Spanish nephrologists and the management of mineral and bone metabolism disorders in chronic kidney disease

This study was designed to assess the current perception of Spanish nephrologists in the clinical management of mineral and bone metabolism disorders in chronic kidney disease (CKD-MBD). As such, we used a semi-structured distance professional consensus procedure via e-mail (modified Delphi method) on a representative nephrologist panel, under the direction of a coordinating committee. To analyse the group's opinion and the type of consensus reached on each issue raised, we used the median of the group's scores and the "level of agreement" reached by those surveyed. On a total of 86 issues, a consensus agreement and disagreement was achieved in 70 (81.4%), of which 60.5% (52 items) agreed with the statement and 20.9% (18 items) disagreed. In 16 items (18.6%), there was insufficient unanimity in the panel's opinion, either due to professional opinion disparity or due to the lack of opinion established in the majority of the expert committee. Accepting the study's limitations, we considered that the items for which there was a consensus reinforce some CKD-MBD concepts with their impact on daily clinical practice and allow the degree of homogeneity that we could expect in this area to be assessed. The items in which there was no consensus help us to know the areas of uncertainty and are very useful for clarifying which aspects have a greater need for further knowledge and which areas require prospective studies to be conducted in order to improve the management of these disorders.