A Web-Based Platform to Collect Data from ESRD Patients Undergoing Dialysis: Methods and Preliminary Results from the Brazilian Dialysis Registry

Global epidemiology of HIV among dialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

HIV transmission and infection among dialysis patients have become a major healthcare concern and a rising threat throughout the world. Our current systematic review and meta-analysis targeted to determine the global epidemiologic state of HIV infection among dialysis patients. Three online databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were searched for eligible studies using specific keywords. 15 studies matched our eligibility criteria and were included in the study. The worldwide pooled prevalence of HIV among dialysis patients was 0.8% (95% CI 0.4 to 1.2) with a high degree of heterogeneity (95%) among the included studies. Substantial variations in pooled prevalence were found among different continents in our subgroup analysis. Africa (21.1%, 95% CI 6.4 to 35.8) and North America (19.3%, 95% CI 0.0 to 39.8) had a higher prevalence of HIV in dialysis patients whereas in Europe (0.3%, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.6), South America (0.7%, 95% CI 0.0 to 1.6) and Asia (0.7%, 95% CI 0.0 to 1.6) the frequency was much lower. Perhaps, due to the lack of awareness and preventive knowledge, insufficient healthcare facilities and breaches in infection control protocols in dialysis centers, risky attitudes and practices immigration issues the prevalence of HIV among dialysis patients in Africa and North America enhanced as compared to that of Europe, Asia and South America. Strict adherence to HIV preventive practices, raising public awareness, and advanced healthcare systems are suggested to reduce the prevalence of HIV among dialysis patients all over the world.

Development of minimum data set and electronic registry for hemodialysis patients management

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to develop a minimum dataset and an electronic registry system for hemodialysis patients to evaluate hemodialysis patients' treatment procedures and outcomes, conduct related research, and design therapeutic interventions.

METHODS

This developmental research was performed in multiple phases, including content determination using the Delphi technique; database designing using MySQL; building a user interface using PHP; usability evaluation using the think-aloud method by 10 evaluators through a scenario consisting of 7 tasks; and finally, the system was piloted by entering the 160 patients' paper records into the system.

RESULTS

Following the CVR and CVI content validity assessment, 108 of the 118 extracted data elements (DEs) were validated. Then, using the Delphi technique, nephrologists chose 57 DEs and divided them into 4 information categories, including the patient's clinical history, hemodialysis episodes, laboratory findings, and the outcomes of hemodialysis. The three tabs that made up the user interface were the homepage, information recording, reports, and definitions. The problems with appearance and performance were discovered using the think-aloud method, and they were then resolved. Finally, users had the opportunity to identify issues, improve the system's capabilities, and express their satisfaction throughout the system's three-month test period.

CONCLUSIONS

The E-hemodialysis registry was created based on knowledge gained from industrialized nations, opinions and suggestions from medical specialists, and the facilities that were accessible. Information from this system can be utilized as a starting point for evaluating the hemodialysis patients' status, identifying problems, and making sensible decisions for the best possible planning and management of end-stage renal disease.

Sex-specific differences in a large cohort of Brazilian incident dialysis patients over 12 years: A retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

Sex-specific differences in the epidemiology of chronic kidney disease, such as higher prevalence of women on pre-dialysis and men on chronic dialysis treatment, have been reported worldwide. In this regard, data from non-high-income countries are scarce. We aimed to compare the demographic, clinical, and dialysis characteristics of incident dialysis patients, both men and women, in a large cohort of Brazilian patients over a 12-year period.

METHODS

This was a multicentric retrospective cohort study coordinated by the Brazilian Society of Nephrology. The study included all adult incident dialysis patients in the Brazilian Dialysis Registry from January 2011 to December 2022. The variables studied encompassed age, skin color, education, CKD etiology, predialysis nephrologist care, dialysis characteristics, and geographic region. Additionally, the sample was analyzed for each of the three 4-year periods over the 12 years of data collection.

RESULTS

A total of 24,632 incident dialysis patients were included. Men were 59.1% of the dialysis population, remaining stable over the three 4-year periods. Besides other differences, women started dialysis younger (58.5 ± 16.2 years vs 59.5 ± 14.4 years; p < 0.001), had a lower educational level (less than 8 years at school: 54% vs 44%; p < 0.001), received more predialysis nephrologist care (46.2% vs 44.2%; p = 0.04), and had a higher prevalence of peritoneal dialysis (4.4% vs 3.5%; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

We consistently observed a higher prevalence of men on dialysis and differences in demographic, clinical, and dialysis characteristics. The underlying reasons for these sex differences still necessitate further clarification.

Hemodialysis in Brazil: differences across geographic regions regarding demographics, laboratory parameters and drug prescription

INTRODUCTION

Brazil has a vast territory divided into five geographic regions with important differences in sociodemographic indices. We aimed to present and compare socio-demographic characteristics, biochemical results, and drug prescription of patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) treatment in the five geographic regions.

METHODS

We evaluated data from the Brazilian Dialysis Registry of all adult patients undergoing chronic HD in 2021. Variables included sociodemographic characteristics, serum levels of phosphate, calcium, and albumin, hemoglobin, urea reduction rate, and prescription of phosphate binders, erythropoietin, and intravenous iron. Data from the North and Northeast regions were combined into one group.

RESULTS

A total of 13,792 patients (57.9 ± 16.0 years old, 58.5% male, median HD vintage of 31 (11-66) months) from 73 dialysis centers were analyzed. Regional distribution was 59.5% in the Southeast; 21.7% in the South; 5.9% in the Midwest; and 12.9% in the North/Northeast. Sociodemographic features, biochemical results, and medication prescriptions differed across regions. The prevalence of elderly patients was lower in the Midwest and North/Northeast. The South region had the highest prevalence of hyperphosphatemia (41.2%) and urea reduction rate <65% (24.8%), while anemia and hypoalbuminemia were more prevalent in the Southeast, 32.7% and 11.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

We found differences in socio-demographics, clinical features, and drug prescriptions across Brazilian geographic regions. Some findings reflect the socio-demographic diversity of the country, while others deserve further elucidation.

Obesity and survival in a national cohort of incident hemodialysis patients: An analysis of the Brazilian Dialysis Registry

INTRODUCTION

A phenomenon called the "obesity paradox" has consistently been reported in several cohorts of patients on chronic hemodialysis. In this setting, a higher body mass index (BMI) is paradoxically associated with better survival. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of BMI on mortality in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis using the Brazilian Dialysis Registry.

METHODS

This was a retrospective national cohort study with data on incident hemodialysis patients collected between January 2011 to December 2018. Those aged <18 or > 80 years were excluded from the study. The variables studied were the clinical and laboratory data regularly collected at the dialysis units. The variable of primary interest was BMI, represented as the median of the entire dialysis treatment and stratified into four ranges according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. The primary outcome was death within 4 years. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to test associations with mortality.

FINDINGS

The analyzed sample consisted of 5489 patients from 73 centers in five regions of the country. Of these, 5.9% were underweight, 48.3% were of normal weight, 31.0% were overweight, and 14.7% were obese. The 4-year survival rates in these BMI ranges were 58%, 70%, 75%, and 80%, respectively. The probability of survival for each BMI extract was significantly different from that in the normal-weight range (p < 0.05). In the fully adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression model, BMI > 24.9 kg/m2 remained an independent protective factor for mortality (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.62-0.95, p = 0.016).

DISCUSSION

In Brazil, being overweight and obese are protective factors for survival in the chronic hemodialysis population.

Characteristics and 1-year survival of incident patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis compared with hemodialysis:a large 11-year cohort study

PURPOSE

Few studies have evaluated patients' characteristics and survival by dialysis modality in Brazil. We evaluated changes in dialysis modality and its survival in the country.

METHODS

This is a retrospective database of a cohort with incident chronic dialysis patients from Brazil. Patients' characteristics and one-year multivariate survival risk were assessed considering dialysis modality from 2011 to 2016 and 2017 to 2021. Survival analysis was also performed on a reduced sample after adjustment using propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Of the 8295 dialysis patients, 5.3% were on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 94.7% on hemodialysis (HD). PD patients had higher BMI, schooling and the prevalence of elective dialysis starting in the first period than those on HD. In the second period, PD patients were predominantly women, non-white, from the Southeast region, and funded by the public health system, having more frequent elective dialysis starting and predialysis nephrologist follow-ups than those on HD. There was no difference in mortality comparing PD and HD (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.39-2.42; and HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.63-2.16; first and second period, respectively). This non-significantly different survival between both dialysis methods was also found in the reduced matched sample. Higher age and non-elective dialysis initiation were associated with higher mortality. In the second period, the lack of predialysis nephrologist follow-up and living in the Southeast region increased the mortality risk.

CONCLUSION

Some sociodemographic factors have changed according to dialysis modality over the last decade in Brazil. The one-year survival of the two dialysis methods was comparable.

Prevalence and Determinants of Predialysis Dietitian Follow-Up: Results From the Brazilian Dialysis Registry

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of predialysis dietitian follow-up in a large cohort of Brazilian dialysis patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated data from all incident adult dialysis patients included in the Brazilian Dialysis Registry from January 2011 to September 2021. Predialysis dietitian follow-up was classified as present when a period more than 6 months of dietitian care was reported. Gender, age, skin color, education, body mass index, chronic kidney disease etiology, first chronic dialysis program, healthcare provider, and geographic regions were tested in logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Ten thousand three hundred and eighty two patients met the inclusion criteria and 1,254 (12.1%) reported predialysis dietitian follow-up, most of them referred by a nephrologist (94.2%). The independent determinants of dietitian follow-up were older age, white skin color, higher education level, not having diabetes, living in North/Northeast and South (compared to Southeast), and having a nonpublic healthcare provider. When considered only patients under a predialysis care of a nephrologist, higher education, hemodialysis as the first dialysis modality, and living in the North/Northeast and South regions (compared with Southeast) were associated with dietitian follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Predialysis dietitian follow-up for more than 6 months in a country where the public health system is the main dialysis provider is still very low. The nephrologist is pivotal for referral to dietitians but socioeconomic factors also seem to play a role in this regard.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with end-stage renal disease in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Observational studies published in Spanish, Portuguese, and English language by November 25, 2021, in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, SciELO, and LILACS were selected by two reviewers according to predefined eligibility criteria. Study quality was assessed using the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies. A meta-analysis of proportions was performed using a random-effects model based on the DerSimonian and Laird method, using R. PROSPERO N°: CRD42018107403.

RESULTS

A total of 20 studies were included in the narrative synthesis (15 from Brazil, two from Cuba, two from Argentina, and one from Peru). Only 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis (13 from Brazil, two from Argentina, one from Cuba, and one from Peru). The overall prevalence of HCV in ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis in LAC was 11.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.9% - 13.9%; I²: 99 %). In Brazil and Argentina, the prevalence was 6% and 26.1%, respectively. Prevalence after excluding poor-quality studies was 10.7%.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of HCV in ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis in LAC was 11.3%. The implementation of infection control measures in hemodialysis centers in LAC is required. It is also necessary to increase the number of studies on the subject in the ESRD population in most LAC countries.

Evaluation of central venous catheter and other risk factors for mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 in Brazil

PURPOSE

Hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk of death. We aimed to describe the characteristics of a cohort of Brazilian hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 and assess their mortality rate and risk factors for death.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of 741 Brazilian hemodialysis patients with confirmed COVID-19 from Feb-Dec/2020, of 52 dialysis centers of the country. We analyzed comorbid conditions, sociodemographic factors, and dialysis-related parameters. To detect risk factors for mortality in hemodialysis patients, we performed multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier.

RESULTS

From 9877 hemodialysis patients, 741 were diagnosed with COVID-19. Mean age was 57 ± 16 years, 61% were male, and 51% white. The most frequent symptoms were fever (54.1%), cough (50.9%), and dyspnea (37.2%); 14.2% were asymptomatic. There were 139 deaths (18.8%), with 66% within the disease's first 15 days. 333 patients (44.9%) required hospitalization, and 211 (28.5%) were admitted to an intensive care unit. The cumulative probability of survival at 90 days of diagnosis was 79% (95% CI 76-82%). In the fully adjusted multivariate model, the risk factors significantly associated with death were diabetes mellitus (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.05-2.19, P = 0.026), use of a central venous catheter (CVC) (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.22-2.64, P = 0.003), age (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04, P < 0.001), and origin from the North vs. Southeast region (HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.01-6.68, P = 0.047).

CONCLUSIONS

Hemodialysis patients using a CVC as the vascular access, aside from diabetic and elderly ones, should be closely monitored due to their high risk of death in the course of the COVID-19.

Demographics and clinical features of elderly patients undergoing regular dialysis in Brazil

An increasing number of elderly people in renal support is expected in the coming years. The objective of this study was to report the clinical and socio-demographic data of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) adult patients undergoing regular dialysis treatment comparing elderly (≥65 years old) and non-elderly subjects using data from the Brazilian Dialysis Registry database. The regional distribution of the sample was Southeast (48.8%), South (33.7), Northeast (13.1%), Midwest (5.1%), and North (0.1%). A total of 18,030 patients were included in the analysis with elderly patients accounting for 29.5% of the sample. The elderly patients were predominantly male, white, retired, and literate. Elderly ESRD patients had a slightly higher frequency of undernourishment and a lower frequency of obesity than the non-elderly adults. A higher frequency of elderly patients were from the South and Southeast regions. The dialysis treatment of patients from both groups was predominantly funded by the public system, but the percent of non-public funding was higher for the elderly group. The most used initial access in the elderly was the central venous catheter and hemodialysis was the main modality at the beginning of treatment (93.2%), as well as during maintenance therapy (91.8%). Advanced age was associated with greater use of central venous catheter in the first dialysis session. The survival of the elderly on dialysis was lower than that of the non-elderly early in the course of dialysis and this difference increased over time. This is yet the largest national epidemiological study of elderly people on chronic dialysis.

Development and Validation of an Application for Follow-up of Patients Undergoing Dialysis: NefroPortátil

OBJECTIVES

To develop the NefroPortatil mobile application (app) and evaluate its effects on the management of patients undergoing dialysis.

METHODS

The first stage of the work was the development, installation, and establishment of the instructions to use the phone app as an instrument to aid in the control of fluid and food intake of 52 patients undergoing dialysis. In the second stage, the patients were monitored for 3 months and evaluated using questionnaires to measure the improvement in quality of life (Kidney Disease Quality of Life Instrument) and self-management of disease (Perceived Medical Condition Self-Management Scale) by the app. In addition, laboratory tests were performed before app use and in the first, second, and third months of its use (January to April 2018). Analysis of variance was used to analyze the laboratory data, and a paired Student's t test was used to analyze the responses to the questionnaires and as a posttest (P < .05).

RESULTS

Among the laboratory test results, serum phosphorus levels showed a significant difference (P < .04) after the app was used. A significant improvement was observed in self-management of the disease according to the Perceived Medical Condition Self-Management Scale questionnaire (P < .03). The usability of the app reached a median score of 9.65 from a total score of 10.

CONCLUSION

The NefroPortatil app improved the degree of perception of self-care of patients undergoing dialysis with chronic kidney failure, in addition to favoring nutritional control.

Global Dialysis Perspective: Brazil

Podcast

This article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/K360/2020_03_26_KID0000642019.mp3