Low Adherence to Chronic Kidney Disease Testing Guidelines in High-Risk Patients

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Research findings presented in a recent study conducted in Northwest China reveal that the adherence to chronic kidney disease (CKD) testing guidelines among high-risk patients with diabetes and hypertension remains low. The study, published in Kidney Diseases, aimed to evaluate the guideline concordance of CKD testing among high-risk patients in a city in Northwest China and identify key factors influencing testing practices. The researchers found that despite guidelines recommending annual tests for both estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria, only a small percentage of participants underwent such tests.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 202,847 adult patients diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension, excluding those with known CKD at baseline.
  • A Cox regression model was used to identify key factors influencing CKD testing practices, revealing that better adherence to guidelines was associated with presence of diabetes, male gender, younger age, higher educational attainment, nonsmoking status, urban healthcare insurance, residence in urban areas, and engagement in light physical work.
  • Throughout the follow-up period, only 0.70% of participants underwent annual tests for both eGFR and proteinuria as recommended by guidelines, while 3.44% had at least one test for both eGFR and proteinuria.
  • Routine CKD testing in Northwest Chinese with diabetes and hypertension remains uncommon, despite guideline recommendations.
  • The study highlights the urgent need for strategies to improve kidney health management among high-risk populations.
  • The research was conducted by a team of researchers from Peking University, led by Shanshan Yu, Advanced Institute of Information Technology.

Statistics:

  • 202,847 adult patients were included in the study, diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension, excluding those with known CKD at baseline.
  • 19.3% of participants were diagnosed with diabetes only, 71.8% had hypertension only, and 8.9% had both conditions.
  • 0.70% of participants underwent annual tests for both eGFR and proteinuria as recommended by guidelines.
  • 3.44% of participants had at least one test for both eGFR and proteinuria.

Sources:

  • Guideline Concordance of Chronic Kidney Disease Testing Remains Low in Patients with Diabetes and Hypertension: Real-World Evidence from a City in Northwest China. Kidney Diseases, 2025;11(1):1-20.
  • NewsRx. New Chronic Kidney Disease Study Results from Peking University Described (Guideline Concordance of Chronic Kidney Disease Testing Remains Low in Patients with Diabetes and Hypertension: Real-World Evidence from a City in Northwest China). Diabetes Week. October 20, 2025; p 222.