies gaps in knowledge, which then are included as research recommendations.