Outcomes of Hemodialysis Access Among Patients With Unstable Housing

Background: Most studies addressing hemodialysis initiation with a dialysis catheter focus on patients entering maintenance dialysis programs and exclude other patients, such as those with acute kidney injury (AKI), making interpretation and application of the results difficult for clinicians managing patients at the time of dialysis commencement. Objective: To compare the survival of all patients requiring a catheter for hemodialysis access according to the nature of clinical presentation. Design: Prospective observational. Setting: An Australian tertiary renal unit. Patients: All patients requiring a central venous catheter (CVC) for hemodialysis access between 2005 and 2015. Measurements: Baseline comorbidities, demographics, and nature of clinical presentation. Data regarding each episode of dialysis access insufficiency and each CVC were collected. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Methods: Patients were classified into 1 of 3 groups based on physician assessment at the time of presentation: patients believed to have AKI with expected renal recovery (AKI), patients considered to be entering the maintenance dialysis program without a functioning dialysis access (Maintenance Dialysis), patients unable to perform peritoneal dialysis, or use their existing hemodialysis access (Access Failure). Time-split multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to compare survival between groups. Results: A total of 557 eligible patients had complete prospective data regarding CVC use and were included in the analyses. The majority of patients were in the AKI (246/557, 44%) and Maintenance Dialysis groups (182/557, 33%) compared with the Access Failure group (129/557, 23%). During a median follow-up of 3 years, 302 (54%) of the 557 patients died. Following adjustment, risk of all-cause mortality was higher in the AKI group (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31-3.60, P = .001) during the first 2 years after catheter insertion and lower in years 2 to 4 (HR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.88, P = .02) than in the reference Maintenance Dialysis group. No difference in mortality risk between the Access Failure and reference group was found. Limitations: Single-center study. Possible residual confounding owing to the observational study design. Conclusions: Patients requiring acute or unplanned hemodialysis experience high mortality, and the nature of clinical presentation does influence outcomes. Most notable is the greater early mortality experienced by patients with AKI compared to other patient groups. Prospective definition of the nature of unplanned dialysis initiation is important to accurately measure and improve outcomes in this high-risk patient population. Human Research Ethics Committee Approval Number CH62/6/2017-042.

Download Full-text

Effectiveness and safety of repeated percutaneous intervention in an office-based endovascular center in maintaining hemodialysis access

Vascular ◽

10.1177/17085381211004306 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 170853812110043

Author(s):

Jay Patel ◽

Stephanie Chang ◽

Shaan Manawar ◽

John Munn ◽

Mark C Rummel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Percutaneous Intervention ◽

Dialysis Access ◽

Arteriovenous Graft ◽

Hemodialysis Access ◽

Upper Arm ◽

Access Site ◽

Arteriovenous Fistulas ◽

Arteriovenous Grafts ◽

The Mean

Objectives Percutaneous dialysis access interventions are routinely used to maintain the patency of dialysis access despite the lack of data regarding their long-term effectiveness. This retrospective study was undertaken to study the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous dialysis access interventions in arm fistulas and bridge grafts in an office-based endovascular center. Methods Patients who had a percutaneous dialysis access intervention in their upper extremity access site, performed at a single office-based endovascular center over a nine-year period (2007–2016) were included in this study. The patients’ demographic factors, patency, and complications were analyzed. Patients were entered in the study after first percutaneous dialysis access intervention. Results A total of 298 limbs in 259 patients had 913 procedures carried out over a nine-year period. There were 190 access arteriovenous fistulas and 108 arteriovenous grafts. The two most common arteriovenous fistulas were the brachiocephalic fistula ( n = 74, 39%) and radio cephalic fistula ( n = 69, 36%). Arteriovenous grafts were most commonly placed in the upper arm ( n = 66, 61%) followed by the forearm ( n = 42, 39%). The mean overall patency for all limbs was 50.86 months. Arteriovenous fistulas had a significantly longer patency than arteriovenous grafts (51.65 vs. 42.09 months; P = 0.01). In addition, patients with two or more percutaneous dialysis access intervention in their arteriovenous fistula had significantly greater patency than those with only one percutaneous dialysis access intervention (58.5 vs. 7.6 months; hazard ratio 0.41; P = 0.0008). This was not true for the arteriovenous graft group. Women represented 49% of the patient group. Their accesses had shorter patency than men (39.8 vs. 60 months; P = 0.0007). Conclusions This data support the use of repeated percutaneous dialysis access intervention to maintain long-term patency of dialysis access sites in an office-based endovascular center. Overall, fistulas have longer patency than grafts and women have poorer outcomes as compared to men

Download Full-text

Results of drug‐eluting stent in significant restenosis of the hemodialysis access: An initial study

Seminars in Dialysis ◽

10.1111/sdi.12993 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Keerati Hongsakul ◽

Surasit Akkakrisee ◽

Kittipitch Bannangkoon ◽

Ussanee Boonsrirat ◽

Dhanakom Premprabha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Initial Study ◽

Drug Eluting Stent ◽

Hemodialysis Access ◽

Drug Eluting

Download Full-text

Arterial percutaneous angioplasty in hemodialysis access: Endovascular treatment of hand ischemia

The Journal of Vascular Access ◽

10.1177/1129729820946654 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 112972982094665

Author(s):

Gabriela Teixeira ◽

Paulo Almeida ◽

Luís Loureiro ◽

Inês Antunes ◽

Duarte Rego ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Limb Salvage ◽

Vascular Access ◽

Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty ◽

Clinical Success ◽

Invasive Procedure ◽

Transluminal Angioplasty ◽

Arterial Stenosis ◽

Low Flow ◽

Hemodialysis Access ◽

Percutaneous Transluminal

Background: Hemodialysis access–induced distal ischemia consists of symptomatic extremity malperfusion after vascular access creation. It is usually caused by discordant vascular resistance, with arteriovenous shunting of a high blood volume from arterial into venous system and subsequent hand hypoperfusion. Less often, hemodialysis access–induced distal ischemia is caused by arterial stenosis. In these cases, access frequently has normal/low flow, radial pulse is usually absent and not recoverable with vascular access digital compression, diabetes is often present, and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty can be critical for access and limb salvage. Methods: Retrospective study conducted between June 2011 and February 2018 of patients with vascular access submitted to arterial percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for limb-threatening ischemia. Results: Twenty-nine patients were referred for arterial angiography after hemodialysis access–induced distal ischemia diagnosis and physical examination or ultrasound findings suggestive of arterial disease. In 11 patients, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was not technically feasible. Among 18 treated patients, 83.3% had diabetes and 60% had skin ulcerations. Target arteries were radial (11), brachial (7), axillar (2), ulnar (2), and subclavian (1). Clinical success, defined as arteriovenous maintenance and wound healing/pain resolution, was observed in 12 patients (66.7%). Concomitant procedures included adjuvant banding ( n = 2) and finger amputation ( n = 1), and one reintervention was performed. No intra- or postoperative complications were reported. Conclusion: Hemodialysis access–induced distal ischemia is a serious complication of hemodialysis vascular access, with multifactorial etiology. Correct and timely diagnosis is crucial for maintaining access and limb salvage. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that may be effective and long-lasting in carefully selected patients with ischemic complaints.

Download Full-text