Effectiveness of Existing Insomnia Therapies for Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis : A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic insomnia is common in patients undergoing in-center hemodialysis, yet there is limited evidence on effective treatments for this population. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), trazodone, and placebo for insomnia in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis. DESIGN: Randomized, multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03534284). SETTING: 26 dialysis units in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Seattle, Washington. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score of 10 or greater, with sleep disturbances on 3 or more nights per week for 3 or more months. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of CBT-I, trazodone, or placebo. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the ISI score at 7 and 25 weeks from randomization. RESULTS: A total of 923 patients were prescreened, and of the 411 patients with chronic insomnia, 126 were randomly assigned to CBT-I (n = 43), trazodone (n = 42), or placebo (n = 41). The change in ISI scores from baseline to 7 weeks with CBT-I or trazodone was no different from placebo: CBT-I, -3.7 (95% CI, -5.5 to -1.9); trazodone, -4.2 (CI, -5.9 to -2.4); and placebo, -3.1 (CI, -4.9 to -1.3). There was no meaningful change in ISI scores from baseline to 25 weeks: CBT-I, -4.8 (CI, -7.0 to -2.7); trazodone, -4.0 (CI, -6.0 to -1.9); and placebo, -4.3 (CI, -6.4 to -2.2). Serious adverse events (SAEs), particularly serious cardiovascular events, were more frequent with trazodone (annualized cardiovascular SAE incidence rates: CBT-I, 0.05 [CI, 0.00 to 0.29]; trazodone, 0.64 [CI, 0.34 to 1.10]; and placebo, 0.21 [CI, 0.06 to 0.53]). LIMITATION: Modest sample size and most participants had mild or moderate insomnia. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing hemodialysis with mild or moderate chronic insomnia, there was no difference in the effectiveness of 6 weeks of CBT-I or trazodone compared with placebo. The incidence of SAEs was higher with trazodone. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Comparative Analysis of Protein Quantification by the SomaScan Assay versus Orthogonal Methods in Urine from People with Diabetic Kidney Disease.

To our knowledge, calibration curves or other validations for thousands of SomaScan aptamers are not publicly available. Moreover, the abundance of urine proteins obtained from these assays is not routinely validated with orthogonal methods (OMs). We report an in-depth comparison of SomaScan readout for 23 proteins in urine samples from patients with diabetic kidney disease (n = 118) vs OMs, including liquid chromatography-targeted mass spectrometry (LC-MS), ELISA, and nephelometry. Pearson correlation between urine abundance of the 23 proteins from SomaScan 3.2 vs OMs ranged from -0.58 to 0.86, with a median (interquartile ratio, [IQR]) of 0.49 (0.18, 0.53). In multivariable linear regression, the SomaScan readout for 6 of the 23 examined proteins (26%) was most strongly associated with the OM-derived abundance of the same (target) protein. For 3 of 23 (13%), the SomaScan and OM-derived abundance of each protein were significantly associated, but the SomaScan readout was more strongly associated with OM-derived abundance of one or more "off-target" proteins. For the remaining 14 proteins (61%), the SomaScan readouts were not significantly associated with the OM-derived abundance of the targeted proteins. In 6 of the latest group, the SomaScan readout was not associated with urine abundance of any of the 23 quantified proteins. To sum, over half of the SomaScan results could not be confirmed by independent orthogonal methods.

Social Risk and Dialysis Facility Performance in the First Year of the ESRD Treatment Choices Model.

Importance: The End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) model randomly selected 30% of US dialysis facilities to receive financial incentives based on their use of home dialysis, kidney transplant waitlisting, or transplant receipt. Facilities that disproportionately serve populations with high social risk have a lower use of home dialysis and kidney transplant raising concerns that these sites may fare poorly in the payment model. Objective: To examine first-year ETC model performance scores and financial penalties across dialysis facilities, stratified by their incident patients' social risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional study of 2191 US dialysis facilities that participated in the ETC model from January 1 through December 31, 2021. Exposure: Composition of incident patient population, characterized by the proportion of patients who were non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, living in a highly disadvantaged neighborhood, uninsured, or covered by Medicaid at dialysis initiation. A facility-level composite social risk score assessed whether each facility was in the highest quintile of having 0, 1, or at least 2 of these characteristics. Main Outcomes and Measures: Use of home dialysis, waitlisting, or transplant; model performance score; and financial penalization. Results: Using data from 125 984 incident patients (median age, 65 years [IQR, 54-74]; 41.8% female; 28.6% Black; 11.7% Hispanic), 1071 dialysis facilities (48.9%) had no social risk features, and 491 (22.4%) had 2 or more. In the first year of the ETC model, compared with those with no social risk features, dialysis facilities with 2 or more had lower mean performance scores (3.4 vs 3.6, P = .002) and lower use of home dialysis (14.1% vs 16.0%, P < .001). These facilities had higher receipt of financial penalties (18.5% vs 11.5%, P < .001), more frequently had the highest payment cut of 5% (2.4% vs 0.7%; P = .003), and were less likely to achieve the highest bonus of 4% (0% vs 2.7%; P < .001). Compared with all other facilities, those in the highest quintile of treating uninsured patients or those covered by Medicaid experienced more financial penalties (17.4% vs 12.9%, P = .01) as did those in the highest quintile in the proportion of patients who were Black (18.5% vs 12.6%, P = .001). Conclusions: In the first year of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' ETC model, dialysis facilities serving higher proportions of patients with social risk features had lower performance scores and experienced markedly higher receipt of financial penalties.

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

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

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Among Beneficiaries With End-Stage Renal Disease in the First Year of the 21st Century Cures Act.

Importance: Before 2021, most Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were unable to enroll in private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The 21st Century Cures Act permitted these beneficiaries to enroll in MA plans effective January 2021. Objective: To examine changes in MA enrollment among Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD after enactment of the 21st Century Cures Act overall and by race or ethnicity and dual-eligible status. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional time-trend study used data from Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD (both kidney transplant recipients and those undergoing dialysis) between January 2019 and December 2021. Data were analyzed between June and October 2022. Exposures: 21st Century Cures Act. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were the proportion of Medicare beneficiaries with prevalent ESRD who switched from traditional Medicare to MA between 2020 and 2021 and those with incident ESRD who newly enrolled in MA in 2021. Individuals who stayed in traditional Medicare were enrolled in 2020 and 2021 and those who switched to MA were enrolled in traditional Medicare in 2020 and MA in 2021. Results: Among 575 797 beneficiaries with ESRD in 2020 or 2021 (mean [SD] age, 64.7 [14.2] years, 42.2% female, 34.0% Black, and 7.7% Hispanic or Latino), the proportion of beneficiaries enrolled in MA increased from 24.8% (December 2020) to 37.4% (December 2021), a relative change of 50.8%. The largest relative increases in MA enrollment were among Black (72.8% relative increase), Hispanic (44.8%), and dual-eligible beneficiaries with ESRD (73.6%). Among 359 617 beneficiaries with TM and prevalent ESRD in 2020, 17.6% switched to MA in 2021. Compared with individuals who stayed in traditional Medicare, those who switched to MA had modestly more chronic conditions (6.3 vs 6.1; difference, 0.12 conditions [95% CI, 0.10-0.16]) and similar nondrug spending in 2020 (difference, $509 [95% CI, -$58 to $1075]) but were more likely to be Black (difference, 19.5 percentage points [95% CI, 19.1-19.9]) and have dual Medicare-Medicaid eligibility (difference, 20.8 percentage points [95% CI, 20.4-21.2]). Among beneficiaries who were newly eligible for Medicare ESRD benefits in 2021, 35.2% enrolled in MA. Conclusions and Relevance: Results suggest that increases in MA enrollment among Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD were substantial the first year after the 21st Century Cures Act, particularly among Black, Hispanic, and dual-eligible individuals. Policy makers and MA plans may need to assess network adequacy, disenrollment, and equity of care for beneficiaries who enrolled in MA.

A randomized controlled pilot trial of anakinra for hemodialysis inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is highly prevalent among patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis and is associated with morbidity and mortality. Inhibiting inflammation with anti-cytokine therapy has been proposed but not well studied in this population. Therefore, we conducted the ACTION trial, a pilot, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of an IL-1 receptor antagonist, anakinra, to evaluate safety, tolerability, and feasibility, and explore efficacy. Eighty hemodialysis patients with plasma concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) 2 mg/L and above were randomized 1:1 to placebo or anakinra 100 mg, three times per week via the hemodialysis circuit for 24 weeks, with an additional 24 weeks of post-treatment safety monitoring. Efficacy outcomes included changes in hsCRP (primary), cytokines, and patient-reported outcomes. Rates of serious adverse events and deaths were similar with anakinra and placebo (serious adverse events: 2.71 vs 2.74 events/patient-year; deaths: 0.12 vs 0.22 events/patient-year). The rate of adverse events of interest (including infections and cytopenias) was significantly lower with anakinra than placebo (0.48 vs 1.40 events/patient-year). Feasibility was demonstrated by attaining the enrollment target, a retention rate of 80%, and administration of 72% of doses. The median decrease in hsCRP from baseline to Week 24 was 41% in the anakinra group and 6% in the placebo group, a between-group difference that was not statistically significant. For IL-6, the median decreases were significant: 25% and 0% in the anakinra and placebo groups, respectively. An effect of anakinra on patient-reported outcomes was not evident. Thus, anakinra was well tolerated and did not increase infections or cytopenias. The promising safety data and potential efficacy on CRP and IL-6 provide support for conducting definitive trials of IL-1 inhibition to improve outcomes in hemodialysis patients.

Comparative Effectiveness of Dialysis Modality on Laboratory Parameters of Mineral Metabolism.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorders (CKD-MBD) are prevalent in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis. Yet, there are limited and mixed evidence on the effects of different dialysis modalities involving longer treatment times or higher frequencies on CKD-MBD markers. METHODS: This cohort study used data from 132,523 incident dialysis patients treated with any of the following modalities: conventional thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis, nocturnal in-center hemodialysis (NICHD), home hemodialysis (HHD), or peritoneal dialysis (PD) from 2007 to 2011. We used marginal structural models fitted with inverse probability weights to adjust for fixed and time-varying confounding and informative censoring. We estimated the average effects of treatments with different dialysis modalities on time-varying serum concentrations of CKD-MBD markers: albumin-corrected calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) using pooled linear regression. RESULTS: Most of the cohort were exclusively treated with conventional in-center hemodialysis, while few were ever treated with NICHD or HHD. At the baseline, PD patients had the lowest mean and median values of PTH, while NICHD patients had the highest median values. During follow-up, compared to hemodialysis patients, patients treated with NICHD had lower mean serum PTH (19.8 pg/mL [95% confidence interval: 2.8, 36.8] lower), whereas PD and HHD patients had higher mean PTH (39.7 pg/mL [31.6, 47.8] and 51.2 pg/mL [33.0, 69.3] higher, respectively). Compared to hemodialysis patients, phosphate levels were lower for patients treated with NICHD (0.44 mg/dL [0.37, 0.52] lower), PD (0.15 mg/dL [0.12, 0.19] lower), or HHD (0.33 mg/dL [0.27, 0.40] lower). There were no clinically meaningful associations between dialysis modalities and concentrations of calcium or ALP. CONCLUSION: In incident dialysis patients, compared to treatment with conventional in-center hemodialysis, treatments with other dialysis modalities with longer treatment times or higher frequency were associated with different patterns of serum phosphate and PTH. Given the recent growth in the use of dialysis modalities other than hemodialysis, the associations between the treatment and the CKD-MBD markers warrant additional study.

Medicaid Expansion and Incidence of Kidney Failure among Nonelderly Adults.

BACKGROUND: Low-income individuals without health insurance have limited access to health care. Medicaid expansions may reduce kidney failure incidence by improving access to chronic disease care. METHODS: Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we examined the association between Medicaid expansion status under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the kidney failure incidence rate among all nonelderly adults, aged 19-64 years, in the United States, from 2012 through 2018. We compared changes in kidney failure incidence in states that implemented Medicaid expansions with concurrent changes in nonexpansion states during pre-expansion, early postexpansion (years 2 and 3 postexpansion), and later postexpansion (years 4 and 5 postexpansion). RESULTS: The unadjusted kidney failure incidence rate increased in the early years of the study period in both expansion and nonexpansion states before stabilizing. After adjustment for population sociodemographic characteristics, Medicaid expansion status was associated with 2.20 fewer incident cases of kidney failure per million adults per quarter in the early postexpansion period (95% CI, -3.89 to -0.51) compared with nonexpansion status, a 3.07% relative reduction (95% CI, -5.43% to -0.72%). In the later postexpansion period, Medicaid expansion status was not associated with a statistically significant change in kidney failure incidence (-0.56 cases per million per quarter; 95% CI, -2.71 to 1.58) compared with nonexpansion status and the pre-expansion time period. CONCLUSIONS: The ACA Medicaid expansion was associated with an initial reduction in kidney failure incidence among the entire, nonelderly, adult population in the United States; but the changes did not persist in the later postexpansion period. Further study is needed to determine the long-term association between Medicaid expansion and changes in kidney failure incidence.

A genome-wide association study suggests correlations of common genetic variants with peritoneal solute transfer rates in patients with kidney failure receiving peritoneal dialysis.

Movement of solutes across the peritoneum allows for the use of peritoneal dialysis to treat kidney failure. However, there is a large inter-individual variability in the peritoneal solute transfer rate (PSTR). Here, we tested the hypothesis that common genetic variants are associated with variability in PSTR. Of the 3561 participants from 69 centers in six countries, 2850 with complete data were included in a genome-wide association study. PSTR was defined as the four-hour dialysate/plasma creatinine ratio from the first peritoneal equilibration test after starting PD. Heritability of PSTR was estimated using genomic-restricted maximum-likelihood analysis, and the association of PSTR with a genome-wide polygenic risk score was also tested. The mean four-hour dialysate/plasma creatinine ratio in participants was 0.70. In 2212 participants of European ancestry, no signal reached genome-wide significance but 23 single nucleotide variants at four loci demonstrated suggestive associations with PSTR. Meta-analysis of ancestry-stratified regressions in 2850 participants revealed five single-nucleotide variants at four loci with suggestive correlations with PSTR. Association across ancestry strata was consistent for rs28644184 at the KDM2B locus. The estimated heritability of PSTR was 19%, and a permuted model polygenic risk score was significantly associated with PSTR. Thus, this genome-wide association study of patients receiving peritoneal dialysis bolsters evidence for a genetic contribution to inter-individual variability in PSTR.

KDOQI US Commentary on the 2020 ISPD Practice Recommendations for Prescribing High-Quality Goal-Directed Peritoneal Dialysis.

The recently published 2020 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) practice recommendations regarding prescription of high-quality goal-directed peritoneal dialysis differ fundamentally from previous guidelines that focused on "adequacy" of dialysis. The new ISPD publication emphasizes the need for a person-centered approach with shared decision making between the individual performing peritoneal dialysis and the clinical care team while taking a broader view of the various issues faced by that individual. Cognizant of the lack of strong evidence for the recommendations made, they are labeled as "practice points" rather than being graded numerically. This commentary presents the views of a work group convened by the National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) to assess these recommendations and assist clinical providers in the United States in interpreting and implementing them. This will require changes to the current clinical paradigm, including greater resource allocation to allow for enhanced services that provide a more holistic and person-centered assessment of the quality of dialysis delivered.

Treating Home Versus Predialysis Blood Pressure Among In-Center Hemodialysis Patients: A Pilot Randomized Trial.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Observational studies have reported a U-shaped association between blood pressure (BP) before a hemodialysis session and death. In contrast, because a linear association between out-of-dialysis-unit BP and death has been reported, home BP may be a better target for treatment. To test the feasibility of this approach, we conducted a pilot trial of treating home versus predialysis BP in hemodialysis patients. STUDY DESIGN: A 4-month, parallel, randomized, controlled trial. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS: 50 prevalent hemodialysis patients in San Francisco and Seattle. Participants were randomly assigned using 1:1 block randomization, stratified by site. INTERVENTIONS: To target home systolic BP (SBP) of 100-<140 mm Hg versus predialysis SBP of 100-<140mm Hg. Home and predialysis SBPs were ascertained every 2 weeks. Dry weight and BP medications were adjusted to reach the target SBP. OUTCOMES: Primary outcomes were feasibility, adherence, safety. and tolerability. RESULTS: 50 of 70 (71%) patients who were approached agreed to participate. All enrollees completed the study except for 1 who received a kidney transplant. In the home BP treatment group, adherence to obtaining/reporting home BP was 97.4% (and consistent over the 4 months). There was no increased frequency of high (defined as SBP>200mm Hg; 0.2% vs 0%) or low (defined as<90mm Hg; 1.8% vs 1.2%) predialysis BP readings in the home versus predialysis treatment arms, respectively. However, participants in the home BP arm had higher frequency of fatigue (32% vs 16%). LIMITATIONS: Small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot trial demonstrates feasibility and high adherence to home BP measurement and treatment in hemodialysis patients. Larger trials to test the long-term feasibility, efficacy, and safety of home BP treatment in hemodialysis patients should be conducted. FUNDERS: National Institutes of Health, Satellite Healthcare, and Northwest Kidney Centers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with study number NCT03459807.

Patient-reported outcome measures for life participation in peritoneal dialysis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) endure an ongoing regimen of daily fluid exchanges and are at risk of potentially life-threatening complications and debilitating symptoms that can limit their ability to participate in life activities. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics, content and psychometric properties of measures for life participation used in research in PD. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsychInfo, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to May 2020 for all studies that reported life participation in patients on PD. The characteristics, dimensions of life participation and psychometric properties of these measures were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 301 studies included, 17 (6%) were randomized studies and 284 (94%) were nonrandomized studies. Forty-two different measures were used to assess life participation. Of these, 23 (55%) were used in only one study. Fifteen (36%) measures were specifically designed to assess life participation, while 27 (64%) measures assessed broader constructs, such as quality of life, but included questions on life participation. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form were the most frequently used measures [122 (41%) and 86 (29%) studies, respectively]. Eight (19%) measures had validation data to support their use in patients on PD. CONCLUSIONS: The many measures currently used to assess life participation in patients receiving PD vary in their characteristics, content and validation. Further work to pilot and validate potential measures is required to establish a core patient-reported outcome measure to assess life participation in patients receiving PD.

Nomenclature for kidney function and disease: report of a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Consensus Conference.

The worldwide burden of kidney disease is rising, but public awareness remains limited, underscoring the need for more effective communication by stakeholders in the kidney health community. Despite this need for clarity, the nomenclature for describing kidney function and disease lacks uniformity. In June 2019, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) convened a Consensus Conference with the goal of standardizing and refining the nomenclature used in the English language to describe kidney function and disease, and of developing a glossary that could be used in scientific publications. Guiding principles of the conference were that the revised nomenclature should be patient-centered, precise, and consistent with nomenclature used in the KDIGO guidelines. Conference attendees reached general consensus on the following recommendations: (i) to use "kidney" rather than "renal" or "nephro-" when referring to kidney disease and kidney function; (ii) to use "kidney failure" with appropriate descriptions of presence or absence of symptoms, signs, and treatment, rather than "end-stage kidney disease"; (iii) to use the KDIGO definition and classification of acute kidney diseases and disorders (AKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI), rather than alternative descriptions, to define and classify severity of AKD and AKI; (iv) to use the KDIGO definition and classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) rather than alternative descriptions to define and classify severity of CKD; and (v) to use specific kidney measures, such as albuminuria or decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), rather than "abnormal" or "reduced" kidney function to describe alterations in kidney structure and function. A proposed 5-part glossary contains specific items for which there was general agreement. Conference attendees acknowledged limitations of the recommendations and glossary, but they considered standardization of scientific nomenclature to be essential for improving communication.

Establishing a Core Outcome Set for Peritoneal Dialysis: Report of the SONG-PD (Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Peritoneal Dialysis) Consensus Workshop.

Outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials in peritoneal dialysis (PD) are diverse, are measured inconsistently, and may not be important to patients, families, and clinicians. The Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Peritoneal Dialysis (SONG-PD) initiative aims to establish a core outcome set for trials in PD based on the shared priorities of all stakeholders. We convened an international SONG-PD stakeholder consensus workshop in May 2018 in Vancouver, Canada. Nineteen patients/caregivers and 51 health professionals attended. Participants discussed core outcome domains and implementation in trials in PD. Four themes relating to the formation of core outcome domains were identified: life participation as a main goal of PD, impact of fatigue, empowerment for preparation and planning, and separation of contributing factors from core factors. Considerations for implementation were identified: standardizing patient-reported outcomes, requiring a validated and feasible measure, simplicity of binary outcomes, responsiveness to interventions, and using positive terminology. All stakeholders supported inclusion of PD-related infection, cardiovascular disease, mortality, technique survival, and life participation as the core outcome domains for PD.

Meaning of empowerment in peritoneal dialysis: focus groups with patients and caregivers.

BACKGROUND: While peritoneal dialysis (PD) can offer patients more independence and flexibility compared with in-center hemodialysis, managing the ongoing and technically demanding regimen can impose a burden on patients and caregivers. Patient empowerment can strengthen capacity for self-management and improve treatment outcomes. We aimed to describe patients' and caregivers' perspectives on the meaning and role of patient empowerment in PD. METHODS: Adult patients receiving PD (n = 81) and their caregivers (n = 45), purposively sampled from nine dialysis units in Australia, Hong Kong and the USA, participated in 14 focus groups. Transcripts were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: We identified six themes: lacking clarity for self-management (limited understanding of rationale behind necessary restrictions, muddled by conflicting information); PD regimen restricting flexibility and freedom (burden in budgeting time, confined to be close to home); strength with supportive relationships (gaining reassurance with practical assistance, comforted by considerate health professionals, supported by family and friends); defying constraints (reclaiming the day, undeterred by treatment, refusing to be defined by illness); regaining lost vitality (enabling physical functioning, restoring energy for life participation); and personal growth through adjustment (building resilience and enabling positive outlook, accepting the dialysis regimen). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the rationale behind lifestyle restrictions, practical assistance and family support in managing PD promoted patient empowerment, whereas being constrained in time and capacity for life participation outside the home undermined it. Education, counseling and strategies to minimize the disruption and burden of PD may enhance satisfaction and outcomes in patients requiring PD.

Sleep-HD trial: short and long-term effectiveness of existing insomnia therapies for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) treated with hemodialysis (HD) experience many distressing symptoms. One frequently reported symptom is insomnia. There are unique issues about HD treatments and schedules that disrupt regular sleep/wake routines and possibly contribute to the high severity of insomnia. Despite evidence for broad-ranging health effects of insomnia, very few clinical trials have tested the efficacy of treatments for HD patients. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a recommended first-line therapy but largely inaccessible to HD patients in the United States, partly because they commit considerable amounts of time to thrice-weekly dialysis treatments. Another important reason could be the logistical and reimbursement challenges associated with providing behavioral health care at the dialysis center. CBT-I delivered by telehealth can overcome barriers to access, but its efficacy has never been rigorously tested for these patients. Pharmacotherapy is the most widely used treatment for insomnia; however, some drugs presently used are unsafe as they are associated with a higher risk for death for HD patients (benzodiazepines and zolpidem-like drugs). The efficacy and safety of other medications (trazodone) for the treatment of insomnia has never been tested for patients treated with HD. METHODS: This trial tests the short- and long-term comparative effectiveness of 6-week treatment with telehealth CBT-I, trazodone, or medication placebo. This will be accomplished with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which 126 participants treated with HD in community-based dialysis facilities with chronic insomnia will be assigned 1:1:1 to telehealth CBT-I, trazodone, or medication placebo, respectively; short-term effectiveness of each treatment arm will be determined at the end of 6-weeks of treatment and long-term effectiveness at 25-weeks. The primary and secondary patient-reported outcomes will be assessed with computer-based telephone interviewing by research scientists blinded to treatment assignment; additional secondary outcomes will be assessed by participant interview and actigraphy. DISCUSSION: This clinical RCT will provide the first evidence for the comparative effectiveness of two distinct approaches for treating chronic insomnia and other patient-reported outcomes for patients receiving maintenance HD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03534284 May 23, 2018. SLEEP-HD Protocol Version: 1.3.4 (7/22/2020).

Comparative Efficacy of Therapies for Treatment of Depression for Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Although depression is common among patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis, data on their acceptance of treatment and on the comparative efficacy of various therapies are limited. Objective: To determine the effect of an engagement interview on treatment acceptance (phase 1) and to compare the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) versus sertraline (phase 2) for treating depression in patients receiving hemodialysis. Design: Multicenter, parallel-group, open-label, randomized controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02358343). Setting: 41 dialysis facilities in 3 U.S. metropolitan areas. Participants: Patients who had been receiving hemodialysis for at least 3 months and had a Beck Depression Inventory-II score of 15 or greater; 184 patients participated in phase 1, and 120 subsequently participated in phase 2. Intervention: Engagement interview versus control visit (phase 1) and 12 weeks of CBT delivered in the dialysis facility versus sertraline treatment (phase 2). Measurements: The primary outcome for phase 1 was the proportion of participants who started depression treatment within 28 days. For phase 2, the primary outcome was depressive symptoms measured by the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms-Clinician-Rated (QIDS-C) at 12 weeks. Results: The proportion of participants who initiated treatment after the engagement or control visit did not differ (66% vs. 64%, respectively; P = 0.77; estimated risk difference, 2.1 [95% CI, -12.1 to 16.4]). Compared with CBT, sertraline treatment resulted in lower QIDS-C depression scores at 12 weeks (effect estimate, -1.84 [CI, -3.54 to -0.13]; P = 0.035). Adverse events were more frequent in the sertraline than the CBT group. Limitation: No randomized comparison was made with no treatment, and persistence of treatment effect was not assessed. Conclusion: An engagement interview with patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis had no effect on their acceptance of treatment for depression. After 12 weeks of treatment, depression scores were modestly better with sertraline treatment than with CBT. Primary Funding Source: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Dialysis Clinic, Kidney Research Institute, and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Dialysis initiation, modality choice, access, and prescription: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference.

Globally, the number of patients undergoing maintenance dialysis is increasing, yet throughout the world there is significant variability in the practice of initiating dialysis. Factors such as availability of resources, reasons for starting dialysis, timing of dialysis initiation, patient education and preparedness, dialysis modality and access, as well as varied "country-specific" factors significantly affect patient experiences and outcomes. As the burden of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has increased globally, there has also been a growing recognition of the importance of patient involvement in determining the goals of care and decisions regarding treatment. In January 2018, KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) convened a Controversies Conference focused on dialysis initiation, including modality choice, access, and prescription. Here we present a summary of the conference discussions, including identified knowledge gaps, areas of controversy, and priorities for research. A major novel theme represented during the conference was the need to move away from a "one-size-fits-all" approach to dialysis and provide more individualized care that incorporates patient goals and preferences while still maintaining best practices for quality and safety. Identifying and including patient-centered goals that can be validated as quality indicators in the context of diverse health care systems to achieve equity of outcomes will require alignment of goals and incentives between patients, providers, regulators, and payers that will vary across health care jurisdictions.

Safety and cardiovascular efficacy of spironolactone in dialysis-dependent ESRD (SPin-D): a randomized, placebo-controlled, multiple dosage trial.

The safety and efficacy of spironolactone is uncertain in end-stage renal disease. We randomized 129 maintenance hemodialysis patients to placebo (n=51) or spironolactone 12.5 mg (n=27), 25 mg (n=26), or 50 mg (n=25) daily for 36 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple dosage trial to assess safety, tolerability and feasibility and to explore cardiovascular efficacy. The primary safety endpoints were hyperkalemia (potassium > 6.5 mEq/L) and hypotension requiring emergency department visit or hospitalization. Diastolic function was assessed by Doppler echocardiography. 125 participants (97%) completed dose escalation, with no significant difference in permanent study drug discontinuation between the groups (27.5% in placebo versus 16.7% in the combined spironolactone groups and 28% in the 50 mg group). Hyperkalemia frequency was similar between spironolactone and placebo (0.49 versus 0.50 events per patient-year) but demonstrated a significant linear trend due primarily to an increased event rate at the 50 mg dose (0.89 events per patient-year). The primary hypotension outcome was infrequent and similar with spironolactone and placebo (0.11 versus 0 events per patient-year). Gynecomastia was rare and did not differ significantly between groups. Change in diastolic function was similar with spironolactone and placebo. Spironolactone appears safe in carefully monitored maintenance hemodialysis patients, but did not affect cardiovascular parameters in this small study. Hyperkalemia occurs more frequently as dosage increases to 50 mg daily.

An international Delphi survey helped develop consensus-based core outcome domains for trials in peritoneal dialysis.

Shared decision-making about clinical care options in end-stage kidney disease is limited by inconsistencies in the reporting of outcomes and the omission of patient-important outcomes in trials. Here we generated a consensus-based prioritized list of outcomes to be reported during trials in peritoneal dialysis (PD). In an international, online, three-round Delphi survey, patients/caregivers and health professionals rated the importance of outcomes using a 9-point Likert scale (with 7-9 indicating critical importance) and provided comments. Using a Best-Worst Scale (BWS), the relative importance of outcomes was estimated. Comments were analyzed thematically. In total, 873 participants (207 patients/caregivers and 666 health professionals) from 68 countries completed round one, 629 completed round two and 530 completed round three. The top outcomes were PD-related infection, membrane function, peritoneal dialysis failure, cardiovascular disease, death, catheter complications, and the ability to do usual activities. Compared with health professionals, patients/caregivers gave higher priority to six outcomes: blood pressure (mean difference, 0.4), fatigue (0.3), membrane function (0.3), impact on family/friends (0.1), peritoneal thickening (0.1) and usual activities (0.1). Four themes were identified that underpinned the reasons for ratings: contributing to treatment longevity, preserving quality of life, escalating morbidity, and irrelevant and futile information and treatment. Patients/caregivers and health professionals gave highest priority to clinical outcomes. In contrast to health professionals, patients/caregivers gave higher priority to lifestyle-related outcomes including the impact on family/friends and usual activities. Thus, prioritization will inform a core outcome set to improve the consistency and relevance of outcomes for trials in PD.