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Chronic kidney disease is common in the general population and associated with excess cardiovascular disease (CVD), but kidney function does not feature in current CVD risk-prediction models. We tested three formulae for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to determine which was the most clinically informative for predicting CVD and mortality. Using data from 440,526 participants from UK Biobank, eGFR was calculated using serum creatinine, cystatin C (eGFRcys) and creatinine-cystatin C. Associations of each eGFR with CVD outcome and mortality were compared using Cox models and adjusting for atherosclerotic risk factors (per relevant risk scores), and the predictive utility was determined by the C-statistic and categorical net reclassification index. We show that eGFRcys is most strongly associated with CVD and mortality, and, along with albuminuria, adds predictive discrimination to current CVD risk scores, whilst traditional creatinine-based measures are weakly associated with risk. Clinicians should consider measuring eGFRcys as part of cardiovascular risk assessment.

Background Multimorbidity [the presence of two or more long-term conditions (LTCs)] is associated with a heightened risk of mortality, but little is known about its relationship with the risk of kidney events. Methods Associations between multimorbidity and major adverse kidney events [MAKE: the need for long-term kidney replacement therapy, doubling of serum creatinine, fall of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or 30% decline in eGFR] were studied in 68 505 participants from the UK Biobank cohort. Participants were enrolled in the study between 2006 and 2010. Associations between LTC counts and MAKE were tested using survival analyses accounting for the competing risk of death. Results Over a median follow-up period of 12.0 years, 2963 participants had MAKE. There were associations between LTC count categories and the risk of MAKE [one LTC adjusted subhazard ratio (sHR) = 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–1.45; two LTCs sHR = 1.74 (95% CI 1.55–1.96); and three or more LTCs sHR = 2.41 (95% CI 2.14–2.71)]. This finding was more pronounced when only cardiometabolic LTCs were considered [one LTC sHR = 1.58 (95% CI 1.45–1.73); two LTCs sHR = 3.17 (95% CI 2.80–3.59); and three or more LTCs sHR = 5.24 (95% CI 4.34–6.33)]. Combinations of LTCs associated with MAKE were identified. Diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease featured most commonly in high-risk combinations. Conclusions Multimorbidity, and in particular cardiometabolic multimorbidity, is a risk factor for MAKE. Future research should study groups of patients who are at high risk of progressive kidney disease based on the number and type of LTCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]