Renal Data from the Arab World: End-stage renal disease in the El-Minia Governorate, upper Egypt: an epidemiological study

We had earlier conducted two cross-sectional studies on the epidemiology of endstage renal disease (ESRD) in the El-Minia Governorate. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence,etiology and risk factors for ESRD in the El-Minia Governorate during the year 2006. Patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT),numbering 1356,were recruited into this study. A standardized questionnaire was completed including demographics,family history,risk factors for ESRD,environmental exposure to toxins,work conditions,social history and causes of death. Only 800 (59%) of the 1356 patients agreed to participate in this study. Their mean age was 46 ± 13 years,median 43 (range 18-80). The male vs. female ratio was 65% vs. 35%. The etiology of ESRD was unknown in 27%,hypertension in 20%,chronic glomerulonephritis in 11%,obstructive uropathy in 12%,bilhaziasis in 3%,analgesic nephropathy in 5%,chronic pyelonephritis in 5%,diabetic nephropathy in 8% and others,e.g. lupus in 9%. The overall prevalence of ESRD was 308 per million population (pmp). The modalities of RRT used on the study patients included hemodialysis (HD) in 1315 (97%),peritoneal dialysis (PD) in 27 (2%) and renal transplantation in 14 patients (1%). The death rate was 190/1000. Our study suggests that the epidemiology of ESRD in the El-Minia Governorate is different from that in European countries and the US and thus,region-specific interventions must be developed to control the epidemic of ESRD in the world.