Etiology of end-stage renal disease in two regions of saudi arabia.

A total of 127 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) including 45 from Al-Madinah and 82 from the Gizan regions of Saudi Arabia were studied to determine the etiology of ESRD. The categorization into various diagnoses were according to established criteria. A total of 22 renal biopsies were also obtained to aid in the diagnosis. The mean age of the study patients was 50 years in Al-Madinah region and 37 years in Gizan region. Overall, the etiology could be established in 56 patients (44.1%) including 31 patients (68.9%) in Al-Madinah and 25 patients (30.5%) in Gizan regions. Diabetic nephropathy was the commonest cause of ESRD in Al-Madinah (45.2%) while obstructive nephropathy was the commonest identifiable cause in Gizan (24%). Our study suggests that diabetes and obstruction are the main conditions against which strategies for prevention and treatment should be directed.