Type 2 translational research for CKD

Abstract

Strategies to effectively treat people with CKD have been identified by conventional clinical research. Despite this evidence, awareness, screening, detection, diagnosis, risk factor control, treatment, and outcomes remain substandard. Translating clinical evidence into actionable measures that reduce the burden of CKD is a pressing need. Expansion from a "bench-to-bedside" paradigm (conventional type 1 translation) to research that encompasses "clinic and community" is the core concept of type 2 translation. Specifically, this is the discipline of identifying factors and using strategies that lead to adoption, maintenance, and sustainability of science-based interventions in practice. This review identifies key elements of type 2 translational research and highlights the current scope of this type of research for CKD. For type 2 translation to achieve the goals of providing high-quality care and better health outcomes, key facilitators (e.g., theory-based frameworks, adaptable interventions, and inclusion of sustainability and evaluation metrics) and essential elements (e.g., multidisciplinary team care, health information technology, and stakeholder engagement) must be integrated. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recently funded five proposals that aim to improve outcomes for people with CKD, focusing on diverse components of the healthcare continuum: patient safety and transitions; delivery of high-quality, evidence-based CKD care; and elimination of disparities. The need for type 2 translational research in CKD is urgent because of preventable human suffering and unsustainable costs of providing care. Focus on the theory, framework, and approaches we have suggested may help us meet that challenge.

Figure 1.

Phases of translational research as a context for moving scientific discovery to practical applications in the clinic and community (6).