The ERA Registry Annual Report 2022: Epidemiology of Kidney Replacement Therapy in Europe, with a focus on sex comparisons

Abstract

The European Renal Association (ERA) Registry collects data on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). This paper summarizes the ERA Registry Annual Report 2022, with a special focus on comparisons by sex. The supplement of this paper contains the complete ERA Registry Annual Report 2022. Data was collected from 53 national and regional KRT registries from 35 countries. Using this data, incidence, and prevalence of KRT, kidney transplantation rates, survival probabilities, and expected remaining lifetimes were calculated. In 2022, 530 million people of the European general population were covered by the ERA Registry. The incidence of KRT was 152 per million population (pmp). In incident patients, 54% were 65 years or older, 64% were male, and the most common primary renal disease (PRD) was diabetes mellitus (22%). At KRT initiation, 83% of patients received haemodialysis, 12% received peritoneal dialysis, and 5% underwent pre-emptive kidney transplantation. On 31 December 2022, the prevalence of KRT was 1074 pmp. In prevalent patients, 48% were 65 years or older, 62% were male, the most common PRD was of miscellaneous origin (18%), 56% of patients received haemodialysis, 5% received peritoneal dialysis, and 39% were living with a functioning graft. In 2022, the kidney transplantation rate was 40 pmp, with most kidneys coming from deceased donors (66%). For patients starting KRT between 2013 to 2017, 5-year survival probability was 52%. Compared with the general population, the expected remaining lifetime was 66% and 68% shorter for males and females, respectively, receiving dialysis, and 46% and 49% shorter for males and females, respectively, living with a functioning graft.