End-stage renal disease and renal replacement therapy in Kuwait--epidemiological profile over the past 4 1/2 years.

Data on end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in Kuwait were collected retrospectively and prospectively starting in mid-1988. The study period covered 4 1/2 years from 1 January 1986 to 30 June 1990. Epidemiological characteristics of ESRD patients and their disposal by dialysis and transplantation were analysed and compared with previous reports from Kuwait, neighbouring countries, Europe, and USA. A total of 647 patients received renal replacement therapy (RRT) in Kuwait during the study period. This gave an incidence rate of 72 patients per year per million of population. The prevalence rate for patients on maintenance dialysis was 80.6 per million population in mid-1988. Nearly one-fifth of total patients (19.6%) were older than 60 years of age and one-third (30.8%) were identified as 'high risk' category. As for Kuwaiti nationals alone on RRT 29.7% were above 60 years of age and 44.2% were high-risk patients. We have noticed a steady decline in the number of patients who accepted continuous ambulatory peritonial dialysis (CAPD) for dialytic support. Chronic tubulointerstitial disease resulting from atrophic pyelonephritis was the leading cause of ESRD amongst both Kuwaiti nationals and expatriates. Though diabetic nephropathy was only the third leading cause of ESRD (14.7%) in the total population, it was more frequent (21.2%) among Kuwaitis. The gross mortality rate on dialysis was 14.7%. The major causes of death were related to cardiovascular diseases (60%) and sepsis (24.2%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)