Assessment of the feasibility of conducting population prevalence studies of chronic renal failure according to ethnic group: a survey of clinical biochemistry laboratories in Greater London and south east England.

The planning of renal replacement therapy is based on assessment of population need for the white population, but uses historical trends in treatment uptake for black and Asian ethnic minority groups, for whom the incidence of chronic renal failure (CRF) is not known. Epidemiological studies of CRF are based upon follow-up of plasma creatinine results obtained from clinical biochemistry laboratories. We conducted a postal questionnaire survey of UK National Health Service (NHS) and private clinical biochemistry laboratories in Greater London and the south east of England to arrange the design and test the feasibility of carrying out a study to determine ethnic-specific rates of CRF. Fifty-five NHS laboratories (90%) and 19 private laboratories (57%) responded. Few pathology computer systems recorded ethnic group, patient post code, or diagnosis; although 31 of the laboratory computers (42%) were linked with the hospital Patient Administration System which could supply these data. Approximately 5.5 million electrolyte profiles and 20 million individual renal function tests are carried out annually in south east England. Ninety per cent of those were performed within NHS laboratories, implying that a study can use NHS sources alone without risk of any undue bias. Sixty laboratories (81%) included creatinine in their routine electrolyte profile, which would be a requirement for any study. Thirty-one laboratories (42%) archived tests within 1 year of entry, which would rule out a retrospective study design. A prospective study is feasible and should be carried out as soon as is practicable.