NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2021
In patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), the current standard of care tests to predict the risk of kidney function decline measure estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria to aid in chronic kidney disease risk stratification. The KidneyIntelX™ test incorporates plasma biomarkers and clinical data to predict the risk of decline in kidney function in patients with type-2 DKD.
Mansai Datar, PhD, and colleagues conducted a study to determine the clinical utility of KidneyIntelX among primary care physicians in the management of DKD. Results of the study were reported during a virtual poster session at the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2021 in a poster titled Primary Care Physicians’ Assessment of the Clinical Utility of a New Prognostic Test to Predict the Risk of Kidney Function Decline in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease.
To estimate preferences from a convenience sample of primary care physicians, the researchers utilized conjoint analysis of results of a web survey. Hypothetical patient profiles were created with six attributes: albuminuria, eGFR, age, blood pressure, hemoglobin A1C, and KidneyIntelX result. From a fractional factorial design of 42 unique profiles, each primary care physician viewed eight randomly selected profiles. For each of the eight patients, primary care physicians indicated whether they would prescribe a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), increase angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) dose, and refer the patient to a nephrologist. The importance of each attribute was assessed using aggregate logit models.
A total of 401 primary care physicians completed the survey. The KidneyIntelX result was relatively more important than standard of care tests for prescribing an SGLT2i and increasing the dose of blood pressure medications. There was an association between the KidneyIntelX results and significantly higher odds of primary care physicians prescribing SGLT2i with a DKD indication (odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-2.08), increasing ARB dose (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.17-1.89) and referral to a nephrologist (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.99-3.08) compared with no test.
In conclusion, the researchers said, “This implicit preference study indicates primary care physicians will use the results of KidneyIntelX in the management of DKD.”
Source: Datar M, Ramakrishman S, Chong J, Goss T, Coca S, Vassalotti J. Primary care physicians’ assessment of the clinical utility of a new prognostic test to predict the risk of kidney function decline in patients with diabetic kidney disease. Abstract of a poster presented at the National Kidney Foundation virtual Spring Clinical Meetings 2021 (Abstract #327), April 9, 2021.
