Prevalent End-stage Renal Disease Patients Research Articles

Abstract 16193: Differences in Mortality Between Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices and End-Stage Renal Disease on Peritoneal Dialysis versus Hemodialysis

Introduction: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with concomitant heart failure often require left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), but the impact on mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) versus hemodialysis (HD) is unclear. This study aims to compare mortality rates in prevalent and incident ESRD patients with LVADs on PD versus HD. Hypothesis: We hypothesize differences in mortality rates and heart transplantation rates between LVAD patients on PD versus HD. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis used data from the TriNetX Research Network database. Propensity score matching compared two cohorts: LVAD with HD (Cohort 1) and LVAD with PD (Cohort 2). Demographic data, comorbidities, and baseline laboratory values were collected. Mortality rates were assessed using risk analyses over a 3-year period following LVAD placement. Results: The study cohorts included 252 patients each after propensity score matching, with mean ages of 63.8 ± 14.3 years (Cohort 1) and 62.87 ± 15.4 years (Cohort 2). No significant differences were observed in demographic data including gender, race, or ethnicity between the two cohorts. The mortality rate did not significantly differ between Cohort 1 (HD) and Cohort 2 (PD) (0.563 vs. 0.603), with a risk difference of -0.04 (95% CI: -0.126, 0.046, p = 0.366). The risk ratio and odds ratio for mortality also showed no significant differences. Conclusion: ESRD patients with LVADs receiving PD demonstrated similar mortality rates compared to those receiving HD. These findings suggest that dialysis modality does not seem to influence mortality outcomes in patients with LVAD. Further research is needed to better understand the differences between these complex patient populations.

Impact of the Kidney Transplantation Moratorium in France Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort-based Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in worldwide kidney transplantation (KT) moratoriums. The impacts of these moratoriums on the life expectancy of KT candidates remain unclear. We simulated the evolution of several French candidate populations for KT using a multistate semi-Markovian approach and according to moratorium durations ranging from 0 to 24 mo. The transition rates were modeled from the 63 927 French patients who began dialysis or were registered on the waiting list for KT between 2011 and 2019. Among the 8350 patients active on the waiting list at the time of the French KT moratorium decided on March 16, 2020, for 2.5 mo, we predicted 4.0 additional months (confidence interval [CI], 2.8-5.0) on the waiting list and 42 additional deaths (CI, -70 to 150) up to March 16, 2030, compared with the scenario without moratorium. In this population, we reported a significant impact for a 9-mo moratorium duration: 135 attributable deaths (CI, 31-257) up to March 16, 2030. Patients who became active on the list after March 2020 were less impacted; there was a significant impact for an 18-mo moratorium (175 additional deaths [CI, 21-359]) in the 10 862 prevalent end-stage renal disease patients on March 16, 2020 and for a 24-mo moratorium (189 additional deaths [CI, 10-367]) in the 16 355 incident end-stage renal disease patients after this date. The temporary moratorium of KT during a COVID-19 peak represents a sustainable decision to free up hospitals' resources if the moratorium does not exceed a prolonged period.

Post-dialysis fatigue: Comparison of bicarbonate hemodialysis and online hemodiafiltration.

The present cross-sectional study aimed to compare the prevalence, the characteristics of post-dialysis fatigue and the length of recovery time after hemodialysis in prevalent end-stage renal disease patients (ESRD) receiving bicarbonate hemodialysis (HD) or hemodiafiltration (HDF). Patients were suffering from post-dialysis fatigue if they spontaneously offered this complaint when asked the open-ended question: "Do you feel fatigued after dialysis?". Moreover, each patient was invited to rate the intensity, duration, and frequency of post-dialysis fatigue from 1 to 5. In order to assess RECOVERY TIME AFTER DIALYSIS, patients were invited to answer to the following single open-ended question: "How long does it take you to recover from a dialysis session?" We included 335 patients: 252 received HD and 83 received HDF. Post-dialysis fatigue was present in 204 patients (60.9%). Prevalence of post-dialysis fatigue did not differ significantly between patients on HD (62.3%) and on HDF (56.6%; p=0.430). Median recovery time after dialysis was 180 min [180-240] and did not differ significantly between the two subgroups (180 min [130-240] and 240 min [120-332] p=0.671, respectively). Median post-dialysis fatigue intensity, duration, and frequency were 3 [1-5], 3 [1-5], and 4 [1-5] and did not differ significantly between patients on HD and on HDF. At the multivariate analysis, age, ADL and hemoglobin levels were the independent predictors of the HDF treatment. Prevalence and characteristics of post-dialysis fatigue do not differ significantly between patients receiving bicarbonate HD or HDF.

Worldwide Epidemiology of Diabetes-Related End-Stage Renal Disease, 2000-2015.

The annual risk among patients with diabetes of reaching end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is largely unknown worldwide. This study aimed to compare the incidence of diabetes-related ESRD by creating a global atlas during 2000-2015. The annual incidence of ESRD among patients with diabetes was calculated as the quotient of the number of incident ESRD patients with diabetes divided by the total number of patients with diabetes after subtraction of the number with existing ESRD. The estimated ESRD prevalence and annual incidence were validated with use of the data provided by Fresenius Medical Care, Germany, and previously reported data, respectively. Data were obtained from 142 countries, covering 97.3% of the world population. The global percentage of the prevalent ESRD patients with diabetes increased from 19.0% in 2000 to 29.7% in 2015 worldwide, while the percentage of incident ESRD patients due to diabetes increased from 22.1% to 31.3%. The global annual incidence of ESRD among patients with diabetes increased from 375.8 to 1,016.0/million with diabetes during 2000-2015. The highest average rates were observed in the Western Pacific Region. Comparatively, the rates of incident ESRD among European patients with diabetes ranged from one-half (309.2 vs. 544.6) to one-third (419.4 vs. 1,245.2) of the rates of the Western Pacific population during 2000-2015. Great and nonrandom geographic variation in the annual rates among patients with diabetes of reaching ESRD suggests that distinct health care, environmental, and/or genetic factors contribute to the progression of diabetic kidney disease. Measures to prevent and treat diabetes-related ESRD require better patient susceptibility stratification.

SAT-354 SOCIOECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AND KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION OUTCOMES: A NATIONWIDE STUDY OF SOUTH KOREA

A nationwide study regarding the association between socioeconomic dependency accessibility to or prognosis of kidney transplantation has been rarely studied, particularly in an Asian country covering nationwide information. In this nationwide cohort study, we reviewed the claims database of South Korea. We included 12,899 kidney transplant recipients from 2007 to 2015 and stratified them according to health insurance types that reflect their socioeconomic independence: workplace-independent, workplace-dependent (dependent to the workplace-independent, N=3,661), community-representative (head members of households but self-employed or unemployed, N=2,479), community-independent (dependent to the community-representative, N=1,618), aided-representative (head members of households receiving medical aid by the government, N=1,580), and aided-member (dependent to the aided-representative, N=294). We calculated the incidence proportion of kidney transplantation among prevalent end-stage renal disease patients in each year to assess access to kidney transplantation with those age under 70. We evaluated the risk of graft failure using the Cox proportional hazard models. The recipients who were employed (workplace-independent group) had the highest incidence proportion of kidney transplantation. In addition, the prognoses of the socioeconomically dependent groups were significantly worse than the prognoses of their independent counterparts were [workplace-dependent versus workplace-independent, adjusted HR 1.26 (1.11-1.43) and community-dependent versus community-independent, adjusted HR 1.46 (1.23-1.74)]. Such prognostic disparity based on socioeconomic dependence was not observed within the aided subgroups [aided-dependent versus aided-independent, adjusted HR 1.16 (0.90-1.50)]. Socioeconomic independence may be a major determinant of the access to and prognosis for kidney transplantation. ESRD patients may be encouraged to remain employed or socioeconomically independent status.

The association of overhydration with chronic inflammation in chronic maintenance hemodiafiltration patients.

Achieving euvolemia is one of the major challenges when treating end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving maintenance renal replacement therapy. Fluid overload is recognized as an independent predictor of mortality in ESRD, but its association with chronic inflammation is less well explored especially in chronic maintenance hemodiafiltration. We performed a cross-sectional study of 87 prevalent ESRD patients receiving chronic maintenance hemodiafiltration (vintage 66.5 ± 57.1 months) with bioimpedance analysis to characterize the degree of percent overhydration (OH%). We also compared the levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), serum albumin, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and hemoglobin red cell distribution width (RDW) for the overhydrated (OH% ≥ 15%) versus euvolemic (OH% < 15%) groups. Linear regression analysis was performed to explore relationships between the degree of OH and inflammatory indicators. The cohort represented an all-European population with a mean age of 60.9 ± 14.7 years and prevalence of diabetes mellitus of 27%. The entire cohort's OH% was 14.9% ± 5.1% (range -11.1% to 39.0%); further, the <15% group of patients' OH% was 8.0% ± 8.5% versus 20.9% ± 5.1% in the OH% ≥ 15% group (P < 0.0001). Forty-seven patients (53%) were overhydrated by traditional criteria (OH% ≥15%) and 20 patients (23%) were severely overhydrated (OH% > 20%). The euvolemic (OH% <15%) versus severely overhydrated (OH% > 20%) groups had significant differences in markers of inflammation: CRP (9.8 ± 10.6 vs. 21.5 ± 21.6 mg/L, P < 0.006), serum albumin (37.6 ± 02.9 vs. 34.5 ± 5.3 g/L, P < 0.004), and NLR (3.06 ± 1.25 vs. 3.92 ± 2.04; P < 0.004). On linear regression, significant correlations were found between OH% and CRP (r = 0.2899, P < 0.006), serum albumin (r = -0.3670; P < 0.0005), RDW (r = 0.2992; P < 0.005), and NLR (r = 0.2900; P < 0.006). In a prevalent hemodiafiltration cohort, OH was common and correlated with several inflammatory markers.

Risk Factors for 3-Year-Mortality and a Tool to Screen Patient in Dialysis Population.

Introduction:Clinical parameters especially co-morbidities among end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are associated with mortality. This study aims to determine the risk factors that are associated with mortality within three years among prevalent patients with ESRD.Methods:This is a cohort study where prevalent ESRD patients' details were recorded between May 2012 and October 2012. Their records were matched with national death record at the end of year 2015 to identify the deceased patients within three years. Four models were formulated with two models were based on logistic regression models but with different number of predictors and two models were developed based on risk scoring technique. The preferred models were validated by using sensitivity and specificity analysis.Results:A total of 1332 patients were included in the study. Majority succumbed due to cardiovascular disease (48.3%) and sepsis (41.3%). The identified risk factors were mode of dialysis (P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001), chronic heart disease (P < 0.001) and leg amputation (P = 0.016). The accuracy of four models was almost similar with AUC between 0.680 and 0.711. The predictive models from logistic regression model and risk scoring model were selected as the preferred models based on both accuracy and simplicity. Besides the mode of dialysis, diabetes mellitus and its complications are the important predictors for early mortality among prevalent ESRD patients.Conclusions:The models either based on logistic regression or risk scoring model can be used to screen high risk prevalent ESRD patients.

Provincial Needs Assessment to Determine the Current State of Glomerulonephritis Care in Ontario.

Background:Despite its relative rarity, glomerulonephritis (GN) accounts for 20% of prevalent end-stage renal disease patients in Ontario. Early identification and appropriate management of GN to delay progression of disease can reduce patient morbidity and health system costs. As such, a provincial GN needs assessment was conducted to inform on the development of the provincial GN strategic framework in Ontario.Objective:To understand the current state of GN care in Ontario from nephrologist, hospital administrator, and patient and family perspectives.Design:Cross-sectional.Settings:26 regional renal programs in Ontario.Patients:23 patients and family members living with GN who do not require renal replacement therapy.Measurements:Patient and family member interviews as well as a survey of nephrologists.Methods:The study included 3 components: (1) interviews with patients and family members, (2) a survey of nephrologists, and (3) interviews with regional renal programs. The Ontario Renal Network provincial office developed the needs assessment questions and the physician survey questions after consultation with practicing nephrologists and hospital administrators. Thematic analysis was used to assess interview data and descriptive statistics to assess survey data.Results:Interviews with patients and family members (n = 23) identified gaps in care related to diagnosis and referral to nephrology care, education and decision-making, and psychosocial supports. The survey of nephrologists (n = 74) identified various issues that contribute to unstandardized GN care across Ontario, including a lack of provincial expertise in providing complex GN care, access to medication, multidisciplinary team support as well as patient education, and psychosocial supports. Interviews with regional renal programs aligned with interview and survey findings (n = 11).Limitations:Interviews with patients and family members were facilitated by 1 interviewer and limited to 20 interviews due to resource limitations. All nephrologists, patients, and family members who participated in the survey and interviews were volunteers and English-speaking, which may have resulted in self-selection bias.Conclusions:The provincial GN needs assessment emphasized the necessity to develop and implement a provincial GN strategy. The strategic framework includes 4 objectives: (1) ensure patients are supported to make informed decisions, (2) establish a provincial model of care, (3) leverage data to enable planning, decision-making, and monitoring of outcomes, and (4) ensure appropriate access to medication. This is the first Ontario strategy to address provincial gaps in GN care.

The association of overhydration with megafistulas in hemodialysis patients

Objectives: Diffuse enlargements of arteriovenous dialysis fistulas customarily attributed to either excessive arterial inflow or central outflow stenosis. The relationship between volume status and clinically enlarged (arteriovenous) fistula (CEF) formation in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients is not well understood.Methods: We assessed the pre-dialysis bioimpedance spectroscopy-measured percentage of overhydration (OH%) in 13 prevalent dialysis patients with CEF development and negative angiography and compared the results with those of 52 control dialysis patients (CONTR). All patients were prevalent ESRD patients receiving thrice-weekly maintenance hemodiafiltration at an academic outpatient dialysis unit.Results: 10/13 CEF patients had OH% ≥15% as compared to 20/52 control patients (Chi square p: .02). The degree of OH% was 20.2 ± 7.4% among the CEF vs. 14.4 ± 7.1% in the control group (Student’s t-test p: .01), representing 4.2 ± 3.2 vs. 2.8 ± 1.6 L of excess fluid pre-dialysis (p: .03). Patients with CEF development took an average of 1.7 ± 1.4 vs. 0.8 ± 0.8 (p: .002) antihypertensive medications compared to the CONTR patients, yet their blood pressure was higher: 156/91 vs. 141/78 mmHg (systolic/diastolic p: .03<.0001). We found no difference in fistula vintage, body mass index, age, diabetes status, or diuretic use. The odds ratio of having a CEF in patients with ≥15% OH status was 5.3 (95% CI: 1.3–21.7; p: .01), the Number Needed to Harm with overhydration was 4.Conclusions: There is an association between bioimpedance spectroscopy-measured overhydrated clinical state and the presence of CEF; either as an increased volume capacitance or as a potential cause.

Racial/ethnic disparities in waitlisting for deceased donor kidney transplantation 1 year after implementation of the new national kidney allocation system.

The impact of a new national kidney allocation system (KAS) on access to the national deceased-donor waiting list (waitlisting) and racial/ethnic disparities in waitlisting among US end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients is unknown. We examined waitlisting pre- and post-KAS among incident (N=1253100) and prevalent (N=1556954) ESRD patients from the United States Renal Data System database (2005-2015) using multivariable time-dependent Cox and interrupted time-series models. The adjusted waitlisting rate among incident patients was 9% lower post-KAS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-0.93), although preemptive waitlisting increased from 30.2% to 35.1% (P<.0001). The waitlisting decrease is largely due to a decline in inactively waitlisted patients. Pre-KAS, blacks had a 19% lower waitlisting rate vs whites (HR: 0.81; 95% CI, 0.80-0.82); following KAS, disparity declined to 12% (HR: 0.88; 95% CI, 0.85-0.90). In adjusted time-series analyses of prevalent patients, waitlisting rates declined by 3.45/10000 per month post-KAS (P<.001), resulting in ≈146 fewer waitlisting events/month. Shorter dialysis vintage was associated with greater decreases in waitlisting post-KAS (P<.001). Racial disparity reduction was due in part to a steeper decline in inactive waitlisting among minorities and a greater proportion of actively waitlisted minority patients. Waitlisting and racial disparity in waitlisting declined post-KAS; however, disparity remains.

The Prevalence, Association, and Clinical Outcomes of Frailty in Maintenance Dialysis Patients

To investigate the clinical implications of frailty in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and chronic peritoneal dialysis. In this prospective study, all of the participants completed the Short Form of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life questionnaire, Korean version, to determine their frailty phenotype. We also obtained blood chemistry and demographic data at enrollment. Data regarding the history of hospitalization and death were collected during the follow-up period. We recruited 1,658 patients (1,255 maintenance hemodialysis and 403 chronic peritoneal dialysis) from multidialysis units (n=27). We excluded patients who had been hospitalized in the previous 3months. Hospitalization and survival rate during study period. The participants' mean age was 55.2±11.9years old, and 55.2% were male. Among the participants, 34.8% were rated as frail and 45.7% as prefrail. Multivariate analysis demonstrated significant associations of frailty with age, comorbidity, disability, unemployment, higher body mass index, and a lower educational level. During the follow-up period (median 17.1months), 608 patients (79 not frail, 250 prefrail, and 279 frail) were hospitalized, and 87 patients (10 not frail, 24 prefrail, and 53 frail) died (P<.001). Frailty was associated with hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval: 1.38-2.36) and mortality (hazard ratio, 2.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.11-5.02). The frailty phenotype was common even in, prevalent end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis, and was significantly associated with higher rates of hospitalization and mortality.

Quality of life scores should be compared before and after patients have undergone dialysis

lettersQuality of life scores should be compared before and after patients have undergone dialysis Hakan Sarlak, Sait Demirkol, Sevket Balta, Mustafa Cakar, Omer Kurt, and Muharram Akhan Hakan Sarlak Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey Search for more papers by this author , Sait Demirkol Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey Search for more papers by this author , Sevket Balta Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey Search for more papers by this author , Mustafa Cakar Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey Search for more papers by this author , Omer Kurt Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey Search for more papers by this author , and Muharram Akhan Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey Search for more papers by this author Published Online::3 Oct 2013https://doi.org/10.5144/0256-4947.2013.510aSectionsPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail AboutIntroductionTo the Editor: We intentionally read the article “Quality of life (QoL) in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in Saudi” written by Wakeel et al with great interest.1 They concluded that the quality of life (QoL) was better among peritoneal dialysis (PD) than hemodialysis (HD) patients in all domains except physical domain. PD patients spent more quality time and were more satisfied than HD patients.1In the last years, advances in dialysis procedures and new guidelines to treat the chronic renal failure patients have improved their treatment and prolonged their lives. At the same time, the concept of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) strengthened as a new goal to be achieved. The current dialysis guidelines enforce treatments to achieve similar outcomes in the long run, independently of the choice of dialysis treatment.2 Manns et al. in their study concluded that there was no significant difference in HRQoL for prevalent end-stage renal disease patients treated with HD or PD.3 In another study, Wu et al. concluded that that PD did not seem to produce a better QoL than HD for patients who imitated renal replacement therapy. 4 Ginieri-Coccossis. et al. in their study concluded that the results provided evidence that patients in HD treatment modality, particularly those with many years of treatment, experienced a more compromised QoL in comparison to PD patients.5 The results may change due to sociodemographic characteristics of patients. We think that the comparison of the two groups could be more meaningful if the QoL is measured before and after patients are undergone dialysis. Another point of discussion could be that the variations in study results may vary upon longer follow-up durations of these patients.ARTICLE REFERENCES:1. Al Wakeel Jamal, Al Harbi Ali, Bayoumi Magda, Al-Suwaida Karaem, Al Ghonaim Mohammed, Mishkirye Adel. "Quality of life in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in Saudi Arabia" . Ann Saudi Med. 2012; 32(6):570-574. Google Scholar2. Arenas Valquiria Greco, Barros Luciene Fatima Neves Monteiro, Lemos Francine Barros. "Quality of Life: Comparison between patients on automated peritoneal dialysis and patients on hemodialysis" . Acta Paul Enferm. 2009; 22(Especial-Nefrologia)535-9. Google Scholar3. Manns B, Johnson JA, Taub K, Mortis G, Ghali WA, Donaldson C. "Quality of life in patients treated with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis: what are the important determinants?" Clin Nephrol. 2003; 60(5):341-51. Google Scholar4. Wu AW, Fink NE, Marsh-Manzi JV, Meyer KB, Finkelstein FO, Chapman MM, Powe NR. "Changes in quality of life during hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatment: generic and disease spesific measures" . J Am Soc Nephrol. 2004; 15(3):743-53. Google Scholar5. Ginieri-Coccossis M, Theofilou P, Synodinou C, Tomaras V, Soldatos C. "Quality of life, mental health and health beliefs in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients: Investigating differences in early and later years of current treatment" . BMC Nephrology. 2008November149-14. Google Scholar Previous article Next article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 33, Issue 5September-October 2013 Metrics History Published online3 October 2013 InformationCopyright © 2013, Annals of Saudi MedicineThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.PDF download

Comparative analysis of lipid and glucose metabolism biomarkers in non-diabetic hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients

To investigate and compare glucose and lipid metabolism biomarkers in non-diabetic peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients. The study followed a prospective and cross-sectional design. Participants included all prevalent end-stage renal disease patients under renal replacement therapy treated in a university-based clinic. There were no interventions. Blood samples were taken after 8 hours of fasting. Insulin serum levels were determined by chemiluminescence. Insulin resistance were assessed by the insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) determined as follow: 1/[log(Io) + log(Go)], where Io is the fasting insulin, and Go is the fasting glucose. HOMA index was also measured: (FPG × FPI)/22.5; FPG = fasting plasma glucose (mmol/L); FPI = fasting plasma insulin (mU/mL). The others biochemical exams were measured utilizing the routine tests. We screened 154 patients (80 on hemodialysis and 74 on peritoneal dialysis). Seventy-four diabetic patients were excluded. Of the remaining 80 patients (55% males, mean age 52 ± 15 years), 35 were on peritoneal dialysis and 45 on hemodialysis. Fasting glucose of peritoneal dialysis patients compared to hemodialysis patients were 5.0 ± 0.14 versus 4,58 ± 0.14 mmol/L, p<0.05; glycated hemoglobin 5.9 ± 0.1 versus 5.5 ± 0.1%, p < 0.05; total cholesterol 5.06 ± 0.19 versus 3.39 ± 0.20 mmol/L, p < 0.01; LDL-c 2.93 ± 0.17 versus 1.60 ± 0.17 mmol/L, p < 0.01; and index HOMA 3.27 versus 1,68, p < 0,05. Importantly, all variables were adjusted for age, gender, dialysis vintage, calcium-phosphorus product, albumin and C-reactive protein levels. We observed a worst profile of lipid and glucose metabolism biomarkers in peritoneal dialysis patients (lower insulin sensitivity and higher fasting glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol and LDL-c) when compared to hemodialysis, potentially due to the glucose-based dialysis solutions utilized in the peritoneal dialysis population.

Nephrology Literature Watch

Nephrology Literature Watch

Design and patient characteristics of ESHOL study, a Catalonian prospective randomized study

Retrospective studies showed that online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) is associated with a risk reduction of mortality over standard hemodialysis (HD) in patients with end-stage renal disease. Until now, no information was available from prospective randomized clinical trials. A prospective, randomized, multicenter, open study was designed to be conducted in HD units from Catalonia (Spain). The aim of the study is to compare 3-year survival in prevalent end-stage renal disease patients randomized to OL-HDF or to continue on standard HD. The minimum sample size was calculated according to Catalonian mortality of patients on dialysis and assuming a risk reduction associated with OL-HDF of 35% (1-sided p<0.05 and a statistical power of 0.8) and a rate of dropout due to renal transplantation or loss to follow-up of 30%. From May 2007 to September 2008, 906 patients were included and randomized to OL-HDF (n=456) or standard HD (n=450). Demographics and analytical data at the time of randomization were not different between both groups of patients. Patients will be followed during a 3-year period. The present study will contribute to evaluating the benefit for patient survival of OL-HDF over standard HD.

Preventing infections in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. While rates of all-cause hospitalization of prevalent end-stage renal disease patients receiving hemodialysis reported by the United States Renal Data System fell from 1993 to 2007, rates of hospitalization for infections rose by 26%. Developing a better understanding of the reasons for this rise and employing strategies to reverse it have become a priority for patients, providers and regulatory agencies in the USA. In addition, recent episodes of transmission of bloodborne hepatitis viruses in outpatient healthcare facilities, including hemodialysis centers, related to suboptimal infection control and injection safety practices, have raised concerns about patient safety. In this article, we review many of the current infection control challenges facing outpatient dialysis centers and discuss recommended infection control policies and practices aimed at combating these challenges.

The Economics of Home Dialysis: Acting for the Individual While Planning Responsibly for the Population

Traditional medical education paradigms tend not to focus on health economics and economic evaluation. This has led to a culture in which bedside clinicians simply allocate health care resources made available to them, with often minimal input as to what these resources are at the population or health care system level. Life sustaining chronic dialysis therapies for end-stage renal disease are heterogeneous in terms of health care costs and the quality of life provided to patients receiving them. From the traditional clinician's perspective, they may be considered equivalent because there are no well-designed randomized control trials establishing the superiority of one particular dialysis modality in terms of all-cause mortality or cardiovascular events. The intent of this review is to provide clinicians practicing in the area of chronic kidney disease some insights into the concepts of economic evaluation and how it may be integrated into clinical decision making at a programmatic level while not compromising individual patient care at the bedside. An epidemiologic perspective will be used to help frame how the implementation of home dialysis modalities vary depending on local health policies in place. Lessons learned by regional nephrology care systems may be readily transferable to other jurisdictions in augmenting the uptake of home dialysis modalities where they are dwindling or struggling to grow. A high-level understanding of economic data in this area may help influence health policy in the direction of the most efficient provision of dialysis to patients while not adversely affecting their quality of life or health outcomes.

Measuring risk in end-stage renal disease: Is N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide a useful marker?

Natriuretic peptides are important in the maintenance of body volume homeostasis. There has been interest in utilizing the levels of these peptides to diagnose and prognosticate cardiovascular disease. In end-stage renal disease, the diagnostic utility of these peptides is limited. Madsen et al. report that levels of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels offer important information on the risk of mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Barriers to Utilization of Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis in Network #1, New England

The percentage of prevalent end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) therapy in the United States declined from 15% in 1991 to 8.1% in 2002. Previous studies indicate that nephrologists in the United States feel 32.6% of prevalent ESRD patients should be on CPD therapy. The present study was designed to better understand the reasons for the discrepancy in actual versus desired prevalence of CPD utilization. The medical directors of all dialysis centers in New England were mailed a questionnaire about the nephrologists' opinions concerning the percentage of patients that should be maintained on CPD therapy, reasons that limited patients' selection of CPD as initial therapy, and concerns about the current status of CPD therapy. The nephrologists were also invited to free text any other comments or concerns. A total of 117 questionnaires were sent; 59 (50.4%) were returned. These medical directors cared for a median of 10 (range 1 - 100) patients on CPD therapy, meaning 15% of dialysis patients in New England are maintained on CPD therapy. The medical directors felt that 29% (range 10% - 50%) of prevalent ESRD patients should be maintained on CPD therapy. The most common reasons cited by the nephrologists as barriers to CPD therapy included patient preference (54%), contraindications to performing CPD therapy (32%), poor social support (31%), significant comorbid disease (20%), late referrals and acute hospital starts (19%), problems with education re chronic kidney disease (12%), and problems with the structure and organization of CPD facilities (12%). These same medical directors stated that concerns about technique failure (25%), long-term viability of CPD therapy (25%), and mortality rates of CPD patients (17%) impacted on their use of CPD therapy as renal replacement therapy for patients with ESRD. Nephrologists in New England felt that 29% of prevalent ESRD patients should be maintained on CPD therapy, yet the actual incidence of CPD utilization in New England is 15%. A variety of factors were cited by the nephrologists as important reasons limiting CPD utilization. These nephrologists were also concerned about technique failure and long-term viability of CPD therapy. It is necessary that we look closely at each domain cited by the nephrologists if CPD therapy is to remain a viable option for patients with ESRD in the United States.

Quality of life in patients treated with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis: what are the important determinants?

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have significant impairments in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In part, this is due to the intrusiveness of the treatment (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) that is required. It is unclear whether hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis is associated with a higher HRQOL. 192 prevalent patients who self-selected treatment with hemodialysis (either in-center, satellite or home/self-care hemodialysis) or peritoneal dialysis were studied to determine whether treatment with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis is associated with a higher HRQOL. Demographic, laboratory and clinical information (including the presence of comorbid conditions using the Charlson comorbidity index) was assessed at baseline. The outcome of interest was HRQOL, which was measured using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF), the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and the EuroQol EQ-5D at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of follow-up. There was no significant difference in HRQOL scores for the SF-36, the EQ-5D and for 9 of 11 KDQOL dimensions for patients treated with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis at baseline. As expected, HRQOL was significantly lower for patients who had more comorbid disease, required assistance with their daily care, and for patients with less than a grade 12 education. After controlling for the effect of other important variables, HRQOL (as measured by the EQ-5D visual analog or index scores) did not differ between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. HRQOL was stable over time, both for patients who started on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. There is no significant difference in HRQOL for prevalent ESRD patients treated with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. It will be important to determine if this finding holds true for incident patients treated with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.