Beyond quality of life: a cross sectional study on the mental health of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Patients with terminal chronic kidney disease (CKDT) requiring renal replacement therapies (RRT) undergo important changes in living habits and frequently need caregiving. These patients and their caregivers are risk groups for the development of physical and psychological symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, social support, and quality of life in patients with CKD and their caregivers. METHOD: This cross sectional study was conducted with 21 patients and their caregivers, from January to September 2015. We included patients aged over 18 years, with at least 6 months on dialysis treatment, and caregivers who were family members. The participants' social, demographic, clinical, laboratory, and psychological variables were evaluated. A descriptive analysis and an examination of the association between patients and caregivers were performed. RESULTS: Among patients, we observed that 38.1% had symptoms that indicated anxiety and depression. The average score for practical social support was 3.15 ± 0.769 and that for emotional social support was 3.16 ± 0.79. As for fatigue, 14.3% of patients reported being 'extremely tired' and 14.3% reported that they engaged in all the activities they usually performed before the illness. Further, 57.1% presented stress, and of these, 66.7% were at the resistance stage, with predominance of psychological symptoms in 60.0%. The quality of life domain in terms of functional capacity (FC) presented a correlation with haemoglobin level (r = 0.581, p = 0.006) and non-anaemic patients presented better FC. Among caregivers, we observed symptoms that indicated anxiety and depression in 33.3% of the sample. Caregivers exhibited an average score of 2.88 ± 0.77 for practical social support and 3.0 ± 0.72 for emotional social support. Further, 14.3% reported being 'extremely tired' and 28.8% reported that they engaged in all activities that they usually performed before the patient's illness. When comparing the two groups (patients vs. caregivers), we observed that they presented similar results for the presence of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Caregivers received less social support than patients did. Both groups presented similar predominance of stress levels; however, patients presented more predominance of psychological symptoms. With reference to quality of life, patients and caregivers presented similar results on the social aspects, vitality, mental health, and mental domains. CONCLUSION: The mental health characteristics of patients and caregivers were similar, and within the context of dialysis for renal disease, both must undergo specific interventions.

Screening for Fabry Disease in Kidney Disease: a Cross-Sectional Study in Males and Females.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Evaluate the prevalence of Fabry disease in men and women with kidney disease; and observe the presence and importance of the main signs and symptoms in patients with kidney disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of secondary data from a multicenter project of Clinical and Epidemiological Analysis of Fabry Disease in 854 Dialysis Centers. A total of 36,442 patients underwent the questionnaire and algorithm; of them, 28,284 were discarded for not presenting signs and symptoms of Fabry disease, while the other 8,087 submitted to blood collection and analysis. All participants signed a Free and Informed Consent Form and a questionnaire was applied. The questionnaire data were analyzed using a computerized algorithm. This program/algorithm analyzes and separates patients into: discarded, patients unlikely to have Fabry disease; suspect, patients who submitted to blood collection. The blood of suspect patients was collected on filter paper for enzyme measurement and genetic testing. A descriptive data analysis was performed and the likelihood ratio was determined. RESULTS: The general prevalence was 0.19% and after use of algorithm was 0.87%. Although more men were screened (59.3%), the prevalence was higher in women (65.1%). The most prevalent signs and symptoms were: heart disease (60.6%), decreased or lack of sweating (42.3%), heat and cold intolerance (28.2%), and pain crises spreading throughout the body (26.8%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence was higher in women, and the most prevalent symptom was heart diseases.

Association of frailty with endothelial dysfunction and its possible impact on negative outcomes in Brazilian predialysis patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a state of physiological vulnerability common in the elderly. It is more predominant in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in comparison to healthy subjects, which can also be diagnosed in non-elderly individuals and be associated with innumerous causes such as muscle strength, body composition and inflammation. The association between frailty and endothelial function, as well as the association between frailty and the combined outcome of mortality multiple cause and start of renal replace therapy were assessed. METHODS: In the initial analysis, sixty-one predialysis patients with Chronic Kidney Disease stages were evaluated and included in this study. Due to patient drop-out during follow-up, fifty-seven patients were subsequently re-evaluated 12 months later. The diagnosis of frailty was based on the Johansen et al. (J Am Soc Nephrol 18(11):2960-67, 2007) criteria. The groups were divided into Non-frail and Frail. Sociodemographic, inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-?, CRP-us), endothelial dysfunction (flow-mediated vasodilatation - FMD), body composition (DXA) and the 25-hidroxi-vitamin D parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: The average age of the patients used in the study was 64.9 ± 10.3 years old. The predominance of frailty was 42.6%, of which 46% were non-elderly. After some adjustments, frailty was associated with gender (OR = 11.32; IC 95% = 2.30 to 55.67), advanced age (OR = 4.07; IC 95% = 1.02 to 16.20), obesity (OR = 6.63; IC 95% = 0.82 to 11.44) and endothelial dysfunction (OR = 3.86; IC 95% = 1.00 to 14.88). The ratio of the incidence of frail subjects to the variable outcome was 2.5 (CI 95%, 1.04 to 6.50). CONCLUSIONS: Although an observational study does not allow one to determine the casual relation between frailty and endothelial dysfunction, we conclude that frailty was predominant in our sample of Brazilian patients with chronic kidney disease on predialysis, even in elderly individuals. This was linked to either worse endothelial function or mortality.

Association of ethnicity and survival in peritoneal dialysis: a cohort study of incident patients in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: There are no available epidemiologic studies about the impact of ethnicity on outcomes of patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) in South America. This study aims to assess the effect of ethnicity on the mortality of incident PD patients in Brazil. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study of incident patients treated with PD. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS: Patients 18 years or older who started PD therapy between December 2004 and October 2007 in 114 Brazilian dialysis centers. PREDICTORS: Self-reported ethnicity defined by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics as black and brown versus white patients and baseline demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected at baseline. OUTCOME: Mortality, using cumulative mortality curves in which kidney transplantation and transfer to hemodialysis therapy were treated as competing end points. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to adjust for gradually more potential explanatory variables, censored for kidney transplantation and transfer to hemodialysis therapy. Analyses were performed for all patients, as well as stratified for elderly (aged ≥65 years) and nonelderly patients. RESULTS: 1,370 patients were white, 516 were brown, and 273 were black. The competing-risk model showed higher mortality in white patients compared with black and brown patients. With white patients as the reference, Cox proportional hazards analysis showed a crude HR for mortality of 0.77 (95% CI, 0.56-1.05) for black and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.59-0.94) for brown patients. After adjusting for potential explanatory factors, HRs were 0.67 (95% CI, 0.48-0.95) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.43-1.01), respectively. The same results were observed in elderly and nonelderly patients. LIMITATIONS: Ethnicity was self-determined and some misclassification might have occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Black and brown Brazilian incident PD patients have a lower mortality risk compared with white patients.

Transcultural adaptation and initial validation of Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Basel assessment of adherence to immunosuppressive medications scale (BAASIS) in kidney transplants.

BACKGROUND: Transplant recipients are expected to adhere to a lifelong immunosuppressant therapeutic regimen. However, nonadherence to treatment is an underestimated problem for which no properly validated measurement tool is available for Portuguese-speaking patients. We aimed to initially validate the Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medications Scale (BAASIS®) to accurately estimate immunosuppressant nonadherence in Brazilian transplant patients. METHODS: The BAASIS® (English version) was transculturally adapted and its psychometric properties were assessed. The transcultural adaptation was performed using the Guillemin protocol. Psychometric testing included reliability (intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility, agreement, Kappa coefficient, and the Cronbach's alpha) and validity (content, criterion, and construct validities). RESULTS: The final version of the transculturally adapted BAASIS® was pretested, and no difficulties in understanding its content were found. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility variances (0.007 and 0.003, respectively), the Cronbach's alpha (0.7), Kappa coefficient (0.88) and the agreement (95.2%) suggest accuracy, preciseness and reliability. For construct validity, exploratory factorial analysis demonstrated unidimensionality of the first three questions (r = 0.76, r = 0.80, and r = 0.68). For criterion validity, the adapted BAASIS® was correlated with another self-report instrument, the Measure of Adherence to Treatment, and showed good congruence (r = 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: The BAASIS® has adequate psychometric properties and may be employed in advance to measure adherence to posttransplant immunosuppressant treatments. This instrument will be the first one validated to use in this specific transplant population and in the Portuguese language.

Three years evaluation of peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis absorption costing: perspective of the service provider compared to funds transfers from the public and private healthcare systems.

INTRODUCTION: 72% of renal replacement therapy (RRT) clinics in Brazil are private. However, regarding payment for dialysis therapy, 80% of the patients are covered by the Unified Health System (SUS) and 20% by private healthcare (PH). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate costs for peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) from the perspective of the service provider and compare with fund transfers from SUS and private healthcare. METHODS: The absorption costing method was applied in a private clinic. Study horizon: January 2013 - December 2016. Analyzed variables: personnel, medical supplies, tax expenses, permanent assets, and labor benefits. The input-output matrix method was used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 27,666 HD sessions were performed in 2013, 26,601 in 2014, 27,829 in 2015, and 28,525 in 2016. There were 264 patients on PD in 2013, 348 in 2014, 372 in 2015, and 300 in 2016. The mean monthly cost of the service provider was R$ 981.10 for a HD session for patients with hepatitis B; R$ 238.30 for hepatitis C; R$197.99 for seronegative patients; and R$ 3,260.93 for PD. Comparing to fund transfers from SUS, absorption costing yielded a difference of -269.7% for hepatitis B, +10.2% for hepatitis C, -2.0% for seronegative patients, and -29.8% for PD. For PH fund transfers, absorption costing for hepatitis B yielded a difference of -50.2%, +64.24% for hepatitis C, +56.27% for seronegative patients, and +48.26 for PD. CONCLUSION: The comparison of costs of dialysis therapy from the perspective of the service provider with fund transfers from SUS indicated that there are cost constraints in HD and PD.

Cross-sectional assessment of mild cognitive impairment in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease and its association with inflammation and changes seen on MRI: what the eyes cannot see.

INTRODUCTION: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prevalent and underdiagnosed condition in chronic kidney disease (CKD), that shares common pathophysiological factors such as chronic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of MCI in CKD stages 1-5 using inflammatory markers and changes by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study in adult patients with pre-dialysis CKD. MCI was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from medical records. The cytokines IL-4, IL-6, IL-17, TNF-α and hs-CRP were determined. Brain MRI was performed in a 1.5 Tesla device, without paramagnetic contrast. A descriptive analysis followed by a comparison of abnormal versus normal MoCA scores among all studied variables. A linear regression analysis was performed using MoCA as a dependent variable, adjusted for confounding factors. RESULTS: Of 111 invited patients, eighty completed the neuropsychological assessment and 56 underwent MRI, and were included in the study. Mean age was 56.3 ± 8.3 years and 51.8% (n = 29) had altered MoCA. When compared to the group with normal MoCA, the group with altered MoCA had higher levels of IL-6 and IL-17. There was no correlation between altered MoCA with eGFR or with MRI abnormalities. CONCLUSÃO: MCI assessed by MoCA was prevalent in patients with pre-dialysis CKD, it was associated with inflammation and showed no correlation with MRI changes.

Multidisciplinary treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease in pre-dialysis minimizes costs: a four-year retrospective cohort analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and clinical studies show that this progression can be slowed. The objective of this study was to estimate the costs to Brazil's public health system (SUS) throughout the course of CKD in the pre-dialysis stage compared to the costs to the SUS of dialysis treatment (DT). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze clinical and laboratory variables; the outcome analyzed was need for DT. To assess cost, a microcosting survey was conducted according to the Methodological Guidelines for Economic Evaluations in Healthcare and the National Program for Cost Management, both recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health for economic studies. RESULTS: A total of 5,689 patients were followed between 2011 and 2014, and 537 met the inclusion criteria. Average costs increased substantially as the disease progressed. The average cost incurred in stage G1 in Brazilian reals was R$ 7,110.78, (US$1,832.06) and in stage G5, it was R$ 26,814.08 (US$6,908.53), accumulated over the four years. CONCLUSION: A pre-dialysis care program may reduce by R$ 33,023.12 ± 1,676.80 (US$ 8,508.26 ± 432.02) the average cost for each year of DT avoided, which is sufficient to cover the program's operation, minimizing cost. These results signal to public health policy makers the real possibility of achieving significant cost reduction in the medium term for CKD care (4 years), to a program that disbursed R$ 24 billion (US$ 6.8 billion) for DT in Brazil between 2009 and 2018.

Screening of family members of chronic kidney disease patients with Fabry disease mutations: a very important and underrated task.

INTRODUCTION: Fabry disease is a chronic, progressive, and multi-system hereditary condition, related to an Xq22 mutation in X chromosome, which results in deficiency of alpha-galactosidase enzyme, hence reduced capacity of globotriaosylceramide degradation. OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the prevalence of Fabry disease (FD) mutations, as well as its signs and symptoms, among relatives of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients diagnosed with FD during a previously conducted study, named "Clinical and epidemiological analysis of Fabry disease in dialysis centers in Brazil". METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out, and data was collected by interviewing the relatives of patients enrolled in the Brazil Fabry Kidney Project and blood tests for both Gb3 dosage and genetic testing. RESULTS: Among 1214 interviewed relatives, 115 (9.47%) were diagnosed with FD, with a predominance of women (66.10%). The most prevalent comorbidities were rheumatologic conditions and systemic hypertension (1.7% each), followed by heart, neurological, cerebrovascular diseases, and depression in 0.9% of individuals. Intolerance to physical exercise and tiredness were the most observed symptoms (1.7%), followed by periodic fever, intolerance to heat or cold, diffuse pain, burn sensation or numbness in hands and feet, reduced or absent sweating, as well as abdominal pain after meals in 0.9%. CONCLUSION: We found a prevalence of Fabry disease in 9.47% of relatives of CKD patients with this condition, remarkably with a 66.1% predominance of women, which contrasts with previous reports. The screening of family members of FD patients is important, since it can lead to early diagnosis and treatment, thus allowing better quality of life and improved clinical outcomes for these individuals.

Pharmacotherapy assessment in chronic kidney disease: validation of the PAIR instrument for use in Brazil.

Individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) use polypharmacy, which, in combination with renal impairment, exposes them to the risk of drug-related problems (DRPs). There are no available tools in Brazil to systematically assess the pharmacotherapy and management of DRPs in this population. Therefore, the objective of this work was to validate the PAIR instrument (Pharmacotherapy Assessment in Chronic Renal Disease) for use in Brazilian Portuguese. This is a retrospective longitudinal observational study. Medical records from 100 CKD patients under conservative treatment, between 2016 and 2017, in a nephrology clinic, were analyzed. PAIR was applied by pharmacists in two consultations of the same patient, with an interval of 6 months. Reliability, conceptual validity, responsiveness of the instrument and prevalence of DRPs in the studied sample were assessed. A mean of 1.26 ± 0.96 DRPs/patient was identified. Inter-rater reliability coefficients (k) ranged from 0.58 to 0.94 and from 0.79 to 1.00 for test-retest, revealing moderate to perfect level of agreement. In conceptual validity, a mean of 1.60 ± 1.24 DRPs/patient was identified by the nephrologist through clinical judgment, compared to 1.33±0.76 DRPs/patient identified by the pharmacist using PAIR (p = 0.07). Therefore PAIR allowed the identification of clinically significant DRPs. In responsiveness, a mean of 1.26 ± 0.96 DRPs/patient was identified at the first consultation and 1.11 ± 1.02 DRPs/patient at the subsequent consultation (p = 0.17) by the pharmacist using PAIR. The number of DRPs between the periods did not change. As a conclusion, the PAIR allowed the identification of clinically significant DRPs in CKD, constituting a new validated instrument to be used in Brazil.

A narrative review of the impacts of income, education, and ethnicity on arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease in the world.

Nontransmissible chronic diseases (NTCDs) are the leading causes of death worldwide, causing serious social and economic consequences in all societies and economies and emerging as a major public health problem. One of the ways of coping the social and economic impact caused by the NTCDs is the elaboration of effective public policies; one of the instruments used for the elaboration of public policies is the social indicators. The most popular indicator at present is the Human Development Index (HDI), which covers the dimensions of longevity, education, and income. The Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) was implemented that quantifies the effects of inequality in development, measured in terms of HDI. The objective of the present study was to analyze the impact of income, education, and ethnicity in hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the world, through the narrative review of the literature and analyzing the social indicators HDI and IHDI of the countries analyzed. After analyzing 161 studies from 96 countries, we identified that income, education, and color impact on the prevalence, incidence, diagnosis, treatment, progression, and mortality of hypertension, DM, and CKD in both low- and middle-income countries' development, as well as high and very high human development. The HDI data for all countries change when adjusted for inequality. The theme related to social factors needs to be a constant in the elaboration of health policies, as well as present in the professional doing.

Rectus femoris muscle mass evaluation by ultrasound: facilitating sarcopenia diagnosis in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease stages.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the validity and reliability of ultrasonography measurement of rectus femoris cross-sectional area compared to computed tomography in patients in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease and analyzed the association between these measurements and the diagnosis of sarcopenia. METHODS: One hundred patients with nondialysis chronic kidney disease were evaluated. Sarcopenia was defined using the criteria of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project (FNIH). The rectus femoris cross-sectional area was evaluated using ultrasonography and computed tomography. RESULTS: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 29% according to the FNIH criteria. The difference in mean rectus femoris cross-sectional area by ultrasonography and computed tomography was 3.97 mm, with a strong correlation between the two methods (p<0.001). Bland-Altman plot analysis showed good agreement between computed tomography and ultrasonography. Rectus femoris cross-sectional area was significantly correlated with muscle strength (r=0.300, p=0.002), lean body mass in the upper limbs (r=0.286, p=0.004), and lean body mass in the lower limbs (r=0.271, p=0.006). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 12% (n=12) based on the definition of low muscle mass according to ultrasonography of the rectus femoris cross-sectional area. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography was demonstrated to be a valid and reliable method for evaluating the rectus femoris cross-sectional area in patients in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

Validated registry of pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: description of a large cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic diseases account for the majority of deaths in Brazil. These include hypertension (SAH) and diabetes mellitus (DM), which are the main causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate the data of an electronic health record and to point out characteristics of the profile of these users in relation to clinical quality indicators for a pre-dialytic CKD. METHODS: Retrospective cohort, August/2010 to December/2014. Included users > 18 years, with at least two queries. Variables analyzed: sociodemographic, underlying disease, main medications and main clinical indicators of control. A descriptive analysis was performed and the percentage of users was evaluated in the goals at admission and at the end of the study. RESULTS: Exported, converted and validated data of 1,977 users with average follow-up time of 21 months. Of these, 51.4% were men, 58% were > 64 years of age and 81.6% were overweight. The main medications in use were diuretics (82.9%), BRAT (62%), Statin (60.7%) and ACE inhibitors (49.9%). The percentage of users with a decline in the glomerular filtration rate was 33.7%. Regarding glycated hemoglobin, users with CKD and DM, 36% were within the initial goal and 52.1% of the final. Blood pressure was at the target for admission at 34.3% and 49.8% at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Validated data are of vital importance for health managers to monitor users. The population of this study is predominantly elderly, obese, requiring multi-professional care to slow the progression of the disease and decrease morbidity and mortality.

Evaluation of prevalence, biochemical profile, and drugs associated with chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder in 11 dialysis centers.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis and treatment of mineral and bone disorder of chronic kidney disease (CKD-MBD) is a challenge for nephrologists and health managers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, biochemical profile, and drugs associated with CKD-MBD. METHODS: Cross-sectional study between July and November 2013, with 1134 patients on dialysis. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between groups based on levels of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) (< 150, 150-300, 301-600, 601-1000, and > 1001 pg/mL). RESULTS: The mean age was 57.3 ± 14.4 years. The prevalence of iPTH < 150 pg/mL was 23.4% and iPTH > 601 pg/mL was 27.1%. The comparison between the groups showed that the level of iPTH decreased with increasing age. Diabetic patients had a higher prevalence of iPTH < 150 pg/mL (27.6%). Hyperphosphatemia (> 5.5 mg/dL) was observed in 35.8%. Calcium carbonate was used by 50.5%, sevelamer by 14.7%, 40% of patients had used some form of vitamin D and 3.5% used cinacalcet. Linear regression analysis showed a significant negative association between iPTH, age, and diabetes mellitus and a significant positive association between iPTH and dialysis time. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of patients outside the target for iPTH was 50.5%. There was a high prevalence of hyperphosphatemia (35.8%), and the minority of patients were using active vitamin D, vitamin D analogs, selective vitamin D receptor activators, and cinacalcet. These data indicate the need for better compliance with clinical guidelines and public policies on the supply of drugs associated with CKD-MBD.

Three years evaluation of peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis absorption costing: perspective of the service provider compared to funds transfers from the public and private healthcare systems / Três anos de avaliação do custeio por absorção da diálise peritoneal e hemodiálise: perspectiva do prestador de serviços em comparação com o repasse de recursos dos sistemas de saúde público e privado

Abstract Introduction: 72% of renal replacement therapy (RRT) clinics in Brazil are private. However, regarding payment for dialysis therapy, 80% of the patients are covered by the Unified Health System (SUS) and 20% by private healthcare (PH). Objectives: To evaluate costs for peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) from the perspective of the service provider and compare with fund transfers from SUS and private healthcare. Methods: The absorption costing method was applied in a private clinic. Study horizon: January 2013 - December 2016. Analyzed variables: personnel, medical supplies, tax expenses, permanent assets, and labor benefits. The input-output matrix method was used for analysis. Results: A total of 27,666 HD sessions were performed in 2013, 26,601 in 2014, 27,829 in 2015, and 28,525 in 2016. There were 264 patients on PD in 2013, 348 in 2014, 372 in 2015, and 300 in 2016. The mean monthly cost of the service provider was R$ 981.10 for a HD session for patients with hepatitis B; R$ 238.30 for hepatitis C; R$197.99 for seronegative patients; and R$ 3,260.93 for PD. Comparing to fund transfers from SUS, absorption costing yielded a difference of -269.7% for hepatitis B, +10.2% for hepatitis C, -2.0% for seronegative patients, and -29.8% for PD. For PH fund transfers, absorption costing for hepatitis B yielded a difference of -50.2%, +64.24% for hepatitis C, +56.27% for seronegative patients, and +48.26 for PD. Conclusion: The comparison of costs of dialysis therapy from the perspective of the service provider with fund transfers from SUS indicated that there are cost constraints in HD and PD.

Resumo Introdução: 72% das clínicas de terapia renal substitutiva (TRS) no Brasil são privadas. Entretanto, quanto ao pagamento da terapia dialítica, o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) cobre 80% dos pacientes e, a saúde privada (SP), 20%. Objetivos: Avaliar custos de diálise peritoneal (DP) e hemodiálise (HD) na perspectiva do prestador de serviços, comparando com repasses do SUS e saúde suplementar. Métodos: O método de custeio por absorção foi aplicado em clínica privada. Horizonte de estudo: Janeiro 2013 - Dezembro 2016. Variáveis analisadas: pessoal, suprimentos médicos, despesas tributárias, ativos permanentes, benefícios trabalhistas. Utilizou-se para análise o método da matriz de input-output. Resultados: Realizou-se um total de 27.666 sessões de HD em 2013, 26.601 em 2014, 27.829 em 2015, e 28.525 em 2016. Havia 264 pacientes em DP em 2013, 348 em 2014, 372 em 2015, e 300 em 2016. O custo médio mensal do prestador de serviços foi R$ 981,10 por sessão de HD para pacientes com hepatite B; R$ 238,30 para hepatite C; R$ 197,99 para pacientes soronegativos; R$ 3.260,93 para DP. Em comparação com repasses do SUS, o custeio por absorção mostrou uma diferença de -269,7% para hepatite B, +10,2% para hepatite C, -2,0% para pacientes soronegativos, e -29,8% para DP. Para repasses da SP, o custeio por absorção para hepatite B mostrou uma diferença de -50,2%, +64,24% para hepatite C, +56,27% para pacientes soronegativos, e +48,26 para DP. Conclusão: A comparação de custos da terapia dialítica da perspectiva do prestador de serviços com os repasses do SUS indicou que existem restrições de custos em HD e DP.

Routine mammography: an opportunity for the diagnosis of chronic degenerative diseases? A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate breast arterial calcification (BAC) detected on routine mammography, analyzing its association with chronic degenerative disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving women treated at a specialized outpatient clinic for high-risk hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, as well as volunteers who participated in a study to validate a method of screening for occult renal disease. A total of 312 patients between 40 and 69 years of age, with no history of breast cancer, all of whom had undergone routine mammography in the last two years, were included. The mammograms were analyzed by researchers who were unaware of the risk factors for BAC in each case. RESULTS: The mean age was 55.9 ± 7.4 years, and 64.3% of the patients were white. The mean glomerular filtration rate was 41.87 ± 6.23 mL/min/1.73 m2. Seventy-one patients (22.8%) had BAC. We found that BAC was associated with advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and low glomerular filtration rate. In the multivariate analysis, advanced age and diabetes continued to be associated with BAC. The odds ratio for BAC was higher for all chronic diseases. CONCLUSION: The association of BAC with advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and low glomerular filtration rate should call the attention of radiologists. Therefore, the presence of BAC should be reported, and patients with BAC should be screened for those diseases.

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar calcificações arteriais mamárias (CAMs) detectadas em mamografia de rotina e analisar sua associação com doenças crônicas degenerativas. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com mulheres atendidas em um ambulatório especializado para tratamento de hipertensão de alto risco, diabetes ou doença renal crônica, bem como as voluntárias que participaram de um estudo para validar um escore para triagem de doença renal crônica oculta. Trezentas e doze pacientes entre 40 e 69 anos de idade, sem histórico de câncer de mama, com mamografia realizada nos últimos dois anos foram incluídas. Os pesquisadores, que desconheciam os fatores de risco para CAMs, analisaram as mamografias de rotina. RESULTADOS: A média de idade foi 55,9 ± 7,4 anos, 64,3% brancas. A média da taxa de filtração glomerular foi 41,87 ± 6,23 mL/min/1,73 m2. Setenta e uma participantes (22,8%) apresentavam CAMs. Houve associação entre CAMs e idade, hipertensão, diabetes, doença renal crônica e taxa de filtração glomerular. Na análise multivariada, idade e diabetes persistiram associadas a CAMs. O odds ratio entre CAMs versus doenças crônicas foi elevado. CONCLUSÃO: Houve associação entre CAMs com a idade, hipertensão, diabetes, doença renal crônica e taxa de filtração glomerular. Esta associação chama a atenção do radiologista/clínico, para que a presença dessas alterações deva ser relatada, e essas doenças devam ser triadas nestes pacientes.

The impact of body mass index (BMI) variation on mortality of incident elderly patients on peritoneal dialysis: a joint model analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Data on impact of high body mass index (BMI) on mortality of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), especially among elderly, are inconsistent. Objective: To evaluate impact of BMI on cohort of incident elderly PD patients over time. METHODS: Prospective multicenter cohort study (December / 2004-October/2007) with 674 patients. Socio-demographic and clinical data evaluated with patients followed until death, transfer to hemodialysis (HD), recovery of renal function, loss of follow-up or transplant. Patients were divided into incident on renal replacement therapy (RRT) for PD (PD first: 230) and transferred from hemodialysis (HD first: 444). Analysis was performed comparing these two groups using chi-square or Kruskal Wallis. Similar analysis was used to compare patients on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) vs. continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Data were compared between patients according to BMI by ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis or chi-square. For analysis of survival, Kaplan Meier method was used and to adjust confounding variables, Cox regression proportional hazard. Joint model for longitudinal and time-dependent data was conducted, assessing impact that a longitudinal variable displays on time of survival. RESULTS: Malnourished patients (76.79 ± 7.53 years) were older (p < 0.0001) with higher percentage of death (44.6%, p = 0.001); diabetes mellitus showed high prevalence in obese patients (68%, p < 0.0001); higher blood pressure levels (p = 0.002) were present in obese and overweight patients. CONCLUSIONS: Increased BMI variation over time proved to be a protective factor, with a decrease of about 1% in risk of death for every BMI unit earned.

Sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease not yet on dialysis: Analysis of the prevalence and associated factors.

INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia is a chronic condition that is associated with aging and characterized by a reduction of muscle mass, strength, and function. Sarcopenia is prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated with increased morbidity and mortality, as well as cardiovascular complications. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with CKD not yet on dialysis and its correlation with clinical and laboratory variables and inflammatory markers. METHODS: A total of 100 patients of both sexes aged over 18 were evaluated. Sarcopenia was defined using the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) and of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Sarcopenia Project. Sociodemographic and clinical data, activities of daily living, functional capacity, and physical activity were also evaluated. Inflammation was assessed by the serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin (IL) 4 and 6. RESULTS: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 11.9% and 28.7% using the EWGSOP and FNIH criteria, respectively. Sarcopenia was more prevalent in the more advanced stages of CKD (34.5% in stages 2 and 3A; and 65.5% in stages 3B, 4, and 5) and associated with worse performance in activities of daily living (p = 0.049), lower walking speeds (p < 0.001), and higher body mass indexes (BMIs) (p = 0.001) in the non-adjusted model. In addition, patients with sarcopenia had lower functional capacity (p = 0.012) and higher prevalence of physical inactivity (p = 0.041) compared with patients without sarcopenia. After adjustment for confounding variables, sarcopenia was still significantly correlated with walking speed (p = 0.004) and BMI (p = 0.002). HsCRP levels were inversely correlated with appendicular lean mass adjusted for BMI (p = 0.007) and were also positively associated with BMI (p = 0.001). IL4 levels were positively correlated with walking speed (p = 0.007) and lean mass in the lower limbs (p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia is common in patients with CKD, particularly in the most advanced stages of the disease. We observed an association between the levels of inflammatory markers and peripheral lean body mass, physical performance, and BMI. This association between sarcopenia and modifiable factors highlights the importance of early diagnosis and the implementation of therapeutic measures to minimize adverse outcomes in patients with CKD not yet on dialysis.