Usefulness of frailty evaluation for handling chronic kidney disease elderly patients: a review and original proposal

Prevalence of locomotive syndrome and associated factors in patients receiving hemodialysis

Muscle strength and joint and nervous system functions decline with age and in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association has defined locomotive syndrome (LoS) as a musculoskeletal disorder primarily caused by aging. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of LoS and identify factors associated with its development in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Patients receiving outpatient hemodialysis at Kurume University Hospital were categorized into LoS and non-LoS groups using the cutoff value of 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25). We analyzed differences in malnutrition, biochemical examinations, and Kt/V (a measure of dialysis adequacy) between the 2 groups using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Additionally, we evaluated factors that correlated with GLFS-25 through pairwise correlations. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the independent factors associated with LoS. Nineteen patients were included. The median GLFS-25 score was 18. The LoS group (n = 11) had a significantly higher age (P = .0056) and chloride levels than the non-LoS group (n = 8) (P = .0175). Furthermore, the Nutritional Risk Index for Japanese Hemodialysis patients, creatinine levels, and Kt/V were significantly lower in the LoS group than in the non-LoS group (P = .0156, .0026, and .0163, respectively). The GLFS-25 showed significant correlations with age, total protein levels, C-reactive protein, chloride, creatinine, Nutritional Risk Index for Japanese Hemodialysis patients, and Kt/V (with correlation coefficients of -0.6133, -0.4779, 0.4738, 0.5381, -0.7923, 0.6508, and 0.5747, respectively). Multivariate analysis identified life-space assessment (odds ratio [OR], 3.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], -676 to 674; P < .0001) and age (OR, 31.29; 95% CI, -2061 to 2067; P = .0007) as risk factors for LoS. Age and physical activity were found to be associated with the development of LoS in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing outpatient hemodialysis at our hospital. This emphasizes the importance of implementing preventative measures for LoS, especially for older and less physically active patients.

What does the French REIN registry tell us about Stage 4-5 CKD care in older adults?

The aim of this paper is to illustrate all the clinical epidemiology searches made within the French network REIN to improve CKD stage 4-5 care in older adults. We summarize various studies describing clinical practice, care organization, prognosis and health economics evaluation in order to develop personalized care plans and decision-making tools. In France, for 20 years now, various databases have been mobilized including the national REIN registry which includes all patients receiving dialysis or transplantation. REIN data are indirectly linked to the French administrative healthcare database. They are also pooled with data from the PSPA cohort, a multicenter prospective cohort study of patients aged 75 or over with advanced CKD, monitored for 5 years, and the CKD-REIN clinical-based prospective cohort which included 3033 patients with CKD stage 3-4 from 2013 to 2016. During our various research work, we identified heterogeneous trajectories specific to this growing older population, raising ethical, organizational and economic issues. Renal registries will help clinicians, health providers and policy-makers if suitable decision- making tools are developed and validated.

A study on the status of normoalbuminuric renal insufficiency among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: A multicenter study based on a Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Patients with normoalbuminuria and a reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) account for a considerable proportion of type 2 diabetes patients. The aim of this research was to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of normoalbuminuric kidney disease in a Chinese population.

METHODS

We included 8131 diabetic patients from a multicenter prospective study in China. Based on eGFR and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), participants were stratified into four groups-normal albuminuria, albuminuria, normoalbuminuria with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² , and albuminuria with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² . Clinical parameters and characteristics of patients with normoalbuminuria and eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 1060 out of 8131 individuals with diabetes had decreased eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m² ). Normoalbuminuria accounted for 63.3% of participants with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² , and microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria accounted for 30.1% and 6.3%, respectively. Patients with normoalbuminuria and reduced eGFR were more frequently male, older, and had higher levels of triglycerides than patients with normal albuminuria and eGFR. We also detected a correlation between lower extremity arterial disease, newly diagnosed diabetes, and normoalbuminuria-reduced eGFR. Compared with participants with both albuminuria and eGFR decline, those with normoalbuminuria had better metabolic indicators, including systolic blood pressure and glycosylated hemoglobin, and shorter diabetes duration. Even in the normal range, UACR has a significant correlation with the risk of eGFR insufficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

Normoalbuminuric renal insufficiency, characterized by male sex, older age, a higher level of triglyceride levels, and a higher risk of lower extremity arterial disease, accounted for a dominant proportion of diabetic patients with eGFR decline.

[Frailty in renal diseases]

Frailty beschreibt einen Zustand reduzierter Belastbarkeit gegenüber Stressfaktoren, welcher u. a. Folge altersbedingter Abbauprozesse verschiedener Organsysteme ist und mit einem erhöhten Risiko für Stürze, Hospitalisationen, funktionelle Einschränkung und Mortalität assoziiert ist. Frailty tritt bei Patienten mit CKD früher und häufiger auf als in der Allgemeinbevölkerung und ist ein wichtiger und potenziell modifizierbarer Risikofaktor für eine erhöhte Sterblichkeit und Hospitalisationsrate sowie eine reduzierte Lebensqualität. Die Erkennung von Frailty bei Patienten mit CKD ermöglicht eine Identifikation von wichtigen und potenziell modifizierbaren Risikofaktoren.

Eine frühzeitige nephrologische Beurteilung sowie eine interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit mit Geriatern, Allgemeinmedizinern, Physiotherapeuten, Ergotherapeuten und Ernährungsberatung sind essenzielle Bausteine in der Prävention und Therapie von Frailty.

Zur Messung von Frailty existieren verschiedene Instrumente, wobei keines in der Erkennung von Frailty bei CKD-Patienten als überlegen identifiziert wurde. Die Auswahl des Screeninginstruments sollte daher unter Berücksichtigung der klinischen Rahmenbedingungen und der verfügbaren Ressourcen erfolgen. In diesem Artikel wird eine Strategie zur frühen Identifikation von gebrechlichen Patienten mit CKD vorgeschlagen, welche auf einer multidiemensionalen und interdisziplinären Einschätzung beruht. Wichtiger als die Methode ist jedoch die Notwendigkeit, Patienten mit Frailty zu identifizieren.

[Frailty in chronic kidney disease]

The prevalence of frailty is very high in patients with chronic renal insufficiency and increases with its severity. A number of factors associated with chronic renal insufficiency appear to favor the frequent occurrence of frailty in these patients. In addition to its unfavorable impact on the quality of life, morbidity and mortality, frailty is an important criterion in setting treatment goals for chronic kidney disease as well as in the decision whether to undergo dialysis treatment or conservative treatment without dialysis and also in listing a patient for a kidney transplantation. There is still uncertainty about the measures to improve the effects of frailty in patients with chronic kidney insufficiency. These can vary considerably depending on the stage and course of the kidney disease and external circumstances. Individual physical, psychological or emotional problems can be identified on the basis of a geriatric assessment including a social anamnesis. This forms the foundation for tailored measures, such as advice on how to behave when suffering from kidney disease, training therapy and rehabilitation. Patients with renal insufficiency seem to benefit from the latter to a similar extent as patients without kidney disease. Thus, an early assessment of frailty-associated problems in patients with chronic renal insufficiency could help to identify deficits as soon as possible and, by measures adapted to the situation, to achieve an improvement in the quality of life and/or prognosis of these patients.

Age is just a number: Is frailty being ignored in vascular access planning for dialysis?

Current international guidelines advocate fistula creation as first choice for vascular access in haemodialysis patients, however, there have been suggestions that in certain groups of patients, in particular the elderly, a more tailored approach is needed. The prevalence of more senior individuals receiving renal replacement therapy has increased in recent years and therefore including patient age in decision making regarding choice of vascular access for dialysis has gained more relevance. However, it seems that age is being used as a surrogate for overall clinical condition and it can be proposed that frailty may be a better basis to considering when advising and counselling patients with regard to vascular access for dialysis. Frailty is a clinical condition in which the person is in a vulnerable state with reduced functional capacity and has a higher risk of adverse health outcomes when exposed to stress inducing events. Prevalence of frailty increases with age and has been associated with an increased risk of mortality, hospitalisation, disability and falls. Chronic kidney disease is associated with premature ageing and therefore patients with kidney disease are prone to be frailer irrespective of age and the risk increases further with declining kidney function. Limited data exists on the relationship between frailty and vascular access, but it appears that frailty may have an association with poorer outcomes from vascular access. However, further research is warranted. Due to complexity in decision making in dialysis access, frailty assessment could be a key element in providing patient-centred approach in planning and maintaining vascular access for dialysis.

Frailty and mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Frailty is highly prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Previous studies have shown that frailty is a sensitive predictor of survival in the elderly. However, convincing evidence supporting the causality between frailty and the adverse outcome in CKD patients is still lacking.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched for identifying potentially relevant literature. Studies that investigated the association between frailty and overall mortality in patients with CKD and ESRD were included. Both unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled for analysis.

RESULTS

Twelve studies involving 127, 373 participants were included for analysis. The results showed that frailty was associated with 2.28-fold increased risk of overall mortality in patients with CKD and dialysis (HR 2.28; 95% CI 1.71-3.05), while 1.95-fold increased after multivariable-adjusted (HR 1.95; 95% CI 1.50-2.53). In addition, subgroup analysis showed that compared with the non-dialysis CKD patients (HR 1.47; 95% CI 1.03-2.11), patients receiving dialysis have higher overall mortality risk (HR 2.19; 95% CI 1.82-2.64). Moreover, frailty can also significantly increase short-term mortality (follow-up < 3 years: HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.76-2.70).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that frailty significantly increased the overall mortality risk in patients with CKD and ESRD, especially in dialysis patients. Frailty can be regarded as a novel independent predictor of mortality for patients with CKD and dialysis.

Frailty Screening in Chronic Kidney Disease: Current Perspectives

Frailty has been defined as a state of increased vulnerability as a consequence of deficit accumulation. Frailty screening has not yet been widely implemented into routine nephrology care. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk of being frail, and frailty has been associated with worse outcomes in this population. Standard management of CKD, including initiation of renal replacement therapies, may have decreased benefit or potentially cause harm in the presence of frailty, and a variety of interventions for modifying frailty in the CKD population have been proposed. The optimal means of screening for frailty in patients with kidney disease remains unclear. This review highlights the value of frailty screening in CKD by summarizing the outcomes associated with frailty and exploring proposed changes to the management of frail patients with CKD. Finally, we will propose a framework for how to implement frailty screening into standard nephrology care.

[Kidney disease care for the elderly]

In our aging population, kidney disease management needs to take into account the frailty of the elderly. Standardized geriatric assessments can be proposed to help clinicians apprehend this dimension in their daily practice. These tools allow to better identify frail patients and offer them more personalized and harmless treatments. This article aims to focus on the kidney diseases commonly observed in elderly patients and analyze their specific nephrogeriatric care modalities. It should be noticed that all known kidney diseases can be also observed in the elderly, most often with a quite similar clinical presentation. This review is thus focused on the diseases most frequently and most specifically observed in elderly patients (except for monoclonal gammopathy associated nephropathies, out of the scope of this work), as well as the peculiarities of old age nephrological care.