Dialysis in Iran.

The increased prevalence of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and their complications, has drawn attention of physicians and healthcare authorities to kidney failure. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and endstage renal disease (ESRD) have become worldwide public health problems. These conditions increase patient morbidity and mortality risks and put major economic strain on the healthcare systems.1-3 On the other hand, all countries even in the industrialized world are facing the problem of diminishing financial resources to deal with increasing healthcare costs brought on by the rise in welfare requirements and technological advances.4,5 In order to facilitate effective future planning by healthcare authorities, reliable up-to-date information on the number of patients with ESRD, development trends, treatment modalities, and outcomes is indispensable.