FAQs

Yes, conference reports and other resources from past conferences are available on the KDIGO website. Visit the KDIGO Controversies Conferences page and select a conference to learn more. 

Topics are chosen by the KDIGO Executive Committee. The decision is based on emerging clinical challenges, stakeholder input, and expert recommendations from the global nephrology community.

KDIGO welcomes ideas for Controversies Conferences via the KDIGO Controversies Conference Idea Submission Survey. Submissions are presented to and reviewed by the KDIGO Executive Committee for consideration once per year.

You can stay updated on upcoming KDIGO events by visiting the KDIGO website, subscribing to the KDIGO mailing list, and following KDIGO on social media. Subscribe here.

You can express interest by emailing KDIGO ([email protected]) or participating in public comment periods.

KDIGO Controversies Conferences bring together experts to discuss controversies and emerging issues in nephrology. Participants include multidisciplinary stakeholders, such as clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and patients, to explore emerging issues, review the latest evidence, and identify consensus on best practices or research priorities. They do not produce formal clinical guideline recommendations but result in published reports that summarize key insights and recommendations for future research or policy.

Reports are published on the KDIGO website and in nephrology journals. You can see all conference reports on the KDIGO Conference Reports page. 

KDIGO Controversies Conferences are invitation-only events. The conference Scope of Work, plenary presentations, and published reports are made available to the broader community via the KDIGO website.

Yes, KDIGO Guidelines are updated to incorporate new evidence and advancements in the field. KDIGO is working to expedite the rate at which guidelines are updated. 

Publication dates are typically determined by the publisher after guideline submission and can change based on journal publication timelines.

Work Group members are selected by KDIGO and Guideline Co-Chairs for their lived experience, expertise in the relevant field, including clinical practice or research, or experience in guideline development methodology. KDIGO seeks to ensure:

• Multidisciplinary Representation: Including various specialties to provide comprehensive insights
• Geographic Diversity: Incorporating perspectives from different regions to enhance global applicability
• Patient voice: Including people with lived experience on all KDIGO Guideline Work Groups

This selection process ensures a well-rounded team capable of developing high-quality, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

Published KDIGO Guidelines are freely accessible on the KDIGO website. You can view and download them directly from the “Guidelines” section, which lists all available guidelines by topic. Electronic publications of KDIGO Guidelines are also available for free in the peer-reviewed journal in which the guideline was published. KDIGO does not print its guidelines.

KDIGO Guidelines should be cited using the citation format provided in each guideline document and on the KDIGO Citations page. 

KDIGO makes all guidelines available for public review before submitting the final manuscript for publication. Feedback can be provided during Public Review periods. All comments must be submitted via the KDIGO Public Review Feedback Survey, which is circulated as part of the Public Review announcement. Subscribe to KDIGO communications to receive updates on KDIGO Public Reviews and other important updates. 

Topics are selected by the KDIGO Executive Committee based on criteria like disease burden, clinical need, evidence availability, potential impact, and alignment with the KDIGO mission. Stakeholder input and insights from KDIGO Controversies Conferences may also inform topic selection.

KDIGO prioritizes topics based on several criteria:

• Burden of Illness: Assessing the prevalence and severity of the condition
• Clinical Need: Recognizing an opportunity to significantly improve the quality, safety, effectiveness, or efficiency of healthcare for a particular condition or situation
• Potential Impact: Evaluating the potential for management strategies to improve patient outcomes
• Evidence Availability: Ensuring there is a sufficient body of evidence to support the development of evidence-based guidelines
• Practice Variation: Standardizing care to reduce inappropriate variations in practice to ensure patients receive optimal care to improve health outcomes

This strategic approach ensures that KDIGO focuses on areas where guidelines can have the most significant impact.

Developing a KDIGO de novo guideline takes approximately 2-3 years, depending on the complexity of the topic and breadth of the Scope of Work, the identification and evaluation of the literature, feedback from the Public Review, and the publisher’s timeline. Guideline updates are typically faster than de novo reviews, with publication within 18 months.

Graded recommendations are based on a systematic evidence review and graded for the strength of the recommendation and certainty of evidence following the GRADE methodology.

Practice points are consensus statements about a specific aspect of care, and they supplement recommendations for which a larger quantity of evidence was identified.

Graded recommendations are based on a systematic evidence review and graded for the strength of the recommendation and certainty of evidence following the GRADE methodology.

Practice points are consensus statements about a specific aspect of care, and they supplement recommendations for which a larger quantity of evidence was identified.

A de novo guideline is a brand-new guideline developed on a topic for which there is no existing KDIGO guideline. A guideline update revises an existing KDIGO guideline based on new evidence and advancements in the field.

Level 1 recommendations are strong recommendations for clinical practice, indicating that most people would want the recommended course of action, and only a small proportion would not. These recommendations begin with “We recommend.”

Level 2 recommendations indicate that the majority of people would want the recommended course of action, but many would not, meaning that the approach should be individualized, utilizing a shared decision-making process, as different choices will be appropriate for different patients. These recommendations begin with “We suggest.”

KDIGO develops its clinical practice guidelines through a rigorous, evidence-based process in line with international best practices for guideline development. The steps include:

• Topic Selection: Prioritizing topics based on disease burden, prevalence, and potential impact on patient outcomes
• Work Group Formation: Assembling a diverse group of experts with clinical, research, and methodological expertise, as well as people with lived experience, ensuring multidisciplinary and geographic representation
• Scope of Work Development: Crafting the key clinical questions to be addressed by a particular guideline. Scope of Work documents are made available for Public Review. 
• Evidence Review: Conducted based on rigorous reviews of the best available scientific evidence in line with international standards for systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and guideline development utilizing the GRADE approach
• Drafting Recommendations: Developing graded recommendations considering the balance of benefits and harms; certainty of the evidence; patient values and preferences; resource use and costs; and considerations for implementation, and complementing these recommendations with consensus-based practice points, infographics, and future research recommendations 
• Public Consultation: Soliciting feedback from stakeholders and the public to ensure the guidelines are comprehensive, valid, and applicable
• Finalization and Publication: Revising the draft based on feedback and publishing the final guidelines for implementation

To learn more about KDIGO Guideline methodology, please refer to the KDIGO Methods Manual.

Updates to KDIGO Guidelines are triggered by:

• Substantial New Evidence: Availability of new research that may change existing recommendations
• Advancements in Treatment: Introduction of management strategies that improve patient outcomes.
• Feedback from the Medical Community: Insights from practitioners and stakeholders indicating areas needing revision
• Periodic Reassessment: Need for an update to a guideline that is currently out of date

KDIGO has published numerous guidelines covering various aspects of kidney disease, including:

• Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)
• Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
• Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)
• Blood Pressure in CKD
• CKD Evaluation and Management
• CKD-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD)
• Diabetes in CKD
• Glomerular Diseases
  • Antineutrophilic Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA)-Associated Vasculitis
  • IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) / IgA Vasculitis (IgAV)
  • Lupus Nephritis (LN)
  • Nephrotic Syndrome in Children
• Hepatitis C in CKD
• Lipids in CKD
• Living Kidney Donor
• Transplant Candidate
• Transplant Recipient

KDIGO is currently developing a guideline on Heart Failure in CKD. A complete and up-to-date list is available on the KDIGO Guidelines webpage.

Yes. KDIGO provides several implementation tools designed to make guideline uptake easier, including (but not limited to):

• Slide decks summarizing key recommendations
• Infographics and visuals for patient or clinician use
• One-page summaries and practice aids
• Expert videos
• Interactive tools 

These resources are freely available on the KDIGO website and are tailored to help healthcare professionals understand and apply the guidelines more easily.

KDIGO supports implementation by:

• Creating and distributing practical tools
• Hosting webinars, workshops, and events to promote understanding
• Engaging with regional nephrology societies and clinical leaders to support local adoption
• Encouraging translation and adaptation of tools to fit regional needs

However, KDIGO does not provide direct clinical consulting or site-specific implementation services. Instead, KDIGO serves as a facilitator, equipping stakeholders with resources and guidance to promote evidence-based kidney care worldwide.

To implement KDIGO guidelines in your clinical practice, start by:

• Reviewing the full guideline or the Executive Summary to understand the core recommendations
• Using KDIGO Implementation Tools, such as infographics, algorithms, and slide decks that summarize key points
• Integrating recommendations into your clinical workflows, protocols, or electronic health records
• Educating your team or department with KDIGO materials during meetings or trainings

Local adaptation is encouraged. When applying KDIGO recommendations, clinicians should consider regional resources, patient populations, and healthcare system differences.

Guidelines are developed using a standardized, transparent methodology that adheres to international standards for systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and guideline development, such as the National Academy of Medicine’s recommendations and the AGREE II checklist. Guidelines undergo a robust peer and public review process. There is an open Public Review period for both the guideline Scope of Work and draft guideline, whereby stakeholders may provide their feedback on the content of the guideline in development. KDIGO guidelines also undergo peer review at the journal’s publication level. KDIGO does not accept industry funding for guidelines and implements strict policies for the management of disclosures of interest for all participants.

KDIGO follows a rigorous Disclosure of Interest (DOI) and conflict management policy. All participants, including WG members, ERTs, and the Methods Committee, must declare financial and nonfinancial interests. DOIs are classified by risk level (high, moderate, low), and those with high-risk conflicts may be recused from decision-making on a particular topic. Updates are required at every major stage of development, and all disclosures are included in the Public Review and final Guideline publications.

KDIGO hires an Evidence Review Team (ERT) as part of the development process for each of its guidelines. Before selecting an ERT, KDIGO issues a Request for Proposal based on the Scope of Work (SOW). Institutions with expertise in evidence synthesis submit proposals detailing their assessment of the key clinical questions based on the SOW, their methods for the evidence review and synthesis, description and credentials of all staff, proposed timeline for completion of the work, and budget. Proposals are evaluated for scientific merit, topic-specific expertise (especially in nephrology), understanding of the SOW, ability to create efficiencies in the process, and costs. Selection of an ERT is made jointly by the KDIGO Co-Chairs, Work Group Co-Chairs, and the KDIGO team.

Public Review is the period during which KDIGO shares a guideline Scope of Work, draft clinical practice guideline, or Controversies Conference Scope of Work (SOWs) with the public for comment. Any interested stakeholder, including clinicians, researchers, patients, policymakers, and industry representatives, is invited to provide feedback. Public Review periods typically last from two to six weeks.

For KDIGO Guidelines, all public comments are carefully reviewed and considered by the Guideline Co-Chairs and Work Group, who may revise the draft content based on this input. For Controversies Conferences, Public Review of the draft Scope of Work is overseen by the Conference Co-Chairs and the Conference Steering Committee.

This process enhances transparency, fosters broad stakeholder engagement, and ensures the final outputs are relevant, balanced, and reflect diverse perspectives.

The KDIGO Guideline Methodology Fellowship is a training program for early-career researchers, providing hands-on experience in guideline development. Fellows work closely with the Methods Committee to learn about protocol development, question refinement, evidence review, GRADE, stakeholder engagement, and the development of clinical practice guidelines.

The KDIGO Methods Manual is a comprehensive document that outlines the processes and standards used in developing KDIGO Guidelines. It includes a description of policies and procedures around the guideline development process, roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in the process, evidence review processes including grading recommendations, and information on guideline writing and publication. It ensures consistency and transparency in all guideline projects and is publicly available on the KDIGO website. 

KDIGO follows a comprehensive, evidence-based guideline development process in line with international standards for systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and guideline development. This includes formulation of clinical questions using PICOS criteria (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes, Study Design), a formal systematic review and synthesis of the literature by an independent Evidence Review Team (often referred to as the ERT), stakeholder engagement, and structured consensus by a multidisciplinary Work Group. Recommendations are graded using the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of evidence and the strength of recommendations. 

KDIGO details its methodologies and processes in the KDIGO Methods Manual for Guideline Development. 

KDIGO cannot offer individual medical advice. Patients should consult their healthcare providers directly for personalized medical guidance.

Yes, KDIGO provides several other educational resources, including conference, summit, and meeting reports, webinars, videos, podcasts, infographics, Speaker’s Guides, and other tools.

You can reach KDIGO via email at [email protected].

You can get involved by following KDIGO updates via the KDIGO email network and social media platforms, by providing feedback during public review periods for guidelines and conferences, and attending KDIGO meetings and webinars. 

You can support KDIGO by using and promoting its guidelines, providing feedback, participating in KDIGO and global nephrology initiatives, and working to improve outcomes for people with kidney disease around the world.

KDIGO is funded through grants and sponsorships from industry partners, medical societies, and other healthcare organizations. It operates independently and maintains strict policies to ensure the integrity and objectivity of its work.

No, KDIGO is not a membership-based society. KDIGO is a nonprofit organization.

KDIGO was originally established in 2003 by the U.S. National Kidney Foundation. In 2013, KDIGO became an independently incorporated non-profit foundation governed by an international volunteer Executive Committee.

KDIGO’s mission is to improve the care and outcomes of people with kidney disease worldwide by developing and implementing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, hosting conferences and meetings, and producing educational resources and programs.

KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) is a global nonprofit organization that develops and implements evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in kidney disease to improve patient care worldwide.

If you have additional questions, contact [email protected].

KDIGO does not have its own journal but publishes its guidelines and reports in leading peer-reviewed journals. 

KDIGO Direct is KDIGO’s digital newsletter. It provides updates on new publications, upcoming events, guideline releases, implementation tools, and more. It’s a helpful way to stay connected with KDIGO’s work and receive news directly in your inbox. Subscribe here. 

Uncorrected Proof is a preliminary version of an article, shared before final editing and formatting are complete. It may still contain typos or layout issues.

Corrected Proof is the updated version after author and editorial corrections, but not yet in the final formatted form.

Article in Press is a fully accepted article awaiting assignment to a specific journal issue.

Final Publication is the officially published version, copyedited and formatted for the journal, and should be considered the definitive version for citation.

KDIGO produces several publications, including:

• Clinical Practice Guidelines
• Guideline Executive Summaries
• Controversies Conference Reports
• Implementation Tools (e.g., slide decks, infographics)
• Methodology Documents (e.g., the KDIGO Methods Manual)
• Consensus or Position Statements and updates
• Newsletters and updates

Always use and cite the final published version when available. This ensures you’re referencing the most accurate and authoritative version of the document. If only a proof or “in press” version is available, make it clear in your citation.

No. The KDIGO logo is a registered trademark and may not be used without prior written permission from KDIGO. This includes use in presentations, promotional materials, translated documents, or educational content.

KDIGO reviews rights and permissions requests on a case-by-case basis. While some requests may be granted at no cost, especially for educational or nonprofit use, others may involve a licensing fee. There is no publicly posted rate sheet; fees, if any, are determined based on the nature and scope of the request. Contact KDIGO directly at [email protected] for details on rights and permissions fees.

 KDIGO holds the rights to all KDIGO Guidelines and publications. 

For all permissions, licensing, and copyright-related requests, contact KDIGO directly at [email protected]. This includes requests to reuse or adapt content, figures, tables, or other materials from KDIGO Guidelines or publications. Clear details about your use of the material will help expedite the process.

If you would like to translate a KDIGO publication for commercial or public use, please contact [email protected].

Translations are available on the Translations page of the KDIGO website. Translations of KDIGO publications and resources can also be found on the webpage for that publication. For example, the Ukrainian translation of the KDIGO 2025 ADPKD Guideline Executive Summary would be found on the KDIGO ADPKD Guideline webpage.

The European Renal Association (ERA) is currently supporting KDIGO with its translation program by translating the Top Takeaways for several KDIGO Guidelines into multiple languages.

Translations depend on demand and resource availability. KDIGO is actively working to expand its translations of KDIGO publications and resources.