Manitoba exceeded the national rate at 625.5 per million population, followed by New Brunswick at 545.7. The lowest rate per million population was 335.1 in British Columbia. For patients with end stage renal disease, a condition in which the kidneys are permanently impaired and can no longer function normally to maintain life, dialysis is a life-prolonging process. Dialysis removes toxic materials from a patient s bloodstream, maintaining the fluid and electrolyte balance. In 1998, the average age of new patients was 60 years.
Kidney transplants are the most effective way to treat patients with end stage renal disease.
According to CIHI s statistics, patients 60 years and older who had a kidney transplant were less likely to die than those who remained on dialysis. Unfortunately, the demand for kidneys significantly exceeds Canada s supply. New techniques like islet cell transplantation may help us to reverse the trend of poorer treatment outcomes among our diabetic dialysis patients. Managed by CIHI, this register provides statistics that track long-term trends for dialysis activity, organ transplantation and organ donation, and makes comparative data available that can facilitate better treatment decisions. To this end, CIHI provides accurate and timely information that is needed to establish sound health policies, manage the Canadian health system effectively and create public awareness of factors affecting good health.