Treatment of Australian Aboriginals with end‐stage renal disease in the top end of the Northern Territory: 1978–93

Abstract

Summary: We describe the treatment of Australian Aboriginals with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) in the Top End of the Northern Territory from 1978 to 1993. Eighty‐three Aboriginals and 44 non‐Aboriginals were accepted into the programme. the average annual incidence of ESRD for Aboriginals in 1988–93 was 440 per million (pm), or 17.4 times that of non‐Aboriginals. Aboriginals were 20 to 30 years younger than non‐Aboriginals at start of treatment, and there was an excess of females, in contrast with a male excess among non‐Aboriginals. Aboriginals had a higher proportion of ESRD attributed to glomerulonephritis and to diabetes, and 5% had amyloid associated with chronic infections. Most Abor..