Intensive hemodialysis-keeping the faith

Long-term survival of patients receiving home hemodialysis with self-punctured arteriovenous access

OBJECTIVE

To determine the long-term survival of patients receiving home hemodialysis (HHD) through self-punctured arteriovenous access.

METHODS

We conducted an observational study of all patients receiving HHD at our facility between 2001 and 2020. The primary outcome was treatment survival, and it was defined as the duration from HHD initiation to the first event of death or technique failure. The secondary outcomes were the cumulative incidence of technique failure and mortality. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify the predictive factors for treatment survival.

RESULTS

A total of 77 patients (mean age, 50.7 years; 84.4% male; 23.4% with diabetes) were included. The median dialysis duration was 18 hours per week, and all patients self-punctured their arteriovenous fistula. During a median follow-up of 116 months, 30 treatment failures (11 deaths and 19 technique failures) were observed. The treatment survival was 100% at 1 year, 83.5% at 5 years, 67.2% at 10 years, and 34.6% at 15 years. Age (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.07) and diabetes (aHR, 2.45) were significantly associated with treatment survival. Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death, and vascular access-related issues were the primary causes of technique failure, which occurred predominantly after 100 months from HHD initiation.

CONCLUSION

This study showed a favorable long-term prognosis of patients receiving HHD. HHD can be a sustainable form of long-term kidney replacement therapy. However, access-related technique failures occur more frequently in patients receiving it over the long term. Therefore, careful management of vascular access is crucial to enhance technique survival.

Two Years' Experience of Intensive Home Hemodialysis with the Physidia S3 System: Results from the RECAP Study

The RECAP study reports results and outcomes (clinical performances, patient acceptance, cardiac outcomes, and technical survival) achieved with the S³ system used as an intensive home hemodialysis (HHD) platform over a three-year French multicenter study. Ninety-four dialysis patients issued from ten dialysis centers and treated more than 6 months (mean follow-up: 24 months) with S³ were included. A two-hour treatment time was maintained in 2/3 of patients to deliver 25 L of dialysis fluid, while 1/3 required up to 3 h to achieve 30 L. The additional convection volume produced by means of the SeCoHD tool (internal filtration backfiltration) was 3 L/session, and the net ultrafiltration produced to achieve dry weight was 1.4 L/session. On a weekly basis, an average 156 L of dialysate corresponding to 94 L of urea clearance when considering 85% dialysate saturation under low flow conditions was delivered. Such urea clearance was equivalent to 9.2 [8.0-13.0] mL/min weekly urea clearance and a standardized Kt/V of 2.5 [1.1-4.5]. The predialysis concentration of selected uremic markers remained remarkably stable over time. Fluid volume status and blood pressure were adequately controlled by means of a relatively low ultrafiltration rate (7.9 mL/h/kg). Technical survival on S³ was 72% and 58% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. The S³ system was easily handled and kept by patients at home, as indicated by technical survival. Patient perception was improved, while treatment burden was reduced. Cardiac features (assessed in a subset of patients) tended to improve over time. Intensive hemodialysis relying on the S³ system offers a very appealing option for home treatment with quite satisfactory results, as shown in the RECAP study throughout a two-year follow-up time, and offers the best bridging solution to kidney transplantation.

Characteristics, practices, and outcomes in a Belgian cohort of incident home hemodialysis patients: A 6-year experience

BACKGROUND

Home hemodialysis (HHD) remains underused in patients with kidney failure. Current literature on HHD mostly originates from non-European countries, making generalization difficult. The present study describes patients' profile and practice patterns from a Belgian HHD center, and assesses patient and technique survival and complications associated with HHD.

METHODS

We analyzed data from all our incident patients during a 6-year period. The patient's characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics. Transition to another therapeutic modality, estimated using a risk model with death and transplantation as competing events, episodes of respite cares and hospitalizations, and access complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

Eighty patients (mean age: 47 years; male: 64%) met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-one percent of patients initiated dialysis with a central venous catheter (CVC) and 96% were not assisted. Arterio-venous fistula (AVF) cannulation was performed using buttonhole technique. Standard-frequent HD (47%) and short-frequent low-flow dialysate HD (34%) were mostly used at HHD initiation. Cumulative incidences of technique failure and death were 15%, 24%, and 32% at 1, 2, and 5 years. Incidence rates for respite dialysis and hospitalizations were 2.39 and 0.54 per patient-year of HHD. In comparison with AVF, incidence rate ratios of overall access complications and access-related infections for CVC were 4.3 (95% CI: 3.1-6, p < 0.01) and 4.4 (95% CI: 2.1-10, p < 0.01), respectively. Buttonhole cannulation was complicated by 0.26 (95% CI: 0.15-0.46) infections per 1000 AVF-days.

CONCLUSIONS

This present study provides important information about patient's profile and practice patterns and safety in a cohort of 80 incident Belgian HHD patients, with encouraging techniques and patient survival.

Impact of old age on the association between in-center extended-hours hemodialysis and mortality in patients on incident hemodialysis

With the global problem of aging, it has become more difficult to improve the prognosis of older dialysis patients. Extended-hours hemodialysis offers longer treatment time compared to conventional hemodialysis regimen and provides favorable metabolic status, hemodynamic stability, and increased dietary intake. Despite prior studies reporting that in-center extended-hours hemodialysis can reduce the mortality rate, the treatment impact on elderly patients remains unclear. Therefore, we examined the association between extended-hours hemodialysis compared to conventional hemodialysis and all-cause mortality. Survival analyses using Cox proportional hazard model with multivariable adjustments and propensity-score based method were performed to compare mortality risk between 198 consecutive patients who started in-center extended-hours hemodialysis (Extended-HD) and 1407 consecutive patients who initiated conventional hemodialysis. The median age was 67.1 years in the Extended-HD group and 70.7 years in the conventional hemodialysis group. Extended-HD was associated with lower all-cause mortality in overall patients and the subgroup >70 years (adjusted hazard ratios of 0.60 [95% CI, 0.39–0.91] and 0.35 [95% CI, 0.18–0.69], respectively). There was a significant interaction between age >70 years and Extended-HD. In conclusion, extended-hours hemodialysis was associated with a lower mortality rate, especially in elderly patients.

Association of incident dialysis modality with mortality: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies

BACKGROUND

At least 2.6 million adults and children receive dialysis treatment for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) worldwide. The large majority of these receive hemodialysis (HD), while the remaining receive peritoneal dialysis (PD). Peritoneal dialysis may be associated with similar mortality outcomes as HD, and patient-reported outcomes are potentially increased with PD. Existing evidence for the mortality associated with PD was summarized over 20 years ago, and there has been greater marginal improvement in survival with PD relative to HD since that time. It is therefore timely to reexamine the question of differential mortality by modality and summarize evidence from more contemporary practice settings.

METHODS/DESIGN

Electronic databases will be systematically searched for publications that report the association between dialysis modality (HD or PD) with death from any cause and cause-specific death in incident patients with end-stage kidney disease. The database searches will be supplemented by searching through citations and references and consultation with experts. Studies published before 1995 will be excluded. Screening of both titles and abstracts will be done by two independent reviewers. All disagreements will be resolved by an independent third reviewer. A quantitative meta-analysis of effect sizes and standard errors will be applied.

DISCUSSION

Our systematic review will update previous evidence summaries and provide a quantitative and standardized assessment of the contemporary literature comparing HD and PD including published and unpublished non-English studies from greater China, Taiwan, and Japan. This review will inform shared decision-making around initial dialysis modality choice and jurisdiction-level considerations of dialysis practice.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42018111829.