Treatment For End-stage Renal Disease Research Articles

MON-071 HEALTH EDUCATION EVALUATION OF THE PBL MODEL OF THE PATIENT CLUB AMONG PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS: A SELF-CONTROLLED STUDY

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an effective renal replacement treatment for end-stage renal disease. PD has the advantages of low cost, easy operation, home-based treatment, good residual renal function protection, and little impact on the body's internal environment. It has been the first choice of treatment for more and more patients. Because it is a home-based treatment, PD requires patient self-management. Therefore, professional and convenient guidance for PD patients is important to guarantee improvements in patients’ quality of life and long-term survival rates.

SAT-023 SURVIVAL OF SOUTH AFRICAN PATIENTS ON RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY

In South Africa, 84% of the population rely on public sector healthcare and 16% use mainly private facilities. Since 2012, the South African Renal Registry (SARR) has reported on the treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in South Africa. Overall rates of renal replacement therapy (RRT) are low, with a prevalence of 183 per million population (pmp). Large disparities exist between the private and public sectors (798 versus 68 pmp), between provinces and between ethnic groups. Private sector patients on RRT are approximately 10 years older, have more diabetes and other comorbid illnesses, and are less likely to be transplanted or use peritoneal dialysis. The aim of this analysis was to explore, for the first time, survival of all incident and prevalent patients on RRT in South Africa. SARR data were used to estimate 1-year survival in patients on RRT by the Kaplan Meier method. The incident cohort included patients who started treatment between 1 January 2013 and 30 September 2016 and survived 90 days; the prevalent cohort included all those on RRT on 31 December 2015. Data were collected on potential risk factors, including ethnicity, renal diagnosis, first RRT modality, HIV status and public/private sector provision of RRT. Failure events included death and discontinuation of RRT without recovery of function. Patients were censored if they recovered renal function, emigrated or were lost to follow-up. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios. In the incident cohort (n=6187), the mean age was 51.8 years, 54% were Black, 44% were diabetic, 10% were HIV positive and 82% had haemodialysis as their first modality. Overall 1-year survival from day 90 was 90.4% (95%CI 89.6-91.2%). On multivariable analysis, survival was associated with age, renal diagnosis, diabetes and province. The 18-40-year age group and non-diabetics had improved survival. There was no association with ethnicity, first modality or healthcare sector. HIV status was missing in 20% of the cohort and was therefore omitted from the multivariable analysis. The crude 1-year survival rates of HIV-positive and negative patients were 95.7% and 93.8%, respectively, and much lower at 74.8% in patients without data on HIV. The absence of this optional data element seemed to identify sicker patients; those who survived for longer would be more likely to have their virological status captured by the registry. In the December 2015 prevalent cohort (n=10155), the mean age was 51.5 years, 52% were Black, 37% were diabetic, 8% were HIV positive, and 74% were on haemodialysis as their treatment modality. The overall 1-year survival was 90.1% (CI 89.4-90.6%). The crude survival rates of public and private sector patients were 93.4% and 88.4%, respectively. This was not significant on multivariable analysis, where survival was associated with age, diabetes, RRT vintage, and province. The 18-40-year age group, non-diabetics and those with RRT vintage >2.5 years had improved survival. The survival rates of South African patients who access RRT services are comparable to those in better resourced countries. Although access to government-supported, public sector RRT is limited, the patients who are accommodated have good survival rates as compared to patients at private facilities, even after adjusting for factors such as age and comorbid illnesses.

Dialysis dose in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing regular hemodialysis at Ibn-Sena and AlNao hospitals in Sudan

Introduction: Ne Hemodialysis (HD) plays a fundamental role in the treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. A minimal duration between 9 to 12 hours per week is required for maintaining adequate HD to restore excretory function of the kidney. Objectives: To measure the average duration of HD among Sudanese patients, and compare with the universal recommended duration. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study at IBN-SENA hospital and ALNAO teaching hospital was conducted. All patients were subjected to full medical history and examination to identify their age, gender, original kidney disease and duration and route of HD. Results: A total of 121 ESRD patients under regular HD participated in this study. The majority [78 (64.5%)] had an average duration of HD of 8 h/wk. Conclusion: A large proportion of our patients on HD are below target dialysis dose; mainly due to reducing in the number of sessions per week and average duration per each session.

Transplanting kidneys from donors with small renal masses - a strategy to expand the donor pool.

Renal transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease, but organ demand continues to outstrip supply. The transplantation of kidneys from donors with small renal masses (SRMs) represents a potential avenue to expand the donor pool. We reviewed all published cases of transplants from donors with SRMs and we present followup data, best practices, and outline an actionable series of steps to guide the implementation of such transplants at individual centers. A detailed literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed and SCOPUS databases was performed. Thirty unique data sets met inclusion criteria and described the transplantation of tumor-ectomized kidneys; nine data sets described the transplantation of contralateral kidneys from donors with SRMs. A total of 147 tumorectomized kidneys have been transplanted. Pathology revealed 120 to be renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), of which 116 were stage T1a (0.3-4 cm). The mean followup time was 44.2 months (1-200). A single suspected tumor recurrence occurred in one patient nine years post-transplantation and it was managed with active surveillance. Twenty-seven kidneys have been transplanted from deceased donors with contralateral renal masses. Pathology revealed 25 to be RCCs, of which 19 were confirmed to be stage T1 (<7 cm). The mean followup time was 46.7 months (0.5-155). One recipient developed an RCC and underwent curative allograft nephrectomy. Careful use of kidneys from donors with SRMs is feasible and safe, with an overall recurrence rate of less than 1.5%. The use of such kidneys could help alleviate the organ shortage crisis.

End-stage renal disease—financial costs and years of life lost in Panama: a cost-analysis study

ObjectivesCentral America is a region with an elevated burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, the cost of treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains an understudied area. This study...

Abstract P062: The Benefits of Preemptive Transplant Vary by Cause of End-stage Renal Disease

Introduction: Cardiovascular events, i.e. cardiac arrest and arrhythmia, are the leading cause of death among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Kidney transplantation (KT) reduces mortality and is the preferred treatment for ESRD. Generally, preemptive KT, especially with a living donor, reduces mortality over KT after dialysis initiation. Mortality reduction by preemptive KT may vary by cause of ESRD. Hypothesis: Decreased all-cause mortality after preemptive KT varies by cause of ESRD. Methods: We studied 56,927 adult living donor KT recipients from 2000 to 2017 using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. We compared all-cause mortality in preemptive living donor KT recipients to those who underwent living donor KT within a year of starting dialysis, stratifying by cause of ESRD. We estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of mortality comparing KT with &lt;1 year on dialysis to preemptive KT recipients accounting for recipient and transplant factors using inverse probability weights. Results: Compared to recipients on &lt;1 year of dialysis, preemptive KT recipients were more often female, older, college educated, employed, and had higher BMI (all p&lt;0.001). The association between preemptive KT and post-KT mortality did vary by cause of ESRD (Figure 1). For example, among recipients with ESRD caused by type I diabetes, &lt;1 year on dialysis was associated with a higher hazard of mortality (aHR: 1.32 (1.17-1.50), p&lt;0.001). However, among recipients with ESRD caused by hypertension (p=0.1) or type II diabetes (p=0.3), there was not a statistically significantly difference in mortality comparing KT with &lt;1 year on dialysis vs. preemptive KT. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that for particular ESRD patients, like those with type I diabetes, early counseling regarding preemptive KT and finding a living donor are imperative. Future studies should assess whether expedited review of potential living donors for these patients reduces mortality in this population at high risk of cardiovascular events.

Fenofibrate Improved Interstitial Fibrosis of Renal Allograft through Inhibited Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Induced by Oxidative Stress

The best treatment for end-stage renal disease is renal transplantation. However, it is often difficult to maintain a renal allograft healthy for a long time following transplantation. Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) are significant histopathologic characteristics of a compromised renal allograft. There is no effective therapy to improve renal allograft function once IF/TA sets in. Although there are many underlying factors that can induce IF/TA, the pathogenesis of IF/TA has not been fully elucidated. It has been found that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) significantly contributes to the development of IF/TA. Oxidative stress is one of the main causes that induce EMT in renal allografts. In this study, we have used H2O2 to induce oxidative stress in renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52e) of rats. We also pretreated NRK-52e cells with an antioxidant (N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC)) 1 h prior to the treatment with H2O2. Furthermore, we used fenofibrate (a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonist) to treat NRK-52e cells and a renal transplant rat model. Our results reveal that oxidative stress induces EMT in NRK-52e cells, and pretreatment with NAC can suppress EMT in these cells. Moreover, fenofibrate suppresses fibrosis by ameliorating oxidative stress-induced EMT in a rat model. Thus, fenofibrate may effectively prevent the development of fibrosis in renal allograft and improve the outcome.

Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation in a Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Recipient: A Case Report

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has traditionally been considered an absolute contraindication for transplantation because immunosuppression will accelerate the disease progression and increase mortality. New antiretroviral agents have given rise to new perspectives and transplantation practices. Now renal transplantation is the gold standard treatment for end-stage renal disease in HIV-infected patients, but increased rejection and toxicity rates and compliance with treatment are important issues. Therefore, patient selection and follow-up should be done carefully in this patient group. Here we present a 51-year-old, male, HIV-infected patient who was diagnosed with HIV at his routine serologic investigation at 2015. Highly active antiretroviral therapy was initiated. One haplotype-matched kidney transplantation from a deceased donor was performed on October 19, 2016. Induction therapy was not administered, and the immunosuppressive regimen included tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisolone. After 26 months, serum creatinine was 1.1 mg/dL and proteinuria 0.1 g/day. There was no development of donor-specific antibodies. The patient's current HIV viral load remains undetectable (and had been the entire time post-transplantation) while his CD4+ T-cell count currently is 543/mm3.

A Digital Modality Decision Program for Patients With Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease

BackgroundPatient education regarding end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has the potential to reduce adverse outcomes and increase the use of in-home renal replacement therapies.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether an online, easily scalable education program can improve patient knowledge and facilitate decision making regarding renal replacement therapy options.MethodsWe developed a 4-week online, digital educational program that included written information, short videos, and social networking features. Topics included kidney transplant, conservative management, peritoneal dialysis, in-home hemodialysis, and in-center hemodialysis. We recruited patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (stage IV and V) to enroll in the online program, and we evaluated the feasibility and potential impact of the digital program by conducting pre- and postintervention surveys in areas of knowledge, self-efficacy, and choice of ESRD care.ResultsOf the 98 individuals found to be eligible for the study, 28 enrolled and signed the consent form and 25 completed the study. The average age of participants was 65 (SD 15) years, and the average estimated glomerular filtration rate was 21 (SD 6) ml/min/1.73 m2. Before the intervention, 32% of patients (8/25) were unable to make an ESRD treatment choice; after the intervention, all 25 participants made a choice. The proportion of persons who selected kidney transplant as the first choice increased from 48% (12/25) at intake to 84% (21/25) after program completion (P=.01). Among modality options, peritoneal dialysis increased as the first choice for 4/25 (16%) patients at intake to 13/25 (52%) after program completion (P=.004). We also observed significant increases in knowledge score (from 65 [SD 56] to 83 [SD 14]; P<.001) and self-efficacy score (from 3.7 [SD 0.7] to 4.3 [SD 0.5]; P<.001).ConclusionsImplementation of a digital ESRD education program is feasible and may facilitate patients’ decisions about renal replacement therapies. Larger studies are necessary to understand whether the program affects clinical outcomes.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02976220; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02976220

Survey of medical students to assess their knowledge and attitudes toward organ transplantation and donation

Kidney transplantation is the most preferred treatment modality for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aims at understanding the awareness, attitudes, and beliefs among the medical and nonmedical students. The study population consisted of 500 medical students and 39 nonmedical controls, who were surveyed using a reliable questionnaire that examined their knowledge and attitudes. A 24-item self-administered questionnaire, which assessed the levels of knowledge, attitude regarding organ donation with dichotomous scale and demographic data were used. Of the 500 medical students who received the questionnaire, 376 (75.2%) with a mean age of 22.1 ± 2.5 years responded; 39% were male, 43.6% were Bahraini, and 32.2% were from Saudi Arabia, 51.3% were in Grades-5 and 6 and 58.8% resided in big cities. The medical students had a highly positive attitude and great willingness toward organ donation. Majority of them (75.3%) knew the treatment of ESRD, and 70.7% recognized correctly that kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for ESRD. However, only 10.4% knew that it is performed in Bahrain since 1995. A total of 241 participants (64.3%) reported positive attitude toward living kidney donation and 71.8% expressed their agreement to donation after death. More than half (66.8%) believed that their religion permits organ donation, although 56.6% of the participants believed that there is a danger after donating a kidney. When compared to nonmedical students, there was no statistically significant difference in the attitudes toward living kidney donation (P = 0.823) or organ donation after death (P = 0.066).

Short- and long-term follow-up of living kidney donors

Living-donor kidney transplantation is a well-established treatment of end-stage renal disease in Tunisia. Over the years, concerns have increased about the harmlessness of kidney donation. This longitudinal single center study was carried out to evaluate the safety of nephrectomy as well as further medical and surgical outcomes among donors. We collected and analyzed clinical, biological, biochemical and kidney size data at the time of nephrectomy and at M1, M3, M6, Y1, Y2, and Y4 after donation measured by ultrasound. All donor nephrectomies performed in the nephrology and transplantation unit of Sahloul Hospital of Sousse since October 2006 were included. Criteria of exclusion were lost to follow-up or lack of complete data. Of the 106 donors (66 females and 40 males), 92 donors were included in the follow-up analysis after following exclusion criteria. The mean age at the time of nephrectomy was 42.8 ± 10 years with the sex ratio 0.6. and 27% of our donors were mothers. Twenty-two percent of the donors were obese and 4% were hypertensive. The median initial glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 105 mL/min/1.73 m2. The surgical approach was costal lumbotomy in 96% of cases and laparoscopy for four cases. The kidneys were removed from the left side in 93% of cases. Postoperative mortality was zero and early postoperative morbidity was low. The median duration of hospital stay was nine days. During follow-up, 14% attended all recommended visits. The median follow-up duration was 26 months. After two years post donation, the prevalence of HTN was 28% and obesity was 26%. The prevalence of GFR decline (50-59 mL/min) was 14% using formula by modification of diet in renal disease. None of our donors reached stage 4 or 5 CKD. Twelve had proteinuria and one donor had diabetes, a comparable prevalence of morbidities to the general population.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of renal allograft biopsies from a sample of iraqi renal transplant recipients

Context: Renal transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage renal disease, although some complication may arise after transplantation including transplant rejection and infection, each of the two can occur oppositely to the other since the insufficiently suppressed immune system can still attack the graft while excessively suppressed immune system may allow latent virus to reactivate. The best way to diagnose both of the conditions is by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibodies specific for BK virus and C4d. Aims: This study aims to investigate the frequency of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) in renal allograft biopsies in Iraq. Settings and Design: The study encompassed 53 renal transplant recipients who developed signs of renal dysfunction. Subjects and Methods: Renal allograft biopsies were collected from centre of nephrology and kidney transplantation and AL-Yarmouk teaching hospital in Baghdad from January to September 2017, biopsies were embedded, sectioned, fixed on slides and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and monoclonal antibodies specific for C4d and BK virus. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were tested using Chi-square test; the analysis was conducted using the available SPSS-24 Package. Results: Samples were obtained from 38 males and 15 females in whom their mean age was 36.0 ± 13.8 years, the average time between transplantation and biopsy was 33.5 ± 22.5 months, and there was 31 donation from related donor and 22 from unrelated donor. The frequency of BKVN was 1.8% and the frequency of AMR was 52%. Conclusions: Using immunostaining of renal allograft biopsies using anti-BKV antibodies and anti-C4d help in identifying the causes of renal impairment after transplantation that otherwise remain hidden.

H2S supplementation: A novel method for successful organ preservation at subnormothermic temperatures

Renal transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage renal disease. Currently, there is a large gap between the supply and demand for transplantable kidneys. The use of sub-optimal grafts obtained via donation after cardiac death (DCD) is on the rise. While static cold storage (SCS) in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution on ice (4°C) is the clinical standard of care for renal graft preservation, cold storage has been associated with negative graft outcomes. The alternative, normothermic machine perfusion, involves mechanical perfusion of the organ at physiological or normothermic temperature (37°C) and this technique is expensive, complicated and globally inaccessible. As such, simpler alternatives are of interest. Preliminary results revealed that UW solution is more protective at 21°C than 37°C and subnormothermic preservation is of interest because it may facilitate the use of existing solutions while preventing cold injury. We have previously shown that SCS in UW solution supplemented with mitochondria-targeted H2S donor AP39 improves renal graft outcomes. As such, it was hypothesized subnormothermic preservation at 21°C with AP39 will also improve renal outcomes. Using an in vitro model of hypoxia and reoxygenation, we found that treating porcine tubular epithelial cells with UW+5 μM AP39 during 18 h hypoxia at 21°C significantly increased renal tubular epithelial cell viability after 24 h of reoxygenation at 37°C compared to UW alone. Also, AP39-supplemented UW solution was significantly more cytoprotective during hypoxia at 21°C than hypoxia at 37°C, regardless of AP39 concentration. Using an ex vivo DCD organ preservation model, we found that DCD porcine kidneys stored for 24 h in UW+200 nM AP39 at 21°C showed significantly lower tissue necrosis than DCD porcine kidneys preserved using SCS in UW solution, the clinical standard of care. Overall, our findings suggest that exogenous H2S supplementation improves the viability of the gold standard organ preservation solution, UW solution, for subnormothermic preservation at 21°C.

PMD110 - COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF IMMUNOADSORPTION FOR INCOMPATIBLE KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION IN GERMANY

Kidney transplantation has been shown to offer superior outcomes over dialysis in the treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Medical technologies have been developed, aiming to overcome barriers often associated with (living) kidney transplantations (blood group incompatibility, highly sensitized patients). Immunoadsorption (IA) is one of these technologies. The analysis evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the therapy in patients undergoing incompatible kidney transplantation compared with remaining on treatment with dialysis. Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) and costs from a German health insurance perspective over a lifetime horizon were the primary outcome of the developed state-transition model. Additionally, the number of life years gained and the reduction of time in which the patients are dependent on dialysis have been part of the analysis. Current transplantation rates and potential future scenarios of increased incompatible transplantation rates enabled by IA have been analysed using various willingness-to-pay thresholds. A systematic review revealed a limited number of low quality studies on the effectiveness of IA. However, even when including high parameter uncertainty in sensitivity analyses, offering IA in incompatible kidney transplantations has been shown to be a dominant strategy with a probability of cost-effectiveness given a WTP of € 0 of 92,63 percent. IA might lead to an increase in QALYs per patient of 0,07; 0,1 and 0,25 for the base case analysis, scenario 1 and scenario 2, respectively, when increasing the number of incompatible transplantations. Cost reduction ranges between € 4.197,21 and € 15.505,58 resulting in overall cost savings of up to € 122.121.948,10 when extrapolating the findings to all waitlisted patients. Enabling incompatible living kidney transplantation in ESRD patients is a cost-effective approach resulting in better outcome at lower costs. An increase of the transplantation rate yields the opportunity of reduction of overall costs of renal replacement therapy for health care systems.

Expanding CAPD in Low-Resource Settings: A Distance Learning Approach.

Despite growing need, treatment for end-stage renal disease is limited in low- and middle-income countries due to resource restraints. We describe the development of an educational curriculum and quality improvement program to support continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) performed primarily by non-nephrology providers in Sri Lanka. We developed a program of education, outcome tracking, and expert consultation to support providers in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Education included videos and in-person didactics covering core topics in CAPD. Event-tracking sheets recorded root causes and management of infections and hospitalizations. Conferences reviewed clinical cases and overall clinic management. We evaluated the patient census, peritonitis rates, and root causes and management of infections over 1 year. The curriculum was published through the International Society of Nephrology online academy. High provider turnover limited curriculum assessments. The CAPD patient census rose from 63 to 116 during the year. The peritonitis rate declined significantly, from 0.8 episodes per patient-year in the first 6 months to 0.4 in the latter 6 months, though the most common root causes of peritonitis, related to contamination events and hygiene, persisted. The appropriate ascertainment of culture data and prescription of antibiotics also increased. Our project supported the expansion of a CAPD program in a resource-limited setting, while also improving peritonitis outcomes. Ongoing challenges include ensuring a durable educational system for rotating providers, tracking outcomes beyond peritonitis, and formalizing management protocols. Our program can serve as an example of how established dialysis programs can support the burgeoning work of providers in resource-limited setting.

Dengue fever in a kidney transplant recipient with complicated clinical course: a case report

BackgroundDengue fever is the commonest mosquito-borne illness in the tropics and subtropics. Renal transplantation is one of the ever expanding modes of treatment of end-stage renal disease. Hepatitis B is a common infection in South and East Asia, but rare in Sri Lanka. Here we describe a recipient of a renal transplant with a stable graft, on antiviral treatment for hepatitis B infection, developing dengue superinfection and entering a complex clinical course. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of such a case.Case presentationA 59-year-old Sri Lankan woman developed acute renal failure and needed dialysis support; she had upper gastrointestinal bleeding that needed transfusions, pancytopenia, and a prolonged phase of thrombocytopenia. She eventually recovered from illness, and her renal functions returned to baseline levels. The differences in presentation, signs, symptoms, and mortality of renal transplant recipients infected with dengue fever from the general population are discussed, with possible reasons for altered presentation.ConclusionsDengue superinfection in transplant recipients with hepatitis B infection can lead to management difficulties. The recovery can be slow as seen from this case, with prolonged thrombocytopenia.

Innovations in Wearable and Implantable Artificial Kidneys

More than 2 million people worldwide receive treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Current modalities of renal replacement therapy include in-center hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis, and kidney transplantation. Patient survival has gradually increased during the past 2 decades and efforts continue to improve mortality and quality of life for patients with ESRD. Developments in sorbent technology, nanotechnology, and cell culture techniques provide promise for new innovations in ESRD management. New modalities currently in testing include wearable (WAKs) and implantable artificial kidneys (IAKs). The automated WAK (AWAK) and WAK are devices that have undergone small trials in humans. Additional study is needed before regulatory approval, coverage decisions, and widespread clinical implementation. The IAK is a biohybrid combining artificial filters and living cells currently in preclinical testing. These portable devices reduce the need for large quantities of water and continuous electrical supply. This could lower some barriers to home dialysis, making self-care renal replacement therapy more accessible and desirable. If widely successful, these devices could reduce the need to build and staff dialysis facilities, thus lowering health care costs associated with dialysis. The potential advantages and shortcomings of the AWAK, WAK, and IAK are described here.

Effects of Kidney Transplantation on Labor Market Outcomes in Sweden.

Kidney transplantation is considered a superior treatment for end-stage renal disease compared with dialysis although little is known about the wider effects, especially on labor market outcomes. The objective is to estimate the treatment effect of kidney transplantation compared with dialysis on labor market outcomes, controlling for the nonrandom selection into treatment. The average treatment effect is estimated using an inverse-probability weighting regression adjustment approach on all patients in renal replacement therapy 1995 to 2012. Kidney transplantation is associated with a treatment advantage over dialysis on employment, labor force participation, early retirement, and labor income. The probability of being employed 1 year after treatment is 21 (95% confidence interval, 16-25) percentage points higher for transplantation. The positive effect increases to 38 (95% confidence interval, 30-46) percentage points after 5 years, mainly due to worsening outcomes on dialysis. The effect on labor income is mainly mediated through employment probability. The productivity gains of transplantation compared to dialysis amounts to &OV0556;33 000 over 5 years. Transplantation is superior to dialysis in terms of potential to return to work as well as in terms of labor income and risk of early retirement, after controlling for treatment selection. This positive effect increases over time after transplantation.

Measurement Characteristics of the Knowledge Assessment of Renal Transplantation.

Kidney transplant is the best treatment for most end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, but proportionally few ESRD patients receive kidney transplant. To make an informed choice about whether to pursue kidney transplant, patients must be knowledgeable of its risks and benefits. To reliably and validly measure ESRD patients' kidney transplant knowledge, rigorously tested measures are required. This article describes the development and psychometric testing of the Knowledge Assessment of Renal Transplantation (KART). We administered 17 transplant knowledge items to a sample of 1294 ESRD patients. Item characteristics and scale scores were estimated using an Item Response Theory graded response model. Construct validity was tested by examining differences in scale scores between patients who had spent less than 1 and 1 hour or longer receiving various types of transplant education. Item Response Theory modeling suggested that 15 items should be retained for the KART. This scale had a marginal reliability of 0.75 and evidenced acceptable reliability (>0.70) across most of its range. Construct validity was supported by the KART's ability to distinguish patients who had spent less than 1 and 1 hour or longer receiving different types of kidney transplant education, including talking to doctors/medical staff (effect size [ES], 0.61; P < 0.001), reading brochures (ES, 0.45; P < 0.001), browsing the internet (ES, 0.56; P < 0.001), and watching videos (ES, 0.56; P < 0.001). The final 15-item KART can be used to determine the kidney transplant knowledge levels of ESRD patients and plan appropriate interventions to ensure informed transplant decision making occurs.

Convective Dialysis Reduces Mortality Risk: Results From a Large Observational, Population-Based Analysis.

According to many studies, extracorporeal dialysis with convective methods is associated with better clinical outcomes and a survival benefit compared to diffusive techniques. However, there is no full agreement on the actual superiority of this kind of renal replacement therapy on hard end-points such as mortality. We performed a retrospective epidemiological cohort study to provide "real-world" evidence on the impact of convective and non-convective dialysis techniques on all-cause and cardiac mortality and biochemical outcomes among dialysis patients in Sicily, the southernmost region of Italy. Data of all incident adult patients (N = 6529) who have started chronic extracorporeal dialysis over the period 2009-2015 were retrieved from the Sicilian Registry of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation. There were 1558 patients receiving convective techniques (23.86%). Overall mortality rate was 45.21% with a significant difference between convective (31.39%) and non-convective (49.55%) groups (P < 0.0001). After adjustment for potential confounders in multiple Cox regression models of increasing complexity, the mortality risk remained significantly lower for patients treated with convective methods (HR, 0.581; 95%CI, 0.525 to 0.643; P < 0.0001). Moreover, the convective group had a better blood chemistry profile, improved dialysis efficacy, and reduced mortality rate from cardiac diseases compared to the non-convective group. As a sensitivity analysis, patients were categorized according to propensity score quartiles and the hazard ratio for both all-cause and cardiac mortality was significantly lower for the convective group in each quartile. In conclusion, despite the observational and retrospective design, the results of the present study further support the use of convective therapies for the treatment of end-stage renal disease.