'Reality and desire' in the care of advanced chronic kidney disease

Does wealth make health? Cherchez la renal replacement therapy

In this issue of CKJ, McQuarrie et al. have explored the relationship between socioeconomic status and outcomes among Scottish patients with a renal biopsy diagnosis of primary glomerulonephritis. Patients in the lower socioeconomic category had a twofold higher risk of death. No significant differences were observed on progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT), suggesting that overall medical management was appropriate for all socioeconomic categories. The findings are significant since they come from an ethnically homogeneous population with free access to healthcare; they also relate to a specific aetiology of chronic kidney disease (CKD) expected to be less dependent on unhealthy lifestyles than other more frequent aetiologies that dominate studies of CKD in general, such as diabetic or hypertensive nephropathy. A closer look at the data suggests that living in a high socioeconomic area is associated with lower mortality, rather than the other way round. Furthermore, the differences in mortality were most pronounced during the RRT stage of CKD, providing clues for further research. In this regard, Wilmink et al. and Nee et al. point to access to pre-ESRD nephrology care and to the best kidney transplantation options as modifiable factors to be studied in the realm of T3 translational research to improve CKD patient outcomes.

Type of Referral, Dialysis Start and Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy Modality in an International Integrated Care Setting

INTRODUCTION

Integrated Care Settings (ICS) provide a holistic approach to the transition from chronic kidney disease into renal replacement therapy (RRT), offering at least both types of dialysis.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze which factors determine type of referral, modality provision and dialysis start on final RRT in ICS clinics.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 626 patients starting dialysis in 25 ICS clinics in Poland, Hungary and Romania during 2012. Scheduled initiation of dialysis with a permanent access was considered as planned RRT start.

RESULTS

Modality information (80% of patients) and renal education (87%) were more frequent (p<0.001) in Planned (P) than in Non-Planned (NP) start. Median time from information to dialysis start was 2 months. 89% of patients started on hemodialysis, 49% were referred late to ICS (<3 months from referral to RRT) and 58% were NP start. Late referral, non-vascular renal etiology, worse clinical status, shorter time from information to RRT and less peritoneal dialysis (PD) were associated with NP start (p<0.05). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, P start (p≤0.05) was associated with early referral, eGFR >8.2 ml/min, >2 months between information and RRT initiation and with vascular etiology after adjustment for age and gender. "Optimal care," defined as ICS follow-up >12 months plus modality information and P start, occurred in 23%.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the high rate of late referrals, information and education were widely provided. However, NP start was high and related to late referral and may explain the low frequency of PD.