(Brussels, Belgium) – – – Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) announces the publication of its latest guideline update on the Prevention, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hepatitis C in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The full-text guideline now appears in the October issue of Kidney International Supplements with an executive summary publishing in the accompanying issue of Kidney International. This guideline replaces the version first published by KDIGO in 2008, and both publications are now available on the KDIGO website.
The guideline has been under development for the past two years under the leadership of Drs. Michel Jadoul of Belgium, and Paul Martin of the United States. A volunteer Work Group consisting of nephrologists, hepatologists, infectious disease experts and transplant specialists crafted the recommendations with the assistance of an independent professional evidence review team from Brown University School of Public Health. In keeping with our standing policy, the guideline literature review followed the same rigorous scientific process used in all KDIGO guidelines.
“We are delighted to present this guideline to the global kidney community and hope its recommendations will assist clinicians and patients as they make important treatment decisions. The complete update of the previous guideline was necessary since the hepatitis C treatment landscape has changed dramatically in the last 5 years.”
Dr. Jadoul said, “We are delighted to present this guideline to the global kidney community and hope its recommendations will assist clinicians and patients as they make important treatment decisions. The complete update of the previous guideline was necessary since the hepatitis C treatment landscape has changed dramatically in the last 5 years.”
The guideline includes the latest recommendations on:
- Detection and evaluation of HCV in CKD
- Kidney and liver function testing in patients with CKD and HCV
- Therapeutic agents for the treatment of HCV in dialysis and non-dialysis patients including kidney transplant recipients
- Prevention of HCV transmissions in hemodialysis and tracking of new infections
- Evaluation and management of kidney transplant candidates with HCV infections
- Diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases associated with HCV infections
Prior to the publication of this guideline, the document went through two periods of public review. First the guideline Scope of Work and then the near-final draft of the guideline were both made available for open commenting from individuals and organizations from around the world. The Work Group carefully evaluated those comments and where appropriate, revisions to the final guideline publication were made as a result.
KDIGO is a Belgian foundation committed to developing and implementing nephrology guidelines that improve patient outcomes on a global basis.
For further information please contact KDIGO at KDIGOcommunications@kdigo.org.
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