RESUMO
Background: Ultrafiltration to target weight during haemodialysis is complicated by intradialytic hypotension-associated adverse events (IHAAEs) in 10-30% of dialysis treatments. IHAAEs are caused by critical reductions in absolute blood volume (ABV), due to the interaction of ultrafiltration, refill and compensatory mechanisms. Non-randomised studies have suggested that ABV-guided treatment, using an indicator dilution technique employing the blood volume monitor on the dialysis machine, could reduce the incidence of IHAAEs. Methods: We performed an open-label randomised controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to adjustment of target weight guided by ABV measurements or standard care. The primary outcome was the change in the incidence of IHAAEs from baseline, defined as the percentage of treatment episodes in a 4-week period where the patient had a systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg or symptoms of impending hypotension. ABV measurements were compared with anthropomorphometric estimation and the gold standard using isotope dilution. Results: A total of 56 patients were randomised, of whom 29 were allocated to ABV-guided treatment and 27 to standard care. Overall baseline incidence of IHAAEs was 26.0%. ABV-guided treatment significantly reduced the incidence of IHAAEs compared with standard care, with a mean change from baseline of -9.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) -17.3 to -1.8) versus 2.4% (95% CI -2.3-7.2). The adjusted difference between the groups was 10.5% (95% CI 1.3-19.8; P = .026). ABV measurement had moderate agreement with other methods to estimate blood volume. The sensitivity for the previously suggested threshold of a post-dialysis normalised blood volume of 65 ml/kg was observed to be 74% in this study. Conclusions: ABV-guided volume management significantly reduced IHAAEs compared with standard care. The clinical relevance of the previously suggested threshold of 65 ml/kg cannot be firmly concluded on the basis of our results. If confirmed in a larger trial, this intervention could potentially change dialysis practice and impact patient care in a clinically meaningful way.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Conservative care (CC) is a viable treatment option for some patients with kidney failure. Choosing between dialysis and CC can be a complex decision in which involvement of patients is desirable. Gaining insight into the experiences and preferences of patients regarding this decision-making process is an important initial step to improve care. We aimed to identify what is known about the perspective of patients regarding decision-making when considering CC. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were systematically searched on 23 February 2023 for qualitative and quantitative studies on patient-reported experiences on decision-making about CC. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Twenty articles were included. We identified three major themes: creating awareness about disease and treatment choice, decision support and motivation to choose CC. Patients were often not aware of the option to choose CC. Patients felt supported by their loved ones during the decision-making process, although they perceived they made the final decision to choose CC themselves. Some patients felt pressured by their healthcare professional to choose dialysis. Reported reasons to choose CC were maintaining quality of life, treatment burden of dialysis, cost and the desire not to be a burden to others. In general, patients were satisfied with their decision for CC. CONCLUSIONS: By focussing on the perspective of patients, we identified a wide range of patient experiences and preferences regarding the decision-making process. These findings can help to improve the complex decision-making process between dialysis and CC and to provide patient-centred care.
