The guideline is intended for healthcare professionals who provide kidney care, for people with suspected or diagnosed CKD and their caregivers, and for policymakers and commissioners of CKD services. The aim is to provide a useful resource that clearly and concisely addresses relevant questions with actionable recommendations to guide clinical practice based on a formal evidence review and consensus-based practice points. A wide range of key topics are addressed, including optimal CKD evaluation and classification, kidney disease risk assessment, management of complications, medication management and drug stewardship in CKD, and strategies for delivering patient-centered care across diverse clinical settings. Key highlights of the KDIGO CKD Guideline include guidance updates on the measurements of estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria, utilization of CKD risk prediction equations, and personalized treatment recommendations for kidney and cardiovascular risk reductions tailored to individual patient needs and preferences.

Treatment approaches and actionable guideline recommendations are based on systematic review of relevant studies and appraisal of the quality of the evidence and the strength of recommendations, following the “Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation” (GRADE) approach. The guideline also provides practice points, which serve to direct clinical care or activities, for which a systematic review was not conducted, and includes useful infographics. For the first time, the Guideline sets forth, in a dedicated chapter, an important research agenda to address unanswered questions and a path for advancing the knowledge and evidence base in CKD.