Lower access to kidney transplantation for women in France is not explained by comorbidities and social deprivation.

BACKGROUND: Access to kidney transplantation (KT) remains challenging for patients with end-stage kidney disease. This study assessed women's access to KT in France by considering comorbidities and neighborhood social deprivation. METHODS: All incident 18-85-year-old patients starting dialysis in France between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019 were included. Three outcomes were assessed: (i) access to the KT waiting list after dialysis start, (ii) KT access after waitlisting, and (iii) KT access after dialysis start. Cox and Fine and Gray models were used. Gender-EDI and gender-age interactions were tested and analyses were performed among strata if required. RESULTS: 29,395 patients were included (35% of women). After adjusting for social deprivation and comorbidities, women were less likely to be waitlisted at 1 (adjHR: 0.91 [0.87-0.96]) and 3 years (adjHR: 0.87 [0.84-0.91]) post-dialysis initiation. This disparity concerned mainly ≥60-year-old women (adjHR: 0.76 [0.71-0.82] at 1 year and 0.75 [0.71-0.81] at 3 years). Access to KT, after 2 years of waitlisting was similar between genders. Access to KT was similar between genders at 3 years after dialysis start, but decreased for women after 4 years (adjHR: 0.93 [0.88-0.99]) and longer follow-up (adjHR: 0.90 [0.85-0.96]). CONCLUSIONS: In France, women are less likely to be waitlisted and undergo kidney transplantation. This is driven by the ≥60-year-old group and is not explained by comorbidities or social deprivation level.

Social deprivation and kidney failure due to an undiagnosed nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: In France, kidney diseases of undetermined origin account for 5%-20% of all causes of end-stage kidney disease. We investigated the impact of social disadvantage on the lack of aetiological diagnosis of nephropathies. METHODS: Data from patients who started dialysis in France between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2018 were extracted from the French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network registry. The social deprivation of each individual was estimated by the European Deprivation Index (EDI) defined by the patient's address. Logistic regression was used to perform mediation analysis to study the potential association between social deprivation and unknown nephropathy. RESULTS: Of the 7218 patients included, 1263 (17.5%) had unknown kidney disease. A total of 394 (31.4%) patients in the unknown kidney disease belonged to the most deprived quintile of the EDI [fifth quintile (Q5)], vs 1636 (27.5%) patients in the known kidney disease group. In the multivariate analysis, unknown kidney disease was associated with Q5 (odds ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.74, P = .003). Mediation analysis did not identify any variables (e.g. obesity, initiation of dialysis in emergency, number of visits to the general practitioner and nephrologist before initiation of dialysis, date of first nephrology consultation) that mediated the association between social deprivation and nephropathy of unknown origin. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that, compared with nondeprived subjects, individuals experiencing social deprivation have a higher risk of unknown nephropathy at dialysis initiation. However, mediation analysis did not identify any variables that explained the association between social deprivation and nephropathy of unknown origin.

A New Procedure for Guidewire Exchange of Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheters in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Different techniques of guidewire exchange of tunneled catheters for hemodialysis (HD) have been reported. This study was carried out to assess the feasibility of a new procedure in chronic HD patients who needed catheter exchange because of mechanical dysfunction. METHODS: The guidewire exchange method was based on the creation of a new exit site and a new subcutaneous tunnel while using the same venous insertion site. This was a retrospective study of exchanged tunneled catheters because of mechanical complications in patients on chronic HD between June 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019. The feasibility of the procedure was defined by successful exchange and catheter patency at 6 months. Catheter survival and immediate complications were reported. RESULTS: A total of 49 procedures were performed in 34 HD patients. There was no catheter insertion failure. At 6 months, 6 catheters have lost their patency because of a mechanical complication. Thus, the success rate of the procedure was 43/49 (87.8%). Catheter survival censored on death, transplantation, or vascular access creation was 97.8% at 90 days, 86.2% at 180 days, and 74.5% at 1 year. The median catheter survival was 10.2 months. Among the 49 procedures, there were 9 hematomas at the insertion site that did not require surgical intervention. Discussion/Conlusion: Our study shows that guidewire exchange of a tunneled HD catheter by creating a new exit site and a new subcutaneous tunnel by using the same venous access is a newer method in chronic HD patients. This procedure should not be used in patients with coagulation issues. Additional studies are needed to compare the different methods of HD catheter exchange.

Healthcare professional education in shared decision making in the context of chronic kidney disease: a scoping review.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative effort between healthcare professionals, individuals with CKD whereby clinical evidence, expected outcomes and potential side-effects are balanced with individual values and beliefs to provide the best mutually decided treatment option. Meaningful SDM is supported by effective training and education. We aimed to identify the available evidence on SDM training and education of healthcare professionals caring for people with chronic kidney disease. We aimed to identify existing training programs and to explore what means are used to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of these educational efforts. METHODOLOGY: We performed a scoping review to study the effectiveness of training or education about shared decision making of healthcare professionals treating patients with kidney disease. EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL and APA PsycInfo were searched. RESULTS: After screening of 1190 articles, 24 articles were included for analysis, of which 20 were suitable for quality appraisal. These included 2 systematic reviews, 1 cohort study, 7 qualitative studies, and 10 studies using mixed methods. Study quality was varied with high quality (n = 5), medium quality (n = 12), and low quality (n = 3) studies. The majority of studies (n = 11) explored SDM education for nurses, and physicians (n = 11). Other HCP profiles included social workers (n = 6), dieticians (n = 4), and technicians (n = 2). Topics included education on SDM in withholding of dialysis, modality choice, patient engagement, and end-of-life decisions. LIMITATIONS: We observed significant heterogeneity in study design and varied quality of the data. As the literature search is restricted to evidence published between January 2000 and March 2021, relevant literature outside of this time window has not been taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on training and education of SDM for healthcare professionals taking care of patients with CKD is limited. Curricula are not standardized, and educational and training materials do not belong to the public domain. The extent to which interventions have improved the process of shared-decision making is tested mostly by pre-post testing of healthcare professionals, whereas the impact from the patient perspective for the most part remains untested.

Switch from Hemodialysis to Peritoneal Dialysis: Does the Time Spent on Hemodialysis Impact Outcomes in Peritoneal Dialysis?

INTRODUCTION: Switch from hemodialysis (HD) to peritoneal dialysis (PD) is unfrequent, but incentive strategies to perform PD can lead to an increase of these transitions. However, data on transitioning from HD to PD are scarce. We hypothesized that time spent on HD before transfer to PD would impact PD outcomes. METHODS: This registry-based, nationwide study analyzed patients transferred from HD to PD. Patients who began HD between January 2008 and December 2016 were included. Cox and Fine and Gray regression models were used to explore the relationship between time spent on HD before PD and outcomes in PD: PD cessation for death or retransfer to HD (composite endpoint); for death; and for retransfer to HD. RESULTS: Over the study period, 1,985 of the 77,587 HD starters (3%) were transferred to PD. The median time spent on HD before transfer to PD was 1.94 months (interquartile range [IQR] 1.02-4.01). The median survival time on PD after this transition was 20 months (IQR 18-21). Time spent on HD before PD was associated with increased risk of death or retransfer to HD (cause-specific hazard ratio [cs-HR] 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1-1.02 for a 1-month increase) and death (cs-HR 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03) but not with retransfer to HD censored on death (cs-HR 1.00, 95% CI: 0.99-1.01). The results were similar when considering competing events. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Switch from HD to PD is rare in France. Time spent on HD before transfer is associated with patient survival but not with retransfer to HD.

Dialysis-network variability in home dialysis use not explained by patient characteristics: a national registry-based cohort study in France.

BACKGROUND: Although associated with better quality of life and potential economic advantages, home dialysis use varies greatly internationally and appears to be underused in many countries. This study aimed to estimate the dialysis-network variability in home dialysis use and identify factors associated with (i) the uptake in home dialysis, (ii) the proportion of time spent on home dialysis and (iii) home dialysis survival (patient and technique). METHODS: All adults ≥18 years old who had dialysis treatment during 2017-2019 in mainland France were included. Mixed-effects regression models were built to explore factors including patient or residence characteristics and dialysis network associated with variation in home dialysis use. RESULTS: During 2017-2019, 7728/78 757 (9.8%) patients underwent dialysis at least once at home for a total of 120 594/1 508 000 (8%) months. The heterogeneity at the dialysis-network level and to a lesser extent the regional level regarding home dialysis uptake or total time spent was marginally explained by patient characteristics or residence and dialysis-network factors. Between-network heterogeneity was less for patient and technique survival. These results were similar when the analysis was restricted to home peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Variability between networks in the use of home dialysis was not fully explained by non-modifiable patient and residence characteristics. Our results suggest that to increase home dialysis use in France, one should focus on home dialysis uptake rather than survival. Financial incentives and a quality improvement programme should be implemented at the dialysis-network level to increase home dialysis use.

Are sex differences in the outcome of peritoneal dialysis explained by nurse assistance? A cohort study with data from the Registre de Dialyse Péritonéale de Langue Française.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate sex differences in peritoneal dialysis (PD) outcomes and to explore direct and indirect effects of nurse-assisted PD on outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective study using data from the Registre de Dialyse Péritonéale de Langue Française of incident PD patients between 2005 and 2016. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to analyse transfer to haemodialysis (HD), death, PD failure, peritonitis and renal transplantation. Mediation analyses with a counterfactual approach were carried out to evaluate natural direct and indirect effects of sex on transfer to HD and peritonitis, with nurse-assisted PD as a mediator a priori. RESULTS: Of the 14 659 patients included, there were 5970 females (41%) and 8689 males (59%). Women were more frequently treated by nurse-assisted PD than men [2926/5970 (49.1%) versus 3357/8689 (38.7%)]. In the multivariable analysis, women had a lower risk of transfer to HD [cause-specific hazard ratio {cs-HR} 0.82 {95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.88}], death [cs-HR 0.90 (95% CI 0.85-0.95)], peritonitis [cs-HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.78-0.87)], PD failure [cs-HR 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.90)] and a lower chance of undergoing transplant [cs-HR 0.83 (95% CI 0.77-0.90)] than men. There was a direct effect of sex on the risk of transfer to HD [cs-HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.82-0.83)], with an indirect effect of nurse-assisted PD [cs-HR 0.97 (95% CI 0.96-0.99)]. Nurse-assisted PD had no indirect effect on the risk of peritonitis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that compared with men, women have a lower risk of both transfer to HD and peritonitis. Mediation analysis showed that nurse assistance was a potential mediator in the causal pathway between sex and transfer to HD.

Availability of assisted peritoneal dialysis in Europe: call for increased and equal access.

BACKGROUND: Availability of assisted PD (asPD) increases access to dialysis at home, particularly for the increasing numbers of older and frail people with advanced kidney disease. Although asPD has been widely used in some European countries for many years, it remains unavailable or poorly utilized in others. A group of leading European nephrologists have therefore formed a group to drive increased availability of asPD in Europe and in their own countries. METHODS: Members of the group filled in a proforma with the following headings: personal experience, country experience, who are the assistants, funding of asPD, barriers to growth, what is needed to grow and their top three priorities. RESULTS: Only 5 of the 13 countries surveyed provided publicly funded reimbursement for asPD. The use of asPD depends on overall attitudes to PD, with all respondents mentioning the need for nephrology team education and/or patient education and involvement in dialysis modality decision making. CONCLUSIONS AND CALL TO ACTION: Many people with advanced kidney disease would prefer to have their dialysis at home, yet if the frail patient chooses PD most healthcare systems cannot provide their choice. AsPD should be available in all countries in Europe and in all renal centres. The top priorities to make this happen are education of renal healthcare teams about the advantages of PD, education of and discussion with patients and their families as they approach the need for dialysis, and engagement with policymakers and healthcare providers to develop and support assistance for PD.

What Total Body Water Measurement Should Be Used for Prescribing the Dialysis Dose in Low-Flow Home Daily Dialysis?

INTRODUCTION: In low-flow home daily dialysis (HDD), the dialysis dose is evaluated from the total body water (TBW). TBW can be estimated by anthropometric methods or bioimpedance spectroscopy. METHODS: A multicentric cross-sectional study of patients in HDD for >3 months was conducted to assess the correlation and the difference between the anthropometric estimate of TBW (Watson-TBW) and the bioimpedance estimate (BIS-TBW) and to analyse the impact on the dialysate volume prescribed. RESULTS: Forty patients from 10 centres were included. The median BIS-TBW and Watson-TBW were 35.1 (29.1-41.4 L) and 36.9 (32-42.4 L), respectively. The 2 methods had a good correlation (r = 0.87, p < 0.05). However, Bland-Altman analysis showed an overestimation of TBW with Watson's formula, with a bias of 2.77 L. For 4, 5, or 6 sessions per week, the use of Watson-TBW increases the dialysate prescription per week by 100 L, 45 L, or 10 L, respectively, over our entire cohort. There is no increase in the volume of dialysate prescribed with the 7 sessions per week schedule. CONCLUSION: BIS-TBW and Watson-TBW estimation have a good correlation; however, Watson's equation overestimates TBW. This overestimation is negligible for a prescription frequency of >5 sessions per week.

Perception of social inequities in the access to the kidney transplant waiting list by nephrology trainees: a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Social inequalities in health are responsible for disparities in access to the kidney transplant waiting list (KTWL). The perception of disparities by nephrologists has consequences for the registration on the KTWL. The purposes of our study were to assess the perception of the factors implicated in the disparities in access to the KTWL by nephrology trainees and to assess the quality of the questionnaire. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed to assess the perception of the determinants of the inequities in access to waitlisting. Continuous variables were described by median, 1st and 3rd quartiles. Categorical variables were described by frequencies and percentages. A principal component analysis and a hierarchical cluster analysis were performed to approach the correlation between the variables. A scree plot and a factor analysis were performed to determine the dimensions of the questionnaire. The internal consistency was estimated by Cronbach's coefficient. RESULTS: The response rate was 98/110 (89%). The determinants of inequities in the access to KTWL not perceived by the nephrology trainees were "female sex", "income level" and "the centre provision to adapt the information to all of the patients" (18,3%, 36,7, 47% respectively). "Age", "being born abroad", "place of living", "education level", "transplant centre", "the health care provider" were determinants of disparities perceived by most of the trainees (85,7%, 75,5%, 82,6%, 78,6%, 73,5% et 78,5% respectively). Items related to the transplant centre were positively correlated, as well as "being born abroad", "education level" and "income level". The Cronbach's coefficient was 0,60. CONCLUSION: Social inequalities in health are partially perceived by nephrology trainees. A teaching session could raise nephrologists' awareness of this issue and could help reduce the impact of these disparities on the course of ESKD (end-stage kidney disease) patients.

Association Between Use of Anticancer Drugs and Cardiovascular Disease-Related Hospitalization in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Insights From a Population-Based Study, the Anticancer Vigilance of Cardiac Events Study.

We aimed to investigate the association between use of anticancer drugs and cardiovascular-related hospitalization (CVRH) among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A cohort study, the Anticancer Vigilance of Cardiac Events (AVOCETTE) Study, was conducted using data from the digestive tumor registry of a French county, the Département du Calvados. Incident mCRC cases diagnosed between 2008 and 2014 were included. The follow-up end date was December 31, 2016. Data from the county hospital center pharmacy and medical information departments were matched with the registry data. A competing-risks approach was used. Statistical tests were 2-sided. A total of 1,116 mCRC patients were included, and they were administered 12,374 rounds of treatment; fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, and bevacizumab were most common drugs used. A total of 208 CVRH events occurred in 145 patients (13.0%). The International Cancer Survival Standards type 1 standardized incidence was 84.0 CVRH per 1,000 person-years (95% confidence interval: 72.6, 95.5). Anticancer drugs were not associated with a higher incidence of CVRH. Male sex, increasing age, a prior history of CVRH, and a higher Charlson comorbidity index score were associated with a higher incidence of CVRH. CVRH was significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality (multivariable hazard ratio = 1.58, 95% confidence interval: 1.28, 1.95). In this study, anticancer drugs were not associated with a higher incidence of CVRH in mCRC patients.

Effect of age and care organization on sources of variation in kidney transplant waiting list registration.

Despite national guidelines, medical practices and kidney transplant waiting list registration policies may differ from one dialysis/transplant unit to another. Benefit risk assessment variations, especially for elderly patients, have also been described. The aim of this study was to identify sources of variation in early kidney transplant waiting list registration in France. Among 16 842 incident patients during the period 2016-2017, 4386 were registered on the kidney transplant waiting list at the start of, or during the first year after starting, dialysis (26%). We developed various log-linear mixed effect regression models on three levels: patients, dialysis networks, and transplant centers. Variability was expressed as variance from the random intercepts (± standard error). Although patient characteristics have an important impact on the likelihood of registration, the overall magnitude of variability in registration was low and shared by dialysis networks and transplant centers. Between-transplant center variability (0.23 ± 0.08) was 1.8 higher than between-dialysis network variability (0.13 ± 0.004). Older age was associated with a lower probability of registration and greater variability between networks (0.04, 0.20, & 0.93 in the 18-64, 65-74, and 75-84 age groups). Targeted interventions should focus on elderly patients and/or certain regions with greater variability in waiting list access.

Trends in Peritoneal Dialysis Technique Survival, Death, and Transfer to Hemodialysis: A Decade of Data from the RDPLF.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited information on the trends of peritoneal dialysis (PD) technique survival over time. This study aimed to estimate the effect of calendar time on technique survival, transfer to hemodialysis (HD) (and the individual causes of transfer), and patient survival. METHODS: This retrospective, multicenter study, based on data from the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry, analyzed 14,673 patients who initiated PD in France between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2016. Adjusted Cox regressions with robust variance were used to examine the probability of a composite end point of either death or transfer to HD, death, and transfer to HD, accounting for the nonlinear impact of PD start time. RESULTS: There were 10,201 (69.5%) cases of PD cessation over the study period: 5,495 (37.4%) deaths and 4,706 (32.1%) transfers to HD. The rate of PD cessation due to death or transfer to HD decreased over time (PR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.97). Compared to 2009-2010, starting PD between 2005 and 2008 or 2011 and 2016 was strongly associated with a lower rate of transfer to HD (PR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81-0.96, and PR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.99, respectively), mostly due to a decline in the rate of infection-related transfers to HD (PR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of the composite end point of either death or transfer to HD, death, and transfer to HD have decreased in recent decades. The decline in transfers to HD rates, observed since 2011, is mainly the result of a significant decline in infection-related transfers.

Assisted peritoneal dialysis and transfer to haemodialysis: a cause-specific analysis with data from the RDPLF.

BACKGROUND: Technique failure, defined as death or transfer to haemodialysis (HD), is a major concern in peritoneal dialysis (PD). Nurse-assisted PD is globally associated with a lower risk of transfer to HD. We aimed to evaluate the association between assisted PD and the risk of the different causes of transfer to HD. METHODS: This was a retrospective study using data from the French Language PD Registry of patients on incident PD from 2006 to 2015. The association between the use of assisted PD and the causes of transfer to HD was evaluated using survival analysis with competing events in unmatched and propensity score-matched cohorts. RESULTS: The study included 11 093 incident PD patients treated in 123 French PD units. There were 4273 deaths, 3330 transfers to HD and 2210 renal transplantations. The causes of transfer to HD were inadequate dialysis (1283), infection (524), catheter-related problems (334), social issues (250), other causes linked to PD (422), other causes not linked to PD (481) and encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (6). Nurse-assisted PD patients were older and more comorbid. Assistance by nurse was associated with a higher risk of death [cause-specific hazard ratio (cs-HR) 2.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.26-2.74], but with a lower risk of transfer to HD [subdistributionHR (sd-HR) 0.68, 95% CI 0.62-0.76], especially due to inadequate dialysis (cs-HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.75-0). CONCLUSIONS: The lower risk of transfer to HD associated with nurse assistance should encourage decision makers to launch reimbursement programmes in countries where it is not available.

Low incidence of SARS-CoV-2, risk factors of mortality and the course of illness in the French national cohort of dialysis patients.

The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of COVID-19 disease in the French national population of dialysis patients, their course of illness and to identify the risk factors associated with mortality. Our study included all patients on dialysis recorded in the French REIN Registry in April 2020. Clinical characteristics at last follow-up and the evolution of COVID-19 illness severity over time were recorded for diagnosed cases (either suspicious clinical symptoms, characteristic signs on the chest scan or a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 1,621 infected patients were reported on the REIN registry from March 16th, 2020 to May 4th, 2020. Of these, 344 died. The prevalence of COVID-19 patients varied from less than 1% to 10% between regions. The probability of being a case was higher in males, patients with diabetes, those in need of assistance for transfer or treated at a self-care unit. Dialysis at home was associated with a lower probability of being infected as was being a smoker, a former smoker, having an active malignancy, or peripheral vascular disease. Mortality in diagnosed cases (21%) was associated with the same causes as in the general population. Higher age, hypoalbuminemia and the presence of an ischemic heart disease were statistically independently associated with a higher risk of death. Being treated at a selfcare unit was associated with a lower risk. Thus, our study showed a relatively low frequency of COVID-19 among dialysis patients contrary to what might have been assumed.

Impact of the dialysate acid component on haemodialysis mortality rates.

BACKGROUND: No prospective study has evaluated the long-term effect on mortality of the new acid concentrates added to bicarbonate dialysate. The aim of this pharmacoepidemiological study was to evaluate the association between hydrochloric or citric acid-based dialysate and mortality on haemodialysis (HD). METHODS: This study included 117 796 patients with 3 723 887 months on HD recorded in the national French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network registry. Dialysate acid components were retrospectively reconstructed for each facility. All patients on HD were associated each month with an exposure based on that at their facility of treatment. We took each patient's time-varying exposure into account to calculate the monthly mortality rates for each exposure. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for mortality were calculated with a Poisson regression, with acetic acid as the reference. Regressions were adjusted for initial clinical characteristics (age, gender, previous cardiovascular events, active malignancy, diabetes, pulmonary disease, mobility), dialysis technique and location (in-centre, outpatient centre, self-care unit) and ESRD vintage, updated monthly. RESULTS: The crude mortality rate per 1000 patient-months with citric acid {11.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 11.1-12.0]} was lower than with either acetic acid [12.9 (95% CI 12.8-13.1)] or hydrochloric acid [12.8 (95% CI 12.2-13.5)]. For the 2014-17 period, the IRR for mortality with citric acid [adjusted IRR 0.94 (95% CI 0.90-0.99)] and with hydrochloric acid [adjusted IRR 0.86 (95% CI 0.79-0.94)] were significantly lower than with acetic acid. CONCLUSION: This post-marketing study of long-term exposure to dialysate acidifiers at the patient level found the use of citric and hydrochloric acid-based dialysates, compared with acetic acid, was associated with lower mortality.

Is self-care dialysis associated with social deprivation in a universal health care system? A cohort study with data from the Renal Epidemiology and Information Network Registry.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status is associated with dialysis modality in developed countries. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether social deprivation, estimated by the European Deprivation Index (EDI), was associated with self-care dialysis in France. METHODS: The EDI was calculated for patients who started dialysis in 2017. The event of interest was self-care dialysis 3 months after dialysis initiation [self-care peritoneal dialysis (PD) or satellite haemodialysis (HD)]. A logistic model was used for the statistical analysis, and a counterfactual approach was used for the causal mediation analysis. RESULTS: Among the 9588 patients included, 2894 (30%) were in the most deprived quintile of the EDI. A total of 1402 patients were treated with self-care dialysis. In the multivariable analysis with the EDI in quintiles, there was no association between social deprivation and self-care dialysis. Compared with the other EDI quintiles, patients from Quintile 5 (most deprived quintile) were less likely to be on self-care dialysis (odds ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.71-0.93). Age, sex, emergency start, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, severe disability, serum albumin and registration on the waiting list were associated with self-care dialysis. The EDI was not associated with self-care dialysis in either the HD or in the PD subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In France, social deprivation estimated by the EDI is associated with self-care dialysis in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing replacement therapy.

Unilateral nephrectomy versus renal arterial embolization and technique survival in peritoneal dialysis patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common genetic disorder associated with progressive enlargement of the kidneys and liver. ADPKD patients may require renal volume reduction, especially before renal transplantation. The standard treatment is unilateral nephrectomy. However, surgery incurs a risk of blood transfusion and alloimmunization. Furthermore, when patients are treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), surgery is associated with an increased risk of temporary or definitive switch to haemodialysis (HD). Unilateral renal arterial embolization can be used as an alternative approach to nephrectomy. METHODS: We performed a multicentre retrospective study to compare the technique of survival of PD after transcatheter renal artery embolization with that of nephrectomy in an ADPKD population. We included ADPKD patients treated with PD submitted to renal volume reduction by either surgery or arterial embolization. Secondary objectives were to compare the frequency and duration of a temporary switch to HD in both groups and the impact of the procedure on PD adequacy parameters. RESULTS: More than 700 patient files from 12 centres were screened. Only 37 patients met the inclusion criteria (i.e. treated with PD at the time of renal volume reduction) and were included in the study (21 embolized and 16 nephrectomized). Permanent switch to HD was observed in 6 embolized patients (28.6%) versus 11 nephrectomized patients (68.8%) (P = 0.0001). Renal artery embolization was associated with better technique survival: subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) 0.29 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12-0.75; P = 0.01]. By multivariate analysis, renal volume reduction by embolization and male gender were associated with a decreased risk of switching to HD. After embolization, a decrease in PD adequacy parameters was observed but no embolized patients required temporary HD; the duration of hospitalization was significantly lower [5 days [interquartile range (IQR) 4.0-6.0] in the embolization group versus 8.5 days (IQR 6.0-11.0) in the surgery group. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter renal artery embolization yields better technique survival of PD in ADPKD patients requiring renal volume reduction.

Effects of educational practices on the peritonitis risk in peritoneal dialysis: a retrospective cohort study with data from the French peritoneal Dialysis registry (RDPLF).

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home-based therapy performed by patients or their relatives in numerous cases, and the role of patients' educational practices in the risk of peritonitis is not well assessed. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of PD learning methods on the risk of peritonitis. METHODS: This was a retrospective multicentric study based on data from a French registry. All incident adults assisted by family or autonomous for PD exchanges in France between 2012 and 2015 were included. The event of interest was the occurrence of peritonitis. Cox and hurdle regression models were used for statistical analysis to asses for the survival free of peritonitis, and the risk of first and subsequent peritonitis. RESULTS: 1035 patients were included. 967 (93%) received education from a specialized nurse. Written support was used for the PD learning in 907 (87%) patients, audio support in 221 (21%) patients, and an evaluation grid was used to assess the comprehension in 625 (60%) patients. In the "zero" part of the hurdle model, the use of a written support and starting PD learning with hands-on training alone were associated with a lower survival free of peritonitis (respectively HR 1.59, 95%CI 1.01-2.5 and HR 1.94, 95%CI 1.08-3.49), whereas in the "count" part, the use of an audio support and starting of PD learning with hands-on training in combination with theory were associated with a lower risk of presenting further episodes of peritonitis after a first episode (respectively HR 0.55, 95%CI 0.31-0.98 and HR 0.57, 95%CI 0.33-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: The various PD education modalities were associated with differences in the risk of peritonitis. Prospective randomized trials are necessary to confirm causal effect. Caregivers should assess the patient's preferred learning style and their literacy level and adjust the PD learning method to each individual.

Paternity in male kidney transplant recipients: a French national survey, the PATeRNAL study.

BACKGROUND: There is concern about the impact of immunosuppressive agents taken by male kidney transplant (KT) recipients on the risk of foetal malformations. The aim of our survey was to estimate the paternity rate and the outcomes of pregnancies fathered by kidney transplanted males. METHODS: This survey analysed 1332 male KT recipients older than 18 years, followed in 13 centres in France. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data on the patients, treatments at the time of conception and the pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: The study included data on 349 children from 404 pregnancies fathered by 232 male KT recipients. The paternity rate was 17% (95% CI [15-20]). There were 37 (9%, 95% CI [7-12]) spontaneous abortions, 12 (3%, 95% CI [2-5]) therapeutic abortions, 2 (0.5%, 95% CI [0.1-1]) still births, and 13 (4%, 95% CI [2-6]) malformations reported. Compared to the general population, there was no difference in the proportion of congenital malformations nor unwanted outcomes whether the father was exposed or not to immunosuppressive agents. CONCLUSIONS: This survey does not provide any warning signal that pregnancies fathered by male patients exposed to immunosuppressive agents, notably the debated MMF/MPA, have more complications than pregnancies in the general population.