[Chronic dialysis in Brazil - report of the brazilian dialysis census, 2011].

INTRODUCTION: National data on maintenance dialysis are important for treatment planning.

AIM: To describe the results of the dialysis census of the Brazilian Society of Nephrology for 2011 and observed trends from 2000 to 2011.

METHODS: A survey was conducted using questionnaire filled online by the dialysis units, with July as reference month for estimates. From a total of 645 units, 353 (54.9%) responded to the survey.

RESULTS: The estimated number of patients on dialysis in Brazil was 91,314 in 2011 (42,629 in 2010; 92,091 in 2011). For approximately 85% of the patients the treatment was provided by the Brazilian Unified Health Care System. The estimated prevalence and incidence rates in 2011 were 475 and 149 maintenance dialysis patients per million population, respectively. For prevalent patients, 90.6% were on hemodialysis, 31.5% 65 years of age or older, 28% diabetic and 35.5% (n=32,454) on waiting list for transplantation in 2011. The estimated number of patients starting dialysis in 2011 was 28,680 (18,972 in 2010) and annual mortality rate 19.9% (17.9% in 2010).

CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate pronounced increase in the dialysis population across the years in Brazil with a trend for stabilization in the last two years. The reason for the increase in incidence and mortality in 2011 deserves investigation. A large number of patients were on waiting list for renal transplantation. By providing a picture of the situation and trends on maintenance dialysis treatment in Brazil the census is useful to guide resources allocation and interventions to improve treatment quality.