The High Number of Hemodialysis Patients in Hatay Province and Possible Causes

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the number of the patients receiving hemodialysis therapy and the causes of underlying renal disease in Hatay and Turkey, and to discuss the possible causes. MATERIAL and METHODS: The number of the patients on chronic hemodialysis, and the causes of underlying renal disease were recorded from hemodialysis centers in Hatay. The Ministry of Health of Turkey Dialysis Information Management System data and Turkish Society of Nephrology Registry data were used to obtain data of the patients on chronic hemodialysis in Turkey in general and in the neighboring provinces. RESULTS: It was observed that the number of hemodialysis patients per million population was quite high compared to the neighboring provinces. By the year 2014, the number of patients receiving hemodialysis was 1.487 with a prevalence of 978 and an incidence of 156 per million population. Both the prevalence and incidence were quite high in our region compared with the general numbers for Turkey. When we looked at the causes of underlying renal disease in hemodialysis patients in Hatay province, the most common cause was diabetes at 46.2% and hypertension was the second most common cause at 27.1%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of end-stage renal disease and diabetic kidney disease was found to be quite high compared to the general numbers for Turkey and the results showed that diabetes is an important health problem for the region.