Cost analysis of an intravenous to subcutaneous epoetin α conversion.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A cost analysis of a conversion from intravenous (IV) to subcutaneous (SC) epoetin α in patients receiving chronic in-center hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: This retrospective analysis compared epoetin α drug costs during a 6-month period of IV usage (July to December 2010, period 1) to a 6-month period of SC usage (July to December 2011, period 2) in four large in-center HD units. Data were collected from quarterly counts of HD patients receiving epoetin α and monthly inventory billing records. RESULTS: 622 HD patients who received IV epoetin α (period 1) were compared to 609 HD patients who received SC epoetin α (period 2). A 12.6% decrease in dose was observed. The average weekly cost of epoetin α was USD 173.02 per patient during the IV period versus USD 151.20 per patient during the SC period. This equated to a yearly cost savings of USD 1,135 per patient with SC epoetin α. CONCLUSION: The switch from IV to SC epoetin α was successfully implemented in all four centers and realized significant cost savings.

Perceived barriers to guidelines in peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding barriers to guideline adherence in the nephrology community. We set out to identify perceived barriers to evidence-based medicine (EBM) and measurement of continuous quality indicators (CQI) in an international cohort of peritoneal dialysis (PD) practitioners. METHODS: Subscribers to an online nephrology education site (Nephrology Now) were invited to participate in an online survey. Nephrology Now is a non-profit, monthly mailing list that highlights clinically relevant articles in nephrology. Four hundred and seventy-five physicians supplying PD care participated in an online survey assessing their use of EBM and CQI in their PD practice. Ordinal logistic regression was utilized to determine relationships between baseline characteristics and EBM and CQI practices. RESULTS: The majority of physicians were nephrologists (89.7%), and 50.4% worked in an academic centre. Respondents were from the following geographic regions: 13.5% Canadian, 24% American, 23.8% European, 4.4% Australian, 5.3% South American, 10.7% African and 12.2% Asian. Adherence to PD clinical practice guidelines were generally strong; however, lower adherence was associated with countries with lower healthcare expenditure, not using personal digital assistant (PDA), the longer the physician had been practising and smaller (< 20 patients per centre) PD practice. CONCLUSIONS: International variation in guideline adherence may be influenced by a country's healthcare expenditure, physician's PDA use and experience, and size of PD practice which may impact future guideline development and implementation.

Cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease: the challenge of assessing and managing cardiac disease in dialysis patients.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), approximating a 10- to 20-fold higher risk of death in dialysis patients than in the general population. Despite this, dialysis patients often undergo fewer investigations, receive less invasive procedures, and are prescribed fewer medications compared with age-matched non-ESRD patients. A lack of randomized control trials for evidence-based treatment strategies in this population may explain some of these discrepancies, but there is concern that an attitude of "therapeutic nihilism" may be impacting on the medical care of these patients. In this review, we will explore CVD in the ESRD population. Specifically, we will try to address the following issues in patients with ESRD: (1) mechanisms of CVD, (2) cardiac evaluation and the role of coronary revascularization with percutaneous or coronary artery bypass procedures, and (3) cardiac pharmacotherapy use.

Peritonitis and exit site infections in First Nations patients on peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: First Nations (FN) patients on peritoneal dialysis experience poor outcomes. Whether discrepancies exist regarding the microbiology, rate of infections, and outcomes between FN and non-FN peoples remains unknown. Design, setting, participants, & measures: All adult peritoneal dialysis patients (n = 727) from 1997 to 2007 residing in Manitoba, Canada, were included. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used as necessary. Negative binomial regression was used to determine the relationship of rates of exit site infections (ESIs) and peritonitis between FN and non-FN peoples. RESULTS: A total of 161 FN and 566 non-FN subjects were included in the analyses. The unadjusted relative rates of peritonitis and ESIs in FN subjects were 132.7 and 86.0/100 patient-years compared with 87.8 and 78.2/100 patient-years in non-FN populations, respectively. FN subjects were more likely to have culture-negative peritonitis (36.5 versus 20.8%, P < 0.0001) and Staphylococcus ESIs (54.1 versus 32.9%, P < 0.0001). The crude and adjusted rates of peritonitis were higher in FN subjects for total episodes and culture-negative and gram-negative peritonitis. Catheter removal because of peritonitis was similar in both groups (42.9 versus 38.1% for FN and non-FN subjects, respectively; P = 0.261). CONCLUSIONS: FN patients experience higher rates of peritonitis and similar rates of ESIs compared with non-FN patients. Interventions to improve outcomes and prevent infections should specifically be targeted to the FN population.

Adverse outcomes among Aboriginal patients receiving peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND: The Aboriginal population in Canada experiences high rates of end-stage renal disease and need for dialytic therapies. Our objective was to examine rates of mortality, technique failure and peritonitis among adult aboriginal patients receiving peritoneal dialysis in the province of Manitoba. We also aimed to explore whether differences in these rates may be accounted for by location of residence (i.e., urban versus rural). METHODS: We included all adult patients residing in the province of Manitoba who received peritoneal dialysis during the period from 1997-2007 (n = 727). We extracted data from a local administrative database and from the Canadian Organ Replacement Registry and the Peritonitis Organism Exit-sites/Tunnel infections (POET) database. We used Cox and logistic regression models to determine the relationship between outcomes and Aboriginal ethnicity. We performed Kaplan-Meier analyses to examine the relationship between outcomes and urban (i.e., 50 km or less from the primary dialysis centre in Winnipeg) versus rural (i.e., more than 50 km from the centre) residency among patients who were aboriginal. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-one Aboriginal and 566 non-Aboriginal patients were included in the analyses. Adjusted hazard ratios for mortality (HR 1.476, CI 1.073-2.030) and adjusted time to peritonitis (HR 1.785, CI 1.352-2.357) were significantly higher among Aboriginal patients than among non-Aboriginal patients. We found no significant differences in mortality, technique failure or peritonitis between urban- or rural-residing Aboriginal patients. INTERPRETATION: Compared with non-Aboriginal patients receiving peritoneal dialysis, Aboriginal patients receiving peritoneal dialysis had higher mortality and faster time to peritonitis independent of comorbidities and demographic characteristics. This effect was not influenced by place of residence, whether rural or urban.

Acute kidney injury in critically ill patients infected with 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1): report from a Canadian Province.

BACKGROUND: 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) has led to a global increase in severe respiratory illness. Little is known about kidney outcomes and dialytic requirements in critically ill patients infected with pandemic H1N1. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 50 patients with pandemic H1N1 admitted to any of 7 intensive care units in Manitoba, Canada, were prospectively followed. OUTCOME & MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes were kidney injury and kidney failure defined using RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage disease) criteria or need for dialysis therapy. RESULTS: The pandemic H1N1 group was composed of 50 critically ill patients with pandemic H1N1 with severe respiratory syndrome (47 confirmed cases, 3 probable). Kidney injury, kidney failure, and need for dialysis occurred in 66.7%, 66%, and 11% of patients, respectively. Mortality was 16%. Kidney failure was associated with increased death (OR, 11.29; 95% CI, 1.29-98.9), whereas the need for dialysis was associated with an increase in length of stay (RR, 2.38; 95% CI, 2.13-25.75). LIMITATIONS: Small population studied from single Canadian province; thus, limited generalizability. CONCLUSIONS: In critically ill patients with pandemic H1N1, kidney injury, kidney failure, and the need for dialysis are common and associated with an increase in mortality and length of intensive care unit stay.

The intersection of risk and benefit: is warfarin anticoagulation suitable for atrial fibrillation in patients on hemodialysis?

The risks and benefits of anticoagulation for stroke prevention with atrial fibrillation is clearly delineated in the general population. Little evidence exists for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) about whether the extrapolation of these guidelines is appropriate. In patients with ESRD who are undergoing hemodialysis, the rates for both stroke and bleeding are 3 to 10 times higher than that for the general population. Furthermore, the proportion of hemorrhagic to ischemic strokes has increased, making the decision of whether to initiate anticoagulation problematic. In this commentary, we discuss the existing literature for stroke in atrial fibrillation, stroke type, risk reduction with anticoagulation, and bleeding risks in the hemodialysis population. We comment on validated risk stratification models of stroke prevention and bleeding and their applicability to patients undergoing hemodialysis. Finally, we recommend treatment strategies that are based on the existing state of knowledge.

Emergency management and commonly encountered outpatient scenarios in patients with hyperkalemia.

Hyperkalemia is a common electrolyte disorder with potentially lethal consequences. Severe hyperkalemia can lead to life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, making a clear understanding of emergency management crucial. Recognition of patients at risk for cardiac arrhythmias should be followed by effective strategies for reduction in serum potassium levels. In the outpatient setting, diagnosis of hyperkalemia can be complicated by factitious elevations in serum potassium levels. True elevations in serum potassium levels are commonly due to medications used for cardiovascular disease in the setting of impaired glomerular filtration rate. The prevalence of chronic kidney disease is steadily increasing, likely leading to increases in risk of hyperkalemia. A systematic approach will aid in timely diagnosis and management of hyperkalemia.

Clarifying the role of rasburicase in tumor lysis syndrome.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a complication of malignancies with high tumor cell proliferation, tumor burden, and chemosensitivity. It manifests with the release of intracellular components and results in hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and hyperuricemia. These biochemical abnormalities may lead to serious complications such as renal failure, cardiac dysrhythmias, and death. Rasburicase, a recombinant urate oxidase enzyme, is a new agent indicated in the treatment or prophylaxis of hyperuricemia in pediatric patients with cancer who are at high risk for TLS. We reviewed the evidence for treatment with this agent compared with standard therapy with allopurinol. Rasburicase may be considered for use in patients with hyperuricemia at presentation and in patients at high risk for TLS that would otherwise result in a delay in chemotherapy. However, randomized controlled trials are required to establish the comparative efficacy of rasburicase in the adult population. Preliminary evidence suggests that single-dose or reduced-dose rasburicase may be effective in the prophylaxis and the treatment of hyperuricemia and TLS. However, to our knowledge, there is no evidence comparing clinically relevant outcomes such as acute renal failure or dialysis.