Geriatric Assessment in CKD Care: An Implementation Study.

Rationale & Objective: Older people with progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) have complex health care needs. Geriatric evaluation preceding decision making for kidney replacement is recommended in guidelines, but implementation is lacking in routine care. We aimed to evaluate implementation of geriatric assessment in CKD care. Study Design: Mixed methods implementation study. Setting & Participants: Dutch nephrology centers were approached for implementation of geriatric assessment in patients aged ≥70 years and with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≤20 mL/min/1.73 m2. Quality Improvement Activities/Exposure: We implemented a consensus-based nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment: a patient questionnaire and professionally administered test set comprising 16 instruments covering functional, cognitive, psychosocial, and somatic domains and patient-reported outcome measures. Outcomes: We aimed for implementation in 10 centers and 200 patients. Implementation was evaluated by (i) perceived enablers and barriers of implementation, including integration in work routines (Normalization Measure Development Tool) and (ii) relevance of the instruments to routine care for the target population. Analytical Approach: Variations in implementation practices were described based on field notes. The postimplementation survey among health care professionals was analyzed descriptively, using an explanatory qualitative approach for open-ended questions. Results: Geriatric assessment was implemented in 10 centers among 191 patients. Survey respondents (n = 71, 88% response rate) identified determinants that facilitated implementation, ie, multidisciplinary collaboration (with geriatricians) -meetings and reports and execution of assessments by nurses. Barriers to implementation were patient illiteracy or language barrier, time constraints, and patient burden. Professionals considered geriatric assessment sufficiently integrated into work routines (mean, 6.7/10 ± 2.0 [SD]) but also subject to improvement. Likewise, the relevance of geriatric assessment for routine care was scored as 7.8/10 ± 1.2. The Clinical Frailty Score and Montreal Cognitive Assessment were perceived as the most relevant instruments. Limitations: Selection bias of interventions' early adopters may limit generalizability. Conclusions: Geriatric assessment could successfully be integrated in CKD care and was perceived relevant to health care professionals.

The number of older persons with kidney failure is increasing, many of whom have cognitive decline or are dependent on others for daily life tasks. These problems are often overlooked but relevant for future treatment choices, and they affect quality of life. We asked 10 health care centers to use tests and questionnaires to identify these issues, thus being able to offer additional support. We learned that it is possible to use these assessments in practice and that professionals found them relevant. Collaboration with geriatric departments was perceived valuable. However, there are also challenges, such as not having enough time and personnel and burden to patients. Understanding these possibilities and challenges is crucial for improving care for older patients with kidney failure.

Choosing conservative care in advanced chronic kidney disease: a scoping review of patients' perspectives.

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.

Health-related quality of life and symptom burden in patients on haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients on haemodialysis (HD) generally experience poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and a broad range of physical and mental symptoms, but it is unknown whether this differs between younger and older patients. We aimed to describe the trajectories of HRQoL and symptom burden of patients <70 and ≥70 years old and to assess the impact of symptom burden on HRQoL. METHODS: In incident Dutch HD patients, HRQoL and symptoms were measured with the 12-item Short Form Health Survey and Dialysis Symptom Index. We used linear mixed models for examining the trajectories of HRQoL and symptom burden during the first year of dialysis and linear regression for the impact of symptom burden on HRQoL. RESULTS: In 774 patients, the trajectories of physical HRQoL, mental HRQoL and symptom burden were stable during the first year of dialysis. Compared with patients <70 years of age, patients ≥70 years reported similar physical HRQoL {mean difference -0.61 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.86-0.63]}, better mental HRQoL [1.77 (95% CI 0.54-3.01)] and lower symptom burden [-2.38 (95% CI -5.08-0.32)]. With increasing symptom burden, physical HRQoL declined more in older than in younger patients (ß = -0.287 versus -0.189, respectively; P-value for interaction = .007). For mental HRQoL, this decrease was similar in both age groups (ß = -0.295 versus -0.288, P = .847). CONCLUSION: Older HD patients generally experience a better mental HRQoL and a (non-statistically significant) lower symptom burden compared with younger patients. Their physical HRQoL declines more rapidly with increasing symptom burden.

Apathy Symptoms, Physical and Cognitive Function, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Mortality in Older Patients With CKD: A Longitudinal Observational Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Apathy reflects diminished motivation, goal-directed behavior, and emotions, as well as less engagement in social interactions. Apathy overlaps with depression and is associated with cognitive decline. In the older individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), both depression and cognitive impairments are common, but apathy symptoms have been underreported. We investigated the occurrence of apathy symptoms and their associations with physical and cognitive functioning, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and mortality in older patients with CKD. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 180 outpatients aged≥65 years with estimated glomerular filtration rate≤20mL/min/1.73m2 from 5 Dutch nephrology centers. EXPOSURE: Apathy symptoms at baseline were considered present when a Geriatric Depression Scale's 3-item apathy subscale score was≥2 points. OUTCOME: Physical and cognitive functioning, HRQoL (assessed in annual geriatric assessments), and 4-year mortality. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Linear regression for cross-sectional associations, linear regression models for longitudinal associations, and Cox regression models for mortality over 4 years of observation. RESULTS: Apathy symptoms were present in 64 patients (36%; 67% men; median age 75.5 years), of whom 32 (50%) had no depressive symptoms. At baseline, the presence of apathy symptoms was associated with significantly more frailty, more functional dependence, less physical capacity, lower visuoconstructive performance, worse delayed recall, and lower HRQoL scores. The presence of apathy symptoms at baseline was also associated with a higher mortality risk (hazard ratio, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.3-4.2], P=0.005 adjusted for age, sex, and high education level), but not with changes in physical and cognitive functioning or HRQoL during the follow-up period. LIMITATIONS: Risk of selection bias and residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Apathy symptoms were highly prevalent and associated with concurrent lower physical and cognitive status, lower HRQoL, and increased mortality. These findings highlight apathy as a potentially important clinical phenotype in older CKD patients. PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY: We observed that older kidney patients often present apathy symptoms, such as less motivation, fewer goal-directed behaviors, fewer emotions, and less social engagement. Prior research has not extensively described apathy in kidney disease. We investigated the link between apathy symptoms and poor outcomes. We measured physical functioning, cognitive functioning, and quality of life. We learned that one-third of our older kidney patients showed symptoms of apathy, only half of whom had symptoms of depression. Patients with apathy symptoms showed lower quality of life and lower physical and cognitive performance. They also had a higher risk of death. These findings highlight the need for awareness of apathy symptoms in older kidney patients.

Decreasing incidence of dialysis in older patients in The Netherlands as compared with other European countries: an international perspective.

Introduction: After decades of increasing dialysis incidence, we observed a decreasing trend in the Netherlands in the last decade. We compared this trend with trends in other European countries. Materials and Methods: Aggregated data for calendar years 2001-2019 from the Dutch registries of kidney replacement therapy patients and the European Renal Association Registry were used. Dialysis incidence in the Netherlands was compared with that in 11 other European countries/regions using three age groups: 20-64, 65-74, and ≥75 years, taking into account pre-emptive kidney transplantation (PKT) incidence. Time trends were assessed as annual percentage change (APC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using joinpoint regression analysis. Results: Between 2001 and 2019 the Dutch dialysis incidence decreased slightly among patients aged 20-64 years (APC -0.9, 95% CI -1.4; -0.5). For patients 65-74 and ≥75 years old, a peak was seen in 2004 and 2009, respectively. Afterwards, the decrease was most marked in patients aged ≥75 years: APC -3.2 (-4.1; -2.3) versus APC -1.8 (-2.2; -1.3) for patients 65-74 years old. PKT incidence increased significantly during the study period but remained limited compared to the observed decrease in dialysis incidence, especially among older patients. Large differences in dialysis incidence were observed among European countries/regions. A decreasing dialysis incidence among older patients was also seen in Austria, Denmark, England/Wales, Finland, Scotland, and Sweden. Conclusions: The Dutch dialysis incidence decreased most profoundly among older patients. This was also observed in several other European countries/regions. Although PKT incidence increased, it can only explain a minor part of the decrease in dialysis incidence.

Nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment as decision-making tool in kidney failure.

BACKGROUND: Dialysis might not benefit all older patients with kidney failure, particularly those with multimorbid conditions and frailty. Patients' and healthcare professionals' awareness of the presence of geriatric impairments could improve outcomes by tailoring treatment plans and decisions for individual patients. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals on nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment to fuel decision-making for treatment choices in older patients with kidney failure. DESIGN: In an exploratory qualitative study using focus groups, participants discussed perspectives on the use and value of nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment for the decision-making process to start or forego dialysis. PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Patients (n = 18) with kidney failure, caregivers (n = 4), and professionals (n = 25) were purposively sampled from 10 hospitals. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged that supported or impeded decision-making in kidney failure: (1) patient psycho-social situation; (2) patient-related factors on modality choice; (3) organisation of health care. Patients reported feeling vulnerable due to multiple chronic conditions, old age, experienced losses in life and their willingness to trade longevity for quality of life. Professionals recognised the added value of nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment in three major themes: (i) facilitating continual holistic assessment, (ii) filling the knowledge gap, and (iii) uncovering important patient characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment was perceived as a valuable tool to identify geriatric impairments in older patients with kidney failure. Integration of its outcomes can facilitate a more holistic approach to inform choices and decisions about kidney replacement therapy.

A review of supportive care for older people with advanced chronic kidney disease.

Supportive care (SC) is a multidimensional and person-centred approach to managing advanced CKD that engages the person and their caregivers in shared decision making from the outset. Rather than focusing on disease-specific therapies, SC is a collection of adjuvant interventions and adaptations to conventional treatments that can be used to improve the individual's quality of life. Recognizing that frailty, multi-morbidity and polypharmacy are more common among older people with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and that people in this group tend to prioritize quality of life over survival as a goal of care, SC represents an important adjunct to disease-specific therapies in CKD management. This review provides an overview of SC in the older person with advanced CKD.

Central venous catheter-related complications in older haemodialysis patients: A multicentre observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Central venous catheters (CVC) remain a commonly used vascular access option in haemodialysis, despite guidelines advising to preferably use arteriovenous fistulae. Compared to younger patients, the risk-benefit ratio of CVC in older patients might be more beneficial, but previous studies mainly focussed on catheter-related bacteraemia and/or assessed tunnelled CVC (TCVC) only. This study's aim was to compare all catheter-related infections and malfunctions in older patients with younger patients using all CVC subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from DUCATHO, a multicentre observational cohort study in The Netherlands. All adult patients in whom a CVC was placed for haemodialysis between 2012 and 2016 were included. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of catheter-related infections, comparing patients aged ⩾70 years with patients aged <70 years (reference). As secondary endpoints, catheter malfunctions and catheter removal due to either infection or malfunction were assessed. Using Cox proportional hazards and recurrent events modelling, hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated with adjustment of prespecified confounders. Additionally, endpoints were assessed for non-tunnelled CVC (NTCVC) and TCVC separately. RESULTS: A total of 1595 patients with 2731 CVC (66.5% NTCVC, 33.1% TCVC) were included. Of these patients, 1001 (62.8%) were aged <70 years and 594 (37.2%) ⩾70 years. No statistically significant difference was found for the occurrence of catheter-related infections (adjusted HR 0.80-95% CI 0.62-1.02), catheter malfunction (adjusted HR 0.94-95% CI 0.75-1.17) and catheter removal due to infection or malfunction (adjusted HR 0.94-95% CI 0.80-1.11). Results were comparable when assessing NTCVC and TCVC separately. CONCLUSION: Patients aged ⩾70 to <70 years have a comparable risk for the occurrence of catheter-related infections and catheter malfunction. These findings may help when discussing treatment options with older patients starting haemodialysis and may inform the current debate on the best vascular access for these patients.

[Conservative therapy in kidney failure]. / Conservatieve therapie bij nierfalen.

At a certain point, patients with kidney failure will need to decide whether or not to start kidney replacement therapy, i.e. dialysis or kidney transplantation. An increasing number of patients choose to forgo dialysis or transplantation and opt for conservative care. In part, this trend is explained by the ageing population of patients with kidney failure and a more limited survival benefit for dialysis in older patients. Conservative care is a holistic, patient-orientated treatment, aimed at quality of life, advance care planning, reducing symptom burden, and slowing the deterioration of kidney function. As such, conservative care is an active treatment and not merely forgoing kidney replacement therapy. This article will summarize the various aspects of the decision- and treatment phase of conservative care for patients with kidney failure for healthcare providers, both in hospital- and primary care.

Survival of patients who opt for dialysis versus conservative care: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Non-dialytic conservative care (CC) has been proposed as a treatment option for patients with kidney failure. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims at comparing survival outcomes between dialysis and CC in studies where patients made an explicit treatment choice. METHODS: Five databases were systematically searched from origin through 25 February 2021 for studies comparing survival outcomes among patients choosing dialysis versus CC. Adjusted and unadjusted survival rates were extracted and meta-analysis performed where applicable. Risk of bias analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions. RESULTS: A total of 22 cohort studies were included covering 21 344 patients. Most studies were prone to selection bias and confounding. Patients opting for dialysis were generally younger and had fewer comorbid conditions, fewer functional impairments and less frailty than patients who chose CC. The unadjusted median survival from treatment decision or an estimated glomerular filtration rate <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 ranged from 20 and 67 months for dialysis and 6 and 31 months for CC. Meta-analysis of 12 studies that provided adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality showed a pooled adjusted HR of 0.47 (95% confidence interval 0.39-0.57) for patients choosing dialysis compared with CC. In subgroups of patients with older age or severe comorbidities, the reduction of mortality risk remained statistically significant, although analyses were unadjusted. CONCLUSIONS: Patients opting for dialysis have an overall lower mortality risk compared with patients opting for CC. However, a high risk of bias and heterogeneous reporting preclude definitive conclusions and results cannot be translated to an individual level.

Circulating miRNAs and Vascular Injury Markers Associate with Cardiovascular Function in Older Patients Reaching End-Stage Kidney Disease.

The prevalence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is rapidly increasing and mostly occurring in patients aged 65 years or older. The main cause of death in these patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Novel markers of vascular integrity may thus be of clinical value for identifying patients at high risk for CVD. Here we associated the levels of selected circulating angiogenic miRNAs, angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) with cardiovascular structure and function (as determined by cardiovascular MRI) in 67 older patients reaching ESKD that were included from 'The Cognitive decline in Older Patients with End stage renal disease' (COPE) prospective, multicentered cohort study. We first determined the association between the vascular injury markers and specific heart conditions and observed that ESKD patients with coronary heart disease have significantly higher levels of circulating ADMA and miR-27a. Moreover, circulating levels of miR-27a were higher in patients with atrial fibrillation. In addition, the circulating levels of the vascular injury markers were associated with measures of cardiovascular structure and function obtained from cardiovascular MRI: pulse wave velocity (PWV), ejection fraction (EF) and cardiac index (CI). We found Ang-2 and miR-27a to be strongly correlated to the PWV, while Ang-2 also associated with ejection fraction. Finally, we observed that in contrast to miR-27a, Ang-2 was not associated with a vascular cause of the primary kidney disease, suggesting Ang-2 may be an ESKD-specific marker of vascular injury. Taken together, among older patients with ESKD, aberrant levels of vascular injury markers (miR-27a, Ang-2 and ADMA) associated with impaired cardiovascular function. These markers may serve to identify individuals at higher risk of CVD, as well as give insight into the underlying (vascular) pathophysiology.

Circulating angiopoietin-2 and angiogenic microRNAs associate with cerebral small vessel disease and cognitive decline in older patients reaching end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing worldwide, with the majority of new ESRD cases diagnosed in patients >60 years of age. These older patients are at increased risk for impaired cognitive functioning, potentially through cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Novel markers of vascular integrity may be of clinical value for identifying patients at high risk for cognitive impairment. METHODS: We aimed to associate the levels of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), asymmetric dimethylarginine and a selection of eight circulating angiogenic microRNAs (miRNAs) with SVD and cognitive impairment in older patients reaching ESRD that did not yet initiate renal replacement therapy (n = 129; mean age 75.3 years, mean eGFR 16.4 mL/min). We assessed brain magnetic resonance imaging changes of SVD (white matter hyperintensity volume, microbleeds and the presence of lacunes) and measures of cognition in domains of memory, psychomotor speed and executive function in a neuropsychological test battery. RESULTS: Older patients reaching ESRD showed an unfavourable angiogenic profile, as indicated by aberrant levels of Ang-2 and five angiogenic miRNAs (miR-27a, miR-126, miR-132, miR-223 and miR-326), compared with healthy persons and patients with diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, Ang-2 was associated with SVD and with the domains of psychomotor speed and executive function, while miR-223 and miR-29a were associated with memory function. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these novel angiogenic markers might serve to identify older patients with ESRD at risk of cognitive decline, as well as provide insights into the underlying (vascular) pathophysiology.

Dialysis withdrawal in The Netherlands between 2000 and 2019: time trends, risk factors and centre variation.

BACKGROUND: Dialysis withdrawal is a common cause of death in dialysis-dependent patients. This study aims to describe dialysis withdrawal practice in The Netherlands, focussing on time trends, risk factors and centre variation. METHODS: Data were retrieved from the Dutch registry of kidney replacement therapy patients. All patients who started maintenance dialysis and died in the period 2000-2019 were included. The main outcome was death after dialysis withdrawal; all other causes of death were used for comparison. Time trends were analysed as unadjusted data (proportion per year) and the year of death was included in a multivariable logistic model. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify factors associated with withdrawal. Centre variation was compared using funnel plots. RESULTS: A total of 34 692 patients started dialysis and 18 412 patients died while on dialysis. Dialysis withdrawal was an increasingly common cause of death, increasing from 18.3% in 2000-2004 to 26.8% in 2015-2019. Of all patients withdrawing, 26.1% discontinued treatment within their first year. In multivariable analysis, increasing age, female sex, haemodialysis as a treatment modality and year of death were independent factors associated with death after dialysis withdrawal. Centre variation was large (80.7 and 57.4% within 95% control limits of the funnel plots for 2000-2009 and 2010-2019, respectively), even after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment withdrawal has become the main cause of death among dialysis-dependent patients in The Netherlands, with large variations between centres. These findings emphasize the need for timely advance care planning and improving the shared decision-making process on choosing dialysis or conservative care.

Barriers to and Facilitators of Sustained Employment: A Qualitative Study of Experiences in Dutch Patients With CKD.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Although patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at risk for work disability and loss of employment, not all experience work disruption. We aimed to describe the barriers to and facilitators of sustained employment experienced by Dutch patients with CKD. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 27 patients with CKD glomerular filtration rate categories 3b-5 (G3b-G5) from 4 nephrology outpatient clinics in The Netherlands. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Content analyses with constant comparison of interview data based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework. RESULTS: Participants were 6 patients with CKD G3b-G4, 8 patients receiving maintenance dialysis, and 13 patients with functioning kidney transplants. We identified health-related barriers (symptoms, physical toll of dialysis/transplantation, limited work capacity) and facilitators (few physical symptoms, successful posttransplantation recovery, absence of comorbidities, good physical condition), personal barriers (psychological impact, limited work experience) and facilitators (positive disposition, job satisfaction, work attitude, person-job fit), and environmental barriers and facilitators. Environmental barriers were related to nephrology care (waiting time, use of a hemodialysis catheter) and work context (reorganization, temporary contract, working hours, physical demands); environmental facilitators were related to nephrology care (personalized dialysis, preemptive transplant), work context (large employer, social climate, job requiring mental rather than physical labor, flexible working hours, adjustment of work tasks, reduced hours, remote working, support at work, peritoneal dialysis exchange facility), and support at home. Occupational health services and social security could be barriers or facilitators. LIMITATIONS: The study sample of Dutch patients may limit the transferability of these findings to other countries. CONCLUSIONS: The wide range of barriers and facilitators in all International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health components suggests great diversity among patients and their circumstances. These findings underline the importance of personalized nephrology and occupational health care as well as the importance of individually tailored workplace accommodations to promote sustained employment for patients with CKD.

Renin-Angiotensin System Blockers and the Risk of COVID-19-Related Mortality in Patients with Kidney Failure.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is concern about potential deleterious effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients with kidney failure, who often use ACEis/ARBs, are at higher risk of more severe COVID-19. However, there are no data available on the association of ACEi/ARB use with COVID-19 severity in this population. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: From the European Renal Association COVID-19 database (ERACODA), we retrieved data on kidney transplant recipients and patients on dialysis who were affected by COVID-19, between February 1 and October 1, 2020, and had information on 28-day mortality. We used Cox proportional-hazards regression to calculate hazard ratios for the association between ACEi/ARB use and 28-day mortality risk. Additionally, we studied the association of discontinuation of these agents with 28-day mortality. RESULTS: We evaluated 1511 patients: 459 kidney transplant recipients and 1052 patients on dialysis. At diagnosis of COVID-19, 189 (41%) of the transplant recipients and 288 (27%) of the patients on dialysis were on ACEis/ARBs. A total of 88 (19%) transplant recipients and 244 (23%) patients on dialysis died within 28 days of initial presentation. In both groups of patients, there was no association between ACEi/ARB use and 28-day mortality in both crude and adjusted models (in transplant recipients, adjusted hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.69 to 1.83; in patients on dialysis, adjusted hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.47). Among transplant recipients, ACEi/ARB discontinuation was associated with a higher mortality risk after adjustment for demographics and comorbidities, but the association was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for severity of COVID-19 (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.40 to 4.58). Among patients on dialysis, ACEi/ARB discontinuation was not associated with mortality in any model. We obtained similar results across subgroups when ACEis and ARBs were studied separately, and when other outcomes for severity of COVID-19 were studied, e.g., hospital admission, admission to the intensive care unit, or need for ventilator support. CONCLUSIONS: Among kidney transplant recipients and patients on dialysis with COVID-19, there was no significant association of ACEi/ARB use or discontinuation with mortality.

Design of a consensus-based geriatric assessment tailored for older chronic kidney disease patients: results of a pragmatic approach.

PURPOSE: Unidentified cognitive decline and other geriatric impairments are prevalent in older patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Despite guideline recommendation of geriatric evaluation, routine geriatric assessment is not common in these patients. While high burden of vascular disease and existing pre-dialysis care pathways mandate a tailored geriatric assessment, no consensus exists on which instruments are most suitable in this population to identify geriatric impairments. Therefore, the aim of this study was to propose a geriatric assessment, based on multidisciplinary consensus, to routinely identify major geriatric impairments in older people with advanced CKD. METHODS: A pragmatic approach was chosen, which included focus groups, literature review, inventory of current practices, an expert consensus meeting, and pilot testing. In preparation of the consensus meeting, we composed a project team and an expert panel (n = 33), drafted selection criteria for the selection of instruments, and assessed potential instruments for the geriatric assessment. RESULTS: Selection criteria related to general geriatric domains, clinical relevance, feasibility, and duration of the assessment. The consensus-assessment contains instruments in functional, cognitive, psychological, somatic, patient preferences, nutritional status, and social domains. Administration of (seven) patient questionnaires and (ten) professional-administered instruments, by nurse (practitioners), takes estimated 20 and 40 min, respectively. Results are discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting including at least nephrology and geriatric expertise, informing nephrology treatment decisions, and follow-up interventions among which comprehensive geriatric assessment. CONCLUSION: This first multidisciplinary consensus on nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment intent to benefit clinical care and enhance research comparability for older patients with advanced CKD.

Predicting mortality risk on dialysis and conservative care: development and internal validation of a prediction tool for older patients with advanced chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Conservative care (CC) may be a valid alternative to dialysis for certain older patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). A model that predicts patient prognosis on both treatment pathways could be of value in shared decision-making. Therefore, the aim is to develop a prediction tool that predicts the mortality risk for the same patient for both dialysis and CC from the time of treatment decision. METHODS: CKD Stage 4/5 patients aged ≥70 years, treated at a single centre in the Netherlands, were included between 2004 and 2016. Predictors were collected at treatment decision and selected based on literature and an expert panel. Outcome was 2-year mortality. Basic and extended logistic regression models were developed for both the dialysis and CC groups. These models were internally validated with bootstrapping. Model performance was assessed with discrimination and calibration. RESULTS: In total, 366 patients were included, of which 126 chose CC. Pre-selected predictors for the basic model were age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, malignancy and cardiovascular disease. Discrimination was moderate, with optimism-corrected C-statistics ranging from 0.675 to 0.750. Calibration plots showed good calibration. CONCLUSIONS: A prediction tool that predicts 2-year mortality was developed to provide older advanced CKD patients with individualized prognosis estimates for both dialysis and CC. Future studies are needed to test whether our findings hold in other CKD populations. Following external validation, this prediction tool could be used to compare a patient's prognosis on both dialysis and CC, and help to inform treatment decision-making.

DIALysis or not: Outcomes in older kidney patients with GerIatriC Assessment (DIALOGICA): rationale and design.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and prevalence of older patients with kidney failure who are dependent on dialysis is increasing. However, observational studies showed limited or no benefit of dialysis on mortality in subgroups of these patients when compared to conservative care. As the focus is shifting towards health-related quality of life (HRQoL), current evidence of effects of conservative care or dialysis on HRQoL in older patients is both limited and biased. Dialysis comes with both high treatment burden for patients and high costs for society; better identification of patients who might not benefit from dialysis could result in significant cost savings. The aim of this prospective study is to compare HRQoL, clinical outcomes, and costs between conservative care and dialysis in older patients. METHODS: The DIALysis or not: Outcomes in older kidney patients with GerIatriC Assessment (DIALOGICA) study is a prospective, observational cohort study that started in February 2020. It aims to include 1500 patients from 25 Dutch and Belgian centres. Patients aged ≥70 years with an eGFR of 10-15 mL/min/1.73m2 are enrolled in the first stage of the study. When dialysis is initiated or eGFR drops to 10 mL/min/1.73m2 or lower, the second stage of the study commences. In both stages nephrogeriatric assessments will be performed annually, consisting of questionnaires and tests to assess most common geriatric domains, i.e. functional, psychological, somatic, and social status. The primary outcome is HRQoL, measured with the Twelve-item Short-Form Health Survey. Secondary outcomes are clinical outcomes (mortality, hospitalisation, functional status, cognitive functioning, frailty), cost-effectiveness, and decisional regret. All outcomes are (repeated) measures during the first year of the second stage. The total follow-up will be a maximum of 4 years with a minimum of 1 year in the second stage. DISCUSSION: By generating more insight in the effects of conservative care and dialysis on HRQoL, clinical outcomes, and costs, findings of this study will help patients and physicians make a shared decision on the best individual treatment option for kidney failure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the Netherlands Trial Register ( NL-8352 ) on 5 February 2020.