Chronic kidney disease of nontraditional causes, mortality rates and hospital discharges

Aim: to describe trends in primary diagnosis of death, hospital discharge diagnosis as well as potentially lost years of the life of patients with chronic kidney disease compatible with chronic kidney disease of nontraditional causes, according to data recorded in publicly accessible databases in the country between 2014 and 2019.

Methods: a descriptive longitudinal study was made of the information on deaths and hospital discharges registered in public access databases on the primary diagnosis of chronic kidney disease compatible with chronic kidney disease for non-traditional causes. The results obtained were used to calculate percentages and absolute and relative frequencies of mortality and hospital discharges. General, specific, and adjusted mortality rates were calculated by the direct method. In addition, the years of potential life lost in the country were estimated by province and sex.

Results: in Costa Rica, between 2014 and 2019, 2548 deaths and 1893 hospital discharges related to chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes. were registered. Adjusted mortality rates were found to be high for the provinces of Guanacaste and Limón compared to national rates and concerning those of other provinces. In the province of Guanacaste, the trend in discharges was also high. In addition, it was detected that the years of potential life lost showed a progressive and constant increase in the country, predominantly in the male sex and in the province of Guanacaste. Thirteen deaths were reported in persons under 20 years of age.

Conclusions: The updating of data on mortality trends has allowed us to identify that the provinces of Guanacaste and Limón have adjusted rates higher than the national average, as well as lower average ages at death compared to the rest of the provinces. Deaths and hospital admissions in persons under 20 years of age suggest early renal damage unrelated to occupational disease. Mortality and years of potential life lost provide information on the burden of disease on the country’s population. It should be added that specific coding to monitor the pathology was poorly recorded in the study period.