Incorporating Scoring Risk Models for Care Planning of CKD patients

What is it about?

Mortality in chronic kidney disease remains high, particularly among the elderly, who represent the most rapidly growing segment of the end-stage renal disease population in wealthier countries. The management of older adults with chronic kidney disease has become a clinical challenge and care for those patients expected to progress to end-stage renal disease should focus on evaluating the overall benefit of offering renal replacement therapy to them. Predictive mortality models may help to inform shared decision-making in the trajectory of the elderly with chronic kidney disease. This review discusses current literature on the available predictive models for predicting survival in elderly chronic kidney disease patients and reflects the author’s own interpretation and experience.

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Why is it important?

Recently there is a growing interest in developing predictive mortality models to improve patient outcomes through individualized risk prediction. These predictive models may help the nephrologist in their discussions with patients and their families about suitability or otherwise of initiating dialysis. Reliable, validated risk prediction models that correctly estimate risk of death after starting RRT may provide a more accurate perception of the desirability of starting dialysis and help in shared decision plan. Healthcare workers need to understand the applicability and limitations of these models so that they can be used appropriately

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