Dialysis therapies in older patients with end-stage renal disease

Epidemiology of haemodialysis outcomes

Haemodialysis (HD) is the commonest form of kidney replacement therapy in the world, accounting for approximately 69% of all kidney replacement therapy and 89% of all dialysis. Over the last six decades since the inception of HD, dialysis technology and patient access to the therapy have advanced considerably, particularly in high-income countries. However, HD availability, accessibility, cost and outcomes vary widely across the world and, overall, the rates of impaired quality of life, morbidity and mortality are high. Cardiovascular disease affects more than two-thirds of people receiving HD, is the major cause of morbidity and accounts for almost 50% of mortality. In addition, patients on HD have high symptom loads and are often under considerable financial strain. Despite the many advances in HD technology and delivery systems that have been achieved since the treatment was first developed, poor outcomes among patients receiving HD remain a major public health concern. Understanding the epidemiology of HD outcomes, why they might vary across different populations and how they might be improved is therefore crucial, although this goal is hampered by the considerable heterogeneity in the monitoring and reporting of these outcomes across settings.

This Review examines the epidemiology of haemodialysis outcomes — clinical, patient-reported and surrogate outcomes — across world regions and populations, including vulnerable individuals. The authors also discuss the current status of monitoring and reporting of haemodialysis outcomes and potential strategies for improvement.

Nearly 4 million people in the world are living on kidney replacement therapy (KRT), and haemodialysis (HD) remains the commonest form of KRT, accounting for approximately 69% of all KRT and 89% of all dialysis.

Dialysis technology and patient access to KRT have advanced substantially since the 1960s, particularly in high-income countries. However, HD availability, accessibility, cost and outcomes continue to vary widely across countries, particularly among disadvantaged populations (including Indigenous peoples, women and people at the extremes of age).

Cardiovascular disease affects over two-thirds of people receiving HD, is the major cause of morbidity and accounts for almost 50% of mortality; mortality among patients on HD is significantly higher than that of their counterparts in the general population, and treated kidney failure has a higher mortality than many types of cancer. Patients on HD also experience high burdens of symptoms, poor quality of life and financial difficulties.

Careful monitoring of the outcomes of patients on HD is essential to develop effective strategies for risk reduction. Outcome measures are highly variable across regions, countries, centres and segments of the population. Establishing kidney registries that collect a variety of clinical and patient-reported outcomes using harmonized definitions is therefore crucial.

Evaluation of HD outcomes should include the impact on family and friends, and personal finances, and should examine inequities in disadvantaged populations, who comprise a large proportion of the HD population.

Home Dialysis Among Elderly Patients: Outcomes and Future Directions

Elderly patients who receive home dialysis (peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis) may have reduced survival compared to younger patients. Therefore, it is important to ascertain the goals of home dialysis in the elderly rather than simply fixate on standard metrics such as technique survival. As Canada's population continues to age, the prevalence of end-stage kidney disease among the elderly population is increasing. Patients with multiple comorbidities are now surviving long enough to be started on dialysis. Although home dialysis has been associated with better survival and improved quality of life, its impact on the frail and elderly populations require further elucidation. Home dialysis patients can either independently perform tasks or have support in the home to safely conduct dialysis. Moreover, patients burdened with frailty and multiple comorbidities who lack support in the home may not be able to perform home dialysis safely. Innovative strategies to improve accessibility to home-based therapies need further exploration. In addition, the concept of goal-directed dialysis promotes more individualized treatment. Future continuous quality improvement initiatives must examine if goal-directed dialysis leads to better quality of life outcomes in the elderly.

Predictors of Health Deterioration Among Older Adults After 12 Months of Dialysis Therapy: A Longitudinal Cohort Study From New Zealand

BACKGROUND

Involving patients in dialysis decision making is crucial, yet little is known about patient-reported experiences and patient-reported outcomes of dialysis.

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective longitudinal cohort study of older patients receiving long-term dialysis. Predictors of worse health status were assessed using modified Poisson regression analysis.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

150 New Zealanders 65 years or older with end-stage kidney disease dialyzing at 1 of 3 nephrology centers.

PREDICTORS

Patient-reported social and health characteristics based on the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, EQ-5D, and Kidney Symptom Score questionnaires and clinical information from health records.

OUTCOMES

Health status after 12 months of follow-up.

RESULTS

35% of study participants had reported worse health or had died at 12 months. Baseline variables independently associated with reduced risk for worse health status were Pacific ethnicity (relative risk [RR], 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53-0.72), greater bother on the Kidney Symptom Score (RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97), and dialyzing at home with either home hemodialysis (RR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36-0.83) or peritoneal dialysis (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79-0.93). Baseline variables independently associated with increased risk were greater social dissatisfaction (RR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.27-2.17), lower sense of community (RR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.09-2.64), comorbid conditions (RR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.09-2.64), EQ-5D anxiety/depression (RR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.07-2.42); poor/fair overall general health (RR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.37-1.85), and longer time on dialysis therapy (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05).

LIMITATIONS

Small sample size restricted study power.

CONCLUSIONS

Most older dialyzing patients studied reported same/better health 12 months later. Home-based dialysis, regardless of whether hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, was associated with reduced risk for worse health, and older Pacific People reported better outcomes on dialysis therapy. Social and/or clinical interventions aimed at improving social satisfaction, sense of community, and reducing anxiety/depression may favorably affect the experiences of older patients receiving long-term dialysis.

Elderly Peritoneal Dialysis Compared with Elderly Hemodialysis Patients and Younger Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Competing Risk Analysis of a Korean Prospective Cohort Study

The outcomes of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in elderly patients have not been thoroughly investigated. We aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes and risk factors associated with PD in elderly patients. We conducted a prospective observational nationwide adult end-stage renal disease (ESRD) cohort study in Korea from August 2008 to March 2013. Among incident patients (n = 830), patient and technical survival rate, quality of life, and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) scores of elderly PD patients (≥65 years, n = 95) were compared with those of PD patients aged ≤49 years (n = 205) and 50~64 years (n = 192); and elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients (n = 315). The patient death and technical failure were analyzed by cumulative incidence function. Competing risk regressions were used to assess the risk factors for survival. The patient survival rate of elderly PD patients was inferior to that of younger PD patients (P<0.001). However, the technical survival rate was similar (P = 0.097). Compared with elderly HD patients, the patient survival rate did not differ according to dialysis modality (P = 0.987). Elderly PD patients showed significant improvement in the BDI scores, as compared with the PD patients aged ≤49 years (P = 0.003). Low albumin, diabetes and low residual renal function were significant risk factors for the PD patient survival; and peritonitis was a significant risk factor for technical survival. Furthermore, low albumin and hospitalization were significant risk factors of patient survival among the elderly. The overall outcomes were similar between elderly PD and HD patients. PD showed the benefit in BDI and quality of life in the elderly. Additionally, the technical survival rate of elderly PD patients was similar to that of younger PD patients. Taken together, PD may be a comparable modality for elderly ESRD patients.