Aim:

To describe the trends of the primary diagnosis of death, the diagnosis of hospital discharge, as well as years of potential life lost by patients with chronic kidney disease compatible with chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes according to data registered in public access databases in the country between 2014 and 2019.

Methods:

A longitudinal descriptive study of the information on deaths and hospital discharges registered in public access databases on the primary diagnosis of chronic kidney disease compatible with chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes was carried out. With the results obtained, absolute and relative percentages and frequencies were calculated for mortality and hospital discharges. The general, specific, and adjusted mortality rates were calculated by the direct method. In addition, years of potential life lost in the country were estimated by province and sex.

Results:

In Costa Rica, between 2014 and 2019, 2,548 deaths and 1,893 hospital discharges related to chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes were recorded. Adjusted mortality rates were found to be elevated for the provinces of Guanacaste and Limón compared to national rates and relative to other provinces. In the province of Guanacaste, in addition, the trend of discharges was high. Additionally, it was detected that years of potential life lost showed a progressive and constant increase in the country, predominantly in the male sex and in the province of Guanacaste. Thirteen deaths of persons under twenty years of age were reported.

Conclusion:

Updating the data on mortality trends has made it possible to identify that the provinces of Guanacaste and Limón have adjusted rates higher than the national average, as well as lower average ages of death according to the rest of the provinces. Deaths and hospital discharges in people under 20 years of age suggest early kidney damage unrelated to occupational disease. Mortality and lost years of potential life lost provide information on the burden of disease in the country's population. It should be added that the specific coding to monitor the pathology was scarcely recorded in the study period.