image: Prediction curve of prevalence and number of dialysis patients in China from 2013 to 2025. Note: The age- and sex-standardized prevalence was calculated by the direct method using the 2010 national population census data. The numbers and columns in the figure show predicted prevalence and predicted number of patients using the grey Verhulst model, respectively. Abbreviation: PMP, per million population.
Study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD) projects that prevalence of patients receiving dialysis in China will increase from 384.4 patients per million (PPM) in 2017 to 629.7 PMP in 2025 with a predicted 874,373 patients receiving dialysis in 2025.
The national prevalence of dialysis in China has not been well studied due to its large population and limited resources. Insurance claims data provide a unique opportunity to understand the burden of kidney failure and have been used to characterize dialysis patients in the United States. Using a large nationwide claims database, the age-and sex-standardized prevalence of kidney disease treated with dialysis in China was estimated between 2013 and 2017. In addition, researchers predicted the prevalence trend over time to estimate the rising prevalence through 2025. Kidney failure has become a major public health problem in China. It is imperative to develop prevention and control strategies to reduce the escalating burden of advanced kidney disease.