Capacity for the management of kidney failure in the International Society of Nephrology Eastern and Central Europe region: report from the 2023 ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA)

Alparslan, Caner; Malyszko, Jolanta; Caskey, Fergus J; Aleckovic-Halilovic, Mirna; Hrušková, Zdenka; Arruebo, Silvia; Bello, Aminu K; Damster, Sandrine; Donner, Jo-Ann; Jha, Vivekanand; Johnson, David W; Levin, Adeera; Malik, Charu; Nangaku, Masaomi; Okpechi, Ikechi G; Tonelli, Marcello; Ye, Feng; Tesar, Vladimir; Racki, Sanjin; Regional Board and ISN-GKHA Team Authors

doi:10.1016/j.kisu.2024.01.006

Capacity for the management of kidney failure in the International Society of Nephrology Eastern and Central Europe region: report from the 2023 ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA)

Journal

Kidney International Supplements

Date Issued

2024-04

Author(s)

Alparslan, Caner

Malyszko, Jolanta

Caskey, Fergus J

Aleckovic-Halilovic, Mirna

Hrušková, Zdenka

Arruebo, Silvia

Bello, Aminu K

Damster, Sandrine

Donner, Jo-Ann

Jha, Vivekanand

Johnson, David W

Levin, Adeera

Malik, Charu

Nangaku, Masaomi

Okpechi, Ikechi G

Tonelli, Marcello

Ye, Feng

Tesar, Vladimir

Racki, Sanjin

Regional Board and ISN-GKHA Team Authors

DOI

10.1016/j.kisu.2024.01.006

Abstract

Delivery of care for kidney failure (KF) globally has a significant disparity; even in some countries, it means end of life for the person. The International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) tries to address gaps in KF care and standardize global nephrology care. From the third iteration of the ISN-GKHA, we present data for countries in the ISN Eastern and Central Europe region. The median prevalences of chronic kidney disease (12.8%) and treated KF (873.5 pmp) were higher than the global rates, respectively. Hemodialysis was the most preferred modality for KF in adults, whereas kidney replacement therapy was more balanced in children. Although most of the countries in the region had lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income levels, health expenditures for kidney health care were almost generally covered publicly. Nephrologists were responsible for the medical kidney care of people with KF in all countries. There was adequate infrastructure to provide all kinds of treatment for kidney care in the region. Regional characteristics such as high levels of obesity, smoking, and Balkan nephropathy as an endemic disease coupled with a shortage of workforce and finance continued to affect kidney care in the region negatively. By making organizational and legislative arrangements, partnerships with national authorities and societies may accelerate the improvement of kidney health care in the region.