Socio-economic status influences chronic kidney disease prevalence in primary care: a community-based cross-sectional analysis

Association of deprivation and its individual domains on outcomes in people with chronic kidney disease

Background

Due to the high correlation of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with other comorbidities, the sole effect of CKD on deprived people is not clear. In addition, there is a paucity of evidence in the literature linking isolated domains of deprivation to outcomes. This study aimed to examine whether deprivation was associated with adverse outcomes in patients with CKD, independent of cardiometabolic morbidities. Individual domains of deprivation were also evaluated.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD (ND-CKD) in the Salford Kidney Study to investigate the association of deprivation with outcomes. The English Indices of Deprivation was used for the comparative analysis of the five quintiles of deprivation. Two propensity score methods were used to attenuate the confounding effect of cardiometabolic morbidities between the least and the most deprived groups.

Results

People living in the least deprived areas (n = 319) had a lower risk of combined outcomes (all-cause mortality and renal replacement therapy) when compared with the most deprived group (n = 813) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.98]. The negative association of deprivation remained after matching but with mixed statistical significance when using different propensity methods (HR 0.85; 95% CI 0.70-1.03 for propensity score matching and HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.61-0.98 for inverse probability weighting). The association of combined outcomes varied across component index of multiple deprivation domains with wide CIs. However, areas with lower scores for education, income and employment were significantly associated with a higher risk.

Conclusions

This study has identified that in people with ND-CKD, unemployment, poor educational attainment and lower household income were associated with poor outcomes. The association of deprivation with adverse outcomes persists despite adjustment for cardiometabolic morbidities.

Socioeconomic deprivation is associated with worse patient and graft survival following adult liver transplantation

The impact of social determinants of health on adult liver transplant recipient outcomes is not clear at a national level. Further understanding of the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes can inform effective, equitable health care delivery. Unadjusted and multivariable models were used to analyze the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients to evaluate the association between the Social Deprivation Index (SDI) based on the liver transplant recipient's residential location and patient and graft survival. We included adult recipients between January 1, 2008 and December 1, 2021. Patient and graft survival were lower in adults living in areas with deprivation scores above the median. Five-year patient and graft survival were 78.7% and 76.5%, respectively, in the cohort above median SDI compared to 80.5% and 78.3% below median SDI. Compared to the recipients in low-deprivation residential areas, recipients residing in the highest deprivation (SDI quintile = 5) cohort had 6% higher adjusted risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13) and 6% higher risk of graft failure (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.001-1.11). The increased risks for recipients residing in more vulnerable residential areas were higher (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.20 for both death and graft loss) following the first year after transplantation. Importantly, the overall risk for graft loss associated with SDI was not linear but instead accelerated above the median level of deprivation. In the United States, social determinants of health, as reflected by residential distress, significantly impacts 5-year patient and graft survival. The overall effect of residential deprivation modest, and importantly, results illustrate they are more strongly associated with longer-term follow-up and accelerate at higher deprivation levels. Further research is needed to evaluate effective interventions and policies to attenuate disparities in outcomes among recipients in highly disadvantaged areas.

Financial Toxicity in Renal Patients (FINTORE) Study: A Cross-Sectional Italian Study on Financial Burden in Kidney Disease-A Project Protocol

Financial toxicity (FT) refers to the negative impact of health-care costs on clinical conditions. In general, social determinants of health, especially poverty, socioenvironmental stressors, and psychological factors, are increasingly recognized as important determinants of non-communicable diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), and their consequences. We aim to investigate the prevalence of FT in patients at different stages of CKD treated in our universal health-care system and from pediatric nephrology, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplantation clinics. FT will be assessed with the Patient-Reported Outcome for Fighting Financial Toxicity (PROFFIT) score, which was first developed by Italian oncologists. Our local ethics committee has approved the study. Our population sample will answer the sixteen questions of the PROFFIT questionnaire, seven of which are related to the outcome and nine the determinants of FT. Data will be analyzed in the pediatric and adult populations and by group stratification. We are confident that this study will raise awareness among health-care professionals of the high risk of adverse health outcomes in patients who have both kidney disease and high levels of FT. Strategies to reduce FT should be implemented to improve the standard of care for people with kidney disease and lead to truly patient-centered care.

Deprivation and chronic kidney disease-a review of the evidence

The relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and health is inequitable. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an archetypal disease of inequality, being more common amongst those living in deprivation. The prevalence of CKD is rising driven by an increase in lifestyle-related conditions. This narrative review describes deprivation and its association with adverse outcomes in adults with non-dialysis-dependent CKD including disease progression, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. We explore the social determinants of health and individual lifestyle factors to address whether patients with CKD who are socioeconomically deprived have poorer outcomes than those of higher socioeconomic status. We describe whether observed differences in outcomes are associated with income, employment, educational attainment, health literacy, access to healthcare, housing, air pollution, cigarette smoking, alcohol use or aerobic exercise. The impact of socioeconomic deprivation in adults with non-dialysis-dependent CKD is complex, multi-faceted and frequently under-explored within the literature. There is evidence that patients with CKD who are socioeconomically deprived have faster disease progression, higher risk of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. This appears to be the result of both socioeconomic and individual lifestyle factors. However, there is a paucity of studies and methodological limitations. Extrapolation of findings to different societies and healthcare systems is challenging, however, the disproportionate effect of deprivation in patients with CKD necessitates a call to action. Further empirical study is warranted to establish the true cost of deprivation in CKD to patients and societies.

Increasing Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccination and Reducing Health Inequalities in Patients on Renal Replacement Therapy-Experience from a Single Tertiary Centre

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 vaccination has changed the landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, decreased uptake due to vaccine hesitancy has been observed, particularly in patients from minority ethnic backgrounds and socially deprived areas. These patient characteristics are common in patients on Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT), a population at extremely high risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19 and who would thus benefit the most from the vaccination programme. We designed a bespoke COVID-19 vaccination programme for our RRT population with the aim of decreasing health inequalities and increasing vaccination uptake.

METHODS

Key interventions included addressing vaccine hesitancy by deploying the respective clinical teams as trusted messengers, prompt eligible patient identification and notification, the deployment of resources to optimise vaccine administration in a manner convenient to patients, and the timely collection and analysis of local safety and efficacy data. First, COVID-19 vaccination data in relation to ethnicity and social deprivation in our RRT population, measured by the multiple deprivation index, were analysed and compared to uptake data in the total regional adult clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) population in Greater Manchester (GM). Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors associated with not receiving a vaccine.

RESULTS

Out of 1156 RRT patients included in this analysis, 96.7% received the first dose of the vaccination compared to 93% in the cohort of CEV patients in the GM. Age, gender, ethnicity, and a lower index of multiple deprivation were not identified as significant risk factors for poor first dose vaccine uptake in our cohort. Vaccine uptake in Asian and Black RRT patients was 94.9% and 92.3%, respectively, compared to 93% and 76.2% for the same ethnic groups in the reference CEV GM. Vaccine uptake was 96.1% for RRT patients in the lowest quartile of the multiple deprivation index, compared to 90.5% in the GM reference population.

CONCLUSION

Bespoke COVID-19 vaccination programmes based on local clinical teams as trusted messengers can improve negative attitudes towards vaccination and reduce health inequalities.

The association of socioeconomic status with incidence and outcomes of acute kidney injury

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Socioeconomic status may be negatively associated with AKI as some risk factors for AKI such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes and heart failure are socially distributed. This study explored the socioeconomic gradient of the incidence and mortality of AKI, after adjusting for important mediators such as comorbidities.

METHODS

Linked primary care and laboratory data from two large acute hospitals in the south of England, sourced from the Care and Health Information Analytics database, were used to identify AKI cases over a 1-year period (2017-18) from a population of 580 940 adults. AKI was diagnosed from serum creatinine patterns using a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes-based definition. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities and prescribed medication (in incidence analyses) and AKI severity (in mortality analyses), were used to assess the association of area deprivation (using Index of Multiple Deprivation for place of residence) with AKI risk and all-cause mortality over a median (interquartile range) of 234 days (119-356).

RESULTS

Annual incidence rate of first AKI was 1726/100 000 (1.7%). The risk of AKI was higher in the most deprived compared with the least deprived areas [adjusted odds ratio = 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59-2.01 and 1.33, 95% CI 1.03-1.72 for <65 and >65 year old, respectively] after controlling for age, sex, comorbidities and prescribed medication. Adjusted risk of mortality post first AKI was higher in the most deprived areas (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.36).

CONCLUSIONS

Social deprivation was associated with higher incidence of AKI and poorer survival even after adjusting for the higher presence of comorbidities. Such social inequity should be considered when devising strategies to prevent AKI and improve care for AKI patients.

Managing the Social Determinants of Health: Part I: Fundamental Knowledge for Professional Case Management

OBJECTIVES

PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING(S):: Applicable to health and behavioral health settings, wherever case management is practiced.

FINDING/CONCLUSION

The SDH pose major challenges to the health care workforce in terms of effective resource provision, health and behavioral health treatment planning plus adherence, and overall coordination of care. Obstacles and variances to needed interventions easily lead to less than optimal outcomes for case managers and their health care organizations. Possessing sound knowledge and clear understanding of each SDH, the historical perspectives, main theories, and integral dynamics, as well as creative resource solutions, all support a higher level of intentional and effective professional case management practice.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

Those persons and communities impacted most by the SDH comprise every case management practice setting. These clients can be among the most vulnerable and disenfranchised members of society, which can easily engender biases on the part of the interprofessional workforce. They are also among the costliest to care for with 50% of costs for only 5% of the population. Critical attention to knowledge about managing the SDH leverages and informs case management practice, evolves more effective programming, and enhances operational outcomes across practice settings.

Associations between socioeconomic status and chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) has long been conjectured to be associated with the incidence and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but few studies have examined this quantitatively. This meta-analysis aims to fill this gap.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed using Medline and EMBASE to identify observational studies on associations between SES and incidence and progression of CKD, published between 1974 and March 2017. Individual results were meta-analysed using a random effects model, in line with Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.

RESULTS

In total, 43 articles met our inclusion criteria. CKD prevalence was associated with several indicators of SES, particularly lower income (OR 1.34, 95% CI (1.18 to 1.53), P<0.001; I²=73.0%, P=0.05); lower education (OR 1.21, 95% CI (1.11 to 1.32), P<0.001; I²=45.20%, P=0.034); and lower combined SES (OR 2.18, 95% CI (1.64 to 2.89), P<0.001; I²=0.0%, P=0.326). Lower levels of income, occupation and combined SES were also significantly associated with progression to end-stage renal disease (risk ratio (RR) 1.24, 95% CI (1.12 to 1.37), P<0.001; I²=66.6%, P=0.006; RR 1.05, 95% CI (1.01 to 1.09), P=0.012; I²=0.0%, P=0.796; and RR 1.39, 95% CI (1.09 to 1.79), P=0.009; I²=74.2%, P=0.009). Subgroup analyses generally confirmed these results, except in a few cases, such as an inverse association related to particular socioeconomic backgrounds and where results were adjusted by more disease-related risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Lower income was most closely associated with prevalence and progression of CKD, and lower education was significantly associated with its prevalence. Evidence for other indicators was inconclusive.

Chronic Kidney Diseases Among Patients Undergoing Elective Arthroplasty: Risk Groups and the Value of Serum Creatinine

BACKGROUND

In arthroplasty clinics, we tend to evaluate patient's kidney function looking at serum creatinine (SCr), while estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is recommended. We reported the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD; eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m²) in different patient groups and investigated whether CKD is missed by evaluation based on SCr.

METHODS

Preoperative SCr values were used to calculate eGFR in 20,575 consecutive hip or knee arthroplasties.

RESULTS

Prevalence of CKD was 9%-12%. It was higher among older women, knee arthroplasty patients, and patients with hypertension, diabetes, or coronary disease. Using SCr instead of eGFR leads to missing CKD in up to 7% of the cases. In older women and older patients with body mass index <25 kg/m², half of CKD cases were missed.

CONCLUSION

Use of eGFR instead of SCr to detect CKD more accurately is recommended.

Acute Kidney Injury in the Era of the AKI E-Alert

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to use a national electronic AKI alert to define the incidence and outcome of all episodes of community- and hospital-acquired adult AKI.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

A prospective national cohort study was undertaken in a population of 3.06 million. Data were collected between March of 2015 and August of 2015. All patients with adult (≥18 years of age) AKI were identified to define the incidence and outcome of all episodes of community- and hospital-acquired AKI in adults. Mortality and renal outcomes were assessed at 90 days.

RESULTS

There was a total of 31,601 alerts representing 17,689 incident episodes, giving an incidence of AKI of 577 per 100,000 population. Community-acquired AKI accounted for 49.3% of all incident episodes, and 42% occurred in the context of preexisting CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration eGFR); 90-day mortality rate was 25.6%, and 23.7% of episodes progressed to a higher AKI stage than the stage associated with the alert. AKI electronic alert stage and peak AKI stage were associated with mortality, and mortality was significantly higher for hospital-acquired AKI compared with alerts generated in a community setting. Among patients who survived to 90 days after the AKI electronic alert, those who were not hospitalized had a lower rate of renal recovery and a greater likelihood of developing an eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 for the first time, which may be indicative of development of de novo CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

The reported incidence of AKI is far greater than the previously reported incidence in studies reliant on clinical identification of adult AKI or hospital coding data. Although an electronic alert system is Information Technology driven and therefore, lacks intelligence and clinical context, these data can be used to identify deficiencies in care, guide the development of appropriate intervention strategies, and provide a baseline against which the effectiveness of these interventions may be measured.

Prevalence and recognition of chronic kidney disease in Stockholm healthcare

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, but the frequency of albuminuria testing and referral to nephrology care has been difficult to measure. We here characterize CKD prevalence and recognition in a complete healthcare utilization cohort of the Stockholm region, in Sweden.

METHODS

We included all adult individuals (n = 1 128 058) with at least one outpatient measurement of IDMS-calibrated serum creatinine during 2006-11. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated via the CKD-EPI equation and CKD was solely defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m². We also assessed the performance of diagnostic testing (albuminuria), nephrology consultations, and utilization of ICD-10 diagnoses.

RESULTS

A total of 68 894 individuals had CKD, with a crude CKD prevalence of 6.11% [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.07-6.16%] and a prevalence standardized to the European population of 5.38% (5.33-5.42%). CKD was more prevalent among the elderly (28% prevalence >75 years old), women (6.85 versus 5.24% in men), and individuals with diabetes (17%), hypertension (17%) or cardiovascular disease (31%). The frequency of albuminuria monitoring was low, with 38% of diabetics and 27% of CKD individuals undergoing albuminuria testing over 2 years. Twenty-three per cent of the 16 383 individuals satisfying selected KDIGO criteria for nephrology referral visited a nephrologist. Twelve per cent of CKD patients carried an ICD-10 diagnostic code of CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

An estimated 6% of the adult Stockholm population accessing healthcare has CKD, but the frequency of albuminuria testing, nephrology consultations and registration of CKD diagnoses was suboptimal despite universal care. Improving provider awareness and treatment of CKD could have a significant public health impact.

Associations between the number of natural teeth and renal dysfunction

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between the number of natural teeth and measures of kidney dysfunction, such as urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) and estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) rate, using nationally representative data.The data used were from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with cross-sectional design, which was conducted between 2011 and 2012; the sample analyzed in this study consisted of a total of 10,388 respondents, each of whom was 19 years or older and had no missing outcome variables. The association between the number of natural teeth and kidney function was assessed by multiple logistic regression and model was adjusted for age, sex, waist conference, smoking, drinking, exercise, education, income, frequency of tooth brushing per day, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, urinary ACR, and eGFR.The mean age, body mass index, and waist circumference were significantly higher among those with lower kidney function (urinary ACR ≥30 mg/g and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m). Urinary ACR and eGFR were associated with loss of natural teeth. As urinary ACR increased, the number of natural teeth decreased accordingly. Conversely, the number of natural teeth increased with an increase in eGFR.This study showed that the number of natural teeth is inversely associated with the presence of kidney disease. Severity of tooth loss may be considered an independent risk indicator for kidney disease among Koreans. More epidemiological studies are warranted to investigate the role of tooth loss in kidney disease, to confirm this relationship and to test possible underlying mechanisms.

Altitude and regional gradients in chronic kidney disease prevalence in Costa Rica: Data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study

OBJECTIVES

Recent studies in Central America indicate that mortality attributable to chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rising rapidly. We sought to determine the prevalence and regional variation of CKD and the relationship of biologic and socio-economic factors to CKD risk in the older-adult population of Costa Rica.

METHODS

We used data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Health Aging Study (CRELES). The cohort was comprised of 2657 adults born before 1946 in Costa Rica, chosen through a sampling algorithm to represent the national population of Costa Ricans >60 years of age. Participants answered questionnaire data and completed laboratory testing. The primary outcome of this study was CKD, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 .

RESULTS

The estimated prevalence of CKD for older Costa Ricans was 20% (95% CI 18.5-21.9%). In multivariable logistic regression, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.08 per year, 95% CI 1.07-1.10, P < 0.001) was independently associated with CKD. For every 200 m above sea level of residence, subjects' odds of CKD increased 26% (aOR 1.26 95% CI 1.15-1.38, P < 0.001). There was large regional variation in adjusted CKD prevalence, highest in Limon (40%, 95% CI 30-50%) and Guanacaste (36%, 95% CI 26-46%) provinces. Regional and altitude effects remained robust after adjustment for socio-economic status.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed large regional and altitude-related variations in CKD prevalence in Costa Rica, not explained by the distribution of traditional CKD risk factors. More studies are needed to explore the potential association of geographic and environmental exposures with the risk of CKD.