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Introduction: Iron deficiency (ID) is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) but remains under-diagnosed and its prognosis poorly documented in the absence of anemia. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between ID and the risk of major adverse outcomes in patients with CKD., Methods: Using data from the French Chronic Kidney Disease - Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort which included and followed over five years, 3,033 patients with CKD stages 2 to 5 CKD, we estimated the prevalence of ID, defined by a ferritin level < 100 μg/L and/or a transferrin saturation < 20%, and associated hazard ratios (HR) of kidney failure with replacement therapy, kidney failure defined by an eGFR < 15 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or initiation of kidney replacement therapy, all-cause mortality, and death or hospitalization for heart failure., Results: Baseline prevalence of ID in the cohort (66% men; mean age 67 ± 13 years) was 50% (48-52). Mean hemoglobin was 13 ± 1.7 g/dL, and only 31% of patients with ID also had a hemoglobin < 12 g/dL. In 2,803 patients with CKD stages 2-4 at baseline, ID was associated with significant increased risk of kidney failure, and of kidney failure with replacement therapy, with HRs adjusted for confounders and hemoglobin level of 1.22 (1.03-1.45) and 1.57 (1.27-1.94), respectively. Adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality and hospitalization or death for heart failure, were 1.31 (1.04-1.66) and 1.38 (1.07-1.80), respectively., Conclusion: This study shows that ID is significantly associated with the risk for kidney failure, all-cause mortality, and heart failure, independent of the presence of anemia.

Launched in 2013 supported by the Program “Cohorts – Investments for the Future”, the CKD-REIN (Chronic Kidney Disease – Renal Epidemiology and Information Network) study is a prospective cohort that included and followed for 5 years more than 3000 patients with moderate or advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), from 40 nationally representative nephrology clinics. A large amount of data was collected on CKD and its treatments, patient social characteristics and reported outcomes, and nephrology practices and services. A total of 170,000 blood and urine samples were collected and stored in a central biobank. Coordinated with the CKD outcomes and practice pattern study (CKDopps) and collaborating with the international Network of CKD cohorts (iNETCKD), CKD-REIN contributes to the understanding of CKD and the positioning of France with respect to CKD epidemiology and care in the world. This review highlights major findings from the cohort, and their potential implications for clinical practices and the health system, grouped into the following themes: (1) the complexity of patients with CKD; (2) adherence to clinical guidelines; (3) treatment practices and drug risk; (4) acute on chronic kidney disease; (5) CKD metabolic complications; (6) prediction of kidney failure; (7) sex differences in CKD; (8) patient perspective on CKD; (9) transition to kidney failure and replacement therapy; (10) conservative care.

Background: The epidemiology of chronic kidney disease remains poorly described in France despite its burden. The objective of our study was to provide an estimate of the prevalence of chronic kidney disease stades 3-5 (without replacement therapy) in France., Method: The data come from the Esteban study carried out in France between 2014 and 2016 on a representative sample of the French population. This study included 3,021 adults between 18 and 74 years old. Of these, 2422 adults (80.2%) had serum creatinine assay and were included in this analysis. Renal function was estimated by calculating glomerular filtration rate using the Chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration (CKD-Epi) and European Kidney function consortium (EKFC) equations., Results: The means glomerular filtration rate in our population were respectively 97.5 and 89.0 mL/min/1.73 m 2 with the CKD-EPI and EKFC equations. The prevalence of chronic renal failure, defined by a glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 was 1.5% with the CKD-EPI formula and 2.1% with the EKFC formula in adults aged 18 to 74 years. The prevalence was higher in women than in men and increased with age, reaching 6.5% and 9.9% in 65-74 years with the CKD-EPI and EKFC equations, respectively. After extrapolation to the French population, the number of adults with chronic kidney disease stades 3-5 without renal replacement therapy was around 1.6 million., Conclusion: In France, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease stades 3-5 without renal replacement therapy was between 1.5 and 2.1% of the adult population aged 18 to 74., (Copyright © 2021 Société francophone de néphrologie, dialyse et transplantation. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: To be able to assess the impact of the bundled payment system on real-life management of patients with chronic kidney disease, an overview of patient-care management before its implementation is needed., Patients and Methods: We describe patterns of nephrology care over 3 years in 2835 patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease, who were followed-up from 2013 to 2019 in the CKD-REIN cohort study. Compliance with health authority guidelines during this period is also studied., Results: At baseline, patients' mean age was 67 years, 65% were men, and 43% had chronic kidney disease stage 4 or 5. The mean number of nephrology visits increased from 1.1 to 2.7 per year, from chronic kidney disease stage 3A to stage 5. The minimum number of nephrology visits as recommended by health authorities was achieved in 84%, 63%, and 33% of patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3B, 4, and 5, respectively. In chronic kidney disease stages 4 and 5, only 34% and 40% of patients had seen a dietitian, and 33% and 54% had received information about treatment options, respectively. The average waiting time for a first appointment with a nephrologist was longer, 60 days and its duration shorter, 30 vs 38 to 40 minutes, in university hospitals compared with non-university hospitals and private clinics., Conclusion: The significant gap between received and recommended care reflects human resources and organizational limits in chronic kidney disease management in the nephrology setting. Improvements with bundled payment are expected., (Copyright © 2021 Société francophone de néphrologie, dialyse et transplantation. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: B. Stengel déclare des interventions ponctuelles pour MSD et Fresenius

Background: Preserving kidney function and improving the transition from chronic kidney disease to end stage is a research and healthcare challenge. The national Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort was established to identify the determinants, biomarkers and practice patterns associated with chronic kidney disease outcomes., Methods: The study will include more than 3000 adult patients with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease from a representative sample of 40 nephrology clinics with respect to regions and legal status, public or private. Patients are recruited during a routine visit and followed for 5 years, before and after starting renal replacement therapy. Patient-level clinical, biological, and lifestyle data are collected annually, as well as provider-level data on clinical practices, coordinated with the International Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study. Blood and urine samples are stored in a biobank. Major studied outcomes include survival, patient-reported outcomes, disease progression and hospitalizations., Results: More than 13,000 eligible patients with chronic kidney disease were identified, 60% with stage 3 and 40% with stage 4. Their median age is 72 years [interquartile range, 62-80 years], 60% are men and 38% have diabetes. By the end of December 2015, 2885 patients were included., Conclusion: The CKD-REIN cohort will serve to improve our understanding of chronic kidney disease and provide evidence to improve patient survival and quality of life as well as health care system performances., (Copyright © 2016 Association Société de néphrologie. All rights reserved.)

The emergence of new effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of resistant hypertension such as renal sympathetic denervation technique has lead to a renewed interest in the screening and assessment of prognosis of this specific entity which constitutes a subset of uncontrolled hypertension. Its prevalence is unknown, but estimated between 12 and 15% among hypertensive subjects from the general population. Several factors have been associated with the development of resistant hypertension, four of which are essential: age, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and vascular structural alteration. Excessive salt intake is also a risk factor for poorly controlled hypertension in patients with salt-dependent hypertension, and may participate to the genesis of resistant hypertension. Because of population ageing and increasing prevalence of diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease, the prevalence of resistant hypertension is expected to rise. A better understanding of its determinants and associated risks (such as chronic kidney disease) would identify high-risk groups that may benefit from extensive diagnosis work up and more specific treatments., (Copyright © 2014 Association Société de néphrologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

This chapter provides a set of indicators on incident patients with renal replacement therapy. In 2011, in 25 French regions (99% population), 9 248 patients started a treatment by dialysis (incidence of dialysis: 149 per million inhabitants) and 334 patients with a pre-emptive graft without previous dialysis (incidence of pre-emptive graft: 5 per million inhabitants). One patient among two are over 70 years old at renal replacement therapy initiation. As in 2010, incidence rate seems to stabilize., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

End-stage renal disease affects more than 70,000 persons in France, i.e., 1,1 per 1000 people, of whom 53% are on dialysis and 47% are living with a functioning graft. This prevalence increases about 4% per year. Overall, end-stage renal disease incidence tends to stabilize, except in persons aged 75 years or older and in those with diabetes in whom it continues to rise. About 30% of the patients treated for end-stage renal disease start dialysis on an emergency basis, indicating the persistence and frequency of inadequate care in the advanced stage of chronic kidney disease, whatever the reasons for it. Screening of chronic kidney disease includes measures of both urinary albumin- or protein-to-creatinine ratio and serum creatinine, preferably with an enzymatic assay, and estimation of glomerular filtration rate with new equations such as MDRD. Highest priority for targeted screening include patients with diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease. Screening should also be considered in the elderly, in those obese, exposed to toxic drugs, with family history of chronic kidney disease or with personal history of low birth weight, nephrectomy, kidney or urinary tract cancers or chronic infections. Chronic kidney disease stages 1 to 3 is about 100 times more common than end-stage renal disease, mortality risk at these stages being much higher than to progress to end-stage. In the elderly, chronic kidney disease is extremely common, affecting about one person older than 70 years out of three, but only a fraction, higher in men than women, may have clinically relevant markers requiring appropriate care. Glomerular filtration rate decline with age should be monitored regularly and drug doses adjusted in order to prevent adverse effects., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

In 2007, 7197 patients with end-stage renal disease living in 18 regions ( Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Haute-Normandie, Ile de France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas de Calais, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes Cote d'Azur et Rhone-Alpes) covering 52 million inhabitants (82% of the French population), started renal replacement therapy (dialysis or preemptive graft): median age was 70, 4 years; 3% had preemptive graft. The overall crude annual incidence rate of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease was 139 per million population(pmp), with significant differences in sex and age-adjusted incidence across regions (99 to 168 pmh). At initiation, more than one patient out of the two had at least one cardiovascular disease and 39% diabetes (90% Type 2 non-insulin-dependent diabetes). On December 31, 2007, 31056 patients living in 20 regions( the above region plus Aquitaine and la Reunion) were on dialysis: median age was 69, 8 years. On December 31, 2007, 25699 patients were living with a functioning graft: median age was 53,5 years. In these 20 regions, the overall prevalence of dialysis was 554 pmp, that of renal graft, 459 pmp and the overall rate of renal replacement therapy for end stage renal disease, 1013 pmp with significant differences in age-adjusted prevalence across regions (746 to 2,586 pmh). In the 2003-2007 cohort of 26423 incident patients, the overall one-year survival rate was 83%, 56% at 4 years. Survival decreased with age, but remains above 50% at 2 years in patients older than 75 at RRT initiation. Among the 7195 new patients starting dialysis in 2007 in 19 regions, 7% had a BMI lower than 18,5 kg/m2 and 18% a BMI higher than 30. At initiation, 62% had an haemoglobin value lower than 11 g/l and 10% an albumin value lower than 25 g/l. The first haemodialysis was started in emergency in 32% of the patients and with a catheter in 51%. On December 31, 2007, 8% treated in the dialysis units of the 20 regions received peritoneal dialysis, of which 39% were treated with automated peritoneal dialysis. 95% of the patients on haemodialysis had 3 sessions per week, with a median duration of 4 hours. In the 2002-2007 cohort of incident patients in 11 regions under 60 years, the probability to be at least once on the waiting list for a renal graft is 50% at 18 months. In 2007, 2530 patients received renal graft. On December 31, 2007, 5661 patients were on the waiting list for a renal graft in the transplantation centres of the 20 regions..

In 2006, 6,509 patients with end-stage renal disease living in 16 regions covering 48(M) inhabitants (79% of the French population), started renal replacement therapy (dialysis or preemptive graft): median age was 71 years; 3% had a preemptive graft. The overall crude annual incidence rate of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease was 137 per million population (pmp) in 16 regions that met exhaustivity, with significant differences in sex and age-adjusted incidence across regions (107 to 179 pmh). At initiation, more than one patient out of two had at least one cardiovascular disease and 37% diabetes (88% Type 2 non-insulin-dependent diabetes). On December 31, 2006, 25,774 patients living in these 16 regions were on dialysis: median age was 69.5 years. On December 31, 19,491 patients were living with a functioning graft: median age was 53 years. The overall crude prevalence rate of dialysis was 536 pmp in 15 regions. The overall crude prevalence rate of renal graft was 409 pmp in 15 regions. The overall crude prevalence rate of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease was 945 pmp in 15 regions, with significant differences in age-adjusted prevalence across regions (765 to 1061 pmh). In the 2002-06 cohort of 18,264 incident patients, the overall one-year survival rate was 82%, 72% at 2 years and 63% at 3 years. Survival decreased with age, but remained above 50% at 2 years in patients older than 75 at RRT initiation. Among the 6,321 new patients starting dialysis in 2006 in the 16 regions, 6% had a BMI lower than 18.5 kg/m(2) and 17% a BMI higher than 30. At initiation, 62% had a haemoglobin value lower than 11g/l and 9% an albumin value lower than 25g/l. The first haemodialysis was started in emergency in 30% of the patients and with a catheter in 48%. On December 31, 2006, 8% treated in the dialysis units of the 16 regions received peritoneal dialysis, of which 38% were treated with automated peritoneal dialysis. 95% of the patients on haemodialysis had 3 sessions per week, with a median duration of 4 hours. In 2006, 2,144 patients received a renal graft. On December 31, 2006, 4,838 patients were on the waiting list for a renal graft in the transplantation centres of the 16 regions.

End-stage renal failure affects more than 50000 people in France, or nearly 1 per thousand; 60% receive dialysis and 40% have a functioning transplanted kidney. Its incidence is stable, except among those older than 75 years, in whom incidence continues to rise. In nearly half of all cases end-stage renal failure follows hypertension or diabetes, principally type 2 noninsulin-dependent diabetes. About 30% of patients begin dialysis on an emergency basis; this demonstrates the elevated frequency of inadequate predialysis management of chronic kidney disease, from any cause. Since 2002, "chronic kidney disease" has been defined as the persistence for more than 3 months of kidney damage, which is either a laboratory or histologic or morphologic abnormality or a glomerular filtration rate (GFR)<60 mL/min for 1.73 m(2) of body surface, independently of the initial cause. It is classified by stage of severity to facilitate the application of good clinical practice guidelines. Moderate or severe chronic kidney disease, defined by GFR<60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) is approximately 40 times more common than end-stage renal failure. Individuals with chronic kidney disease are much more likely to die of another disease than to progress towards with end-stage renal failure. Diabetes, hypertension, a history of cardiovascular disease, nephrectomy, recurrent urinary infections or kidney failure in the family are all factors that should result in regular check-ups for chronic kidney disease. In two thirds of those older than 70 years, the GFR estimated by laboratories according to Cockcroft and Gault's formula is between 30 and 60 mL/min, but this does not always signal the presence of chronic kidney disease.

The National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), the Society of Nephrology, and the French Kidney Foundation recognized the need to create a National Research Program for kidney and urinary tract diseases. They organized a conference gathering 80 researchers to discuss the state-of-the art and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of kidney and urinary tract disease research in France, and to identify research priorities. From these priorities emerged 11 of common interest: 1) conducting epidemiologic studies; 2) conducting large multicenter cohorts of well-phenotyped patients with blood, urine and biopsy biobanks; 3) developing large scale approach: transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics; 4) developing human and animal functional imaging techniques; 5) strengthening the expertise in renal pathology and electrophysiology; 6) developing animal models of kidney injury; 7) identifying nontraumatic diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers; 8) increasing research on the fetal programming of adult kidney diseases; 9) encouraging translational research from bench to bedside and to population; 10) creating centers grouping basic and clinical research workforces with critical mass and adequate logistic support; 11) integrating and developing european research programs.

In 2005, 6,021 patients with end-stage renal disease living in fourteen regions covering 45 millions inhabitants (73% of the French population), started renal replacement therapy (dialysis or preemptive graft): median age was 70 years; 3% had a preemptive graft. The overall crude annual incidence rate of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease was 139 per million population (pmp) in thirteen regions that met exhaustivity, with significant differences in sex and age-adjusted incidence across regions (92 to 171 pmh). At initiation, 48% of the patients had at least one cardiovascular disease and 36% diabetes (89% Type 2 non-insulin-dependent diabetes). On December 31, 2005, 21,813 patients living in these fourteen regions were on dialysis: median age was 69 years. The overall crude prevalence rate of dialysis was 539 pmp in thirteen regions. On December 31, 2005, 19,491 patients were living with a functioning graft : median age was 53 years. The overall crude prevalence rate for these patients was 390 pmp in thirteen regions. The overall crude prevalence rate of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease was 929 pmp in thirteen regions, with significant differences in age-adjusted prevalence across regions (732 to 1009 pmh). In the 2002-05 cohort of 11,632 incident patients, the overall one-year survival rate was 82%, 72% at 2 years and 62% at 3 years. Survival decreased with age, but remained above 50% at 2 years in patients older than 75 at RRT initiation. Among the 5,902 new patients starting dialysis in 2005 in the 14 regions, 7% had a BMI lower than 18,5 kg/m2 and 16% a BMI higher than 30. At initiation, 63% had an haemoglobin value lower than 11 g/ l and 9% an albumin value lower than 25 g/l. The first haemodialysis was started in emergency in 30% of the patients and with a catheter in 46%. On December 31, 2005, 8% treated in the dialysis units of the fourteen regions received peritoneal dialysis, of which 35% were treated with automated peritoneal dialysis. 94% of the patients on haemodialysis had 3 sessions per week, with a median duration of 4 hours. In 2005, 1,911 patients received a renal graft. On December 31, 2005, 4,634 patients were on the waiting List for a renal graft in the transplantation centres of the 14 regions.

Obesity and insulin resistance are directly associated with the presence of microalbuminuria. However, the prospective relationship between abdominal adiposity and the occurrence of micro-albuminuria has been little studied in a non-diabetic population. From the DESIR cohort, we examined whether waist circumference was associated with the incidence of micro-albuminuria at 6 years (D6). The study evaluated 2738 non-diabetic subjects without micro-albuminuria at inclusion who were then followed prospectively. At 6 years, 254 individuals (9.3%) had developed pathological micro-albuminuria (> or =20 mg/l) measured at micturation. In both sexes, the incidence of micro-albuminuria was associated with increased waist circumference and blood pressure, but not with blood glucose levels, lipid parameters or body mass index. Subjects with a higher waist circumference at inclusion were at a higher risk of having micro-albuminuria at 6 years compared to those with a normal waist circumference. Logical regression analysis showed that waist circumference as a continuous value, or greater than 94 cm for males and 88 cm for females, were predictive factors for the incidence of micro-albuminuria, after adjustment for age, hypertension, ACE inhibitor usage, fibrinogen, and blood glucose level. Abdominal adiposity is thus linked in both sexes to the development of microalbuminuria, which underlines the importance of measuring waist circumference when assessing risk factors for renal lesions in non-diabetic hypertensives.

Chronic glomerular diseases are the cause of 35 to 55% of end-stage renal failure, according to countries or regions. In France, the estimated annual incidence of nondiabetic glomerular nephropathies is 82 per million population. IgA deposits, membranous and minimal change glomerulopathies, and focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis are the most common; crescent proliferative glomerulonephritis has the worse prognosis. Combined patient and kidney survival varies from 24 to 62% according to histologic types. Their incidence remains relatively stable in contrast with the constant rise of type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Over the 90s, the annual incidence rate of renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal failure due to diabetes doubled in Europe, reaching 10 to 50 per million population according to the country in Europe, and 144 per million population in the United States.

Objectives: Study the renal consequences of lithium therapy and find out whether lithium-induced chronic renal toxicity can provoke a progressive nephropathy, leading to advanced renal failure, requiring periodical dialysis., Methods: Fifty-three patients treated with long-term lithium salts were included in the study. They had developed chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance inferior to 80 ml/min) not due to any other cause., Results: These patients had received lithium salts for a mean period of 17.7 years. The mean reduction in creatinine clearance was of 2.23 ml/min/year. Final clearance correlated negatively with the duration of lithium administration. In 7 patients treated a mean of 22 years, progression towards terminal kidney failure required periodical dialysis. Around 30% of patients exhibited mild hypercalcemia., Conclusion: Lithium nephropathy inducing progressive renal failure is a reality. Its prevalence in patients treated long-term with lithium should be assessed.

End-stage renal failure (ESRD) is an important public health issue, because of both the increasing number of patients requiring renal replacement therapy and the cost of treatment. The need for a reliable data system, capable of describing the patient care network as a whole, including dialysis or transplantation, has often been reiterated. The Direction Générale de la Santé (the French Department of Health) commissioned INSERM (the National Institute of Health and Medical Research) to "study the feasibility of different scenarios of data collection about ESRD patient care in order to meet the priority needs of health care administration, physicians, and researchers". Analysis of these needs allowed the goals to be defined: to provide an accurate picture of ESRD patient care in order to guide and evaluate health care policy, to inform clinicians, and to provide a tool for more focused special studies in renal research issues. Three scenarios were studied: the first would use data systems of both the government and the National Health Insurance system for planning health care services, upon EfG (The French Transplant Agency) network to evaluate transplantation, and upon a few regional registries for epidemiology and research; the second is based on repeated cross-sectional surveys; the third would rely upon the organization of an information system, the Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN). Regional centers and a national coordinating office would register and follow-up ESRD patients, principally to evaluate health care supply and quality. The REIN database would also be a resource for research. The advantage of the first scenario is its low cost; its principal drawback is that evaluations will not be possible in the regions without registries. The second suggestion is inadequate. The last project would fulfil the goals that were defined. The REIN data system would be a true public health project of interest to all the participants and institutions in this field.

In May 1994 in Toulouse, there were two cases of end-stage renal failure (ESRF) related to Chinese herbs similar to those incriminated in the case series reported in Belgium in 1992-93, they led to an epidemiologic investigation aimed at evaluating the risk linked to these plants in France. Studies carried out by the Pharmacy Inspection showed that powders labelled Stephania Tetrandra, but consisting instead of Aristolochia Fangji and containing aristolochic acid, were sold in France between 1989 and May 1994. A systematic attempt to ascertain cases of ESRF associated with ingesting Chinese herbs was carried out by analysing data from the ERA-EDTA Registry of ESRF as well as from the French adverse drug reaction monitoring system. Registry data showed no significant increase over previous years in the number of new ESRF cases caused by tubulo-interstitial nephritis (TIN) between 1990 and 1993. In eight regions of France, the files of 85 ESRF cases were examined, and all patients whose nephropathy began after 1989 were interviewed using a very detailed questionnaire. No association with Chinese herb use was found in any of these cases. In 1996, two new ESRF cases were reported in Nice; the regional adverse drug reaction monitoring center considered the relationship with Aristolochia Fangji to be as possible (I2) for one case and dubious (I1) for the other. Despite a lack of sensitivity of the methods used to detect cases, it seems clear that no phenomenon as extensive as that observed in Belgium occurred in France, although the same drugs prescribed at the same doses have been widely distributed in our country. A possible explantation for the difference in the number of cases in Belgium and France is that of an unrecognised factor, promoting the toxicity of aristolochic acid or peculiar to the Belgian clinic and causative. The precautionary principle led the authorities to ban Stephania Tetrandra and Aristolochia Fangji from the market permanently.

Several studies have suggested that exposure to organic solvents is associated with glomerular nephropathies (GN), but this relationship remains controversial. A case-control study of 298 biopsy-proven cases and 298 hospital controls, matched for year of birth, sex, origin, and place of residence, was conducted between 1989 and 1991 in five hospitals in the Paris area : 82 cases of membranous glomerulopathy were included ; 100, nephrotic syndrome with either minimal change nephropathy or focal and segmental hyalinosis (MCN/FSH); and 116, IgA nephropathy (IgA N). Subjects were interviewed about their lifelong occupational and non-occupational activities. Type, level, and duration of solvent exposure were assessed blind with respect to case-control status by two industrial hygienists. HLA phenotypes were determined. Among males, a clear association, which was not explained by social class, was observed between chronic renal failure and high exposure to solvents for both MCN/FSH (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 1.4-41.6) and IgA N (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.0-11.8). The odds ratios increased with duration of exposure. No relationship was observed between such exposure and GN cases with normal renal function. No evidence was found that the HLA phenotype plays a role in the solvent exposure-disease association. These results support the hypothesis of a causal relationship between high solvent exposure, which concerned 15% of the males in this study, and the development of GN with chronic renal failure.

Epidemiological validity of early markers of nephrotoxicity currently used in occupational epidemiology has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to identify variation factors of these markers, to quantify their intra- and inter-individual variability and to evaluate the consequences of these results on study size and power. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 1991 in a rotogravure plant including 168 male subjects (92 exposed to toluene and 76 controls). Blood and urine samples were taken twice: at study onset and one to five months later for 40% of the subjects. Creatinine and beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2M) were measured in both blood and urine; microalbumin (microALB), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and alanine-aminopeptidase (AAP), in urine. Sources of physiological variation were reduced by standardization of collection and assay methods. Subjects completed a questionnaire to record information about their personal characteristics, alcohol, tobacco and drug consumption and their health. Statistical analysis of all subjects was adjusted for exposure status. Several factors were significantly related to the markers: age with beta 2M, NAG and AAP; smoking, alcohol drinking, and blood pressure with both microALB and NAG; urinary pH with beta 2M. These factors explained from 13 to 21% of the total variance of these markers. Short-term reproducibility, i.e. the correlation between the two measurements, was high for microALB (r = 0.75), moderate for NAG (r = 0.51), and low for beta 2M (r = 0.33) and AAP (r = 0.17). These results showed that confusion bias in the evaluation of exposure-marker association can be reduced by adjusting for several factors and that accuracy and study power can be improved by repeating measurements, especially for beta 2M and AAP.

From national surveys on representative samples of births, in France, in 1972 and in 1981, prenatal care and outcome of pregnancy among immigrant women--having been born outside continental France--have been studied. In spite of an increase in the number of prenatal visits, between 1972 and 1981, foreign women born in North Africa or in other non-European countries in 1981 had still less prenatal visits than women born in continental France. Few differences in outcome of pregnancy according to the women's birthplace in 1981 are shown, preterm deliveries' and birthweight less than 2,500 g rates had decreased between 1972 and 1981 among most groups of women. Nevertheless, in 1981 stillbirth was more frequent among foreign women, especially women born in North Africa.