A team led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers has developed a simple questionnaire to help identify individuals likely to have chronic kidney disease.

The questionnaire, and the study on which it is based, are reported in the Feb. 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.  The questionnaire is online at: http://unchealthcare.org/site/newsroom/scored.pdf.

The research team examined a comprehensive set of demographic, clinical and medical history variables from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which were conducted from 1999 to 2002. They identified nine key risk factors that could, when considered cumulatively, reliably predict chronic kidney disease: age, female gender, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, proteinuria (an abnormal amount of protein in the urine) and anemia. 

These predictor variables were then incorporated into a simple questionnaire with a numeric scoring system. If an individual scores 4 points or higher, he or she has a 1 in 5 chance of having reduced kidney function and should be tested by a doctor. If an individual scores 0-3 points, he or she probably does not have kidney disease.

The researchers plan to test the questionnaire in several settings, including a community-based screening program. It is intended for use both by health care professionals and in public health initiatives and education programs. The questionnaire will be posted on medical information Web sites for public use, to make people more familiar with associated risk factors and to increase awareness of this serious condition.

Photograph of Dr. Suma Vupputuri

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UNC School of Medicine contact: Stephanie Crayton, (919) 966-2860 or scrayton@unch.unc.edu.

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.