News

As we celebrate Kidney Health Month, a groundbreaking advancement in chronic kidney disease screening and management developed by a Canadian researcher has been included as a validated model in the Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical practice guideline for the Evaluation and Management of chronic kidney disease, which was released on March 13, 2024.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 1 in 10 Canadians, and early detection and prevention can be key to improving quality of life.

The developed algorithm, Klinrisk, is a proactive tool which uses data from blood and urine tests, a metabolic panel and urine albumin to estimate kidney function loss or predict kidney failure. The tool can provide valuable insight into a patient’s current or potential future status before kidney function is lost. This tool can aid in clinical decision making, and provide additional information, and should not be considered a replacement for physician diagnosis or care.

Dr. Navdeep Tangri of Manitoba has been instrumental in the development of this prediction score. “We are delighted to share that the Klinrisk Score has been recognized as one of the externally-validated equations in the KDIGO CKD guideline” said Dr. Tangri, President and Scientific Founder of Klinrisk. “The inclusion of the Klinrisk Score in this seminal global guideline emphasizes its alignment with global best practices in kidney care, and attests to its scientific rigor and accuracy.”

Dr. Tangri has been working in the predictive model space for his career, including as a KRESCENT fellow in 2008, working on a project entitled “Derivation and validation of a simplified predictive model for progression to end stage renal disease”. He notes that without the support of The Kidney Foundation and the KRESCENT program, his journey in research would not have been possible.

Those interested in learning more about how to access the test, which is currently being provided free of charge to Ontario residents through Lifelabs, should speak to their healthcare provider to determine if the test is applicable to them and to get a requisition.