To broaden the scientific impact, PREVEND subsequently established the CKD Prognosis Consortium, which conducted a series of meta-analyses that demonstrated similar findings.
These findings have led to albuminuria becoming one of the two central measures for defining and classifying kidney diseases, a standard now adopted by both the ICD and the World Health Organization (WHO). Given the importance of albuminuria, researchers further explored the feasibility of population-based screening for protein loss in urine. Two years ago, they demonstrated in an article published in The Lancet that such screening is indeed feasible.
Next month, there will be launched a new project supported by a €10 million grant from the Dutch Kidney Foundation, the Heart Foundation, the Diabetes Fund, and the Dutch government (NWO). In this study, PREVEND will invite 160,000 individuals from four regions in the Netherlands for urine protein screening. The project aims to identify the most effective methods for participant recruitment and screening while also evaluating cost-effectiveness.
This progress highlights how the Groningen PREVEND study has been fundamental to key advancements in kidney disease research. The data and biosamples collected through PREVEND continue to support new analyses and serve as a foundation for numerous scientific publications.
Curious about PREVEND data for your own research? Explore the UMCG Research Data Catalogue.
