Nicholas A Gray

The impact of automated eGFR reporting and education on nephrology service referrals

Background. Serum creatinine concentration is an unreliable and insensitive marker of chronic kidney disease (CKD). To improve CKD detection, the Australasian Creatinine Consensus Working Committee recommended reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula with every request for serum creatinine concentration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of automated laboratory reporting of eGFR on the quantity and quality of referrals to nephrology services in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Methods. Outpatient referrals to a tertiary and regional renal service, and a single private practice were prospectively audited over 3–12 months prior to and 12 months following the introduction of automated eGFR reporting and concomitant clinician education. The appropriateness of referrals to a nephrologist was assessed according to the Kidney Check Australia Taskforce (KCAT) criteria. Significant changes in the quantity and/or quality of referrals over time were analysed by exponentially weighed moving average (EWMA) charts with control limits based on ±3 standard deviations. Results. A total of 1019 patients were referred to the centres during the study period. Monthly referrals overall increased by 40% following the introduction of eGFR reporting, and this was most marked for the tertiary renal service (52% above baseline). The appropriateness of nephrologist referrals, as adjudicated by the KCAT criteria, fell significantly from 74.3% in the 3 months pre-eGFR reporting to 65.2% in the 12 months thereafter (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, a greater absolute number of CKD patients were appropriately being referred for nephrologist review in the post-eGFR period (24 versus 15 per month). Patients referred following the introduction of eGFR were significantly more likely to be older (median 63.2 versus 59.3 years, P < 0.05), diabetic (25 versus 18%, P = 0.05) and have stage 3 CKD (48% versus 36%, P < 0.01). Conclusion. The introduction of automated eGFR calculation has led to an overall increase in referrals with a small but significant decrease in referral quality. The increase in referrals was seen predominantly in older and diabetic patients with stage 3 CKD and appeared to result in net benefit.

Barriers to Timely Arteriovenous Fistula Creation: A Study of Providers and Patients

BACKGROUND Current clinical practice guidelines recommend a native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) as the vascular access of first choice. Despite this, most patients in western countries start hemodialysis therapy using a catheter. Little is known regarding specific physician and system characteristics that may be responsible for delays in permanent access creation. STUDY DESIGN Multicenter cohort study using mixed methods; qualitative and quantitative analysis. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 9 nephrology centers in Australia and New Zealand, including 319 adult incident hemodialysis patients. PREDICTOR Identification of barriers and enablers to AVF placement. OUTCOMES Type of vascular access used at the start of hemodialysis therapy. MEASUREMENTS Prospective data collection included data concerning predialysis education, interviews of center staff, referral times, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at AVF creation and dialysis therapy start. RESULTS 319 patients started hemodialysis therapy during the 6-month period, 39% with an AVF and 59% with a catheter. Perceived barriers to access creation included lack of formal policies for patient referral, long wait times for surgical review and access placement, and lack of a patient database for management purposes. eGFR thresholds at referral for and creation of vascular accesses were considerably lower than appreciated (in both cases, median eGFR of 7 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), with median wait times for access creation of only 3.7 weeks. First assessment by a nephrologist less than 12 months before dialysis therapy start was an independent predictor of catheter use (OR, 8.71; P < 0.001). Characteristics of the best performing centers included the presence of a formalized predialysis pathway with a centralized patient database and low nephrologist and surgeon to patient ratios. LIMITATIONS A limited number of patient-based barriers was assessed. Cross-sectional data only. CONCLUSIONS A formalized predialysis pathway including patient education and eGFR thresholds for access placement is associated with improved permanent vascular access placement.

Outcomes of Extended-Hours Hemodialysis Performed Predominantly at Home

BACKGROUND Recent evidence suggests that increased frequency and/or duration of dialysis are associated with improved outcomes. We aimed to describe the outcomes associated with patients starting extended-hours hemodialysis and assess for risk factors for these outcomes. STUDY DESIGN Case series. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Patients were from 6 Australian centers offering extended-hours hemodialysis. Cases were patients who started treatment for 24 hours per week or longer at any time. OUTCOMES All-cause mortality, technique failure (withdrawal from extended-hours hemodialysis therapy), and access-related events. MEASUREMENTS Baseline patient characteristics (sex, primary cause of end-stage kidney disease, age, ethnicity, diabetes, and cannulation technique), presence of a vascular access-related event, and dialysis frequency. RESULTS 286 patients receiving extended-hours hemodialysis were identified, most of whom performed home (96%) or nocturnal (77%) hemodialysis. Most patients performed alternate-daily dialysis (52%). Patient survival rates using an intention-to-treat approach at 1, 3, and 5 years were 98%, 92%, and 83%, respectively. Of 24 deaths overall, cardiac death (n = 7) and sepsis (n = 5) were the leading causes. Technique survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 90%, 77%, and 68%, respectively. Access event-free rates at the same times were 80%, 68%, and 61%, respectively. Access events significantly predicted death (HR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.14-7.15) and technique failure (HR, 3.76; 95% CI, 1.93-7.35). Patients with glomerulonephritis had a reduced risk of technique failure (HR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.14-0.69). Higher dialysis frequency was associated with elevated risk of developing an access event (HR per dialysis session, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.03-2.36). LIMITATIONS Selection bias, lack of a comparator group. CONCLUSIONS Extended-hours hemodialysis is associated with excellent survival rates and is an effective treatment option for a select group of patients. The major treatment-associated adverse events were related to complications of vascular access, particularly infection. The risk of developing vascular access complications may be increased in extended-hours hemodialysis, which may negatively affect long-term outcomes.

Randomized cross-over comparison of intravenous and subcutaneous darbepoetin dosing efficiency in haemodialysis patients.

Background:  Studies have consistently shown the superior dosing efficiency of subcutaneous (s.c.) compared to intravenous (i.v.) erythropoietin (r‐HuEPO). Unlike r‐HuEPO, data from pivotal darbepoetin trials support s.c. and i.v. dosing equivalence, however, no blinded cross‐over randomized studies of s.c. and i.v. dose efficiency or intra‐patient variability in response have been published.

Renal replacement therapy in rural and urban Australia

BACKGROUND Australians living in rural regions have poorer health outcomes than city residents. This study compares rural and city patient access to and outcomes of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in Australia. METHODS Non-indigenous Australians aged ≥16 years who commenced dialysis or underwent renal transplantation between 1996 and 2009 and were registered with the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry were included. Each patients location was classified according to a remote area index as major city (MC), inner regional (IR), outer regional (OR) or remote/very remote (REM). RESULTS A total of 24 068 commenced dialysis and 5399 received a renal transplant during the study period. Patient distribution by remote area index was 71.3 and 70.8% MC, 19.1 and 18.6% IR, 8.4 and 9.1% OR and 1.1 and 1.5% REM for dialysis and transplant patients, respectively. RRT incidence per million population after adjusting for age and gender was 124 [95% confidence interval (CI): 122-126] MC, 106 (95% CI: 103-110) IR, 100 (95% CI: 96-105) OR and 96 (95% CI: 84-109) REM. After controlling for demographic variables, comorbidities and other covariates, hazard ratios for dialysis survival compared to MC were 1.08 (95% CI: 1.03-1.14) IR, 1.19 (95% CI: 1.11-1.28) OR and 1.03 (95% CI: 0.84-1.25) REM. Transplant patient survival was not statistically different by remoteness. CONCLUSIONS Rural Australians have lower incidence of RRT. Whether the causes of the lower RRT reflect lower disease rates or differential treatment access is not known. Differences in outcomes were seen for dialysis but not transplantation.

Socioeconomic differences in the uptake of home dialysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Home dialysis creates fewer lifestyle disruptions while providing similar or better outcomes than in-center hemodialysis. Socioeconomically advantaged patients are more likely to commence home dialysis (peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis) in many developed countries. This study investigated associations between socioeconomic status and uptake of home dialysis in Australia, a country with universal access to health care and comparatively high rates of home dialysis. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS This study analyzed 23,281 non-Indigenous adult patients who commenced chronic RRT in Australia from 2000 to 2011 according to the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry in a retrospective cohort study. This study investigated the proportion of patients who were ever likely to use home dialysis using nonmixture cure models and followed patients until the end of 2011 (median follow-up time=3.0 years, interquartile range=1.3-5.5 years). The main predictor was area socioeconomic status from postcodes grouped into quartiles using standard indices. RESULTS Patients from the most advantaged quartile of areas were less likely to commence peritoneal dialysis (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 0.69) and more likely to use in-center hemodialysis than patients from the most disadvantaged areas (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.10 to 1.30). Socioeconomic status was not associated with uptake of home hemodialysis. Rural areas were more disadvantaged and had higher rates of peritoneal dialysis, and privately funded hospitals rarely used home dialysis. Patients from the most advantaged quartile of areas were more likely to use private hospitals than patients from the most disadvantaged quartile (odds ratio, 5.9; 95% confidence interval, 4.6 to 7.5). CONCLUSION The lower incidence of peritoneal dialysis among patients from advantaged areas seems to be multifactorial. Identifying and addressing barriers to home dialysis in Australia could improve patient quality of life and reduce costs.

Data quality of the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry: a pilot audit.

Most clinical registries in Australia, including the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA), do not audit submitted data. Inaccurate data can bias registry analysis. This study aimed to audit data submitted to ANZDATA from a single region.

Atypical fractures associated with bisphosphonate use post-renal transplantation

Bone disease is a major cause of morbidity post renal transplantation. The authors present a case of adynamic bone disease and atypical fractures associated with the use of bisphosphonates following renal transplantation. The uncertain role of parathyroidectomy and bone mineral density scans is also reviewed.

Renal services disaster planning: Lessons learnt from the 2011 Queensland floods and North Queensland cyclone experiences

In 2011, Queensland dialysis services experienced two unprecedented natural disasters within weeks of each other. Floods in south‐east Queensland and Tropical Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland caused widespread flooding, property damage and affected the provision of dialysis services, leading to Australias largest evacuation of dialysis patients. This paper details the responses to the disasters and examines what worked and what lessons were learnt. Recommendations are made for dialysis units in relation to disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Conservative Management and End-of-Life Care in an Australian Cohort with ESRD

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the proportion of patients who switched to dialysis after confirmed plans for conservative care and compare survival and end-of-life care among patients choosing conservative care with those initiating RRT. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS A cohort study of 721 patients on incident dialysis, patients receiving transplants, and conservatively managed patients from 66 Australian renal units entered into the Patient Information about Options for Treatment Study from July 1 to September 30, 2009 were followed for 3 years. A two-sided binomial test assessed the proportion of patients who switched from conservative care to RRT. Cox regression, stratified by center and adjusted for patient and treatment characteristics, estimated factors associated with 3-year survival. RESULTS In total, 102 of 721 patients planned for conservative care, and median age was 80 years old. Of these, 8% (95% confidence interval, 3% to 13%), switched to dialysis, predominantly for symptom management. Of 94 patients remaining on a conservative pathway, 18% were alive at 3 years. Of the total 721 patients, 247 (34%) died by study end. In multivariable analysis, factors associated with all-cause mortality included older age (hazard ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.36 to 1.77), baseline serum albumin <3.0 versus 3.7-5.4 g/dl (hazard ratio, 4.31; 95% confidence interval, 2.72 to 6.81), and management with conservative care compared with RRT (hazard ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.39 to 3.40). Of 247 deaths, patients managed with RRT were less likely to receive specialist palliative care (26% versus 57%; P<0.001), more likely to die in the hospital (66% versus 42%; P<0.001) than home or hospice, and more likely to receive palliative care only within the last week of life (42% versus 15%; P<0.001) than those managed conservatively. CONCLUSIONS Survival after 3 years of conservative management is common, with relatively few patients switching to dialysis. Specialist palliative care services are used more frequently and at an earlier time point for conservatively managed patients, a practice associated with better symptom management and quality of life.