Point-of-care testing for kidney disease - Lessons learnt from a resource-limited setting in South Africa
The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is predicted to rise over the next few decades, with disproportionately high representation set to come from low and middle-income countries. In such settings, access to centralised laboratory services is often limited, hindering early detection and patient monitoring.
Point-of-care testing, such as the use of urine dipstick analysis, may offer unique opportunities to improve patient care, especially when combined with semi-automated reading devices. Placing point-of-care testing alongside laboratory testing offers the potential to detect ‘classic’ markers of chronic kidney disease such as albuminuria, as well as less commonly explored markers such as haematuria, which may have added significance in certain settings.
This talk will explore a point-of-care approach in a resource-limited setting in South Africa.
Workshops
Learning objectives
- Understand the burden of CKD for the healthcare system
- Know about the potential of basic urinalysis to support early detection of CKD
- Discover the potential of CKD screening at the point of care