The increased prevalence of noncommunicable
diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension,
and their complications, has drawn attention of
physicians and healthcare authorities to kidney
failure. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and endstage
renal disease (ESRD) have become worldwide
public health problems. These conditions increase
patient morbidity and mortality risks and put major
economic strain on the healthcare systems.1-3 On the
other hand, all countries even in the industrialized
world are facing the problem of diminishing
financial resources to deal with increasing healthcare
costs brought on by the rise in welfare requirements
and technological advances.4,5
In order to facilitate effective future planning
by healthcare authorities, reliable up-to-date
information on the number of patients with ESRD,
development trends, treatment modalities, and
outcomes is indispensable.