Chronic kidney disease in Japan from early predictions to current facts.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is considered a risk factor for both end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and cardiovascular disease. Early detection and treatment of CKD is likely to be the key factor to prevent them. According to the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, the prevalence of treated ESRD has increased to >2,000 per million population. More than 40% of ESRD incidents are due to diabetes mellitus. The Japanese Society of Nephrology estimates the prevalence of a low GFR (<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) to be around 10% of the community-based screening participants. However, such a high CKD prevalence requires detailed and critical confirmatory studies and analyses, many of which are currently underway in Japan. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.