[Principles and methodology of K/DOQI clinical guidelines]

Abstract

NKF (National Kidney Foundation) launched the Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiatives (DOQI) in 1995 and reported first guideline on dialysis therapy in Autumn of 1997. In 1999, DOQI was further developed into the Kidney Disease Outcomes Initiatives (K/DOQI), in which the target of clinical practice has included the entire phase of chronic kidney diseases (CKD). K/DOQI revised first guideline by DOQI in 2002 and also published the "Chronic Kidney Disease:Evaluation, Classification, and Stratification" in 2002 and "Proteinuria and Other Markers of Chronic Kidney Disease "in 2003, and then "Bone Metabolism and Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease" in the fall of 2003. These guidelines were prepared by working group and review team. For instance, the review team first searched 4,233 literatures and finally 467 relevant literatures was selected for citation as the basis of evidence. Based on the summary table of these literatures, working group prepared a draft guideline. Finally, the present guideline consists of 201 pages totally and reflects a dedicated effort by the team. K/DOQI has now started the effort to develop their guideline into truly a global one.