Home Dialysis in Finland

Prevalence of home dialysis has dropped in the past decade in Finland, despite its better survival compared to in-center HD. Semi-structured surveys for nephrologists, nephrology nurses, and patient associations endeavored to understand why. Nursing shortages and patient comorbidities received wide agreement as barriers, and clinicians believed that starting in-center reduces the odds of switching to home treatments later. For patients, financial burdens and impact on care partners were critical, as was “bringing hospitals home” or living in small spaces.

Read the abstract » | (added 2025-03-13)

Tags: Home Dialysis, Survival, Modality, Barriers

The Impact of Rural Outreach in West Virginia on Home Dialysis

Of 22,408 WV patients who started dialysis between 1965 and 2020, 13% overall started with a home modality—but this figure was 18% in counties that had a rural outreach kidney care clinic.

Read the abstract » | (added 2025-03-13)

Tags: Dialysis, Home Modality, Rural Outreach

Impact of Extended HD with a Liberalized Diet on Protein Energy Wasting

An 8-year longitudinal study assessed BMI and creatinine generation rate for 402 patients who started extended-hours HD (>18 hours/week). Over time, treatment sessions got longer (70% received >21 hours/week). Participants maintained their BMIs and % creatinine generation over time, and the 5-year survival rate was 85%.

Read the abstract » | (added 2025-02-14)

Tags: Extended hours Hemodialysis, Liberalized Diet, Longitudinal Study, Protein energy Wasting

Psychosocial Concerns May Impact Minority Uptake of PD

Analysis of qualitative interview data from 113 patients in Bronx, NY who completed dialysis modality education found gaps in the areas of support for the emotional trauma of an ESKD diagnosis and lack of a program to reduce anxiety about PD responsibilities, along with failure to address structural barriers to PD.

Read the abstract » | (added 2025-02-14)

Tags: Qualitative Interview Data, Dialysis Modality Education, Patient Support, Emotional Trauma, ESKD

Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative Did Not Impact Public Awareness

In 2019, the AAKHI aimed to increase the use of home dialysis. Analysis of U.S. Google Trends data from 2013 to 2021 for home dialysis terms found an increase in searches when the AAKHI was first announced, followed by flat or declining searches. The authors concluded that the AAKHI did not impact public information-seeking and targeted education initiatives may be needed.

Read the abstract » | (added 2025-01-13)

Tags: Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative, AAKHI , Public Awareness

Impact of PD Exchange Volume/Day on Outcomes

A DOPPS cohort study in Japan divided patients into two groups by daily PD dialysate volume (<4L/day; n=98 or >4L/day; n=244). Despite demographic differences between the groups, there were no significant differences in transfers to HD, mortality, hospitalization, peritonitis, or patient-reported outcomes based on volume—thus less volume may be more cost effective.

Read the abstract » | (added 2024-12-11)

Tags: Dialysate Volume, Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes, Mortality, Patient reported Outcomes

Do Ketoanalogue (KA) Supplements Preserve Residual Kidney Function in PD?

A 1-year, six center, randomized, double-blind trial investigated the impact of KA supplements on RKF in 153 CAPD patients vs. placebo. For patients with early PD initiation, the KA group had a significantly lower decline in RKF. No differences were found in RKF decline in those with late PD starts or in PD adequacy, peritoneal function, nutritional status, or quality of life scores between groups.

Read the abstract » | (added 2024-12-11)

Tags: KA Supplements, Residual Kidney Function, CAPD, Ketoanalogues

Does Social Deprivation Impact PD Outcomes?

A French registry (REIN) study examined data from 1,581 adult PD patients during the 18 months from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, with observation completed in December, 2020. More than a quarter (418; 26.5%) were in Quintile 5 of the European Deprivation Index; the most deprived patients. Social deprivation was not associated with death or a composite event of death or transfer to HD.

Read the abstract » | (added 2024-05-09)

Tags: Social Deprivation, PD Outcomes, European Deprivation Index

The Impact of Comprehensive Nursing Interventions on PD Catheter Insertion Pain

Among 60 patients having a PD catheter implanted from January 2021 to 2023, a randomly-selected experimental group was given comprehensive nursing interventions—which significantly reduced anxiety and depression, and significantly improved satisfaction and scores on the visual analogue scale compared to controls receiving usual care.

Read the abstract » | (added 2024-04-12)

Tags: Comprehensive Nursing Interventions, Wound Pain, Catheter Insertion, Peritoneal Dialysis

Impact of Prior Abdominal Procedures on Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Outcomes: Findings From the North American Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Registry

A history of prior abdominal procedures may influence the likelihood of referral for peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion. To guide clinical decision making in this population, this study examined the association between prior abdominal procedures and outcomes in patients undergoing PD catheter insertion.

Read the abstract » | (added 2024-03-15)

Tags: Dialysis, PD, PD Catheter Outcomes, End Stage Kidney Disease, Peritoneal Dialysis, Prior Abdominal Surgery