Nephrology Care Research Articles

Implementation of kidney palliative care-lessons learned from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Advanced kidney disease is a progressive life-limiting illness associated with high symptom burden, disability, and highly intensive care near the end of life. There is growing interest in integrating palliative care principles into the care of patients with advanced kidney disease to improve care and outcomes for these patients. The United States (US) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been a leader in advancing palliative care initiatives across its health system and whose experience and approach may be instructive to other health systems seeking to develop kidney palliative care (KPC) services. Herein, we review current KPC programs in the VA and highlight the different models of care that programs have been adopted and how key components of goals of care conversations and advance care planning, symptom management, multidisciplinary care, patient selection, and quality improvement have been implemented across programs. VA KPC programs have adopted "parallel", "merged", and "embedded" models of KPC that reflect the different configurations of partnerships between nephrology and palliative care providers to deliver KPC. A primary service of VA KPC programs is providing goals of care conversations and advance care planning to referred patients and systematically documenting the outcomes of these discussions in standardized note templates in the electronic medical record. Symptom management is delivered by KPC providers through regular shared or sequential visits with patients' nephrology providers and is guided by patient responses to validated symptom surveys. Programs are staffed by allied health professionals, such as chaplains, pharmacists, social workers, and dieticians, to provide whole-person care and regularly huddle with nephrology staff to reach a shared understanding of each patient's care needs and plan. KPC programs implement champions who select patients in greatest need of KPC using a combination of clinical events that trigger referral for KPC and validated mortality risk prediction scores that are automatically generated in each patient's medical record. KPC programs also routinely collect clinical, patient-reported, process, and care quality measures to assess its services. The experiences of the VA highlight novel approaches that strive to close the care gaps in meeting the KPC needs of patients with advanced kidney disease.

Clinical practice review: outpatient palliative care for the geriatric chronic kidney disease population.

With a growing geriatric population in the United States, there is an increased need for healthcare resources and collaborative care for serious illnesses. Patients with chronic illnesses including chronic kidney disease (CKD) often experience severe symptoms and face complex decisions, many of which develop or occur in the outpatient setting. Though many of these symptoms overlap between different chronic illnesses, the CKD population remains largely untapped in terms of access to said resources; until recently, the focus in palliative care has been largely in the oncologic population. Older patients with CKD may benefit from additional tools and resources provided from collaborative care models specifically involving palliative care, especially as this population is high risk for experiencing lack of support. In this review, we use case vignettes to discuss the key concepts and roles of outpatient palliative care and how they can be integrated into the nephrology care of older patients with advanced kidney disease. These highlighted concepts include shared decision-making, selective deprescribing and symptom management, psychosocial support, and advance care planning. We also review different outpatient models for integrative palliative care, and the roles and resources of the palliative multidisciplinary team within these models and how these models can potentially be implemented in the care of CKD patients.

Palliative Care in Advanced Kidney Disease: The Approach for a Nephrologist

ABSTRACT Advanced kidney disease presents a significant burden to patients, often leading to a complex array of symptoms and challenges that impact their quality of life. Palliative care (PC), with its focus on symptom management, communication, and holistic support, plays a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of these patients. This article explores the principles of PC in the context of advanced kidney disease, highlighting the need for early integration into standard nephrology care. It also discusses PC interventions such as symptom management, psychosocial support, advanced care planning (ACP), withdrawal of dialysis, and end-of-life care. Symptom management is an essential aspect of kidney-supportive care. The psychosocial burden of advanced kidney disease on the patient and the family needs to be adequately explored along with optimum utilization of local and institutional resources. The option of withdrawal of dialysis should be considered and discussed with patients where applicable. The Supreme Court has laid down guidelines for ACP which include both medical and legal processes to be followed. End of life is a sentinel event that needs adequate medical and nursing support which should be offered keeping in mind the principle of nonabandonment.

Characteristics and needs of patients requiring nephrology care: A review of the literature

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem. However, the management of patients with CKD is confined to the diagnosis of the disease and its conventional treatment by dialysis or renal transplantation. The aim of this article is to describe the specific characteristics of patients suffering from kidney disease and to determine their needs according to the stage of their renal disease.

Spot urinary sodium in CKD patients: correlation with 24h-excretion and evaluation of commonly used prediction equations

BackgroundSalt intake in CKD patients can affect cardiovascular risk and kidney disease progression. Twenty-four hour (24h) urine collections are often used to investigate salt metabolism but are cumbersome to perform. We assessed urinary sodium (U-Na) concentration in spot urine samples and investigated the correlation with 24h U-Na excretion and concentration in CKD patients under nephrological care. Further, we studied the role of CKD stage and diuretics and evaluated the performance of commonly used formulas for the prediction of 24h U-Na excretion from spot urine samples.MethodsOne hundred eight patients of the German Chronic Kidney Disease (GCKD) study were included. Each participant collected a 24h urine and two spot urine samples within the same period. The first spot urine sample (AM) was part of the second morning urine. The second urine sample was collected before dinner (PM). Patients were advised to take their medication as usual without changing dietary habits. U-Na concentrations in the two spot urine samples and their average ((AM + PM)/2) were correlated with U-Na concentration and total Na excretion in the 24h urine collections. Correlations were subsequently studied after stratification by CKD stage and diuretic intake. The usefulness of three commonly applied equations to estimate 24h U-Na excretion from spot urine samples (Kawasaki, Tanaka and Intersalt) was determined using Bland–Altman plots, analyses of sensitivity, specificity, as well as positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV).ResultsParticipants (42 women, 66 men) were on average (± SD) 62.2 (± 11.9) years old, with a mean serum creatinine of 1.6 (± 0.5) mg/dl. 95% had arterial hypertension, 37% diabetes mellitus and 55% were on diuretics. The best correlation with 24h U-Na total excretion was found for the PM spot U-Na sample. We also found strong correlations when comparing spot and 24h urine U-Na concentration. Correction of spot U-Na for U-creatinine did not improve strength of correlations. Neither CKD stage, nor intake of diuretics had significant impact on these correlations. All examined formulas revealed a significant mean bias. The lowest mean bias and the strongest correlation between estimated and measured U-Na excretion in 24h were obtained using the Tanaka-formula. Also, application of the Tanaka-formula with PM U-Na provided best sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV to estimate U-Na excretion > 4g/d corresponding to a salt consumption > 10g/d.ConclusionU-Na concentration of spot urine samples correlated with 24h U-Na excretion especially when PM spot U-Na was used. However, correlation coefficients were relatively low. Neither CKD stage nor intake of diuretics appeared to have an influence on these correlations. There was a significant bias for all tested formulas with the Tanaka-formula providing the strongest correlation with measured 24h U-Na excretion. In summary, using spot urine samples together with the Tanaka-formula in epidemiological studies appears feasible to determine associations between approximate salt intake and outcomes in CKD patients. However, the usefulness of spot-urine samples to guide and monitor salt consumption in individual patients remains limited.

Nephrological care in Ukraine during wartime: challenges and innovations

The war in Ukraine has profoundly impacted the provision of nephrological care, presenting numerous challenges while also driving significant innovations. This study aims to analyze the availability and quality of nephrological care in Ukraine during wartime, focusing on chronic kidney disease stages 1–5D/T. The conflict has caused population displacement, restricted access to treatment, and disrupted healthcare logistics, adversely affecting nephrological care. Despite these challenges, the healthcare community has adapted through the implementation of virtual nephrology, incremental and extended dialysis regimens, and increased use of new therapy approaches. The war led to a decrease in the population and migration of medical personnel, particularly from southeastern to western Ukraine, causing staffing imbalances that were gradually addressed. Technological innovations, such as digital nephrobiopsy with immunohistochemical analysis and the use of cloud-based technology, allowed for rapid and remote diagnosis. Virtual healthcare and remote consultations ensured continuity of care, while kidney transplantation activities saw a notable increase, facilitated by advanced techniques and international aid. Despite initial logistical challenges and resource shortages, the resilience and adaptability of the Ukrainian nephrological care system have been evident. This study underscores the importance of robust contingency planning, international collaboration, and the adoption of innovative solutions to maintain healthcare delivery in conflict zones. The findings offer valuable insights into managing nephrological care under extreme conditions and highlight the potential for these innovations to improve care delivery globally.

Bridging the Gap: Challenges and Solutions in Online Nephrology Education

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created an unprecedented situation that has accelerated online education in areas like nephrology, which are traditionally served by onsite training. Efforts to educate clinicians remotely provide convenience and flexibility but may leave many open questions when it comes to how well-trained professionals maybe after completing their programs online. This review paper has emphasized the deleterious effects of online nephrology education and identified a number of ways in which it can be problematic such as lack of hands-on training, less patient interface, lack of proper supervision, and inconsistent quality of programs. The ability to make a difference, however, is further restricted by technological barriers and resource constraints. Whilst these programs tend to focus on creating knowledgeable graduates, they often fail to provide the clinical exposure necessary for preparedness. Hybrid programs - which combine online courses with clinical training in person are required to deliver high-quality nephrology care.

Bridging the Gap in Genomic Implementation: Identifying User Needs for Precision Nephrology

Genomic medicine holds transformative potential for personalized nephrology care; however, its clinical integration poses challenges. Automated clinical decision support (CDS) systems in the electronic health record (EHR) offer a promising solution but have shown limited impact. This study aims to glean practical insights into nephrologists' challenges using genomic resources, informing precision nephrology decision support tools. We conducted an anonymous electronic survey among US nephrologists from January 19, 2021 to May 19, 2021, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. It assessed practice characteristics, genomic resource utilization, attitudes, perceived knowledge, self-efficacy, and factors influencing genetic testing decisions. Survey links were primarily shared with National Kidney Foundation members. We analyzed 319 surveys, with most respondents specializing in adult nephrology. Although respondents generally acknowledged the clinical use of genomic resources, varying levels of perceived knowledge and self-efficacy were evident regarding precision nephrology workflows. Barriers to genetic testing included cost/insurance coverage and limited genomics experience. The study illuminates specific hurdles nephrologists face using genomic resources. The findings are a valuable contribution to genomic implementation research, highlighting the significance of developing tailored interventions to support clinicians in using genomic resources effectively. These findings can guide the future development of CDS systems in the EHR. Addressing unmet informational and workflow support needs can enhance the integration of genomics into clinical practice, advancing personalized nephrology care and improving kidney disease outcomes. Further research should focus on interventions promoting seamless precision nephrology care integration.

#1922 Patterns and 2-year outcomes of preemptive vascular access creation in France

Abstract Background and Aims Most studies on clinical practices regarding the type and the timing of vascular access creation are limited to patients on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) from North American settings. Our aim was to describe patterns of preemptive vascular access creation in patients under nephrology care in France, and to assess the subsequent risks of hemodialysis (HD) initiation with arteriovenous (AV) access use, HD initiation with central venous catheter (CVC) use, initiation of other KRT modality, and competing death. Method From 2013 through 2016, the CKD-REIN cohort included 3033 adult patients with CKD stages 3 to 5 from 40 outpatient nephrology clinics in France, nationally representative geographically and in terms of facility legal status (public, private not for profit, and private for profit). Participants were followed for 5 years or until initiation of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) or death, whichever came first. Patients who underwent a first vascular access creation during follow-up were eligible for this analysis. We described the type, anatomical site and timing of the first vascular access created, as well as patients’ associated characteristics. The number and type of subsequent accesses were also described. Among patients who underwent AV fistula creation first, we used the cumulative incidence functions to estimate the 2-year probabilities of HD initiation with AV access use (independently of its type or order), HD initiation with CVC use, initiation of other KRT modality, and death. Results Over a median follow-up of 5.0 years (interquartile range [IQR], 4.6 to 5.2), 535 patients (18% of the total population) underwent a first vascular access creation. 408 patients (75%) had an AV fistula as their first vascular access, 7 patients (1%), an AV graft, and 127 patients (24%), a CVC. AV fistulas were predominantly located in the lower arm (76%). The median eGFR levels at access creation were 13 (IQR, 10 to 16), 12 (10 to 14) and 9 (6 to 13) ml/min/1.73 m2 for AV fistula, AV graft, and CVC, respectively. Groups defined by their first vascular access did not differ with regards to diabetes status, but patients who received AV fistula as their first vascular access stood out for being younger and having less cardiovascular comorbidities than their counterparts who received AV graft or CVC (Table 1). In contrast to the 7 patients with first AV graft who did not have any subsequent access creation, 22% of those with first AV fistula had at least one subsequent access creation before initiating KRT. The subsequent access was a fistula in 49% of cases (54% of them in the lower arm), a CVC in 48% and a graft in 2%. The 2-year cumulative incidences of HD initiation with AV access use, HD initiation with CVC use, preemptive kidney transplantation and pre-KRT death were 61%, 14%, 2% and 5%, respectively (Fig. 1); 18% of patients undergoing a first AV fistula creation did not experience any event within two years, and 25% did not start HD. No patients received peritoneal dialysis as other KRT modality. Conclusion In this nationwide description of patterns of preemptive vascular access creation, we highlight that lower arm AV fistula is largely prioritized, even after a first failed AV fistula creation. This may contribute to the higher use of AV fistula among HD patients in France compared to North American countries. Most patients who undergo a first AV fistula creation eventually start hemodialysis with an AV access within 2 years of this creation, but 1 out of 4 do not start HD at all (because of death, preemptive transplantation, or stable kidney function). Novel tools assisting clinical decision making in preemptive AV fistula creation are needed.

#2576 Effect of dialysis versus conservative care on all-cause mortality in older patients with advanced CKD: nationwide Swedish cohort study

Abstract Background and Aims Conservative care is emerging as an alternative to dialysis in older patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, high-quality evidence comparing the effect of dialysis versus conservative care on patient survival is lacking. Previous observational studies suffered from avoidable biases, such as immortal time bias and lead time bias, and adjusted for limited confounders. This study aimed to assess the effects of dialysis versus conservative care on mortality in older patients with advanced CKD. Method The target trial emulation framework was used to design and analyze this observational study. We conducted a nationwide observational cohort study using data from the Swedish Renal Registry between 2007-2021. We included all nephrologist-referred patients with eGFR < 20 ml/min/1.73 m2 who had a registered decision for dialysis or conservative care. Eligible patients were required to be ≥ 65 years with a Davies Comorbidity Score ≥ 2 or ≥ 80 years. The primary endpoint was 5-year all-cause mortality. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to adjust for 50 baseline confounders, including demographics, comorbidities, medication use, blood pressure, laboratory measurements, hospitalizations, and calendar year. Patients in the non-overlapping region of the propensity score distribution were excluded since they had an absolute indication for dialysis or conservative care. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate intention-to-treat hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to estimate absolute risks. Additionally, we calculated the 5-year restricted mean survival times (RMST) and the 5-year RMST difference between dialysis and conservative care arms. To test the robustness and consistency of our main results, we performed a subgroup analysis in patients aged ≥80. Results Of 2834 eligible patients, 1903 had a registered choice for dialysis and 931 for conservative care. The median age was 81 years, 36.1% were female and median eGFR was 13.1 ml/min/1.73 m2. During the 5-year follow-up period, 29 conservative care patients started dialysis and 430 patients died before starting dialysis. After weighting, all confounders were balanced (standardized mean difference < 0.10). Compared to dialysis, conservative care was associated with a higher absolute 5-year risk of death (91.8% vs. 74.1%), corresponding with an absolute risk difference of 17.6% (95% CI 13.3%-21.9%) (Fig. 1). The adjusted hazard ratio for conservative care vs. dialysis was 2.3 (95% CI 2.0-2.6). The 5-year restricted mean survival times were 34.8 (95% CI 33.2-37.3) months for dialysis and 21.5 (95% CI 19.4-23.6) months for conservative care groups. The 5-year RMST difference was 13.3 months (95% CI 10.8-16.6), meaning that dialysis patients would live on average 13.3 months longer over a 5-year follow-up period than conservative care patients (Table 1). The results were consistent among people ≥ 80 years (adjusted HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.9-2.5; 5-year RMST difference 9.4 months, 95% CI 7.2-13.9). Conclusion In older patients with advanced CKD under nephrologist care, conservative care was associated with a higher risk of mortality than dialysis. These findings could improve the shared decision-making process with patients on the choice of kidney failure treatment.

#2954 A comparative view of IgA nephropathy care across four global regions

Abstract Background and Aims IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a chronic, rare, and slow progressing glomerular disease. IgAN treatment currently consists of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, corticosteroids, and recently approved Nefecon and sparsentan in select markets. This research compares approaches to IgAN treatment in four regions of the world. Method Data was collected in partnership with 730 nephrologists submitting chart data from 1,570 of their most recently seen IgAN patients to create a representative sample across the US, EU5 (UK, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain), Japan, and China via parallel online surveys in 2023. Results Regardless of their geographic location, audited patient charts revealed that hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes were the leading comorbid conditions among IgAN patients. Across the four regions evaluated, Japanese patients were the healthiest (44% have no comorbid conditions vs. 28% EU5, 25% China, 18% US) and Japanese nephrologists perceived 79% of their IgAN patients to be in “excellent” overall health. Comparatively, patients in the US had the highest calculated body mass index (28.2) and the most comorbid conditions reported. Audited records also revealed that patients in Japan and China were referred to nephrology care earlier in their CKD progression as measured by eGFR levels, with over 50% of patients referred to their current nephrologist in CKD Stages 1 or 2, compared to approximately 35% of patients in the US and EU5. Chinese nephrologists (59%) and those in the US (53%) were most likely to agree that it is easy to identify IgAN patients who are likely to have rapid progression (vs. 43% EU5 and 40% Japan). When treating their IgAN patients, Japanese nephrologists ordered labs on a more frequent basis compared to those in the US, EU5, and China and on average, Japanese patients had blood work and urinalysis labs conducted six times within the past twelve months (versus four in the other countries.) Most audited patients had a calculated annual eGFR decline of 1 ml/year or more. Chinese patients (77%) were most notable for their IgAN progression, while those in Japan were least likely to be progressing in their disease (41%). Due to its chronic nature, most IgAN patients will eventually need dialysis, and while still representative of the majority of their audited patients, US nephrologists projected the lowest percentage of IgAN patients to eventually progress to end stage renal disease (66% vs. 73% Japan, 75% EU5, and 85% China). Most participating nephrologists reported that they closely adhere to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines when treating their IgAN patients. Nearly all audited IgAN patients were on baseline therapy of ACE inhibitors or ARBs, while the uptake of SGLT2 inhibitors has been notable in China (44%), the US (43%), and EU5 (43%), with Japan (33%) trailing in current treatment rates. Meanwhile, the use of corticosteroid was also higher in patients in Japan (65%) and China (59%) compared to those in the EU5 (51%) and US (43%). Of note, tonsillectomies are frequently used as a treatment approach for IgAN patients in Japan, with 45% of patients having received the procedure, whereas this approach is used much less often in the other regions. Following a tonsillectomy, nearly all Japanese patients received a pulse of steroids, leading to higher overall corticosteroid use compared to other regions. At the time of fielding, Nefecon was available to prescribe in the US and Germany with 9% and 7% of patients currently on treatment, respectfully; however, sparsentan had not been approved in any regions. Conclusion The comparison of patient chart data across various regions reveals differences in perspectives and IgAN treatment approaches among nephrologists. Prognostic and predictive tools are available and utilized globally, but the reliability and correlation between results, lab values, and disease progression calls for better education and alignment of global treatment guidelines.

#1751 Validation of the ReDO Death Score in a Portuguese cohort

Abstract Background and Aims Mortality within the first year after dialysis start is estimated to be 20-30%, and it is mostly due to cardiovascular disease. Prognostic assessment after starting hemodialysis is challenging. Clark et al. developed the Recovery and Death Outcome risk score, which accurately predicted the likelihood of renal recovery to dialysis independence and of death within 1 year after discharge from in-hospital dialysis initiation. These models can be used at discharge or soon after patients start outpatient dialysis. We aimed to validate the Death Outcome risk score to predict one-year mortality after dialysis start in our population. Method .Retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients who initiated hemodialysis in a tertiary care hospital (Unidade Local de Saúde Santa Maria), from January 1st of 2016 to December 31st of 2019, and were discharged to outpatient dialysis. The risk of death within one year of discharge was calculated according to the ReDO score. We evaluated all-cause mortality within one year of hospital discharge. We classified patients into death outcome risk groups (labeled D1 to D4) according to the ReDO predictive score. Cox regression method was used to determine if the risk score was predictive of mortality within the first year after discharge. The discriminatory ability for the ReDO score to predict mortality was determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results 369 patients were included, with a mean age of 71.1 ± 14.3 years. The majority were male (59.9%, n = 221) and 87% were Caucasian (n = 321). The median Charlson score was 7 ± 3. The mortality rate within one year after discharge was 22.2% (n = 82). The one-year survival was significantly lower in patients with the highest probability of death (D4 = 61.3% vs. D3 = 67.6% vs. D2 = 81.3% vs. D4 = 97.3%, p < 0.001). The ReDO Death score accurately predicted the one-year risk of mortality, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.741, [95% CI (0.687–0.794), p < 0.001] (Fig. 1). The optimal REDO Death risk cut-off was >30%, with a hazard ratio of 6.57 [95% CI (3.48–12.2), p < 0.001] for one year risk of death, with a sensitivity of 78.0% and specificity of 60.6%. Conclusion We validated the ReDO score for 1-year mortality prediction after starting hemodialysis during hospitalization in a Portuguese population. This score can be used as a tool to inform goals of care discussion at the time of transition to out-of-hospital care, involving the in-hospital nephrology care team, the patient, and, if applicable, the future care team, as it can enlighten clinical decisions and, in some cases, lead to better end-of-life planning.

#1829 Intravenous contrast exposure in stable CKD 4 and 5 patients and adverse renal outcomes: a propensity-score matched study

Abstract Background and Aims Previous studies of intravenous (IV) contrast administration in patients with CKD have focused on the association between contrast exposure and AKI. Here we explore the association of IV contrast administration for CT imaging with a broader range of adverse renal outcomes in patients with advanced CKD (stages 4 and 5). Method Data covering nephrology care in the West of Scotland were obtained from the Strathclyde Electronic Renal Patient Record. We included adult patients with an incident CT scan and an eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 between April 2008 and May 2020. Patients with AKI were excluded. Structured query language (SQL) was used to analyse CT scan reports and identify whether IV contrast had been administered or not. Patient demographics (age, sex, Scottish index of multiple deprivation), co-morbidities, laboratory tests (including eGFR slope for 6 months preceding the study calculated by linear regression, eGFR at time of CT, C-reactive protein, urine protein:creatinine ratio), anthropometric measurements (blood pressure, body mass index), and medications were collected. The primary outcome was a composite renal outcome (AKI, sustained eGFR drop, renal replacement therapy [RRT], and renal death). Secondary outcomes included individual components of the composite outcome and all-cause death. AKI was defined as a 25% creatinine rise from index creatinine between days 7 and 14 post CT. Sustained eGFR drop was defined as two consecutive eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 more than 4 weeks apart. Renal death was defined as death from acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease or end stage renal disease without dialysis. A propensity-score matched dataset was created using a 1:2 ratio with no replacement. Multivariable logistic, proportional hazards and Fine-Gray (competing risks) regressions were used to identify independent correlates of the primary and secondary outcomes. Missing data were multiply imputed using the “mice: Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations” package on R studio. Results 9226 patients with an eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 underwent an incident CT scan during the study period. Among 6371 patients meeting the inclusion criteria (3067 (48.1%) men; mean [SD] age 72.8 [13.8] years; mean [SD] eGFR 20.4 [6.9] ml/min/1.73 m2), 875 had received IV contrast. A propensity-score matched dataset was generated consisting of 875 patients who had a contrast CT and 1750 patients with non-contrast CT. On multivariable analysis, contrast administration was associated with a higher risk of AKI (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.06-2.10, p = 0.02) but not with the composite renal outcome (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.66-1.20, p = 0.45). Contrast administration did not change the risk of a sustained eGFR drop (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.54-1.43, p = 0.60), RRT (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.61-1.20, p = 0.36), or all-cause death (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.76-1.19, p = 0.65). We did not identify an effect of contrast administration on the time to composite renal outcome, RRT, or all-cause death by Cox regression (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70-1.22, p = 0.56; HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.64-1.23, p = 0.46; and HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.94-1.20, p = 0.30, respectively). On Fine-Gray regression, we did not identify an impact of contrast administration on the risk of RRT (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.63-1.12, p = 0.24) or death (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.95-1.20, p = 0.27). In subgroup analysis in patients with an index eGFR < 20 mL/min/1.73 m2, contrast administration was not associated with the composite renal outcome (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.51-1.22, p = 0.28), RRT (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.52-1.39, p = 0.51), AKI (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.66-2.45, p = 0.46), or death (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.64-1.39, p = 0.76). Conclusion In a stable population with advanced CKD, we identified an association between IV contrast administration and the risk of AKI, but this did not translate in adverse long-term renal outcomes. These findings suggest that increases in serum creatinine post-IV contrast in patients with stable CKD are not clinically significant.

#2255 Impact and interest of using the EKFC formula instead of CKD-EPI in estimating GFR in the laboratory on clinical practice

Abstract Background and Aims Early diagnosing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is of major importance in daily practice, and the automatic reporting of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for all plasma creatinine (Pcr) determinations is mandatory. The CKD-EPI 2009 formula [1] is considered the most accurate creatinine-based GFR estimating formula in adults in Europe and is currently utilized by laboratories. However, CKD-EPI equation is inadequate in young adults < 25 years and CKD-EPI equation is debated in the elderly over 75 years, with the BIS1 equation [2] showing better performance in this age group. The creatinine-based European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equation [3] provides continuous GFR estimation from 2 years to adulthood and the elderly, presenting itself as a potential alternative to both the CKD-EPI and BIS1 equations. Our objective was to assess the impact of using the EKFC equation (and/or BIS1 in the elderly) compared to CKD-EPI in daily practice in identifying patients with a GFR < 60 or < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2, which represents the threshold for referring to a nephrologist and adjusting drug dosage, respectively. Method We retrieved data from the laboratory database, including gender, age, and the lowest measurement of Pcr for all patients over 18 years who underwent Pcr determination in November 2023. eGFR was calculated for all patients using the CKD-EPI and the EKFC equation. For patients over 70 years, eGFR was also estimated with the BIS1 equation. Pcr was assessed using an enzymatic method traceable to IDMS (Architect c®, Abbott Diagnostics). Results were expressed as the mean bias between EKFC and BIS1, and CKD-EPI (considered as the reference) according to age groups, and as the number of patients misclassified as < 60 or < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2. Results 10 066 patients (50.5% females, mean age 56.0 ± 21.2 years [18.0-106.7]) underwent Pcr determination (mean 84.7 ± 72.3 µmol/L) with 1 706 (16.9%) and 405 (4.0%) having a GFR < 60 or < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively. EKFC and BIS underestimated CKD-EPI eGFR in all groups, but especially in the groups of young adults and the elderly. However, the number of misclassified patients is small, except in the elderly when CKD-EPI is considered less accurate. Conclusion The use of EKFC in laboratories to estimate eGFR offers continuous GFR estimation from 2 years to adulthood and elderly and could be an alternative to both CKD-EPI and BIS1. The automatic reporting of eGFR with EKFC by laboratories in Europe could allow for an earlier diagnosis of CKD and initiation of nephroprotection in young adults, in addition to providing better nephrological care for the elderly.

#518 Fatigue in all stages of chronic kidney disease: patients’ experiences and needs for support

Abstract Background and Aims Fatigue is a commonly reported symptom in all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has a major impact on patients’ daily lives. Until now, predominantly qualitative research has contributed to our knowledge about CKD patients' experiences and perceptions of fatigue, and this knowledge is mostly constrained to the dialysis population. Therefore, the aim of this survey study was to explore in all stages of CKD: 1) patients’ experienced burden of fatigue, its impact on their daily lives, and presumed causes of their fatigue; 2) patients’ experiences and needs related to support, discussion and treatment of fatigue. Method In The Netherlands, a survey was constructed, consisting of twenty multiple-choice questions and six open-ended questions, to assess patients’ demographics; experiences, burden and impact of fatigue; presumed causes of fatigue; perceived social support; and experiences and needs regarding discussion and treatment of fatigue during routine nephrology care. This web-based survey was developed together with and distributed by the Dutch Kidney Patients Association, and all surveys were completed between 10 January 2023 and 23 July 2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results, also stratified by CKD population (CKD prior to kidney replacement therapy [KRT], dialysis, and kidney transplantation [KT]), sex (male and female), and age (18-50, 50-70, and ≥70 years). Results In total, 385 Dutch patients completed the survey. Participants had a mean (standard deviation) age of 58.2 (13.5) years and 42% was male. Overall, results were quite similar for all CKD populations: CKD prior to KRT (n = 130), dialysis (n = 39), and KT (n = 216). More specifically, fatigue was often experienced in the previous month (range percentages across the CKD populations: 92-100%) and present for longer than 6 months (77-92%). The most frequently reported presumed cause of fatigue was related to the reduced kidney function (41%), followed by treatment-related factors (25%; e.g. medication and dialysis). Patients in all CKD populations reported a high burden of fatigue (76-87%) that belonged in the top three of most burdensome symptoms (79-87%). Compared to elderly patients, younger patients reported more often fatigue in mental, social, and emotional domains; hereby limiting them more often in education/work, social activities, and relationships/family life. In all age groups, the majority of patients experienced barriers in tasks within the household (71-83%). In 32% of all patients, fatigue was never or rarely discussed with the treating physician, with the most important reasons being that patients assumed fatigue is part of their disease, and the lack of attention and efforts from the physician to discuss or treat fatigue. Of those patients who did discuss fatigue, 67% did not receive any advice or treatment from their physician. Of those who did receive advice or treatment (e.g. physical exercise), most patients (58%) believed it did not help to feel less tired. Finally, patients prior to KRT, women, and patients aged 18-50 years, reported more often receiving insufficient social support (42-65%;37-60%). Many of them desired acknowledgment of their debilitating symptom burdens, and more information about treatments and coping strategies for fatigue and its consequences. Conclusion In all stages of CKD, patients experience a high fatigue burden and insufficient support for their fatigue. To address this high symptom burden and patients’ unmet needs, it is important to: structurally measure (the burden of) fatigue in all CKD stages (e.g. using PROMs), strengthen social support for patients who experience fatigue, ensure that symptoms such as fatigue are discussed during consultations, and improve multidisciplinary symptom management with special attention for embedding psychosocial educational support to deal with (the consequences of) fatigue. Further research is needed to develop and implement such multidisciplinary symptom (communication and treatment) strategies into routine nephrology care.

#1051 Association between anemia/iron deficiency and health-related quality of life in patients with advanced CKD: the Reach-J CKD cohort study

Abstract Background and Aims Low Hb and low TSAT levels are associated with worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients from Brazil, France and USA in the CKD outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps). However, there is little evidence for those in Asian countries. We aimed to evaluate the association between anemia/iron deficiency and HRQOL in Japan. Method We conducted a nationwide cohort study of Japanese patients with advanced CKD. We recruited 2249 patients with stage G3b-5 CKD receiving nephrologist care from 31 representative facilities throughout Japan, randomly selected with stratification by region and facility size, aligned with the CKDopps. The association between Hb and TSAT levels at enrolment and HRQOL derived from KDQOL-36 was evaluated. Results Mean age was 69.1 ± 12.6 years; 35.2% were female; mean body mass index was 23.6 ± 4.8 kg/m, mean eGFR was 23.2 ± 10.5 mL/min/1.73 m2. Mean Hb was 11.7 g/dL, mean TSAT was 31.4% and ferritin was 147.4 ng/mL. The mean physical component summary (PCS) scores, mental component summary (MCS) scores and scores on the three KDQOL subscales were worse with Hb <10, compared to ≥10 g/dL. Few differences in PCS and MCS scores were seen between the TSAT levels. Conclusion In Japanese patients with CKD, HRQOL was worse with Hb <10 g/dL and not associated with TSAT levels. These data will provide important information for international comparisons and the clinical practice of Asian patients with CKD.

Przypadek nieszczelności zespolenia wywołanej zakażeniem <i>Candida albicans</i> u 64-letniej pacjentki po przeszczepieniu nerki, leczonej w trybie nagłym poprzez wszczepienie pomostu biodrowo-udowego z dostępu nadłonowego

IntroductionVascular complications are a rare but important risk factor for failure and loss of kidney graft, increasing the mortality of renal graft recipients.Case reportWe present the case of massive haemorrhage due to the rupture of the arterial anastomosis caused by <i>Candida albicans</i> infection in a 64-year old female kidney graft recipient managed with suprapubic iliofemoral bypass during emergency life-saving graft nephrectomy performed in our unit. The postoperative period was complicated by femoral vein thrombosis and intraabdominal fluid collection. After 33 days, with a well-functioning iliofemoral bypass, the patient was discharged to the nephrology unit. At the 12-month follow-up, the patient is functioning well, receiving nephrological care and haemodialysis treatment.ConclusionsRoutine fungal cultures of graft preservation fluid and radiological follow-up in high-risk patients after transplantation may be helpful in the prevention of fatal complications in the high-risk patient group – especially if digestive tract injury occurred during organ harvesting. Nevertheless, histological examination remains the gold standard for the detection of fungal arteritis. Negative culture samples from the preservation fluid, blood and urine before the transplantation do not exclude the risk of fungal infection. Urgent allograft nephrectomy with resection and reconstruction of changed vessels seems to be the safest approach in ruptured anastomotic pseudoaneurysm, as shown in our case.

A Community-Based Nephrology and Palliative Care Partnership to Improve Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Care

A Community-Based Nephrology and Palliative Care Partnership to Improve Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Care

Informed Dialysis Modality Selection Among Veterans With Advanced CKD: A Community-Level Needs Assessment

The Advancing Americans Kidney Health Executive order has directed substantial increases in home dialysis use for incident kidney replacement therapy (KRT). Clinical guidelines recommend patients' self-selection of KRT modality through a shared decision-making process, which, at the minimum, requires predialysis nephrology care and KRT-directed comprehensive prekidney failure patient education (CoPE). The current state of these essential services among Americans with advanced (stages 4 and 5) chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their informed preferences for home dialysis are unknown. We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional, observational cohort study across a large regional Veteran Healthcare System from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. Of the 928 Veterans with advanced CKD, 287 (30.9%) were invited for needs assessment evaluations. Of the 218 (76% of invited cohort) responding, 178 (81.6%) were receiving nephrology care, with approximately half of those (43.6%) receiving such care from non-Veterans Affairs providers. The study was targeted to assess the prevalent state of ongoing nephrology care and KRT-directed pre-kidney failure education among Veterans with advanced CKD. The secondary outcome included evaluation of dialysis decision-making state among Veterans with advanced CKD. Veterans with advanced CKD with 2 sustained estimated glomerular filtration rates<30mL/min/1.73m2 were identified through an electronic database query, and a randomly selected cohort was invited for their current state of and outstanding needs for predialysis nephrology care and CoPE, essential for informed KRT selection. Basic awareness of kidney disease was high (92.2%) among Veterans with advanced CKD, although only 38.5% were aware of the severity of their CKD. KRT-directed education during clinical care was reported by 46.8% of Veterans, of which 21.1% reported having received targeted CoPE classes. Three-quarters (74.3%) of Veterans expressed interest in receiving CoPE services. Overall, awareness of CKD and its severity and receipt of KRT-directed education were significantly higher among Veterans with nephrology care than among those without. Of the 61 Veterans providing their KRT preferences, overall decision making was poor, with three-quarters (73.8%) of the cohort unable to choose any KRT modality, irrespective of ongoing nephrology care. Only 8 (13%) felt confident choosing home KRT modalities. The study results are primarily applicable to the Veterans with advanced CKD. Furthermore, a limited numbers of respondents provided data on their KRT decision-making state, prohibiting broad generalizations. In a first-of-its-kind community-based needs assessment evaluation among Veterans with advanced CKD, we found that awareness of kidney disease is positively associated with nephrology care; however, the informed KRT selection capabilities are universally poor, irrespective of nephrology care. Our results demonstrate a critical gap between the recommended and prevalent nephrology practices such as KRT-directed education and targeted CoPE classes required for informed patient-centered home dialysis selection in advanced CKD.

Interactive exploration of adverse events and multimorbidity in CKD.

Persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of adverse events, early mortality, and multimorbidity. A detailed overview of adverse event types and rates from a large CKD cohort under regular nephrological care is missing. We generated an interactive tool to enable exploration of adverse events and their combinations in the prospective, observational German CKD (GCKD) study. The GCKD study enrolled 5217 participants under regular nephrological care with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 30-60 or >60mL/min/1.73m2 and an overt proteinuria. Cardio-, cerebro- and peripheral vascular, kidney, infection, and cancer events, as well as deaths were adjudicated following a standard operation procedure. We summarized these time-to-event data points for exploration in interactive graphs within an R shiny app. Multivariable adjusted Cox models for time to first event were fitted. Cumulative incidence functions, Kaplan-Meier curves and intersection plots were used to display main adverse events and their combinations by sex and CKD etiology. Over a median of 6.5 years, 10271 events occurred in total and 680 participants (13.0%) died while 2947 participants (56.5%) experienced any event. The new publicly available interactive platform enables readers to scrutinize adverse events and their combinations as well as mortality trends as a gateway to better understand multimorbidity in CKD: incident rates per 1000 patient-years varied by event type, CKD etiology, and baseline characteristics. Incidence rates for the most frequent events and their recurrence were 113.6 (cardiovascular), 75.0 (kidney), and 66.0 (infection). Participants with diabetic kidney disease and men were more prone to experiencing events. This comprehensive explorative tool to visualize adverse events (https://gckd.diz.uk-erlangen.de/), their combination, mortality, and multimorbidity among persons with CKD may manifest as a valuable resource for patient care, identification of high-risk groups, health services, and public health policy planning.