Journal Watch
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Green Dialysis: Sustainable PD
A new review investigates the impact of PD on the planet and suggests steps clinicians and patients can take to increase sustainability and identification of Green Champions.
Read the abstract » | (added 2026-07-16)
Tags: PD, Environmental Impact, Sustainability, Green Champions
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The Impact of Seasonality in Home Dialysis Initiation and Hospitalization Rates
Analysis of data from 548,530 U.S. adults with fee-for-service Medicare who started home dialysis between 2007 and 2020 examined whether initiating dialysis in particular seasons affected hospitalizations. Dialysis initiation in the winter was more likely to be inpatient, had lower odds of receiving home dialysis within 12 months, and home dialysis use rates that remained low afterward. Inpatient dialysis initiation explained 40% of the association between season and home dialysis use, 77% of the 12-month figure, and 55% of the association between season and overall home dialysis use.
Read the abstract » | (added 2026-06-17)
Tags: Seasonality, Home Dialysis Initiation, Hospitalization Rates
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PD Comparable to HD for Patients with AKI
The choice of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) for AKI requiring dialysis is a modifiable factor that can impact outcomes. The comparative effectiveness of PD vs. HD in AKI is controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis of seven studies compared mortality outcomes, recovery of kidney function, and infectious complications between PD and HD in patients with AKI. No significant mortality differences were found and kidney function recovery was similar between groups, though PD led to a significantly shorter time to kidney function recovery. Infection rates were also similar.
Read the abstract » | (added 2026-05-15)
Tags: Kidney Replacement Therapy, KRT, PD, AKI
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The Impact of Obesity on Outcomes of Percutaneous PD Catheter Placement
Among 125 patients who had percutaneous PD catheter placement, nearly half (n=61) had normal BMI (<25 kg/m2), about one third (n=40) were overweight (BMI 25-29.9), and the remaining 24 were obese (BMI>30). One year later, 36 (28.8%) of the catheters failed, 3 patients died, and 7 received transplants. BMI was not significantly associated with catheter failure or other adverse events.
Read the abstract » | (added 2026-01-16)
Tags: Obesity, Outcomes, Percutaneous PD, Catheter Placement
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In-center Hemodialysis Had the Highest Annual, Per-patient Carbon Footprint
Using comparative life cycle assessment methodology, the team identified the sources and extent of carbon emissions for all dialysis modalities. Compared to home HD (2,938 Kg CO2e), CAPD (1,969 Kg CO2e), and APD (3,339 Kg CO2e), an Australian study found significantly higher carbon impact with in-center HD (4,814 Kg CO2e).
Read the abstract » | (added 2025-07-16)
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Impact of Embedded PD Catheters on Peritonitis and Mortality
Moncrief and Popovich pioneered a buried PD catheter technique (inexplicably abbreviated as SMAP). In a study, outcomes of 285 consecutive patients who had PD catheters implanted either directly (n=96) or via SMAP (n=189) were analyzed retrospectively. Both the risks of peritonitis and mortality were significantly lower in the SMAP group.
Read the abstract » | (added 2025-07-16)
Tags: Embedded PD Catheters, Peritonitis, Mortality, Moncrief And Popovich Technique
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Impact of Hurricane Helene on the PD Supply Chain
Hurricane damage to Baxter’s North Cove plant—which produces 60% of U.S. IV solutions—significantly disrupted patients’ ability to start or even continue PD. This analysis highlights healthcare vulnerabilities due to climate change.
Read the abstract » | (added 2025-04-23)
Tags: Hurricane, Emergency Planning, PD Supply
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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
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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
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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