Implementing core outcomes in kidney disease: report of the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG) implementation workshop

Prevalence of Severe Mental Illness and Its Associations With Health Outcomes in Patients With CKD: A Swedish Nationwide Study

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often face mental health problems, but the burden of severe mental illness (SMI) in this population is unclear. We estimated the prevalence of SMIs among people with CKD and their associations with health outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

Nationwide cross-sectional and cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

Using the Swedish Renal Registry, we identified 32,943 patients with incident CKD G3b-5 or kidney replacement therapy (KRT) between 2008 and 2020 for estimation of the prevalence of SMIs. Data about the 30,103 patients not receiving KRT were used to examine associations between SMIs and subsequent health outcomes.

EXPOSURE

Occurrence of SMIs (ie, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder) before the date of first registration into the registry (index date), using diagnoses from inpatient or specialist outpatient care.

OUTCOME

30% decline in eGFR, initiation of KRT, and all-cause mortality.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Prevalence of SMIs was estimated in patients with CKD and compared with the general population using standardization with ratios adjusted for age, sex, and calendar year. Associations between SMIs and health outcomes were examined using Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of SMI was 7.3% in patients with CKD, which was 56% higher than the general population. The prevalences for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder were 0.5%, 2.1%, and 5.6%, respectively. All 3 SMIs were associated with a higher mortality rate. Schizophrenia was not associated with 30% decline in eGFR (HR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.65-1.29]), but it was associated with a lower rate of initiating KRT (HR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.39-0.80]). Bipolar disorder was associated with a higher rate of 30% decline in eGFR (HR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.29-1.67]) but a lower rate of initiating KRT (HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.67-0.94]). Major depressive disorder was not associated with 30% decline in eGFR or initiation of KRT.

LIMITATIONS

Lack of primary care data and exclusion of individuals with CKD G1-3a.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with CKD had a higher prevalence of SMI compared with the general population. In patients with CKD, each SMI was associated with higher mortality, and bipolar disorder was associated with a faster eGFR decline. Patients with CKD and pre-existing schizophrenia or bipolar disorder experienced a lower rate of initiating KRT.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) frequently experience mental health problems, yet the prevalence and impact of severe mental illness (SMI) in this population remain uncertain. This Swedish nationwide study revealed that the prevalence of any SMI was 7.3% among patients with CKD (0.5% for schizophrenia, 2.1% for bipolar disorder, and 5.6% for major depressive disorder), representing a 56% higher prevalence than experienced by the Swedish general population. All 3 SMIs were associated with a higher mortality rate in patients with CKD, and bipolar disorder was also associated with a faster eGFR decline. Moreover, patients with CKD and schizophrenia or bipolar disorder exhibited a lower rate of initiating kidney replacement therapy. These findings highlight the need for improved recognition and management of SMI among people with kidney disease.

Interplay between periodontitis and chronic kidney disease

Periodontitis is a ubiquitous chronic inflammatory disease affecting the supporting tissues of the teeth and is a major cause of multiple tooth loss. Despite being preventable, periodontitis and dental caries are responsible for more years lost to disability than any other human condition. The most severe form of periodontitis affects 1 billion individuals, and its prevalence is increasing globally. Periodontitis arises from a dysregulated and hyperactive inflammatory response to dysbiosis in the periodontal microbiome. This response has systemic effects associated with premature mortality and elevated risk of several systemic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including atheromatous cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This risk association between periodontitis and NCDs is independent of their shared common risk factors, suggesting that periodontitis is a non-traditional risk factor for NCDs such as CKD. As periodontitis progresses, the immune cells and mediators underpinning its pathophysiology leak into the systemic circulation through the ulcerated oral mucosal lining, inducing in a systemic inflammatory profile that closely mirrors that observed in patients with CKD. The relationship between periodontitis and CKD seems to be bi-directional, but large-scale intervention studies are required to clarify causality and could lead to new care pathways for managing each condition as an exposure for the other.

One-year Survival of End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis in Indonesia

Background

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) represents a significant global health challenge, with Indonesia experiencing the highest surge in End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) prevalence over the past decade. Kidney registries are essential for reporting health outcomes, evaluating healthcare services, advocating for policy change, and informing health infrastructure development. Survival rates in ESKD patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) are a critical outcome measure. However, there is a lack of survival analysis data for ESKD patients receiving HD in Indonesia.

Objective

This study aims to assess the one-year survival rate of ESKD patients undergoing HD in Indonesia, while examining risk factors associated with survival, including age, gender, CKD etiology, and dialysis adequacy.

Methods

This analytical observational study employed a retrospective cohort design, utilizing patient data from Indonesia Renal Registry between 2016 and 2019. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated, and Log rank test was applied to assess the significance of survival differences across subgroups based on age, gender, CKD etiology, and dialysis adequacy.

Results

A total of 122,449 ESKD patients on HD were analyzed, with a mean age of 52 years; majority (55.5%) were male, and hypertensive kidney disease was the leading cause of CKD (43.7%). The overall one-year survival rate was 91.5% (95% CI: 91.3-91.6). Survival decreased significantly with advancing age (p < 0.01), and female patients exhibited lower survival rates compared to males (p < 0.01). Patients with diabetic nephropathy had the lowest survival rate among CKD etiologies (p < 0.01). Dialysis adequacy, assessed in 11,633 patients, revealed that 69.2% had a Kt/V below 1.8. Those with inadequate dialysis had significantly lower survival rates (p=0.00015).

Conclusion

The one-year survival rate for ESKD patients undergoing HD in Indonesia is 91.5%. Increased age, female, diabetic nephropathy as the underlying CKD etiology, and inadequate dialysis adequacy are associated with reduced survival rates.

Recovery time is associated with the onset of cardiovascular disease in Japanese patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD), with various reported risk factors. Recovery time (RT) is a valuable indicator of post-dialysis fatigue. However, the association between RT and the onset of CVD remains unexplored. As such, this study aimed to determine the effect of RT on the onset of CVD.

METHODS

Data from 620 patients undergoing maintenance HD at Yabuki Hospital and 3 related facilities (Yamagata Prefecture, Japan) as of December 31, 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were asked to respond to the question "How long does it take you to recover from a dialysis session?"; the response was defined as RT. The analysis was performed by categorizing patients into 2 groups according to RT: short RT (< 2 h); and long RT (≥ 2 h). The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Secondary outcomes included all-cause death and hospitalization.

RESULTS

During the 24-month follow-up, 70 (11.3%) patients developed MACE. The long RT group exhibited a higher incidence of MACE; multivariate analysis revealed that age and long RT were associated with the onset of MACE. All-cause death was observed in 45 (7.3%) patients, with no significant difference between the 2 groups. Hospitalization occurred in 252 (40.6%) patients and was more frequent in the long RT group. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, sex, duration of HD, intact parathyroid hormone level, and long RT were associated with hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Long RT was an independent risk factor for the onset of CVD.

Heart failure events in randomized controlled trials for adults receiving maintenance dialysis: a meta-epidemiologic study

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS

Heart failure is characterized as cardiac dysfunction resulting in elevated cardiac filling pressures with symptoms and signs of congestion. Distinguishing heart failure from other causes of similar presentations in patients with kidney failure is challenging but necessary, and is needed in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to accurately estimate treatment effects. The objective of this study was to review heart failure events, their diagnostic criteria, and adjudication in RCTs of patients with kidney failure treated with dialysis. We hypothesized that heart failure events, diagnostic criteria, and adjudication were infrequently reported in RCTs in dialysis.

METHODS

We conducted a meta-epidemiologic systematic review of RCTs from high-impact medical, nephrology, and cardiology journals from 2000 to 2020. RCTs were eligible if they enrolled adults receiving maintenance dialysis for kidney failure and evaluated any intervention.

RESULTS

Of 561 RCTs in patients receiving dialysis, 36 (6.4%) reported heart failure events as primary (10, 27.8%) or secondary (31, 86.1%) outcomes. Ten of the 36 (27.8%) RCTs provided heart failure event diagnostic criteria and five of these (50%) adjudicated heart failure events. These 10 RCTs included event diagnostic criteria for heart failure or heart failure hospitalizations, and their criteria included dyspnoea (5/10), oedema (2/10), rales/crackles (4/10), chest X-ray pulmonary oedema or vascular redistribution (4/10), treatment in an acute setting (6/10), and ultrafiltration or dialysis (4/10). No study explicitly distinguished heart failure from volume overload secondary to non-adherence or underdialysis.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we found that heart failure events are infrequently reported in RCTs in dialysis and are heterogeneously defined. Further research is required to develop standardized diagnostic criteria that are practical and meaningful to patients and clinicians.

Identification and Prioritization of Canadian Society of Nephrology Clinical Practice Guideline Topics

Introduction

Nephrology clinical practice guideline topics are routinely determined by clinicians and researchers, without extensive engagement of people with lived experience (PWLE) of kidney disease and their caregivers. The Canadian Society of Nephrology (CSN) Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee (CPGC) completed this modified Delphi study to incorporate diverse stakeholder perspectives in identifying and prioritizing future guideline topics.

Methods

We recruited nephrology clinicians, researchers, PWLE of kidney disease or their caregivers for this study. We collated literature-derived guideline topics from international and national guideline organizations that had relevance to nephrology, in addition to suggestions from participants. Consenting participants were taken through a 3 round Delphi survey process, where items were ranked on a 9-point Likert scale in terms of their importance. Based on predetermined consensus criteria, items were accepted as a priority or excluded from further consideration. We ranked the prioritized topics and compared the median ranking between clinicians or researchers and PWLE in the round where consensus was reached.

Results

Of the 85 consenting participants, 76 to 78 completed each Delphi round. From the initial list of 100 topics for consideration, 12 were priorities. All stakeholder groups felt it was important for PWLE to be included in topic prioritization and guideline development. The 3 most highly prioritized topics were de novo guidelines on novel therapeutics to prevent or slow progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), recommendations for primary care, and patient-oriented guidelines on diet and exercise in kidney disease. There were no statistical differences in the median ranking between stakeholder groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study will inform the future nephrology guidelines and commentaries developed by the CSN.

A Core Outcome Set for Trials in CKD: Report of the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Chronic Kidney Disease (SONG-CKD) Stakeholder Workshops

Omitting outcomes of importance to patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their caregivers from trials can impede decision making based on patient-centered outcomes. As part of the global Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Chronic Kidney Disease (SONG-CKD) initiative, we established a consensus-based set of core outcomes for trials in CKD (prior to the need for kidney replacement therapy). To finalize the proposed set of core outcomes that were identified through focus groups and an international Delphi survey, we convened 2 international stakeholder workshops in English and Spanish languages that involved 61 patients/caregivers and 75 health professionals from 18 countries. Participants were asked to discuss and endorse the potential core outcomes (mortality, kidney function, life participation, and cardiovascular disease), and to provide suggestions for implementing the core outcomes. The discussions were summarized into 4 themes: reflecting a comprehensive approach to health, facilitating patient empowerment in their own care, ensuring applicability to broad geographic areas and populations, and feasibility for implementation. Patients, caregivers, and health professionals agreed that mortality, kidney function, life participation, and cardiovascular disease should be established as core outcomes for trials in CKD.

Assessing the uptake of infertility core outcome set in IVF randomized controlled trials

STUDY QUESTION

Do the infertility core outcome set and standardized definitions affect the outcome selection for randomized controlled trials, and what aspects should be further improved in the future?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Intrauterine pregnancy demonstrated the highest uptake level, whereas others were low, especially in neonatal outcomes; as time progresses, the target sample size increases, and with prospective registration, the consistency between outcomes reported in registrations and infertility core outcome set improves significantly.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

The infertility core outcome set, published on 30 November 2020, aims to standardize outcome reporting and prevent selective reporting bias; however, there is a paucity of research evaluating its actual adoption, which is crucial for the timely promotion of transparency, standardization, adjustment of development strategies, and efficient resource utilization.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This cross-sectional study included 1673 eligible randomized controlled trial registrations for infertility in 18 registries from March 2004 to July 2024 based on registry entries.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

A total of 4625 infertility-related studies from 1 November 1999 to 26 July 2024 were retrieved in the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Finally, 1673 randomized controlled trial registrations were selected and divided into four period groups. Period, target sample size, prospective registration, blinding, support, and countries/regions were potential influencing factors. The consistency of outcomes, definitions, and standardized denominators of randomized controlled trial registry entries with the recommendations of the infertility core outcome set were the main outcomes. Independent retrieval, screening, data extraction, and consistency evaluations by two assessors and expert consultations were conducted to assess the uptake and potential influencing factors of the infertility core outcome set in randomized controlled trials involving infertile patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Results reveal that the reporting level in the pregnancy domain was significantly higher than that in the neonatal domain (13.6% vs 5.7%). Intrauterine pregnancy (66.9%), live birth (27.6%), and miscarriage (26.5%) had relatively high uptake levels. The uptake of most core outcomes and domains, as well as the total number of reported core outcomes, showed statistically significant differences based on period, target sample size, and prospective registration. Multivariable analyses supported the above finding. Reasons responsible for the results may be attributed to the lack of effective promotional measures, as well as the limited researcher awareness regarding this core outcome set.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

Some results in this study may have been influenced by the subjective judgment of the evaluators due to the complexity of the information in registries.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Uptake of most core outcomes or domains is increasing but is not yet ideal. Moreover, the upward trend cannot be solely attributed to the publication of the infertility core outcome set. The key to promoting uptake is to thoroughly explore and recognize the factors that both facilitate and hinder the uptake of the infertility core outcome set, further expand and publicize the core outcome set, and foster multidisciplinary or multiple stakeholder cooperation.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This study was supported by the Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research (CFH 2024-2G-4097), as well as the special fund of Beijing Key Clinical Specialty Construction Project. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

http://www.comet-initiative.org/Studies/Details/3184.

Symptom Burden and Its Impact on Quality of Life in Patients With Moderate to Severe CKD: The International Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps)

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Recent evidence suggests people with nondialysis chronic kidney disease (ND-CKD) experience a substantial burden of symptoms, but informative large-scale studies have been scarce. We assessed the prevalence of symptoms and the association of overall symptom burden with quality of life in patients with moderate to severe CKD.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

4,430 patients with ND-CKD stages 3-5 enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps) in Brazil, France, and the United States between 2013 and 2021.

EXPOSURE

13 individual patient-reported symptoms from the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF) questionnaire and an overall symptom burden score (low, intermediate, and high).

OUTCOME

Physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS) of the KDQOL-SF.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Adjusted prevalence ratios and generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

Patients (mean age, 68 years; 40% women; mean baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 30mL/min/1.73m2) were very much to extremely bothered by numerous symptoms ("soreness in muscles," 23%; "washed out or drained," 21%; "cramps, shortness of breath, dry skin, diminished sex life, or numbness in hands or feet," 14%-17%). The adjusted prevalences of "cramps," "washed out or drained," "lack of appetite," "nausea/upset stomach," and "sex life" were greater with more severe CKD and in women (except for "sex life"). A high overall symptom burden was more common in women, in France, and in patients with severe albuminuria and various comorbidities, but not with lower eGFR. The PCS and MCS scores were 13.4 and 7.7 points lower, respectively, for high versus low overall symptom burden.

LIMITATIONS

Generalizability limited to patients under nephrology care, residual confounding, and inaccurate Brazilian translation of some symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The high symptom burden observed in this large cohort of ND-CKD patients across 3 diverse countries and its strong association with poorer health-related quality of life should inform clinical management of and clinical research in CKD.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Little is known about symptoms in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (ND-CKD). In the Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, which enrolled 4,430 patients with CKD stages 3-5 in Brazil, France, and the United States, patients most often reported soreness in muscles, feeling washed out or drained, cramps, shortness of breath, dry skin, altered sex life, and numbness in hands or feet. Cramps, feeling washed out or drained, lack of appetite, and nausea were more often reported at lower levels of kidney function. The overall symptom burden was higher in women than men, in French than in Brazilian or US patients, and in those with severe albuminuria. The higher the symptom burden, the lower were the physical and mental health quality of life scores. The high symptom burden observed in this large cohort of ND-CKD patients across 3 diverse countries and its strong association with poorer health-related quality of life should inform clinical management of and clinical research in CKD.

Efficacy and safety of daprodustat in patients on peritoneal dialysis in the ASCEND-D trial

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS

Daprodustat, an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, is approved for treatment of anemia in dialysis patients with CKD in some parts of the world. This subgroup analysis examined the efficacy and safety of daprodustat versus darbepoetin alfa in patients with anemia of CKD undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

METHODS

ASCEND-D (NCT02879305) was an open-label, Phase 3 trial; patients with CKD were randomized to daprodustat daily and epoetin alfa (HD patients) or darbepoetin alfa (PD patients). In PD patients, prespecified analyses of the co-primary endpoints of mean change in hemoglobin from baseline to Weeks 28-52 using an ANOVA model and first occurrence of a major cardiovascular event (MACE) using a Cox proportional hazards model were conducted. The secondary endpoints were average monthly intravenous iron dose to Week 52 and treatment-emergent adverse events. Additional post hoc analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Overall, 340 PD patients (daprodustat n = 171, darbepoetin alfa n = 169) were randomized. Mean age was 53.6 years (±14 SD), 55% male, 56% White. For daprodustat and darbepoetin alfa groups respectively, mean change in hemoglobin was 0.38 and 0.23 g/dL [adjusted mean difference 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.04, 0.34], and first occurrence of adjudicated MACE occurred in 40 (23.4%) and 46 (27.2%) patients (HR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.55-1.28). No heterogeneity was observed between PD and HD patients for these endpoints in ASCEND-D. Serum hepcidin was lower with daprodustat; there was no difference in other iron parameters, intravenous iron usage, transfusion requirement, blood pressure, or quality of life. There were no differences in adverse events or incidence of peritonitis between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This subgroup analysis of the ASCEND-D trial demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety of daprodustat versus darbepoetin alfa in PD patients, supporting its use in the treatment of anemia in these patients.

Kidney Beam-A Cost-Effective Digital Intervention to Improve Mental Health

Introduction

There is inequity in the provision of physical rehabilitation services for people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Kidney BEAM trial evaluated the clinical value and cost effectiveness of a physical activity digital health intervention (DHI) in CKD.

Methods

In a single-blind, 11 center, randomized controlled trial, 340 adult participants with CKD were randomly assigned to either the Kidney BEAM physical activity DHI or a waitlist control. This study assessed the difference in the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 1.3 Mental Component Summary (KDQoL-SF1.3 MCS) between intervention and control groups at 6-months, and cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

Results

At 6-months, there was a significant difference in mean adjusted change in KDQoL MCS score between Kidney BEAM and waitlist control (intention-to-treat adjusted mean: 5.9 [95% confidence interval, CI: 4.4-7.5] arbitrary units [AU], P < 0.0001), and a 93% and 98% chance of the intervention being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20,000 and £30,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained.

Conclusion

The Kidney BEAM physical activity DHI is a clinically valuable and cost-effective means to improve mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with CKD (trial registration no. NCT04872933).

Dynamic prediction of kidney allograft and patient survival using post-transplant estimated glomerular filtration rate trajectory

Background

Allograft loss is the most feared outcome of kidney transplant recipients. We aimed to develop a dynamic Bayesian model using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) trajectories to predict long-term allograft and patient survivals.

Methods

We used data from the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant registry and included all adult kidney transplant recipients (1980-2017) in Australia (derivation cohort) and New Zealand (NZ, validation cohort). Using a joint model, the temporal changes of eGFR trajectories were used to predict patient and allograft survivals.

Results

The cohort composed of 14 915 kidney transplant recipients [12 777 (86%) from Australia and 2138 (14%) from NZ] who were followed for a median of 8.9 years. In the derivation cohort, eGFR trajectory was inversely associated with allograft loss [every 10 ml/min/1.73 m2 reduction in eGFR, adjusted hazard ratio [HR, 95% credible intervals (95%CI) 1.31 (1.23-1.39)] and death [1.12 (1.10-1.14)]. Similar estimates were observed in the validation cohort. The respective dynamic area under curve (AUC) (95%CI) estimates for predicting allograft loss at 5-years post-transplantation were 0.83 (0.75-0.91) and 0.81 (0.68-0.93) for the derivation and validation cohorts.

Conclusion

This straightforward model, using a single metric of eGFR trajectory, shows good model performance, and effectively distinguish transplant recipients who are at risk of death and allograft loss from those who are not. This simple bedside tool may facilitate early identification of individuals at risk of allograft loss and death.

Patient Preferences and Priorities for the Design of an Acute Kidney Injury Prevention Trial: Findings from a Consensus Workshop

Key Points

For AKI prevention trial recruitment, patients prioritized technology enabled prescreening and involvement of family members in the consent process. For trial intervention delivery, participants prioritized measures to facilitate ease of trial intervention administration and return visits. For AKI prevention trial outcomes, patient participants identified effects on kidney-related and other clinical outcomes as top priorities.

Background

High-quality clinical trials are needed to establish the efficacy and safety of novel therapies for AKI prevention. In this consensus workshop, we identified patient and caregiver priorities for recruitment, intervention delivery, and outcomes of a clinical trial of cilastatin to prevent nephrotoxic AKI.

Methods

We included adults with lived experience of AKI, CKD, or risk factors of AKI (e.g ., critical care hospitalization) and their caregivers. Using a modified nominal group technique approach, we conducted a series of hybrid in-person/virtual discussions covering three clinical trial topic areas: (1 ) consent and recruitment, (2 ) intervention delivery, and (3 ) trial outcomes. Participants voted on their top preferences in each topic area, and discussion transcripts were analyzed inductively using conventional content analysis.

Results

Thirteen individuals (11 patients, two caregivers) participated in the workshop. For consent and recruitment, participants prioritized technology enabled prescreening and involvement of family members in the consent process. For intervention delivery, participants prioritized measures to facilitate ease of intervention administration and return visits. For trial outcomes, participants identified kidney-related and other clinical outcomes (e.g ., AKI, CKD, cardiovascular events) as top priorities. Analysis of transcripts provided insight into care team and family involvement in trial-related decisions, implications of allocation to a placebo arm, and impact of participants' experiences of AKI and critical illness.

Conclusions

Findings from our workshop will directly inform development of a clinical trial protocol of cilastatin for nephrotoxic AKI prevention and can assist others in patient-centered approaches to AKI trial design.

Education programmes for people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes

BACKGROUND

Adherence to complex regimens for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes is often poor. Interventions to enhance adherence require intensive education and behavioural counselling. However, whether the existing evidence is scientifically rigorous and can support recommendations for routine use of educational programmes in people with CKD and diabetes is still unknown. This is an update of a review first published in 2011.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the benefits and harms of education programmes for people with CKD and diabetes.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies up to 19 July 2024 using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) Search Portal, and ClinicalTrials.gov.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs investigating the benefits and harms of educational programmes (information and behavioural instructions and advice given by a healthcare provider, who could be a nurse, pharmacist, educator, health professional, medical practitioner, or healthcare provider, through verbal, written, audio-recording, or computer-aided modalities) for people 18 years and older with CKD and diabetes.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently screened the literature, determined study eligibility, assessed quality, and extracted and entered data. We expressed dichotomous outcomes as risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and continuous data as mean difference (MD) with 95% CI. Data were pooled using the random-effects model. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

MAIN RESULTS

Eight studies (13 reports, 840 randomised participants) were included. The overall risk of bias was low for objective outcomes and attrition bias, unclear for selection bias, reporting bias and other biases, and high for subjective outcomes. Education programmes compared to routine care alone probably decrease glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (4 studies, 467 participants: MD -0.42%, 95% CI -0.53 to -0.31; moderate certainty evidence; 13.5 months follow-up) and may decrease total cholesterol (179 participants: MD -0.35 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.63 to -00.07; low certainty evidence) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (179 participants: MD -0.40 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.65 to -0.14; low certainty evidence) at 18 months of follow-up. One study (83 participants) reported education programmes for people receiving dialysis who have diabetes may improve the diabetes knowledge of diagnosis, monitoring, hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia, medication with insulin, oral medication, personal health habits, diet, exercise, chronic complications, and living with diabetes and coping with stress (all low certainty evidence). There may be an improvement in the general knowledge of diabetes at the end of the intervention and at the end of the three-month follow-up (one study, 97 participants; low certainty evidence) in people with diabetes and moderately increased albuminuria (A2). In participants with diabetes and moderately increased albuminuria (A2) (one study, 97 participants), education programmes may improve a participant's beliefs in treatment effectiveness and total self-efficacy at the end of five weeks compared to routine care (low certainty evidence). Self-efficacy for in-home blood glucose monitoring and beliefs in personal control may increase at the end of the three-month follow-up (low certainty evidence). There were no differences in other self-efficacy measures. One study (100 participants) reported an education programme may increase change in behaviour for general diet, specific diet and home blood glucose monitoring at the end of treatment (low certainty evidence); however, at the end of three months of follow-up, there may be no difference in any behaviour change outcomes (all low certainty evidence). There were uncertain effects on death, serious hypoglycaemia, and kidney failure due to very low certainty evidence. No data was available for changes in kidney function (creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, doubling of serum creatinine or proteinuria). For an education programme plus multidisciplinary, co-ordinated care compared to routine care, there may be little or no difference in HbA1c, kidney failure, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), systolic or diastolic blood pressure, hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia, and LDL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (all low certainty evidence in participants with type-2 diabetes mellitus and documented advanced diabetic nephropathy). There were no data for death, patient-orientated measures, change in kidney function (other than eGFR and albuminuria), cardiovascular disease morbidity, quality of life, or adverse events.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Education programmes may improve knowledge of some areas related to diabetes care and some self-management practices. Education programmes probably decrease HbA1c in people with CKD and diabetes, but the effect on other clinical outcomes is unclear. This review only included eight studies with small sample sizes. Therefore, more randomised studies are needed to examine the efficacy of education programmes on important clinical outcomes in people with CKD and diabetes.

Anaemia and quality of life in chronic kidney disease: a consensus document from the European Anaemia of CKD Alliance

Anaemia is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has a significant impact on quality of life (QoL), work productivity and outcomes. Current management includes oral or intravenous iron and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), to which hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) have been recently added, increasing the available therapeutic options. In randomised controlled trials, only intravenous iron improved cardiovascular outcome, while some ESAs were associated with increased adverse cardiovascular events. Despite therapeutic advances, several challenges and unmet needs remain in the current management of anaemia of CKD. In particular, clinical practice does not include an assessment of QoL, which prompted a group of European nephrologists and representatives of patient advocacy groups to revisit the current approach. In this consensus document, the authors propose a move towards a more holistic, personalised and long-term approach, based on existing evidence. The focus of treatment should be on improving QoL without increasing the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, and tailoring management strategies to the needs of the individual. In addition, the authors discuss the suitability of a currently available anaemia of CKD-specific health-related QoL measure for inclusion in the routine clinical management of anaemia of CKD. The authors also outline the logistics and challenges of incorporating such a measure into electronic health records and how it may be used to improve QoL for people with anaemia of CKD.

Outcomes for clinical trials involving adults with chronic kidney disease: a multinational Delphi survey involving patients, caregivers and health professionals

BACKGROUND

Many outcomes of high priority to patients and clinicians are infrequently and inconsistently reported across trials in chronic kidney disease (CKD), which generates research waste and limits evidence-informed decision making. We aimed to generate consensus among patients/caregivers and health professionals on critically important outcomes for trials in CKD prior to kidney failure and the need for kidney replacement therapy, and to describe the reasons for their choices.

METHODS

This was an online two-round international Delphi survey. Adult patients with CKD (all stages and diagnoses), caregivers and health professionals who could read English, Spanish or French were eligible. Participants rated the importance of outcomes using a Likert scale (7-9 indicating critical importance) and a Best-Worst Scale. The scores for the two groups were assessed to determine absolute and relative importance. Comments were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

In total, 1399 participants from 73 countries completed Round 1 of the Delphi survey, including 628 (45%) patients/caregivers and 771 (55%) health professionals. In Round 2, 790 participants (56% response rate) from 63 countries completed the survey including 383 (48%) patients/caregivers and 407 (52%) health professionals. The overall top five outcomes were: kidney function, need for dialysis/transplant, life participation, cardiovascular disease and death. In the final round, patients/caregivers indicated higher scores for most outcomes (17/22 outcomes), and health professionals gave higher priority to mortality, hospitalization and cardiovascular disease (mean difference >0.3). Consensus was based upon the two groups yielding median scores of ≥7 and mean scores >7, and the proportions of both groups rating the outcome as 'critically important' being >50%. Four themes reflected the reasons for their priorities: imminent threat of a health catastrophe, signifying diminishing capacities, ability to self-manage and cope, and tangible and direct consequences.

CONCLUSION

Across trials in CKD, the outcomes of highest priority to patients, caregivers and health professionals were kidney function, need for dialysis/transplant, life participation, cardiovascular disease and death.

Care of Adults with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) impacts over 10% of the global population. Adults with CKD face significant morbidity and mortality. As kidney disease progresses, the risk of adverse outcomes increases. Here, we present an overview of strategies to care for adults with advanced CKD (stage 4-5 CKD, not receiving kidney replacement therapy). We aim to guide clinicians through several aspects of CKD care, ranging from recommended laboratory assessments to interdisciplinary support for patients as they plan for kidney replacement therapy (dialysis, transplantation, or conservative management). We incorporate considerations of health equity and person-centered care, empowering clinicians to deliver high-quality care to people with CKD.

Integrating the patient voice: patient-centred and equitable clinical risk prediction for kidney health and disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Personalized approaches to care are increasingly common in clinical nephrology. Although risk prediction models are developed to estimate the risk of kidney-disease related outcomes, they infrequently consider the priorities of patients they are designed to help.

RECENT FINDINGS

This review discusses certain steps in risk prediction tool development where patients and their priorities can be incorporated. Considering principles of equity throughout the process has been the focus of recent literature.

SUMMARY

Applying a person-centred lens has implications for several aspects of risk prediction research. Incorporating the patient voice may involve partnering with patients as researchers to identify the target outcome for the tool and/or determine priorities for outcomes related to the kidney disease domain of interest. Assessing the list of candidate predictors for associations with inequity is important to ensure the tool will not widen disparity for marginalized groups. Estimating model performance using person-centred measures such as model calibration may be used to compare models and select a tool more useful to inform individual treatment decisions. Finally, there is potential to include patients and families in determining other elements of the prediction framework and implementing the tool once development is complete.

Core Patient-Reported Outcomes for Trials in Nephrology

The outcomes reported in trials across all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are highly variable and often do not include outcomes that are directly relevant to patients and caregivers. Frequently, the outcomes reported in trials are often unvalidated surrogate biochemical end points. The omission of outcomes that are meaningful and important to patients can diminish the value of trials in supporting treatment decisions. In response, there have been increasing efforts across many health and medical disciplines to develop core outcome sets, defined as the minimum set of outcomes to be reported in all trials in a specific health area to improve the relevance and consistency of reporting trial outcomes. The international Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG) initiative was established in 2014 and has since developed seven core outcome sets for different diagnosis and treatment stages of CKD. The core outcomes were based on consensus among patients, caregivers, and health professionals. Each core outcome set includes at least one patient-reported outcome, including fatigue (hemodialysis), life participation (kidney transplantation, peritoneal dialysis, early CKD not yet requiring kidney replacement therapy, children and adolescents, and glomerular disease), and pain (polycystic kidney disease). This article outlines how patient-reported outcomes are currently reported in trials, discusses core patient-reported outcomes that have been established for trials in kidney disease, and outlines strategies for implementing core patient-reported outcomes in trials.

Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With Glomerular Disease: A Narrative Review of the Epidemiology, Mechanisms, Management, and Patient Priorities

Purpose of review

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients with glomerular disease. Despite the fact that mechanisms underpinning CV disease risk in this population are likely distinct from other forms of kidney disease, treatment and preventive strategies tend to be extrapolated from studies of patients with undifferentiated chronic kidney disease (CKD). There is an unmet need to delineate the pathophysiology of CV disease in patients with glomerular disease, establish unique risk factors, and identify novel therapeutic targets for disease prevention. The aims of this narrative review are to summarize the existing knowledge regarding the epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and management of CV disease in patients with common glomerular disease, highlight the patient perspective, and propose specific areas for future study.

Sources of information

The literature for this narrative review was accessed using common research search engines, including PubMed, PubMed Central, Medline, and Google Scholar. Information for the patient perspective section was collected through iterative discussions with a patient partner.

Methods

We reviewed the epidemiology, molecular mechanisms of disease, management approaches, and the patient perspective in relation to CV disease in patients with glomerulopathies. Throughout, we have highlighted the current knowledge and have discussed future research approaches, both clinical and translational, while integrating the patient perspective.

Key findings

Patients with glomerular disease have significant CV disease risk driven by multifactorial, molecular mechanisms originating from their glomerular disease but complicated by existing comorbidities, kidney disease, and medication side effects. The current approach to risk stratification and treatment relies heavily on existing data from CKD patients, but this may not always be appropriate given the unique pathophysiology and mechanisms associated with CV disease risk in patients with glomerular disease. We highlight the need for ongoing glomerular disease-focused studies aimed to better delineate CV disease risk, while integrating the patient perspective.

Limitations

This is a narrative review and does not represent a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature.

A Current State of the Art and Science of Exercise in Dialysis: A Narrative Review

Purpose of the review

The purpose of the review is to discuss current proven benefits and problems of integrating exercise in the care of people receiving dialysis by reviewing literature from the last few years and identifying important questions that still need to be asked and answered.

Methods

A focused review and appraisal of the literature were done. Original peer-reviewed articles, review articles, opinion pieces and guidelines were identified from PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Only sources in English were accessed. Search terms "exercise" and "dialysis" were used to find active recruiting randomized trials in various clinical trial registry platforms.

Key findings

Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise training in individuals receiving dialysis, limited by factors such as short duration of follow-up and inconsistent adverse event reporting and outcomes selected. Notable gaps in exercise research in dialysis include ways to maintain programs and patient motivation, studies in peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis patients, and how best to define and measure outcomes of interest.

Implications

This review summarizes the current state of exercise in people receiving dialysis and serves as a call to action to conduct large, randomized controlled trials to improve the quality of evidence needed to implement and sustain innovative, exercise interventions, and programs for this population.

Patient-Centered Research and Outcomes in Cancer and Kidney Transplantation

Cancer has been identified by kidney transplant recipients as a critically important outcome. The co-occurrence of cancer and kidney transplantation represents a complex intersection of diseases, symptoms, and competing priorities for treatments. Research that focuses on biochemical parameters and clinical events may not capture the priorities of patients. Patient-centered research can improve the relevance and efficiency of research and is particularly pertinent in the setting of cancer and kidney transplantation to facilitate shared decision-making in complex clinical situations. In addition, patient-reported outcomes can facilitate the assessment of patients' experiences, symptom burden, treatment side effects, and quality of life. This review discusses patient-centered research in the context of kidney transplantation and cancer, including consumer involvement in research and patient-centered outcomes and their measures and inclusion in core outcome sets.

Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Assessing Symptoms in Hemodialysis: A Systematic Review Using COSMIN Guidelines

CONTEXT

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) may have an important role in screening and monitoring for unpleasant symptoms in kidney failure. However, there is still little evidence on the psychometric properties of the measures available to assess physical and psychological symptoms in people on hemodialysis. This gap makes it difficult to decide which measure is the most appropriate for use in clinical practice and research with this population.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aimed to critically appraise, compare, and summarize the quality of the measurement properties of PROMs used to assess symptoms in adults on hemodialysis.

METHODS

The protocol for this review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023393441). The last database search update was performed on November 25, 2022. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines informed methodological quality assessment, data extraction, analysis, and synthesis.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven primary studies reported the measurement properties of 16 PROMs used to assess physical and psychological symptoms in adults on hemodialysis. Results showed that most measures lacked the necessary psychometric evidence to attest their suitability for this study population, and few underwent rigorous validation procedures. Overall, caveats were found on methodological quality and evidence of content validity and structural validity, and little data was available on responsiveness, measurement error, and cross-cultural validity.

CONCLUSION

The current systematic review provides the basis for identifying PROMs with potential utility for assessing symptoms in hemodialysis care. Several recommendations are presented to help guide future research aimed at improving the rigor of validation and/or translation procedures of existing (and future) measures using COSMIN guidelines.

Patient-Centered Research and Innovation in Nephrology

Patient involvement in research can improve the relevance of research, consequently enhancing the recruitment, retention, and uptake of interventions and policies impacting patient outcomes. Despite this, patients are not often involved in the design and conduct of research. The research agenda and innovations are frequently determined by the interest of health and industry professionals rather than proactively aligning with the priorities of patients. It is now being encouraged and recommended to engage patients in research priority setting to ensure interventions and trials report outcomes valuable to patients, moving away from a history of overlooking the outcomes that reflect the feel and function of patients. Involving patients ensures constant innovative research in nephrology, as this broader depth of evidence fortifies reliability and validity through knowledge gained from lived experience. Findings from such research can enhance clinical practice and strengthen decision-making and policy to support better outcomes. We aim to outline principles and strategies for patient involvement in research, including setting research priorities, identifying and designing interventions, selecting outcomes, and disseminating and translating research. Principles and strategies including engagement, education and training, empowerment, and connection and community provide guidance in patient involvement. There are increasing efforts to involve patients across all stages of research including setting research priorities. Efforts are rising to involve patients across all stages of research including priority setting, identifying and designing interventions, selecting outcomes, and dissemination and translation. Patient involvement throughout the research cycle drives innovative investigations ensuring funding, efforts, and resources are directed toward priorities of patients, contributing to catalyst advancements in care and outcomes.

Validation of a Core Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Life Participation in Kidney Transplant Recipients: the SONG Life Participation Instrument

Introduction

Life participation has been established as a critically important core for trials in kidney transplantation. We aimed to validate a patient-reported outcome measure for life participation in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods

A psychometric evaluation of the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology life participation (SONG-LP) measure was conducted in adult kidney transplant recipients. The measure includes 4 items of life participation (leisure, family, work, and social) each with a 5-point Likert scale. Each item is scored from 0 (never) to 4 (always) and the summary measure score the average of each item.

Results

A total of 249 adult kidney transplant recipients from 20 countries participated. The SONG-LP instrument demonstrated internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.87; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.83-0.90, baseline) and test-retest reliability over 1 week (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.62; 95% CI: 0.54-0.70). There was moderate to high correlation (0.65; 95% CI: 0.57-0.72) with the PROMIS Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities Short Form 8a that assessed a similar construct, and moderate correlation with measures that assessed related concepts (i.e., EQ5D 0.57; 95% CI: 0.49-0.65), PROMIS Cognitive Functional Abilities Subset Short Form 4a (0.40; 95% CI: 0.29-0.50).

Conclusion

The SONG-LP instrument is a simple, internally consistent, reliable measure for kidney transplant recipients and correlates with similar measures. Routine incorporation in clinical trials will ensure consistent and appropriate assessment of life participation for informed patient-centered decision-making.

Embracing the Wisdom of Ancient Greece in the Era of Personalized Medicine-Uncertainty, Probabilistic Reasoning, and Democratic Consensus

Further improvements of outcome after solid organ transplantation will depend on our ability to integrate personalized medicine in clinical routine. Not only better risk stratification or improved diagnostics, also targeted therapies and predictive markers of treatment success are needed, as there is a virtual standstill in the development and implementation of novel therapies for prevention and treatment of allograft rejection. The integration of clinical decision support algorithms and novel biomarkers in clinical practice will require a different reasoning, embracing concepts of uncertainty and probabilistic thinking as the ground truth is often unknown and the tools imperfect. This is important for communication between healthcare professionals, but patients and their caregivers also need to be informed and educated about the levels of uncertainty inherent to personalized medicine. In the translation of research findings and personalized medicine to routine clinical care, it remains crucial to maintain global consensus on major aspects of clinical routine, to avoid further divergence between centres and countries in the standard of care. Such consensus can only be reached when experts with divergent opinions are willing to transcend their own convictions, understand that there is not one single truth, and thus are able to embrace a level of uncertainty.

Shared decision making: a personal view from two kidney doctors and a patient

Shared decision making (SDM) combines the clinician's expertise in the treatment of disease with the patient's expertise in their lived experience and what is important to them. All decisions made in the care of patients with kidney disease can potentially be explored through SDM. Adoption of SDM in routine kidney care faces numerous institutional and practical barriers. Patients with chronic disease who have become accustomed to paternalistic care may need support to engage in SDM-even though most patients actively want more involvement in decisions about their care. Nephrologists often underestimate the risks and overestimate the benefits of investigations and treatments and often default to recommending burdensome treatments rather than discussing prognosis openly. Guideline bodies continue to issue recommendations written for healthcare professionals without providing patient decision aids. To mitigate health inequalities, care needs to be taken to provide SDM to all patients, not just the highly health-literate patients least likely to need additional support in decision making. Kidney doctors spend much of their time in the consulting room, and it is unjustifiable that so little attention is paid to the teaching, audit and maintenance of consultation skills. Writing letters to the patient to summarise the consultation rather than sending them a copy of a letter between health professionals sets the tone for a consultation in which the patient is an active partner. Adoption of SDM will require nephrologists to relinquish long-established paternalistic models of care and restructure care around the values and preferences of patients.

Unveiling the Clinical Benefits of High-Volume Hemodiafiltration: Optimizing the Removal of Medium-Weight Uremic Toxins and Beyond

Dialysis treatment has improved the survival of patients with kidney failure. However, the hospitalization and mortality rates remain alarmingly high, primarily due to incomplete uremic toxin elimination. High-volume hemodiafiltration (HDF) has emerged as a promising approach that significantly improves patient outcomes by effectively eliminating medium and large uremic toxins, which explains its increasing adoption, particularly in Europe and Japan. Interest in this therapy has grown following the findings of the recently published CONVINCE study, as well as the need to understand the mechanisms behind the benefits. This comprehensive review aims to enhance the scientific understanding by explaining the underlying physiological mechanisms that contribute to the positive effects of HDF in terms of short-term benefits, like hemodynamic tolerance and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, it explores the rationale behind the medium-term clinical benefits, including phosphorus removal, the modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress, anemia management, immune response modulation, nutritional effects, the mitigation of bone disorders, neuropathy relief, and amyloidosis reduction. This review also analyzes the impact of HDF on patient-reported outcomes and mortality. Considering the importance of applying personalized uremic toxin removal strategies tailored to the unique needs of each patient, high-volume HDF appears to be the most effective treatment to date for patients with renal failure. This justifies the need to prioritize its application in clinical practice, initially focusing on the groups with the greatest potential benefits and subsequently extending its use to a larger number of patients.

Study protocol for The GOAL Trial: comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail older people with chronic kidney disease to increase attainment of patient-identified goals-a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of older people are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Many have complex healthcare needs and are at risk of deteriorating health and functional status, which can adversely affect their quality of life. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is an effective intervention to improve survival and independence of older people, but its clinical utility and cost-effectiveness in frail older people living with CKD is unknown.

METHODS

The GOAL Trial is a pragmatic, multi-centre, open-label, superiority, cluster randomised controlled trial developed by consumers, clinicians, and researchers. It has a two-arm design, CGA compared with standard care, with 1:1 allocation of a total of 16 clusters. Within each cluster, study participants ≥ 65 years of age (or ≥ 55 years if Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (First Nations Australians)) with CKD stage 3-5/5D who are frail, measured by a Frailty Index (FI) of > 0.25, are recruited. Participants in intervention clusters receive a CGA by a geriatrician to identify medical, social, and functional needs, optimise medication prescribing, and arrange multidisciplinary referral if required. Those in standard care clusters receive usual care. The primary outcome is attainment of self-identified goals assessed by standardised Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include GAS at 6 and 12 months, quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), frailty (Frailty Index - Short Form), transfer to residential aged care facilities, cost-effectiveness, and safety (cause-specific hospitalisations, mortality). A process evaluation will be conducted in parallel with the trial including whether the intervention was delivered as intended, any issue or local barriers to intervention delivery, and perceptions of the intervention by participants. The trial has 90% power to detect a clinically meaningful mean difference in GAS of 10 units.

DISCUSSION

This trial addresses patient-prioritised outcomes. It will be conducted, disseminated and implemented by clinicians and researchers in partnership with consumers. If CGA is found to have clinical and cost-effectiveness for frail older people with CKD, the intervention framework could be embedded into routine clinical practice. The implementation of the trial's findings will be supported by presentations at conferences and forums with clinicians and consumers at specifically convened workshops, to enable rapid adoption into practice and policy for both nephrology and geriatric disciplines. It has potential to materially advance patient-centred care and improve clinical and patient-reported outcomes (including quality of life) for frail older people living with CKD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04538157. Registered on 3 September 2020.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for anaemia in adults with chronic kidney disease: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are commonly used to treat anaemia in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, their use has been associated with cardiovascular events. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2014.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy and safety of ESAs (epoetin alfa, epoetin beta, darbepoetin alfa, methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta, and biosimilar ESAs against each other, placebo, or no treatment) to treat anaemia in adults with CKD.

SEARCH METHODS

In this update, we searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies up to 29 April 2022 through contact with the Information Specialist using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Register (ICTRP) Search Portal and ClinicalTrials.gov.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that included a comparison of an ESA (epoetin alfa, epoetin beta, darbepoetin alfa, methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta, a biosimilar epoetin or a biosimilar darbepoetin alfa) with another ESA, placebo or no treatment in adults with CKD were considered for inclusion.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two independent authors screened the search results and extracted data. Data synthesis was performed using random-effects pairwise meta-analysis (expressed as odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI)) and network meta-analysis. We assessed for heterogeneity and inconsistency within meta-analyses using standard techniques and planned subgroup and meta-regression to explore sources of heterogeneity or inconsistency. We assessed certainty in treatment estimates for the primary outcomes (preventing blood transfusions and death (any cause)) using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

MAIN RESULTS

Sixty-two new studies (9237 participants) were included in this update, so the review now includes 117 studies with 25,237 participants. Most studies were at high or unclear risk of bias in most methodological domains. Overall, results remain similar in this update compared to our previous review in 2014. For preventing blood transfusion, epoetin alfa (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.61; low certainty evidence) and epoetin beta (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.47; low certainty evidence) may be superior to placebo, and darbepoetin alfa was probably superior to placebo (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.67; moderate certainty evidence). Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.11 to 1.02; very low certainty evidence), a biosimilar epoetin (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.11 to 1.03; very low certainty evidence) and a biosimilar darbepoetin alfa (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.91; very low certainty evidence) had uncertain effects on preventing blood transfusion compared to placebo. The comparative effects of ESAs compared with another ESA on preventing blood transfusions were uncertain, in low to very low certainty evidence. Effects on death (any cause) were uncertain for epoetin alfa (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.22; low certainty evidence), epoetin beta (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.20; low certainty evidence), methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.71; very low certainty evidence), a biosimilar epoetin (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.36; low certainty evidence) and a biosimilar darbepoetin alfa (OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.51 to 5.23; very low certainty evidence) compared to placebo. There was probably no difference between darbepoetin alfa and placebo on the odds of death (any cause) (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.21; moderate certainty evidence). The comparative effects of ESAs compared with another ESA on death (any cause) were uncertain in low to very low certainty evidence. Epoetin beta probably increased the odds of hypertension when compared to placebo (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.17 to 4.00; moderate certainty evidence). Compared to placebo, epoetin alfa (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.59; very low certainty evidence), darbepoetin alfa (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.14; low certainty evidence) and methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.74; low certainty evidence) may increase the odds of hypertension, but a biosimilar epoetin (OR 1.88, 95% CI 0.96 to 3.67; low certainty evidence) and biosimilar darbepoetin alfa (OR 1.98, 95% CI 0.84 to 4.66; low certainty evidence) had uncertain effects on hypertension. The comparative effects of all ESAs compared with another ESA, placebo or no treatment on cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, vascular access thrombosis, kidney failure, and breathlessness were uncertain. Network analysis for fatigue was not possible due to sparse data.  AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The comparative effects of different ESAs on blood transfusions, death (any cause and cardiovascular), major cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, stroke, vascular access thrombosis, kidney failure, fatigue and breathlessness were uncertain.

Patient-Centered Care Could Improve Quality of Life and Survival of Dialysis Patients: Dialysis Prescription and Daily Practice

We now face a paradigm shift in clinical practice and research of dialysis from evidence-based medicine outcomes to patient-reported outcomes (PROs). It is imperative to establish a daily practice pattern based on the PROs, namely "patient-centered dialysis care." In 2005, we introduced the concept of "patient-oriented dialysis," which includes two fundamental components; adjustment of the dialysis prescription according to the PROs and nutritional intervention based on the global nutritional assessment. Routine examinations and team meetings were held to monitor the status of PROs and nutrition, and intervention plans were reevaluated. We found that the total score of the PROs was closely related to the survival rate of dialysis patients, and some of those were identified as independent mortality risk factors. These results might have shown that patient-centered dialysis care may improve the quality of life and the survival rate of dialysis patients. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a unique synthetic membrane for a dialyzer with protein adsorption property and biocompatibility. Several clinical advantages of PMMA were reported as ameliorating inflammatory status, nutritional status, skin itchiness, and dialysis-related fatigue. PMMA is a fundamental and major choice for improving PROs in patient-centered dialysis care.

Enabling flourishing: novel approaches in palliative medicine for children with advanced kidney disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Paediatric kidney disease results in considerable burden on children and their families. Paediatric palliative care is a holistic, family-centred care approach intended to enable flourishing and address the many impediments to life participation which advanced kidney disease can impose. To date, palliative care resources have been underutilized in paediatric nephrology. This review will highlight recent literature targeting the engagement and life participation of children with advanced kidney disease through implementation of novel palliative care approaches and propose directions for future research.

RECENT FINDINGS

Children with advanced kidney disease and their families highly value incorporation of their perspectives, particularly on life participation, within care plan development; but what it means to participate in life can be variable, and clinicians need improved tools to ascertain and incorporate these perspectives. Novel palliative care interventions developed for application in comparable disease states offer potential opportunities for paediatric nephrologists to support this goal.

SUMMARY

Children with advanced kidney disease and their families will benefit from incorporation of their perspectives and values, facilitated by palliative interventions.

Balancing adaptability and standardisation: insights from 27 routinely implemented ICHOM standard sets

BACKGROUND

Healthcare systems around the world experience increasing pressure to control future growth of healthcare expenditures. Among other initiatives, quality and value-based benchmarking has become an important field to inform clinical evaluation and reimbursement questions. The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) has become one of the driving forces to translate scientific evidence into standardized assessments that are routinely applicable in day-to-day care settings. These aim to provide a benchmarking tool that allows the comparison and competition of health care delivery on the basis of value-based health care principles.

METHODS

This work focuses on the consolidation of the ICHOM methodology and presents insights from 27 routinely implemented Standard Sets. The analysis is based on a literature review of the ICHOM literature repository, a process document review and key informant interviews with ICHOM's outcomes research and development team.

RESULTS

Key findings are that the scope of ICHOM Standard Sets shifted from a more static focus on burden of disease and poorly standardized care pathways to a more dynamic approach that also takes into account questions about the setting of care, feasibility of implementing a benchmarking tool and compatibility of different Standard Sets. Although certain overlaps exist with other initiatives in the field of patient reported outcomes (PRO), their scopes differ significantly and they hence rather complement each other. ICHOM pursues a pragmatic approach to enable the benchmarking and the analysis of healthcare delivery following the principles of value-based healthcare.

CONCLUSION

The ICHOM Standard Sets complement other initiatives in the field of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and functional reporting by placing a particular focus on healthcare delivery, while other initiatives primarily focus on evaluation of academic endpoints. Although ICHOM promotes a pragmatic approach towards developing and devising its Standard Sets, the definition of standardized decision making processes emerged as one of the key challenges. Furthermore, the consolidation of core metrics across number of disease areas to enable the parallel implementation of different Standard Sets in the same care setting is an important goal that will enable the widespread implementation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROM).

Study protocol for Vascular Access outcome measure for function: a vaLidation study In hemoDialysis (VALID)

Background

A functioning vascular access (VA) is crucial to providing adequate hemodialysis (HD) and considered a critically important outcome by patients and healthcare professionals. A validated, patient-important outcome measure for VA function that can be easily measured in research and practice to harvest reliable and relevant evidence for informing patient-centered HD care is lacking. Vascular Access outcome measure for function: a vaLidation study In hemoDialysis (VALID) aims to assess the accuracy and feasibility of measuring a core outcome for VA function established by the international Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG) initiative.

Methods

VALID is a prospective, multi-center, multinational validation study that will assess the accuracy and feasibility of measuring VA function, defined as the need for interventions to enable and maintain the use of a VA for HD.

The primary objective is to determine whether VA function can be measured accurately by clinical staff as part of routine clinical practice (Assessor 1) compared to the reference standard of documented VA procedures collected by a VA expert (Assessor 2) during a 6-month follow-up period. Secondary outcomes include feasibility and acceptability of measuring VA function and the time to, rate of, and type of VA interventions.

An estimated 612 participants will be recruited from approximately 10 dialysis units of different size, type (home-, in-center and satellite), governance (private versus public), and location (rural versus urban) across Australia, Canada, Europe, and Malaysia.

Validity will be measured by the sensitivity and specificity of the data acquisition process. The sensitivity corresponds to the proportion of correctly identified interventions by Assessor 1, among the interventions identified by Assessor 2 (reference standard). The feasibility of measuring VA function will be assessed by the average data collection time, data completeness, feasibility questionnaires and semi-structured interviews on key feasibility aspects with the assessors.

Discussion

Accuracy, acceptability, and feasibility of measuring VA function as part of routine clinical practice are required to facilitate global implementation of this core outcome across all HD trials. Global use of a standardized, patient-centered outcome measure for VA function in HD research will enhance the consistency and relevance of trial evidence to guide patient-centered care.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03969225. Registered on 31st May 2019.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12882-022-02987-1.

Review finds core outcome set uptake in new studies and systematic reviews needs improvement

OBJECTIVES

To review evidence about the uptake of core outcome sets (COS). A COS is an agreed standardized set of outcomes that should be measured and reported, as a minimum, in all clinical trials in a specific area of health or healthcare.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

This article provides an analysis of what is known about the uptake of COS in research. Similarities between COS and outcomes recommended by stakeholders in the evidence ecosystem is reviewed and actions taken by them to facilitate COS uptake described.

RESULTS

COS uptake is low in most research areas. Common facilitators relate to trialist awareness and understanding. Common barriers were not including in the development process all specialties that might use the COS and the lack of recommendations for how to measure the outcomes. Increasingly, COS developers are considering strategies for promoting uptake earlier in the process, including actions beyond traditional dissemination approaches. An overlap between COS and outcomes in regulatory documents and health technology assessments is good. An increasing number and variety of organizations are recommending COS be considered.

CONCLUSION

We suggest actions for various stakeholders for improving COS uptake. Research is needed to assess the impact of these actions to identify effective evidence-based strategies.

Radiation therapy for melanoma brain metastases: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Radiation therapy (RT) for melanoma brain metastases, delivered either as whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) or as stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), is an established component of treatment for this condition. However, evidence allowing comparison of the outcomes, advantages and disadvantages of the two RT modalities is scant, with very few randomised controlled trials having been conducted. This has led to considerable uncertainty and inconsistent guideline recommendations. The present systematic review identified 112 studies reporting outcomes for patients with melanoma brain metastases treated with RT. Three were randomised controlled trials but only one was of sufficient size to be considered informative. Most of the evidence was from non-randomised studies, either specific treatment series or disease cohorts. Criteria for determining treatment choice were reported in only 32 studies and the quality of these studies was variable. From the time of diagnosis of brain metastasis, the median survival after WBRT alone was 3.5 months (IQR 2.4-4.0 months) and for SRS alone it was 7.5 months (IQR 6.7-9.0 months). Overall patient survival increased over time (pre-1989 to 2015) but this was not apparent within specific treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These survival estimates provide a baseline for determining the incremental benefits of recently introduced systemic treatments using targeted therapy or immunotherapy for melanoma brain metastases.

Development of an online patient decision aid for kidney failure treatment modality decisions

BACKGROUND

Patient decision aids (PtDAs) support patients and clinicians in shared decision-making (SDM). Real-world outcome information may improve patients' risk perception, and help patients make decisions congruent with their expectations and values. Our aim was to develop an online PtDA to support kidney failure treatment modality decision-making, that: 1) provides patients with real-world outcome information, and 2) facilitates SDM in clinical practice.

METHODS

The International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) development process model was complemented with a user-centred and convergent mixed-methods approach. Rapid prototyping was used to develop the PtDA with a multidisciplinary steering group in an iterative process of co-creation. The results of an exploratory evidence review and a needs-assessment among patients, caregivers, and clinicians were used to develop the PtDA. Seven Dutch teaching hospitals and two national Dutch outcome registries provided real-world data on selected outcomes for all kidney failure treatment modalities. Alpha and beta testing were performed to assess the prototype and finalise development. An implementation strategy was developed to guide implementation of the PtDA in clinical practice.

RESULTS

The 'Kidney Failure Decision Aid' consists of three components designed to help patients and clinicians engage in SDM: 1) a paper hand-out sheet, 2) an interactive website, and 3) a personal summary sheet. A 'patients-like-me' infographic was developed to visualise survival probabilities for each treatment modality on the website. Other treatment outcomes were incorporated as event rates (e.g. hospitalisation rates) or explained in text (e.g. the flexibility of each treatment modality). No major revisions were needed after alpha and beta testing. During beta testing, some patients ignored the survival probabilities because they considered these too confronting. Nonetheless, patients agreed that every patient has the right to choose whether they want to view this information. Patients and clinicians believed that the PtDA would help patients make informed decisions, and that it would support values- and preferences-based decision-making. Implementation of the PtDA has started in October 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

The 'Kidney Failure Decision Aid' was designed to facilitate SDM in clinical practice and contains real-world outcome information on all kidney failure treatment modalities. It is currently being investigated for its effects on SDM in a clinical trial.

Patient-centred clinical trial design

Patient involvement in clinical trial design can facilitate the recruitment and retention of participants as well as potentially increase the uptake of the tested intervention and the impact of the findings on patient outcomes. Despite these benefits, patients still have very limited involvement in designing and conducting trials in nephrology. Many trials do not address research questions and outcomes that are important to patients, including patient-reported outcomes that reflect how patients feel and function. This limitation can undermine the relevance, reliability and value of trial-based evidence for decision-making in clinical practice and health policy. However, efforts to involve patients with kidney disease are increasing across all stages of the trial process from priority setting, to study design (including selection of outcomes and approaches to improve participant recruitment and retention) and dissemination and implementation of the findings. Harnessing the patient voice in designing trials can ensure that efforts and resources are directed towards patient-centred trials that address the needs, concerns and priorities of patients living with kidney disease with the aim of achieving transformative improvements in care and outcomes.

Patient-Centered Core Impact Sets: What They are and Why We Need Them

A quote attributed to Mark Twain states, “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” The growing focus on patient centricity has revealed a misalignment between what patients report as important to them about their disease and/or treatment, and the data collected in research and care. Decisions across healthcare are made using an evidence base most stakeholders acknowledge is inadequate. Patients might report that what is important to them are everyday life impacts, concepts that can be very different from the more typical clinical outcomes we often track. In this paper, we encourage expanding current thinking to all “impacts,” not only health outcomes, but also the other equally (and sometimes more important) concerns patients report as important to them. We propose that a patient-centered core impact set be developed for each disease or condition of interest, and/or subpopulation of patients. A patient-centered core impact set begins with gathering from patients and caregivers an inventory of all impacts disease and treatments have on a patient’s (and carers’ and families’) life. Then, through a formal prioritization process, a core set of impacts is derived, inclusive of but extending beyond relevant health outcomes. We offer several recommendations on how to move the goal of a patient-centered core impact set forward through collaboration, leadership, and establishment of a patient-centered core impact set development blueprint with supporting tools.

Patient-Reported Outcomes as Endpoints in Clinical Trials of Kidney Transplantation Interventions

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) that assess individuals' perceptions of life participation, medication adherence, disease symptoms, and therapy side effects are extremely relevant in the context of kidney transplantation. All PROs are potentially suitable as primary or secondary endpoints in interventional trials that aim to improve outcomes for transplant recipients. Using PRO measures (PROMs) in clinical trials facilitates assessment of the patient's perspective of their health, but few measures have been developed and evaluated in kidney transplant recipients; robust methodologies, which use validated instruments and established frameworks for reporting, are essential. Establishing a core PROM for life participation in kidney transplant recipients is a critically important need, which is being developed and validated by the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG)-Tx Initiative. Measures involving electronic medication packaging and smart technologies are gaining traction for monitoring adherence, and could provide more robust information than questionnaires, interviews, and scales. This article summarizes information on PROs and PROMs that was included in a Broad Scientific Advice request on clinical trial design and endpoints in kidney transplantation. This request was submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by the European Society for Organ Transplantation in 2016. Following modifications, the EMA provided its recommendations in late 2020.

New polymethylmethacrylate membrane, NF-U, improves nutritional status and reduces patient-reported symptoms in older dialysis patients

Introduction

We previously reported the nutritional advantage of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membranes to prevent the progression of malnutrition in dialysis patients. In this study, we examined whether a new PMMA dialyzer, NF-U, has advantages to improve the nutritional condition, patient-reported symptoms, and other clinical parameters in older dialysis patients.

Methods

We selected ten older chronic dialysis patients who were treated with NF-U for improving their worsening nutritional parameters and retrospectively evaluated nutrition and patient-reported symptoms. Patient-reported symptoms were surveyed by our original questionnaire including 20 items of symptom.

Results

Serum albumin concentration, geriatric nutritional risk index, and percent creatinine generation rate increased from 3.01 ± 0.16 to 3.25 ± 0.17 g/dL, 87.7 ± 5.8 to 91.4 ± 6.2, 100.2 ± 21.6 to 111.9 ± 20.9% at 1 and 4 months after switching to NF-U, respectively. For patient-reported outcomes, fatigue and the total score of patient-reported outcomes were improved after switching to NF-U.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that NF-U is a good choice for older dialysis patients to ameliorate their nutritional status and patient-reported outcomes.

Critically important outcomes for infection in trials in kidney transplantation: An international survey of patients, caregivers and health professionals

BACKGROUND

Infections are a common complication following kidney transplantation, but are reported inconsistently in clinical trials. This study aimed to identify the infection outcomes of highest priority for patients/caregivers and health professionals to inform a core outcome set to be reported in all kidney transplant clinical trials.

METHODS

In an international online survey, participants rated the absolute importance of 16 infections and 8 severity dimensions on 9-point Likert Scales, with 7-9 being critically important. Relative importance was determined using a best-worst scale. Means and proportions of the Likert-scale ratings and best-worst preference scores were calculated.

RESULTS

353 healthcare professionals (19 who identified as both patients/caregiver and healthcare professionals) and 220 patients/caregivers (190 patients, 22 caregivers, 8 who identified as both) from 55 countries completed the survey. Both healthcare professionals and patients/caregivers rated bloodstream (mean 8.4 and 8.5 respectively; aggregate 8.5), kidney/bladder (mean 7.9 and 8.4; aggregate 8.1) and BK virus (mean 8.1 and 8.6; aggregate 8.3) as the top 3 most critically important infection outcomes, whilst infectious death (mean 8.8 and 8.6; aggregate 8.7), impaired graft function (mean 8.4 and 8.7; aggregate 8.5) and admission to the intensive care unit (mean 8.2 and 8.3; aggregate 8.2) were the top 3 severity dimensions. Relative importance (best-worst) scores were consistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals and patients/caregivers consistently identified bloodstream infection, kidney/bladder infections and BK virus as the three most important infection outcomes, and infectious death, admission to intensive care unit and infection impairing graft function as the three most important infection severity outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Patient, Family Member, and Stakeholder Research Engagement: Insights from the PREPARE NOW Study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on patient, family member, and stakeholder patient-centered outcomes research engagement.

OBJECTIVE

To answer the research questions: (1) What is the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of patients with kidney disease and their families? (2) What is the impact of COVID-19 on research engagement for patient and family member research team members who are themselves at very high risk for poor COVID-19 outcomes? and (3) How can we help patients, family members, and stakeholder team members engage in research during COVID-19?

DESIGN

We conducted virtual semi-structured interviews with patient and family member co-investigators and kidney disease stakeholders from the PREPARE NOW study during November 2020. The interview guide included questions about participants' experiences with the impact of COVID-19 on research engagement.

PARTICIPANTS

Seven patient and family member co-investigators and eight kidney disease stakeholders involved in a kidney disease patient-centered outcomes research project participated in the interviews, data analysis, and writing this manuscript.

APPROACH

We used a content analysis approach and identified the main themes using an inductive process.

KEY RESULTS

Respondents reported three main ways that COVID-19 has impacted their lives: emotional impact, changing behaviors, and changes in health care delivery. The majority of respondents reported no negative impact of COVID-19 on their ability to engage in this research project. Suggestions for patient-centered outcomes research during COVID-19 and other emergencies include virtual research activities; active engagement; and promoting trust, honesty, transparency, and authenticity.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 has had a significant negative impact on patient, family member, and stakeholder research team members; however, this has not resulted in less research engagement.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02722382.