CKD a Bajan reality

In Barbados, kidney disease is a growing public health concern, with a significant number of adults experiencing chronic kidney disease [1].

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): Barbados has a CKD prevalence of 13.3%, which is higher than the median of 11.4% for the North America and Caribbean region [5].
End-Stage Renal Failure: It is a significant public health problem, primarily driven by high rates of hypertension and diabetes [1].
Mortality: Kidney disease is a significant contributor to mortality, with 7% of deaths averted or delayed by warning labels being from kidney diseases [2]. The age-adjusted death rate for kidney disease in Barbados is 16.30 per 100,000, ranking it 120th in the world [6].
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Eight of the top ten causes of death in Barbados are from NCDs, with kidney disease being a notable contributor [1].

Hypertension and Diabetes: These are the leading causes of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure in Barbados, as well as in the wider Caribbean [1][4].
Other Factors: While hypertension and diabetes are major drivers, other factors may contribute to the high rates of kidney disease in the region [1].

Hemodialysis Costs: In 1998-1999, the cost per hemodialysis treatment was approximately US$156.64 in the first year and US$145.55 in subsequent years. The total cost per patient per year was about US$18,327.22 in the first year, including surgical setup, and US$17,029.54 thereafter [3].
Economic Burden: Chronic kidney disease places a substantial economic burden on the healthcare system due to high rates of healthcare utilization, morbidity, and mortality [4].
Treatment Availability: Hemodialysis (HD) services are available in Barbados. Kidney transplant (KT) services are also available [5].
Medication Funding: Medications for non-dialysis CKD, dialysis, and kidney transplant are publicly funded and free in Barbados [5].

Kidney Failure Rate: The kidney failure rate in Trinidad & Tobago is estimated to be almost 50% of that of Barbados [7].
CKD Stages: There is concern regarding the number of Barbadians between stages one and four of chronic kidney disease [8].
Productivity Loss: The total productivity loss due to the absence of front-of-package warning labels was USD 12,636,014.98 for 2019 in Barbados [2].

Prevention: Emphasis should be placed on ways to reduce the incidence of kidney disease and its progression to dialysis [4].
Treatment Optimization: Further analyses are recommended to review and optimize renal replacement therapy services in Barbados [3].
Cost-Effective Therapies: The most economically feasible form of renal replacement therapy that offers the best quality of life should be sought [4].

[1] https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/272540/ccsbrief-brb-eng.pdf

[2] https://iris.paho.org/bitstream/handle/10665.2/57989/PAHONMHRF230040_eng.pdf

[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15729985/

[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22097679/

[5] https://www.theisn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ISN-GKHA-2023_Narrative_Script_North-Am-Caribbean_v0.1.pdf

[6] https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/barbados-kidney-disease

[7] https://kidneycaribbean.com/statistics/

[8] https://www.cbc.bb/news/local-news/chronic-kidney-disease-statistics-concerning/

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