Associations of neutral pH, low-GDP peritoneal dialysis solutions with patient survival, transfer to haemodialysis and peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions containing low levels of glucose degradation products (GDPs) are associated with attenuation of peritoneal membrane injury and vascular complications. However, clinical benefits associated with neutral-pH, low-GDP (N-pH/L-GDP) solutions remain unclear. METHODS: Using data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry, we examined the associations between N-pH/L-GDP solutions and all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, transfer to haemodialysis (HD) for ≥30 days and PD peritonitis in adult incident PD patients in Australia and New Zealand between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2020 using adjusted Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 12 814 incident PD patients, 2282 (18%) were on N-pH/L-GDP solutions. The proportion of patients on N-pH/L-GDP solutions each year increased from 11% in 2005 to 33% in 2017. During the study period, 5330 (42%) patients died, 4977 (39%) experienced transfer to HD and 5502 (43%) experienced PD peritonitis. Compared with the use of conventional solutions only, the use of any form of N-pH/L-GDP solution was associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality {adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61-0.74]}, cardiovascular mortality [aHR 0.65 (95% CI 0.56-0.77)], infection-related mortality [aHR 0.62 (95% CI 0.47-0.83)] and transfer to HD [aHR 0.79 (95% CI 0.72-0.86)] but an increased risk of PD peritonitis [aHR 1.16 (95% CI 1.07-1.26)]. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who received N-pH/L-GDP solutions had decreased risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality despite an increased risk of PD peritonitis. Studies assessing the causal relationships are warranted to determine the clinical benefits of N-pH/L-GDP solutions.

Patient and Partner Perspectives of Pregnancy-Related Counseling and Information Needs in Women With Kidney Disease: An Australian National Survey.

Introduction: The experiences and information needs for reproductive health counseling in women with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are poorly defined, despite the known importance of pregnancy planning in this higher-risk cohort. Methods: Australian adult women with CKD and their partners or family members completed a consumer codesigned survey about experiences of and preferences for pregnancy-related counseling, support, and education. Data were analyzed descriptively and with qualitative content analysis of free-text responses. Results: Responses were received from 102 women (CKD, n = 60; dialysis, n = 11; transplant, n = 26; unsure, n = 5 ) and 17 partners/family members. Pregnancy-related discussions were initiated mostly by women themselves (60.0%) compared to nephrologists (26.7%), and only after conception in 14.7%. Women found pregnancy-related discussions satisfactory (68.0%) and useful (50.7%) but also stressful (66.7%), with only 54.7% feeling in control of decision-making. Information deficits and quality, preformed decisions, clinician-patient disconnect, and burden of decision-making contributed to usefulness and outcomes of pregnancy-related counseling. Women received insufficient information about contraception (not provided in 35.2% of cases), medication safety (40.9%), fetal complications (33.8%) and emotional and psychological impact of pregnancy (73.2%). Women preferred counseling from nephrologists (86.4%), face-to-face settings (79.6%), websites (72.7%), handouts (61.4%), and online support groups (46.6%). High-quality, multiformat information by content experts, peer support, and psychological support were also strongly desired. Conclusion: This study highlights that preconception counseling and information needs of women with CKD are currently not being met. Frameworks and tools to assist patients and clinicians, particularly nephrologists, to initiate and conduct sensitive, useful, and informed shared decision-making (SDM) about pregnancy are urgently needed.

Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis outcomes reported in trials and observational studies: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis carries significant morbidity, mortality, and is a leading cause of PD technique failure. This study aimed to assess the scope and variability of PD-associated peritonitis reported in randomized trials and observational studies. METHODS: Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched from 2007 to June 2018 for randomized trials and observational studies in adult and pediatric patients on PD that reported PD-associated peritonitis as a primary outcome or as a part of composite primary outcome. We assessed the peritonitis definitions used, characteristics of peritonitis, and outcome reporting and analysis. RESULTS: Seventy-seven studies were included, three were randomized trials. Thirty-eight (49%) of the included studies were registry-based observational studies. Twenty-nine percent (n = 22) of the studies did not specify how PD-associated peritonitis was defined. Among those providing a definition of peritonitis, three components were reported: effluent cell count (n = 42, 54%), clinical features consistent with peritonitis (e.g. abdominal pain and/or cloudy dialysis effluent) (n = 35, 45%), and positive effluent culture (n = 19, 25%). Of those components, 1 was required to make the diagnosis in 6 studies (8%), 2 out of 2 were required in 22 studies (29%), 2 out of 3 in 11 studies (14%), and 3 out of 3 in 4 studies (5%). Peritonitis characteristics and outcomes reported across studies included culture-negative peritonitis (n = 47, 61%), refractory peritonitis (n = 42, 55%), repeat peritonitis (n = 9, 12%), relapsing peritonitis (n = 5, 7%), concomitant exit site (n = 16, 21%), and tunnel infections (n = 8, 10%). Peritonitis-related hospitalization was reported in 38% of the studies (n = 29), and peritonitis-related mortality was variably defined and reported in 55% of the studies (n = 42). Peritonitis rate was most frequently reported as episodes per patient year (n = 40, 52%). CONCLUSION: Large variability exists in the definitions, methods of reporting, and analysis of PD-associated peritonitis across trials and observational studies. Standardizing definitions for reporting of peritonitis and associated outcomes will better enable assessment of the comparative effect of interventions on peritonitis. This will facilitate continuous quality improvement measures through reliable benchmarking of this patient-important outcome across centers and countries.