END-STAGE RENAL-FAILURE IN SOUTHERN OF RE UNION ISLAND - EPIDEMIOLOGY, SURVIVAL ON DIALYSIS

In Reunion Island, as in the other French Overseas Territories, end-st age renal failure prevalence is more than twice that France as a whole . In the past 12 years, 407 patients were enrolled in the South-island dialysis program, allowing for local epidemiologic and survival figur es analysis. Non insulindependent diabetes mellitus and chronic system ic hypertension, both being silent maturity diseases with close physio pathology, are accountable for 60% of the incidence from beginning of the 90's. Female predominance among diabetic and dialysed patients cou ld be a tropical specificity. In spite of lack of patient selection, d ialysis survival seems satisfactory when compared to European Dialysis Registry. Overall survival median, starting 30 days after beginning o f treatment in the South, is 6 years with a 35% 10 years survival rate . Diabetic patients have a lower survival rate at 1 (85,8%), 3 (58,4%) and 5 years (33,4%), the age-corrected relative mortality risk being 1,75. A local non insulin dependent diabetes epidemiologic survey is n eeded to identify predisposed populations, and prevent or delay degene rating complications, notably end-stage renal failure palliative treat ment whose high-cost palliative treatment is further increased by ultr aperipheral geographical location.