Longitudinal Experience with Remote Monitoring for Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Use of eHealth and remote patient monitoring: a tool to support home dialysis patients, with an emphasis on peritoneal dialysis

Implementing eHealth requires technological advancement, universal broadband and internet access, and devices to conduct telemedicine and remote patient monitoring in end-stage kidney disease patients receiving home dialysis. Although eHealth was beginning to make inroads in this patient population, the COVID-19 pandemic spurred telemedicine usage when many regulations were waived during the Public Health Emergency to limit the spread of infection by endorsing social distancing. At the same time, two-way communication automatic peritoneal dialysis cyclers were introduced to advance remote patient monitoring. Despite the numerous advantages and potential benefits afforded by both procedures, challenges and untapped resources remain to be addressed. Continuing research to assess the use of eHealth and technological innovation can make eHealth a powerful tool in home dialysis. We review the past, present and future of eHealth and remote patient monitoring in supporting home dialysis.

Automated Peritoneal Dialysis With Remote Patient Monitoring: Clinical Effects and Economic Consequences for Poland

OBJECTIVES

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) of patients treated with automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) at home allows clinicians to supervise and adjust the dialysis process remotely. This study aimed to review recent scientific studies on the use of RPM in patients treated with APD and based on extracted relevant data assess possible clinical implications and potential economic value of introducing such a system into practice in Poland.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. The model of clinical effects and costs associated with APD was built as a cost-effectiveness analysis with a 10-year time horizon from the Polish National Health Fund perspective. Cost-effectiveness analysis compared 2 strategies: APD with RPM versus APD without RPM.

RESULTS

Thirteen publications assessing the clinical value of RPM among patients with APD were found. The statistical significance of APD with RPM compared with APD without RPM was identified for the main clinical outcomes: frequency and length of hospitalizations, APD technique failure, and death. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was equal to €27 387 per quality-adjusted life-year. The obtained incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is below the willingness-to-pay threshold for the use of medical technologies in Poland (€36 510 per quality-adjusted life-year), which means that APD with RPM was a cost-effective technology.

CONCLUSIONS

RPM in patients starting APD is a clinical option that is worth considering in Polish practice because it has the potential to decrease the frequency of APD technique failure and shorten the length of hospitalization.

Scheduling of Remote Monitoring for Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is performed as a home-based treatment and in this context, telemedicine has been proven helpful for improving clinicians' surveillance and maintaining PD patients in their home setting. The new e-health devices make remote patient monitoring (RPM) for automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) treatment possible, evaluating the data at the end of every treatment and adapting the prescription at distance if necessary. This paper aims to share a method for improving clinical surveillance and enabling PD patients to receive their treatment at home. In the present case series, we delineate the clinical protocol of the Vicenza PD Center regarding patient characteristics, timing, and the purpose of the APD-RPM. We present the Vicenza PD Center's experience, illustrating its application through three case reports as exemplars. Telemedicine helps to carefully allocate healthcare resources while removing the barriers to accessing care. However, there is a risk of data overload, as some data might not be analyzed because of an increased workload for healthcare professionals. A proactive physician's attitude towards the e-health system has to be supported by clinical instructions and legislative rules. International and national guidelines may suggest which patients should be candidates for RPM, which parameters should be monitored, and with what timing. According to our experience, we suggest that the care team should define a workflow that helps in formulating a correct approach to RPM, adequately utilizing resources. The workflow has to consider the different needs of patients, in order to assure frequent remote control for incident or unstable patients, while prevalent and stable patients can perform their home treatment more independently, helped by periodic and deferred clinical supervision.

Telehealth strategies in the care of people with chronic kidney disease: integrative review

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate the evidence about telehealth strategies in caring for people with chronic kidney disease.

METHOD

integrative literature review. The search for primary studies was carried out in six databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, and Scopus. The sample consisted of 48 articles published between 2000 and 2021. The telehealth strategy was applied by a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionis, and social workers. The type of study, country, strategy applied, setting, population, and professional were extracted from the articles. The studies were selected by reading the title and abstract (phase 1) and then reading them in full (phase 2), categorizing them by telehealth strategy. The results were summarized descriptively and the studies were classified according to their level of evidence.

RESULTS

the home was the most representative in dialysis and conservative treatment. Six categories of telehealth strategies were identified: remote monitoring devices, teleconsultation, digital platforms, apps, multimodality strategies, and telephone contact.

CONCLUSION

using these strategies for the care of people with chronic kidney disease presents different forms and implementations, being feasible for the renal population at any stage of the disease and applicable by different health professionals with an emphasis on the home environment. The evidence shows that telehealth favors lower cost, accessibility to remote locations, and better monitoring of dialysis with positive resul in symptom control, risk reduction, and patient training.

BACKGROUND

Telehealth in chronic kidney disease care is feasible and promising. (2) Telehealth is feasible for people at all stages of CKD. (3) Health promotion and monitoring were the most applied by telehealth. (4) Remote care can reduce costs, emergencies, and contac with the clinic. (5) Nurses mainly used telephone contact and teleconferencing.

Urgent Implantation of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter in Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Kidney Injury-A Review

Acute kidney injury (AKI) and sudden exacerbation of chronic kidney disease (CKD) frequently necessitate urgent kidney replacement therapy (UKRT). Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is recognized as a viable modality for managing such patients. Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (USPD) may be associated with an increased number of complications and is rarely utilized. This review examines recent literature investigating the clinical outcomes of USPD in CKD and AKI. Relevant research was identified through searches of the MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases using MeSH terms and relevant keywords. Included studies focused on the emergency use of peritoneal dialysis in CKD or AKI and reported treatment outcomes. While no official recommendations exist for catheter implantation in USPD, the impact of the technique itself on outcomes was found to be less significant compared with the post-implantation factors. USPD represents a safe and effective treatment modality for AKI, although complications such as catheter malfunctions, leakage, and peritonitis were observed. Furthermore, USPD demonstrated efficacy in managing CKD, although it was associated with a higher incidence of complications compared to conventional-start peritoneal dialysis. Despite its cost-effectiveness, PD requires greater technical expertise from medical professionals. Close supervision and pre-planning for catheter insertion are essential for CKD patients. Whenever feasible, an urgent start should be avoided. Nevertheless, in emergency scenarios, USPD does remain a safe and efficient approach.

Impact of COVID-19 on maintenance peritoneal dialysis patients and providers: A review

The COVID-19 pandemic exerted complex pressures on the nephrology community. Despite multiple prior reviews on acute peritoneal dialysis during the pandemic, the effects of COVID-19 on maintenance peritoneal dialysis patients remain underexamined. This review synthesizes and reports findings from 29 total cases of chronic peritoneal dialysis patients with COVID-19, encompassing 3 case reports, 13 case series, and 13 cohort studies. When available, data for patients with COVID-19 on maintenance hemodialysis are also discussed. Finally, we present a chronological timeline of evidence regarding the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in spent peritoneal dialysate and explore trends in telehealth as they relate to peritoneal dialysis patients during the pandemic. We conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the efficacy, flexibility, and utility of peritoneal dialysis.

Outcomes of Remote Patient Monitoring in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Practical Implications for COVID-19 Epidemics

The present study seeks to determine clinical outcomes associated with remote patient monitoring of peritoneal dialysis (RPM-PD), with potential implications during COVID-19 outbreaks. We performed a systematic review in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. We combined all study-specific estimates using the inverse-variant weighted averages of logarithmic relative risk (RR) in the random-effects models. Confidence interval (CI) including the value of 1 was used as evidence to produce a statistically significant estimate. Twenty-two studies were included in our meta-analysis. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that RPM-PD patients had lower rates of technique failure (log RR = -0.32; 95% CI, -0.59 to -0.04), lower hospitalization rates (standardized mean difference = -0.84; 95% CI, -1.24 to -0.45), and lower mortality rates (log RR = -0.26; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.08) compared with traditional PD monitoring. RPM-PD has better outcomes in multiple spheres of outcomes when compared with conventional monitoring and likely increases system resilience during disruptions of healthcare operations.

Increase in peritoneal dialysis-related hospitalization rates after telemedicine implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction and objectives

To minimize our peritoneal dialysis (PD) population exposure to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in April 2020 we developed and implemented a telemedicine program. In this investigation, we aimed to compare the hospitalization rates and metabolic disorders in patients undergoing PD 6 months before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and telemedicine implementation.

Materials and methods

This single-center retrospective analysis included all active prevalent patients undergoing PD from April 2020. Dialysis records were reviewed to obtain clinical, demographic, laboratory, appointment, and hospitalization data. We compared hospitalization rates (total, non-PD-related, and PD-related), hospitalization-associated factors, and metabolic disorders (hemoglobin, serum potassium, and serum phosphate) 6 months before and after the pandemic.

Results

Our sample comprised 103 participants. During the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods, there were 13 and 27 hospital admissions, respectively. The total hospitalization incident rate ratio (IRR) was 2.48 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-4.75). PD-related hospitalizations increased from 3 to 15 episodes (IRR = 7.25 [95% CI, 2.11-24.78]). In the pre-pandemic period, the educational level was lower in participants hospitalised due to PD-related issues than in participants not hospitalised. In the post-pandemic period, only sex distribution differed between patients not hospitalised and those hospitalised due to non-PD-related issues. Only serum potassium levels changed significantly in the post-pandemic period (4.79 ± 0.48 vs. 4.93 ± 0.54 mg/dL; P < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study showed a significant increase in hospitalization rates after the COVID-19 pandemic period and telemedicine implementation, mainly due to PD-related infectious causes. Strategies to improve distance monitoring assistance are needed for the PD population.

Wearables in Nephrology: Fanciful Gadgetry or Prêt-à-Porter?

Telemedicine and digitalised healthcare have recently seen exponential growth, led, in part, by increasing efforts to improve patient flexibility and autonomy, as well as drivers from financial austerity and concerns over climate change. Nephrology is no exception, and daily innovations are underway to provide digitalised alternatives to current models of healthcare provision. Wearable technology already exists commercially, and advances in nanotechnology and miniaturisation mean interest is also garnering clinically. Here, we outline the current existing wearable technology pertaining to the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with a spectrum of kidney disease, give an overview of wearable dialysis technology, and explore wearables that do not yet exist but would be of great interest. Finally, we discuss challenges and potential pitfalls with utilising wearable technology and the factors associated with successful implementation.

Evaluation of the Claria sharesource system from the perspectives of patient/caregiver, physician, and nurse in children undergoing automated peritoneal dialysis

BACKGROUND

Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) is increasingly preferred worldwide. By using a software application (Homechoice with Claria sharesource system (CSS)) with a mod-M added to the APD device, details of the home dialysis treatment become visible for PD nurses and physicians, allowing for close supervision. We aimed to evaluate the perceptions of patients/caregivers, PD nurses, and physicians about the advantages and disadvantages of CSS.

METHODS

Three different web-based questionnaires for patients/caregivers, nurses, and physicians were sent to 15 pediatric nephrology centers with more than 1 year of experience with CSS.

RESULTS

Respective questionnaires were answered by 30 patients/caregivers, 22 pediatric nephrologists, and 15 PD nurses. Most of the nurses and physicians (87% and 73%) reported that CSS improved patient monitoring. A total of 73% of nurses suggested that CCS is not well known by physicians, while half of them reported reviewing CSS data for all patients every morning. Sixty-eight percent of physicians thought that CSS helps save time for both patients/caregivers and healthcare providers by reducing visits. However, only 20% of patients/caregivers reported reduced hospital visits. A total of 90% of patients/caregivers reported that being under constant monitoring made them feel safe, and 83% stated that the patient's sleep quality improved.

CONCLUSIONS

A remote monitoring APD system, CSS, can be successfully applied with children for increased adherence to dialysis prescription by giving shared responsibility and may help increase the patient's quality of life. This platform is more commonly used by nurses than physicians. Its potential benefits should be evaluated in further well-designed clinical studies with larger patient groups. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Increase in peritoneal dialysis-related hospitalization rates after telemedicine implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

To minimize our peritoneal dialysis (PD) population exposure to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in April 2020 we developed and implemented a telemedicine program. In this investigation, we aimed to compare the hospitalization rates and metabolic disorders in patients undergoing PD 6 months before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and telemedicine implementation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This single-center retrospective analysis included all active prevalent patients undergoing PD from April 2020. Dialysis records were reviewed to obtain clinical, demographic, laboratory, appointment, and hospitalization data. We compared hospitalization rates (total, non-PD-related, and PD-related), hospitalization-associated factors, and metabolic disorders (hemoglobin, serum potassium, and serum phosphate) 6 months before and after the pandemic.

RESULTS

Our sample comprised 103 participants. During the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods, there were 13 and 27 hospital admissions, respectively. The total hospitalization incident rate ratio (IRR) was 2.48 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-4.75). PD-related hospitalizations increased from 3 to 15 episodes (IRR=7.25 [95% CI, 2.11-24.78]). In the pre-pandemic period, the educational level was lower in participants hospitalised due to PD-related issues than in participants not hospitalised. In the post-pandemic period, only sex distribution differed between patients not hospitalised and those hospitalised due to non-PD-related issues. Only serum potassium levels changed significantly in the post-pandemic period (4.79±0.48 vs. 4.93±0.54mg/dL; P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study showed a significant increase in hospitalization rates after the COVID-19 pandemic period and telemedicine implementation, mainly due to PD-related infectious causes. Strategies to improve distance monitoring assistance are needed for the PD population.

Clinical outcomes of automated versus continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for end-stage kidney disease: protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

An increasing number of studies comparing automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in clinical outcomes have been published since the publication of a systematic review and meta-analysis including three randomised controlled trials in 2007. We will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore more clinical outcomes of APD versus CAPD for end-stage kidney disease.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The protocol is conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines. Three databases-PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library-will be searched comprehensively from inception to 16 June 2022, without language restriction. Studies reporting clinical outcomes comparing APD with CAPD will be included. Two independent reviewers will screen the titles and abstracts and then obtain and assess full texts of potential relevant articles for eligibility following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of included observational studies will be assessed by using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The risk of bias of included randomised controlled studies will be assessed by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Relative risk for dichotomous outcomes and standard mean difference for continuous outcomes with corresponding 95% CIs will be pooled for summary effects. Cochrane Q test and I ² values will be used to assess heterogeneity between studies. To assess and explore the source of heterogeneity, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses will be conducted, and meta-regression, funnel plot and Egger's test will be performed if there are no less than 10 studies. Analyses will be performed using STATA software, V.13.0 (STATA Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval is not applicable as no personal information is collected from patients. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant academic conferences.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022311401.

Impact of telehealth interventions added to peritoneal dialysis-care: a systematic review

Background

Telehealth could potentially increase independency and autonomy of patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Moreover, it might improve clinical and economic outcomes. The demand for telehealth modalities accelerated significantly in the recent COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated current literature on the impact of telehealth interventions added to PD-care on quality of life (QoL), clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Methods

An electronic search was performed in Embase, PubMed and the Cochrane Library in order to find studies investigating associations between telehealth interventions and: i. QoL, including patient satisfaction; ii. Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG)-PD clinical outcomes: PD-related infections, mortality, cardiovascular disease and transfer to hemodialysis (HD); iii. Cost-effectiveness. Studies investigating hospitalizations and healthcare resource utilization were also included as secondary outcomes. Due to the heterogeneity of studies, a meta-analysis could not be performed.

Results

Sixteen reports (N = 10,373) were included. Studies varied in terms of: sample size; design; risk of bias, telehealth-intervention and duration; follow-up time; outcomes and assessment tools. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) was the most frequently studied intervention (11 reports; N = 4982). Telehealth interventions added to PD-care, and RPM in particular, might reduce transfer to HD, hospitalization rate and length, as well as the number of in-person visits. It may also improve patient satisfaction.

Conclusion

There is a need for adequately powered prospective studies to determine which telehealth-modalities might confer clinical and economic benefit to the PD-community.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12882-022-02869-6.

Peritoneal dialysis in the modern era

The practice and clinical outcomes of peritoneal dialysis (PD) have demonstrated significant improvement over the past 20 years. The aim of this review is to increase awareness and update healthcare professionals on current PD practice, especially with respect to patient and technique survival, patient modality selection, pathways onto PD, understanding patient experience of care and use prior to kidney transplantation. These improvements have been impacted, at least in part, by greater emphasis on shared decision-making in dialysis modality selection, the use of advanced laparoscopic techniques for PD catheter implantation, developments in PD connecting systems, glucose-sparing strategies, and modernising technology in managing automated PD patients remotely. Evidence-based clinical guidelines such as those prepared by national and international societies such as the International Society of PD have contributed to improved PD practice underpinned by a recognition of the place of continuous quality improvement processes.

Comparing the effect of peritoneal dialysis cycler type on patient-reported satisfaction, support needs and treatments

Background

Most patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the United States choose automated PD via cyclers. Cyclers have evolved considerably over time with older versions (e.g. HomeChoice Pro) replaced by more sophisticated and technologically advanced versions (e.g. Amia). Understanding the effect that different cyclers and their features have on patient treatments and support needs is important. 

Methods

Single center study with retrospective and prospective arms. Retrospective arm: Patients > 18 years old, on Amia or HomeChoice Pro (HC) for ≥ 3 months between 8/1/17 and 1/31/18. Number of office/telephone encounters, PD-related emergency room visits/hospitalizations, PD training days, and dialysis adequacy (Kt/V) were recorded.

Prospective arm: Patients > 18 years old, on Amia or HC for ≥ 3 months between 9/1/19 and 2/29/20 were surveyed on their comfort, troubleshooting, satisfaction and reported assistance needed with their cyclers.

Results

Retrospective arm: 43 patients on AMIA and 27 patients on HC. Number of PD training days, Kt/Vs achieved, PD-related telephone/office encounters, and PD-related emergency room visits/hospitalizations were all similar.

Prospective Arm: 32 patients on AMIA and 6 patients on HC. Higher rate of patient comfort with AMIA, but similar overall patient satisfaction with both cyclers. No difference in terms of patient-reported troubleshooting issues requiring assistance.

Conclusions

Despite the difference in features provided between the 2 cyclers, patient overall satisfaction rates were high irrespective of the PD cycler. The HomeChoice Pro and AMIA cycler patients had a similar number of PD training days, PD-related telephone/office encounters, and PD-related emergency room visits/hospitalizations.

Trial registration

This study was approved by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Institutional Review Board (IRB-17–02704). 

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12882-022-02854-z.

Effects of a remote patient monitoring system for patients on automated peritoneal dialysis: a randomized crossover controlled trial

Purpose

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has contributed to improved patient-centered outcomes and prognosis in patients with end-stage renal disease on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD). However, evidence from prospective trials is lacking.

Methods

The participants (n = 15; median age: 65 years; males: 10; peritoneal dialysis vintage: 6.4 ± 3.5 years) randomly received APD therapy using the Kaguya® APD system either with or without the connective use of the cloud-based RPM software Sharesource® for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was patient satisfaction assessed using a modified nine-item Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9) questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were healthcare resource consumption, the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) subscales assessed with the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form questionnaire, and clinical laboratory parameters.

Results

Significant improvements were observed in the TSQM-9 subscales of Effectiveness (64.4 ± 18.8 vs. 57.8 ± 18.8; P = 0.006) and Convenience (76.3 ± 15.4 vs. 63.3 ± 17.3; P < 0.001) in patients on Sharesource®. Moreover, Sharesource® reduced the total amount of healthcare resource consumption (0.80 ± 1.32 vs. 1.87 ± 2.39 times/12 weeks; P = 0.02) and consultation time during regular monthly visits (813 ± 269 vs. 1024 ± 292 s; P < 0.001). A significant increase in ultrafiltration volume was found associated with more frequent modification of APD prescription in patients with Sharesource®. Sharesource® also improved the HRQOL subscale of General Health and Vitality.

Conclusion

Sharesource® can improve patient-centered outcomes in patients on APD while reducing the treatment burden for both patients and medical staff.

Trial registration: The study was registered in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT Number: jRCTs032190005).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11255-022-03178-5.

Effect of Combining Conventional and Telehealth Methods on Managing Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Retrospective Single-Center Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore follow-up mode changes for peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and their effects on PD quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A retrospective single-center study was conducted. All patients who received PD treatment at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between January 2018 and March 2020 were enrolled in this study. Patient data during the first quarter of 2018 (Q1-2018), the first quarter of 2019 (Q1-2019), and the first quarter of 2020 (Q1-2020) were collected.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed for any serum examinations in different follow-up periods (P > 0.05). A significantly reduced outpatient follow-up rate was observed in Q1-2020 compared with Q1-2018 and Q1-2019 (71.6% Vs 78.9% Vs 84.7%, P < 0.001), accompanied by a significantly increased remote follow-up rate (28.4% Vs 21.1% Vs 15.3%, P < 0.001). Compared with Q1-2018 and Q1-2019, the hospitalization rate (27.7% Vs 30.9% Vs 15.7%, P < 0.001) and the incidence of peritonitis (0.162 Vs 0.186 Vs 0.08 per patient-year, P < 0.001) decreased significantly in Q1-2020. PD patients had a significant decline in the drop-out rate for Q1-2020 compared with Q1-2019 (4.4% Vs 7.3% Vs 2.2%, P < 0.001). No differences in the incidence of catheter-related infections were observed. No significant differences were observed for any peritoneal dialysis key performance indicators (KPIs) between outpatient follow-up and remote follow-up patients.

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 pandemic (Q1-2020), our center practiced more remote follow-up procedures in PD patients. The hospitalization rate and peritonitis incidence were significantly decreased compared with the same time in previous years. No statistical differences were observed in other KPIs for peritoneal dialysis. This study shows that telehealth methods are a reasonable alternative to in-person care in the care/management of PD patients.

The utility of remote patient management in peritoneal dialysis

Remote patient management (RPM) programs are one of the most crucial innovations in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) field that have been developed in the last decade. RPM programs are associated with favourable clinical outcomes by increasing the adherence of the patients to PD prescription. The literature supports that RPM is associated with increased blood pressure control and technique survival, and decreased hospitalization rate, length of hospital stay and health costs. RPM programs also facilitate patient follow-up during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, increase treatment adherence and lead to better clinical outcomes. However, published data remain scarce and mainly consist of observational or retrospective studies with relatively low numbers of patients. Therefore, randomized controlled trial results will be more informative to demonstrate the effect of RPM programs on clinical outcomes.

Pilot health technology assessment study: organizational and economic impact of remote monitoring system for home automated peritoneal dialysis

PURPOSE

Follow-up of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) has been improved by data transmission by cellular modem and internet cloud. With the new remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology, clinical control and prescription of dialysis are performed by software (Baxter Claria-Sharesource), which allows the center to access home operational data. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the impact of RPM compared to traditional technology, in clinical, organizational, social, and economic terms in a single center.

METHODS

We studied 21 prevalent APD patients aged 69 ± 13 years, on dialysis for a median of 9 months, for a period of 6 months with the traditional technology and 6 months with the new technology. A relevant portion of patients lived in mountainous or hilly areas.

RESULTS

Our study shows more proactive calls from the center to patients after the consultation of RPM software, reduction of calls from patients and caregivers, early detection of clinical problems, a significant reduction of unscheduled visits, and a not significant reduction of hospitalizations. The analysis also highlighted how the RPM system lead to relevant economic savings, which for the health system have been calculated € 335 (mean per patient-month). With the social costs represented by the waste of time of the patient and the caregiver, we calculated € 685 (mean per patient-month).

CONCLUSION

In our pilot report, the RPM system allowed the accurate assessment of daily APD sessions to suggest significative organizational and economic advantages, and both patients and healthcare providers reported good subjective experiences in terms of safety and quality of follow-up.

Opportunities in the cloud or pie in the sky? Current status and future perspectives of telemedicine in nephrology

The use of telehealth to support, enhance or substitute traditional methods of delivering healthcare is becoming increasingly common in many specialties, such as stroke care, radiology and oncology. There is reason to believe that this approach remains underutilized within nephrology, which is somewhat surprising given the fact that nephrologists have always driven technological change in developing dialysis technology. Despite the obvious benefits that telehealth may provide, robust evidence remains lacking and many of the studies are anecdotal, limited to small numbers or without conclusive proof of benefit. More worryingly, quite a few studies report unexpected obstacles, pitfalls or patient dissatisfaction. However, with increasing global threats such as climate change and infectious disease, a change in approach to delivery of healthcare is needed. The current pandemic with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has prompted the renal community to embrace telehealth to an unprecedented extent and at speed. In that sense the pandemic has already served as a disruptor, changed clinical practice and shown immense transformative potential. Here, we provide an update on current evidence and use of telehealth within various areas of nephrology globally, including the fields of dialysis, inpatient care, virtual consultation and patient empowerment. We also provide a brief primer on the use of artificial intelligence in this context and speculate about future implications. We also highlight legal aspects and pitfalls and discuss the 'digital divide' as a key concept that healthcare providers need to be mindful of when providing telemedicine-based approaches. Finally, we briefly discuss the immediate use of telenephrology at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to provide clinical nephrologists with an overview of what is currently available, as well as a glimpse into what may be expected in the future.

Technique failure in remote patient monitoring program in patients undergoing automated peritoneal dialysis: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs in automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) allow clinical teams to be aware of many aspects and events of the therapy that occur in the home. The present study evaluated the association between RPM use and APD technique failure.

METHODS

A retrospective, multicentre, observational cohort study of 558 prevalent adult APD patients included between 1 October 2016 and 30 June 2017 with follow-up until 30 June 2018 at Renal Therapy Services network in Colombia. Patients were divided into two cohorts based on the RPM use: APD-RPM (n = 148) and APD-without RPM (n = 410). Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of all patients were summarized descriptively. A propensity score was used to create a pseudo-population in which the baseline covariates were well balanced. The association of RPM with technique failure was estimated adjusting for the competing events death and kidney transplant.

RESULTS

Five hundred fifty-eight patients were analyzed. 26.5% had APD-RPM. In the matched sample comprising 148 APD-RPM and 148 APD-without RPM patients, we observed a lower technique failure rate of 0.08 [0.05-0.15] episodes per patient-year in APD-RPM versus 0.18 [0.12-0.26] in APD-without RPM cohort; incidence rate ratio = 0.45 95% confidence interval: [0.22-0.91], p-value = 0.03.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of an RPM program in APD patients may be associated with a lower technique failure rate. More extensive and interventional studies are needed to confirm its potential benefits and to measure other patient-centered outcomes.

The reliability and success of peritoneal dialysis during the COVID-19 pandemic

We evaluated the symptoms, changes in laboratory findings during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and the effect of depression in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD). This is an observational and cross-sectional study. All patients were asked to fill the clinical assessment form and Beck depression and anxiety inventory. Also, the last two laboratory evaluations during this period were examined. A total of 123 patients performing PD were included. None of the patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. In the total study population, parathyroid hormone (PTH), serum albumin, phosphorus and ferritin levels significantly elevated at the end of 97 ± 31 days. PTH and phosphorus levels remained stable in remote monitoring automated PD (RM-APD) group (p = 0.4 and p = 0.5), they tended to increase in continuous ambulatory PD group and significantly increased in automated PD group (p = 0.09 and p = 0.01 for PTH and p = 0.06 and p = 0.001 for phosphorus, respectively). Moderate to severe depression was associated with dyspnoea, weight gain more than 5 kg, fatigue, palpitation and increased anxiety. PD is a reliable and successful form of dialysis and can be safely administered even if hospital access is restricted. Also, RM-APD may be a better choice because of providing more stable bone-mineral metabolism. Moreover, evaluating depression and anxiety is essential for the accurate clinical assessment.

Peritoneal dialysis patient selection from a comorbidity perspective

Despite many medical and socioeconomic advantages, peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an underutilized dialysis modality that in most countries is used by only 5%-20% of dialysis patients, while the vast majority are treated with in-center hemodialysis. Several factors may explain this paradox, such as lack of experience and infrastructure for training and monitoring of PD patients, organizational issues, overcapacity of hemodialysis facilities, and lack of economic incentives for dialysis centers to use PD instead of HD. In addition, medical conditions that are perceived (rightly or wrongly) as contraindications to PD represent barriers for the use of PD because of their purported potential negative impact on clinical outcomes in patients starting PD. While there are few absolute contraindications to PD, high age, comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, polycystic kidney disease, heart failure, and previous history of abdominal surgery and renal allograft failure, may be seen (rightly or wrongly) as relative contraindications and thus barriers to initiation of PD. In this brief review, we discuss how the presence of these conditions may influence the strategy of selecting patients for PD, focusing on measures that can be taken to overcome potential problems.

Patients’ and caregivers’ expectations and experiences of remote monitoring for peritoneal dialysis: A qualitative interview study

Background:

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) can offer more flexibility and independence compared with hemodialysis, yet uptake of PD remains low. Barriers to PD include the fear of dialyzing without medical assistance and uncertainty about recognizing and managing complications. There is increasing use of remote monitoring in automated peritoneal dialysis (APD), but little is known about its acceptability by patients and caregivers. We aimed to describe patients’ and caregivers’ expectations and experiences of remote monitoring for APD.

Methods:

Qualitative study design, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews of patients who either receiving PD or were considered eligible for PD, and their caregivers. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results:

Of the 34 participants, 27 were patients and the remainder caregivers. Four themes (with subthemes) were identified reducing patient burden (seeking reassurance and shared responsibility, convenience and accuracy); strengthening partnerships in care (empowering knowledge and understanding, increased accountability to dialysis team); improving access to treatment (saving time and money, providing timely care and avoiding hospital); and preserving quality patient–provider interactions (enhancing face-to-face contact, clarifying expectations of access and use of data).

Conclusions:

Remote monitoring may increase patient knowledge about their kidney disease and its treatment, encourage accountability to the clinical team, enhance partnerships with clinicians, and improve access to treatment and timely care. It is also important to ensure that remote monitoring does not replace face-to-face clinical contact with clinicians.

Remote monitoring of oxygen saturation in individuals with COVID-19 pneumonia

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has spread rapidly worldwide, resulting in significant mortality and placing major strain on healthcare systems. Although the clinical course is variable, one in five patients will require hospitalisation for management, with older age and the presence of comorbidities increasing the risk of more severe disease [1–3]. The median time from first onset of symptoms to development of acute respiratory distress syndrome in those who progress to severe disease is estimated to be 8.0 days [4].

Remote monitoring of oxygen saturation in cases of COVID-19 pneumonia may facilitate discharge, relieving burden on bed demand and allowing safe follow-up for this disease in which the sequelae are unknownhttps://bit.ly/3cTXnZU

Remote monitoring in peritoneal dialysis: benefits on clinical outcomes and on quality of life

Background

Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) has been proved benefit from remote monitoring (RM), but evidences are limited. In this study, we compared clinical outcomes and quality of life (QoL) in two group of patients undergoing APD, with and without exposure of RM.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study, comparing outcomes in two groups of APD patients monitored during 6 months with RM (group A: n = 35) or standard care (group B: n = 38 patients). In our clinical practice, we assign the RM system to patients who live more distant from the PD center or difficulty in moving. We evaluated emergency visits, hospitalizations, peritonitis, overhydration, and dropout. QoL was assessed with the Kidney Disease Quality of life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF). We included four additional questions focused on patient’s perception of monitoring, safety and timely problems solution (Do you think that home-therapy monitoring could interfere with your privacy? Do you think that your dialysis sessions are monitored frequently enough? Do you think that dialysis-related issues are solved timely? Do you feel comfortable carrying out your home-based therapy?).

Results

The case group presented a higher comorbidity score, according to Charlson Comorbidity Index (group A: 5.0; IQR 4.0–8.0 versus group B: 4.0; IQR 3.0–6.0) (p = 0.042). The results in group A showed a reduction in the urgent visits due to acute overhydration (group A: 0.17 ± 0.45 versus group B: 0.66 ± 1.36) (p: 0.042) and in the number of disease-specific hospitalization (group A n = 2.0; 18.2% versus group B n = 7.0; 77.8%) (p = 0.022). We did not find any difference between the two groups in terms of hospitalization because of all-cause, peritonitis, overhydration, and dropout. The analysis of KDQOL-SF subscales was similar in the two groups; on the contrary, the answers of our pointed questions have showed a significant difference between the two groups (group A: 100 IQR 87.5–100.0 versus group B 87.5; IQR 75.0–100.0) (p: 0.018).

Conclusion

RM improved clinical outcomes in PD patients, reducing the emergency visits and the hospitalizations, related to nephrological problems, especially in patients with higher comorbidity score. The acceptance and satisfaction of care were better in patients monitored with RM than with standard APD.

Effect of remote patient management in peritoneal dialysis on haemodynamic and volume control

AIM

Reduced treatment compliance in patients with peritoneal dialysis facilitates the development of fluid overload and as a result increased blood pressure and vascular stiffness in the long term. We aimed to evaluate blood pressure change and anti-hypertensive needs of patients within 1 year after the changeover to remote monitoring automated peritoneal dialysis (RM-APD) and compare the effect of RM-APD and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on peripheral and central haemodynamic parameters, volume status of patients and anti-hypertensive drug needs.

METHODS

This was an observational and cross-sectional study. We enrolled 15 patients performing CAPD, 20 patients performing RM-APD, and 38 age, and gender-matched healthy control. We measured pulse wave velocity to assess arterial stiffness, peripheral and central haemodynamic parameters. We measured the volume status of participants via bioimpedance spectroscopy.

RESULTS

The mean excess hydration of patients who underwent CAPD were higher than those who performed RM-APD and healthy control (P = .02). We found that mean diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, central systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and central pulse pressure were significantly different between the RM-APD, CAPD and healthy control (P = .02, P = .05, P = .007, P = .05 and P = .005, respectively). Post hoc analysis of these results showed that the differences between the groups were caused by the healthy control group and the patients with underwent CAPD. Daily anti-hypertensive drug count in patients with performing RM-APD was reduced over time (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

The RM-APD provides better control of peripheral blood pressure and decrease of central haemodynamic parameters via controlling the excess body water.

Automated Remote Monitoring for Peritoneal Dialysis and Its Impact on Blood Pressure

Introduction: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) provides a safe, home-based continuous renal replacement therapy for patients. The adherence of the patients to the prescribed dialysis fluids cannot always be monitored by physicians. Remote monitoring automated peritoneal dialysis (RM-APD) can affect patients’ compliance with treatment and, thus, clinical outcomes. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with a remote access program. Methods: This was an observational study. We analyzed the effect of RM-APD on treatment adherence, dialysis adequacy, and change in blood pressure control, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life during the 6 months of follow-up. Results: A total of 15 patients were enrolled in this study. It was found that there was a significant decrease (99 ± 19 vs. 89 ± 11 mm Hg) in mean arterial blood pressure of patients, and a considerable increase in Kt/V was observed in the sixth month after the RM-APD switch (2.11 ± 0.4 vs. 2.25 ± 0.5). A significant increase was found when comparing the 3-month and 6-month ultrafiltration amounts before RM-APD and the ultrafiltration amount within 6 months after RM-APD (800 mL [500–1,000] and 752 mL [490–986] vs. 824 mL [537–1,183]). The daily antihypertensive pill need (4 [0–7] vs. 2 [0–6]) and alarms received from the device decreased (from 4 [3–8] to 2 [0–3]) at the sixth month of the switch. There was no significant change in sleep quality and health-related quality of life within 6 months. Conclusion: This study showed that treatment adherence and ultrafiltration amounts of patients increased with the use of RM-APD, as well as better blood pressure control with fewer antihypertensive drugs.

Rural-Urban Differences in In-Hospital Mortality Among Admissions for End-Stage Liver Disease in the United States

Access to quality hospital care is a persistent problem for rural patients. Little is known about disparities between rural and urban populations regarding in-hospital outcomes for end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients. We aimed to determine whether rural ESLD patients experienced higher in-hospital mortality than urban patients and whether disparities were attributable to the rurality of the patient or the center. This was a retrospective study of patient admissions in the National Inpatient Sample, a population-based sample of hospitals in the United States. Admissions were included if they were from adult patients who had an ESLD-related admission defined by codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, between January 2012 and December 2014. The primary exposures of interest were patient-level rurality and hospital-level rurality. The main outcome was in-hospital mortality. We stratified our analysis by disease severity score. After accounting for patient- and hospital-level covariates, ESLD admissions to rural hospitals in every category of disease severity had significantly higher odds of in-hospital mortality than patient admissions to urban hospitals. Those with moderate or major risk of dying had more than twice the odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] for moderate risk, 2.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-3.59; OR for major risk, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.97-3.14). There was no association between patient-level rurality and mortality in the adjusted models. In conclusion, ESLD patients admitted to rural hospitals had increased odds of in-hospital mortality compared with those admitted to urban hospitals, and the differences were not attributable to patient-level rurality. Our results suggest that interventions to improve outcomes in this population should focus on the level of the health system.