The Symptom Monitoring with Feedback Trial (SWIFT): protocol for a registry-based cluster randomised controlled trial in haemodialysis

Development, Rasch analysis and validation of the kidney symptom burden questionnaire (KSB-Q)

Background

Increasingly, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used to monitor chronic kidney disease (CKD) symptoms in routine clinical practice. However, such symptom measurement currently requires completion of multiple, often lengthy, PROMs, which may lead to questionnaire fatigue, lower levels of completion, and missing data. Moreover, many CKD-specific PROMs lack evidence of important measurement properties and few were developed using contemporary psychometric methods. The study objective was to develop and validate a short-form kidney symptom burden questionnaire (KSB-Q).

Methods

A cross-sectional item pool survey was distributed to adults (≥18 years) with CKD stages 3-5 [including individuals not receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT), those receiving dialysis and those with a functioning kidney transplant] in England (Birmingham, London, Sheffield, and Nottingham) from March to September 2022. Rasch measurement was used to assess the psychometric properties of the item pool. Cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted to evaluate content validity.

Results

In total, 419/1464 participants responded (29% response rate), with 28% receiving dialysis and 30% in receipt of a kidney transplant. Rasch analysis indicated that nine items, one for each of nine symptom domains (fatigue, pain, memory/concentration, poor sleep, skin problems, gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, restless legs, and shortness of breath), formed a PROM with strong psychometric properties (including statistically acceptable reliability, test-retest reliability, and validity). Cognitive debriefing and survey responses confirmed content validity encompassing relevance, comprehensiveness, and clarity.

Conclusions

The KSB-Q is a nine-item PROM measuring somatic symptoms. The KSB-Q demonstrates strong psychometric properties in patients with CKD stages 3-5, including those not receiving KRT, individuals receiving dialysis, and those with a functioning kidney transplant.

Psychosocial Determinants for Self-Reported Health Status in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Cohort Analysis of the CONVINCE Randomized Trial

Key Points

Health-related quality of life in dialysis depends on many nonclinical factors. Psychosocial determinants contribute to explaining variance in health-related quality-of-life domains better than demographic and medical variables alone. In comparison with past small-scale studies, self-efficacy showed significant associations with all aspects of health-related quality of life.

Background

We investigated whether psychosocial determinants self-efficacy and social support are associated with health-related quality of life in patients on hemodialysis enrolled in the CONVINCE trial.

Methods

We used baseline data from the cohort of patients involved in the CONVINCE randomized trial of hemodiafiltration versus hemodialysis. Measures included age, sex, relationship status, children, housing, education, employment, comorbidities, dialysis schedules, time of first dialysis, residual kidney function, general self-efficacy and social support scores, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System measurements for health-related quality of life. Associations were analyzed using hierarchical regression.

Results

One thousand three hundred sixty patients from the CONVINCE trial were the cohort of interest. The mean age was 62±13.5 years (range, 20–92), and 66.9% were male. Self-efficacy was a significant predictor for all health-related quality-of-life domains: depression (β =−0.36, P < 0.001), anxiety (β =−0.35, P < 0.001), social participation (β =0.32, P < 0.001), cognition (β =0.29, P < 0.001), fatigue (β =−0.29, P < 0.001), physical function (β =0.27, P < 0.001), sleep disturbance (β =−0.23, P < 0.001), pain interference (β =0.21, P < 0.001), pain intensity (β =−0.17, P < 0.001), interdialytic symptoms (β =−0.14, P = 0.002), and intradialytic symptoms (β =−0.14, P = 0.002). Social support was a significant predictor for cognition (β =0.21, P < 0.001), sleep disturbance (β =−0.11, P = 0.017), and intradialytic symptoms (β =−0.11, P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Higher general self-efficacy scale scores are associated with improvements in cognition, depression, anxiety, social participation, fatigue, physical function, sleep disturbance, pain interference, interdialytic symptoms, pain intensity, and intradialytic symptoms. Associations for self-efficacy are larger than those for social support and stronger than previously reported. It is plausible that targeted psychosocial interventions may improve health outcomes in people on hemodialysis.

Podcast

This article contains a podcast at https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/K360/2025_01_30_KID0000000599.mp3

The utilization of renal dialysis: a comprehensive study in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Understanding the trend of utilization of renal dialysis in Saudi Arabia (SA) is fundamental as it provides a general overview of renal care. The practice of renal dialysis assists in identifying challenges, opportunities, and potential areas for improvement in the provision of the services.

OBJECTIVES

This research investigated the utilization of renal dialysis services in SA by exploring the number of renal dialysis centers, hemodialysis machines (HD), and peritoneodialysis patients.

METHODS

The dataset for this study was derived from a collaboration between the General Authority of Statistics (GaStat) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), focusing on indicators for renal dialysis centers and patients across health sectors in 2021. Analysis was conducted using MS Excel 365 and IBM SPSS Version 29, incorporating multiple regression techniques. The health sector was treated as the dependent variable. At the same time, the number of hemodialysis (HD) machines and the counts of HD and peritoneal dialysis patients were considered independent variables.

RESULTS

Around 275 renal dialysis centers, over 8000 HD machines, 20,440 HD patients, and 1,861 peritoneal patients were tallied from two resources. The findings revealed a negative relationship between the health sector and several renal dialysis centers and peritoneodialysis patients, as demonstrated by p < 0.05 in multiple regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

The number of renal dialysis centers influences the availability of HD machines, affecting the number of HD and peritoneodialysis patients. Most national patients preferred MoH over other semi-governmental and private sectors, and vice versa for non-Saudis.

Electronic Collection of Patient-Reported Outcomes to Improve Kidney Care: Benefits, Drawbacks, and Next Steps

Kidney services worldwide are increasingly using digital health technologies to deliver care. This includes kidney electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) systems: ambulatory digital technologies that enable the capture of PRO data electronically from people with kidney disease remotely and in real time to be shared with their kidney care team. Current kidney ePRO systems commonly aim to support the monitoring and management of symptoms in patients with kidney disease. The majority have thus far only been implemented in research settings and are not yet routinely used in clinical practice, leaving their readiness for real-world implementation largely unknown. Compared with paper-based PRO collection, ePRO systems have certain advantages, which we categorize as efficiency benefits (e.g., lower administrative burden), direct patient care benefits (e.g., automated PRO-based patient education), and health system and research benefits (e.g., collecting ePRO data once for multiple purposes). At the same time, kidney ePRO systems come with drawbacks, such as their potential to exacerbate existing inequities in care and outcomes and to negatively affect staff burden and patients' experience of kidney care. Areas that hold promise for expediting the development and uptake of kidney ePRO systems at the local, organizational, and national level include harnessing national kidney registries as enabling infrastructures; using novel data-driven technologies (e.g., computerized adaptive test systems, configurable dashboards); applying implementation science and action research approaches to enhance translation of ePRO research findings into clinical practice; and engaging stakeholders, including patients and carers, health care professionals, policymakers, payers, ePRO experts, technology providers, and organizations that monitor and improve the quality of kidney services.

Estimating a Minimal Important Difference for the EQ-5D-5L Utility Index in Dialysis Patients

OBJECTIVES

The EQ-5D-5L is a commonly used health-related quality of life instrument for evaluating interventions in patients receiving dialysis; however, the minimal important difference (MID) that constitutes a meaningful treatment effect for this population has not been established. This study aims to estimate the MID for the EQ-5D-5L utility index in dialysis patients.

METHODS

6-monthly EQ-5D-5L measurements were collected from adult dialysis patients between April 2017 and November 2020 at a renal network in Sydney, Australia. EQ-VAS and Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale Renal symptom burden scores were collected simultaneously and used as anchors. MID estimates for the EQ-5D-5L utility index were derived using anchor-based and distribution-based methods.

RESULTS

A total of 352 patients with ≥1 EQ-5D-5L observation were included, constituting 1127 observations. Mean EQ-5D-5L utility index at baseline was 0.719 (SD ± 0.267), and mean EQ-5D-5L utility decreased over time by -0.017 per year (95% CI -0.029 to -0.006, P = .004). Using cross-sectional anchor-based methods, MID estimates ranged from 0.073 to 0.107. Using longitudinal anchor-based methods, MID for improvement and deterioration ranged from 0.046 to 0.079 and -0.111 to -0.048, respectively. Using receiver operating characteristic curves, MID for improvement and deterioration ranged from 0.037 to 0.122 and -0.074 to -0.063, respectively. MID estimates from distribution-based methods were consistent with anchor-based estimates.

CONCLUSIONS

Anchor-based and distribution-based approaches provided EQ-5D-5L utility index MID estimates ranging from 0.034 to 0.134. These estimates can inform the target difference or "effect size" for clinical trial design among dialysis populations.

Capacity for the management of kidney failure in the International Society of Nephrology Oceania and South East Asia (OSEA) region: report from the 2023 ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA)

The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) region of Oceania and South East Asia (OSEA) is a mix of high- and low-income countries, with diversity in population demographics and densities. Three iterations of the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas (GKHA) have been conducted, aiming to deliver in-depth assessments of global kidney care across the spectrum from early detection of CKD to treatment of kidney failure. This paper reports the findings of the latest ISN-GKHA in relation to kidney-care capacity in the OSEA region. Among the 30 countries and territories in OSEA, 19 (63%) participated in the ISN-GKHA, representing over 97% of the region's population. The overall prevalence of treated kidney failure in the OSEA region was 1203 per million population (pmp), 45% higher than the global median of 823 pmp. In contrast, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in the OSEA region was less available than the global median (chronic hemodialysis, 89% OSEA region vs. 98% globally; peritoneal dialysis, 72% vs. 79%; kidney transplantation, 61% vs. 70%). Only 56% of countries could provide access to dialysis to at least half of people with incident kidney failure, lower than the global median of 74% of countries with available dialysis services. Inequalities in access to KRT were present across the OSEA region, with widespread availability and low out-of-pocket costs in high-income countries and limited availability, often coupled with large out-of-pocket costs, in middle- and low-income countries. Workforce limitations were observed across the OSEA region, especially in lower-middle-income countries. Extensive collaborative work within the OSEA region and globally will help close the noted gaps in kidney-care provision.

Advances in Human-Centered Care to Address Contemporary Unmet Needs in Chronic Dialysis

Advances in the treatment of kidney failure with chronic dialysis have stagnated over the past three decades, with over 50% of patients still managed by conventional in-hospital haemodialysis. In parallel, the demands of chronic dialysis medical care have changed and evolved due to a growing population that has higher frailty and multimorbidity. Thus, the gap between the needs of kidney failure patients and the healthcare capability to provide effective overall management has widened. To address this problem, healthcare policy has increasingly aligned towards a human-centred approach. The paradigm shift of human-centred approach places patients at the forefront of decision-making processes, ensuring that specific needs are understood and prioritised. Integration of human-centred approaches with patient care has been shown to improve satisfaction and quality of life. The aim of this narrative is to evaluate the current clinical challenges for managing kidney failure for dialysis providers; summarise current experiences and unmet needs of chronic dialysis patients; and finally emphasise how human-centred care has advanced chronic dialysis care. Specific incremental advances include implementation of renal supportive care; home-assisted dialysis; hybrid dialysis; refinements to dialysis methods; whereas emerging advances include portable and wearable dialysis devices and the potential for the integration of artificial intelligence in clinical practice.

Delivering Person-Centered Peritoneal Dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) enables people to have a home-based therapy, permitting greater autonomy for individuals along with enhanced treatment satisfaction compared with in-center dialysis care. The burden of treatment on PD, however, remains considerable and underpins the need for person-centered care. This reflects the need to address the patient as a person with needs and preferences beyond just the medical perspective. Shared decision making is central to the recent International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis recommendations for prescribing PD, balancing the potential benefits of PD on patient well-being with the burden associated with treatment. This review considers the role of high-quality goal-directed prescribing, incremental dialysis, and remote patient monitoring in reducing the burden of dialysis, including an approach to implementing incremental PD. Although patient-related outcomes are important in assessing the response to treatment and, particularly life participation, the corollary of dialysis burden, there are no clear routes to the clinical implementation of patient-related outcome measures. Delivering person-centered care is dependent on treating people both as individuals and as equal partners in their care.

Health-related quality of life and symptom burden in patients on haemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Patients on haemodialysis (HD) generally experience poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and a broad range of physical and mental symptoms, but it is unknown whether this differs between younger and older patients. We aimed to describe the trajectories of HRQoL and symptom burden of patients <70 and ≥70 years old and to assess the impact of symptom burden on HRQoL.

METHODS

In incident Dutch HD patients, HRQoL and symptoms were measured with the 12-item Short Form Health Survey and Dialysis Symptom Index. We used linear mixed models for examining the trajectories of HRQoL and symptom burden during the first year of dialysis and linear regression for the impact of symptom burden on HRQoL.

RESULTS

In 774 patients, the trajectories of physical HRQoL, mental HRQoL and symptom burden were stable during the first year of dialysis. Compared with patients <70 years of age, patients ≥70 years reported similar physical HRQoL {mean difference -0.61 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.86-0.63]}, better mental HRQoL [1.77 (95% CI 0.54-3.01)] and lower symptom burden [-2.38 (95% CI -5.08-0.32)]. With increasing symptom burden, physical HRQoL declined more in older than in younger patients (β = -0.287 versus -0.189, respectively; P-value for interaction = .007). For mental HRQoL, this decrease was similar in both age groups (β = -0.295 versus -0.288, P = .847).

CONCLUSION

Older HD patients generally experience a better mental HRQoL and a (non-statistically significant) lower symptom burden compared with younger patients. Their physical HRQoL declines more rapidly with increasing symptom burden.

Patient-Centered Research and Outcomes in Cancer and Kidney Transplantation

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

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus: what is known and its application in children

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) or uremic pruritus (UP) is a frequent symptom in patients with kidney failure receiving kidney replacement therapy. Severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus correlates with poor outcome in patients on dialysis. It is multifactorial in etiology and has a significant impact on quality of life. There is, however, limited data for children. This review summarizes current epidemiology, clinical characteristics, pruritus scoring systems, and available therapeutic options for pruritus in patients with chronic kidney disease and those receiving dialysis. Optimal care requires proper awareness of the severity of symptoms, the impact on quality of life, and the possible long-term outcomes. Optimizing dialysis prescription and correcting electrolyte abnormalities are important treatment targets. A wide range of therapeutic options is also available although none are well-studied in children. An earlier recognition of this debilitating symptom in children and treatment is imperative. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Feasibility of Symptom monitoring WIth Feedback Trial (SWIFT) for adults on hemodialysis: a registry-based cluster randomized pilot trial

BACKGROUND

Patients with kidney failure on hemodialysis (HD) experience considerable symptom burden and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There is limited use of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in facility HD units to direct immediate care, with response rates in other studies between 36 to 70%. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate feasibility of electronic PROMs (e-PROMs) in HD participants, with feedback 3-monthly to the participants' treating team, for severe or worsening symptoms as identified by the Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale (IPOS-Renal), with linkage to the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) registry, compared with usual care.

METHODS

This is a registry-based cluster-randomized controlled pilot trial involving all adults receiving HD in 4 satellite units in Australia over a 6-month period. HD units were cluster randomized 1:1 to the control (HRQoL data collection only) or intervention arm (symptom monitoring with feedback to treating team every 3 months). Feasibility was assessed by participant response rate (percentage of eligible HD participants, including new incident participants, who completed the questionnaire at each time point); retention rate (percentage of participants who completed the baseline questionnaire and all subsequent measures); and completion time. HRQoL and symptom burden scores are described.

RESULTS

There were 226 unique participants who completed the e-PROMs (mean age 62 years, 69% males, 78% White-European, median dialysis vintage 1.62 years). At 6 months, response rate and retention rate for the intervention arm were 54% and 68%, respectively, and 89% and 97% in the control arm. Median time to complete IPOS-Renal was 6.6 min (5.3, 10.1) at 3 months, and when combined with the outcome measure (EQ-5D-5L), the median time was 9.4 min (6.9, 13.6) at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Electronic symptom monitoring among HD participants with feedback to clinicians is feasible. Variations in response and retention rates could be potentially explained by the lengthier questionnaire, and higher frequency of data collection time points for participants in the intervention arm. A definitive national RCT is underway.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ACTRN12618001976279 (07/12/2018).

Managing the symptom burden associated with maintenance dialysis: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference

Individuals with kidney failure undergoing maintenance dialysis frequently report a high symptom burden that can interfere with functioning and diminish life satisfaction. Until recently, the focus of nephrology care for dialysis patients has been related primarily to numerical targets for laboratory measures, and outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and mortality. Routine symptom assessment is not universal or standardized in dialysis care. Even when symptoms are identified, treatment options are limited and are initiated infrequently, in part because of a paucity of evidence in the dialysis population and the complexities of medication interactions in kidney failure. In May of 2022, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) held a Controversies Conference-Symptom-Based Complications in Dialysis-to identify the optimal means for diagnosing and managing symptom-based complications in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis. Participants included patients, physicians, behavioral therapists, nurses, pharmacists, and clinical researchers. They outlined foundational principles and consensus points related to identifying and addressing symptoms experienced by patients undergoing dialysis and described gaps in the knowledge base and priorities for research. Healthcare delivery and education systems have a responsibility to provide individualized symptom assessment and management. Nephrology teams should take the lead in symptom management, although this does not necessarily mean taking ownership of all aspects of care. Even when options for clinical response are limited, clinicians should focus on acknowledging, prioritizing, and managing symptoms that are most important to individual patients. A recognized factor in the initiation and implementation of improvements in symptom assessment and management is that they will be based on locally existing needs and resources.

Global use of electronic patient-reported outcome systems in nephrology: a mixed methods study

OBJECTIVES

The use of electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) systems to support the management of patients with chronic kidney disease is increasing. This mixed-methods study aimed to comprehensively identify existing and developing ePRO systems, used in nephrology settings globally, ascertaining key characteristics and factors for successful implementation.

STUDY DESIGN

ePRO systems and developers were identified through a scoping review of the literature and contact with field experts. Developers were invited to participate in a structured survey, to summarise key system characteristics including: (1) system objectives, (2) population, (3) PRO measures used, (4) level of automation, (5) reporting, (6) integration into workflow and (7) links to electronic health records/national registries. Subsequent semistructured interviews were conducted to explore responses.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Eligible systems included those being developed or used in nephrology settings to assess ePROs and summarise results to care providers. System developers included those with a key responsibility for aspects of the design, development or implementation of an eligible system.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Structured survey data were summarised using descriptive statistics. Interview transcripts were analysed using Codebook Thematic Analysis using domains from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

RESULTS

Fifteen unique ePRO systems were identified across seven countries; 10 system developers completed the structured survey and 7 participated in semistructured interviews. Despite system heterogeneity, reported features required for effective implementation included early and sustained patient involvement, clinician champions and expanding existing electronic platforms to integrate ePROs. Systems demonstrated several common features, with the majority being implemented within research settings, thereby affecting system implementation readiness for real-world application.

CONCLUSIONS

There has been considerable research investment in ePRO systems. The findings of this study outline key system features and factors to support the successful implementation of ePROs in routine kidney care.Cite Now.

What does the French REIN registry tell us about Stage 4-5 CKD care in older adults?

The aim of this paper is to illustrate all the clinical epidemiology searches made within the French network REIN to improve CKD stage 4-5 care in older adults. We summarize various studies describing clinical practice, care organization, prognosis and health economics evaluation in order to develop personalized care plans and decision-making tools. In France, for 20 years now, various databases have been mobilized including the national REIN registry which includes all patients receiving dialysis or transplantation. REIN data are indirectly linked to the French administrative healthcare database. They are also pooled with data from the PSPA cohort, a multicenter prospective cohort study of patients aged 75 or over with advanced CKD, monitored for 5 years, and the CKD-REIN clinical-based prospective cohort which included 3033 patients with CKD stage 3-4 from 2013 to 2016. During our various research work, we identified heterogeneous trajectories specific to this growing older population, raising ethical, organizational and economic issues. Renal registries will help clinicians, health providers and policy-makers if suitable decision- making tools are developed and validated.