Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem with rapidly increasing morbidity and mortality. The last decade has seen a significant improvement in the perception of the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis and complications of CKD, thanks in large part to the development of definitions of CKD by the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) and the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). Increased knowledge of CKD has...