Introduction: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is an escalating public health issue affecting around 10% of the global population, with its prevalence continuing to rise annually.[1] The Philippines faces an even steeper burden, with prevalence of 35.94% far exceeding global estimated rates.[2] Given this upward trend, understanding and determining the clinical and demographic profile of the kidney transplant candidate population provides critical insights for the national government and policymakers enabling evidence-based decisions to curb the growing burden of CKD in the Philippines.
Methods: A retrospective profile analysis was conducted on kidney transplant candidates registered in the national database from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, a tertiary specialty center, covering the period from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Sociodemographic and clinical data of the population were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: A total of 152 kidney transplant candidates were registered in the Philippine Network for Organ Sharing database for deceased donor transplants. Their mean age was 42.1 years, with most patients aged 21–30 (17%, n=26), 31–40 (30%, n=46), or 41–50 (23%, n=35). The cohort was evenly split by sex, 51% male (n=78) and 49% female (n=74), and predominantly classified as private patients (66%, n=100) versus service-supported (34%, n=52). Chronic glomerulonephritis was the predominant etiology (57%, n=86), followed by hypertensive nephrosclerosis (13%, n=20) and diabetic‐related kidney disease (~17%, n=23). Other causes, including IgA nephropathy, lupus nephritis, polycystic kidney disease, and various rarer conditions, each accounted for 5% or less. Prior to enlistment, 85% (n=130) of candidates received hemodialysis, 12% (n=18) underwent pre-emptive transplantation, and 2% (n=3) were on peritoneal dialysis. Most patients had a normal BMI (60%, n=91), while 12.5%(n=19) were underweight and 27% (n=41) were overweight or obese.
Conclusions: Chronic glomerulonephritis emerged as the leading primary diagnosis, with hypertensive and diabetic etiologies comprising a substantial minority. The high reliance on hemodialysis and low rate of pre-emptive transplants suggest opportunities to enhance early referral and preemptive care. Moreover, the high proportion of private patients highlight persistent financial barriers for under‐resourced patients. These findings emphasize the need to expand public funding, strengthen early detection and referral systems, and develop targeted interventions for glomerulonephritis prevention and management to optimize transplant outcomes.

[1] International Society of Nephrology. (2020, November 27). More than 850 Million Worldwide have some form of Kidney Disease: Help Raise Awareness - International Society of Nephrology. https://www.theisn.org/more-than-850-million-worldwide-have-some-form-of-kidney-disease-help-raise-awareness/
[2] Suriyong, P., Ruengorn, C., Shayakul, C., Anantachoti, P., & Kanjanarat, P. (2022). Prevalence of chronic kidney disease stages 3–5 in low-and middle-income countries in Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 17(2), e0264393.