Frequency of chronic kidney disease among the population of Dalgopol municipality, Varna district – results from screening – campaing of the Clinic of Nephrology

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is part of the modern pandemic of chronic, non-communicable diseases, which is one of the leading causes and causes of death among the world's population. CKD affects nearly 850 million people worldwide and is the 6th leading cause of death. In Bulgaria, the incidence is 12.8%, and 90% of the patients have advanced kidney disease. According to the summarized data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) and the National Center for Public Health and Analysis at the Ministry of Health for 2018, urogenital diseases accounted for 1.4% of mortality in the country, and this percentage increased in 2019 by 1.7%. The reasons for this probably lie in the increasing frequency of risk factors among the population. In order to early detect the risk factors for CKD and the timely diagnosis of patients with hidden kidney disease and their further follow-up, in July 2020, the Clinic of Nephrology at the St. Marina University Hospital in Varna, supported by a project of the Medical University of Varna, conducted a free screening campaign for 147 people among the population of Dalgopol municipality. In addition, the campaign aimed to raise public awareness of CKD and renal replacement therapy methods (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation). During the campaign, 58 participants (39%) were newly diagnosed with kidney disease. This indicates the lack of routine physical, imaging and laboratory tests and failure to diagnose kidney disease in its early stages. The financial burden that undiagnosed kidney problems, and subsequently end-stage renal disease, entail, puts even highly developed economies to a severe test. Screening and prevention can prevent chronic kidney disease, and where management strategies are in place, the incidence of end-stage renal disease is reduced.