Japanese society for dialysis therapy clinical guideline for "Maintenance hemodialysis: hemodialysis prescriptions"

Current dialyzer classification in Japan and mortality risk in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Dialyzers are classified into five types based on their β2-microglobulin clearance rate and albumin sieving coefficient: Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb. In addition, a new classification system introduced a type S dialyzer. However, limited information is available regarding the impact of dialyzer type on patient outcomes. A cohort study was conducted using data from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry database. Total 181,804 patients on hemodialysis (HD) were included in the study, categorized into four groups (type Ia, IIa, IIb, and S). The associations between each group and two-year all-cause mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. Furthermore, propensity score-matching analysis was performed. By the end of 2019, 34,185 patients on dialysis had died. After adjusting for all confounders, the risk for all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the type IIa, and S groups than in the type Ia group. These significant findings were consistent after propensity score matching. In conclusion, our findings suggest that super high-flux dialyzers, with a β2-microglobulin clearance of ≥ 70 mL/min, may be beneficial for patients on HD, regardless of their albumin sieving coefficient. In addition, type S dialyzers may be beneficial for elderly and malnourished patients on dialysis.Trial registration number: UMIN000018641.

Impact of physical build on serum vancomycin concentrations of patients undergoing hemodialysis: A retrospective cohort study at an acute care hospital

INTRODUCTION

Estimating the serum vancomycin (VCM) concentrations of lean and patients with obesity is challenging. Additionally, VCM dosing for Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis remains particularly unclear. This study aimed to determine the impact of the physical build on serum VCM concentrations of Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included hospitalized patients undergoing hemodialysis, who received treatment with VCM between May 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021, at Kansai Rosai Hospital, which is a 642-bed acute care hospital in Japan. Patients were divided into the following three groups based on their body mass index (BMI): lean group (≤18.5 kg/m2), normal group (18.5-25 kg/m2), and obese group (≥25 kg/m2). The VCM dose and predialysis serum VCM concentration (PVC) were compared.

RESULTS

This study included 191 patients. There were 50 patients in the lean group, 85 in the normal group, and 56 in the obese group. The median loading doses per body weight were 24.0, 22.1, and 21.2 mg/kg for the lean, normal, and obese groups, respectively. The VCM dose per body weight decreased significantly with increasing BMI. The median PVCs of the lean and normal groups were approximately 15 mg/L (not significantly different). However, the median PVC of the obese group was 18.3 mg/L, which was significantly higher (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The VCM dose per body weight for Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis should be adjusted based on the BMI.

Effects of overhydration, Kt/Vurea, β2-microglobulin on coronary artery calcification and mortality in haemodialysis patients

AIM

We studied the effects of overhydration (OH), Kt/Vurea and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) on coronary artery calcification and mortality in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD).

METHODS

The Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS), postdialysis body composition using bioimpedance analysis, single-pool Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG at baseline were assessed and followed up for 3 years in patients undergoing HD. We performed logistic regression analyses for a CACS ≥400 and Cox proportional hazard analyses for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

RESULTS

The study involved 338 patients with a median age of 67 (56-74) years, dialysis duration of 70 (33-141) months and diabetes prevalence of 39.1% (132/338). Patients with a CACS ≥400 (n = 222) had significantly higher age, dialysis duration, male prevalence, diabetes prevalence, C-reactive protein, predialysis β2-MG, OH, extracellular water/total body water and overhydration/extracellular water (OH/ECW) but significantly lower Kt/Vurea than patients with a CACS <400 (n = 116) (p < .05). OH/ECW, Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG were significant predictors of a CACS ≥400 (p < .05) after adjusting for age, dialysis duration, serum phosphate and magnesium. In all patients, cut-off values of OH/ECW, Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG for a CACS ≥400 were 16%, 1.74 and 28 mg/L, respectively. After adjusting for dialysis duration, OH/ECW ≥16%, Kt/Vurea ≥1.74 and β2-MG ≥28 mg/L were significant predictors of 3-year all-cause mortality but not 3-year cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSION

Higher OH/ECW, higher predialysis β2-MG and lower Kt/Vurea values are significant risk factors for a CACS ≥400 and 3-year all-cause mortality in patients undergoing maintenance HD.

Comparison of the pre-dilution and post-dilution methods for online hemodiafiltration

Online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) is a treatment modality using diffusion and ultrafiltration. There are two types of dilution methods in OL-HDF: pre-dilution, which is commonly provided in Japan, and post-dilution, which is commonly provided in Europe. The optimal OL-HDF method for individual patients is not well studied. In this study, we compared the clinical symptoms, laboratory data, spent dialysate, and adverse events of pre- and post-dilution OL-HDF. We conducted a prospective study of 20 patients who underwent OL-HDF between January 1, 2019 and October 30, 2019. Their clinical symptoms and dialysis efficacy were evaluated. All patients underwent OL-HDF every 3 months in the following sequence: first pre-dilution, post-dilution, and second pre-dilution. We evaluated 18 patients for the clinical study and 6 for the spent dialysate study. No significant differences in spent dialysates regarding small and large solutes, blood pressure, recovery time, and clinical symptoms were observed between the pre- and post-dilution methods. However, the serum α1-microglobulin level in post-dilution OL-HDF was lower than that in pre-dilution OL-HDF (first pre-dilution: 124.8 ± 14.3 mg/L; post-dilution: 116.6 ± 13.9 mg/L; second pre-dilution: 125.8 ± 13.0 mg/L; first pre-dilution vs. post-dilution, post-dilution vs. second pre-dilution, and first pre-dilution vs. second pre-dilution: p = 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 1.000, respectively). The most common adverse event was an increase in transmembrane pressure in the post-dilution period. Compared to pre-dilution, the post-dilution method decreased the α1-microglobulin level; however, there were no significant differences in clinical symptoms or laboratory data.

Zinc Supplementation Enhances the Hematopoietic Activity of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents but Not Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitors

Since zinc is involved in many aspects of the hematopoietic process, zinc supplementation can reduce erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, it remains unclear whether hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) have similar reduction effects. HIF-PHI stabilizes HIF, which promotes hematopoiesis, although HIF-1α levels are downregulated by zinc. This study aimed to investigate the effect of zinc supplementation on the hematopoietic effect of HIF-PHI in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Thirty patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis who underwent periods of treatment with roxadustat or darbepoetin alfa during the past 3 years were retrospectively observed. Participants who underwent periods with and without zinc supplementation were selected, with nine treated with darbepoetin alfa and nine treated with roxadustat. Similarly to the ESA responsiveness index (ERI), the hematopoietic effect of zinc supplementation was determined by the HIF-PHI responsiveness index (HRI), which was calculated by dividing the HIF-PHI dose (mg/week) by the patient's dry weight (kg) and hemoglobin level (g/L). Zinc supplementation significantly increased ERI (p < 0.05), but no significant change was observed (p = 0.931) in HRI. Although zinc supplementation did not significantly affect HRI, adequate zinc supplementation is required to alleviate concerns such as vascular calcification and increased serum copper during the use of HIF-PHI.

How to Ensure Patency of the Extracorporeal Circuit in Hemodialysis: Global Perspectives

An adequate knowledge of anticoagulants used to prevent clotting in the extracorporeal circuit is crucial to provide optimal hemodialysis. Drugs can potentially prevent extracorporeal circuit clotting, but administration, half-life, and potential side effects differ. However, there is a lack of concise recommendations to guide anticoagulation and to avoid side effects. Because of the development of newer anticoagulant agents, direct thrombin inhibitors, and heparinoids, some of the side effects related to heparin may be overcome, but a deeper knowledge of these newer drugs is necessary. Moreover, types of heparin used, routes of administration, and health care economics vary around the world. We performed an extensive review of the literature, and the present article focuses on available anticoagulant drugs, exploring doses, side effects, particular use in hemodialysis, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic properties, and use in special situations. Classical anticoagulants are still the standard of anticoagulation, but many questions remain unanswered; for example, is there real superiority of one treatment over another in terms of efficacy, safety, and health care economics? Anticoagulant protocols for hemodialysis need to be standardized and further studies performed to answer all of these questions.

Avoiding Systemic Heparinization During Hemodialysis: How the Dialysis Setup Might Help

Heparin is the most widely used anticoagulant for maintaining patency of the extracorporeal blood circuit during intermittent hemodialysis. Inadvertently, this leads to systemic heparinization of the patient. Repeated intermittent heparinization during hemodialysis has been associated with increased bleeding risks and metabolic and immunologic effects. Alternative strategies for minimizing systemic anticoagulation encompass dilution methods, regional citrate anticoagulation, priming of the extracorporeal circuit, and modifications to dialyzer membranes and dialysate composition. The effectiveness of these alternatives in maintaining patency of the extracorporeal circuit varies substantially. Although most studies have focused on particular changes in the hemodialysis setup, several combined interventions for adapting the hemodialysis setup are now being studied. This narrative review aims to present an overview of the current landscape of hemodialysis setup strategies aimed at limiting or avoiding systemic anticoagulation during treatment. Additionally, this review intends to shed light on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to variations observed in reported outcomes.

Kinetics of Glucoregulatory Peptide Hormones during Hemodialysis with Cellulose Triacetate and Polysulfone Dialyzers in Patients with Diabetes and End-Stage Kidney Disease

The mechanisms behind reported decreases in plasma insulin and glucagon during hemodialysis (HD) are not clear. Here, we investigated these mechanisms during HD treatment and the characteristics of insulin and glucagon removal when using two super high-flux membranes. In an experimental study, clearance, adsorption rates, and reduction rates of insulin and glucagon were investigated when using cellulose triacetate (CTA) and polysulfone (PS) membranes in a closed circuit using bovine blood. In a clinical study, 20 diabetes patients with end-stage kidney disease who were stable on HD were randomly selected for two HD sessions with two different membranes. At 1 h after the initiation of HD, insulin and glucagon clearance were measured, and the reduction rates were also investigated. In the experimental study, the PS membrane showed significantly higher clearance, adsorption rates, and reduction rates of insulin and glucagon compared with the CTA membrane. Although glucagon was detected in the ultrafiltration fluids in both membranes, insulin was absent in the PS membrane. In the clinical study, both membranes showed significant reductions in plasma insulin and glucagon at each time point. The PS membrane showed significantly higher insulin clearance and reduction rates compared with the CTA membrane. The two membranes showed no significant difference in glucagon clearance, but the glucagon reduction rate was significantly higher with the PS membrane. Our findings show that HD with the two super high-flux membranes used removes significant amounts of glucoregulatory peptide hormones from plasma in patients with diabetes and end-stage kidney disease, potentially affecting their glucose metabolism.

A Retrospective Analysis of Risk Factors for Mortality during Hemodialysis at a General Hospital That Treats Comprehensive Diseases

Objective We analyzed adverse events retrospectively during a three-year follow-up of patients undergoing hemodialysis at the dialysis center of our general hospital that can treat comprehensive diseases and conducted an exploratory study focusing on the risk factors that determine the prognosis of hemodialysis patients. Methods A total of 132 hemodialysis patients at our dialysis center as of June 2017 were included in the study. Data on event incidence, including death and various clinical indicators, were collected in the electronic medical record for three years until June 2020. Results Between June 2017 and June 2020, 33 of the 132 patients died. The mortality group had a lower body mass index (BMI) and a longer duration of hemodialysis already carried out with more preexisting upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, infections, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and malignancy than the survival group. Furthermore, the mortality group took more warfarin, aspirin, proton pump inhibitors and less H2 blockers than the survival group. Occurrence of upper or lower GI bleeding was similar between the mortality and survival groups. In a univariate analysis for mortality, the odds ratio was significantly higher for a low BMI (<18), long duration of hemodialysis, history of upper GI bleeding, and presence of IHD. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for mortality were significantly higher for cases with a history of upper GI bleeding and BMI <18. Conclusion A history of upper GI bleeding and low BMI may be poor prognostic factors of hemodialysis patients. Careful management of upper GI bleeding and a low BMI are required during the initiation of hemodialysis.

Assessment of the Influence of Asymmetric Triacetate Cellulose Membrane on the Rate of Removal of Middle Molecular Weight Uremic Toxins in Patients Treated with Postdilution Online Hemodiafiltration

BACKGROUND: Postdilution online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) effectively removes uremic toxins of middle molecular weight from the blood of patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease. The rate of removal of uremic toxins depends on the type of dialysis membrane, blood flow rate (Qb), net ultrafiltration flow rate (Qnuf), and total convective volume (Vconv). AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of asymmetric triacetate cellulose dialysis membrane in patients on post-dilution OL-HDF. METHODS: Thirty-five patients treated with post-dilution OL-HDF hemodiafiltration for at least 3 months were examined. The main parameters for assessing the efficiency of removal of uremic toxins of middle molecular weight are the concentration of β2-microglobulin (β2-M) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum before and after a single session of post-dilution OL-HDF. The followings were used for statistical analysis: Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Student’s T test for bound samples and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: The average Vconv was 20.90 ± 3.30 liters/session. The β2-M reduction index during a single session of postdilution OL-HDF was 71.10 ± 6.39%, the IL-6 reduction index was 43.75 ± 15.60%, and the albumin reduction index was 4.55 ± 2.31%. CONCLUSION: The asymmetric triacetate cellulose dialysis membrane effectively removes β2-M and IL-6 during a single session of postdilution OL-HDF. The β2-M reduction index is ∼70%, the IL-6 reduction index is ∼40%, and albumin loss is <4.0 g/4 h. The examined dialysis membrane and dialysis modality prevent the development of amyloidosis associated with dialysis, microinflammation and reduce the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in the population of patients treated with regular hemodiafiltration.

High-volume pre-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration is the adequate blood purification method from the viewpoint of amino acid nutrition

Background

We compared amino acid leakage among high-volume pre-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration (Pre O-HDF), hemodialysis (HD), and post-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration (Post O-HDF).

Subjects and methods

The subjects were 9 patients. For HD, the total dialysate flow rate was established as 500 mL/min. For high-volume Pre O-HDF, it was established as 600 mL/min, under a replacement fluid volume of 90 L. For Post O-HDF, it was established as 600 mL/min, under a replacement fluid volume of 10 L. In both procedures, the duration of treatment was 4 h, and the blood flow volume was 200 mL/min. We compared the leakages of total amino acid, non-essential amino acid, and essential amino acid, clear spaces (CSs), β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) reduction rate, Kt/V for urea, and albumin leakage among the three procedures.

Results

Amino acid leakages after high-volume Pre O-HDF were significantly lower than HD and Post O-HDF. The CSs after high-volume Pre O-HDF were significantly lower than Post O-HDF. The β2-MG reduction rate after high-volume Pre O-HDF was significantly lower than Post O-HDF. The Kt/V for urea was not significantly different. Albumin leakages were below the detection limit (< 1 g) in the three procedures.

Conclusion

Under the treatment conditions we performed this time, high-volume Pre O-HDF reduces amino acid leakage in comparison with HD and Post O-HDF. High-volume Pre O-HDF is a therapeutic mode that suppresses amino acid leakage.

The association between dose of hemodialysis and patients mortality in a prospective cohort study

Dialysis adequacy is a known risk factor for mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. However, the optimal dialysis dose remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to explore the relationship between dialysis dose and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among MHD. We examined the associations of dialysis dose with mortality in a cohort (n = 558) of MHD patients from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2020. Dialysis adequacy was assessed using baseline Single-pool Kt/V_urea (spKt/V), which was categorized into three groups, and the lowest dose group was used as the reference category. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. A total of 214 patients died (64.5% for CVD). Compared with the low-dose group, high-dose group could reduce the risk of all-cause mortality by 33% (HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.47–0.98). Of note, when stratification by age, high-dose group was associated with both lower all-cause (HR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.26–0.81) and CVD mortality (HR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20–0.88) among patients with age below 65 years. When stratification by dialysis age, high-dose group was associated with decreased risk of CVD mortality (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.20–0.91) among patients with dialysis age over 60 months. spKt/V is a simple index of hemodialysis dose used in clinical practice and a useful modifiable factor in predicting the risk of death, especially in MHD patients under 65 years old or dialysis age more than 60 months.

Amino acid availability enhanced through glucose coadministration of amino acid supplementation during hemodiafiltration: two case reports

Background

Intravenous administration of amino acid (AA) formulation (IVAA) as intradialytic parenteral nutrition is widely used for malnourished patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) treated with hemodialysis (HD) or hemodiafiltration (HDF). Although various therapy recipes such as AA compositions or simultaneous administration of glucose and/or lipids have been attempted, the specific effects of each recipe on AA behaviors and metabolic consequences have not been well investigated. To clarify the effect of simultaneous glucose administration with IVAA, we investigated the behavior of AAs, insulin as a metabolic hormone, and energy-related metabolites during an HDF session in two patients.

Case presentation

We aimed to determine the effect of IVAA with or without simultaneous glucose administration. The plasma levels of AAs, branched-chain AAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), major nonessential AAs (alanine and glutamine with glutamate), insulin, glucose, and ketone bodies were measured before HDF and at the second hour (prior to the meal in the HDF session). Lost AAs in the spent dialysate were also measured for the first two hours during the HDF session.

Conclusion

In the absence of glucose administration, plasma AA levels and the loss of AAs in the dialysate increased owing to IVAA, with the increase in plasma levels in ketone bodies occurring because of scarce secretion of plasma insulin. In the presence of glucose administration, plasma levels and the loss of AA decreased even when the same amount of AAs was injected, possibly because of the profound secretion of insulin with a decrease in ketone bodies. The present findings suggest that the metabolic effects of simultaneous glucose administration on IVAAs enhanced AA uptake into the body during HDF sessions, which might increase the effectiveness of IVAAs.

Cohort profile: Alliance for Quality Assessment in Healthcare-Dialysis (AQuAH-D) prospective cohort study of patients on haemodialysis in Japan

PURPOSE

The global burden of kidney failure is increasing, but the treatment of kidney failure varies widely between patients, between dialysis facilities and over time. The Alliance for Quality Assessment in Healthcare-Dialysis (AQuAH-D) aims to conduct efficient and timely cohort studies on associations between those variations and clinical and patient-reported outcomes.

PARTICIPANTS

Included are outpatients aged 20 years old or older who are undergoing haemodialysis and have consented to participate. A total of 2895 patients were enrolled from 25 facilities in Japan between August 2018 and July 2020 and are to be followed until 31 December 2026. Chart review and annual questionnaires are used to collect data on patient characteristics and on outcomes including quality of life. Data on medications, haemodialysis prescriptions and blood tests are obtained from existing electronic records. Data are collected retrospectively from 1 January 2017 to patient enrolment, and prospectively from patient enrolment until the end of December 2026.

FINDINGS TO DATE

To date, the mean age is 68.3 (SD 12.2) years and 35.2% are female. The most common cause of kidney failure is diabetic nephropathy (37.4%). In January 2020, the facilities' median weekly doses of erythropoietin stimulating agent (ESA) and of intravenous vitamin D ranged from 1846 to 9692 IU (epoetin alfa equivalent) and 0.78 to 2.25 µg (calcitriol equivalent), respectively. The facilities' percentages of patients to whom calcimimetics are prescribed varied from 19% to 79%. During the retrospective period (averaging 1.85 years per participant), the incidence rates of any hospitalisation and of hospitalisation due to cardiovascular disease were 67.2 and 12.0 per 100 person-years, respectively.

FUTURE PLANS

AQuAH-D data will be updated every 6 months and will be available for studies addressing a wide range of research questions, using the advantages of granular data and quality-of-life measurement of ageing patients on haemodialysis.

Annual change in the extracellular fluid/intracellular fluid ratio and mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

We aimed to investigate whether annual change in the extracellular fluid to intracellular fluid (ΔECF/ICF) ratio can accurately predict mortality in hemodialysis patients. Totally, 247 hemodialysis patients were divided into two groups according to the median baseline ECF/ICF ratio of 0.563 and ΔECF/ICF ≥ 0% or < 0% during the first year, respectively. Thereafter, they were divided into four groups according to each cutoff point and were followed up for mortality assessment. The ECF/ICF ratio increased from 0.566 ± 0.177 to 0.595 ± 0.202 in the first year (P = 0.0016). During the 3.4-year median follow-up, 93 patients died (42 cardiovascular-specific causes). The baseline ECF/ICF ≥ 0.563 and ΔECF/ICF ≥ 0% were independently associated with all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 4.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.60-7.98 and aHR 8.11, 95% CI 3.47-18.96, respectively). The aHR for ECF/ICF ≥ 0.563 and ΔECF/ICF ≥ 0% vs. ECF/ICF < 0.563 and ΔECF/ICF < 0% was 73.49 (95% CI 9.45-571.69). For model discrimination, adding the ΔECF/ICF (0.859) alone and both the baseline ECF/ICF and ΔECF/ICF (0.903) to the established risk model (0.746) significantly improved the C-index. Similar results were obtained for cardiovascular mortality. In conclusion, the ΔECF/ICF ratio could not only predict all-cause and cardiovascular mortality but also improve predictability of mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Choices in hemodialysis therapies: variants, personalized therapy and application of evidence-based medicine

The extent of removal of the uremic toxins in hemodialysis (HD) therapies depends primarily on the dialysis membrane characteristics and the solute transport mechanisms involved. While designation of ‘flux’ of membranes as well toxicity of compounds that need to be targeted for removal remain unresolved issues, the relative role, efficiency and utilization of solute removal principles to optimize HD treatment are better delineated. Through the combination and intensity of diffusive and convective removal forces, levels of concentrations of a broad spectrum of uremic toxins can be lowered significantly and successfully. Extended clinical experience as well as data from several clinical trials attest to the benefits of convection-based HD treatment modalities. However, the mode of delivery of HD can further enhance the effectiveness of therapies. Other than treatment time, frequency and location that offer clinical benefits and increase patient well-being, treatment- and patient-specific criteria may be tailored for the therapy delivered: electrolytic composition, dialysate buffer and concentration and choice of anticoagulating agent are crucial for dialysis tolerance and efficacy. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) relies on three tenets, i.e. clinical expertise (i.e. doctor), patient-centered values (i.e. patient) and relevant scientific evidence (i.e. science), that have deviated from their initial aim and summarized to scientific evidence, leading to tyranny of randomized controlled trials. One must recognize that practice patterns as shown by Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study and personalization of HD care are the main driving force for improving outcomes. Based on a combination of the three pillars of EBM, and particularly on bedside patient–clinician interaction, we summarize what we have learned over the last 6 decades in terms of best practices to improve outcomes in HD patients. Management of initiation of dialysis, vascular access, preservation of kidney function, selection of biocompatible dialysers and use of dialysis fluids of high microbiological purity to restrict inflammation are just some of the approaches where clinical experience is vital in the absence of definitive scientific evidence. Further, HD adequacy needs to be considered as a broad and multitarget approach covering not just the dose of dialysis provided, but meeting individual patient needs (e.g. fluid volume, acid–base, blood pressure, bone disease metabolism control) through regular assessment—and adjustment—of a series of indicators of treatment efficiency. Finally, in whichever way new technologies (i.e. artificial intelligence, connected health) are embraced in the future to improve the delivery of dialysis, the human dimension of the patient–doctor interaction is irreplaceable. Kidney medicine should remain ‘an art’ and will never be just ‘a science’.

The membrane perspective of uraemic toxins: which ones should, or can, be removed?

Informed decision-making is paramount to the improvement of dialysis therapies and patient outcomes. A cornerstone of delivery of optimal dialysis therapy is to delineate which substances (uraemic retention solutes or 'uraemic toxins') contribute to the condition of uraemia in terms of deleterious biochemical effects they may exert. Thereafter, decisions can be made as to which of the accumulated compounds need to be targeted for removal and by which strategies. For haemodialysis (HD), the non-selectivity of membranes is sometimes considered a limitation. Yet, considering that dozens of substances with potential toxicity need to be eliminated, and targeting removal of individual toxins explicitly is not recommended, current dialysis membranes enable elimination of several molecules of a broad size range within a single therapy session. However, because HD solute removal is based on size-exclusion principles, i.e. the size of the substances to be removed relative to the mean size of the 'pores' of the membrane, only a limited degree of selectivity of removal is possible. Removal of unwanted substances during HD needs to be weighed against the unavoidable loss of substances that are recognized to be necessary for bodily functions and physiology. In striving to improve the efficiency of HD by increasing the porosity of membranes, there is a greater potential for the loss of substances that are of benefit. Based on this elementary trade-off and availability of recent guidance on the relative toxicity of substances retained in uraemia, we propose a new evidence-linked uraemic toxin elimination (ELUTE) approach whereby only those clusters of substances for which there is a sufficient body of evidence linking them to deleterious biological effects need to be targeted for removal. Our approach involves correlating the physical properties of retention solutes (deemed to express toxicity) with key determinants of membranes and separation processes. Our analysis revealed that in attempting to remove the relatively small number of 'larger' substances graded as having only moderate toxicity, uncontrolled (and efficient) removal of several useful compounds would take place simultaneously and may compromise the well-being or outcomes of patients. The bulk of the uraemic toxin load comprises uraemic toxins below <30 000 Da and are adequately removed by standard membranes. Further, removal of a few difficult-to-remove-by-dialysis (protein-bound) compounds that express toxicity cannot be achieved by manipulation of pore size alone. The trade-off between the benefits of effective removal of the bulk of the uraemic toxin load and risks (increased loss of useful substances) associated with targeting the removal of a few larger substances in 'high-efficiency' HD treatment strategies needs to be recognized and better understood. The removability during HD of substances, be they toxic, inert or beneficial, needs be revised to establish the pros and cons of current dialytic elimination strategies.  .

Why and how high volume hemodiafiltration may reduce cardiovascular mortality in stage 5 chronic kidney disease dialysis patients? A comprehensive literature review on mechanisms involved

Online hemodiafiltration (HDF) is an established renal replacement modality for patients with end stage chronic kidney disease that is now gaining rapid clinical acceptance worldwide. Currently, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that treatment with HDF is associated with better outcomes and reduced cardiovascular mortality for dialysis patients. In this comprehensive review, we provide an update on the potential mechanisms which may improve survival in HDF treated patients. The strongest evidence is for better hemodynamic stability and reduced endothelial dysfunction associated with HDF treatments. Clinically, this is marked by a reduced incidence of intradialytic hypotensive episodes, with a better hemodynamic response to ultrafiltration, mediated by an increase in total peripheral vascular resistance and extra-vascular fluid recruitment, most likely driven by the negative thermal balance associated with online HDF therapy. In addition, endothelial function appears to be improved due to a combination of a reduction of the inflammatory and oxidative stress complex syndrome and exposure to circulating cardiovascular uremic toxins. Reports of reversed cardiovascular remodeling effects with HDF may be confounded by volume and blood pressure management, which are strongly linked to center clinical practices. Currently, treatment with HDF appears to improve the survival of dialysis patients predominantly due to a reduction in their cardiovascular burden, and this reduction is linked to the sessional convection volume exchanged.

Timing of dialysis initiation to reduce mortality and cardiovascular events in advanced chronic kidney disease: nationwide cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To identify the optimal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at which to initiate dialysis in people with advanced chronic kidney disease.

DESIGN

Nationwide observational cohort study.

SETTING

National Swedish Renal Registry of patients referred to nephrologists.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients had a baseline eGFR between 10 and 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 and were included between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2016, with follow-up until 1 June 2017.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The strict design criteria of a clinical trial were mimicked by using the cloning, censoring, and weighting method to eliminate immortal time bias, lead time bias, and survivor bias. A dynamic marginal structural model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and absolute risks for five year all cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) for 15 dialysis initiation strategies with eGFR values between 4 and 19 mL/min/1.73 m2 in increments of 1 mL/min/1.73 m2. An eGFR between 6 and 7 mL/min/1.73 m2 (eGFR6-7) was taken as the reference.

RESULTS

Among 10 290 incident patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (median age 73 years; 3739 (36%) women; median eGFR 16.8 mL/min/1.73 m2), 3822 started dialysis, 4160 died, and 2446 had a major adverse cardiovascular event. A parabolic relation was observed for mortality, with the lowest risk for eGFR15-16. Compared with dialysis initiation at eGFR6-7, initiation at eGFR15-16 was associated with a 5.1% (95% confidence interval 2.5% to 6.9%) lower absolute five year mortality risk and 2.9% (0.2% to 5.5%) lower risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event, corresponding to hazard ratios of 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.87 to 0.92) and 0.94 (0.91 to 0.98), respectively. This 5.1% absolute risk difference corresponded to a mean postponement of death of 1.6 months over five years of follow-up. However, dialysis would need to be started four years earlier. When emulating the intended strategies of the Initiating Dialysis Early and Late (IDEAL) trial (eGFR10-14 v eGFR5-7) and the achieved eGFRs in IDEAL (eGFR7-10 v eGFR5-7), hazard ratios for all cause mortality were 0.96 (0.94 to 0.99) and 0.97 (0.94 to 1.00), respectively, which are congruent with the findings of the randomised IDEAL trial.

CONCLUSIONS

Very early initiation of dialysis was associated with a modest reduction in mortality and cardiovascular events. For most patients, such a reduction may not outweigh the burden of a substantially longer period spent on dialysis.

Supportive Effects of Online Hemodiafiltration Therapy on the Nutritional State and Lipid Profile in Very Elderly Dialysis Patients

INTRODUCTION

Online hemodiafiltration (HDF) therapy has been recognized as one of the potential dialysis modalities. However, the long-term effects of online HDF therapy on very elderly dialysis patients older than 75 years have yet to be fully elucidated.

METHODS

Seventy-four very elderly patients older than 75 years undergoing maintenance dialysis therapy were studied retrospectively. Twenty-four (mean ± SE, 81.5 ± 1.0 years) were treated by predilution online HDF, and fifty (81.2 ± 0.6 years) were treated by conventional hemodialysis (HD) for 3 years. Laboratory data related to the nutritional state and lipid profile were collected. Body composition was measured by a bioelectrical impedance method.

RESULTS

Dry weight and body mass index decreased in HD patients (2.9%, p = 0.003 and 3.1%, p = 0.001, respectively), while no significant changes were found in online HDF patients. Serum albumin levels reduced in both HD and online HDF groups (3.5%, p = 0.003 and 2.9%, p = 0.026, respectively). The geriatric nutritional risk index decreased in HD patients (3.0%, p < 0.001), while no significant change was shown in online HDF patients. Body composition analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in intracellular water and increases in extracellular water and edema ratio in both groups. Fat mass and %fat showed significant decreases in HD patients (8.1%, p = 0.003 and 7.3%, p = 0.003, respectively), but no significant changes in online HDF patients. Among laboratory data, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels did not change in HD patients. However, the levels elevated significantly (10.6%, p = 0.03) in online HDF patients.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

These results indicated that the time-dependent deterioration of the nutritional state in very elderly dialysis patients was inevitable; however, such deterioration was not prominent in online HDF patients. Moreover, the lipid profile showed unique changes in online HDF patients. In order to treat very elderly dialysis patients, online HDF should preferentially be taken into consideration because the maintenance of general condition seems to be a practical goal against the natural time-dependent deterioration.

Influences of the priming procedure and saline circulation conditions on polyvinylpyrrolidone in vitro elution from polysulfone membrane dialyzers

In hemodialysis (HD), the patient's blood is purified via circulation in an extracorporeal circuit containing a dialyzer. In the manufacturing process of polysulfone (PSu) membrane dialyzers, the membranes are hydrophilized via the addition of the hydrophilic agent polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to increase their hydraulic permeability. The elution of PVP from the membrane reduces the membrane's hydraulic permeability, and the eluted PVP could cause adverse effects in the human body. Therefore, it is important to identify the factors that induce PVP elution from PSu dialyzer membranes to improve the efficiency and safety of HD. In the present study, experimental circuits connecting each of the three types of PSu membrane dialyzers that had been sterilized, using gamma irradiation, autoclaving, or in-line steam methods, were prepared. After the dialyzers were primed, saline was circulated in the circuits at a flow rate of 100 mL/min or 200 mL/min. At 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h after circulation was initiated, the amount of PVP eluted from the PSu membranes in vitro was determined. In this experimental setting, longer the circulation duration, greater the amount of PVP eluted from the PSu membranes of the tested dialyzers; however, the flow rate did not influence the in vitro elution of PVP. Furthermore, the immersion of the dialyzer membranes in saline for 24 h strongly facilitated the in vitro elution of PVP. In sum, these results suggest that the duration of PSu membrane incubation in saline is a determinant of the level of PVP elution from the PSu membrane dialyzers.

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The flow rate did not influence the in vitro PVP elution from PSu membrane dialyzers.

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The time of PSu membrane incubation in saline is a determinant of PVP elution level.

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Substances other than PVP are eluted from PSu membrane dialyzers.

Dialyzer surface area is a significant predictor of mortality in patients on hemodialysis: a 3-year nationwide cohort study

A target Kt/V of > 1.4 and use of a high-flux dialyzer are recommended for patients on hemodialysis. However, there is little information on the relationship between the dialyzer surface area and mortality in these patients. In this nationwide cohort study, we aimed to clarify this relationship by analyzing data from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy for 2010–2013. We enrolled 234,638 patients on hemodialysis who were divided according to quartile for dialyzer surface area into the S group (small, < 1.5 m²), M group (medium, 1.5 m²), L group (large, 1.6 to < 2.0 m²), or XL group (extra-large, ≥ 2.0 m²). We assessed the association of each group with 3-year mortality using Cox proportional hazards models and performed propensity score matching analysis. By the end of 2013, a total of 53,836 patients on dialysis (22.9%) had died. There was a significant decrease in mortality with larger dialyzer surface areas. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was significantly higher in the S group (1.15 [1.12–1.19], P < 0.0001) and significantly lower in the L group (0.89 [0.87–0.92] P < 0.0001) and XL group (0.75 [0.72–0.78], P < 0.0001) than in the M group as a reference after adjustment for all confounders. Findings were robust in several sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, the findings remained significant after propensity score matching. Hemodialysis using dialyzers, especially super high-flux dialyzers with a larger surface area might reduce mortality rates, and a surface area of ≥ 2.0 m² is superior, even with the same Kt/V.

Changes in practice patterns in Japan from before to after JSDT 2013 guidelines on hemodialysis prescriptions: results from the JDOPPS

BACKGROUND

The Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT) published in 2013 inaugural hemodialysis (HD) guidelines. Specific targets include 1.4 for single-pool Kt/V (spKt/V) with a minimum dose of 1.2, minimum dialysis session length of 4 hours, minimum blood flow rate (BFR) of 200 mL/min, fluid removal rate no more than 15 mL/kg/hr, and hemodiafiltration (HDF) therapy for certain identified symptoms. We evaluated the effect of these guidelines on actual practice in the years spanning 2005 - 2018.

METHODS

Analyses were carried out to describe trends in the above HD prescription practices from December 2005 to April 2013 (before guideline publication) to August 2018 based on prevalent patient cross-sections from approximately 60 randomly selected HD facilities participating in the Japan Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study.

RESULTS

From April 2006 to August 2017 continual rises occurred in mean spKt/V (from 1.35 to 1.49), and percent of patients having spKt/V>1.2 (71% to 85%). Mean BFR increased with time from 198.3 mL/min (April 2006) to 218.4 mL/min (August 2017) , along with percent of patients with BFR >200 ml/min (65% to 85%). HDF use increased slightly from 6% (April 2006 and August 2009) to 8% by April 2013, but increased greatly thereafter to 23% by August 2017. In contrast, mean HD treatment time showed little change from 2006-2017, whereas mean UFR declined from 11.3 in 2006 to 8.4 mL/Kg/hour in 2017.

CONCLUSIONS

From 2006 - 2018 Japanese HD patients experienced marked improvement in reaching the spKt/V target specified by the 2013 JSDT guidelines. This may have been due to moderate increase in mean BFR even though mean HD session length did not change much. In addition, HDF use increased dramatically in this time period. Other HD delivery changes during this time, such as increased use of super high flux dialyzers, also merit study. While we cannot definitively conclude a causal relationship between the publication of the guidelines and the subsequent practice changes in Japan, those changes moved practice closer to the recommendations of the guidelines.

Toward an individualized determination of dialysis adequacy: a narrative review with special emphasis on incremental hemodialysis

INTRODUCTION

The search for the 'perfect' renal replacement therapy has been paralleled by the search for the perfect biomarkers for assessing dialysis adequacy. Three main families of markers have been assessed: small molecules (prototype: urea); middle molecules (prototype β2-microglobulin); comprehensive and nutritional markers (prototype of the simplified assessment, albumin levels; composite indexes as malnutrition-inflammation score). After an era of standardization of dialysis treatment, personalized dialysis schedules are increasingly proposed, challenging the dogma of thrice-weekly hemodialysis.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we describe the advantages and limitations of the approaches mentioned above, focusing on the open questions regarding personalized schedules and incremental hemodialysis.

EXPERT OPINION

In the era of personalized dialysis, the assessment of dialysis adequacy should be likewise personalized, due to the limits of 'one size fits all' approaches. We have tried to summarize some of the relevant issues regarding the determination of dialysis adequacy, attempting to adapt them to an elderly, highly comorbidity population, which would probably benefit from tailor-made dialysis prescriptions. While no single biomarker allows precisely tailoring the dialysis dose, we suggest using a combination of clinical and biological markers to prescribe dialysis according to comorbidity, life expectancy, residual kidney function, and small and medium-size molecule depuration.

Development of online hemodiafiltration in Japan

Evidence concerning online hemodiafiltration (ol-HDF) includes increased uremic toxin removal, prevention of dialysis-related hypotension, improved survival, and recovery of dialysis-related uncertain symptoms. In particular, evidence has been shown regarding prevention of dialysis hypotension and improvement of survival, but the mechanism of its manifestation is still unclear and its effects themselves are questionable. In Japan, pre dilution ol-HDF is mainly performed, and improvement in survival rate has been shown on the condition of convection volume is 40 L/session or more. In particular, the removal of α1-microglubulin (αMG), which is a medium-middle solute, is targeted. The antioxidant action (Heme Scavenger) of αMG, is presumed, but in dialysis patients, the majority in serum are deteriorated (oxidized) αMG. It has been pointed out that removing the deteriorated αMG by ol-HDF may produce new αMG from the liver and lead to recovery of the original antioxidant effect. However, clinical evidence of this mechanism is desired. Obtaining evidence for the indicated αMG removal activity of ol-HDF will lead to advancement in HDF.

Butyrylcholinesterase level as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND

We investigated whether butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was independently related to the overall survival (OS) of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

METHODS

Baseline information, serum BChE level, and other laboratory data were collected from 295 patients on MHD in a single HD hospital in 2018. We retrospectively investigated the mortality of these patients after 38 months. We assessed the prognostic markers such as the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), Erythropoiesis Resistance Index (ERI), and Simplified Creatinine Index (SCI) of each patient. The primary objective was to examine the impact of BChE on OS. The secondary objective included the designation of a risk score in predicting the OS.

RESULTS

We evaluated 284 patients. The median value of the serum BChE level was 206 IU/L. Of 284 patients evaluated, eighty-six patients died; all had a higher ERI and a lower serum BChE level, SCI, and GNRI than the surviving patients. The optimal cutoff values of the BChE level, GNRI, ERI, and SCI for OS were 166 IU/L, 90.0, 8.00, and 20.6, respectively. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the age, HD vintage, dialysis dose, GNRI of < 90.0, and serum BChE level of < 166 IU/L (hazard ratio, 2.03; P = 0.003) were the independent prognostic factors. We designed a risk score consisting of the GNRI and serum BChE level. The predictive value of our risk score was superior to that of GNRI alone.

CONCLUSION

The serum BChE level could be an independent prognostic factor for patients on MHD.

Super high-flux membrane dialyzers improve mortality in patients on hemodialysis: a 3-year nationwide cohort study

Introduction

In Japan, dialyzers are classified based on β₂-microglobulin clearance. Type I dialyzers are classified as low-flux dialyzers (<10 mL/min clearance), type II and III as high-flux dialyzers (≥10 to <30 mL/min and ≥30 to <50 mL/min clearance, respectively), and type IV and V as super high-flux dialyzers (≥50 to <70 mL/min and ≥70 mL/min clearance, respectively). Super high-flux dialyzers are commonly used, but their superiority over low-flux dialyzers is controversial.

Methods

In this nationwide prospective cohort study, we analyzed Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry data collected at the end of 2008 and 2011. We enrolled 242,467 patients on maintenance hemodialysis and divided them into five groups by dialyzer type. We assessed the associations of each dialyzer type with 3-year all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazards models and performed propensity score matching analysis, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

By the end of 2011, 53,172 (21.9%) prevalent dialysis patients had died. Mortality significantly decreased according to dialyzer type. Hazard ratios (HRs) were significantly higher for type I, II and III compared with type IV (reference) after adjustment for basic factors and further adjustment for dialysis-related factors. HR was significantly higher for type I, but significantly lower for type V, after further adjustment for nutrition- and inflammation-related factors. These significant findings were also evident after propensity score matching.

Conclusions

Hemodialysis using super high-flux dialyzers might reduce mortality. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to clarify whether these type V dialyzers can improve prognosis.

Benefit of an Internet-Based Management System among Hemodialysis Patients at the Risk of Intradialytic Hypotension and Muscle Cramps: A Controlled before and after Study

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to observe the impact of an internet-based management system on the incidence of intradialytic hypotension (IDH) and muscle cramps in hemodialysis patients.

METHODS

The patients, who underwent maintenance hemodialysis in the center from January 2018 to June 2020, were recruited and divided into the pre-intervention group (before operation of the internet-based hemodialysis management system, from January 2018 to December 2018) and intervention group (after operation of the system, from June 2019 to June 2020). The clinical outcomes were compared between groups.

RESULTS

The compound endpoint of >1 IDH or muscle cramps happened in 182 patients (61.7%) in the pre-intervention group and 99 participants (30.8%) in the intervention group (relative risk [RR] = 0.50 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42; 0.60]). IDH occurred in 122 patients (1-5 episodes in 47 patients, 6-10 episodes in 25 patients, and >10 episodes in 50 patients) and 33 patients (30 patients had 1-5 episodes and 3 patients had 6-10 episodes) before and after execution of the internet-based management system, respectively (RR = 0.25 [95% CI, 0.18; 0.35]). The incidence of muscle cramps was significantly decreased (RR = 0.57 [95% CI, 0.45; 0.73]) after the implementation of the system, and the number of patients with 6-10 episodes dropped from 10 to 1. Multivariate analyses also showed significantly lower RRs in the intervention group: 0.29 ([95% CI, 0.20; 0.41]) for IDH and 0.58 ([95% CI, 0.45; 0.74]) for muscle cramps. Compared with the pre-intervention, participants in the intervention group had a large improvement in self-management (p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The study found that the internet-based hemodialysis management system was effective in reducing the IDH and muscle cramp events and improving self-management. It provided a significant implication for the development and application of internet-based programs in hemodialysis management.

Dialyzer Classification and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients: A 3-Year Nationwide Cohort Study

Background: Dialyzers are classified as low-flux, high-flux, and protein-leaking membrane dialyzers internationally and as types I, II, III, IV, and V based on β₂-microglobulin clearance rate in Japan. Type I dialyzers correspond to low-flux membrane dialyzers, types II and III to high-flux membrane dialyzers, and types IV and V to protein-leaking membrane dialyzers. Here we aimed to clarify the association of dialyzer type with mortality.

Methods: This nationwide retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry from 2010 to 2013. We enrolled 238,321 patients on hemodialysis who were divided into low-flux, high-flux, and protein-leaking groups in the international classification and into type I to V groups in the Japanese classification. We assessed the associations of each group with 3-year all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazards models and performed propensity score matching analysis.

Results: By the end of 2013, 55,308 prevalent dialysis patients (23.2%) had died. In the international classification subgroup analysis, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was significantly higher in the low-flux group [1.12 (1.03–1.22), P = 0.009] and significantly lower in the protein-leaking group [0.95 (0.92–0.98), P = 0.006] compared with the high-flux group after adjustment for all confounders. In the Japanese classification subgroup analysis, the hazard ratios were significantly higher for types I [1.10 (1.02–1.19), P = 0.015] and II [1.10 (1.02–1.39), P = 0.014] but significantly lower for type V [0.91 (0.88–0.94), P < 0.0001] compared with type IV after adjustment for all confounders. These significant findings persisted after propensity score matching under both classifications.

Conclusions: Hemodialysis using protein-leaking dialyzers might reduce mortality rates. Furthermore, type V dialyzers are superior to type IV dialyzers in hemodialysis patients.

Significant Association of Diabetes With Mortality of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients, Independent of the Presence of Obesity, Sarcopenia, and Sarcopenic Obesity

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective cohort study investigated the association of diabetes with mortality in hemodialysis patients with regard to obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity, along with examining the prevalence of each group and diabetes.

METHODS

Muscle strength, muscle mass, and fat mass were evaluated using a hand dynamometer and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respectively, in 308 chronic hemodialysis patients (age 58.0 ± 11.9 years, hemodialysis duration 6.5 ± 6.0 years, males 60.1%, diabetes 32.8%). Sarcopenia was defined according to the new criteria established by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia 2019. Obesity was defined by percent body fat mass (males ≥25%, females ≥35%).

RESULTS

The enrolled patients were divided into the normal (38.7%), obesity (18.8%), sarcopenia (26.9%), and sarcopenic obesity (15.6%) groups. The prevalence of diabetes was significantly skewed among the 4 groups (χ² test, P = .0057), being higher in the sarcopenic obesity group (54.2%) compared to the others (25.9-33.7%). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that diabetes was significantly and independently associated with sarcopenic obesity (odds ratio 3.495, 95% confidence interval 1.683-7.255, P = .0008) after adjustments for several cofounders, but not significantly associated with sarcopenia. During the follow-up period of 76 ± 35 months, 100 patients died. Those in the sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity groups had significantly higher rates of all-cause mortality compared to patients in the normal and obesity groups (P = .0004, log-rank test). Furthermore, multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that presence of diabetes was significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality in all 308 patients, after adjustments for several factors, including the presence of each group in 4 models.

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenic obesity is highly prevalent in chronic hemodialysis patients. Diabetes was found to be a significant and independent contributor to the presence of sarcopenic obesity. Diabetes was shown to be a significant predictor of all-cause mortality, independent of the present normal, obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity groups.

Association of dialysis-related amyloidosis with lower quality of life in patients undergoing hemodialysis for more than 10 years: The Kyushu Dialysis-Related Amyloidosis Study

BACKGROUND

Dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA) commonly develops in patients undergoing long-term dialysis and can lead to a decline in activities of daily living and quality of life (QOL), mainly owing to orthopedic complications.

METHODS

First, we determined utility scores of the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Levels (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire in 1,323 patients with DRA who had undergone dialysis for more than 10 years and compared the score between those with and without DRA. Second, a 2-year follow-up was also performed, in which patients were divided into three groups: those complicated by DRA from the beginning, those with newly developed DRA within the 2-year period, and those not complicated by DRA throughout the survey period; changes in the EQ-5D-3L utility score were compared. In the group already complicated by DRA at the survey baseline, changes in the EQ-5D-3L utility score were compared according to the dialysis treatment method.

RESULTS

A total of 1,314 and 931 patients were included in the first and second studies, respectively. EQ-5D-3L utility scores among patients diagnosed with DRA were significantly lower than scores in those not diagnosed with DRA. The reduction in the EQ-5D-3L utility score over the 2-year follow-up was significantly greater in patients newly complicated by DRA during the follow-up period after enrollment but not in those complicated by DRA from the beginning, as compared with patients not complicated by DRA throughout the survey period. The reduction in utility score tended to be lower in patients routinely treated with a β2-microglobulin adsorption column than in untreated patients with DRA.

CONCLUSION

Complication by DRA in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis was significantly associated with a decline in QOL.

High-performance dialyzers and mortality in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Few data are available regarding the association of dialyzer type with prognosis. In Japan, dialyzers are classified as types I, II, III, IV, and V based on β₂-microglobulin clearance rates of < 10, < 30, < 50, < 70, and ≥ 70 mL/min, respectively. We investigated the relationship of the 5 dialyzer types with 1-year mortality. This nationwide cohort study used data collected at the end of 2008 and 2009 by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry. We enrolled 203,008 patients on maintenance hemodialysis who underwent hemodialysis for at least 1 year and were managed with any of the 5 dialyzer types. To evaluate the association of dialyzer type with 1-year all-cause mortality, Cox proportional hazards models and propensity score-matched analyses were performed. After adjustment of the data with clinicodemographic factors, the type I, II, and III groups showed significantly higher hazard ratios (HRs) than the type IV dialyzers (reference). After adjustment for Kt/V and β₂-microglobulin levels, the HRs were significantly higher in the type I and II groups. After further adjustment for nutrition- and inflammation-related factors, the HRs were not significantly different between the type IV and type I and II groups. However, type V dialyzers consistently showed a significantly lower HR. With propensity score matching, the HR for the type V dialyzer group was significantly lower than that for the type IV dialyzer group. Additional long-term trials are required to determine whether type V dialyzers, which are high-performance dialyzers, can improve prognosis.

Muscle mass evaluation using psoas muscle mass index by computed tomography imaging in hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The use of the psoas muscle mass index (PMI) using computed tomography (CT) has become a marker of interest to evaluate whole body muscle mass. However, in hemodialysis (HD) patients, reports about the clinical significance of psoas muscle evaluation are limited. We aimed to clarify the association between PMI and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and to investigate factors affecting PMI in HD patients.

METHODS

In this prospective observational study, to evaluate muscle mass, SMI was measured using BIA after HD, and PMI was measured by the manual trace method on routinely available CT scans. PMI measurement was assessed twice by two physicians to compute intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. The correlations between PMI and the clinical factors were evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and a linear regression analysis. Variables with a p-value < 0.05 in the simple linear regression analysis were included in the multivariable linear regression analysis to identify the factors that affected PMI of the HD patients.

RESULTS

Fifty HD patients were recruited (31 males and 19 females; HD duration, 9.0 ± 8.8 years). The SMI was 6.10 ± 1.20 kg/m², and the PMI was 4.79 ± 1.61 cm²/m². Regarding the reliability of PMI measurements, intra-rater reliability [intra-class correlation (ICC) = 0.999] and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.998) were high in this study. The mean PMI of male patients was 5.40 ± 1.62 cm²/m², while that of female patients was significantly lower (3.78 ± 0.98 cm²/m²; p < 0.001). The PMI was significantly and positively correlated with SMI (r = 0.630, p < 0.001), in addition to HD duration, body mass index (BMI), serum phosphate and serum creatinine (Cr). In the multivariate linear regression analysis by two models using SMI or BMI, they were respectively extracted as an independent factor associating with PMI, in addition to serum Cr and the difference of sex.

CONCLUSIONS

PMI assessed with CT positively correlated with SMI measured using BIA. PMI might be one of the methods for evaluating the muscle mass in HD patients, when CT scans are taken as part of routine care.

Beta-2 microglobulin and all-cause mortality in the era of high-flux hemodialysis: results from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study

BACKGROUND

Beta-2 microglobulin (β2M) accumulates in hemodialysis (HD) patients, but its consequences are controversial, particularly in the current era of high-flux dialyzers. High-flux HD treatment improves β2M removal, yet β2M and other middle molecules may still contribute to adverse events. We investigated patient factors associated with serum β2M, evaluated trends in β2M levels and in hospitalizations due to dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA), and estimated the effect of β2M on mortality.

METHODS

We studied European and Japanese participants in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study. Analysis of DRA-related hospitalizations spanned 1998-2018 (n = 23 976), and analysis of β2M and mortality in centers routinely measuring β2M spanned 2011-18 (n = 5332). We evaluated time trends with linear and Poisson regression and mortality with Cox regression.

RESULTS

Median β2M changed nonsignificantly from 2.71 to 2.65 mg/dL during 2011-18 (P = 0.87). Highest β2M tertile patients (>2.9 mg/dL) had longer dialysis vintage, higher C-reactive protein and lower urine volume than lowest tertile patients (≤2.3 mg/dL). DRA-related hospitalization rates [95% confidence interval (CI)] decreased from 1998 to 2018 from 3.10 (2.55-3.76) to 0.23 (0.13-0.42) per 100 patient-years. Compared with the lowest β2M tertile, adjusted mortality hazard ratios (95% CI) were 1.16 (0.94-1.43) and 1.38 (1.13-1.69) for the middle and highest tertiles. Mortality risk increased monotonically with β2M modeled continuously, with no indication of a threshold.

CONCLUSIONS

DRA-related hospitalizations decreased over 10-fold from 1998 to 2018. Serum β2M remains positively associated with mortality, even in the current high-flux HD era.

Adjustment by hematocrit level in calculation of removal rate in therapeutic apheresis

Plasma volume (PV) variation during therapeutic apheresis (TA) (such as plasma exchange [PE] and selective PE using albumin solution as replacement solution or immunoadsorption plasmapheresis) has been considered to be unignorable. It changes the concentration of the target molecule and might impact its removal rate (RR.) This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PV variation on the calculation of the RR of fibrinogen and immunoglobulin by categorizing the hematocrit (Ht) change during TA into two patterns, that is, increased group and decreased group. In all modalities of TA, the Ht level frequently changed during apheresis sessions. In calculating RR, RR calculated with Ht adjustment was significantly higher than that calculated without adjustment in the increased group and significantly lower than it in the decreased group. Therefore, RR might have been underestimated in the increased group and overestimated in the decreased group when RR was calculated without Ht adjustment. Ht adjustment is suggested to be crucial in calculating RR in TA.

Cumulative C-Reactive Protein Levels and Progression of Malnutrition in Dialysis Patients: A Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Malnutrition is a serious complication in dialysis patients that develops slowly but steadily. Cross-sectional studies may not adequately characterize this complication because not only the intensity but longitudinally cumulative effect should also be taken into consideration. Relationship between time-dependent changes in a nutritional marker, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and cumulative C-reactive protein (CRP) values was examined whether both intensity and duration of inflammation correlated with time-dependent progression and severity of malnutrition over 3 years, retrospectively.

METHODS

One hundred and sixty-four dialysis patients were examined over 3 years retrospectively. Based on analysis of clinical and laboratory findings over a period of 3 years, patients were divided into 2 groups: those with a >3.0 decrease in GNRI after 3 years (n = 84) and those in whom GNRI was unchanged (n = 80).

RESULTS

When comparing the 2 groups at 3 years, the GNRI-decreased group had 12% lower serum albumin (p < 0.001) and lower levels of creatinine (9%, p < 0.001), BUN (6%, p < 0.05), total cholesterol (6%, p < 0.05), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (10%, p < 0.01), which suggest onset of malnutrition. CRP levels, routinely measured twice a month in all patients, were summed to calculate the cumulative CRP. Cumulative CRP after 3 years was 57.6 ± 7.8 (mg/dL/3 years) in the GNRI-decreased group, which was significantly higher than that in the GNRI-unchanged group (38.6 ± 3.9; p < 0.05). Over 3 years, the GNRI-decreased group showed a time-dependent increase in cumulative CRP alongside a time-dependent decrease in the GNRI, producing an obvious mirror image; however, such inverse correlation was absent in the GNRI-unchanged group.

CONCLUSION

A long-term perspective is needed in the management of malnutrition in dialysis patients because this complication develops progressively and is often irreversible when diagnosed. Cumulative CRP values may be useful in evaluating the degree of the progression of malnutrition in following up individual patients longitudinally.

Kt/V: achievement, predictors and relationship to mortality in hemodialysis patients in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: results from DOPPS (2012-18)

BACKGROUND

Dialysis adequacy, as measured by single pool Kt/V, is an important parameter for assessing hemodialysis (HD) patients' health. Guidelines have recommended Kt/V of 1.2 as the minimum dose for thrice-weekly HD. We describe Kt/V achievement, its predictors and its relationship with mortality in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).

METHODS

We analyzed data (2012-18) from the prospective cohort Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study for 1544 GCC patients ≥18 years old and on dialysis >180 days.

RESULTS

Thirty-four percent of GCC HD patients had low Kt/V (<1.2) versus 5%-17% in Canada, Europe, Japan and the USA. Across the GCC countries, low Kt/V prevalence ranged from 10% to 54%. In multivariable logistic regression, low Kt/V was more common (P < 0.05) with larger body weight and height, being male, shorter treatment time (TT), lower blood flow rate (BFR), greater comorbidity burden and using HD versus hemodiafiltration. In adjusted Cox models, low Kt/V was strongly related to higher mortality in women [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-3.34] but not in men (HR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.70-1.92). Low BFR (<350 mL/min) and TT (<4 h) were common; 41% of low Kt/V cases were attributable to low BFR or TT (52% for women and 36% for men).

CONCLUSION

Relatively large proportions of GCC HD patients have low Kt/V. Increasing BFR to ≥350 mL/min and TT to ≥4 h thrice weekly will reduce low Kt/V prevalence and may improve survival in GCC HD patients-particularly among women.

Factors affecting the doses of roxadustat vs darbepoetin alfa for anemia treatment in hemodialysis patients

Roxadustat is an oral hypoxia‐inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Emerging evidence suggests that roxadustat may be beneficial for patients who inadequately respond to erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents (ESAs). This post‐hoc analysis of a Japanese, double‐blind, randomized, phase 3 study in hemodialysis‐dependent CKD patients treated with traditional ESAs assessed the impact of factors associated with ESA hyporesponsiveness on roxadustat and darbepoetin alfa (DA) doses required to maintain target hemoglobin. Endpoints included mean of average doses of roxadustat and DA per administration in the last 6 weeks (AAD/6W) by prior ESA‐resistance index (ERI), iron repletion (transferrin saturation; ferritin), and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP). Of 415 enrolled patients, 303 were randomized (roxadustat, n = 151; DA, n = 152). Weight‐adjusted AAD/6W increased with increasing ERI for roxadustat (ERI <3.3, 0.89 mg/kg; ERI ≥8.4, 1.51 mg/kg) and DA (ERI <3.3, 0.26 μg/kg; ERI ≥8.4, 0.91 μg/kg); the weight‐adjusted AAD/6W relative to within‐arm mean AAD/6W showed a trend toward increased DA doses for the ERI ≥8.4 category (P = .089). AAD/6W remained stable for roxadustat but increased for DA with decreasing baseline iron repletion markers. The relationship between roxadustat doses and end of treatment (EoT) hs‐CRP was not significant (estimated slope, −0.494; P = .814); a trend toward increased DA doses was observed with increasing EoT hs‐CRP (estimated slope, 2.973; P = .075). Roxadustat doses required to maintain target hemoglobin appear to be less affected by factors that underlie ESA hyporesponsiveness, relative to DA; roxadustat may be beneficial for patients hyporesponsive to ESAs.

Predictive Value of 1-Week Postoperative Ultrasonography Findings for the Patency Rate of Arteriovenous Fistula

Introduction

Most guidelines in different countries recommend waiting more than 2 weeks for the initial cannulation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) after its creation. Although an experienced examiner can subjectively determine if an AVF is ready for early cannulation, there is a lack of objective information to guide whether early cannulation is appropriate or how early cannulation may affect an AVF’s primary patency. The current study examined the relationship between the initial cannulation and the prognosis of AVF, considering ultrasonography (US) findings.

Methods

This retrospective observational study enrolled 103 patients with end-stage renal disease who had started hemodialysis therapy from 2013 to 2015 at the Juntendo University Hospital. All patients had been given a primary AVF before or after the initiation of dialysis, had undergone US examinations both before and 7 days after surgery, had initially cannulated the AVF at ≥7 days after surgery, and were observed for over 1 year.

Results

The factor associated with the loss of primary patency was a resistance index of brachial artery ≥0.65 on US examination at 7 days after surgery. There was no significant difference in patency rate between the early (within 14 days after surgery) and late initial cannulation groups (≥15 days after surgery).

Conclusion

Because a resistance index <0.65 on US findings at 7 days after surgery was a good indicator for predicting an excellent patency rate when we performed first cannulation of AVF located in the forearm within 2 weeks after its creation, 1-week postoperative US evaluation may provide crucial information.

Achieving dialysis adequacy: A global perspective

Dialysis adequacy is conventionally quantified as net urea clearance. Single pool (sp) Kt/V_urea remains the best studied measure of dialysis adequacy globally. Other measures such as fluid status control, anemia correction, and mineral metabolism are monitored variably. Increasing use of hemodiafiltration across Europe and many parts of Japan and Australia is predicated on studies showing better patient survival with middle molecule clearance. Apart from local clinical practice guidelines, the income level and public health policy of a country determine quality of dialysis services. Among developed nations, small solute clearance adequacy targets are achieved with high frequency. In the United States, dialysis adequacy target is met by focussing on high blood flow rates and large dialyzer size, sometimes at the cost of session time. In Japan, Australia, and Germany, session length is given importance. Dialysis adequacy reporting is restricted and inconsistent in developing nations. The Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Russia and Malaysia, respectively, are close to achieving dialysis adequacy target (spKt/V_urea ≥1.2) universally in their dialysis populations. Patient-reported outcomes are typically measured only in developed countries. Patient survival on dialysis, partly linked to dialysis adequacy, varies greatly around the world, with Japan having the best survival rates. Until the development of better markers of dialysis adequacy, universal consistency in reporting of conventional parameters with a focus on patient-reported measures should be endeavored.

Association between pill burden and interdialytic weight gain in patients with hemodialysis: A multi-center cross-sectional study

High daily pill burden affects quality of life and mortality. High interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) is associated with increased mortality. We examined the association between pill burden and IDWG in hemodialysis patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted in six dialysis centers in Japan in June 2017. The exposure was the number of daily tablets, and outcome was defined as 1 day of relative IDWG divided by post-dialysis weight from the previous session. Among 188 outpatients (mean age, 68.7 [SD, 10.3] years; men, 67.0%; median dialysis vintage, 76.0 [interquartile range, 36.5, 131.5] months), the mean number of daily tablets was 19.7 ± 9.9, and mean relative weight gain was 3.5 ± 1.2%. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a regression coefficient of 0.021 (95% confidence interval: 0.004-0.039), indicating that one additional tablet prescription increased the IDWG by 0.021%. In hemodialysis patients, the daily pill burden was a significant, independent risk for increased relative IDWG.

Flow balance optimization and fluid removal accuracy with the Quanta SC+ hemodialysis system

BACKGROUND

Fluid management is integral to hemodialysis, both to correct abnormalities in a patient's plasma composition and to maintain fluid balance. Consequently, accurate net fluid removal during treatment is a critical design element of hemodialysis machines. As dialyzers have evolved, with increased ranges of ultrafiltration coefficients available, it has become more challenging for dialysis machines to minimize errors in flow balance and net fluid removal.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This paper describes the design, evaluation and experimental performance of the flow balance and ultrafiltration module of the SC+ system to deliver clinically specified fluid removal with both passive and active control measures, in laboratory conditions designed to simulate a wide range of therapies.

RESULTS

The use of passive and active control allows the errors to be minimized across a wider dynamic range of conditions. For the SC+ system, the average flow balance error was 1 mL/hr with an SD of 19 mL/hr and with ultrafiltration it was 13 mL/hr and an SD of 20 ml/hr across all conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper demonstrates that the SC+ hemodialysis system, a small, simple and versatile CE marked device, operates within the limits required by international standards across a wide range of experimental conditions.

Impact of old age on the association between in-center extended-hours hemodialysis and mortality in patients on incident hemodialysis

With the global problem of aging, it has become more difficult to improve the prognosis of older dialysis patients. Extended-hours hemodialysis offers longer treatment time compared to conventional hemodialysis regimen and provides favorable metabolic status, hemodynamic stability, and increased dietary intake. Despite prior studies reporting that in-center extended-hours hemodialysis can reduce the mortality rate, the treatment impact on elderly patients remains unclear. Therefore, we examined the association between extended-hours hemodialysis compared to conventional hemodialysis and all-cause mortality. Survival analyses using Cox proportional hazard model with multivariable adjustments and propensity-score based method were performed to compare mortality risk between 198 consecutive patients who started in-center extended-hours hemodialysis (Extended-HD) and 1407 consecutive patients who initiated conventional hemodialysis. The median age was 67.1 years in the Extended-HD group and 70.7 years in the conventional hemodialysis group. Extended-HD was associated with lower all-cause mortality in overall patients and the subgroup >70 years (adjusted hazard ratios of 0.60 [95% CI, 0.39–0.91] and 0.35 [95% CI, 0.18–0.69], respectively). There was a significant interaction between age >70 years and Extended-HD. In conclusion, extended-hours hemodialysis was associated with a lower mortality rate, especially in elderly patients.

Pre-dialysis serum creatinine as an independent predictor of responsiveness to zinc supplementation among patients on hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

To investigate whether pre-dialysis level of serum creatinine (SCre) could indicate the responsiveness to zinc supplementation of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the results of our previous randomized study of 91 patients who had been on MHD and received zinc supplementation with either zinc acetate hydrate (ZAH; zinc, 50 mg/day) or polaprezinc (PPZ; zinc, 34 mg/day). A late response to zinc supplementation was defined as a serum zinc level of < 80 μg/dL three months after the study began. Patients were divided into two groups: late response (serum zinc level < 80 μg/dL) and early response (serum zinc level ≥ 80 μg/dL). Factors independently associated with a late response to zinc supplementation were determined using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) multivariate logistic analysis.

RESULTS

Of 91 patients, 86 continued to receive zinc supplementation after three months. The mean pre-dialysis SCre level was 10.0 mg/dL. The number of patients with a late response and response to zinc supplementation was 32 and 54, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between the pre-dialysis SCre and the Δserum zinc change for 3 months. (r = - 0.284, P = 0.008). IPTW multivariate analysis showed that a pre-dialysis SCre level ≥ 10.0 mg/dL (odds ratio, 3.71; 95% confidence interval; 1.24-11.1, P = 0.022) was an independent factor associated with a late response to zinc supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-dialysis SCre level was independently associated with responsiveness to zinc supplementation after three months in patients on MHD.

Blood pressure and volume management in dialysis: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference

Blood pressure (BP) and volume control are critical components of dialysis care and have substantial impacts on patient symptoms, quality of life, and cardiovascular complications. Yet, developing consensus best practices for BP and volume control have been challenging, given the absence of objective measures of extracellular volume status and the lack of high-quality evidence for many therapeutic interventions. In February of 2019, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) held a Controversies Conference titled Blood Pressure and Volume Management in Dialysis to assess the current state of knowledge related to BP and volume management and identify opportunities to improve clinical and patient-reported outcomes among individuals receiving maintenance dialysis. Four major topics were addressed: BP measurement, BP targets, and pharmacologic management of suboptimal BP; dialysis prescriptions as they relate to BP and volume; extracellular volume assessment and management with a focus on technology-based solutions; and volume-related patient symptoms and experiences. The overarching theme resulting from presentations and discussions was that managing BP and volume in dialysis involves weighing multiple clinical factors and risk considerations as well as patient lifestyle and preferences, all within a narrow therapeutic window for avoiding acute or chronic volume-related complications. Striking this challenging balance requires individualizing the dialysis prescription by incorporating comorbid health conditions, treatment hemodynamic patterns, clinical judgment, and patient preferences into decision-making, all within local resource constraints.

Prevalence of Zinc Deficiency in Japanese Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis: Comparative Study in Patients on Hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

It is known that patients on hemodialysis (HD) are prone to developing zinc deficiency due to removal of zinc by HD, inadequate dietary intake, and reduced gastrointestinal zinc absorption. However, the prevalence of zinc deficiency in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) has not been well established.

METHODS

Serum zinc levels were compared between 47 patients on PD and 47 patients on HD matched for age, sex, and duration of dialysis. A serum zinc level < 60 μg/dL was defined as clinical zinc deficiency and a level of 60-80 μg/dL as subclinical zinc deficiency. The prevalence of zinc deficiency and associated clinical factors were determined in both groups.

RESULTS

Clinical zinc deficiency was found in 59.6% of the PD group and 70.2% of the HD group (p = 0.391). Subclinical zinc deficiency was found in 40.4% of the PD group and 29.8% of the HD group. Age, body mass index, and serum albumin level were identified as independent predictors of zinc deficiency in the PD group by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher prevalence of clinical and subclinical zinc deficiency was found in patients on PD. The rates were comparable between patients on PD and those on HD after adjustment for confounding factors.

The renal replacement therapy landscape in 2030: reducing the global cardiovascular burden in dialysis patients

Despite the significant progress made in understanding chronic kidney disease and uraemic pathophysiology, use of advanced technology and implementation of new strategies in renal replacement therapy, the clinical outcomes of chronic kidney disease 5 dialysis patients remain suboptimal. Considering residual suboptimal medical needs of short intermittent dialysis, it is our medical duty to revisit standards of dialysis practice and propose new therapeutic options for improving the overall effectiveness of dialysis sessions and reduce the burden of stress induced by the therapy. Several themes arise to address the modifiable components of the therapy that are aimed at mitigating some of the cardiovascular risks in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Among them, five are of utmost importance and include: (i) enhancement of treatment efficiency and continuous monitoring of dialysis performances; (ii) prevention of dialysis-induced stress; (iii) precise handling of sodium and fluid balance; (iv) moving towards heparin-free dialysis; and (v) customizing electrolyte prescriptions. In summary, haemodialysis treatment in 2030 will be substantially more personalized to the patient, with a clear focus on cardioprotection, volume management, arrhythmia surveillance, avoidance of anticoagulation and the development of more dynamic systems to align the fluid and electrolyte needs of the patient on the day of the treatment to their particular circumstances.

Use of proton pump inhibitors is associated with an increase in adverse cardiovascular events in patients with hemodialysis: Insight from the kids registry

BACKGROUND

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are known to increase the risk of mortality and cardiovascular events in the general population. However, in patients with maintenance hemodialysis, PPI effects are under investigated.

METHODS

We analyzed the risk of PPIs for cardiovascular events using the Kagoshima Dialysis (KIDS) registry, a prospective, multicenter, observational study in patients with maintenance hemodialysis in Japan.

RESULTS

In all, 531 patients were enrolled from June 2015 to December 2018. One-year follow-up data were available for 376 patients (Use of PPIs at baseline (PPI group): 217 patients and without PPIs (No PPI group): 159 patients). The incidence of a composite outcome (all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) was higher in patients in the PPI group than the No PPI group (15.2% vs. 4.4%; hazard ratio (HR): 3.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.61-8.23, P = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis, even after adjustment for covariates, the use of PPIs was an independent risk factor for a composite outcome (HR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.02-5.54, P = 0.045). We performed propensity score matching analysis as a sensitivity analysis, showing a consistent result. The incidence of bleeding showed no difference between the two groups (15.7% vs. 11.3%; HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.83-2.59, P = 0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the use of PPIs in patients with maintenance hemodialysis might increase mortality and cardiovascular events without decreasing the risk of bleeding. Therefore, it should always be analyzed if a patient truly needs PPIs.