From Prediction to Practice: Applying the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) in Clinical Care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64945/x0y0cj07Keywords:
CKD, KFREAbstract
The Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) has emerged as a key tool in stratifying risk among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3–5. Since its introduction in 2011, it has been extensively validated and is now recommended by the 2024 KDIGO guidelines for use in clinical practice. This review summarizes the development, validation, and clinical application of the KFRE, including its utility in nephrology referral, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) planning, and post-transplant populations. We also discuss limitations in its use, such as overestimation of risk in older adults, biological variability, its performance in specific subgroups and clinical relevance in the era of effective renoprotective therapies. Despite extensive validation, real-world outcome data on the KFRE’s impact remain limited, underscoring the need for prospective implementation studies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Prof Bobby Chacko, Kate Richards (Author)
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