Prevalence of patients receiving renal replacement therapy in El Salvador in 2014.
El Salvador has the highest renal failure mortality rate in the Americas. Five healthcare providers offer renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the country. The national RRT prevalence has never been reported.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the RRT prevalence in El Salvador and some basic characteristics.


METHODS
The association of nephrology coordinated a nationwide cross-sectional survey during the third quarter of 2014. 31 renal centres participated in the survey, covering 99.5% of patients.


RESULTS
National RRT prevalence: 595 per million population (pmp), N=3807, average age 50.4 years, 67.5% male. By modality: peritoneal dialysis (PD) 289 pmp, haemodialysis (HD) 233 pmp, with functioning kidney transplantation 74 pmp (living donor only). Social security covers 25% of the population but treats 49.7% of RRT patients. Generally, higher prevalence was observed in municipalities with renal centres or located on the coast or lowlands. Ninety-five percent of HD patients receive fewer than 3 weekly sessions. Of PD patients, 59% do not belong to a continuous outpatient or automated programme, and 25% still use rigid catheter. Aetiology of chronic kidney disease: unavailable/undetermined 50%, hypertension 21.1%, diabetes 18.9%, glomerulonephritis 6.7%, obstructive causes 1.2%, tubulointerstitial 0.9%, polycystic 0.4% and other 0.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the increase in RRT services, the prevalence is lower than the Latin American average (660 pmp). Three quarters of HD and PD patients are under-dialysed. Obsolete RRT techniques are still used. The presence of Mesoamerican nephropathy influences the demographic characteristics (many young patients, two-thirds male, high prevalence in lowlands and coastlands).
Asociación de Nefrología e Hipertensión de El Salvador; Fondo Social de Emergencia para la Salud, Usulután, El Salvador. Electronic address: rgt@anhaes.org.
Ramón
R
García-Trabanino
Servicio de Nefrología, Hospital Nacional Rosales, San Salvador, El Salvador.
Zulma
Z
Trujillo
Servicio de Nefrología, Instituto Salvadoreño del Seguro Social, San Salvador, El Salvador.
Ana Verónica
AV
Colorado
Servicio de Nefrología, Hospital Nacional San Juan de Dios, San Miguel, El Salvador.
Salvador
S
Magaña Mercado
Servicio de Nefrología, Hospital Nacional de Niños Benjamín Bloom, San Salvador, El Salvador.
Carlos Atilio
CA
Henríquez
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004544:El Salvador / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D017582:Renal Replacement Therapy; D055815:Young Adult
Dialysis; Diálisis; El Salvador; Haemodialysis; Hemodiálisis; Kidney transplant; Mesoamerican nephropathy; Nefropatía mesoamericana; Nefropatía terminal; Prevalence; Prevalencia; Renal replacement therapy; Terminal nephropathy; Trasplante renal; Tratamiento sustitutivo renal