Kidney disease: key points

• Kidney disease is a term used to include any abnormality of the kidneys. There are many diseases which can affect the kidneys and can be described as acute kidney injury (AKI) or chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• AKI is a sudden and recent reduction in a person's kidney function which has a number of possible causes.
• CKD is used to cover all levels of kidney impairment, ranging from a small decline in kidney performance that causes no symptoms and may have no effect on someone's long term health, to a life-threatening condition that requires regular dialysis or a kidney transplant and has a significant impact on daily life.
• Not all patients with advanced kidney disease opt for dialysis or transplantation - some may choose conservative kidney management, a term which covers management of CKD without dialysis or transplantation.
• The main risk factors for CKD include diabetes, high blood pressure, acute kidney injury and cardiovascular disease.
• Based on Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) data for 2018/19, around 3% of patients aged over 18 years and registered with GPs in Scotland had more advanced (stage 3 to 5) CKD.
• Renal replacement therapy (RRT) includes kidney transplant, haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In 2018, 112 patients per million population started RRT for established renal failure.
• On 31 December 2022 there were 5,601 patients receiving RRT in Scotland.
• There was a significant trend of improving survival for patients starting RRT in the 10 years 2009 - 2021. However, the life expectancy of patients receiving RRT remains shorter than that of the general population.