Multicenter validation of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) formula in Spanish patients with advanced chronic kidney disease

Introduction

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a prevalent condition that requires reliable tools to predict its progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The KFRE equation, internationally validated, allows for estimating the risk of progression at 2 and 5 years. However, it has not been validated in the Spanish population. This study aims to evaluate the predictive capacity of the KFRE in a cohort of Spanish patients.

Methods

This is a multicenter, observational, and retrospective study conducted in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 30 ml/min who were followed in nephrology clinics between January 2016 and 2021. A total of 602 patients with clinical and demographic data were included. The predictive capacity of the KFRE, in its 4-variable and 8-variable versions, was evaluated using Cox regression analysis and ROC curves.

Results

Of the 602 patients included, 60% were male. Diabetes was the main etiology. Among the patients who started renal replacement therapy (RRT), 37% did so within two years, and 70% began with hemodialysis. Patients who initiated RRT (50.6%) were younger, had a lower eGFR, and exhibited higher baseline albuminuria. The 4-variable KFRE equation showed an AUC of 0.7639 (95% CI: 0.71−0.81) and demonstrated superior accuracy compared to the 8-variable model.

Conclusions

The KFRE equation, particularly in its 4-variable version, proves to be useful in predicting the progression to ESRD in the Spanish population. However, recalibration is necessary to improve its accuracy in this context.