Status of care for end stage kidney disease in countries and regions worldwide: international cross sectional survey

OBJECTIVE: To determine the global capacity (availability, accessibility, quality, and affordability) to deliver kidney replacement therapy (dialysis and transplantation) and conservative kidney management. DESIGN: International cross sectional survey. SETTING: International Society of Nephrology (ISN) survey of 182 countries from July to September 2018. PARTICIPANTS: Key stakeholders identified by ISN's national and regional leaders. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Markers of national capacity to deliver core components of kidney replacement therapy and conservative kidney management. RESULTS: Responses were received from 160 (87.9%) of 182 countries, comprising 97.8% (7338.5 million of 7501.3 million) of the world's population. A wide variation was found in capacity and structures for kidney replacement therapy and conservative kidney management-namely, funding mechanisms, health workforce, service delivery, and available technologies. Information…