[Baseline characteristics and indicators of support for new dialysis patients in 2011]

This chapter provides a set of indicators on incident patients starting renal replacement therapy (RRT) in France between the 1st of January 2011 and the 31(st) of December 2011. Even if End-Stage Renal Disease can be found in all classes of ages, elders provide the majority of new patients (median age at RRT start: 71 years old). Those patients present a high rate of disabilities especially diabetes (41% of the new patients) and cardiovascular disabilities (>50% of the new patients) that increase with age. Considering treatment and follow-up, the first treatment remains center's hemodialysis and we do not notice any progression of self-dialysis. RRT started in emergency in 33% of the patients. This finding contrasts with the fact that 56% of patients started hemodialysis on a catheter. This, together with the major interregion variability, suggests that different strategies of management exist. Finally, the hemoglobin level at RRT start seems to be an interesting indicator of good management and follow-up since 13% of patients presenting an underprovided follow-up have a hemoglobin level under 10g/dL, whereas only 2.5% of patients with an appropriate follow-up presented such a condition.