LAUSR

Dear Editor, Patient registries collect observational data and specific set of patients routinely managed in clinical practice, in a systematic and organized method for a predetermined objective (1). Registry data not only provides the natural history, epidemiology, regional, national variations, burden of a disease but also describes the treatment and its outcomes to assist in evaluation of quality, safety, and value of patient care. Eventually, the data gathered in the patient registries enable the researchers to develop a hypothesis about mechanisms of disease and the treatment approaches (1). To initiate and maintain a registry operation it requires undertaking, suitable investment from the payers, health care providers, technical and administrative staff for smoothly processes (1). The burden of CKD is on rise globally and in developing countries with emerging economy. Noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are considered important risk factor contributing to CKDs, and are a significant contributor to the deaths (2). CKD currently ranked 19th in the list of causes of death worldwide. An estimated number of populations suffering from CKD in low middleincome countries are nearly 500 million (3). The ESRD, dialysis, and renal replacement therapy results in extensive economic burden on patients, patients care givers, and also have huge impact on societal costs. Many technological advanced countries have their renal registry. Pakistan has 29.9% prevalence of CKD. The dialysis registry of Pakistan published by “The Kidney Foundation” gives no estimation of prevalence of chronic kidney disease nationally/ region wise, the population being affected by CKD, number of patients receiving renal transplant therapy, and economic burden due to dialysis and renal transplant therapy. We also have Pakistan Renal Registry Data System, which collects, analyses, and reports data from renal centers across the country, and it is not as established as some of the higher functioning data systems such as the one United Kingdom possesses (4). In Pakistan, CKD is spreading, and multiple factors are responsible for it; for instance poor availability of health care, faulty primary health care system, inadequate health education, insufficient government financial support, and high instances of diabetes and hypertension. It is recommended to formulate a renal registry on national level for registering patients having kidney diseases, dialysis received, renal replacement therapy, and current care of patients, mortality, economic burden on patients and government, and description of allocation of fund.