Establishing a clinical phenotype for cachexia in end stage kidney disease - study protocol

The lived experience of renal cachexia: An interpretive phenomenological analysis

Background

Chronic kidney disease is common, affecting up to 13 % of the global population, and is predicted to become the fifth leading cause of 'life years lost' by 2040. Individuals with end-stage kidney disease commonly develop complications such as protein-energy wasting and cachexia which further worsens their prognosis. The syndrome of 'renal cachexia' is poorly understood, under-diagnosed and even if recognised has limited treatment options.

Objective

To explore the lived experience of renal cachexia for individuals with end-stage kidney disease and the interrelated experiences of their carers.

Design

This interpretive phenomenological study was designed to facilitate an in-depth exploration of how patients and carers experience of renal cachexia. To improve and document the quality, transparency, and consistency of patient and public involvement in this study the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public-Short Format was followed.

Setting

The study was conducted across two nephrology directorates, within two healthcare trusts in the United Kingdom.

Participants

Seven participants who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for this study, four patients (three female, one male) and three carers (two male, one female).

Methods

We employed a purposive sampling strategy. Data collection was conducted between July 2022 and December 2023. Interviews were semi-structured, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed in six steps by two researchers using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Ethical approval was approved by the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (Reference: 22/NI/0107).

Results

Analysis generated six group experiential themes: the lived experience of appetite loss, functional decline and temporal coping, weight loss a visual metaphor of concern, social withdrawal and vulnerability, the emotional toll of eating challenges and psychological strain amidst a lack of information about cachexia.

Conclusion

This is the first qualitative study exploring the lived experience of renal cachexia for patients and carers. Our study highlights that psycho-social and educational support is urgently needed. Additionally, healthcare professionals need better information provision to help them to recognise and respond to the needs of this population. Further research is required to develop models of holistic support which could help patients and carers cope with the impact of renal cachexia and optimally manage this syndrome within the family unit.

Registration

N/A.

Quality of life in advanced renal disease managed either by haemodialysis or conservative care in older patients

OBJECTIVE

Consideration of quality of life (QoL) in people with end-stage renal disease has become an important part of treatment decision-making. The aim of this study was to report on QoL and other functional outcomes in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional study. Two samples of older patients (>60 years old) either conservatively managed (CM) or receiving hospital-based haemodialysis (HD), compared Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQoL-36) outcomes.

RESULTS

Data from 263 CM patients (CKD 4 n=188, mean age 73.6 years, 48 women; CKD 5 n=75, mean age 74.4 years, 26 women) and 74 patients on HD (mean age 73.8 years, 24 women) were analysed. Significant group differences were identified for two subscales of KDQoL-36. Symptoms/Problems List subscale was significantly better for those receiving HD compared with those CM with CKD 5 (p=<0.001). Symptom/Problem List scores of CM CKD stage 4 patients were not significantly different compared with HD patients but were significantly better than CM CKD stage 5 patients (p<0.001). Burden of Kidney Disease subscale was significantly better for both CKD 4 (p<0.001) and CKD 5 (p<0.001) CM patients when compared with those receiving HD.

CONCLUSION

Symptoms of advanced CKD significantly impact QoL for patients CM with CKD stage 5. Conversely, QoL is significantly impacted for those in receipt of HD due to the burden of treatment. These findings provide evidence for the use of QoL tools to help with clinical prognostication in advanced CKD. Using QoL tools will ensure specialist support is available for appropriate management of patients with CKD.

Developing an Evidence and Theory Based Multimodal Integrative Intervention for the Management of Renal Cachexia: A Theory of Change

In this study, we aimed to develop a theoretical framework for a multimodal, integrative, exercise, anti-inflammatory and dietary counselling (MMIEAD) intervention for patients with renal cachexia with reference to how this addresses the underlying causal pathways for renal cachexia, the outcomes anticipated, and how these will be evaluated. We used a Theory of Change (ToC) approach to guide six steps. Step 1 included inputs from a workshop to obtain key stakeholder views on the potential development of a multimodal intervention for renal cachexia. Step 2 included the findings of a mixed-methods study with Health Care Practitioners (HCPs) caring for individuals with End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) and cachexia. Step 3 included the results from our systematic literature review on multimodal interventions for cachexia management. In step 4, we used the body of our research team's cachexia research and wider relevant research to gather evidence on the specific components of the multimodal intervention with reference to how this addresses the underlying causal pathways for renal cachexia. In steps 5 and 6 we developed and refined the ToC map in consultation with the core research team and key stakeholders which illustrates how the intervention components of MMIEAD interact to achieve the intended long-term outcomes and anticipated impact. The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for the forthcoming MMIEAD intervention for those with renal cachexia and in subsequent phases will be used to determine whether this intervention is effective. To the best of our knowledge no other multimodal intervention trials for cachexia management have reported a ToC. Therefore, this research may provide a useful framework and contribute to the ongoing development of interventions for cachexia management.

Exploring the lived experience of renal cachexia for individuals with end-stage renal disease and the interrelated experience of their carers: Study protocol

Renal cachexia is an important consideration in the person-centred care that is needed in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, given that clinical guidelines relating to renal cachexia are largely absent, this is an unmet care need. To inform guidelines and future renal service planning, there is an urgency to understand individuals’ experiences of renal cachexia and the interrelated experiences of the carers in their lives. We report here the protocol for an interpretative phenomenological study which will explore this lived experience. A purposive sampling strategy will recruit individuals living with ESRD who have cachexia and their carers. A maximum of 30 participants (15 per group) dependent on saturation will be recruited across two nephrology directorates, within two healthcare trusts in the United Kingdom. Individuals with renal cachexia undergoing haemodialysis will be recruited via clinical gatekeepers and their carers will subsequently be invited to participate in the study. Participants will be offered the opportunity to have a face-to-face, virtual or telephone interview. Interviews will be audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. NVivo, will be used for data management. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (REC Reference: 22/NI/0107). Scientific evidence tends to focus on measurable psychological, social and quality of life outcomes but there is limited research providing in-depth meaning and understanding of the views of individuals with renal disease who are experiencing renal cachexia. This information is urgently needed to better prepare healthcare providers and in turn support individuals with ESRD and their carers. This study will help healthcare providers understand what challenges individuals with ESRD, and their carers face in relation to cachexia and aims to inform future clinical practice guidelines and develop supportive interventions which recognise and respond to the needs of this population.

Validation of the functional assessment of anorexia/cachexia therapy instrument to assess quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients with cachexia

BACKGROUND

Many patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) eventually suffer from cachexia. The Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) is a tool used to evaluate the quality of life of patients with cachexia related to various diseases, but its suitability for use in MHD patients has yet to be verified. This study aimed to explore the validation of the FAACT in MHD patients by conducting reliability and validity tests.

METHODS

Qualified MHD patients were selected to complete the FAACT and Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 36 (KDQOL-36) questionnaires, and their demographic data and biochemical test results were collected from electronic medical records. Next, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, paired sample t test and ICC were used to analyze the scale consistency. Additionally, the association between the KDQOL-36 and FAACT was analyzed using Bland-Altman plots and Pearson correlation analysis. Finally, the patients were divided into groups to evaluate discriminant validity.

RESULTS

A total of 299 patients were included in this study. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the FAACT and its anorexia-cachexia subscale (ACS) were 0.904 and 0.842, respectively, and their ICC exceeded 0.90. The correlation coefficients between the FAACT and its items ranged from 0.146 to 0.631, and the correlation coefficients between the FAACT and KDQOL-36 dimensions ranged from 0.446 to 0.617. The Bland-Altman plots between the FAACT and KDQOL-36 showed that only 3.3% of the points were outside the 95% limits of agreement. The effects of cachexia status (present or absent) on FAACT and ACS scores had effect sizes of 0.54 (P < 0.001) and 0.60 (P < 0.001), respectively. The FAACT and ACS also significantly discriminated between patients with and without inflammation (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The FAACT and ACS have acceptable reliability and validity in MHD patients and are suitable for measuring the quality of life of MHD patients with cachexia.

Prognostic implications of predialysis patients' symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients

BACKGROUND

As kidney disease progresses, patients often experience a variety of symptoms. There are very few studies reporting spectrum of predialysis patients' symptoms in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Furthermore, the clinical significance of predialysis patients' symptoms for PD patients' prognosis remains unknown.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, patients who started PD during 1 January 2006 to 31 January 2018 were included. Patients' predialysis symptoms and clinical parameters were obtained. Both the short- and long-term patients' outcome were investigated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier's survival analysis to identify the relationship between clinical symptoms and patients' mortality on PD.

RESULTS

A total of 898 incident PD patients were included. The anorexia (58%) was the most common predialysis symptom in the present cohort, followed by insomnia (32.7%), fatigue (27.6%), syndromes of heart failure (27.6%), and nausea (20.5%). The only symptom significantly associated with both six-months and 12-months mortality on PD was nausea (HR 2.359, 95% CI 1.377-4.040, p=.002 and HR 1.791, 95% CI 1.176-2.729, p=.007, respectively). But in the long-term, anorexia (HR 1.392, 95% CI 1.070-1.811, p=.014) was the only symptom significantly associated with patient's all-cause mortality after adjusting for other confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that nausea and anorexia were the most important predialysis symptoms, which was associated with patients' short- and long-term mortality on PD treatment, respectively. The results indicated that predialysis evaluation and management of symptoms of nausea and anorexia may be a possible way to improve patients' outcome on PD.

Conservative management of patients with end-stage kidney disease

The prevalence of end-stage kidney disease is increasing, particularly among older people and those with multiple comorbidities. Typically, patients who develop end-stage kidney disease receive renal replacement therapies such as dialysis; however, this treatment can significantly affect quality of life and may not prolong life in older patients. Therefore, some patients may choose not to undergo dialysis and instead choose conservative management, which involves a palliative approach that focuses on maintaining quality of life and advance care planning. This article details the steps involved in a conservative kidney management pathway for end-stage kidney disease, including symptom management and advance care planning. It also discusses the importance of a palliative approach for patients receiving dialysis.

Cardiovascular risk factors in children on dialysis: an update

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a life-limiting comorbidity in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In childhood, imaging studies have demonstrated early phenotypic characteristics including increases in left ventricular mass, carotid artery intima-media thickness, and pulse wave velocity, which occur even in young children with early stages of CKD. Vascular calcifications are the signature of an advanced phenotype and are mainly found in adolescents and young adults treated with dialysis. Association studies have provided valuable information regarding the significance of a multitude of risk factors in promoting CVD in children with CKD by using intermediate endpoints of measurements of surrogate parameters of CVD. Dialysis aggravates pre-existing risk factors and accelerates the progression of CVD with additional dialysis-related risk factors. Coronary artery calcifications in children and young adults with CKD accumulate in a time-dependent manner on dialysis. Identification of risk factors has led to improved understanding of principal mechanisms of CKD-induced damage to the cardiovascular system. Treatment strategies include assessment and monitoring of individual risk factor load, optimization of treatment of modifiable risk factors, and intensified hemodialysis if early transplantation is not possible.

Awareness, Understanding and Treatment Practices when Managing Cachexia in End-Stage Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

Cachexia is a wasting syndrome found within a range of chronic illnesses/life-limiting conditions, however awareness and understanding of cachexia amongst renal Health Care Professionals has not been investigated.

OBJECTIVES

To ascertain the awareness, understanding and treatment practices of Health Care Professionals who provide care for people with cachexia and end-stage renal disease.

METHODS

Health Care Professionals were recruited via the European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association in September 2018. This was an exploratory study using a mixed-methods approach with those who provide care for patients with end-stage renal disease and cachexia. An online survey and two focus groups were conducted. Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis were used to explore current knowledge and practices in renal cachexia.

RESULTS

A total of 93 participants from 30 countries completed the online survey. Twelve Health Care Professionals agreed to participate in the focus groups. Reduced appetite, weight loss and muscle loss in relation to cachexia were accurately described, but the percentage of weight loss was unknown. The importance of multi-professional collaboration was recognised, however, the current management of cachexia was wide-ranging. Quality of life, patient-clinician communication and specialist support for carers were regarded as vital.

CONCLUSION

Timely identification and management of cachexia are needed to improve the quality of life for patients and appropriately support families. In order for these goals to be achieved, there is a need to increase awareness and understanding of cachexia amongst renal nurses.

Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Decline and Incident Frailty in Older Adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Low eGFR is known to be associated with frailty, but the association between the longitudinal decline of eGFR and incident frailty in older persons remains to be determined. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a fast decline on eGFR would be associated with incident frailty.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

Community dwellers, aged ≥70, were included in this secondary analysis of the 5-year Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT). eGFR was calculated using CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration equation at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months. The lowest quartile of eGFR slope (-4.1 ml/min per 1.73 m² per yr) defined a fast decline. The frailty phenotype (unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, slow gait, low handgrip strength assessed with a 0-5 score, where higher is worse; a score ≥3 defines frailty) was assessed at baseline, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. Cox models were used to test the association between fast eGFR decline and incident frailty.

RESULTS

A total of 833 participants were frail neither at baseline nor at 2 years and had appropriate follow-up data. Median (IQR) baseline eGFR was 73 (61-84) ml/min per 1.73 m². Frailty occurred in 95 (11%) participants between 24 and 60 months. Among them, 31/207 (15%) had fast eGFR decline between baseline and 24 months, and 64/626 (10%) did not. In a Cox model adjusted for demographic variables, cardiovascular comorbidity, C-reactive protein, and baseline eGFR, a fast eGFR decline was associated with incident frailty (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.71). Sensitivity analyses provided consistent findings.

CONCLUSIONS

In community-dwelling older adults with relatively preserved baseline eGFR, a fast eGFR decline is associated with incident frailty.