title: The Survival of Roma Minority Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis Therapy - A Romanian Multicenter Survey.
abstract: The Roma minority represents the largest ethnic group in Central and South-East European countries. Data regarding the mortality in Roma hemodialysis subjects are limited. We evaluated the 3 year mortality of ESRD Roma patients treated with hemodialysis (HD).
  
  
  
  Our prospective cohort study included 600 ESRD patients on HD therapy recruited from 7 HD centers, from the main geographical regions of Romania. The median age of the patients was 56 (19) years, 332 (55.3%) being males, 51 (8.5%) having Roma ethnicity.
  
  
  
  Roma ESRD patients initiate dialysis at a younger age, 47.8 years vs. 52.3 years (P = 0.017), present higher serum albumin (P = 0.013) and higher serum phosphate levels (P = 0.021). In the Roma group, the overall 3 year mortality was higher when compared to Caucasians (33.3% vs. 24.8%). The multivariate survival analysis revealed that being of Roma ethnicity is an independent risk factor for mortality (HR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.04-2.91; P = 0.035).
  
  
  
  Roma patients with ESRD initiate HD therapy at a younger age as compared to Caucasians. They have a higher 3 year mortality rate and are dying at a younger age. Roma ethnicity represents an independent risk factor for mortality in our cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Florica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gadalean
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Municipal Clinical Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lighezan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Municipal Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoian
authors.affiliation: B Braun Avitum Dialysis Center Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schiller
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Romulus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Timar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Timar
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Flaviu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bob
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Internal Medicine, University of Medicine "Gr. T. Popa" Iasi, Hospital "C. I. Parhon" Iasi, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Mihaela Dora
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Donciu
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Mircea
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munteanu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Adelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mihaescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Internal Medicine, University of Medicine "Gr. T. Popa" Iasi, Hospital "C. I. Parhon" Iasi, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Covic
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, County Emergency Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Adalbert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schiller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D006178:Romani People; D012383:Romania; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D012709:Serum Albumin