Preface

The synthesis of the totality of evidence in kidney disease was the original challenge we undertook when we conceived of the first edition of this evidence-based nephrology (EBN) textbook, thereby providing students of nephrology and practicing clinicians with a single convenient source of clinical evidence that had been passed through an evidence-based filter. More than 12 years have passed since the first edition, and so it is timely to revisit the challenge in the form of a second edition. The reasons for a second edition are principally three: the scale of new available data is substantial, newer methods of research synthesis have been developed, and there is a renewed focus on consumer engagement in general, including in the evaluation and management of kidney disease.