Online Calculator Predicts Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease

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Canadian researchers have developed an online calculator to predict a person’s risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). The tool, which takes three to five minutes to complete, was created by a team at the Ottawa Hospital to help people understand their risk factors and raise awareness as the number of people living with end-stage kidney disease continues to increase. The calculator is part of Project Big Life, a group of Canadian researchers, clinicians and data scientists creating simple risk quizzes for people to understand their health. The project was funded by the Kidney Foundation of Canada and is supported by ICES. An estimated 1 in 7 people in the United States have CKD.

The calculator asks users questions about their lifestyle and habits, such as how much alcohol they drink, how active they are, and their basic medical history. Using data from ICES, an independent Ontario health statistics non-profit, the team was able to determine how different factors add to a person's risk. The team took an extra step and tested the equation with a completely different population to ensure it could predict accurately whether someone is at risk of developing kidney disease. They tested the tool on people in the United Kingdom, which added more time to the overall project.

Dr. Manish Sood, a kidney specialist who co-led the development of the online calculator, said

"We wanted to create a tool that can help people understand their risk, understand things that they can modify in their lifestyle that might help reduce the risk and to teach in general about chronic kidney disease,"

He further added that the calculator is not meant to make people anxious, but to empower them by giving them the information they need to be informed about their health.

Chronic kidney disease is a serious condition that affects the functioning of the kidneys. The kidneys play an important role in regulating the electrolyte composition in the body, controlling blood pressure, secreting vitamin D and erythropoietin, and performing an overall cleaning filtration function on the blood. A number of factors can put people at risk of developing chronic kidney disease, but the most common, as per Dr. Sood, are high blood pressure and diabetes.

In conclusion, The Ottawa Hospital has developed an online calculator that can help predict a person’s risk of developing chronic kidney disease. The calculator takes three to five minutes to complete and is part of Project Big Life, a group of Canadian researchers, clinicians and data scientists creating simple risk quizzes for people to understand their health. The project was funded by the Kidney Foundation of Canada and is supported by ICES. The calculator aims to help people understand their risk factors and raise awareness as the number of people living with end-stage kidney disease continues to increase.

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Related Articles

What is Chronic Kidney Disease?

What Do Your Kidneys Do?

Creatinine and eGFR; What Are They and Why Are They Important?

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References

New online calculator can help Canadians predict their risk of developing kidney disease

Chronic Kidney Disease Calculator

Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2021

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‍About the Author

Rich Foreman brings over 30 years of technology leadership to his role of CEO and Co-Founder of KidneySoft.  As founding CTO, Rich led the team that developed the CordicoShield / CordicoFire Wellness App. Cordico was honored with the Sacramento Innovation Award in 2021. After achieving a 7 digit ARR, Cordico was acquired by Lexipol in 2020. Rich has a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Washington, an MPA from Troy State University and was an officer in the U.S. Navy. Rich co-authored his book, "Tap into the Mobile Economy." Rich's blog was listed in Top 20 Marketing Mobile Blogs of 2014. He has been featured on KCRA3, NEWS10, 1170 Tech AM PowerDrive, Business Radio Money 105.5, SiliconIndia, the Sacramento Business Journal, and the Sacramento Bee. Rich is also the Founding Director of the Sacramento Chapter of Startup Grind and served a term as Utility Commissioner for the City of Folsom. Rich is a regular contributor to TechWire.net and StartupSac. Rich was the Co-founder of Apptology which was named Small Business of the Year in 2014 by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber. He was also the Founding Chief Technology Officer at Cordico. Cordico was acquired by Lexipol in 2020.  Rich also served 4 years as a Naval Officer in the Civil Engineer Corps.

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Patient Education Disclaimer

This material is for informational purposes only. It does not replace the advice or counsel of a doctor or health care professional. KidneyLuv makes every effort to provide information that is accurate and timely, but makes no guarantee in this regard. You should consult with, and rely only on the advice of, your physician or health care professional.

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