A Systematic Review of Handgrip Strength Measurement in Clinical and Epidemiological Studies of Kidney Disease: Toward a Standardized Approach.

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), handgrip strength (HGS) is recommended as a surrogate measure of protein-energy status and functional status. However, it is not routinely used because of inconsistencies such as the optimal timing of the HGS measurement and unclear guidance regarding technique. We aimed to determine the extent of variation in the protocols and methods of HGS assessment. We aimed to identify clinical and epidemiological studies conducted on CKD that reported on the use of HGS as an outcome. A systematic literature search identified n = 129 studies with a total participant population of n = 35,192. We identified large variations in all aspects of the methodology including body and arm position, repetitions, rest time, timing, familiarization, and how scores were calculated. The heterogeneous methodologies used reinforce the need to standardize HGS measurement. After reviewing previously employed methodology in the literature, we propose a comprehensive HGS assessment protocol for use in CKD.

Surgery versus cast immobilisation for adults with a bicortical fracture of the scaphoid waist (SWIFFT): a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, randomised superiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Scaphoid fractures account for 90% of carpal fractures and occur predominantly in young men. The use of immediate surgical fixation to manage this type of fracture has increased, despite insufficient evidence of improved outcomes over non-surgical management. The SWIFFT trial compared the clinical effectiveness of surgical fixation with cast immobilisation and early fixation of fractures that fail to unite in adults with scaphoid waist fractures displaced by 2 mm or less. METHODS: This pragmatic, parallel-group, multicentre, open-label, two-arm, randomised superiority trial included adults (aged 16 years or older) who presented to orthopaedic departments of 31 hospitals in England and Wales with a clear bicortical fracture of the scaphoid waist on radiographs. An independent remote randomisation service used a computer-generated allocation sequence with randomly varying block sizes to randomly assign participants (1:1) to receive either early surgical fixation (surgery group) or below-elbow cast immobilisation followed by immediate fixation if non-union of the fracture was confirmed (cast immobilisation group). Randomisation was stratified by whether or not there was displacement of either a step or a gap of 1-2 mm inclusive on any radiographic view. The primary outcome was the total patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) score at 52 weeks after randomisation, and it was analysed on an available case intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN67901257, and is no longer recruiting, but long-term follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between July 23, 2013, and July 26, 2016, 439 (42%) of 1047 assessed patients (mean age 33 years; 363 [83%] men) were randomly assigned to the surgery group (n=219) or to the cast immobilisation group (n=220). Of these, 408 (93%) participants were included in the primary analysis (203 participants in the surgery group and 205 participants in the cast immobilisation group). 16 participants in the surgery group and 15 participants in the cast immobilisation group were excluded because of either withdrawal, no response, or no follow-up data at 6, 12, 26, or 52 weeks. There was no significant difference in mean PRWE scores at 52 weeks between the surgery group (adjusted mean 11·9 [95% CI 9·2-14·5]) and the cast immobilisation group (14·0 [11·3 to 16·6]; adjusted mean difference -2·1 [95% CI -5·8 to 1·6], p=0·27). More participants in the surgery group (31 [14%] of 219 participants) had a potentially serious complication from surgery than in the cast immobilisation group (three [1%] of 220 participants), but fewer participants in the surgery group (five [2%]) had cast-related complications than in the cast immobilisation group (40 [18%]). The number of participants who had a medical complication was similar between the two groups (four [2%] in the surgery group and five [2%] in the cast immobilisation group). INTERPRETATION: Adult patients with scaphoid waist fractures displaced by 2 mm or less should have initial cast immobilisation, and any suspected non-unions should be confirmed and immediately fixed with surgery. This treatment strategy will help to avoid the risks of surgery and mostly limit the use of surgery to fixing fractures that fail to unite. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme.

Determinants of patient activation and its association with cardiovascular disease risk in chronic kidney disease: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Patient activation describes the knowledge, skills and confidence in managing one's own health. Promoting patient activation is being prioritized to reduce costs and adverse outcomes such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). The increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents a need to understand the characteristics that influence patient activation and the effect on health outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Patients with non-dialysis CKD recruited from 14 sites (general nephrology and primary care) in England, UK. OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient activation was measured using the PAM-13. Demographic and health-related variables, self-reported symptom burden, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), socioeconomic status (SES), were assessed as determinants of patient activation. Major CVD risk factors included hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obesity and hyperkalaemia. RESULTS: 743 patients were included (eGFR: 32.3 (SD 17.1) mL/min/1.73 m2 , age 67.8 (SD 13.9) years, 68% male). The mean PAM score was 55.1 (SD 14.4)/100. Most patients (60%) had low activation. Those with low activation were older (P<.001), had lower eGFR (P = .004), greater number of comorbidities (P = .026) and lower haemoglobin (P = .025). Patients with low activation had a 17% greater number of CVD risk factors (P < .001). Risk factors in those with low activation were being older (P < .001) and having diabetes (P < .001). CONCLUSION: This study showed that only a minority of CKD patients are activated for self-management. Our findings help better understand the level of activation in these patients, particularly older individuals with multimorbidity, and further the knowledge regarding the characteristics that influence activation. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patients were involved in the design of main study.

Differences in physical symptoms between those with and without kidney disease: a comparative study across disease stages in a UK population.

BACKGROUND: Those living with kidney disease (KD) report extensive symptom burden. However, research into how symptoms change across stages is limited. The aims of this study were to 1) describe symptom burden across disease trajectory, and 2) to explore whether symptom burden is unique to KD when compared to a non-KD population. METHODS: Participants aged > 18 years with a known diagnosis of KD (including haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD)) and with a kidney transplant) completed the Leicester Kidney Symptom Questionnaire (KSQ). A non-KD group was recruited as a comparative group. Multinominal logistic regression modelling was used to test the difference in likelihood of those with KD reporting each symptom. RESULTS: In total, 2279 participants were included in the final analysis (age 56.0 (17.8) years, 48% male). The main findings can be summarised as: 1) the number of symptoms increases as KD severity progresses; 2) those with early stage KD have a comparable number of symptoms to those without KD; 3) apart from those receiving PD, the most frequently reported symptom across every other group, including the non-KD group, was 'feeling tired'; and 4) being female independently increased the likelihood of reporting more symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings have important implications for patients with KD. We have shown that high symptom burden is prevalent across the spectrum of disease, and present novel data on symptoms experienced in those without KD. Symptoms requiring the most immediate attention given their high prevalence may include pain and fatigue. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered prospectively as ISRCTN11596292 .

The validity of the 'General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire' against accelerometery in patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are physically inactive. Simple yet accurate assessment of physical activity is important in identifying those in need of intervention. The 'General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire' (GPPAQ) is a well-used clinical and research tool, but has not been validated. METHODS: Forty individuals with CKD (age 62.5 (SD: 11.1) years, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 33.2 (SD:19.1) ml/min/1.73 m2) completed the GPPAQ and objective physical activity was measured using a GENEActiv accelerometer for 7 days. Physical activity status was grouped as 'Active' (i.e. meeting current physical activity UK guidelines) or 'Inactive.' Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Accuracy was defined as the probability the GPPAQ could correctly classify a patient as either 'Active' or 'Inactive' (based on accelerometery). RESULTS: Using accelerometery, 18% of participants met the current UK guidelines, whereas 27% were classed as 'Active' according to GPPAQ. Sensitivity of the GPPAQ was 54.6% and specificity was 96.6%. The 'accuracy' of the GPPAQ was 85.0%. The accuracy of the GPPAQ was greater in males and those not in employment/retired, although these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The GPPAQ may be a useful tool to identify CKD patients who would benefit most from a physical activity intervention. In particular, the GPPAQ can accurately identify those not sufficiently active.

Navigating the COVID-19 infodemic in those living with kidney disease: access and trust in health information sources and the association with anxiety and depression.

OBJECTIVE: During COVID-19, access to trustworthy news and information is vital to help people understand the crisis. The consumption of COVID-19-related information is likely an important factor associated with the increased anxiety and psychological distress that has been observed. We aimed to understand how people living with a kidney condition access information about COVID-19 and how this impacts their anxiety, stress and depression. METHODS: Participants living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were recruited from 12 sites across England, UK. Respondents were asked to review how often they accessed and trusted 11 sources of potential COVID-19 information. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items was used to measure depression, anxiety and stress. The 14-item Short Health Anxiety Inventory measured health anxiety. RESULTS: A total of 236 participants were included (age 62.8 [11.3] years, male [56%], transplant recipients [51%], non-dialysis [49%]). The most frequently accessed source of health information was television/radio news, followed by official government press releases and medical institution press releases. The most trusted source was via consultation with healthcare staff. Higher anxiety, stress and depression were associated with less access and trust in official government press releases. Education status had a large influence on information trust and access. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional forms of media remain a popular source of health information in those living with kidney conditions. Interactions with healthcare professionals were the most trusted source of health information. Our results provide evidence for problematical associations of COVID-19 related information exposure with psychological strain and could serve as an orientation for recommendations.

Reliability and Validity of the Patient Activation Measure in Kidney Disease: Results of Rasch Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the increasing prioritization of the promotion of patient activation in nephrology, its applicability to people with CKD is not well established. Before the Patient Activation Measure is universally adopted for use in CKD, it is important to critically evaluate this measure. The aim of this study was to describe the psychometric properties of the Patient Activation Measure in CKD. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: A survey containing the 13-item Patient Activation Measure was completed by 942 patients with CKD, not treated with dialysis. Data quality was assessed by mean, item response, missing values, floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and average interitem correlation), and item-rest correlations. Rasch modeling was used to assess item performance and scaling (item statistics, person and item reliability, rating scale diagnostics, factorial test of residuals, and differential item functioning). RESULTS: The item response was high, with a small number of missing values (<1%). Floor effect was small (range 1%-5%), but the ceiling effect was above 15% for nine items (range 15%-38%). The Patient Activation Measure demonstrated good internal consistency overall (Cronbach α=0.925, and average interitem correlation 0.502). The difficulty of the Patient Activation Measure items ranged from -0.90 to 0.86. Differential item functioning was found for disease type (item 3) and age (item 12). The person separation index was 9.48 and item separation index was 3.21. CONCLUSIONS: The 13-item Patient Activation Measure appears to be a suitably reliable and valid instrument for assessing patient activation in CKD. In the absence of a kidney-specific instrument, our results support the 13-item Patient Activation Measure as a promising measure to assess activation in those with CKD, although consideration for several items is warranted. The high ceiling effect may be a problem when using the 13-item Patient Activation Measure to measure changes over time.

Kidney Care during COVID-19 in the UK: Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals on Impacts on Care Quality and Staff Well-Being.

In light of the rapid changes in healthcare delivery due to COVID-19, this study explored kidney healthcare professionals' (HCPs) perspectives on the impact of these changes on care quality and staff well-being. Fifty-nine HCPs from eight NHS Trusts across England completed an online survey and eight took part in complementary semi-structured interviews between August 2020 and January 2021. Free-text survey responses and interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Themes described the rapid adaptations, concerns about care quality, benefits from innovations, high work pressure, anxiety and mental exhaustion in staff and the team as a well-being resource. Long-term retention and integration of changes and innovations can improve healthcare access and efficiency, but specification of conditions for its use is warranted. The impact of prolonged stress on renal HCPs also needs to be accounted for in quality planning. Results are further interpreted into a theoretical socio-technical framework.

Surgical fixation compared with cast immobilisation for adults with a bicortical fracture of the scaphoid waist: the SWIFFT RCT.

BACKGROUND: Scaphoid fractures account for 90% of carpal fractures and occur predominantly in young men. Immediate surgical fixation of this fracture has increased. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgical fixation with cast treatment and early fixation in adults with scaphoid waist fractures that fail to unite. DESIGN: Multicentre, pragmatic, open-label, parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial with an economic evaluation and a nested qualitative study. SETTING: Orthopaedic departments of 31 hospitals in England and Wales recruited from July 2013, with final follow-up in September 2017. PARTICIPANTS: Adults (aged ≥ 16 years) presenting within 2 weeks of injury with a clear, bicortical fracture of the scaphoid waist on plain radiographs. INTERVENTIONS: Early surgical fixation using Conformité Européenne-marked headless compression screws. Below-elbow cast immobilisation for 6-10 weeks and urgent fixation of confirmed non-union. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome and end point was the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation total score at 52 weeks, with a clinically relevant difference of 6 points. Secondary outcomes included Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation pain and function subscales, Short Form questionnaire 12-items, bone union, range of movement, grip strength, complications and return to work. RESULTS: The mean age of 439 participants was 33 years; 363 participants were male (83%) and 269 participants had an undisplaced fracture (61%). The primary analysis was on 408 participants with valid Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation outcome data for at least one post-randomisation time point (surgery, n = 203 of 219; cast, n = 205 of 220). There was no clinically relevant difference in the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation total score at 52 weeks: the mean score in the cast group was 14.0 (95% confidence interval 11.3 to 16.6) and in the surgery group was 11.9 (95% confidence interval 9.2 to 14.5), with an adjusted mean difference of -2.1 in favour of surgery (95% confidence interval -5.8 to 1.6; p = 0.27). The non-union rate was low (surgery group, n = 1; cast group, n = 4). Eight participants in the surgery group had a total of 11 reoperations and one participant in the cast group required a reoperation for non-union. The base-case economic analysis at 52 weeks found that surgery cost £1295 per patient more (95% confidence interval £1084 to £1504) than cast treatment. The base-case analysis of a lifetime-extrapolated model confirmed that the cast treatment pathway was more cost-effective. The nested qualitative study identified patients' desire to have a 'sense of recovering', which surgeons should address at the outset. LIMITATION: There were 17 participants who had initial cast treatment and surgery for confirmed non-union, which in 14 cases was within 6 months from randomisation and in three cases was after 6 months. Three of the four participants in the cast group who had a non-union at 52 weeks were not offered surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Adult patients with an undisplaced or minimally displaced scaphoid waist fracture should have cast immobilisation and suspected non-unions immediately confirmed and urgently fixed. Patients should be followed up at 5 years to investigate the effect of partial union, degenerative arthritis, malunion and screw problems on their quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN67901257. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 52. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Fracture of the scaphoid bone (one of eight small bones in the wrist) is common in young active people. It is caused by a fall on the hand or the hand being suddenly forced backwards. The usual treatment is to rest the wrist in a plaster cast for 6­10 weeks and allow the broken bone to heal. In 1 in 10 cases in which the fracture is treated in a plaster cast, the bone does not heal and an operation is needed. In the operation, the broken bone is held still with a screw. In the last few years, it has become more common to fix the broken bone with a screw in the first few days after injury, instead of resting the wrist in a plaster cast. It is not clear if fixing the bone early with a screw, compared with resting the wrist in a cast, gives better outcomes for patients and if one treatment is better value for money for the NHS. In this study, 439 adult patients agreed either to have surgery to hold the broken scaphoid with a special screw or to have the wrist held still in a plaster cast (with surgery offered after 6 weeks to those who were still not healed). The decision about which treatment to use was made using randomisation, which is similar to tossing a coin. Patients reported their own wrist pain and function at 6, 12, 26 and 52 weeks. Information was also collected on general health, bone healing, grip strength and range of movement, complications from treatment and costs. No important differences were found in patients' wrist pain and function at 52 weeks. The bone did not heal properly in four patients in the surgery group or in nine patients in the plaster cast group at 52 weeks. For one of these patients in the surgery group and four of these patients in the plaster cast group, the bone did not join at all. Eight patients in the surgery group had further surgery following their initial operation to fix their wrist, and one patient in the cast group required repeated surgery because the bone did not join at all. The overall cost of treating with a plaster cast was lower than that of early surgery. Therefore, the findings of the study suggest that a plaster cast should be used initially and that the bone should be immediately fixed with a screw if it does not heal.