Multimorbidity and the risk of major adverse kidney events: findings from the UK Biobank cohort

Associations between multimorbidity and kidney function decline in old age: A population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Individual chronic conditions have been linked to kidney function decline; however, the role of multimorbidity (the presence of ≥2 conditions) and multimorbidity patterns remains unclear.

METHODS

A total of 3094 individuals from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) were followed for 15 years. Multimorbidity was operationalized as the number of chronic conditions and multimorbidity patterns identified using latent class analysis (LCA). Joint models and Cox regression models were used to explore the associations between multimorbidity, and subsequent absolute and relative (≥25% decline from baseline) changes, respectively, in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated using the creatinine-based Berlin Initiative Study equation.

RESULTS

Mean age of the sample was 73.9, and 87% had multimorbidity. There was an independent dose-response relationship between the number of chronic conditions, and absolute (β [95% confidence interval, CI] = -0.05 [-0.07; -0.03]) and relative (hazard ratio, HR [95% CI] = 1.23 [1.17; 1.29]) declines in eGFR. Five patterns of multimorbidity were identified. The Unspecific, low burden pattern had the lowest morbidity burden and was used as the reference category. The Unspecific, high burden, and Cardiometabolic patterns showed accelerated absolute (β [95% CI] = -0.15 [-0.26; -0.05] and -0.77 [-0.98; -0.55], respectively) and relative (HR [95% CI] = 1.45 [1.09; 1.92] and 3.45 [2.27; 5.23], respectively) declines. Additionally, the Cognitive and Sensory pattern showed accelerated relative decline (HR [95% CI] = 1.53 [1.02; 2.31]). No associations were found for the Psychiatric and Respiratory pattern.

CONCLUSION

Multimorbidity is strongly associated with accelerated kidney function decline in older age. Individuals with cardiometabolic multimorbidity exhibit a particularly increased risk. Increased monitoring and timely interventions may preserve kidney function and reduce cardiovascular risks in individuals presenting with conditions that are characteristic of high-risk multimorbidity patterns.

Sex and the Relationship Between Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Estimated GFR Decline: A Population-Based Cohort Study

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Females have a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) than males but are less likely to be treated with kidney replacement therapy (KRT). We studied the interaction between sex and the association of cardiometabolic risk factors for the decline in kidney function over time.

STUDY DESIGN

A population-based cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

1,127,731 adults living in Wales, United Kingdom, within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank.

EXPOSURE

Sex and risk factors including age, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), cardiometabolic conditions, smoking, and socioeconomic deprivation. These risk factors were defined using primary care records.

OUTCOME

The yearly declines in eGFR and the risk of incident kidney failure defined as long-term KRT and/or sustained eGFR<15mL/min/1.73m2.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Linear mixed effects models and Cox proportional hazards analysis.

RESULTS

The average decline in eGFR at age≤73 years was equal in males and females. After age 73 years, eGFR decline was faster in males than females, particularly for males with heart failure (males-1.22mL/min/1.73m2 per year [95% CI, -1.25 to-1.20] vs females-0.87mL/min/1.73m2 per year [95% CI, -0.89 to-0.85]) and current smokers (males-1.58mL/min/1.73m2 per year [95% CI, -1.60 to-1.55] vs females-1.27mL/min/1.73m2 per year [95% CI, -1.29 to-1.25]). Socioeconomic deprivation was one of the most impactful risk factors on eGFR decline among females aged>73 years, whereas cardiometabolic risk factors were more important among males. Older females at baseline were less likely to develop incident kidney failure than older males (P for age<0.001).

LIMITATIONS

Study of people who were almost exclusively White and who had blood laboratory test data. Reliance on creatinine-based eGFR. Albuminuria and body mass index data were incomplete.

CONCLUSIONS

The eGFR decline was faster in males than in females, especially in the setting of heart failure and smoking. Socioeconomic deprivation was an important risk factor associated with eGFR decline, particularly for females. further work is required to explore less well-recognized risk factors, but these findings may inform clinical management strategies of CKD overall and within sex-specific groups.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Kidney function is known to decline at a faster rate among males than females. This study incorporated blood laboratory test results from the routine care of 1.1 million adults living in the United Kingdom and found that the decline in kidney function associated with risk factors varied by sex. Before and at the age of 73 years, the decline in kidney function was similar between males and females. After age 73, cardiometabolic risk factors were associated with faster decline in kidney function among males than females, specifically heart failure and smoking. Socioeconomic deprivation was also associated with the decline in kidney function for both sexes, but it was a stronger risk factor among females. These findings may inform the management of kidney disease overall and within sex-specific groups.

Representation of multimorbidity and frailty in the development and validation of kidney failure prognostic prediction models: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Prognostic models that identify individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at greatest risk of developing kidney failure help clinicians to make decisions and deliver precision medicine. It is recognised that people with CKD usually have multiple long-term health conditions (multimorbidity) and often experience frailty. We undertook a systematic review to evaluate the representation and consideration of multimorbidity and frailty within CKD cohorts used to develop and/or validate prognostic models assessing the risk of kidney failure.

METHODS

We identified studies that described derivation, validation or update of kidney failure prognostic models in MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus and the Cochrane Library-CENTRAL. The primary outcome was representation of multimorbidity or frailty. The secondary outcome was predictive accuracy of identified models in relation to presence of multimorbidity or frailty.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven studies reporting 121 different kidney failure prognostic models were identified. Two studies reported prevalence of multimorbidity and a single study reported prevalence of frailty. The rates of specific comorbidities were reported in a greater proportion of studies: 67.0% reported baseline data on diabetes, 54.6% reported hypertension and 39.2% reported cardiovascular disease. No studies included frailty in model development, and only one study considered multimorbidity as a predictor variable. No studies assessed model performance in populations in relation to multimorbidity. A single study assessed associations between frailty and the risks of kidney failure and death.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a paucity of kidney failure risk prediction models that consider the impact of multimorbidity and/or frailty, resulting in a lack of clear evidence-based practice for multimorbid or frail individuals. These knowledge gaps should be explored to help clinicians know whether these models can be used for CKD patients who experience multimorbidity and/or frailty.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

This review has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022347295).

Association between multimorbidity patterns and incident depression among older adults in Taiwan: the role of social participation

Background

Previous research has found different multimorbidity patterns that negatively affects health outcomes of older adults. However, there is scarce evidence, especially on the role of social participation in the association between multimorbidity patterns and depression. Our study aimed to explore the relationship between multimorbidity patterns and depression among older adults in Taiwan, including the social participation effect on the different multimorbidity patterns.

Methods

Data were retracted from the Taiwan longitudinal study on ageing (TLSA) for this population-based cohort study. 1,975 older adults (age > 50) were included and were followed up from 1996 to 2011. We used latent class analysis to determine participants’ multimorbidity patterns in 1996, whereas their incident depression was determined in 2011 by CES-D. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse the relationship between multimorbidity patterns and depression.

Results

The participants’ average age was 62.1 years in 1996. Four multimorbidity patterns were discovered through latent class analysis, as follows: (1) Cardiometabolic group (n = 93), (2) Arthritis-cataract group (n = 105), (3) Multimorbidity group (n = 128) and (4) Relatively healthy group (n = 1649). Greater risk of incident depression was found among participants in the Multimorbidity group (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.02–2.58) than the Relatively healthy group after the multivariable analysis. Compare to participants in the relatively healthy group with social participation, participants in the arthritis-cataract group without social participation (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.03–4.78) and the multimorbidity group without social participation (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.14–4.30) had significantly increased risk of having depression.

Conclusion

Distinct multimorbidity patterns among older adults in Taiwan are linked with the incident depression during later life, and social participation functioned as a protective factor.

Association between multimorbidity status and incident dementia: a prospective cohort study of 245,483 participants

Multimorbidity (the presence of two or more long-term conditions [LTCs]) was suggested to exacerbate the neuronal injuries. The impact of multimorbidity on dementia has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to investigate the association between multimorbidity and dementia risk. We used the prospective data from 245,483 UK Biobank participants during a 9-year follow-up. Multimorbidity status was evaluated based on the LTC counts and multimorbidity patterns. Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to examine the associations of multimorbidity status with all-cause dementia (ACD), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD). Participants with multimorbidity at baseline had higher risks of ACD and VD, and the risks were elevated with the increase of LTC counts (ACD: hazard ratios [HR] = 1.15, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.01-1.31 with 2 LTCs; HR = 1.18, CI = 1.01-1.39 with 3 LTCs; HR = 1.65, CI = 1.44-1.88 with ≥4 LTCs; VD: HR = 1. 66, CI = 1.24-2.21 with 2 LTCs; HR = 2.10, CI = 1.53-2.88 with 3 LTCs; HR = 3.17, CI = 2.43-4.13 with ≥4 LTCs). Participants with ≥4 LTCs also had a higher risk of AD (HR = 1.34, CI = 1.08-1.66]. Participants with the cardio-cerebrovascular/respiratory/metabolic/musculoskeletal/depressive multimorbidity were 1.46, 1.28, and 2.50 times more likely to develop ACD (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.28-1.67), AD (HR = 1.28, CI = 1.04-1.58), and VD (HR = 2.50, CI = 1.90-3.27), respectively. Those with tumor/genitourinary/digestive disorders had a 11% higher hazard of ACD (HR = 1.11, CI = 1.00-1.24) and a 73% elevated risk of VD (HR = 1.73, CI = 1.37-2.18). The prevention of LTC accumulation and the identification of specific multimorbidity patterns might be beneficial to the prevention of dementia and its subtypes, AD as well as VD.

Characteristics of and Outcomes After Dialysis-Treated Acute Kidney Injury, 2009-2018: A Taiwanese Multicenter Study

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Dialysis-treated acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasingly common in intensive care units (ICUs) and is associated with poor outcomes. Few studies have explored the temporal trends in severity of acute illness at dialysis initiation, indications for dialysis, and their association with patient outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

Multicenter retrospective cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

9,535 adult patients admitted to the ICU who received their first dialysis treatment from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital system in Taiwan from 2009 through 2018.

EXPOSURE

Calendar year.

OUTCOMES

ICU mortality and dialysis treatment at discharge among hospital survivors.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

The temporal trends during the study period were investigated using test statistics suited for continuous or categorical data. The association between the study year and the risk of mortality was analyzed using multivariable Cox regression with adjustment for relevant clinical variables, including the severity of acute illness, defined by Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score.

RESULTS

The mean SOFA score at dialysis initiation decreased slightly from 14.0 in 2009 to 13.6 in 2018. There was no significant trend in the number of indications for dialysis initiation that were fulfilled over time. Observed ICU mortality decreased over time, and the curve appeared to be reverse J-shaped, with a substantial decrease from 56.1% in 2009 to 46.3% in 2015 and a slight increase afterward. The risk of mortality was significantly reduced from 2013 to 2018 compared with 2009 in adjusted models. The decreasing trend in ICU mortality over time remained significant. There was an increase in dialysis treatment at discharge among survivors, mainly in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate<60mL/min/1.73m², from 36.8% in 2009 to 43.9% in 2018.

LIMITATIONS

Residual confounding from unmeasured factors over time such as severity of comorbidities, detailed medication interventions, and delivered dialysis dose.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed reductions in mortality among ICU patients with dialysis-treated acute kidney injury between 2009 and 2018, even after adjusting for dialysis indication and severity of illness at dialysis initiation. However, dialysis treatment at discharge among survivors has increased over time, mainly in patients with preexisting kidney disease.