| [ Summary ] |
The Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension Dialysis and Renal Transplantation, established in 1991, has provided ongoing information concerning dialysis and renal transplantation in Latin America. Diabetes was the main cause of end-stage renal disease, and many dialysis patients were elderly, similar to the situations in other countries. In a 2004 report, the prevalence of patients on renal replacement therapy has increased to 424 patients per million population in 2003, a 10 % annual increase over the past 11 years. Kidney transplantation rates, although increasing, have not matched the growing population on dialysis. In addition, since there are great economic and medical restrictions in some countries, there is an urgent need to establish programs to promote early detection and treatment for chronic kidney disease in this region. |