title: Late referral of patients with end-stage renal disease: an in-depth review and suggestions for further actions.
abstract: Late referral of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a known problem and a major challenge for practising nephrologists since decades. In this review we report about the reasons for late referral, its epidemiology and socioeconomic impact and the medical particularities of late referred patients. We furthermore highlight on the efforts which have been undertaken so far to avoid late referral and should be undertaken in future to face the ever growing numbers of chronic kidney disease patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Immunology, Rheumatology and Hypertension, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brueder, Trier , Germany.
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baer
authors.affiliation: Renal Division, University Hospital Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lameire
authors.affiliation: Renal Division, University Hospital Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Biesen
keywords: end-stage renal disease