Quality of life with conservative care compared with assisted peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: There is little information about quality of life (QoL) for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) choosing conservative kidney management (CKM). The Frail and Elderly Patients on Dialysis (FEPOD) study demonstrated that frailty was associated with poorer QoL outcomes with little difference between dialysis modalities [assisted peritoneal dialysis (aPD) or haemodialysis (HD)]. We therefore extended the FEPOD study to include CKM patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤10 mL/min/1.73 m2 (i.e. individuals with ESKD otherwise likely to be managed with dialysis). METHODS: CKM patients were propensity matched to HD and aPD patients by age, gender, ethnicity, diabetes status and index of deprivation. QoL outcomes measured were Short Form-12 (SF12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression score, symptom score, Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS) and Renal Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale. Generalized linear modelling was used to assess the impact of treatment modality on QoL outcomes, adjusting for baseline characteristics. RESULTS: In total, 84 (28 CKM, 28 HD and 28 PD) patients were included. Median age for the cohort was 82 (79-88) years. Compared with CKM, aPD was associated with higher SF12 physical component score (PCS) [Exp B (95% confidence interval) = 1.20 (1.00-1.45), P < 0.05] and lower symptom score [Exp B = 0.62 (0.43-0.90), P = 0.01]; depression score was lower in HD compared with CKM [Exp B = 0.70 (0.52-0.92), P = 0.01]. Worsening frailty was associated with higher depression scores [Exp B = 2.59 (1.45-4.62), P < 0.01], IIRS [Exp B = 1.20 (1.12-1.28), P < 0.01] and lower SF12 PCS [Exp B = 0.87 (0.83-0.93), P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: Treatment by dialysis, both with aPD and HD, improved some QoL measures. Overall, aPD was equal to or slightly better than the other modalities in this elderly population. However, as in the primary FEPOD study, frailty was associated with worse QoL measures irrespective of CKD modality. These findings highlight the need for an individualized approach to the management of ESKD in older people.

Longitudinal Trends in Quality of Life and Physical Function in Frail Older Dialysis Patients: A Comparison of Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis and In-Center Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: In-center hemodialysis (HD) has been the standard treatment for older dialysis patients, but reports suggest an associated decline in physical and cognitive function. Cross-sectional data suggest that assisted peritoneal dialysis (aPD), an alternative treatment, is associated with quality of life (QoL) outcomes that are comparable to in-center HD. We compared longitudinal changes in QoL between modalities. METHODS: We enrolled 106 aPD patients, matched with 100 HD patients from 20 renal centers in England and Northern Ireland. Patients were assessed quarterly for 2 years using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), SF-12 physical and mental scores, symptom score, Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS), Barthel's score, and the Renal Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (RTSQ). Mixed model analysis was used to assess the impact of dialysis modality on these outcomes during follow-up. P values were adjusted for multiple significance testing. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed no difference in any of the outcome measures between aPD and HD. Longitudinal trends in outcomes were also not significantly different. Higher age at baseline was associated with lower IIRS and RTSQ scores during follow-up. One-hundred and twenty-five (60.6%) patients dropped out of the study: 59 (28.6%) died, 61 (29.6%) withdrew during follow-up, and 5 (2.5%) were transplanted. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life outcomes in frail older aPD patients were equivalent to those receiving in-center HD. Assisted PD is thus a valid alternative to HD for older people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) wishing to dialyze at home.

Urine producing peritoneal dialysis catheter.

Insertion of a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter into the bladder is a rare complication of PD. Herein, we describe a case of an adult patient undergoing PD tube insertion who was found to have the catheter in the urinary bladder. He was treated with PD catheter removal, prophylactic antibiotics and repair of the bladder wall. This report gives a timely reminder of and the need to check for urinary bladder distension prior to PD catheter insertion surgery. Perforating injuries should be considered in patients with symptoms related to the urinary tract and free flow of fluid from the PD tube.