Health Expenditures After Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Bariatric surgery leads to substantial improvements in weight and weight-related conditions, but prior literature on post-surgical health expenditures is equivocal. In a retrospective cohort study, we compared expenditures between surgical and matched non-surgical patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA AND METHODS: In a retrospective study, total, outpatient, inpatient and medication expenditures 3 years before and 5.5 years after surgery were compared between 22,698 bariatric surgery (n=7,127 RYGB, 15,571 sleeve gastrectomy) patients from 2012-2019 and 66,769 matched non-surgical patients, using generalized estimating equations. We also compared expenditures between patients receiving the two leading surgical procedures in weighted analyses. RESULTS: Surgical and non-surgical cohorts were well matched, 80-81% female, with mean body mass index (BMI) of 44, and mean age of 47 (RYGB) and 44 (SG) years. Estimated total expenditures were similar between surgical and non-surgical groups 3 years before surgery ($27 difference, 95% confidence interval (CI): -42, 102)), increased 6 months prior to surgery for surgical patients, and decreased below pre-period levels for both groups after 3-5.5 years to become similar (difference at 5.5 y=-$61, 95% CI: -166, 52). Long-term outpatient expenditures were similar between groups. Surgical patients' lower long-term medication expenditures ($314 lower at 5.5 y, 95% CI: -419, -208) were offset by a higher risk of hospitalization. Total expenditures were similar between RYGB and SG patients 3.5 to 5.5 years after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery translated into lower medication expenditures than matched controls, but not lower overall long-term expenditures. Expenditure trends appear similar for the two leading bariatric operations.

Lead Extraction and Mortality Among Patients With Cardiac Implanted Electronic Device Infection.

Importance: Complete hardware removal is a class I recommendation for cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection, but practice patterns and outcomes remain unknown. Objective: To quantify the number of Medicare patients with CIED infections who underwent implantation from 2006 to 2019 and lead extraction from 2007 to 2019 to analyze the outcomes in these patients in a nationwide clinical practice cohort. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included fee-for-service Medicare Part D beneficiaries from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2019, who had a de novo CIED implantation and a CIED infection more than 1 year after implantation. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2019. Exposure: A CIED infection, defined as (1) endocarditis or infection of a device implant and (2) documented antibiotic therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes of interest were device infection, device extraction, and all-cause mortality. Time-varying multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association between extraction and survival. Results: Among 1 065 549 patients (median age, 78.0 years [IQR, 72.0-84.0 years]; 50.9% male), mean (SD) follow-up was 4.6 (2.9) years after implantation. There were 11 304 patients (1.1%) with CIED infection (median age, 75.0 years [IQR, 67.0-82.0 years]); 60.1% were male, and 7724 (68.3%) had diabetes. A total of 2102 patients with CIED infection (18.6%) underwent extraction within 30 days of diagnosis. Infection occurred a mean (SD) of 3.7 (2.4) years after implantation, and 1-year survival was 68.3%. There was evidence of highly selective treatment, as most patients did not have extraction within 30 days of diagnosed infection (9202 [81.4%]), while 1511 (13.4%) had extraction within 6 days of diagnosis and 591 (5.2%) had extraction between days 7 and 30. Any extraction was associated with lower mortality compared with no extraction (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74-0.90; P < .001). Extraction within 6 days was associated with even lower risk of mortality (AHR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.61-0.78; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, a minority of patients with CIED infection underwent extraction. Extraction was associated with a lower risk of death compared with no extraction. The findings suggest a need to improve adherence to guideline-directed care among patients with CIED infection.

Costs Associated With Progression of Mildly Reduced Kidney Function Among Medicare Advantage Enrollees.

Rationale & Objective: The prevalence of early chronic kidney disease (CKD) in older adults has increased in the past 2 decades, yet CKD disease progression, overall, is variable. It is unclear whether health care costs differ by progression trajectory. The purpose of this study was to estimate the trajectories of CKD progression and examine Medicare Advantage (MA) health care costs of each trajectory over a 3-year period in a large cohort of MA enrollees with mildly reduced kidney function. Study Design: Cohort study. Setting & Population: 421,187 MA enrollees with stage G2 CKD in 2014-2017. Outcomes: We identified 5 trajectories of kidney function over time. Model Perspective & Timeframe: Mean total health care costs for each of the trajectories were described in each of the following 3 years from a payer perspective: 1 year before and 2 years after the index date establishing stage G2 CKD (study entry). Results: The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at study entry was 75.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 and the median (interquartile range) follow-up period was 2.6 (1.6, 3.7) years. The cohort had a mean age of 72.6 years and had predominantly female participants (57.2%), and White (71.2%). We identified the following 5 distinct trajectories of kidney function: a stable eGFR (22.3%); slow eGFR decline with a mean eGFR at study entry of 78.6 (30.2%); slow eGFR decline with an eGFR at study entry of 70.9 (28.4%); steep eGFR decline (16.3%); and accelerated eGFR decline (2.8%). Mean costs of enrollees with accelerated eGFR decline were double the MA enrollees' mean costs in each of the other 4 trajectories in every year ($27,738 vs $13,498 for a stable eGFR 1 year after study entry). Limitations: Results may not generalized beyond MA and a lack of albumin values. Conclusions: The small fraction of MA enrollees with accelerated eGFR decline has disproportionately higher costs than other enrollees with mildly reduced kidney function.

Epidemiology of Community-Acquired Acute Kidney Injury Among US Veterans.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) develops outside of the hospital and is the most common form of AKI globally. National estimates of CA-AKI in the United States are absent due to limited availability of laboratory data. This study leverages national data from the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to estimate incidence and risk factors of CA-AKI. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using national VA administrative and laboratory data to assess cumulative CA-AKI incidence. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: VA primary care patients in 2013-2017 with recorded outpatient serum creatinine (Scr) and no history of chronic kidney disease≥stage 5. PREDICTOR: Sociodemographics, comorbidities, medication use, and health care utilization. OUTCOME: Annual incidence of CA-AKI defined as a≥1.5-fold relative increase in Scr on either a subsequent outpatient Scr or inpatient Scr obtained within ≤24 hours of admission. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: We calculated the relative change in Scr within 12 months of an outpatient Scr value. A Cox model was used to estimate the association between CA-AKI and baseline characteristics, accounting for repeated measurements. RESULTS: Of approximately 2.5 million eligible veterans each year, the cumulative incidence of CA-AKI was approximately 2% annually. Only 27% of CA-AKI was detected at hospital admission. In adjusted analyses, high health care utilization, chronic illness, cancer, rural location, female sex, and use of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors or diuretics were associated with increased CA-AKI risk (all, HR>1.20). LIMITATIONS: Limited generalizability of results outside a veteran population, lack of a standardized definition for CA-AKI, and possibility of surveillance bias and misclassification. CONCLUSIONS: CA-AKI affects 1 of every 50 US veterans annually. With less than a third of CA-AKI observed in the inpatient hospital setting, reliance on inpatient evaluation of AKI suggests significant underrecognition and missed opportunities to prevent and manage the long-term consequences of AKI.

Have racial disparities in home dialysis utilization changed over time?

OBJECTIVES: The Medicare end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) prospective payment system (PPS) for maintenance dialysis, implemented in 2011, resulted in modestly increased access to both home-based peritoneal dialysis (PD) and home hemodialysis (HHD) treatment modalities, but it is unclear whether regional disparities in home dialysis (PD and HHD) were affected. We compared regional home dialysis use by White and non-White individuals over time. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of dialysis facilities offering home dialysis in 2006-2016 and of 1,098,579 patients with prevalent ESKD in 2006-2016. METHODS: We compared hospital referral region (HRR) utilization rates of home dialysis between White and non-White patients over time using a generalized estimating equation model with a negative binomial distribution adjusting for regional characteristics. RESULTS: The mean number of facilities offering home dialysis operating in each HRR increased from 15.6 in 2006 to 22.1 in 2016. Observed mean HRR home dialysis rates increased overall, but White patients maintained greater home dialysis use than non-White patients: 19.7% in 2006 and 26.2% in 2016 among White patients vs 13.0% in 2006 and 17.8% in 2016 among non-White patients. In adjusted analysis, there was no evidence of changes in White/non-White disparities in home dialysis use over time (P = .84) or after the Medicare ESKD PPS in 2011 (incidence rate ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.92-1.02; P = .29). CONCLUSIONS: Even after modest increases in dialysis facility availability and patient utilization after the implementation of the Medicare ESKD PPS in 2011, significant racial disparities in home dialysis remain.

Rates of Medicare Enrollment Among Dialysis Patients After Implementation of Medicare Payment Reform and the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

Importance: Medicare finances health care for most US patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), regardless of age. The 2011 Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for dialysis reduced reimbursement for hemodialysis, and the 2014 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace increased patient access to new private insurance options, potentially influencing organizations that provide health care, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and dialysis facilities, to adjust their payer mix away from Medicare sources. Objective: To describe Medicare enrollment trends among patients with incident ESKD in 2006 to 2016. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study involved US patients aged 18 to 64 years who were not enrolled in Medicare at dialysis initiation in 2006 to 2016, with 1-year follow-up through 2017. Data analysis was conducted April 2021 to June 2022. Exposures: The exposure of interest was a 3-category indicator of time, whether patients initiated dialysis before policies were enacted (2006-2010), in the first years of the Medicare ESKD PPS (2011-2013), or during the Medicare ESKD PPS and implementation of the ACA Marketplace (2014-2016). Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient-level Medicare enrollment through the first year of dialysis. Logistic regression and Cox models were used to examine associations of time, patient characteristics, and Medicare enrollment, adjusting for patient demographic, clinical, and market-level characteristics. Results: Of 335 157 patients aged 18 to 64 years with ESKD not actively enrolled in Medicare when they initiated dialysis in 2006 to 2016, the mean (SD) age was 49.9 (10.8) years, 198 164 (59.1%) were men, 188 290 (56.2%) were White, and 313 622 (93.6%) received in-center hemodialysis. New Medicare enrollment was higher in 2006 to 2010 (110 582 patients [73.1%]) than after the Medicare ESKD PPS and ACA Marketplace in 2014 to 2016 (55 382 patients [58.5%]). In adjusted analyses, declining Medicare enrollment was associated with implementation of 2011 Medicare ESKD PPS and 2014 ACA policies and was disproportionately lower among younger, racially minoritized, and ethnically Hispanic patients. Conclusions and Relevance: There was declining Medicare enrollment among new dialysis patients associated with the 2011 Medicare ESKD PPS and 2014 ACA Marketplace that raise concerns about benefits and harms to patients and payers and continued disparities in kidney care. As the dialysis payer mix moves toward higher proportions of patients not covered by Medicare, it will be important to understand the implications for health care system and patient outcomes.

Disparities in Chronic Kidney Disease Progression by Medicare Advantage Enrollees.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Medicare beneficiaries has quadrupled in the past 2 decades, but little is known about risk factors affecting the progression of CKD. This study aims to understand the progression in Medicare Advantage enrollees and whether it differs by provider recognition of CKD, race and ethnicity, or geographic location. In a large cohort of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees, we examined whether CKD progression, up to 5 years after study entry, differed by demographic and clinical factors and identified additional risk factors of CKD progression. METHODS: In a cohort of 1,002,388 MA enrollees with CKD stages 1-4 based on 2013-2018 labs, progression was estimated using a mixed-effects model that adjusted for demographics, geographic location, comorbidity, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, clinical recognition via diagnosed CKD, and time-fixed effects. Race and ethnicity, geographic location, and clinical recognition of CKD were interacted with time in 3 separate regression models. RESULTS: Mean (median) follow-up was 3.1 (3.0) years. Black and Hispanic MA enrollees had greater kidney function at study entry than other beneficiaries, but their kidney function declined faster. MA enrollees with clinically recognized CKD had estimated glomerular filtration rate levels that were 18.6 units (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.5-18.7) lower than levels of unrecognized patients, but kidney function declined more slowly in enrollees with clinical recognition. There were no differences in CKD progression by geography. After removal of the race coefficient from the eGFR equation in a sensitivity analysis, kidney function was much lower in all years among Black MA enrollees, but patterns of progression remained the same. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that patients with clinically recognized CKD and racial and ethnic minorities merit closer surveillance and management to reduce their risk of faster progression.

Annual wellness visits and care management before and after dialysis initiation.

INTRODUCTION: Demands of dialysis regimens may pose challenges for primary care provider (PCP) engagement and timely preventive care. This is especially the case for patients initiating dialysis adjusting to new logistical challenges and management of symptoms and existing comorbid conditions. Since 2011, Medicare has provided coverage for annual wellness visits (AWV), which are primarily conducted by PCPs and may be useful for older adults undergoing dialysis. METHODS: We used the OptumLabs® Data Warehouse to identify a cohort of 1,794 Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees initiating dialysis in 2014-2017 and examined whether MA enrollees (1) were seen by a PCP during an outpatient visit and (2) received an AWV in the year following dialysis initiation. RESULTS: In the year after initiating dialysis, 93 % of MA enrollees had an outpatient PCP visit but only 24 % received an annual wellness visit. MA enrollees were less likely to see a PCP if they had Charlson comorbidity scores between 0 and 5 than those with scores 6-9 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.59, 95 % CI: 0.37-0.95), but more likely if seen by a nephrologist (OR = 1.60, 95 % CI: 1.01-2.52) or a PCP (OR = 15.65, 95 % CI: 9.26-26.46) prior to initiation. Following dialysis initiation, 24 % of MA enrollees had an AWV. Hispanic MA enrollees were less likely (OR = 0.57, 95 % CI: 0.39-0.84) to have an AWV than White MA enrollees, but enrollees were more likely if they initiated peritoneal dialysis (OR = 1.54, 95 % CI: 1.07-2.23) or had an AWV in the year before dialysis initiation (OR = 4.96, 95 % CI: 3.88-6.34). CONCLUSIONS: AWVs are provided at low rates to MA enrollees initiating dialysis, particularly Hispanic enrollees, and represent a missed opportunity for better care management for patients with ESKD. Increasing patient awareness and provider provision of AWV use among dialysis patients may be needed, to realize better preventive care for dialysis patients.

Opioid Prescribing in the 2016 Medicare Fee-for-Service Population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Opioid use and misuse are prevalent and remain a national crisis. This study identified beneficiary characteristics associated with filling opioid prescriptions, variation in opioid dosing, and opioid use with average daily doses (ADDs) equal to 120 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) or more in the 100% Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) population. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: In a cohort of FFS beneficiaries with 12 months of Medicare Part D coverage in 2016, we examined patient factors associated with filling an opioid prescription (n = 20,880,490) and variation in ADDs (n = 7,325,031) in a two-part model. Among those filling opioids, we also examined the probability of ADD equal to 120 MMEs or more via logistic regression. RESULTS: About 35% of FFS beneficiaries had one or more opioid prescription fills in 2016 and 1.5% had ADDs equal to 120 MMEs or more. Disability-eligible beneficiaries and beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions were more likely to fill opioids, to have higher ADDs or were more likely to have ADD equal to 120 MMEs or more. Beneficiaries with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more likely to fill opioids (odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.46-1.47), have higher ADDs (rate ratio = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.06-1.06) when filled and were more likely to have ADD equal to 120 MMEs or more (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.21-1.24). Finally, black and Hispanic beneficiaries were less likely to fill opioids, had lower overall doses and were less likely to have ADDs equal to 120 MMEs or more compared to white beneficiaries. CONCLUSION: Several beneficiary subgroups have underappreciated risk of adverse events associated with ADD equal to 120 MMEs or more that may benefit from opioid optimization interventions that balance pain management and adverse event risk, especially beneficiaries with COPD who are at risk for respiratory depression.

International Comparisons of Native Arteriovenous Fistula Patency and Time to Becoming Catheter-Free: Findings From the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Optimizing vascular access use is crucial for long-term hemodialysis patient care. Because vascular access use varies internationally, we examined international differences in arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency and time to becoming catheter-free for patients receiving a new AVF. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 2,191 AVFs newly created in 2,040 hemodialysis patients in 2009 to 2015 at 466 randomly selected facilities in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) from the United States, Japan, and EUR/ANZ (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand). PREDICTORS: Demographics, comorbid conditions, dialysis vintage, body mass index, AVF location, and country/region. OUTCOMES: Primary/cumulative AVF patency (from creation), primary/cumulative functional patency (from first use), catheter dependence duration, and mortality. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Outcomes estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: Across regions, mean patient age ranged from 61 to 66 years, with male preponderance ranging from 55% to 66%, median dialysis vintage of 0.3 to 3.2 years, with 84%, 54%, and 32% of AVFs created in the forearm in Japan, EUR/ANZ, and United States, respectively. Japan displayed superior primary and cumulative patencies due to higher successful AVF use, whereas cumulative functional patency was similar across regions. AVF patency associations with age and other patient characteristics were weak or varied considerably between regions. Catheter-dependence following AVF creation was much longer in EUR/ANZ and US patients, with nearly 70% remaining catheter dependent 8 months after AVF creation when AVFs were not successfully used. Not using an arteriovenous access within 6 months of AVF creation was related to 53% higher mortality in the subsequent 6 months. LIMITATIONS: Residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the need to reevaluate practices for optimizing long-term access planning and achievable AVF outcomes, especially AVF maturation. New AVFs that are not successfully used are associated with long-term catheter exposure and elevated mortality risk. These findings highlight the importance of selecting the best access type for each patient and developing effective clinical pathways for when AVFs fail to mature successfully.

Use and 1-year outcomes with conventional and drug-coated balloon angioplasty in patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease.

BACKGROUND: With the growing use of drug-coated balloons for the treatment of peripheral artery disease, information regarding the safety and effectiveness of drug-coated balloons in current practice is needed. We examined patient, physician, and procedural characteristics as well as cardiovascular and limb events in patients who underwent peripheral vascular intervention with drug-coated balloons. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort analysis utilizing Medicare data for 100% of fee-for-service beneficiaries from 2015 to 2016 who had a claim for femoropopliteal intervention. The use of drug-coated balloons was identified via specific transitional pass-through codes. All-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalization, repeat femoropopliteal intervention, and major lower extremity amputation at 1 year were the clinical outcomes of interest. RESULTS: In total, 83,225 patients underwent femoropopliteal intervention, and drug-coated balloons were utilized in 29% of all procedures. Patients treated with drug-coated balloons had a lower cumulative incidence of all-cause hospitalization, all-cause mortality, and major lower extremity amputation, but were more likely to undergo repeat femoropopliteal intervention when compared with patients treated with conventional balloon angioplasty. After adjustment for measured confounders, patients treated with drug-coated balloons had lower rates of hospitalization (HR 0.91 (0.88, 0.93), P < .001), all-cause mortality (HR 0.89 [0.84, 0.94], P < .001), and major amputation (HR 0.93 [0.88, 0.99], P = .017). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent femoropopliteal intervention with drug-coated balloons had lower observed rates of all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalization, and major amputation at 1 year. Interestingly, there was not a reduction in rates of repeat revascularization, and further work is required to understand this finding. Nevertheless, the use of drug-coated balloons appears to be safe in this large study of contemporary patients in the United States.

International Differences in the Location and Use of Arteriovenous Accesses Created for Hemodialysis: Results From the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).

BACKGROUND: Vascular access practice is strongly associated with clinical outcomes. There is substantial international variation in the use of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) and grafts (AVGs), as well as AVF maturation time and location. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Hemodialysis patients participating in the prospective Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) from the United States, Japan, and Europe/ANZ (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand), including 3,850 patients receiving 4,247 new AVFs and 842 patients receiving 1,129 new AVGs in 2009 to 2015. AVF location trends were based on 38,868 AVFs recorded in DOPPS 1 to 5 cross-sections (1996-2015). PREDICTORS: Demographics, comorbid conditions, dialysis vintage, body mass index, facility percentage AVF use, median blood flow rate, and AVF location. OUTCOMES: AVF location; successful AVF/AVG use (≥30 days of continuous use); time-to-first successful AVF/AVG use (maturation). RESULTS: During DOPPS 1 to 5, the percentage of AVFs created in the lower arm was consistently ≥93% in Japan and 65% to 77% in Europe/ANZ, but in the United States, this value declined from 70% (DOPPS 1) to 32% (DOPPS 5). Patient characteristics associated with AVF location differed by region. Successful AVF use was 87% in Japan, 67% in Europe/ANZ, and 64% in the United States, whereas successful AVG use was 86%, 75%, and 78%, respectively. Successful AVF use was greater for upper- versus lower-arm AVFs in the United States, with little difference in Europe/ANZ and the opposite pattern in Japan. Median time until first successful AVF use was 10 days in Japan, 46 days in Europe/ANZ, and 82 days in United States; until first successful AVG use: 6, 24, and 29 days, respectively. LIMITATIONS: Potential measurement error related to chart data abstraction in multiple hemodialysis facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Large international differences exist in AVF location, predictors of AVF location, successful use of AVFs, and time to first AVF/AVG use, challenging what constitutes best practice. The large US shift from lower- to upper-arm AVFs raises serious concerns about long-term health implications for some patients and how policies and practices aimed at increasing AVF use have affected AVF placement location.

Trends in US Vascular Access Use, Patient Preferences, and Related Practices: An Update From the US DOPPS Practice Monitor With International Comparisons.

BACKGROUND: Since the bundled end-stage renal disease prospective payment system began in 2011 in the United States, some hemodialysis practices have changed substantially, raising the question of whether vascular access practice also has changed. We describe monthly US vascular access use from August 2010 to August 2013 with international comparisons, and other aspects of US vascular access practice. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study of vascular access. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Maintenance hemodialysis patients in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) Practice Monitor (DPM) in the United States (N=3,442; US patients) and 19 other nations (N=8,478). PREDICTORS: Country, patient demographics, time period. OUTCOMES: Vascular access use, pre-end-stage renal disease access timing of first nephrologist care and arteriovenous access placement, patient self-reported vascular access preferences (United States only), treatment practices as stated by medical directors. RESULTS: In the United States from August 2010 to August 2013, arteriovenous fistula (AVF) use increased from 63% to 68%, while catheter use declined from 19% to 15%. Although AVF use did not differ greatly across age groups, arteriovenous graft use was 2-fold higher among black (26%) versus nonblack US patients (13%) in 2013. Across 20 countries in 2013, AVF use ranged from 49% to 92%, whereas catheter use ranged from 1% to 45%. Patient-reported vascular access preferences differed by sex and race, with 16% to 20% of patients feeling uninformed regarding benefits/risks of different vascular access types. Among new (incident) US hemodialysis patients, AVF use remains low, with ∼70% initiating hemodialysis therapy with a catheter (60% starting with catheter when having ≥4 months of predialysis nephrology care). In the United States, longer typical times to first AVF cannulation were reported. LIMITATIONS: Noncompletion of surveys may affect the generalizability of findings to the wider hemodialysis population. CONCLUSIONS: AVF use has increased, with catheter use decreasing among prevalent US hemodialysis patients since the introduction of the prospective payment system. However, AVF use at dialysis therapy initiation remains low, suggesting that reforms affecting predialysis care may be necessary to incentivize improvements in fistula rates at dialysis therapy initiation as achieved for prevalent hemodialysis patients.

Recovery time, quality of life, and mortality in hemodialysis patients: the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).

BACKGROUND: There is limited information about the clinical and prognostic significance of patient-reported recovery time. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 6,040 patients in the DOPPS (Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study). PREDICTOR: Answer to question "How long does it take you to recover from a dialysis session?" categorized as follows: fewer than 2, 2-6, 7-12, or longer than 12 hours. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS: Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between recovery time and patient characteristics, hemodialysis treatment variables, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and hospitalization and mortality. RESULTS: 32% reported recovery time shorter than 2 hours; 41%, 2-6 hours; 17%, 7-12 hours; and 10%, longer than 12 hours. Using proportional odds (ordinal) logistic regression, shorter recovery time was associated with male sex, full-time employment, and higher serum albumin level. Longer recovery time was associated with older age, dialysis vintage, body mass index, diabetes, and psychiatric disorder. Greater intradialytic weight loss, longer dialysis session length, and lower dialysate sodium concentration were associated with longer recovery time. In facilities that used uniform dialysate sodium concentrations for ≥90% of patients, the adjusted OR of longer recovery time, comparing dialysate sodium concentration<140 vs 140 mEq/L, was 1.72 (95% CI, 1.37-2.16). Recovery time was correlated positively with symptoms of kidney failure and kidney disease burden score and inversely with HRQoL mental and physical component summary scores. Using Cox regression, adjusting for potential confounders not influenced by recovery time, it was associated positively with first hospitalization and mortality (adjusted HRs for recovery time>12 vs 2-6 hours 1.22 [95% CI, 1.09-1.37] and 1.47 [95% CI, 1.19-1.83], respectively). LIMITATIONS: Answers are subjective and not supported by physiologic measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Recovery time can be used to identify patients with poorer HRQoL and higher risks of hospitalization and mortality. Interventions to reduce recovery time and possibly improve clinical outcomes, such as increasing dialysate sodium concentration, need to be tested in randomized trials.