Incidents of kidney failure are declining among diabetics
End Stage Renal Disease Declines Among People with Diabetes
Contacts
After rising steadily for years, the incidence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or kidney failure, has begun a steady decline among people with diabetes, likely due to improvements in treatment and care that reduce dangerous risk factors, according to a study being published in the January issue ofDiabetes Care.
Diabetes is the leading cause of ESRD, a life-threatening condition that requires patients to undergo dialysis or transplantation to survive. It now accounts for 44 percent of all new cases of kidney failure, rising from 17,727 Americans (with diabetes) in 1990 to 48,215 in 2006. However, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found, from 1997-2006, the age-adjusted incidence of ESRD among the diabetes population fell from 343.2 people per 100,000 to 197.7 per 100,000, or a decline of 3.9 percent per year.
The decreasing trend was noted in all age groups and among both men and women, as well as among both Caucasians and African Americans. However, significant declines were not found among Hispanics.
“This suggests that current efforts to prevent ESRD may be successful among many people with diabetes,” said Lead Researcher Nilka Ríos Burrows, Epidemiologist with CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. “However, it’s clear that more attention needs to be paid to prevention efforts among Hispanics.”
While this study did not examine why the incidence of ESRD has begun to decline, the researchers speculate it is likely the result of improved treatment and care, better control of ESRD risk factors (such as high blood glucose levels and high blood pressure), and potentially the use of medications such as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers that may offer some protection to the kidneys.
To reach Nilka Ríos Burrows, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Diabetes Translation, phone 770-488-1057 or email nrios@cdc.gov. Interviews may also be scheduled by contacting Senior Public Affairs Specialist Karen Hunter, 404-639-3286.
Diabetes Care, published by the American Diabetes Association, is the leading peer-reviewed journal of clinical research into one of the nation’s leading causes of death by disease. Diabetes also is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, as well as the leading cause of adult blindness, kidney failure, and non-traumatic amputations.
About the American Diabetes Association (ADA)
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visitwww.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
