Abstract
Objective
To determine if the incidence of endstage renal disease (ESRD) due to lupus nephritis has decreased from 1996 to 2004.
Methods
Patients age 15 years or older with incident ESRD due to lupus nephritis in 1996–2004 and living in one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia were identified using the US Renal Data System, a national population-based registry of all patients receiving renal replacement therapy for ESRD. Incidence rates were computed for each calendar year, using population estimates of the US census as denominators.
Results
Over the 9-year study period, 9199 new cases of ESRD due to lupus nephritis were observed. Incidence rates, adjusted to the age, sex, and race composition of the US population in 2000, were 4.4 per million in 1996 and 4.9 per million in 2004. Compared to the pooled incidence rate in 1996–1998, the relative risk of ESRD due to lupus nephritis in 1999–2000 was 0.99 (95% CI 0.93–1.06), in 2001–2002 was 0.99 (95% CI 0.92–1.06), and in 2003–2004 was 0.96 (95% CI 0.89–1.02). Findings were similar in analyses stratified by sex, age group, race, and socioeconomic status.
Conclusion
There was no decrease in the incidence of ESRD due to lupus nephritis between 1996 and 2004. This may reflect the limits of effectiveness of current treatments, or limitations in access, use, or adherence to treatment.
Key Indexing Terms:Footnotes
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Supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. The data reported here have been supplied by the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). The interpretation and reporting of these data are the responsibility of the author and in no way should be seen as an official policy or interpretation of the U.S. federal government. The funding agency had no role in the design and conduct of this study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. The author had full access to all data in the study and takes full responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. There are no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose.
M.M. Ward, MD, MPH.
- Accepted for publication August 5, 2008.