Epidemiology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Epidemiology, including details on twin studies, statistics, environmental and genetic factors.

Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease and anemia.

Robinson BE

Florida State University College of Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Sarasota, FL.

Anemia is a common comorbidity of chronic kidney disease (CKD). As the diseased kidney loses its ability to produce the erythropoietin essential to the production of hemoglobin, anemia ensues. The age-related rise in CKD makes anemia in CKD a problem of increasing prevalence among residents of long-term care facilities. CKD refers to the entire continuum of renal disease that progresses from mildly impaired kidney function (stage 1, glomerular filtration rate [GFR] >/=90 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) to significant deterioration, requiring dialysis or kidney transplant in what is categorized as stage 5 (GFR <15 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). The definition of anemia is controversial. The WHO defines anemia as hemoglobin <13 g/dL for men and <12 g/dL for women. The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative, which is the criteria used for Medicare reimbursement, defines anemia in adult men and postmenopausal women as hemoglobin <12 g/dL, or <11 g/dL in a premenopausal woman.

Published 13 November 2006 in J Am Med Dir Assoc, 7(9): S3-6.
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