Knowledge about Benefits of Kidney Transplantation: A Survey of Dialysis Patients

(1) Background: Dialysis patients and recipients of a kidney allograft are at high risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2. It has been shown that the development of potent neutralizing humoral immunity against SARS CoV-2 leads to an increased probability of survival. However, the question of whether immunocompromised patients develop antibodies has not yet been sufficiently investigated; (2) Methods: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were examined in hemodialysis patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation as well as patients after kidney transplantation. Patients were interviewed about symptoms and comorbidities, BMI, and smoking history; (3) Results: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were found in 16 out of 259 patients (6%). The trend of infections here reflects the general course of infection in Germany with a peak in November/December of 2020. Remarkably, patients on the waiting list experienced only mild disease. In contrast, transplanted patients had to be hospitalized but recovered rapidly from COVID-19. Most interesting is that all immunosuppressed patients developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after infection; (4) Conclusions: Even with extensive hygiene concepts, an above-average number of patients were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the second wave of infections in Germany. Because SARS-CoV-2 infection triggered the formation of antibodies even in these immunocompromised patients, we expect vaccination to be effective in this group of patients. Thus, dialysis patients and patients after kidney transplantation should be given high priority in vaccination programs.

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Processes of knowing in the translation of a health communication intervention for dialysis patients awaiting kidney transplantation

Patient Education and Counseling ◽

10.1016/j.pec.2020.09.009 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marit Helen Andersen ◽

Kristin Hjorthaug Urstad ◽

Marie Hamilton Larsen ◽

Eivind Engebretsen ◽

John Ødemark ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kidney Transplantation ◽

Health Communication ◽

Communication Intervention ◽

Dialysis Patients

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Employment of Patients With Kidney Failure Treated With Dialysis or Kidney Transplantation - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-147522/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lilli Kirkeskov ◽

Rasmus Carlsen ◽

Thomas Lund ◽

Niels-Henrik Buus

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Kidney Transplantation ◽

Kidney Transplant ◽

Kidney Failure ◽

Educational Level ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Employment Rate ◽

Dialysis Patients ◽

Post Transplant

Abstract Background: Patients with kidney failure treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation experience difficulties maintaining employment due to the condition itself as well as the treatment. We aimed to establish the rate of employment before and after initiation of dialysis and after kidney transplantation and to identify predictors of employment during dialysis and post-transplant.Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis, PRISMA, for studies that included employment rate in adults receiving dialysis or a kidney transplant. The literature search included cross sectional or cohort studies published in English in the period from January 1966 to August 2020 in the databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Data of employment rate, study population, age, gender, educational level, dialysis duration, kidney donor, ethnicity, dialysis modality, waiting time for transplantation, diabetes, and depression were extracted. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis for predictors for employment and odds ratio; confidence intervals; and test for heterogeneity were calculated using Chi-squared statistics and I2. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020188853.Results. 33 studies with 162,059 participants during dialysis and 31 studies with 137,742 participants receiving kidney transplantation. Dialysis patients were on average 52.6 years old (range 16-79), 60.3% males and kidney transplant patients 46.7 years old (range 18-78), 59.8% males. The employment rate (weighted mean) for dialysis patients was 26.3% (range 10.5-59.7%); pre-transplant 36.9% (range 25-86%), and post-transplant 38.2% (range 14.2-85%). Predictors for employment during dialysis and post-transplant were male, non-diabetic, peritoneal dialysis, and higher educational level, and post-transplant: pre-transplant employment, younger age, transplantation with a living donor kidney, and without depression.Conclusions: Patients with kidney failure had a low employment rate during dialysis, pre- and post-transplant. Kidney failure patients should be supported through a combination of clinical and social measures to ensure they remain in work.

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FC 117TIME TRENDS IN PROBABILITY OF STARTING HOME DIALYSIS OVER A 20 YEAR PERIOD: A DUTCH REGISTRY STUDY

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation ◽

10.1093/ndt/gfab127.003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Anna Bonenkamp ◽

Tiny Hoekstra ◽

Marc Hemmelder ◽

Anita Van Eck van der Sluijs ◽

Alferso C Abrahams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kidney Transplantation ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Risk Model ◽

The Elderly ◽

Dialysis Patients ◽

Dialysis Treatment ◽

Home Dialysis ◽

System Utilization ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Kidney Transplantations

Abstract Background and Aims A growing number of patients suffers from End Stage Kidney Disease(ESKD), causing a logistical and economic burden to the healthcare system. Utilization of home dialysis is low in many countries worldwide, although home dialysis has several advantages including higher quality of life and possibly lower costs. The aim of this study is to explore time trends in the use of home dialysis in the Netherlands. Method Anonymized registry data from the Dutch Renal Registry (RENINE) were used for this study. All dialysis episodes of adult patients who started dialysis treatment between 1997 through 2016 in the Netherlands were included, including those who previously underwent kidney transplantation. Dialysis episodes shorter than 90 days were excluded. The probability of starting home dialysis between 1997 through 2016 was evaluated in time periods of 5 years, using logistic regression analysis. Home dialysis was defined as start with peritoneal dialysis or home haemodialysis, or transfer to either within 2 years after dialysis start. A logistic multilevel model was used to adjust for clustering at patient level. The cumulative incidence function of start of home dialysis in incident patients was estimated with a competing risk model with recovery of kidney function, kidney transplantations, and all-cause mortality as competing events. All analyses were stratified for age categories at dialysis start: 20-44 years, 45-64 years, 65-74 years and ≥75 years. Results A total of 33,340 dialysis episodes in 31,569 patients were evaluated. Between 1997 and 2016, mean age at start of dialysis treatment increased from 62.5±14.0 to 65.5±14.5 years in in-centre haemodialysis patients, whereas it increased from 51.9±15.1 to 62.5±14.6 years in home dialysis patients. In patients < 65 years, the probability of starting home dialysis was significantly lower during each 5-year period compared to the previous period, and kidney transplantation occurred more often. In patients ≥ 65 years, incidence of home dialysis remained constant, whereas mortality decreased. Conclusion In patients < 65 years, the overall probability of starting home dialysis declined consistently over the past 20 years. The age of home dialysis patients increased more rapidly than that of in-centre dialysis patients, implying that pre-dialysis education and organization of home dialysis must be adapted to the needs of the elderly patient. These developments have a significant impact on the organisation of home dialysis for patients with ESKD.

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Time evolution of restless legs syndrome in haemodialysis patients

Clinical Kidney Journal ◽

10.1093/ckj/sfz148 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Irene Capelli ◽

Fabio Pizza ◽

Marco Ruggeri ◽

Lorenzo Gasperoni ◽

Elisa Carretta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Kidney Transplantation ◽

Restless Legs Syndrome ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Dialysis Patients ◽

Restless Legs ◽

Continuous Form ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by an urge to move the extremities, accompanied by paraesthesiae, in the evening and at night. Uraemic RLS, a type of secondary RLS, occurs commonly in chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Progression of uraemic RLS over time is unclear. Therefore we investigated the prevalence, progression over time, risk factors and impact on survival of uraemic RLS in a cohort of dialysis patients. Methods We reviewed at the 7-year follow-up a cohort of haemodialysis (HD) patients we had previously investigated for RLS, through interviews, validated questionnaires and analysis of demographic and clinical data. Results At the 7-year follow-up, RLS was present in 16% of patients, with a persistence rate of 33%. A correlation was obtained between RLS and older age, diabetes, low albumin and low body mass index. RLS was associated with reduced overall survival (median survival of 3.3 versus 3.7 years), particularly with the continuous form of RLS (1.61 years). There was a higher incidence of myocardial infarction and peripheral vascular disease, although not reaching statistical significance. RLS patients had absolute higher scores in all quality of life domains. A large majority of study patients (96%) reported being symptom-free within a few days or weeks following kidney transplantation. Conclusions The development of RLS, especially the continuous form, in patients undergoing HD has important consequences associated with decreased survival. Our results indicated an association between uraemic RLS and ageing, diabetes and malnutrition. Considerable efforts should be focused on the treatment of RLS, since it significantly and persistently impacts the quality of life of HD patients. Kidney transplantation could represent an effective treatment option for that RLS impacts on dialysis patients' quality of life, thus confirming the secondary nature of RLS in most HD patients.

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