Anemia Prevalence among Mexican Patients with CKD

Kidney Week 2020

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often experience anemia, a condition commonly associated with physical disability, decreased cognitive function, and poor quality of life. L. Monserrat Perez-Navarro and colleagues conducted a study to examine the prevalence and severity of anemia by stages of CKD in patients attending a nephrology clinic for the first time.

Results of the transversal, descriptive, observational study were reported during a virtual poster session at ASN Kidney Week 2020. The poster was titled Prevalence and Severity of Anemia Between Non-Dialysis and Dialysis Outpatients Referred to a Nephrology Consultation: Epidemiologic Data from 1658 Mexican Patients at a National Reference Hospital.

The researchers analyzed data from records of adult patients who attended an outpatient nephrology clinic from February 2019 to February 2020. World Health Organization criteria were used to stage anemia severity.

A total of 1568 patient records were analyzed. Mean patient age was 56.01 years, and 51% (n=804) were women. CKD stage distribution was 9% stage 1, 11% stage 2, 12% stage 3a, 18% stage 3b, 23% stage 4, and 27% stage 5. Twelve percent were undergoing renal replacement therapy and 53% had anemia at the cut-off point of hemoglobin <13 mg/dL for men and <12 mg/dL for women. The percentage of patients with severe anemia (hemoglobin ≤9.9 mg/dL) ranged from 5.22% among patients with CKD stage 1 to 50.59% of patients with CKD stage 5.

The most common comorbidities and risk factors among the patients with anemia were diabetes mellitus and hypertension (55%), proteinuria (38%), hypoalbuminemia (34%), hyperkalemia (37%), overweight or obesity (58%), hyperglycemia (45%), hypertriglyceridemia (35%), and hypercholesterolemia (31%).

In summary, the researchers said, “In patients who attended for the first time an outpatient nephrology clinic, a high prevalence of anemia was found in CKD patients, being more frequent and more severe from stage 3b to stage 5. Identifying these findings will allow establishing public health policies and models of care for patients with CKD.”

Source: Perez-Navarro LM, Escorza Valdivia S, Benitez Renteria AS, Valdez-Ortiz R. Prevalence and severity of anemia between non-dialysis and dialysis outpatients referred to nephrology consultation: Epidemiologic data from 1568 Mexican patients at a national reference hospital. Abstract of a poster presented at the American Society of Nephrology virtual Kidney Week 2020 (Abstract PO0294), October 22, 2020. Funding for this poster was provided by AstraZeneca.