RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Between 1991 and 2006, the Latin American Dialysis and Renal Transplantation Registry collected data from 20 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Uruguay). Access to RRT was universal in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Uruguay, all countries belonging to the medium-high or high income group. METHODS: Data about patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) were supplied by national affiliates or the Registry's Coordination Committee. Transplant data were gathered and shared with the Latin American and Caribbean Society of Transplantation. RESULTS: RRT prevalence increased from 162 patients per million population (pmp) in 1991 to 478 pmp in 2005 and 473 pmp in 2006 (59.2% hemodialysis, 20.4% peritoneal dialysis and 20.4% with a functioning kidney allograft). Countries with the highest prevalence were Puerto Rico (1,148.9 pmp), Uruguay (924.5 pmp) and Chile (907.6 pmp). Latin America's (LA) incidence increased from 27.8 pmp in 1992 to 188 pmp in 2006. The LA Kidney transplant rate increased from 3.7 pmp in 1987 to 15,4 pmp in 2006, and 166 combined transplants - kidney and another organ, mainly pancreas - were performed. In the medium-high income group 2006, (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Venezuela) the prevalence rate was 534.8 pmp vs. 289.5 pmp in the middle-low income group. The transplant rate was 18.4 pmp in the medium-high income group vs. 7 pmp in the middle-low group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: RRT incidence and prevalence continue to grow steadily. Access to RRT is universal only in some countries included in the medium-high or high income group. It is imperative to accomplish the goal of making RRT available to all who need it.