[Treatment of end-stage renal disease in Iceland 1968-1997 heart disease in Iceland?].

OBJECTIVE: Renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) jas been provided in Iceland since 1968 when hemodialysis was begun. Kidney transplantation in Iceland patients has benn performed abroad since 1970 mainly in Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Boston. The purpose of theis retrospective study was to determine the changes in incidencs, prevalence, and outcome of ESRD treatment during the period 1968-1997 and compare the results with other ESRD programs, mainly in the Nordic countries.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Included in this study were all patients who began renal replacement therapy for ESRD during the study period and remained on therapy for at least six weeks. Data were obtained from the registry of ESRD, compiled by the Dialysis Service of the National University Hospital. The data were used to determine the annual incidence and prevalence of treated ESRD. Changes in parameters, such as age at the beginning of renal replacement therapy, gender distribution, causes of ESRD, treatment modalities, and survival were evaluated. Annual mortality rate was calculated as deaths per 100 life-years. Comparison of means was done by the twö sample t-test, survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and survival differences weere determined with the Mantel-Cox test.

RESULTS: A total of 201 patients began therapy for ESRD during this 30 year period. The number of patients beginning renal replacement therapy in each of the three consecutive decades was 27, 59 and 115, respectively, which corresponds to 12.8, 25.1 and 44 per million population per year. The mean age rose throughout hte study period nad was 54.8 in the final decade. The prevalence per million population was 72 in 1977, 182 in 1987 nad 356 in 1997. Diabetic nephropathy was not observed as a cause of ESRD until the last decade when it accounted for 12% of new patiens. Hemodialysis was the sole dialysis modality undtil 1985. Peritoneal dialysis has since provided approximately one third of the dialysis treatment. The number of renal transplants was 13, 30 and 58 for each decade, respectively. At the end of 1997 htere were 59 functioning allografts and of these 45 were from living donors. Patients with a functioning allograft were 70% of all ESRD patients at the end of 1997. Allografts came predominantly from cadveric donors during the first two decades but living donors were 65% in the final decade. The five year survival of transplanted patients (81%) was markedly superior to that of dialyzed patients (16%). The annual mortality rate declined for the whole period, during the last decade it was 10.7 per 100 life-years for all patients, 27.9 for hemodialysis patients, 15.3 for peritonial dialysis patients and 2.1 for transplanted patients. Death was mainly from cardiovascular causes and infections.

CONCLUSIONS: There has been marked increase in the incidence and prevalence of treated ESRD in Iceland during the last 30 years. However, the incidence is low compared to the other Nordic countries, mainly as a rresult of low incidence of ESRD due to glomerulonephritis and diabetic nephropathy. Nearly half the ESRD population has recieved a renal transplant. Only Norway has a higher prevalence of transplanted patients among the ESRD pool. The percentage of living donor grafts among the transplanted patients is the highest the auhtors are aware of. Five year patient survival and renal allograft survival in Iceland were comparable to other countries.