title: Late referral for assessment of renal failure.
abstract: It has been recommended that adult patients with a serum creatinine above 150 mumol/l should be referred to a nephrologist for specialist assessment. This study ascertained all patients in Northern Ireland with creatinine above this concentration in 2001 (n = 19 286 ) to see if this triggered referral within the subsequent year. After exclusion of those who were already known to a nephrologist and those who had acute renal failure, it was found that younger patients and diabetic patients were more likely to be referred. There was no difference in referral rates between male and female patients. However, only 6.5% of all non-diabetic subjects and 19% of diabetic patients were referred within 12 months after a first increased serum creatinine test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, The Queens University of Belfast, Mulhouse Building, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BJ, UK. f.kee@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Reaney
authors.forename: A Peter
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: Damian G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Fogarty
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: C Christopher
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors