Search

Copyright of Diabetes & Metabolism is the property of Masson Editeur and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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 mg/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.

Rationale & Objective: Sex differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well established, but whether chronic kidney disease (CKD) modifies these risk differences and whether they differ between atheromatous CVD (ACVD) and nonatheromatous CVD (NACVD) is unknown. Assessing this interaction was the principal goal of this study., Study Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting & Participants: Adults enrolled in the CKD-REIN (CKD-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network) cohort, a nationally representative sample of 40 nephrology clinics in France, from 2013 to 2020., Exposure: Sex., Outcomes: Fatal and nonfatal composite ACVD events (ischemic coronary, cerebral, and peripheral artery disease) and composite NACVD events (heart failure, hemorrhagic stroke, and arrhythmias)., Analytical Approach: Multivariable cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models., Results: 1,044 women and 1,976 men with moderate to severe CKD (median age, 67 vs 69y; mean estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 32±12 vs 33±12mL/min/1.73m 2 ) were studied. During a median follow-up of 5.0 (IQR, 4.8-5.2) years, the ACVD rate (per 100 patient-years) was significantly lower in women than in men, at 2.1 (95% CI, 1.6-2.5) versus 3.6 (3.2-4.0; P<0.01), whereas the NACVD rate was not, at 5.7 (5.0-6.5) versus 6.4 (5.8-7.0; P=0.55). NACVD had a steeper relationship with eGFR than did ACVD. There was an interaction (P<0.01) between sex and baseline eGFR and the ACVD hazard: the adjusted HR for women versus men was 0.42 (0.25-0.71) at 45mL/min/1.73m 2 and gradually attenuated at lower levels of eGFR, reaching 1.00 (0.62-1.63) at 16mL/min/1.73m 2 . In contrast, the NACVD hazard did not differ between sexes across the eGFR range studied., Limitations: Cardiovascular biomarkers and sex hormones were not assessed., Conclusions: This study shows how the lower risk of ACVD among women versus men attenuates fully with kidney disease progression. The equal risk of NACVD between sexes across CKD stages and its steeper association with eGFR suggest an important contribution of CKD to the development of this CVD type., Plain-Language Summary: Sex differences in the risks of atheromatous and nonatheromatous cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well established in the general population. If or how chronic kidney disease (CKD) might modify these risks is unknown. In this large cohort of 3,010 patients with CKD, women had a lower risk than men of atheromatous CVDs such as coronary artery disease or stroke when they were at an early stage of CKD. This advantage, partly due to women's better cardiovascular risk profile, tended to attenuate as CKD progressed to kidney failure. In contrast, the risk of nonatheromatous CVDs such as heart failure for women with CKD appeared similar to that of men with CKD at all kidney function levels., (Copyright © 2024 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale & Objective: Recent evidence suggests people with nondialysis chronic kidney disease (ND-CKD) experience a substantial burden of symptoms, but informative large-scale studies have been scarce. We assessed the prevalence of symptoms and the association of overall symptom burden with quality of life in patients with moderate to severe CKD., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting & Participants: 4,430 patients with ND-CKD stages 3-5 enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps) in Brazil, France, and the United States between 2013 and 2021., Exposure: 13 individual patient-reported symptoms from the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF) questionnaire and an overall symptom burden score (low, intermediate, and high)., Outcome: Physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS) of the KDQOL-SF., Analytical Approach: Adjusted prevalence ratios and generalized estimating equations., Results: Patients (mean age, 68 years; 40% women; mean baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 30mL/min/1.73m 2 ) were very much to extremely bothered by numerous symptoms ("soreness in muscles," 23%; "washed out or drained," 21%; "cramps, shortness of breath, dry skin, diminished sex life, or numbness in hands or feet," 14%-17%). The adjusted prevalences of "cramps," "washed out or drained," "lack of appetite," "nausea/upset stomach," and "sex life" were greater with more severe CKD and in women (except for "sex life"). A high overall symptom burden was more common in women, in France, and in patients with severe albuminuria and various comorbidities, but not with lower eGFR. The PCS and MCS scores were 13.4 and 7.7 points lower, respectively, for high versus low overall symptom burden., Limitations: Generalizability limited to patients under nephrology care, residual confounding, and inaccurate Brazilian translation of some symptoms., Conclusions: The high symptom burden observed in this large cohort of ND-CKD patients across 3 diverse countries and its strong association with poorer health-related quality of life should inform clinical management of and clinical research in CKD., Plain-Language Summary: Little is known about symptoms in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (ND-CKD). In the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, which enrolled 4,430 patients with CKD stages 3-5 in Brazil, France, and the United States, patients most often reported soreness in muscles, feeling washed out or drained, cramps, shortness of breath, dry skin, altered sex life, and numbness in hands or feet. Cramps, feeling washed out or drained, lack of appetite, and nausea were more often reported at lower levels of kidney function. The overall symptom burden was higher in women than men, in French than in Brazilian or US patients, and in those with severe albuminuria. The higher the symptom burden, the lower were the physical and mental health quality of life scores. The high symptom burden observed in this large cohort of ND-CKD patients across 3 diverse countries and its strong association with poorer health-related quality of life should inform clinical management of and clinical research in CKD., (Copyright © 2024 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale & Objective: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The impact of kidney function decline on serious ADR risk has been poorly investigated. We comprehensively describe ADRs and assess the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and serious ADR risk., Study Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting & Participants: 3,033 participants in French Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort study, a nationwide sample of nephrology outpatients with moderate to advanced CKD., Predictors: Demographic and biological data (including eGFR), medication prescriptions., Outcome: ADRs (preventable or not) were prospectively identified from hospital discharge reports, medical records, and patient interviews. Expert pharmacologists used validated tools to adjudicate ADRs., Analytical Approach: Restricted cubic splines in fully adjusted cause-specific Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the relationship between eGFR and the risk of serious ADRs (overall and by subtype)., Results: During a median follow-up period of 4.7 years, 360 patients experienced 488 serious ADRs. Kidney and urinary disorders (n=170) and hemorrhage (n=170) accounted for 70% of serious ADRs. The most common medications classes were antithrombotics and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. The majority of those serious ADRs were associated with hospitalization (n=467), with 32 directly or indirectly associated with death and 22 associated with a life-threatening event. More than 27% of the 488 serious ADRs were preventable or potentially preventable. The eGFR is a major risk factor for serious ADRs. The risk of acute kidney injury was 2.2% higher and risk of bleeding ADRs was 8% higher for each 1mL/min/1.73m 2 lower baseline eGFR., Limitations: The results cannot be extrapolated to patients who are not being treated by a nephrologist., Conclusions: ADRs constitute a major cause of hospitalization in CKD patients for whom lower eGFR level is a major risk factor., Plain-Language Summary: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have complex clinical presentations, take multiple medications, and often receive inappropriate prescriptions. Using data from a large, prospective CKD cohort, we found a high incidence of serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The 2 most common serious ADRs were drug-induced acute kidney injury and bleeding. A large proportion of serious ADRs required hospital admission, and 11% led to death or were life threatening. Lower kidney function was a major risk factor for serious ADRs. Many of these serious ADRs were determined to be partly preventable through greater adherence to prescription guidelines. This report enhances our understanding of the potential toxicity of drugs taken by patients with moderate to advanced CKD. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring kidney function when prescribing drugs, particularly for high-risk medications such as antithrombotic agents., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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: Approximately 30%-45% of patients with nondialysis CKD have iron deficiency. Iron therapy in CKD has focused primarily on supporting erythropoiesis. In patients with or without anemia, there has not been a comprehensive approach to estimating the association between serum biomarkers of iron stores, and mortality and cardiovascular event risks., Methods: The study included 5145 patients from Brazil, France, the United States, and Germany enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, with first available transferrin saturation (TSAT) and ferritin levels as exposure variables. We used Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), with progressive adjustment for potentially confounding variables. We also used linear spline models to further evaluate functional forms of the exposure-outcome associations., Results: Compared with patients with a TSAT of 26%-35%, those with a TSAT ≤15% had the highest adjusted risks for all-cause mortality and MACE. Spline analysis found the lowest risk at TSAT 40% for all-cause mortality and MACE. Risk of all-cause mortality, but not MACE, was also elevated at TSAT ≥46%. Effect estimates were similar after adjustment for hemoglobin. For ferritin, no directional associations were apparent, except for elevated all-cause mortality at ferritin ≥300 ng/ml., Conclusions: Iron deficiency, as captured by TSAT, is associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality and MACE in patients with nondialysis CKD, with or without anemia. Interventional studies evaluating the effect on clinical outcomes of iron supplementation and therapies for alternative targets are needed to better inform strategies for administering exogenous iron., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background and Objectives: Little is known about the burden of adverse drug reactions in CKD. We estimated the incidence of overall and serious adverse drug reactions and assessed the probability of causation, preventability, and factors associated with adverse drug reactions in patients seen by nephrologists., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network cohort included 3033 outpatients (65% men) with CKD and eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 , with follow-up for 2 years. Adverse drug reactions were identified from hospitalization reports, medical records, and participant interviews and finally assessed for causality, preventability, and immediate therapeutic management by experts in pharmacology., Results: Median (interquartile range) age was 69 (60-76) years old; 55% had eGFR≥30 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 , and 45% had eGFR<30 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 . Participants were prescribed a median (range) of eight (five to ten) drugs. Over 2 years, 536 patients had 751 adverse drug reactions, 150 (in 125 participants) classified as serious, for rates of 14.4 (95% confidence interval, 12.6 to 16.5) and 2.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.7 to 4.3) per 100 person-years, respectively. Among the serious adverse drug reactions, 32% were considered preventable or potentially preventable; 16 caused death, directly or indirectly. Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (15%), antithrombotic agents (14%), and diuretics (10%) were the drugs to which the most adverse drug reactions were imputed, but antithrombotic agents caused 34% of serious adverse drug reactions. The drug was discontinued in 71% of cases, at least temporarily. Adjusted hazard ratios for serious adverse drug reaction were significantly higher in patients with eGFR<30 versus ≥30 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 (1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 2.6), in those prescribed more than ten versus less than five medications (2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 5.2), or in those with poor versus good adherence (1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 2.4)., Conclusions: Adverse drug reactions are common and sometimes serious in patients with CKD. Many serious adverse drug reactions may be preventable. Some specific pharmacologic classes, particularly antithrombotic agents, are at risk of serious adverse drug reactions., Clinical Trial Registry Name and Registration Number: Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN), NCT03381950., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Rationale & Objective: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a major outcome measure increasingly used in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We evaluated the association between different stages of CKD and the physical and mental health domains of HRQoL., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting & Participants: 2,693 outpatients with moderate (stage 3, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 30-60mL/min/1.73m 2 ) or advanced (stages 4-5, estimated glomerular filtration rate<30mL/min/1.73m 2 , not on kidney replacement therapy [KRT]) CKD under the care of a nephrologist at 1 of 40 nationally representative facilities, 1,658 patients with a functioning kidney transplant, 1,251 patients on maintenance dialysis randomly selected from the national Renal Epidemiology and Information Network registry, and 20,574 participants in the French Decennial Health Survey, representative of the general population., Predictor: Severity of kidney disease (moderate CKD, advanced CKD, maintenance dialysis as KRT, and functioning kidney transplant as KRT), compared with a sample of the general population., Outcomes: HRQoL scores assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey or the Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36 scale., Analytical Approach: Age- and sex-standardized (to the general population) prevalence of poor or fair health status was estimated for each study kidney disease group. Analysis of variance was used to estimate adjusted differences in mean physical and mental health scores between the kidney disease subgroups and the general population., Results: Mean age was 67.2±12.6 (SD) years for patients with non-KRT-requiring CKD, 69.3±17.7 years for dialysis patients, and 55.3±14.2 years for those with functioning kidney transplants; 60% were men. Age- and sex-standardized health status was perceived as fair or poor in 27% of those with moderate CKD,>40% of those with advanced CKD or receiving dialysis, 12% with a functioning transplant, and 3% of the general population sample. HRQoL physical scores (adjusted for age, sex, education, obesity, and diabetes) were significantly lower in patients in all CKD subgroups than in the general population. For patients receiving dialysis, the magnitude of the difference in physical score versus the general population exceeded 4.5 points, the minimal clinically important difference for this score in this study; for both kidney transplant recipients and patients with advanced CKD, the magnitude of the difference was close to this threshold. For mental score, only dialysis patients had a score that differed from that of the general population by more than the minimal clinically important difference., Limitations: Cross-sectional study design for each subpopulation., Conclusions: This study highlights the degree to which perceived physical health is lower in the setting of CKD than in the general population, even in the absence of kidney failure, and calls for greater attention to CKD-related quality of life., (Copyright © 2019 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although chronic kidney disease (CKD) and age are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), little is known about the relative proportions of atheromatous and non-atheromatous CVD by age in CKD patients., Methods: We used baseline data from the French Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort of 3033 patients (65% men) with CKD Stages 3-4 to study crude and adjusted associations between age, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), atheromatous CVD (coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke) and non-atheromatous CVD (heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia and valvular heart disease)., Results: Mean age was 66.8 and mean Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) eGFR was 32.9 mL/min/1.73 m2. In the <65, (65-74), (75-84) and ≥85 year age groups, the prevalence was, respectively, 18.7, 35.5, 42.9 and 37.8% for atheromatous CVD, and 14.9, 28.4, 38.1 and 56.4% for non-atheromatous CVD. After adjusting for albuminuria, sex and CVD risk factors, the odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for (65-74), (75-84) and ≥85 age groups (compared with the <65 group) was, respectively, 1.99 (1.61-2.46), 2.89 (2.30-3.62), 2.72 (1.77-4.18) for atheromatous CVD and 2.07 (1.66-2.58), 3.15 (2.50-3.97), 7.04 (4.67-10.61) for non-atheromatous CVD. Compared with patients with an eGFR ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2, those with an eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 had a higher OR for atheromatous CVD [1.21 (1.01-1.44)] and non-atheromatous CVD [1.16 (0.97-1.38)]., Conclusions: In this large cohort of CKD patients, both atheromatous and non-atheromatous CVD were highly prevalent and more frequent in older patients. In a given age group, the prevalence of atheromatous and non-atheromatous CVD was similar (except for a greater prevalence of non-atheromatous CVD after 85)., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Cancer survival is improving along with an increase in the potential for adverse kidney effects from antineoplastic treatments or nephrectomy. We sought to describe recent trends in the incidence of kidney failure related to antineoplastic treatments and urinary tract cancers and evaluate patient survival and kidney transplantation access., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: We used the French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network registry to identify patients with kidney failure related to antineoplastic treatments or urinary tract cancer from 2003 to 2015. We identified 287 and 1157 cases with nephrotoxin- and urinary tract cancer-related kidney failure, respectively. The main study outcomes were death and kidney transplantation. After matching cases to two to ten controls ( n =11,678) with other kidney failure causes for age, sex, year of dialysis initiation, and diabetes status, we estimated subdistribution hazard ratios (SHR) of each outcome separately for patients with and without active malignancy., Results: The mean age- and sex-adjusted incidence of nephrotoxin-related kidney failure was 0.43 (95% CI, 0.38 to 0.49) per million inhabitants and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.68 to 1.90) for urinary tract cancer-related kidney failure; they increased significantly by 5% and 2% annually, respectively, during 2006-2015. Compared with matched controls, age-, sex-, and comorbidity-adjusted SHRs for mortality in patients with nephrotoxin-related kidney failure were 4.2 (95% CI, 3.2 to 5.5) and 1.4 (95% CI, 1.0 to 2.0) for those with and without active malignancy, respectively; for those with urinary tract cancer, SHRs were 2.0 (95% CI, 1.7 to 2.2) and 1.1 (95% CI, 0.9 to 1.2). The corresponding SHRs for transplant wait-listing were 0.19 (95% CI, 0.11 to 0.32) and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.88) for nephrotoxin-related kidney failure cases and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.37) and 0.47 (95% CI, 0.36 to 0.60) for urinary tract cancer cases. Once on the waiting list, access to transplantation did not differ significantly between cases and controls., Conclusions: Cancer-related kidney failure is slowly but steadily increasing. Mortality does not appear to be increased among patients without active malignancy at dialysis start, but their access to kidney transplant remains limited., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Rationale & Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) characterized by decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is often accompanied by various degrees of impaired tubular function in the cortex and medulla. Assessment of tubular function may therefore be useful in establishing the severity of kidney disease and identifying those at greater risk for CKD progression. We explored reductions in urinary concentrating ability, a well-known feature of CKD, as a risk factor for GFR decline and end-stage renal disease (ESRD)., Study Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study., Setting & Participants: 2,084 adult patients with CKD stages 1 to 4 from the French NephroTest Cohort Study., Predictor: Fasting urinary osmolality measured using delta cryoscopy., Outcomes: ESRD, mortality before ESRD, and measured GFR (mGFR) assessed using 51 Cr-EDTA renal clearance., Analytical Approach: Cause-specific hazards models were fit to estimate crude and adjusted associations of urinary osmolality with ESRD and death before ESRD. Linear mixed models with random intercepts were fit to evaluate the association of urinary osmolality with slope of decline in mGFR., Results: At baseline, mean age was 58.7±15.2 (SD) years with a median mGFR of 40.2 (IQR, 29.1-54.5) mL/min/1.73m 2 and a median fasting urinary osmolality of 502.7±151.7mOsm/kg H 2 O. Baseline fasting urinary osmolality was strongly associated with mGFR (R=0.54; P < 0.001). 380 ESRD events and 225 deaths before ESRD occurred during a median follow-up of 5.9 (IQR, 3.8-8.2) years. Patients with lower baseline fasting urinary osmolality had higher adjusted risk for ESRD but not for mortality (HRs of 1.97 [95% CI, 1.26-3.08] and 0.99 [95% CI, 0.68-1.44], respectively, for the lowest vs highest tertile). Based on a mixed linear model adjusted for baseline mGFR and clinical characteristics, patients in the lowest tertile of baseline urinary osmolality had a steeper decline in kidney function (-4.9% ± 0.9% per year; P < 0.001) compared with patients in the highest tertile., Limitations: Fasting was self-reported., Conclusions: Fasting urinary osmolality may be a useful tool, in addition to GFR and albuminuria, for assessing nonglomerular damage in patients with CKD who are at higher risk for CKD progression., (Copyright © 2019 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To describe current practices of glucose-lowering treatments in people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD), the associated glucose control and hypoglycaemic symptoms, with an emphasis on sex differences., Methods: Among the 3033 patients with CKD stages 3-5 recruited into the French CKD-REIN study, 645 men and 288 women had type 2 diabetes and were treated by glucose-lowering drugs., Results: Overall, 31% were treated only with insulin, 28% with combinations of insulin and another drug, 42% with non-insulin glucose-lowering drugs. In CKD stage 3, 40% of patients used metformin, 12% at stages 4&5, similar for men and women; in CKD stage 3, 53% used insulin, similar for men and women, but at stages 4&5, 59% of men and 77% of women used insulin. Patients were reasonably well controlled, with a median HbA1c of 7.1% (54mmol/mol) in men, 7.4% (57mmol/mol) in women (P=0.0003). Hypoglycaemic symptoms were reported by 40% of men and 59% of women; they were not associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate, nor with albuminuria or with HbA1c in multivariable analyses, but they were more frequent in people treated with insulin, particularly with fast-acting and pre-mixed insulins., Conclusion: Glucose-lowering treatment, HbA1c and hypoglycaemic symptoms were sex dependent. Metformin use was similar in men and women, but unexpectedly low in CKD stage 3; its use could be encouraged rather than resorting to insulin. Hypoglycaemic symptoms were frequent and need to be more closely monitored, with appropriate patient-education, especially in women., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: The French Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort study was designed to investigate the determinants of prognosis and care of patients referred to nephrologists with moderate and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). We examined their baseline risk profile and experience., Methods: We collected bioclinical and patient-reported information from 3033 outpatients with CKD and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) of 15-60 mL/min/1.73 m2 treated at 40 nationally representative public and private facilities., Results: The patients' median age was 69 (60-76) years, 65% were men, their mean eGFR was 33 mL/min/1.73 m2, 43% had diabetes, 24% had a history of acute kidney injury (AKI) and 57% had uncontrolled blood pressure (BP; >140/90 mmHg). Men had worse risk profiles than women and were more likely to be past or current smokers (73% versus 34%) and have cardiovascular disease (59% versus 42%), albuminuria >30 mg/mmol (or proteinuria > 50) (40% versus 30%) (all P < 0.001) and a higher median risk of end-stage renal disease within 5 years, predicted by the kidney failure risk equation {12% [interquartile range (IQR) 3-37%] versus 9% [3-31%], P = 0.008}. During the previous year, 60% of patients reported one-to-two nephrologist visits and four or more general practitioner visits; only 25% saw a dietician and 75% were prescribed five or more medications daily. Physical and mental quality of life (QoL) were poor, with scores <50/100., Conclusions: The CKD-REIN study highlights high-risk profiles of cohort members and identifies several priorities, including improving BP control and dietary counselling and increasing doctors' awareness of AKI, polypharmacy and QoL., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03381950.

Background: Cross-sectional studies show a strong association between chronic kidney disease and apparent treatment-resistant hypertension, but the longitudinal association of the rate of kidney function decline with the risk of resistant hypertension is unknown., Methods: The population-based Three-City included 8,695 participants older than 65 years, 4265 of them treated for hypertension. We estimated the odds ratios (OR) of new-onset apparent treatment-resistant hypertension, defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg despite use of 3 antihypertensive drug classes or ≥ 4 classes regardless of blood pressure, associated with the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level and its rate of decline over 4 years, compared with both controlled hypertension and uncontrolled nonresistant hypertension with ≤ 2 drugs. GFR was estimated with three different equations., Results: Baseline prevalence of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension and of controlled and uncontrolled nonresistant hypertension, were 6.5%, 62.3% and 31.2%, respectively. During follow-up, 162 participants developed apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. Mean eGFR decline with the MDRD equation was 1.5±2.9 mL/min/1.73 m² per year: 27.7% of the participants had an eGFR ≥3 and 10.1% ≥ 5 mL/min/1.73 m² per year. After adjusting for age, sex, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular history, the ORs for new-onset apparent treatment-resistant hypertension associated with a mean eGFR level, per 15 mL/min/1.73 m² drop, were 1.23 [95% confidence interval 0.91-1.64] compared to controlled hypertension and 1.10 [0.83-1.45] compared to uncontrolled nonresistant hypertension; ORs associated with a decline rate ≥ 3 mL/min/1.73 m² per year were 1.89 [1.09-3.29] and 1.99 [1.19-3.35], respectively. Similar results were obtained when we estimated GFR with the CKDEPI and the BIS1 equations. ORs tended to be higher for an eGFR decline rate ≥ 5 mL/min/1.73 m² per year., Conclusion: The speed of kidney function decline is associated more strongly than kidney function itself with the risk of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension in the elderly.

Recent studies suggest that alkalinizing treatments improve the course of chronic kidney disease (CKD), even in patients without overt metabolic acidosis. Here, we tested whether a decreased ability in excreting urinary acid rather than overt metabolic acidosis may be deleterious to the course of CKD. We studied the associations between baseline venous total CO2 concentration or urinary ammonia excretion and long-term CKD outcomes in 1065 patients of the NephroTest cohort with CKD stages 1-4. All patients had measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) by (51)Cr-EDTA renal clearance. Median mGFR at baseline was 37.6 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Urinary ammonia excretion decreased with GFR, whereas net endogenous acid production did not. After a median follow-up of 4.3 years, 201 patients reached end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and 114 died before ESRD. Twenty-six percent of the patients had mGFR decline rate greater than 10% per year. Compared with patients in the highest tertile of urinary ammonia excretion, those in the lowest tertile had a significantly increased hazard ratio for ESRD, 1.82 (95% CI, 1.06-3.13), and a higher odds ratio of fast mGFR decline, 1.84 (0.98-3.48), independent of mGFR and other confounders. Patients in the lowest tertile of venous total CO2 had significantly increased risk of fast mGFR decline but not of ESRD. None of these biomarkers was associated with mortality. Thus, these results suggest that the inability to excrete the daily acid load is deleterious to renal outcomes.

Background: While much has been learned about the epidemiology and treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the last 30 years, chronic kidney disease (CKD) before the end-stage has been less investigated. Not enough is known about factors associated with CKD progression and complications, as well as its transition to ESRD. We designed the CKD-renal epidemiology and information network (REIN) cohort to provide a research platform to address these key questions and to assess clinical practices and costs in patients with moderate or advanced CKD., Methods: A total of 46 clinic sites and 4 renal care networks participate in the cohort. A stratified selection of clinic sites yields a sample that represents a diversity of settings, e.g. geographic region, and public versus for-profit and non-for-profit private clinics. In each site, 60-90 patients with CKD are enrolled at a routine clinic visit during a 12-month enrolment phase: 3600 total, including 1800 with Stage 3 and 1800 with Stage 4 CKD. Follow-up will continue for 5 years, including after initiation of renal replacement therapy. Data will be collected from medical records at inclusion and at yearly intervals, as well as from self-administered patient questionnaires and provider-level questionnaires. Patients will also be interviewed at baseline, and at 1, 3 and 5 years. Healthcare costs will also be determined. Blood and urine samples will be collected and stored for future studies on all patients at enrolment and at study end, and at 1 and 3 years in a subsample of 1200., Conclusions: The CKD-REIN cohort will serve to improve our understanding of the biological, clinical and healthcare system determinants associated with CKD progression and adverse outcomes as well as of international variations in collaboration with the CKD Outcome and Practice Pattern Study (CKDopps). It will foster CKD epidemiology and outcomes research and provide evidence to improve the health and quality of life of patients with CKD and the performances of the healthcare system in this field., (© The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA.)

Cystic kidney diseases and toxic interstitial nephritis may be complicated by renal tumors. Long-term lithium intake is associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis and renal cysts but to date such an association with tumors has not been determined. We evaluated this in a retrospective study to determine whether lithium-treated patients were at higher risk of renal tumors compared with lithium-free patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and to the general population. Over a 16-year period, 14 of 170 lithium-treated patients had renal tumors, including seven malignant and seven benign tumors. The mean duration of lithium exposure at diagnosis was 21.4 years. The renal cancers included three clear-cell and two papillary renal cell carcinomas, one hybrid tumor with chromophobe and oncocytoma characteristics, and one clear-cell carcinoma with leiomyomatous stroma. The benign tumors included four oncocytomas, one mixed epithelial and stromal tumor, and two angiomyolipomas. The percentage of renal tumors, particularly cancers and oncocytomas, was significantly higher in lithium-treated patients compared with 340 gender-, age-, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)-matched lithium-free patients. Additionally, the Standardized Incidence Ratio of renal cancer was significantly higher in lithium-treated patients compared with the general population: 7.51 (95% confidence interval (CI) (1.51-21.95)) and 13.69 (95% CI (3.68-35.06)) in men and women, respectively. Thus, there is an increased risk of renal tumors in lithium-treated patients.

Aims/hypothesis: The aim was to study geographic variations and recent trends in the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by diabetes status and type, and in patient condition and modalities of care at initiation of renal replacement therapy., Methods: Data from the French population-based dialysis and transplantation registry of all ESRD patients were used to study geographic variations in 5,857 patients without diabetes mellitus, 227 with type 1 diabetes mellitus, and 3,410 with type 2. Trends in incidence and patient care from 2007 to 2011 were estimated., Results: Age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates were higher in the overseas territories than in continental France for ESRD unrelated to diabetes and related to type 2 diabetes, but quite similar for type 1 diabetes-related ESRD. ESRD incidence decreased significantly over time for patients with type 1 diabetes (-10% annually) and not significantly for non-diabetic patients (0.2%), but increased significantly for patients with type 2 diabetes (+7% annually until 2009 and seemingly stabilised thereafter). In type 2 diabetes, the net change in the absolute number was +21%, of which +3% can be attributed to population ageing, +2% to population growth and +16% to the residual effect of the disease. Patients with type 2 diabetes more often started dialysis as an emergency (32%) than those with type 1 (20%) or no diabetes., Conclusions/interpretation: The major impact of diabetes on ESRD incidence is due to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our data demonstrate the need to reinforce strategies for optimal management of patients with diabetes to improve prevention, or delay the onset, of diabetic nephropathy, ESRD and cardiovascular comorbidities, and to reduce the rate of emergency dialysis.

Background: Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) has been related to the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) in patients undergoing dialysis. The Prospective Fibrose Nephrogénique Systémique study, a French prospective study supported by the French drug regulatory agency (Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament) and the French Societies of Nephrology, Dermatology, and Radiology, aimed at determining the incidence of NSF in patients undergoing long-term dialysis., Materials and Methods: Adult patients undergoing long-term dialysis receiving a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination prescribed between January 15, 2009 and May 31, 2011, with or without GBCA were included. The methodology was based on a patient form intended to detect any dermatological event (DE) that may occur within 4 months after the examination. Further investigations were planned with their physicians if a DE was reported., Results: A total of 571 patients were included. A total of 50.3% received GBCA. Among them, 93.4% received a macrocyclic GBCA, usually gadoteric acid (88.9%). All in all, 22 patients (3.9%) reported a DE. Dermatological diagnoses did not reveal any evidence of NSF., Conclusions: The incidence of NSF after a single dose of a macrocyclic GBCA is null in our sample of 268 patients undergoing dialysis (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis). This incidence is just lower than 0.5%. When contrast-enhanced MRI can be essential, or even decisive, to the diagnosis, these results are important and reassuring if physicians need to perform contrast-enhanced MRI in patients undergoing dialysis.

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.)

Context: Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Current guidelines recommend treatment strategies in these patients similar to those for the general population, but the vitamin D nutritional status sufficient to prevent PTH levels from increasing in CKD is unknown. OBJECTIVE, MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Our aim was to study the relation between circulating PTH and 25(OH)D levels and to search for a 25(OH)D threshold associated with a significant PTH increase., Design, Setting, and Patients: In the hospital-referred NephroTest cohort study, we measured 25(OH)D, PTH, and glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) by ⁵¹Cr-EDTA renal clearance in 929 adult patients with nondialysis CKD stages 1 to 5 and no vitamin D supplementation. Patients' mean age was 60.1 ± 14.7 years; 71% were men, and 9% were black. Their median mGFR was 37.8 mL/min/1.73 m²., Results: We found a 25(OH)D threshold of 8 ng/mL with an upper limit of 20 ng/mL (95% confidence interval) by linear piecewise regression modeling of log-PTH for 25(OH)D adjusted for mGFR, age, race, and ionized calcium level. The smoothed curve confirmed that PTH concentration rose steeply when circulating 25(OH)D levels fell to less than 20 ng/mL., Conclusions: Spontaneous 25(OH)D levels greater than 20 ng/mL seem sufficient to control serum PTH in CKD patients. This result reinforces guidelines to supplement vitamin D only if less than 30 ng/mL.

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.)

Background: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline with age increases the risk of inappropriate dosing of drugs. We investigated the determinants and the mortality associated with the use of drugs that are contraindicated or require dose adjustment according to kidney function among the community-dwelling elderly., Methods: The Three-City population-based study included 8701 participants ≥65 years from 1999 to 2001. Exposure to the risk of inappropriate drug dosage was defined as reported use of either a contraindicated drug or one requiring dose adjustment according to the individual baseline glomerular filtration rate estimated (eGFR) with the Modification of Diet in Renal disease study equation. Six-year mortality was analysed using Cox models adjusted for several sociodemographic, biologic and clinical risk factors., Results: The overall percentage of exposure to the risk of inappropriate drug use was 13.3% (contraindication, 0.8%): it was 52.5% (4.5%) in those with an eGFR of 30-59 and 96% (48%) in those <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Antihypertensive agents, fibrates and psycholeptics accounted for most of the drugs with dosing recommendations and antidiabetic agents and antihistamines for those contraindicated. Individuals at risk were more likely to be men, older, and under treatment for hypertension or hypercholesterolemia. Exposure to either risk was independently related to higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.0-1.9) in participants with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)., Conclusions: Contraindicated drug prescription was uncommon but >10% of the population took drugs requiring renal dosing adjustments. Regular monitoring of eGFR may prevent excess mortality associated with inappropriate drug prescription in the elderly.

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..

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a prognostic score for 6-month mortality in elderly patients starting dialysis for end-stage renal disease., Methods: Using data from the French Rein registry, we developed a prognostic score in a training sample of 2500 patients aged 75 years or older who started dialysis between 2002 and 2006, which we validated in a similar sample of 1642 patients. Multivariate logistic regression with 500 bootstrap samples allowed us to select risk factors from 19 demographic and baseline clinical variables., Results: The overall 6-month mortality was 19%. Age was not associated with early mortality. Nine risk factors were selected and points assigned for the score were as follows: body mass index <18.5 kg/m2 (2 points), diabetes (1), congestive heart failure stages III to IV (2), peripheral vascular disease stages III to IV (2), dysrhythmia (1), active malignancy (1), severe behavioural disorder (2), total dependency for transfers (3) and unplanned dialysis (2). The median score was 2. Mortality rates ranged from 8% in the lowest risk group (0 point) to 70% in the highest risk group (> or =9 points) and 17% in the median group (2 points). Seventeen percent of all deaths occurred after withdrawal from dialysis, ranging from 0% for a score of 0-1 to 15% for a score of 7 or higher., Conclusions: This simple clinical score effectively predicts short-term prognosis among elderly patients starting dialysis. It should help to illuminate clinical decision making, but cannot be used to withhold dialysis. It ought to only be used by nephrologists to facilitate the discussion with the patients and their families.

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.

Background: New patients treated for end-stage renal disease are increasingly elderly: in France, 38% are 75 years or older. The best treatment choices for the elderly are still debated., Methods: We studied case-mix factors associated with choice of initial dialysis modality and 2-year survival in the 3512 patients aged 75 years or older who started dialysis between 2002 and 2005 and were included in the French REIN registry., Results: Overall, 18% began with peritoneal dialysis (PD), 50% with planned haemodialysis (planned HD) and 32% with unplanned HD, that is, HD that started on an emergency basis. At least one comorbid condition was reported for 85%, and three or more for 36%, but case-mix varied with age. PD was chosen significantly more often than planned HD for the oldest (> or =85) compared with the youngest (75-79) patients: odds ratio 2.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.5-2.8), in those with congestive heart failure: 1.8 (1.5-2.3) and severe behavioural disorder: 2.2 (1.3-3.5), but less often for obese patients: 0.5 (0.3-0.8) and smokers: 0.4 (0.2-0.9). Two-year survival rates were 58, 52 and 39% in patients aged 75-79, 80-84 and > or =85, respectively. Compared with planned HD, unplanned HD was associated with a risk of mortality 50% higher, and PD with a risk 30% higher, independent of patient case-mix., Conclusion: PD is a common treatment option in French elderly patients, but our study suggests the need for caution in the long-term use. The high frequency of unplanned HD would require further attention.

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.

The French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) registry began in 2002 to provide a tool for public health decision support, evaluation and research related to renal replacement therapies (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It relies on a network of nephrologists, epidemiologists, patients and public health representatives, coordinated regionally and nationally. Continuous registration covers all dialysis and transplanted patients. In 2003, 2070 patients started RRT, 7854 were on dialysis and 7294 lived with a functioning graft in seven regions (with a population of 16.5 million people). The overall crude annual incidence rate of RRT for ESRD was 123 per million population (p.m.p.) with significant differences in age-adjusted rates across regions, from 84 [95% confidence interval (CI): 74-94] to 155 [138-172] p.m.p. The principal causes of ESRD were hypertension (21%) and diabetic (20%) nephropathies. Initial treatment for ESRD was peritoneal dialysis for 15% of patients and a pre-emptive graft for 3%. The one-year survival rate was 81% [79-83] in the cohort of 2002-2003 incident patients. As of December 31, 2003, the overall crude prevalence was 898 [884-913] p.m.p, with 5% of patients receiving peritoneal dialysis, 47% on haemodialysis and 48% with a functioning graft. The experience in these seven regions over these two years clearly shows the feasibility of the REIN registry, which is progressively expanding to cover the entire country.

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.

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.

Data from a national sample of births in France in 1981 were used to analyse the relationship between occupational activity, antenatal care and pregnancy outcome among immigrant women. On the whole, occupational activity was less common among immigrant than among French women, although the occupational activity rate varied according to country of origin. Among French women, work during pregnancy was related to better antenatal care and more favourable outcome. The same tendency was observed among immigrant women whatever their origin, though they had less qualified occupations and harder working conditions than those of French women. Occupational activity of immigrant women was more frequent among women with a higher educational level, better knowledge of the French language, and residence in France for a longer time. These characteristics were also associated with better antenatal care, but the relationship between work and antenatal care remained significant after taking them into account.

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.