Incidence of chronic kidney disease in India

Sir, Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global threat to health in general and for developing countries in particular, because therapy is expensive and life-long. In India ∼90% patients cannot afford the cost. Over 1 million people worldwide are alive on dialysis or with a functioning graft [1]. Incidence of CKD has doubled in the last 15 years. In the USA, ∼30 million people suffer from CKD [2] and by 2010 >600 000 patients will require renal replacement therapy, costing US$28 billion [3]. Risk factors for developing CKD differ between races and countries. It would be interesting to know the incidence of CKD and its causes in India, which is a densely populated country with low income, different food, cultural traditions and lifestyle habits. In contrast to high-income countries, patients with ESRD have to pay for dialysis and transplantation themselves. The currently reported incidence of CRF in India is based on extrapolated data from the US. As yet, no large-scale population studies are available.