19 Diabetic nephropathy.pmd

1Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology; 2Department of Public Health and Occupational Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. 3Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Al Minya University, Egypt. 4Department of Nephrology, Ahmed Maher Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Received: 09/06/03; accepted: 26/10/03 ABSTRACT The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy as a cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Egypt has been examined in small cross-sectional studies, with conflicting results. The need for a large-scale study prompted us to perform this 6-year multiple cross-sectional study. A sample of ESRD patients enrolled in the Egyptian renal data system was evaluated during the period 1996–2001 for the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy. Prevalence gradually increased from 8.9% in 1996, to 14.5% in 2001. The mean age of patients with diabetic nephropathy was significantly higher than that of patients with ESRD from other causes. Mortality was also significantly higher in diabetic patients with ESRD.