JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Heroin-associated nephropathy (HAN) is a common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among 18- to 45-year-old patients in the Buffalo area. To assess the importance of HAN nationwide, a questionnaire was sent to 130 dialysis units or sections of nephrology throughout the United States. Fourteen metropolitan areas represented by 23 respondents reported 98 cases of HAN. ⋯ These figures, however, do not represent the prevalence of HAN in the United States. The economic impact of treating HAN may be striking. The estimated cost of maintaining just the 66 addicted patients with renal failure on dialysis would be greater than $ 1 million yearly.