A Canadian research team looking at the cost-effectiveness of treating patients in CKD stage 3-4 found a significant reduction in hospitalizations and the need for interventions when both a nurse and nephrologist teamed up on providing care.

The Canadian Prevention of Renal and Cardiovascular Endpoints Trial (CanPREVENT) randomized 236 patients to receive usual care (controls) and another 238 patients to multifaceted nurse/nephrologist-supported care that targeted factors associated with development of kidney and cardiovascular disease (intervention). Cost and outcomes over two years were examined to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

The paper by Hopkins et al. from the PATH Research Institute, Ontario, Canada, was published in the June issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The abstract can be found here