UK Renal Registry 11th Annual Report (December 2008): Chapter 13 Demography of the UK paediatric renal replacement therapy population.

AIMS

To describe the demographics of the paediatric RRT population in the UK and analyse changes in demographics with time.

METHODS

Extraction and analysis of data from the UK paediatric Renal Registry.

RESULTS

The UK paediatric established renal failure (ERF) population in April 2008 was 875 patients. The prevalence under the age of 16 years was 55 per million age related population (pmp) and the incidence 7.92 pmp. The incidence and prevalence for South Asian and Other ethnic groups were 3 times that of the White and Black populations. Renal dysplasia was the most common cause of ERF accounting for 33% of prevalent cases. Diseases with autosomal recessive inheritance were more common in patients from ethnic minority groups. The spectrum of diseases seen has changed over a generation. Overall 5 year survival for children with ERF was 91.8%. Five year survival of infants starting dialysis was just 62%. Transplanted patients accounted for 74% of the current population. The proportion with grafts from living donors has steadily risen to 34%. Children from ethnic minority groups were less likely to have an allograft and living donation was less frequent in this population. For those on dialysis, 57% were receiving peritoneal dialysis. This was the main treatment modality for patients under 4 years of age.

CONCLUSIONS

The paediatric ERF population continued to expand slowly. Incidence and prevalence rates were stable and similar to other developed nations. The high incidence in patients from ethnic minority groups will lead to a greater proportion of the population being from these groups in time. To maintain the high proportion of engrafted patients it will be necessary to encourage living donation in the ethnic minority population. The spectrum of diseases seen has already changed over a generation with the treatment of young children with diseases such as congenital nephrosis. The incidence of cystinosis causing ERF was reduced, probably reflecting better early treatment.