Study reveals the influence of race correction in kidney disease care

A new study examines whether the "race multiplier" correction factor for Black patients, used when estimating kidney function, may contribute to disparities in care for these patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Black patients with CKD have worse outcomes than other racial groups, including higher rates of anemia and hypertension, longer waits for referral to nephrology, and poorer access to transplantation. A research team led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital examined whether removing the race multiplier from calculations that estimate kidney function would change the way Black patients were classified. They found that up to one in every three Black patients would be reclassified as having a more severe stage of CKD, with one-quarter of Black patients going from stage 3 to stage 4—an important jump that could lead to more advanced kidney care and in some cases, key conversations about dialysis. Results of the study are published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine.