Barriers to home dialysis and kidney transplantation for socially disadvantaged individuals

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

People with kidney disease facing social disadvantage have multiple barriers to quality kidney care. The aim of this review is to summarize the patient, clinician, and system wide factors that impact access to quality kidney care and discuss potential solutions to improve outcomes for socially disadvantaged people with kidney disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Patient level factors such as poverty, insurance, and employment affect access to care, and low health literacy and kidney disease awareness can affect engagement with care. Clinician level factors include lack of early nephrology referral, limited education of clinicians in home dialysis and transplantation, and poor patient-physician communication. System-level factors such as lack of predialysis care and adequate health insurance can affect timely access to care. Neighborhood level socioeconomic factors, and lack of inclusion of these factors into public policy payment models, can affect ability to access care. Moreover, the effects of structural racism and discrimination nay negatively affect the kidney care experience for racially and ethnically minoritized individuals.

SUMMARY

Patient, clinician, and system level factors affect access to and engagement in quality kidney care. Multilevel solutions are critical to achieving equitable care for all affected by kidney disease.

The availability of support and peritoneal dialysis survival: A cohort study

BACKGROUND

Providing support is important to maintain a patient on peritoneal dialysis (PD), though its impact on outcomes has not been investigated thoroughly. We examined the association between having support and risk of a transfer to hemodialysis.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational cohort study, we used data captured in the Dialysis Measurement Analysis and Reporting system about patients who started PD in Alberta, Canada, between 1 January 2013 and 30 September 2018. Support was defined as the availability of a support person in the home who was able, willing and available to provide support for PD in the patient's residence. The outcome of interest was a transfer to hemodialysis for at least 90 days. We estimated the cumulative incidence of a transfer over time accounting for competing risks and hazard ratios to summarise the association between support and a transfer. We split follow-up time as hazard ratios varied over time.

RESULTS

Six hundred and eighty-three incident PD patients, median age 58 years (IQR: 47-68) and 35% female, were followed for a median of 15 months. The cumulative incidence of a transfer to hemodialysis at 24 months was 26%. Having support was associated with a reduced risk of a transfer between 3 and 12 months after the start of dialysis (HR_3-12mo: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.25-0.78), but not earlier (hazard ratio (HR)_<3mo: 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55-1.69) or later (HR_>12mo: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.65-2.17).

CONCLUSIONS

A transfer to hemodialysis is common. Having a support person at home is associated with a short-term protective effect after the initiation of PD.

Peritoneal Dialysis Modality Failure in a Middle-Income Country: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Rationale & Objective

Technique failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains one of the most critical challenges of this therapy and is associated with a significant increase in costs and morbidity. Our objective was to estimate the frequency of PD technique failure and identify factors associated with technique failure.

Study Design

A retrospective multicenter observational cohort study.

Setting & Participants

All adult patients initiating PD between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2015, with follow-up until December 31, 2018, at the Renal Therapy Services network in Colombia.

Exposure & Predictors

PD modality (continuous ambulatory PD and automated PD) and demographic and clinical characteristics.

Outcomes

Technique failure, defined as a switch to hemodialysis lasting at least 30 days.

Analytical Approach

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of all patients were summarized descriptively according to modality. We estimated the cumulative incidence of technique failure, and a flexible parametric survival model with competing risks was used to evaluate factors associated with this outcome.

Results

Among 6,452 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 67% were treated with continuous ambulatory PD. The cumulative incidence of technique failure within 1 year of PD initiation adjusting for competing risks was 6.9% (95% CI, 6.3%-7.6%); within 2 years, technique failure was 13.5% (95% CI, 12.6%-14.4%); and within 3 years, 19.6% (95% CI, 18.5%-20.7%). Female sex, larger center size, and higher Kt/V were associated with lower risk for modality change, whereas diabetes, history of major abdominal surgery, catheter implant technique (laparotomy and percutaneous techniques), obesity, and peritonitis were associated with a higher likelihood of technique failure.

Limitations

Variables of distance to the center, use of icodextrin, and measures of outcomes reported by patients were not included.

Conclusions

Technique failure is relatively uncommon in Colombia; catheter-related problems are the most frequent cause of technique failure. Best practices in catheter insertion could minimize the risk for this outcome.

The Lived Experience of Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment for End-Stage Renal Disease: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

End-stage renal disease (ESRD), the last stage of chronic kidney disease, is the point at which the kidneys are no longer able to support the body's needs. Thus, ESRD significantly impacts the day-to-day life of patients. To improve bodily functions and prolong life, patients with ESRD require renal replacement therapy in the form of either hemodialysis (HD) or kidney transplantation. Research has documented the impact of ESRD and HD on quality of life. There is a lack of qualitative studies that describe how ESRD sufferers in Thailand cope with daily life.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to better understand the daily life experiences of Thai patients with ESRD who are on HD.

METHODS

This study used a phenomenological approach and a semistructured interview guide. Thai men and women with ESRD and on HD were purposively recruited from an HD unit at one hospital in Thailand between February and May 2013. Inclusion criteria included (a) currently being treated for HD, (b) ability to communicate in Thai, and (c) age of over 18 years. Participants were asked to describe their problems, feelings, thoughts, and attitudes as well as how they experienced their lives. Data saturation was reached after the completion of 26 interviews. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The following themes emerged from the data: (a) facing life's limitations, (b) living with uncertainty, and (c) dependence on medical technology.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The authors hope that the findings increase the understanding of healthcare providers about the lived experience of Thai patients with ESRD on HD. Greater understanding is critical in helping healthcare providers identify the changes in practice that will be necessary to better care for and integrate the best holistic practices into standardized care for this population.

A Global Overview of the Impact of Peritoneal Dialysis First or Favored Policies: An Opinion

Given the ever-increasing burden of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in a global milieu of limited financial and health resources, interested parties continue to search for ways to optimize dialysis access. Government and payer initiatives to increase access to renal replacement therapies (RRTs), particularly peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD), may have meaningful impacts from clinical and health-economic perspectives; and despite similar clinical and humanistic outcomes between the two dialysis modalities, PD may be the more convenient and resource-conscious option. This review assessed country-specific PD-First/Favored policies and their associated background, implementation, and outcomes. It was found that barriers to policy-implementation are broadly associated with government policy, economics, provider or healthcare professional education, modality-related factors, and patient-related factors. Notably, the success of a given country's PD-Favored policy was inversely associated with the extent of HD infrastructure. It is hoped that this review will provide a foundation across countries to share lessons learned during the development and implementation of PD-First/Favored policies.

The associations between the family education and mortality of patients on peritoneal dialysis

AIMS

To investigate whether education level of family members predicts all-cause and cardiovascular death and initial-episode peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

METHODS

A total of 2264 patients on chronic PD were collected from seven centers affiliated with the Socioeconomic Status on the Outcome of Peritoneal Dialysis (SSOP) Study. All demographic, socioeconomic and laboratory data of patients and the education level of all family members were recorded at baseline. Multivariate Cox regression was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and initial-episode peritonitis with adjustments for recognized traditional factors.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between patients with (n = 1752) and without (n = 512) complete education information. According to the highest education level of patients' family, included 1752 patients were divided into four groups, i.e. elementary or lower (15%), middle (27%), high (24%) and more than high school (34%). The family highest education (using elementary school or lower group as reference, hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval of middle school group, high school group and more than high school group was 0.68[0.48-0.96], 0.64[0.45-0.91], 0.66[0.48-0.91], respectively) rather than their average education level or patients' or spouse's education was significantly associated with the higher mortality. Neither patients' nor family education level did correlate to the risk for cardiovascular death or initial-episode peritonitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Family members' education level was found to be a novel predictor of PD outcome. Family, as the main source of health care providers, should be paid more attention in our practice.

Factors contributing to poor sleep quality as perceived by heart transplant recipients in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The aims of this project were to explore the factors contributing to poor sleep quality at 1 to 3 years after heart transplantation (post-HT), and to explore economic problems and social support for HT recipients (HTRs).

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional retrospective triangulation approach combining qualitative and quantitative research method designs. Quantitative data included data from the visual analog scale and the Taiwanese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. Qualitative data were derived from questions that explored physiological, psychological, and economic factors contributing to poor sleep quality postprocedure for HTRs.

RESULTS

Sixty-four subjects (81% male, 19% female) participated in this research. Their ages ranged from 20 to 70 (M = 46.88 ± 12.12) years old. Their post-HT timeframe ranged from 1 to 4.10 years; 33% received preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Sleeping disturbances were reported by 72.7% of subjects after HT. Poor sleeping quality at 2 to 3 years post-HT (P = .028) was a complaint, and was worse than at 1 to 2 years post-HT (P = .008). Six physiological (62.5%) and 3 psychological (37.5%) contributing factors were further identified in qualitative interviews. Physiological factors were the major causes affecting their sleep quality 2 to 3 years after HT, whereas psychological factors arose from various family roles, responsibilities, and economic-related pressures.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical teams should find the causes that lead to sleep disturbances and use the findings to improve HTR sleep quality. When the family financial status is affected, these teams should offer assistance and suggestions for patients who are unable to work due to post-HT physical decline. Establishing and providing good family support systems or patient support groups may allow patients to obtain physical, psychological, and spiritual comfort.

The effect of social support and coping style on depression in patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in southern China

PURPOSE

To explore the effect of social support and coping style on depression in patients on CAPD in Southern China.

METHODS

The patients undergoing CAPD therapy for more than 3 months were recruited from Jan 1 to May 31, 2009. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Social Support Rating Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) were used to evaluate depression, social support, coping style, and quality of life (QoL), respectively.

RESULTS

Of the 191 recruited patients, 65 patients (34.0 %) suffered from depression, with a BDI-II score of 23.8 ± 8.4. The average score of QoL (44.9 ± 13.9 vs. 64.7 ± 14.2, p < 0.001), social support (37.9 ± 7.2 vs. 42.1 ± 7.3, p < 0.001), and "confrontation" coping style (17.2 ± 3.9 vs. 18.8 ± 3.8, p = 0.006) in depressed patients was significantly lower than those in non-depressed patients, respectively. While the depressed patients had significantly higher score of "acceptance-resignation" coping style (12.9 ± 2.5 vs. 10.4 ± 3.5, p < 0.001) compared with those of non-depressed patients. Univariate analysis showed that the BDI-II score was negatively associated with social support (r = -0.284, p < 0.001) and "confrontation" (r = -0.180, p = 0.013), but positively associated with "acceptance-resignation" (r = 0.482, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR = 0.971, p = 0.038), female sex (OR = 2.211, p = 0.039), diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.046, p = 0.015), long PD duration (OR = 1.021, p = 0.020), fatigue (OR = 2.500, p = 0.032), high Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score (OR = 1.143, p = 0.001), low social support (OR = 0.945, p = 0.046), and high "acceptance-resignation" (OR = 1.096, p = 0.020) were independently associated with depression.

CONCLUSION

There was a high prevalence of depression in CAPD patients. Age, female sex, diabetes mellitus, long PD duration, fatigue, sleep disturbance, low social support, and high "acceptance-resignation" coping style were independently associated with depression.

Association of social support with outcomes in incident dialysis patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The association of social support with outcomes in ESRD, overall and by peritoneal dialysis (PD) versus hemodialysis (HD), remains understudied.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

In an incident cohort of 949 dialysis patients from 77 US clinics, we examined functional social support scores (scaled 0 to 100 and categorized by tertile) both overall and in emotional, tangible, affectionate, and social interaction subdomains. Outcomes included 1-year patient satisfaction and quality of life (QOL), dialysis modality switching, and hospitalizations and mortality (through December 2004). Associations were examined using overall and modality-stratified multivariable logistic, Poisson, and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

We found that mean social support scores in this population were higher in PD versus HD patients (overall 80.5 versus 76.1; P < 0.01). After adjustment, highest versus lowest overall support predicted greater 1-year satisfaction and QOL in all patients (odds ratio 2.47 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18 to 5.15] and 2.06 [95% CI 1.31 to 3.22] for recommendation of center and higher mental component summary score, respectively). In addition, patients were less likely to be hospitalized (incidence rate ratio 0.86; 95% CI 0.77 to 0.98). Results were similar with subdomain scores. Modality switching and mortality did not differ by social support in these patients, and associations of social support with outcomes did not generally differ by dialysis modality.

CONCLUSIONS

Social support is important for both HD and PD patients in terms of greater satisfaction and QOL and fewer hospitalizations. Intervention studies to possibly improve these outcomes are warranted.

Peritoneal dialysis patient selection: characteristics for success

This review focuses on the strategy of patient selection for peritoneal dialysis (PD) based on published epidemiology studies and observational data. With the success of the PD first model in Hong Kong, experience shows that there is no particular patient group that cannot be put on PD except those who have major problems in the abdomen. Incident patients should be offered the choice to receive PD at the start of dialysis in order to preserve better the residual renal function. Concern has also been expressed for a time-dependent negative impact of PD on survival, although PD in general provides survival advantage at least during the first few years after the start of dialysis. Regular patient review is essential to allow prompt adjustment of the dialysis regimen and modality when required. Accumulating research suggests that center size has a significant effect on the patient and technique survival of patients undergoing PD. Comorbid diabetes, large and small body size, peritoneal membrane transport status, elderly age group, and socioeconomic status are important patient factors to consider. Good clinical and psychosocial care of the PD patients are essential as well as the attention to their compliance. Enhanced training to medical and nursing personnel on PD is one of the key success factors for improving its utilization and outcome.

[Mood disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease: significance, etiology and prevalence of depression]

Due to the rapidly increasing number of end-stage renal disease patients and the high costs of their treatment, all the aspects of kidney disease that may significantly affect clinical outcome (quality of life mortality) deserve increasing attention. It has been established and accepted that in addition to clinical/somatic factors, also psycho-social factors, including depression, may have a significant impact on the clinical outcome of chronic diseases. Depression is considered to be one of the most prevalent mental health problems in patients with chronic kidney disease. In spite of this fact, there are only few studies on the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of depression in this population using accurate, well defined diagnostic criteria and appropriate epidemiologic methods. In the last decades we have experienced a significant improvement in the quality and effectiveness of the therapeutic options for chronic kidney disease, but mortality is still very high in this population. Our review provides an overview of the literature regarding the prevalence and etiology of depression, and calls the attention to the interrelation among depression, quality of life and mortality. The second part of our paper to be published later will survey the specific diagnostic and therapeutic features of depression in chronic kidney disease patients.