Chronic kidney disease prevention--a challenge for Asian countries: report of the Third Asian Forum of Chronic Kidney Disease Initiatives

Patient delay in chronic kidney disease: A qualitative study

This study aimed to investigate the reasons for patient delay in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and provide a scientific basis for implementing effective interventions. With the adoption of the phenomenological method in qualitative research, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 14 cases, and the Colaizzi seven-step analysis method was used to analyze the interview data and refine the themes. A total of 4 themes were obtained, namely, a cognitive explanation of illness, negative psychological emotions, socioeconomic levels, and limited medical resources. The current status of patient delay in chronic kidney disease is serious, and there are various reasons for it. Health management departments and healthcare providers at all levels should pay attention to this situation and provide targeted supportive interventions and health education to help patients establish the correct awareness of medical consultation and effectively improve their quality of survival.

The experiences of patients with peritoneal dialysis: A systematic review of qualitative evidence protocol

BACKGROUND

The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is on the rise, it has been a major public health problem and places a significant burden on healthcare systems. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an increasingly popular form of renal replacement therapy. Patients undergoing dialysis treatment undergo specific pathophysiological and psychological changes. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the experiences of ESRD patients receiving PD in order to gain deeper insights into their attitudes and beliefs towards this treatment. This will help researchers and health professionals to target interventions to improve the quality of life of PD patients.

DESIGN

Protocol for a qualitative systematic review.

METHODS

This systematic review protocol will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) meta-analysis methodology. We will conduct a comprehensive search, including English and Chinese databases. It will include all published qualitative studies of patients' experiences with PD. Both English and Chinese literature will be covered. Two reviewers will independently participate in the literature selection, document selection, and data extraction process. Synthesis will be carried out through in-depth reading of the original text and subsequent creation of similar categories.

RESULTS

Experiencing is a complex dimension that includes physical, psychological and social aspects. This review will enable nurses to gain a deeper understanding of the feelings and beliefs of patients with PD. Our findings will provide healthcare professionals and policy makers with evidence to provide better care for patients with PD.

Risk scores to predict decreased glomerular filtration rate at 10 years in an Asian general population

BACKGROUND

Asians have among the highest prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage renal disease in the world. A risk score capable of identifying high risk individuals at the primary care level could allow targeted therapy to prevent future development of CKD. Risk scores for new CKD have been developed in US general populations, but the impact of various risks factors for development of CKD may differ in Asian subjects. In this study, we aimed to develop risk models and simplified risk scores to predict the development of decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at 10 years in an Asian general population using readily obtainable clinical and laboratory parameters.

METHODS

Employees of EGAT (The Electric Generating Authority of Thailand) were studied prospectively. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess risk factors and used to derive risk models and risk scores for developing decreased GFR at 10 years: Model 1 (Clinical only), Model 2 (Clinical + Limited laboratory tests), and Model 3 (Clinical + Full laboratory tests). The performance of the risk models or risk scores to predict incident cases with decreased GFR were evaluated by tests of calibration and discrimination.

RESULTS

Of 3186 subjects with preserved GFR (eGFR ≥60) at baseline, 271 (8.5%) developed decreased GFR (eGFR < 60) at 10 years. Model 1 (Age, sex, systolic blood pressure, history of diabetes, and waist circumference) had good performance (χ2 = 9.02; AUC = 0.72). Model 2 (Age, Sex, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, glomerular filtration rate) had better discrimination (χ2 = 10.87, AUC = 0.79) than Model 1. Model 3 (Model 2+ Uric acid, Hemoglobin) did not provide significant improvement over Model 2. Based on these findings, simplified categorical risk scores were developed for Models 1 and 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical or combined clinical and laboratory risk models or risk scores using tests readily available in a resource-limited setting had good accuracy and discrimination power to estimate the 10-year probability of developing decreased GFR in a Thai general population. The benefits of the risk scores in identifying high risk individuals in the Thai or other Asian communities for special intervention requires further studies.

Association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a frequent, under-recognized condition and a risk factor for renal failure and cardiovascular disease. Increasing evidence connects non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to CKD. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether the presence and severity of NAFLD are associated with the presence and severity of CKD.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

English and non-English articles from international online databases from 1980 through January 31, 2014 were searched. Observational studies assessing NAFLD by histology, imaging, or biochemistry and defining CKD as either estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 or proteinuria were included. Two reviewers extracted studies independently and in duplicate. Individual participant data (IPD) were solicited from all selected studies. Studies providing IPD were combined with studies providing only aggregate data with the two-stage method. Main outcomes were pooled using random-effects models. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were used to explore sources of heterogeneity and the effect of potential confounders. The influences of age, whole-body/abdominal obesity, homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and duration of follow-up on effect estimates were assessed by meta-regression. Thirty-three studies (63,902 participants, 16 population-based and 17 hospital-based, 20 cross-sectional, and 13 longitudinal) were included. For 20 studies (61% of included studies, 11 cross-sectional and nine longitudinal, 29,282 participants), we obtained IPD. NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of prevalent (odds ratio [OR] 2.12, 95% CI 1.69-2.66) and incident (hazard ratio [HR] 1.79, 95% CI 1.65-1.95) CKD. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was associated with a higher prevalence (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.58-4.05) and incidence (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.42-3.17) of CKD than simple steatosis. Advanced fibrosis was associated with a higher prevalence (OR 5.20, 95% CI 3.14-8.61) and incidence (HR 3.29, 95% CI 2.30-4.71) of CKD than non-advanced fibrosis. In all analyses, the magnitude and direction of effects remained unaffected by diabetes status, after adjustment for other risk factors, and in other subgroup and meta-regression analyses. In cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, the severity of NAFLD was positively associated with CKD stages. Limitations of analysis are the relatively small size of studies utilizing liver histology and the suboptimal sensitivity of ultrasound and biochemistry for NAFLD detection in population-based studies.

CONCLUSION

The presence and severity of NAFLD are associated with an increased risk and severity of CKD. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

A retrospective case-control analysis of the outpatient expenditures for western medicine and dental treatment modalities in CKD patients in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

To determine if expenditures for dentistry (DENT) correlate with severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

A total of 10,457 subjects were enrolled from January 2008 to December 2010, divided into three groups: healthy control (HC) group (n = 1,438), high risk (HR) group (n = 3,392), and CKD group (n = 5,627). Five stages were further categorized for the CKD group. OPD utilization and expenditures for western medicine (WM), DENT, and TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) were analyzed retrospectively (2000-2008) using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Three major areas were analyzed among groups CKD, HR and HC in this study: 1) demographic data and medical history; 2) utilization (visits/person/year) and expenditures (9-year cumulative expenditure, expenditure/person/year) for OPD services in WM, DENT, and TCM; and 3) utilization and expenditures for dental OPD services, particularly in dental filling, root canal and periodontal therapy.

RESULTS

OPD utilization and expenditures of WM increased significantly for the CKD group compared with the HR and HC groups, and increased steadily along with the severity of CKD stages. However, overall DENT and TCM utilization and expenditures did not increase for the CKD group. In comparison among different CKD stages, the average expenditures and utilization for DENT including restorative filling and periodontal therapy, but not root canal therapy, showed significant decreases according to severity of CKD stage, indicating less DENT OPD utilization with progression of CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with advanced CKD used DENT OPD service less frequently. However, the connection between CKD and DENT service utilization requires further study.