Association of pre-ESKD hyponatremia with post-ESKD outcomes among incident ESKD patients.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatremia is one of the most common electrolyte disturbances in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, and has been shown to be associated with higher mortality risk. However, the relationship between hyponatremia during late-stage CKD and the risk of poor outcomes after ESKD transition is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 32 257 US veterans transitioning to ESKD from 1 October 2007 to 30 March 2015. We evaluated adjusted associations between the 3-month averaged pre-transition to ESKD serum sodium and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular (CV) mortality, infection-related mortalities and hospitalization rate. RESULTS: Cohort mean ± standard deviation serum sodium was 139 ± 3 mEq/L, mean age was 67 ± 11 years, 98% were male and 28% were African American. Over a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 702 days (296, 1301) there were 17 162 deaths. Compared with the reference of 135 to <144 mEq/L, the lowest serum sodium group (<130 mEq/L) had a 54% higher all-cause mortality risk [hazard ratio 1.54 (95% confidence interval 1.34-1.76)] in the fully adjusted model. Associations were similar for CV and infection-related mortality, and hospitalization outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Hyponatremia prior to ESKD transition is associated with higher risk of all-cause, CV and infection-related mortalities, and hospitalization rates after ESKD transition. Future studies evaluating management of pre-ESKD hyponatremia may be indicated to improve patient outcomes for those transitioning to ESKD.

Patient and caregiver perspectives on burnout in peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) can offer patients more autonomy and flexibility compared with in-center hemodialysis (HD). However, burnout - defined as mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion that leads to thoughts of discontinuing PD - is associated with an increased risk of transfer to HD. We aimed to describe the perspectives of burnout among patients on PD and their caregivers. METHODS: In this focus group study, 81 patients and 45 caregivers participated in 14 focus groups from 9 dialysis units in Australia, Hong Kong, and the United States. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: We identified two themes. Suffering an unrelenting responsibility contributed to burnout, as patients and caregivers felt overwhelmed by the daily regimen, perceived their life to be coming to a halt, tolerated the PD regimen for survival, and had to bear the burden and uncertainty of what to expect from PD alone. Adapting and building resilience against burnout encompassed establishing a new normal, drawing inspiration and support from family, relying on faith and hope for motivation, and finding meaning in other activities. CONCLUSIONS: For patients on PD and their caregivers, burnout was intensified by perceiving PD as an unrelenting, isolating responsibility that they had no choice but to endure, even if it held them back from doing other activities in life. More emphasis on developing strategies to adapt and build resilience could prevent or minimize burnout.