The prevalence of chronic renal failure in known diabetic and non-diabetic White Caucasians and South Asians

The prevalence of chronic renal failure (CRF) in people with diabetes mellitus is unknown. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of CRF in Leicestershire residents with or without diabetes mellitus in 1991. All serum creatinine values over 200 μmol/l in 1991 were abstracted from the computer records of the central laboratory serving Leicestershire residents (total population 867,521; Indo-Asians 8.9%). Those with serum creatinine persistently raised (> 200 μmol/l but < 500 μmol/l) were classified as having CRF. Those with serum creatinine > 500 μmol/l or who were on dialysis or had been transplanted were classified as end stage renal failure (ESRF). Those with diabetes were identified from the central diabetes register dialysis register and consultants' notes with 100% ascertainment. The prevalence of CRF varied from 0.3/1000 (95% CI 0.2-0.4/1000) in non-diabetic non-Asian females aged 0-44 years to 25.2/1000 (95% CI 9.3-5.40/1000) in diabetic Asian males, aged > 65 years. Multivariate logistic modelling indicated that Asians and males had approximately twice the CRF prevalence of White Caucasians and females respectively, irrespective of diabetes or age. The prevalence of CRF increased with age, and having diabetes increased the CRF prevalence five-fold in the 0-44 age group, irrespective of ethnicity or sex. The effect of diabetes was not evident in the older age groups. These findings have important implications for the use and allocation of health care resources.