Haemodialysis (HD) is the commonest form of kidney replacement therapy in the world, accounting for approximately 69% of all kidney replacement therapy and 89% of all dialysis. Over the last six decades since the inception of HD, dialysis technology and patient access to the therapy have advanced considerably, particularly in high-income countries. However, HD availability, accessibility, cost and outcomes vary widely across the world and, overall, the rates of impaired quality of life, morbidity and mortality are high. Cardiovascular disease affects more than two-thirds of people receiving HD, is the major cause of morbidity and accounts for almost 50% of mortality. In addition, patients on HD have high symptom loads and are often under considerable financial strain. Despite the many advances in HD technology and delivery systems that have been achieved since the treatment was first developed, poor outcomes among patients receiving HD remain a major public health concern. Understanding the epidemiology of HD outcomes, why they might vary across different populations and how they might be improved is therefore crucial, although this goal is hampered by the considerable heterogeneity in the monitoring and reporting of these outcomes across settings.

血液透析 (HD) 是世界上最常见的肾脏替代疗法，约占所有肾脏替代疗法的 69% 和所有透析疗法的 89%。自 HD 出现以来的过去六十年中，透析技术和患者获得治疗的机会有了很大的进步，特别是在高收入国家。然而，HD 的可用性、可及性、成本和结果在世界各地差异很大，总体而言，生活质量受损率、发病率和死亡率都很高。心血管疾病影响接受 HD 的三分之二以上的人，是发病率的主要原因，占死亡率的近 50%。此外，接受 HD 治疗的患者症状负荷高，而且往往承受着相当大的经济压力。尽管自首次开发治疗以来 HD 技术和输送系统取得了许多进步，但接受 HD 的患者预后不佳仍然是一个主要的公共卫生问题。因此，了解 HD 结果的流行病学、为什么它们可能因不同人群而异以及如何改进它们是至关重要的，尽管这一目标受到跨环境监测和报告这些结果的相当大的异质性的阻碍。