Connect
MJA
MJA

Automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate in Australia turns 13: re-examining the impact

Marie Ludlow, Shilpa Jesudason and David W Johnson
Med J Aust 2018; 209 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja18.00544
Published online: 17 September 2018

eGFR automated reporting has been associated with improved early detection and management of chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 1.7 million Australian adults, of whom less than 10% are aware they have this condition.1 CKD is associated with comorbidity, reduced quality and quantity of life and vast financial cost. Yet, the trajectory of CKD can be controlled by early detection in at-risk individuals and through the implementation of best-practice management — steps typically undertaken in primary care.2


  • 1 Kidney Health Australia, Adelaide, SA
  • 2 Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA
  • 3 Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD
  • 4 Centre for Health Services Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD


Correspondence: marie.ludlow@kidney.org.au

Acknowledgements: 

We acknowledge the late Timothy Mathew (1937–2018), who was instrumental in his role as Medical Director of Kidney Health Australia from 2002 to 2015. We also acknowledge the work of the Consensus Groups, and past and current members of the Primary Care Education Advisory Committee for Kidney Health Australia.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Health Survey: biomedical results for chronic diseases, 2011–12 (Cat. No. 4364.0.55.005)Canberra: ABS; 2013. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4364.0.55.005main+features12011-12 (viewed July 2018).
  • 2. Johnson DW. Evidence-based guide to slowing the progression of early renal insufficiency. Intern Med J 2004; 34: 50-57.
  • 3. Mathew TH; Australasian Creatinine Consensus Working Group. Chronic kidney disease and automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate: a position statement. Med J Aust 2005; 183: 138-141. <MJA full text>
  • 4. Mathew TH, Johnson DW, Jones GRD; Australasian Creatinine Consensus Working Group. Chronic kidney disease and automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate: revised recommendations. Med J Aust 2007; 187: 459-463. <MJA full text>
  • 5. Johnson DW, Jones GRD, Mathew TH, et al. Chronic kidney disease and automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate: New developments and revised recommendations. Med J Aust 2012; 197: 222-223. <MJA full text>
  • 6. Noble E, Johnson DW, Gray N, et al. The impact of automated eGFR reporting and education on nephrology service referrals. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2008; 23: 3845-3850.
  • 7. Foote C, Clayton PA, Johnson DW, et al. Impact of estimated GFR reporting on late referral rates and practice patterns for end-stage kidney disease patients: a multilevel logistic regression analysis using the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. Am J Kidney Dis 2014; 64: 359-366.
  • 8. Phillips LA, Phillips BM, Meran S, et al. The long-term impact of eGFR reporting on referral patterns. Eur J Intern Med 2014; 25: 97-101.
  • 9. Tong A, Sainsbury P, Carter SM, et al. Patients’ experiences and perspectives of living with CKD. Am J Kidney Dis 2009; 53: 689-700.
  • 10. Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. The 40th Annual ANZDATA Report, 2017. Adelaide: ANZDATA; 2017. http://www.anzdata.org.au (viewed Aug 2018).
  • 11. Stevens LA, Claybon MA, Schmid CA, et al. Evaluation of the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation for estimating the glomerular filtration rate in multiple ethnicities. Kidney Int 2011; 79: 555-562.
  • 12. Maple-Brown LJ, Hughes JT, Lawton PD, et al. Accurate assessment of kidney function in Indigenous Australians: the estimated GFR study. Am J Kidney Dis 2012; 60: 679-682.
  • 13. Stevens LA, Nolin TD, Richardson MM, et al. Comparison of drug dosing recommendations based on measured GFR and kidney function estimating equations. Am J Kidney Dis 2009; 54: 33-42.

Author

remove_circle_outline Delete Author
add_circle_outline Add Author

Comment
Do you have any competing interests to declare? *

I/we agree to assign copyright to the Medical Journal of Australia and agree to the Conditions of publication *
I/we agree to the Terms of use of the Medical Journal of Australia *
Email me when people comment on this article

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.