Journal Watch

  • PD Reduced Hospitalization 24% vs. In-center HD with a Catheter

    In an 18-month retrospective study, 717 PD patients were matched 1:1 with in-center HD patients using central venous catheters. The matching also included cause of ESKD, race, diabetes status, and insurance. The hospitalization rate was 24% lower for those on PD, and mortality was 15% lower.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-04-18)

    Tags: PD, In center HD, Catheters, Cause Of ESKD, Race, Diabetes Status, Insurance, Hospitalization Rate, Mortality

  • Frequent HD Reduces Recovery Time in SNF Patients

    Getting at least 14 hours of HD per week and more frequent HD reduced recovery time in skilled nursing facility residents between 2019 and 2021. Among 2,309 people, 92% of those who had a mean of 4.3 weekly HD treatments recovered in 2 hours or less. The odds of short recovery time were even better with 5 treatments per week—and rapid recovery was linked with less risk of hospitalization or death.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-04-18)

    Tags: Recovery Time, HD, Frequent HD

  • The Impact of Vitamin D Levels on Quality of Life in PD

    Fifty people on PD were divided into a normal vitamin D (>20 ng/mL) and a deficient vitamin D group (<20 ng/mL), and both groups took the KDQOL-36 quality of life questionnaire. All subscales of the KDQOL-36 were significantly lower in the vitamin D deficient group.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-04-18)

    Tags: PD, Vitamin D, KDQOL 36

  • Can People do Urgent Start PD and Intermittent PD?

    Yes. Among 169 people starting PD urgently, 111 had fewer than four exchanges per day (intermittent) and 58 received full-dose PD. A year later, both groups had adequate PD and similar peritoneal transport, residual kidney function, blood pressure control, anemia management, and correction of bone minerals. Infections, complications, and technique survival were similar as well.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-04-18)

    Tags: Urgent Start PD, Incremental Peritoneal Dialysis, USPD, IPD

  • What Didn’t Work to Grow Home Dialysis

    Nine provinces in Canada and 55 CKD clinic clusters tried an intervention in 2014-2015 to increase use of home therapies. The 4-part intervention included phone surveys, a 1-year center-specific audit with feedback on home dialysis use, an educational package with tools for patients and providers, and an academic detailing visit. Using two different analyses, there were no differences between the clinics that did and did not use the intervention.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-04-18)

    Tags: Home Therapies, CKD Educational Tools

  • Which Dialysis Option(s) Offer the Best Quality of Life?

    Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 10 people doing in-center HD, 10 doing home HD, 10 doing PD, and 10 with non-dialysis CKD (ND-CKD). Starting PD or home HD improved quality of life (QOL) vs. ND-CKD, and those patients were more interested in becoming more physically active. Those doing in-center HD had “minimal” improvement in their QOL.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-03-16)

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  • Lipid Profiles Affect Residual Kidney Function on PD

    A retrospective cohort study looked at 113 people who started PD from 2006 to 2017. Levels of HDL-C at PD start were independently linked with a change in renal Kt/V in the first year of PD.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-03-16)

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  • Why PD is (Still) Underused in the US

    A new review article notes just 11% PD penetration in the US in 2019—vs. as high as 79% in other countries. Rural, minority, and low-income regions in the US have less PD than other areas. Our healthcare system has failures we are just starting to discuss.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-03-16)

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  • COVID Anxiety Less of a Problem for Home Dialyzors

    A single center survey of 98 home HD and 43 PD patients in Toronto found high rates of satisfaction with dialysis, little depression or anxiety or fears of caregiver burden, and few signs of burden. There was “no indication of a negative psychosocial impact from the pandemic, despite the increased social isolation,” reported the authors.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-02-14)

    Tags: Covid 19, Depression, Anxiety, Caregiver Burden

  • Glycemic Variability and Survival in People with Diabetes on PD

    A Swedish study divided 325 people with diabetes on PD into seven groups based on glycemic variability. Using the lowest variability group as a reference point, survival was significantly better with less variability in blood sugar.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2022-02-14)

    Tags: Diabetes, PD, Glycemic Variability, Survival, Blood Sugar