Key messages
- •
Chronic kidney disease is an important cause of death and loss of disability-adjusted life-years worldwide, but awareness is low among patients and health-care providers
- •
The number of patients with chronic kidney disease is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the poorest parts of the world, but a strong association is seen between low levels of economic development and reduced availability of renal replacement therapy
- •
Variations in methods used to estimate concentrations of creatinine in serum and albuminuria affect estimation of the number of cases of early-stage chronic kidney disease
- •
Unique causes and risk factors for chronic kidney disease, such as exposure to herbal preparations and environmental factors, exist in some parts of the world
- •
Care for advanced chronic kidney disease is associated with catastrophic health expenditure in developing countries
- •
Early detection of chronic kidney disease requires development of cost-effective approaches relevant to the local level of economic development and resources
- •
Integration of screening and management strategies for chronic kidney disease into national programmes for non-communicable diseases can reduce the burden and cost of care of chronic kidney disease
- •
Because of a shortage of trained nephrologists, general practitioners must be involved in caring for patients with chronic kidney disease