Chinese cohort study of chronic kidney disease: design and methods

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disorder associated with multiple adverse clinical consequences, especially cardiovascular risk and end-stage renal disease. A recent national survey demonstrated that CKD has become a leading health problem in China. There is an urgent need to implement an in-depth investigation of the CKD burden and also to explore underlying mechanisms of CKD progression and it association with adverse consequences.

Methods The Chinese Cohort Study of Chronic Kidney Disease (C-STRIDE) is the first national CKD cohort in China. It will enroll approximately 3 000 pre-dialysis CKD patients aged between 18 and 74 years and follow-up for at least 5 years. Questionnaires, anthropometric measures, laboratory tests, and biomaterials will be collected at baseline and annually. The principal clinical outcomes of the C-STRIDE consist of renal disease events, cardiovascular events, and death. Based on the longitudinal clinical data and biomaterials, the risk factors with CKD progression and other outcomes will be analyzed, and candidate markers and predicted models will be established.

Conclusion The C-STRIDE would provide important evidence for underlying mechanisms of CKD progression, valuable information for clinical guidelines, and healthcare policies in China.