title: [Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease in Italy: current state and contribution of the CARHES study].
abstract: The epidemic dimensions of non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the associated elevated cardiovascular risk as well as the high costs of renal replacement therapy have made the identification of CKD patients and the quantification of CKD-related comorbidities a key priority in the strategies of public health agencies worldwide. Information on the CKD prevalence at a national level is still lacking in Italy, although these data are critical for planning preventive strategies and increasing the awareness of CKD as a major chronic disease. In 2008 the CARHES (CArdiovascular risk in Renal Patients of the Italian Health Examination Survey) study was started. The study - a joint venture between the Italian Society of Nephrology, the Italian Society of Cardiologists, and the National Health Institute-Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Project - will integrate the previously collected information on the cardiovascular risk profile of the adult Italian population provided by the Health Examination Survey (HES) with epidemiological data on CKD. The initial results on approximately half of the prospective sample of 9020 subjects aged 35-79 years suggest a lower CKD prevalence than that reported in other countries. The final results will allow to estimate the level of CKD in Italy and hopefully increase the awareness of this high-risk chronic disease among Italian physicians and health authorities.
authors.affiliation: Societa' Italiana di Nefrologia, Roma, Italy. luca.denicola@unina2.it
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Nicola
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donfrancesco
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minutolo
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lo Noce
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Curtis
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iacoviello
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiodini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coppo
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanuzzo
authors.forename: Marillo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scherillo
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giampaoli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D014943:Global Health; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012955:Societies, Medical