Prognosis for CKD patients

The outlook for patients with CKD is bleak. Data as shown that as renal function drops, mortality rate increases. Regardless of whether there is progression to stage 5, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with CKD,

If CKD progress to stage 5, then renal replacement therapy is the only option. Kidney transplant will significantly increase the survival of patients but it poses the risk of an increased short-term death rate due to the complications of the surgery. Dialysis can maintain the lives of patients, but  it poses a stress on the patients' quality of life. High intensity home hemodialysis appears to be associated with improved survival and a greater quality of life, when compared to the conventional three times a week hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.