Hemodialysis Patients In Japan Research Articles

#3282 ASSOCIATION OF PROLONGED QT INTERVALS WITH MORTALITY IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS: A NATIONWIDE RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Abstract Background and Aims The prevalence of prolonged QT intervals is known to be prevalent among hemodialysis patients. In the general population, prolonged QT intervals are linked to increased mortality, however, the correlation between prolonged QT intervals and prognosis in hemodialysis patients remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between prolonged QT intervals and mortality and cardiac death among hemodialysis patients. Method We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the JSDR2019-2020, a nationwide registry of hemodialysis patients in Japan. We excluded from these subjects those younger than 18 years, with QT interval deficit, dialysis less than 3 times a week, atrial fibrillation, peritoneal dialysis, and home dialysis. In 2019, we collected data on various factors and basic patient information, and subsequently monitored outcomes in 2020. QT intervals were corrected using Bazett's formula. Our primary and secondary outcomes were death and cardiac death which we defined as a composite of heart failure, pulmonary edema, arrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, and acute myocardial infarction, respectively. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses of the relationship between QT interval categories and outcomes using logistic regression models, adjusting for age, gender, cause of end-stage renal failure, serum concentrations of iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, history of dialysis, and history of cardiovascular disease. We also created a restricted cubic spline to visualize the relationship between QT intervals and outcomes. We employed multivariate imputation by chained equations to complement missing values. We set the significance level at 5%. Results Of the 332,599 patients in the database, 198,624 were included in the analysis of this study. The mean (standard deviation: SD), median (quartiles), and actual number (%) of subjects were: age 69.8 (12.4), 130,735 (65.8) male, 101,988 (51.3) with diabetes, and 66.0 (29.0, 128.0) months of dialysis history. The mean QT interval (SD) was 450.7 msec (30.5). During the 1-year observation period, there were 29,705 deaths, 7,247 cardiac deaths, and 12,166 new cases of ischemic heart disease. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals: 95%CI, p value) for death within 1 year in the three QT interval categories (<460 [reference], 460< = &<500, 500<) were 1(−), 1.58 (1.52-1.64, p<0.001), and 2.49 (2.35-2.62, p<0.001), respectively. In multivariate analysis, the adjusted odds ratios for death within 1 year in each QT interval category were 1(−), 1.44 (1.37-2.12, p<0.001), and 1.98 (1.87-2.09, P<0.001), respectively. Our analysis of cardiac death as an outcome also revealed a statistically significant increase in cardiac death with increasing QT intervals. Conclusion QT intervals were prolonged in hemodialysis patients, and prolonged QT intervals were significantly associated with increased mortality and cardiac death.

Importance of Considering Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in Order to Improve the QOL of Elderly Hemodialysis Patients in Japan in the Era of 100-Year Life.

In the current aging society of Japan, malnutrition and resultant sarcopenia have been widely identified as important symptomatic indicators of ill health and can cause impairments of longevity and quality of life in older individuals. Elderly individuals are recommended to have sufficient calorie and protein intake so as to enjoy a satisfactory quality of life, including maintaining activities of daily living in order to avoid emaciation and sarcopenia. The prevalence of emaciation and sarcopenia in elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients in Japan is higher than in non-HD elderly subjects due to the presence of malnutrition and sarcopenia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, comorbidities, such as diabetes and osteoporosis, induce malnutrition and sarcopenia in HD patients. This review presents findings regarding the mechanisms of the development of these early symptomatic conditions and their significance for impaired QOL and increased mortality in elderly HD patients.

Effects of Improvements in Nutritional and Physical Conditions on Life Prognosis in Elderly Hemodialysis Patients in Japan

Effects of Improvements in Nutritional and Physical Conditions on Life Prognosis in Elderly Hemodialysis Patients in Japan

The mediating effect of resilience between family functioning and mental well-being in hemodialysis patients in Japan: a cross-sectional design

BackgroundEnd-stage kidney disease is highly prevalent worldwide. Currently, one of the most effective treatment modalities is dialysis therapy, which leads to serious side effects. Furthermore, psychiatric illnesses are prevalent among dialysis patients. Recently, researchers asserted that psychological resilience and family support could be helpful to maintain or improve patients’ mental well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of resilience on the relationship between family functioning and mental well-being in these patients.MethodsTo investigate the aim of this study, a cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 110 hemodialysis patients, who were receiving outpatient treatment from dialysis units at the University of Fukuoka and St. Maria Health Care Center in Japan, participated. Only the patients who met the criteria and who were willing to participate in this 30-min study were given The General Health Questionnaire-12, Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Family Assessment Device. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was performed to test the hypothesis that resilience would mediate the relationship between each subscale of family functioning, namely, cohesion, adaptability, communication, and mental well-being. Then Sobel’s test was employed to examine the indirect effect.ResultsThe results of the SEM showed that the model had an acceptable fit (RMSEA = .077; CFI = .93; and IFI = .94). According to the results, resilience fully mediated the relationship between family functioning, specifically family adaptability and communication, and mental health well-being of the dialysis patients. However, family cohesion was not associated with resilience.ConclusionsThe present study revealed that higher family adaptability and communication resulted in greater resilience, thus associated with better mental health. Given that poor mental health among dialysis patients is significantly associated with a decreased likelihood to adhere to treatment plans, it may lead to a significant risk to therapeutic compliance. As such, patients may experience detrimental consequences, such as death. This study showed that in order to maintain healthy mental well-being, developing resilience is a vital factor for hemodialysis patients.

Application of explainable ensemble artificial intelligence model to categorization of hemodialysis-patient and treatment using nationwide-real-world data in Japan.

Although dialysis patients are at a high risk of death, it is difficult for medical practitioners to simultaneously evaluate many inter-related risk factors. In this study, we evaluated the characteristics of hemodialysis patients using machine learning model, and its usefulness for screening hemodialysis patients at a high risk of one-year death using the nation-wide database of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy. The patients were separated into two datasets (n = 39,930, 39,930, respectively). We categorized hemodialysis patients in Japan into new clusters generated by the K-means clustering method using the development dataset. The association between a cluster and the risk of death was evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Then, we developed an ensemble model composed of the clusters and support vector machine models in the model development phase, and compared the accuracy of the prediction of mortality between the machine learning models in the model validation phase. Average age of the subjects was 65.7±12.2 years; 32.7% had diabetes mellitus. The five clusters clearly distinguished the groups on the basis of their characteristics: Cluster 1, young male, and chronic glomerulonephritis; Cluster 2, female, and chronic glomerulonephritis; Cluster 3, diabetes mellitus; Cluster 4, elderly and nephrosclerosis; Cluster 5, elderly and protein energy wasting. These clusters were associated with the risk of death; Cluster 5 compared with Cluster 1, hazard ratio 8.86 (95% CI 7.68, 10.21). The accuracy of the ensemble model for the prediction of 1-year death was 0.948 and higher than those of logistic regression model (0.938), support vector machine model (0.937), and deep learning model (0.936). The clusters clearly categorized patient on their characteristics, and reflected their prognosis. Our real-world-data-based machine learning system is applicable to identifying high-risk hemodialysis patients in clinical settings, and has a strong potential to guide treatments and improve their prognosis.

Long-term excess mortality after hip fracture in hemodialysis patients: a nationwide cohort study in Japan.

Fracture dialysis patients have a higher risk of 1-year mortality compared with non-fracture dialysis patients. However, it is unclear whether excess mortality persists for more than a year. We conducted a nationwide cohort study in 162,360 hemodialysis patients in Japan. Study outcomes were 5-year all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine the association between hip fracture and mortality in two cohorts: the full cohort, which included potential confounders as covariates in multivariable-adjusted regression models, and the propensity score-matched cohort. Crude mortality rates for fracture patients were double those of non-fracture patients and persisted during the 5-year period. The association between hip fracture and mortality was significant even after adjusting for premorbid conditions (hazard ratio (HR) 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-1.32). Similar findings were observed in the propensity score-matched cohort of 2410 patients (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.36). While cause-specific mortality rates for all categories, with the exception of sudden deaths, were higher for fracture patients relative to non-fracture patients in the full unmatched cohort, only the mortality rate for heart disease was significantly higher for fracture patients relative to non-fracture patients in the propensity score-matched cohort. Excess mortality persisted for many years after hip fracture in hemodialysis patients, and was still present after adjusting for several premorbid conditions and propensity score matching.

A questionnaire on prescription patterns of proton pump inhibitors for hemodialysis patients in Japan

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in the general population often without an endpoint. The practice of prescribing PPIs in the hemodialysis (HD) population is unknown. Thus, we aimed to identify the practice pattern related to PPI prescription for HD patients in Japan through a questionnaire survey. We conducted a questionnaire survey for physicians engaged in dialysis practice through email. An email was sent to physicians listed in the Japanese Society of Nephrology (JSN) and iHOPE International registry. We received 187 physicians' answers. One-hundred twelve (60%) physicians would prefer to continuously prescribe PPIs after 8weeks of treatment for peptic ulcer (PU) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The main reason for continuous PPI prescription was the concern for recurrence of PU or GERD. Approximately 20% of physicians responded that they were not accustomed to de-prescribing PPIs for PU or GERD. The reason for PPI de-prescription was the concern for side effects or insurance adaptation period. Even in cases wherein PPIs were prescribed for uncertain reasons, 42% physicians would continuously prescribe PPIs. Most physicians (82%) who answered about stopping PPIs regarded HD patients as a high-risk group for PU. PPI prescription is often continued in HD patients. De-prescription is not a common practice in Japan. It remains unclear whether discontinuation of PPIs should be recommended in hemodialysis patients who have a high risk of gastrointestinal ulcer. Yet, considering the side effects and polypharmacy in the HD population, more discussions on preferable de-prescription of PPIs are needed.

ACT-18 SHOULD THE DOSE OF TEMOZOLOMIDE BE DECREASED FOR PATIENTS WITH HIGH-GRADE GLIOMAS WHO ARE ON HEMODIALYSIS?

BACKGROUNDThe pharmacokinetics of temozolomide in patients with severe renal impairments (creatinine clearance less than 36 mL/min/m2) or in hemodialysis patients has not been investigated. Temozolomide and its metabolic products are mainly excreted in urine, as retention of these in the body may result in increased adverse events in hemodialysis patients harboring a high-grade glioma.METHODSEight hemodialysis patients with high-grade gliomas from seven institutions were included in the study. Patient characteristics, treatment schedule, clinical course, pathological/molecular findings, and adverse events were evaluated.RESULTSThe histopathological diagnoses were Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type glioblastoma in four cases, Not other specified (NOS) glioblastoma in two cases and IDH-mutant anaplastic astrocytoma in one case. Five of the seven patients completed radiotherapy (48–60 Gy) with concomitant temozolomide (75 mg/m2) followed by adjuvant 5-day temozolomide (150 mg/m2) every 28 days. During the entire course of treatment with temozolomide, severe (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) more than grade 3) lymphocytopenia occurred in 57%(41.7–61%: non hemodialysis patients data, the same as below), neutropenia in 0%(1–15.4%) and thrombocytopenia in 14%(0–16.7%) of the patients. Generally, the frequency and degree of myelosuppression do not increase in hemodialysis patients with high-grade gliomas. Two of the seven (28.5%) patients died of infectious disease despite having no direct correlation to myelosuppression that is similar rate of 21.9% of the death results from infection in hemodialysis patients in Japan.CONCLUSIONSThe high-grade glioma patients under study on hemodialysis did not require decreasing doses of Temozolomide during concomitant radiochemotherapy and maintenance therapy. However, careful clinical and hematological observation is required to avoid critical hematotoxicity and infection.

Temozolomide radiochemotherapy for high-grade glioma patients with hemodialysis: a case series of 7 patients

The pharmacokinetics of temozolomide (TMZ) in patients with severe renal impairments (creatinine clearance, <36 mL/min/m2) or in hemodialysis (HD) patients has not been investigated. TMZ and its metabolic products are mainly excreted in urine, as retention of these in the body may result in increased adverse events in HD patients. Seven HD patients with high-grade gliomas from 6 institutions were included in the study. Patient characteristics, treatment schedule, clinical course, pathological/molecular findings, and adverse events were evaluated. The histopathological diagnoses were isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type glioblastoma in 4 cases, not other specified (NOS) glioblastoma in 2 cases, and IDH-mutant anaplastic astrocytoma in 1 case. Five of the 7 patients completed radiotherapy (48-60 Gy) with concomitant TMZ (75 mg/m2) followed by adjuvant 5-day TMZ (150 mg/m2) every 28 days. During the entire course of treatment with TMZ, severe (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] ≥ Grade 3) lymphocytopenia occurred in 57%, neutropenia in 0%, and thrombocytopenia in 14% of the patients. Generally, the frequency and degree of myelosuppression do not increase in HD patients with high-grade gliomas. Two of the 7 (28.5%) patients died of infectious disease despite having no direct correlation to myelosuppression; that is similar to the death rate of 21.9% resulting from infection in HD patients in Japan. Decreasing the dose of TMZ might not be required in HD patients with high-grade gliomas during concomitant radiochemotherapy and maintenance therapy. However, careful clinical and hematological observation is required to avoid critical hematotoxicity and infection.

An Analysis of Medication Adherence and Patient Preference in Long-term Stable Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients in Japan.

Objective This follow-up survey report describes medication adherence and patient preferences, beliefs, and expectations of maintenance hemodialysis treatment in Japan. Methods This patient-reported questionnaire-based survey was conducted in six regions in Japan from September 2016 to November 2016. Patients The questionnaire was provided to 700 patients (50-79 years old) on maintenance hemodialysis for >3 years who were members of the Japan Association of Kidney Disease Patients. Patients were randomly selected by a stratified sampling method based on patient distribution observed from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry. Results A total of 524 (74.9%) complete patient questionnaires were evaluated; the mean (SD) age was 66.6 (7.2) years (men, 63.4%) with a dialysis vintage of 16.9 (9.1) years. Adherence was high for all types of medications: between 76.7% for phosphate binders and 95.7% for antidiabetic medications. The most common reason for a missed dose was forgetting to take medication [52.5% (117/223)]. Patient preference for oral medication was as low as 0.9% (1/110), 9% (31/345), and 2.9% (2/69) for patients who felt mental burden, felt no mental burden, and neither, respectively, with their current treatment regimen. In addition, 37.8% (198/524) of patients responded that the elimination of 1 medication (1 tablet) would reduce their mental burden. Conclusion The results of this survey show that overall medication adherence is high in Japanese patients on maintenance hemodialysis. While many patients perceive an absence of mental burden, they still prefer to avoid oral medication when possible.

Walking ability, anxiety and depression, significantly decrease EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level scores in older hemodialysis patients in Japan

BackgroundHemodialysis patients in Japan are aging, but the influence of lifestyle factors on EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5 L) scores in older hemodialysis patients is unclear. This study aimed to measure health-related quality of life using the EQ-5D-5 L for older hemodialysis patients and to identify the lifestyle factors affecting EQ-5D-5 L scores in Japan. MethodsOutpatients aged 65 years or older who had been receiving maintenance hemodialysis for more than 5 years were selected to determine their EQ-5D-5 L scores. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to identify items affecting the EQ-5D-5 L scores. ResultsThe response rate was 59.7% (748/1251), after excluding 9 patients who did not fulfill the participation criteria, and we analyzed data from 739 patients (462 men, 277 women) aged 72.9 ± 6.5 years (mean ± standard deviation) with a mean duration of hemodialysis of 15.1 ± 8.8 years. The mean EQ-5D-5 L score was 0.738 ± 0.207. Higher Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores (regression coefficient, −0.467; P < 0.001), reduced walking ability (−0.201; P < 0.001), duration of hemodialysis (−0.175; P < 0.001), age (−0.143; P < 0.001), and subjective symptoms (−0.128; P < 0.001) showed significant negative correlations with the EQ-5D-5 L score. ConclusionsReduced walking ability, and Anxiety and Depression, were associated with lower EQ-5D-5 L score and appeared to be important factors in decreasing health for older hemodialysis patients. These results suggest that patients’ families and dialysis facility staff should be trained in early detection of depression and that patients should maintain their walking ability by exercise therapy.

A Survey of Drug Burden in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis in Japan.

Objective This report presents a part of a survey pertaining to drug burden in maintenance hemodialysis patients in Japan. Methods A patient-reported questionnaire-based survey was conducted from September to November 2016 in six regions in Japan. Patients A total of 700 patients (50-79 years old) on maintenance hemodialysis for >3 years and members of the Japan Association of Kidney Disease Patients (JAKDP) were provided with the questionnaire. They were randomly selected using stratified sampling according to patient distribution observed from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry (JSDT JRDR). Results A total of 524 (74.9%) patient questionnaires were evaluated [mean (standard deviation; SD) age, 66.6 (7.2) years; males, 63.4%; dialysis vintage, 16.9 (9.1) years]. Patients' age, gender, and regional distribution were similar to the JSDT JRDR. They were taking an average (SD) of 16.4 (8.34) and 16.3 (8.55) oral medications/day on dialysis and nondialysis days, respectively. A majority of the patients were taking ≥10 oral medications/day on dialysis (75.1%) and nondialysis (74.4%) days, with phosphate binders being the most taken (7.0 tablets/day). A similar proportion (74.4%, 72.9%, respectively) was taking ≥6 different types of oral medications/day. Most patients were taking oral medications 3 (31%, 33%), 4 (24%, 22%), and ≥5 times (31%, 30%) a day, respectively. The drug burden was similar on dialysis and nondialysis days and did not vary with dialysis vintage. Conclusion The number, type, and frequency of oral medications in maintenance hemodialysis patients are high in Japan. The proportion of phosphate binders was highest among the prescription medications.

Current Status of Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients in Japan.

Complete recovery using interferon therapy in Japanese hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected dialysis patients is difficult to achieve because >70% of the HCV genotypes observed in Japan are type 1. In 2016, new direct-acting antiviral drugs against HCV genotype 1 were reported to be effective and safe for HCV-infected hemodialysis patients. Although new direct antiviral therapy has become available, no large-scale studies evaluating the status of HCV infection in Japanese hemodialysis patients have been conducted since 2007. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire survey to determine the current status of HCV infection in patients. Our results indicated that the HCV antibody prevalence was 5.02%, and HCV RNA prevalence was 72.3%. Genotype testing revealed that 62.1% of patients had HCV genotype 1. New direct antiviral therapy may improve the survival of Japanese HCV-infected dialysis patients.

Effect of dialyzer membrane materials on survival in chronic hemodialysis patients: Results from the annual survey of the Japanese Nationwide Dialysis Registry.

BackgroundLittle information is available regarding which type of dialyzer membrane results in good prognosis in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Therefore, we conducted a cohort study from a nationwide registry of hemodialysis patients in Japan to establish the association between different dialyzer membranes and mortality rates.MethodsWe followed 142,412 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (female, 39.1%; mean age, 64.8 ± 12.3 years; median dialysis duration, 7 [4–12] years) for a year from 2008 to 2009. We included patients treated with seven types of high-flux dialyzer membranes at baseline, including cellulose triacetate (CTA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyester polymer alloy (PEPA), polyethersulfone (PES), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polysulfone (PS). Cox regression was used to estimate the association between baseline dialyzers and all-cause mortality as hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals for 1-year mortality adjusting for potential confounders, and propensity score matching analysis was performed.ResultsThe distribution of patients treated with each membrane was as follows: PS (56.0%), CTA (17.3%), PES (12.0%), PEPA (7.5%), PMMA (4.9%), PAN (1.2%), and EVAL (1.1%). When data were adjusted using basic factors, with PS as a reference group, the mortality rate was significantly higher in all groups except for the PES group. When data were further adjusted for dialysis-related factors, HRs were significantly higher for the CTA, EVAL, and PEPA groups. When the data were further adjusted for nutrition-and inflammation-related factors, HRs were significantly lower for the PMMA and PES groups compared with the PS group. After propensity score matching, HRs were significantly lower for the PMMA group than for the PS group.ConclusionThe results suggest that the use of different membrane types may affect mortality in hemodialysis patients. However, further long-term prospective studies are needed to clarify these findings, including whether the use of the PMMA membrane can improve prognosis.

Association Between Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia and Hospital Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients With Bloodstream Infection: A Multicenter Cohort From Japanese Tertiary Care Centers.

Multiple studies have shown that Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) has been a major cause of death in hemodialysis patients. We examined whether SAB is a risk for mortality among chronic hemodialysis patients in Japan where the standard vascular access is arteriovenous fistula (AVF). This was a multicenter, retrospective study of maintenance hemodialysis patients with bloodstream infection (BSI) from 2011 to 2013 at tertiary care centers in Japan. The endpoint was hospital mortality. Our cohort contained 32 SAB cases (14 MRSA and 18 MSSA) and 42 non-SAB cases. Hospital mortality was higher among SAB cases than non-SAB cases (46.9% vs. 23.8%, P=0.038). In patients with BSI, SAB was significantly associated with hospital mortality after adjustment for potential confounders, including type of vascular access (OR 3.26). S. aureus was the leading cause of BSI and hospital mortality among this cohort. Therefore, initial empiric treatment should cover for S. aureus.

Impact of vascular access intervention therapy on cardiac load in hemodialysis patients.

Vascular access intervention therapy (VAIVT) has been positioned as the first choice of treatment for stenosis lesions frequently observed in arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis patients in Japan. Furthermore, increased blood flow can provide a stable dialysis. In contrast, it has been reported that excess blood flow of AVF causes high-output heart failure. Although VAIVT is used to increase blood flow of AVF, the impact of VAIVT on cardiac load has been rarely reported. We examined the factors associated with cardiac load in hemodialysis patients undergoing VAIVT by measuring levels of α human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (hANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) before and after VAIVT. Data were extracted on hemodialysis patients who underwent measurements of αhANP and BNP in before and after VAIVT at our facility and related facilities between February 2014 and December 2014. Nineteeen patients (median age, 73.0 [66.5-80.5] years; male, 52.6%; 36.8% with diabetes; median duration of dialysis treatment, 50.0 [21-109] months) were enrolled in this study. Flow volume of AVF was higher after VAIVT than that before VAIVT (442.0 vs. 758.0 mL/minute, P < 0.001). Moreover, resistance index (RI) of AVF after VAIVT was lower than that before VAIVT (0.61 vs. 0.53, P < 0.01). Although αhANP did not change before and after VAIVT (55.6 vs. 54.9 pg/mL, P = 0.099), BNP after VAIVT was significantly higher than that before VAIVT (145.2 vs. 175.0 pg/mL, P < 0.05). Factors correlated with the increase in BNP were flow volume of AVF before VAIVT (r = -0.458, P = 0.049) and levels of BNP before VAIVT (r = 0.472, P = 0.041). There was no significant correlation between the increase in αhANP with flow volume of AVF before VAIVT, levels of αhANP before VAIVT. Patients with high levels of BNP and low flow volume of AVF before VAIVT were considered to have a high risk of developing heart failure after VAIVT.

Both low and high serum ferritin levels predict mortality risk in hemodialysis patients without inflammation

BackgroundSerum ferritin concentration >100 ng/mL was associated with a higher risk of death in hemodialysis patients in Japan, whereas such an association was less clear in hemodialysis patients in Western countries. Since Japanese dialysis patients are generally less inflamed than those in Western countries, inflammation may modify the association between serum ferritin and the adverse outcomes.MethodsWe performed an observational cohort study using data from 2606 Japanese hemodialysis patients who participated in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) III (2005–2008) or DOPPS IV (2009–2012). The predictor was serum ferritin category (<50, 50–99.9, 100–199.9, and ≥200 ng/mL), and the primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization, respectively. C-reactive protein (CRP, cut-off by 0.3 mg/dL) and serum albumin (cut-off by 3.8 g/dL) were stratification factors related to systemic inflammation.ResultsAfter adjustment for relevant confounding factors, a U-shaped association was observed between serum ferritin and all-cause mortality in the group with low CRP levels, whereas such relationship was not significant in the high CRP counterparts. In contrast, we found a linear association between serum ferritin and cardiovascular hospitalization in the low CRP and high CRP groups commonly. Similar results were obtained when the total cohort was stratified by serum albumin.ConclusionsSerum ferritin showed different patterns of association with all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients with versus without inflammation, whereas its association with cardiovascular hospitalization was similar regardless of inflammatory conditions.

Effects of socioeconomic status on physical and mental health of hemodialysis patients in Japan: differences by age, period, and cohort.

Study purposeWhether or not socioeconomic status (SES)-related differences in the health of hemodialysis patients differ by age, period, and birth cohort remains unclear. We examined whether SES-related gaps in physical and mental health change with age, period, and birth cohort for hemodialysis patients.MethodsData were obtained from repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted in 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011, with members of a national patients’ association as participants. We used raking adjustment to create a database which had similar characteristics to the total sample of dialysis patients in Japan. SES was assessed using family size-adjusted income levels. We divided patients into three groups based on their income levels: below the first quartile, over the second quartile and under the third quartile, and over the fourth quartile. We used the number of dialysis complications as a physical health indicator and depressive symptoms as a mental health indicator. We used a cross-classified random-effects model that estimated fixed effects of age categories and period as level-1 factors, and random effects of birth cohort as level-2 factors.ResultsRelative risk of dialysis complications in respondents below the first quartile compared with ones over the fourth quartile was reduced in age categories >60 years. Mean differences in depressive symptoms between respondents below the first quartile and ones over the fourth quartile peaked in the 50- to 59-year-old age group, and were reduced in age groups >60 years. In addition, mean differences varied across periods, widening from 1996 to 2006. There were no significant birth cohort effects on income differences for dialysis complications or depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe number of dialysis complications and depressive symptoms in dialysis patients were affected by income differences, and the degree of these differences changed with age category and period.

Hepatitis B virus infection in hemodialysis patients in Japan: Prevalence, incidence and occult hepatitis B virus infection.

A survey of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in hemodialysis (HD) patients was conducted to determine the burden and risk of infection and to suggest preventive measures against HBV infection among HD patients at nine hospitals in Hiroshima, Japan, from 1999 to 2003. HBV markers were investigated for 1860 HD patients. The prevalence, incidence of HBV and prevalence of occult HBV were calculated. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 2.6%, the positive rate of anti-hepatitis B core (HBc) was 20.6% and that of anti-hepatitis B surface (HBs) was 11.7%. Among 1372 patients who started HD after the approval of erythropoietin in Japan in 1991, the prevalence of HBsAg was 2.1%. The incidence rate of HBsAg positivity was 0/1000 person-years and the incidence of anti-HBc was 0.3/1000 person-years. Among 1812 HBsAg negative patients HBV DNA was detected in two: one case was negative for anti-HBc and anti-HBs, and the other was only positive for anti-HBc. Prevalence of occult HBV was 0.11%. The incidence rate of HBV was much lower than that of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the same cohort. We supposed that the discrepancy between incidence rate of HBV and that of HCV was caused by the difference of their carrier rates and of their characteristics for persistent infection. So, we concluded that it is prerequisite to grasp the burden of HBV carriers in the group to prevent new HBV infections in HD patients.

Dietary patterns and clinical outcomes in hemodialysis patients in Japan: a cohort study.

Background & ObjectivesLittle is known about actual dietary patterns and their associations with clinical outcomes in hemodialysis patients. We identified dietary patterns in hemodialysis patients in Japan and examined associations between dietary patterns and clinical outcomes.Design, setting, participants, measurementsWe used data from 3,080 general-population participants in the Hisayama study (year 2007), and data from 1,355 hemodialysis patients in the Japan Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (JDOPPS: years 2005–2007). Food intake was measured using a brief self-administered diet-history questionnaire (BDHQ). To identify food groups with the Hisayama population data, we used principal components analysis with Promax rotation. We adjusted the resulting food groups for total daily energy intake, and then we used those adjusted food-group scores to identify dietary patterns in the JDOPPS patients by cluster analysis (Ward’s method). We then used Cox regression to examine the association between dietary patterns and a composite of adverse clinical outcomes: hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease or death due to any cause.ResultsWe identified three food groups: meat, fish, and vegetables. Using those groups we then identified three dietary patterns: well-balanced, unbalanced, and other. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found an association between an unbalanced diet and important clinical events (hazard ratio 1.90, 95% C.I. 1.19–3.04).ConclusionsHemodialysis patients whose diet was unbalanced were more likely to have adverse clinical outcomes. Thus hemodialysis patients might benefit not only from portion control, but also from a diet that is well-balanced diet with regard to the food groups identified here as meat, fish, and vegetables.