Effect of comorbidities on survival in patients >80 years of age at onset of renal replacement therapy: data from the ERA-EDTA Registry.

BACKGROUND: The number of elderly patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) is increasing. The survival and quality of life of these patients may be lower if they have multiple comorbidities at the onset of RRT. The aim of this study was to explore whether the effect of comorbidities on survival is similar in elderly RRT patients compared with younger ones. METHODS: Included were 9333 patients ≥80 years of age and 48 352 patients 20-79 years of age starting RRT between 2010 and 2015 from 15 national or regional registries submitting data to the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplantation Association Registry. Patients were followed until death or the end of 2016. Survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves and the relative risk of death associated with comorbidities was assessed by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients ≥80 years of age had a greater comorbidity burden than younger patients. However, relative risks of death associated with all studied comorbidities (diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, chronic heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease and malignancy) were significantly lower in elderly patients compared with younger patients. Also, the increase in absolute mortality rates associated with an increasing number of comorbidities was smaller in elderly patients. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidities are common in elderly patients who enter RRT, but the risk of death associated with comorbidities is less than in younger patients. This should be taken into account when assessing the prognosis of elderly RRT patients.

Supplemented ERA-EDTA Registry data evaluated the frequency of dialysis, kidney transplantation, and comprehensive conservative management for patients with kidney failure in Europe.

The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of dialysis and kidney transplantation and to estimate the regularity of comprehensive conservative management (CCM) for patients with kidney failure in Europe. This study uses data from the ERA-EDTA Registry. Additionally, our study included supplemental data from Armenia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Slovenia and additional data from Israel, Italy, Slovakia using other information sources. Through an online survey, responding nephrologists estimated the frequency of CCM (i.e. planned holistic care instead of kidney replacement therapy) in 33 countries. In 2016, the overall incidence of replacement therapy for kidney failure was 132 per million population (pmp), varying from 29 (Ukraine) to 251 pmp (Greece). On 31 December 2016, the overall prevalence of kidney replacement therapy was 985 pmp, ranging from 188 (Ukraine) to 1906 pmp (Portugal). The prevalence of peritoneal dialysis (114 pmp) and home hemodialysis (28 pmp) was highest in Cyprus and Denmark respectively. The kidney transplantation rate was nearly zero in some countries and highest in Spain (64 pmp). In 28 countries with five or more responding nephrologists, the median percentage of candidates for kidney replacement therapy who were offered CCM in 2018 varied between none (Slovakia and Slovenia) and 20% (Finland) whereas the median prevalence of CCM varied between none (Slovenia) and 15% (Hungary). Thus, the substantial differences across Europe in the frequency of kidney replacement therapy and CCM indicate the need for improvement in access to various treatment options for patients with kidney failure.

Changes in co-morbidity pattern in patients starting renal replacement therapy in Europe-data from the ERA-EDTA Registry.

Background: Patients starting renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease often present with one or more co-morbidities. This study explored the prevalence of co-morbidities in patients who started RRT in Europe during the period from 2005 to 2014. Methods: Using data from patients aged 20 years or older from all 11 national or regional registries providing co-morbidity data to the European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association Registry, we examined the prevalence of the following co-morbidities: diabetes mellitus (DM) (primary renal disease and/or co-morbidity), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure (CHF), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and malignancy. Results: Overall, 70% of 7578 patients who initiated RRT in 2014 presented with at least one co-morbidity: 39.0% presented with DM, 25.0% with IHD, 22.3% with CHF, 17.7% with PVD, 16.4% with malignancy and 15.5% with CVD. These percentages differed substantially between countries. Co-morbidities were more common in men than in women, in older patients than in younger patients, and in patients on haemodialysis at Day 91 when compared with patients on peritoneal dialysis. Between 2005 and 2014 the prevalence of DM and malignancy increased over time, whereas the prevalence of IHD and PVD declined. Conclusions: More than two-thirds of patients initiating RRT in Europe have at least one co-morbidity. With the rising age at the start of RRT over the last decade, there have been changes in the co-morbidity pattern: the prevalence of cardiovascular co-morbidities decreased, while the prevalence of DM and malignancy increased.