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Introduction: Spinal disorders are amongst the conditions with the highest burden of disease. To limit the increase of healthcare-related costs in the ageing population, the selection of different types of care for patients with spinal disorders should be optimized. The first step is to investigate the characteristics of these patients and the relationship with treatment. Research Question: The primary aim of this study was to provide insights in the characteristics, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of patients referred to a specialized spinal health care centre. The secondary aim was to perform an in-depth analysis of resource utilization for a representative subgroup of patients. Methods: This study describes the characteristics of 4855 patients referred to a secondary spine centre. Moreover, an extensive analysis of a representative subgroup of patients (~20%) is performed. Results: The mean age was 58.1, 56% of patients were female, and the mean BMI was 28. In addition, 28% of patients used opioids. Mean self-reported health status was 53.3 (EuroQol 5D Visual Analogue Scale), and pain ranged from 5.8 to 6.7 (Visual Analogue Scale neck/back/arm/leg). Additional imaging was received by 67.7% of patients. Surgical treatment was indicated for 4.9% of patients. The majority (83%) of non-surgically treated patients received out-of-hospital treatment; 25% of patients received no additional imaging or in-hospital treatment. Conclusion: The vast majority of patients received non-surgical treatments. We observed that ~10% of patients did not receive in-hospital imaging or treatment and had acceptable or good questionnaire scores at the time of referral. These findings suggest that there is potential for improvement in efficacy of referral, diagnosis, and treatment. Future studies should aim to develop an evidence base for improved patient selection for clinical pathways. The efficacy of chosen treatments requires investigation of large cohorts.

Many clinical practice guidelines for low back pain recommend a stepped approach to treatment where lower risk and less harmful, but still effective treatments are trialed first and riskier and more invasive treatments are reserved for those who do not respond to the initial treatment options. The goal of stepped care is to use interventions that carry lower risk and require less resources prior to progressing to higher risk and more intensive care. However, it is unclear how consistently and to what extent this occurs with patients prior to decisions being made to move forward with surgical treatment. Recommendations for appropriateness of surgery contend that patients should be “carefully selected” for lumbar fusion procedures. Conservative care treatment recommendations most frequently noted in clinical practice guidelines include advising the patient to maintain normal activities or incorporate prescription medication, exercise therapy, psychosocial therapy, spinal manipulation, and/or acupuncture into their intervention plans. A 2021 Cochrane review identified exercise interventions as effective for the treatment of chronic low back pain in comparison to usual, placebo, or no care, further supporting the role of exercise in stepped care for low back pain. This scoping review seeks to identify the extent to which conservative care received prior to surgery is described in clinical trials for spine fusion. The assumption in the decision to receive a surgical intervention is that non-surgical care options are exhausted and did not result in a satisfactory outcome. The objective is to identify the proportion of surgical trials that describe the nature and extent of non-surgical care thei patients received in their trials before becoming eligible to receive surgery. This particular objective lends itself well to a scoping review due to its intent to identify knowledge gaps and clarify the concept of non-surgical care. This scoping review intends to analyze a broad volume of literature to determine how well surgical trials characterize the extent of care that patients receive prior to undergoing lumbar fusion.

INTRODUCTION: Lumbar spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) is a rare condition defined by an excessive deposition of adipose tissue in the lumbar spinal canal. The objective of this case report is to document a clinical case of SEL presenting within a multidisciplinary spine clinic and to compare our clinical findings and management with the available literature.CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old female presented at a spine clinic with low back pain, bilateral leg pain and difficulty walking. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine showed evidence of severe central canal stenosis due to extensive epidural lipomatosis. She was initially advised to lose weight and undergo a 3-month course of physiotherapy. However, because of lack of improvement, she was scheduled for and underwent L4-S1 posterior spinal decompression and L4-L5 posterior spinal instrumented fusion. At 12-month follow-up, the patient reported no pain and retained the ability to walk regular distances without experiencing discomfort.DISCUSSION: This case report describes the conservative and surgical management of a case of lumbar spinal stenosis due to SEL. The therapeutic approach of patients with this condition is not standardized. As such, a discussion of the literature with respect to the diagnosis, clinical presentation, epidemiology, imaging appearance, risk factors, etiology, and management of SEL is also presented. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of IJS Publishing Group Ltd.

Highlights • Lumbar spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) is a rare cause of low back and lower extremity pain. • Magnetic resonance imaging is considered as the reference standard for the diagnosis. • The therapeutic approach of patients with SEL can be either surgical or conservative depending on the etiology and the severity of the condition., Introduction Lumbar spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) is a rare condition defined by an excessive deposition of adipose tissue in the lumbar spinal canal. The objective of this case report is to document a clinical case of SEL presenting within a multidisciplinary spine clinic and to compare our clinical findings and management with the available literature. Case presentation A 51-year-old female presented at a spine clinic with low back pain, bilateral leg pain and difficulty walking. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine showed evidence of severe central canal stenosis due to extensive epidural lipomatosis. She was initially advised to lose weight and undergo a 3-month course of physiotherapy. However, because of lack of improvement, she was scheduled for and underwent L4-S1 posterior spinal decompression and L4-L5 posterior spinal instrumented fusion. At 12-month follow-up, the patient reported no pain and retained the ability to walk regular distances without experiencing discomfort. Discussion This case report describes the conservative and surgical management of a case of lumbar spinal stenosis due to SEL. The therapeutic approach of patients with this condition is not standardized. As such, a discussion of the literature with respect to the diagnosis, clinical presentation, epidemiology, imaging appearance, risk factors, etiology, and management of SEL is also presented.

A key component of treatment for all people with advanced kidney disease is supportive care, which aims to improve quality of life and can be provided alongside therapies intended to prolong life, such as dialysis. This article addresses the key considerations of supportive care as part of integrated end-stage kidney disease care, with particular attention paid to programs in low- and middle-income countries. Supportive care should be an integrated component of care for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease, patients receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT), and patients receiving non-KRT conservative care. Five themes are identified: improving information on prognosis and support, developing context-specific evidence, establishing appropriate metrics for monitoring care, clearly communicating the role of supportive care, and integrating supportive care into existing health care infrastructures. This report explores some general aspects of these 5 domains, before exploring their consequences in 4 health care situations/settings: in people approaching end-stage kidney disease in high-income countries and in low- and middle-income countries, and in people discontinuing KRT in high-income countries and in low- and middle-income countries.

An increasing number of older patients have to decide on a treatment plan for advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), involving dialysis or conservative care. Shared decision-making (SDM) is recommended as the model for decision-making in such preference-sensitive decisions. The aim of SDM is to come to decisions that are consistent with the patient’s values and preferences and made by the patient and healthcare professional working together. In clinical practice, however, SDM appears to be not yet routine and needs further implementation. A shift from a biomedical to a person-centered conception might help to make the process more shared. Shared should, therefore, be interpreted as two persons bringing two perspectives to the table, that both need to be explored during the decision-making process. Starting from the patient’s perspective will enable to determine the mutual goals of care first and, subsequently, determine the best way for achieving those goals. To perform such SDM, the healthcare professional needs to become a skilled companion, being part of the patient’s relational context, and start asking the right questions about what matters to the patient as person. In this article, we describe the need for a person-centered conception of SDM for the setting of older patients with advanced CKD.

BackgroundNon-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.MethodsFive 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.ResultsA 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 ConclusionsPatients 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.

In patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), when there maybe situations where dialysis does not offer benefits in terms of survival or health-related quality of life, dialysis should not be viewed as the default therapy. Such patients can be offered comprehensive conservative care as an alternative to dialysis. Conservative (nondialytic) management of ESKD includes careful attention to fluid balance, treatment of anemia, correction of acidosis and hyperkalemia, blood pressure, and calcium/phosphorus metabolism management and dietary modification. Individualized symptom management and supportive care are crucial to maximize the quality of life. We propose that model of comprehensive conservative care in ESKD should manage both diseases as well as provide supportive care. Facilitating implementation of comprehensive conservative care requires coordination between nephrology and palliative care at patient, professional, administrative, and social levels to maximize benefit with the motto to improve the overall quality of life.

Fragestellung Diese Literaturarbeit befasst sich mit der erfolgreichen Vermeidung eines rezidivierenden Bandscheibenvorfalls (BSVs). Konkret widmet sich diese Bachelorarbeit der Frage, welche operativen, konservativen bzw. rehabilitativen Maßnahmen empfohlen werden können, um einen rezidivierenden BSV möglichst effektiv zu vermeiden. Methode Die Bearbeitung dieses Themas beruht auf einer Literaturrecherche, in der die passenden Studien mittels spezifischer Ein- und Ausschlusskriterien in den Datenbanken PubMed und Cinahl herausgefiltert wurden. Die eingeschlossenen Primärstudien wurden anhand des Appraisal Tool „Checklist for assessing the quality of quantitative studies“ auf deren Qualität und Eignung zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfrage beurteilt. Ergebnisse Es konnten sechs Studien mit einem Mindestnachbeobachtungszeitraum von fünf Jahren eingeschlossen werden. Dabei wurden in zwei Studien chirurgische Eingriffe und in einer Studie physiotherapeutische Interventionen beobachtet. Weitere zwei Studien setzten sich mit dem Vergleich zwischen operativen und konservativen Behandlungsmethoden auseinander und eine Studie befasste sich mit den Risikofaktoren, die zu einer Reoperation führen könnten. Sämtliche Studien identifizierten Verbesserungen der Beschwerden, allerdings erzielten die operativen Eingriffe im Vergleich zu den konservativen Therapieformen bessere Ergebnisse. Schlussfolgerung Zusammenfassend ist festzuhalten, dass sich ein rezidivierender BSV durch keine Art der Behandlung völlig ausschließen lässt und sich die Ergebnisse der operativen und konservativen Behandlung nach langfristiger Beobachtung einander sogar annähern. Research question This review deals with the successful prevention of recurrent disc herniation (DH). Specifically, this bachelor thesis addresses the question which surgical, conservative or rehabilitative measures can be recommended to prevent recurrent DH as effectively as possible. Method The treatment of this topic is based on a literature search in which the appropriate studies were filtered out using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria in the PubMed and Cinahl databases. The included primary studies were assessed for their quality and suitability to answer the research question using the appraisal tool "Checklist for assessing the quality of quantitative studies". Results Six studies with a minimum follow-up of five years were included. Surgical interventions were observed in two studies and physiotherapeutic interventions in one study. Another two studies compared surgical and conservative treatment methods, and one study looked at risk factors that could lead to reoperation. All studies identified improvements in symptoms, though surgical interventions achieved better results compared with conservative therapies. Conclusion In conclusion, recurrent DH cannot be eliminated by any type of treatment and the results of surgical and conservative treatment even converge after long-term observation.

Background: Integrating the family of patients with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care could benefit patients, families, and the health care system. However, there is a knowledge gap in this phenomenon since no systematic review has focused on the families' needs who care for individuals with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care. Objectives: To understand the primary needs of families who care for people with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care. Method: A systematic literature review of qualitative studies, followed by a content analysis was carried out. PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were used to search for articles published in English and Spanish between 2010 and 2021. The ENTREQ guideline was used for reporting. Results: Five relevant studies were included in this study. The analysis has allowed identifying key aspects of knowledge, psychological, social and spiritual needs of family members of patients with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care. Conclusions: This systematic review has revealed that families experience a lack of information and continuity of care by health care professionals. Added to this is the psychological burden they bear due to the feeling of indefinite care in time and uncertainty about the death of their loved one. All this, without the necessary support from their immediate family environment and social institutions. In light of these data, a paradigm shift in society and the health care received by these families is essential.

Background: Integrating the family of patients with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care could benefit patients, families, and the health care system. However, there is a knowledge gap in this phenomenon since no systematic review has focused on the families' needs who care for individuals with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care. Objectives: To understand the primary needs of families who care for people with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care. Method: A systematic literature review of qualitative studies, followed by a content analysis was carried out. PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were used to search for articles published in English and Spanish between 2010 and 2021. The ENTREQ guideline was used for reporting. Results Five relevant studies were included in this study. The analysis has allowed identifying key aspects of knowledge, psychological, social and spiritual needs of family members of patients with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care. Conclusions: This systematic review has revealed that families experience a lack of information and continuity of care by health care professionals. Added to this is the psychological burden they bear due to the feeling of indefinite care in time and uncertainty about the death of their loved one. All this, without the necessary support from their immediate family environment and social institutions. In light of these data, a paradigm shift in society and the health care received by these families is essential.

Bakgrund Femoroacetabulär impingement (FAI) syndrom är en allt vanligare rörelserelaterad funktionsnedsättning i höften, relaterat till en prematur kontakt mellan proximalafemur och acetabulum. Fysioterapi har visat god effekt vid behandlingen av FAI men aktuell forskning är begränsad och konsensus kring bästa behandlingsmetod saknas. Syfte Identifiera och kategorisera vilka fysioterapeutiska interventioner som används vid behandlingen av femoroacetabulär impingement (FAI), hur interventionerna utvärderas och presentera effekten av dessa interventioner. Metod Kartläggande litteraturöversikt. I februari 2022 genomfördes en elektronisk sökning efter vetenskapliga originalstudier från 2012, i databaserna PubMed, CINAHL och PEDRO. Totalt 1672 studier granskades varav 23 inkluderades. Huvudtyper av interventioner identifieras och kategoriserades med stöd av ICF-ramverket utifrån avsett syfte. Resultat Ur 23 inkluderade studier identifierades 36 huvudtyper av interventioner. Av dessaka tegoriseras 25 interventioner under ICF komponenten kroppsfunktioner. Hälften av interventionerna kategoriseras under neuromuskuloskeletala och rörelserelaterade funktioner. Av totalt 33 olika patientrapporterade utfallsmått (PROM) utgjorde iHOT-33, mHHS och NAHS de tre vanligast förekommande. Minst ett av de rekommenderade utfallsmåtten iHOT-12/-33, HAGOS och HOS användes i 70% av studierna. Alla inkluderade randomiserade kontrollerade studier visar signifikanta förbättringar vid användandet av fysioterapeutiska interventioner för FAI avseende PROM vid uppföljning jämfört baslinjen. Slutsats Utformningen av fysioterapeutiska interventioner vid FAI varierar, även om majoriteten syftar till att påverka neuromuskuloskeletala och rörelserelaterade funktioner. Det är möjligt att utifrån interventionens syfte klassificera interventioner vid FAI enligt ICF-ramverket. Rekommenderade diagnosspecifika PROM används i relativt hög utsträckning, till skillnad från de rekommenderade livskvalitetsmåtten. Studien belyser i likhet med tidigare forskning, bristen på konsensus gällande den fysioterapeutiska behandlingen vid FAI. Background Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is an increasingly prevalent movement related disability in the hip, related to premature contact between the femur and acetabulum. Physiotherapy has shown efficacy in treating FAI, but research is limited and shows a lack of consensus regarding best conservative care. Purpose This study aims to identify and categorize the type of physiotherapeutic interventions used in treating FAI, present the effects of these interventions and to map the use of outcome measures. Methods Scoping review. In February 2022 an electronic search was conducted across the databases PubMed, CINAHL and PEDRO. A total of 1672 studies were identified of which 23 met eligibility. Main types of interventions were identified and classified based on aim using the ICF-framework. Results A total of 36 main types of interventions were identified. Out of these, 25 could be categorized under the ICF-component body functions and 18 under neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions. Out of 33 total PROMs, iHOT-33, mHHS and NAHS saw most use. At least one of the recommended PROMs was used in 70% of the studies. Included RCT: s show significant improvement on a variety of outcome scores. Conclusion Interventions treating FAI varies, with most targeting neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions. Categorization based on the aim of interventions is possible using the ICF-framework. Recommended hip-specific outcome measures are used to a greater extent compared to the more general quality of life measures. This study, in accordance with earlier research, illustrates the lack of consensus regarding the physiotherapeutic care of FAI.

The main objective of this thesis was to determine the value of dialysis and conservative care for older patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. To do so, we compared a combination of patient-relevant outcomes and treatment costs in a cohort of older patients (≥70 years old) who chose either dialysis or conservative care after a shared decision-making process. Overall, we observed that older patients who chose dialysis lived longer compared with older patients who chose conservative care. There was, however, little or no significant survival advantage in patients aged ≥80 years old and patients aged ≥70 years old with severe comorbidity who chose dialysis over conservative care, while similar outcomes on quality of life and symptoms were observed between both patient groups, and lower treatment burden and treatment costs were observed in patients who chose conservative care. Therefore, we conclude that conservative care is a viable treatment alternative to dialysis in selected older patients. In clinical practice, conservative care needs to become available and openly discussed as one of the possible treatment pathways for advanced chronic kidney disease in older patients. Moreover, a shift towards a person-centered process of shared decision-making is needed that aims to focus on all that matters to the patient as person, in order to come to a treatment plan that fits best with the patient.

Background Non-dialytic conservative care (CC) has been proposed as a viable alternative to maintenance dialysis for selected older patients to treat end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). This systematic review compares both treatment pathways on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms, which are major outcomes for patients and clinicians when deciding on preferred treatment. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Plus and PsycINFO from inception to 1 October 2019 for studies comparing patient-reported HRQoL outcomes or symptoms between patients who chose either CC or dialysis for ESKD. Results Eleven observational cohort studies were identified comprising 1718 patients overall. There were no randomized controlled trials. Studies were susceptible to selection bias and confounding. In most studies, patients who chose CC were older and had more comorbidities and worse functional status than patients who chose dialysis. Results were broadly consistent across studies, despite considerable clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Patient-reported physical health outcomes and symptoms appeared to be worse in patients who chose CC compared with patients who chose dialysis but had not yet started, but similar compared with patients on dialysis. Mental health outcomes were similar between patients who chose CC or dialysis, including before and after dialysis start. In patients who chose dialysis, the burden of kidney disease and impact on daily life increased after dialysis start. Conclusions The available data, while heterogeneous, suggest that in selected older patients, CC has the potential to achieve similar HRQoL and symptoms compared with a dialysis pathway. High-quality prospective studies are needed to confirm these provisional findings.

Background: Increasing numbers of older adults are living with kidney disease. For those with comorbidities, conservative management of end-stage kidney disease is a viable option: dialysis may afford limited or no survival benefit, and perceived burdens may outweigh benefits. Conservative management focuses on: maintaining remaining kidney function; symptom management; and quality of life. Common symptoms in conservatively managed kidney disease include: fatigue, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, pain and pruritis. Chronic disease is associated with biographical disruption and a loss of sense of self. Coping strategies are shaped by illness perceptions, but little is known of illness perceptions of people living with conservatively managed kidney disease. This study aimed to explore the experience, impact and understanding of conservatively managed end-stage kidney disease among older adults. Methods: Secondary analysis of qualitative interviews analysed using thematic analysis. Twenty people with conservatively managed end-stage kidney disease were recruited from 3 UK renal units: median age was 82 (range 69-95); 9 women, 11 men.Results: Participants described the invisibility and intangibility of kidney disease, and challenges in attributing symptoms to the disease. They described a spectre-like presence, sapping their energy and holding them down. For some, it was hard to differentiate symptoms of the illness from characteristics of aging, resulting in challenges in illness attribution, and disconnectedness from the illness. Conclusions: Participants described challenges in attributing their symptoms to kidney disease which negatively impacted upon their wellbeing, and ability to accept an adjusted sense of self. Understanding these challenges is critical in the management conditions such as end-stage kidney disease where prognosis may be poor, and where an increase in symptom distress may suggest a marked deterioration in their condition, or a change in phase of illness. Clinical services need to recognize the illness experience (alongside more symptom led approaches), including the invisibility, intangibility, and disconnectedness, and address this through specific interventions focused on improving clinical assessment, communication and education, alongside peer and professional support.

Background Conservative care is increasingly considered an alternative to kidney replacement therapy for kidney failure management, mostly among the elderly. We investigated its status and the barriers to its implementation from patients’ and providers’ perspectives. Methods We analysed data from 1204 patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) Results All participating facilities reported they were routinely able to offer conservative care, but only 37% had written protocols and only 5% had a person or team primarily responsible for it. Overall, 6% of patients were estimated to use conservative care. Among nephrologists, 82% reported they were fairly or extremely comfortable discussing conservative care, but only 28% usually or always offered this option for older (>75 years) patients approaching kidney failure. They used various terminology for this care, with conservative management and non-dialysis care mentioned most often. Among patients, 5% of those >75 years reported receiving information about this option and 2% preferring it. Conclusions Although reported by nephrologists to be widely available and easily discussed, conservative care is only occasionally offered to older patients, most of whom report they were not informed of this option. The lack of a person or team responsible for conservative care and unclear information appear to be key barriers to its implementation.

Purpose Kinesiology taping is a common intervention used to treat individuals with shoulder pain. While there have been several studies published to date evaluating the effectiveness of this intervention, a systematic review with meta-analysis synthesizing the collective effectiveness of kinesiology taping is not available. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review with meta-analysis investigating the efficacy and treatment fidelity of kinesiology taping (KT) in combination with conservative interventions for shoulder pain. # Methods Databases (PubMed, EMBASE, SportDiscus, CINAHL) of studies published in English meeting criteria were searched to October 2019. Methodologic quality was assessed utilizing the Modified Downs and Black checklist. Treatment fidelity was evaluated using a modified fidelity tool. Random effects meta-analyses were performed when an outcome (disability, pain, range of motion (ROM)) was reported by two or more studies. Overall effect size (pooled random effects) was estimated for studies with acceptable clinical homogeneity. # Results When KT was used with conservative treatments, meta-analysis revealed large effect sizes for improvements in disability (standard mean difference (SMD) = -1.35; 95% CI, -2.09 to -0.60) and ROM (SMD = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.60-1.33) with no significant effects for pain. The average Modified Downs & Black score for bias was 11.5 ± 3.9. Of 10 retained studies, only two had good treatment fidelity. # Conclusions Adding KT to interventions performed in clinical settings appears to demonstrate efficacy regarding disability and ROM when compared to conservative interventions alone. However, despite reasonably good methodologic quality, fidelity was lacking in a majority of studies. Because of its impact on the implementation of evidence-based practice, lower fidelity should be considered when interpreting results.

Statistical data extracted from national databases demonstrate a continuous growth in the incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the ineffectiveness of current policies and strategies based on individual risk factors to reduce them, as well as their mortality and costs. Some innovative programs, telemedicine and government interest in the prevention of CKD did not facilitate timely access to care, continuing the increased demand for dialysis and transplants, high morbidity and long-term disability. In contrast, new forms of kidney disease of unknown etiology affected populations in developing countries and underrepresented minorities, who face socioeconomic and cultural disadvantages. With this background, our objective was to analyze in the existing literature the effects of social determinants in CKD, concluding that it is necessary to strengthen current kidney health strategies, designing in a transdisciplinary way, a model that considers demographic characteristics integrated into individual risk factors and risk factors population, incorporating the population health perspective in public health policies to improve results in kidney health care, since CKD continues to be an important and growing contributor to chronic diseases.

With an increased number of aged chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, along with medical and technological advances, the options to approach end‑stage kidney disease (ESKD) have multiplied. Nephrologists should be aware that taking care of elderly patients is different from taking care of younger ones. The spectrum of choices is as wide as the functional status of these patients. For fit ones, the main goal should be to restore function as much as possible and to rehabilitate. On the other hand, for frail patients, the expectations should be realistic in terms of survival, disease trajectory and symptomatic control, because while kidney replacement therapies can prolong life, they do not cure. The issue is complex due to its multidimensional perspective, so decisions must take into account the patient’s options, respecting his/her autonomy, dignity and quality of life. This text aims to review the particularities of geriatric CKD patients’ assessment towards options to care for ESKD, in a specific population which is growing in our practice.

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.

© 2020 International Society of NephrologyThere is a huge gap between the number of patients worldwide requiring versus those actually receiving safe, sustainable, and equitable care for kidney failure. To address this, the International Society of Nephrology coordinated the development of a Strategic Plan for Integrated Care of Patients with Kidney Failure. Implementation of the plan will require engagement of the whole kidney community over the next 5–10 years.

Shared decision making in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires unbiased information on survival and person-centred outcomes known to matter to patients: quality of life, symptom burden and support from family and healthcare professionals. To date, when deciding between dialysis and conservative care, patients have had to rely on evidence from small observational studies. Clinicians recognize that like is not being compared with like in these studies, and interpret the results differently. Furthermore, support differs considerably between renal units. What patients choose therefore depends on which renal unit they attend. To address this, a programme of work has been underway in the UK. After reports on survival and symptoms from a small number of renal units, a national, mixed-methods study—the Conservative Kidney Management Assessment of Practice Patterns Study—mapped out conservative care practices and attitudes in the UK. This led to the Prepare for Kidney Care study, a randomized controlled trial comparing preparation for dialysis versus preparation for conservative care. Although powered to detect a positivist 0.345 difference in quality-adjusted life years between the two treatments, this trial also takes a realist approach with a range of person-centred secondary outcomes and embedded qualitative research. To understand generalizability, it is nested in an observational cohort study, which is nested in a CKD registry. Challenges to recruitment and retention have been rapidly identified and addressed using an established embedded mixed methods approach—the QuinteT recruitment intervention. This review considers the background to and progress with recruitment to the trial.

Shared decision making in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires unbiased information on survival and person-centred outcomes known to matter to patients: quality of life, symptom burden and support from family and healthcare professionals. To date, when deciding between dialysis and conservative care, patients have had to rely on evidence from small observational studies. Clinicians recognize that like is not being compared with like in these studies, and interpret the results differently. Furthermore, support differs considerably between renal units. What patients choose therefore depends on which renal unit they attend. To address this, a programme of work has been underway in the UK. After reports on survival and symptoms from a small number of renal units, a national, mixed-methods study—the Conservative Kidney Management Assessment of Practice Patterns Study—mapped out conservative care practices and attitudes in the UK. This led to the Prepare for Kidney Care study, a randomized controlled trial comparing preparation for dialysis versus preparation for conservative care. Although powered to detect a positivist 0.345 difference in quality-adjusted life years between the two treatments, this trial also takes a realist approach with a range of person-centred secondary outcomes and embedded qualitative research. To understand generalizability, it is nested in an observational cohort study, which is nested in a CKD registry. Challenges to recruitment and retention have been rapidly identified and addressed using an established embedded mixed methods approach—the QuinteT recruitment intervention. This review considers the background to and progress with recruitment to the trial.

Background The Personalised Knee Improvement Programme (P-KIP) was developed based on previously published work, with the hypothesis that surgeons would refer patients to a well-structured conservative management intervention instead of for arthroscopy (de-implementation of arthroscopy by substitution with P-KIP). This meets NICE guidelines and international recommendations but such programmes are not widely used in the UK. Our aim was to determine whether P-KIP would reduce the number of arthroscopies performed for knee osteoarthritis. Methods P-KIP is a conservative care pathway including a group education session followed by individually tailored one-to-one dietician and physiotherapy sessions. Virtual clinic follow-up is conducted three to 6 months after completion of the programme. The service began in July 2015. The number of arthroscopies saved, measured from hospital level coding data, is the primary outcome measure. Interrupted time series analysis of coding data was conducted. As a quality assurance process, patient reported outcome measures (Oxford Knee Score; Euroqol 5D) were collected at baseline and at follow up. Results Time series analysis demonstrates that the programme saved 15.4 arthroscopies a month (95% confidence interval 9–21; p Conclusions Results suggest that P-KIP reduces the number of arthroscopies performed, and patients who took part in P-KIP had an improvement in their knee and general health outcomes. P-KIP has the potential to deliver efficiency savings and relive pressure on operative lists, however replication in other sites is required.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing global problem affecting around 10% of many countries’ populations. Providing appropriate palliative care services (PCS) to those with advanced kidney disease is becoming paramount. Palliative/supportive care alongside usual CKD clinical treatment is gaining acceptance in nephrology services although the collaboration with and use of PCS is not consistent. Methods The goal of this study was to track and quantify the health service utilisation of people with CKD stages 3-5 over the last 12 months of life. Patients were recruited from a kidney health service (Queensland, Australia) for this prospective, longitudinal study. Data were collected for 12 months (or until death, whichever was sooner) during 2015-17 from administrative health sources. Emergency department presentations (EDP) and inpatient admissions (IPA) (collectively referred to as critical events) were reviewed by two Nephrologists to gauge if the events were avoidable. Results Participants (n = 19) with a median age of 78 years (range 42-90), were mostly male (63%), 79% had CKD stage 5, and were heavy users of health services during the study period. Fifteen patients (79%) collectively recorded 44 EDP; 61% occurred after-hours, 91% were triaged as imminently and potentially life-threatening and 73% were admitted. Seventy-four IPA were collectively recorded across 16 patients (84%); 14% occurred on weekends or public holidays. Median length of stay was 3 days (range 1-29). The median number of EDP and IPA per patient was 1 and 2 (range 0-12 and 0-20) respectively. The most common trigger to both EDP (30%) and IPA (15%) was respiratory distress. By study end 37% of patients died, 63% were known to PCS and 11% rejected a referral to a PCS. All critical events were deemed unavoidable. Conclusions Few patients avoided using acute health care services in a 12 month period, highlighting the high service needs of this cohort throughout the long, slow decline of CKD. Proactive end-of-life care earlier in the disease trajectory through integrating renal and palliative care teams may avoid acute presentations to hospital through better symptom management and planned care pathways.

Chance fracture occurs from flexion-distraction injury in motor vehicle road crash usually when the patient is on a seat belt. It is often associated with intra-abdominal injuries. We managed a 22-year old female unbelted rear seat passenger of a bus which was involved in a lone accident. We highlighted the possible mechanism of chance fracture in an unbelted passenger and satisfactory spinal stability on conservative care with neither internal nor external fixation.

ObjectiveConsideration of quality of life (QoL) in people with end-stage renal disease has become an important part of treatment decision-making. The aim of this study was to report on QoL and other functional outcomes in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD).MethodThis was a cross-sectional study. Two samples of older patients (>60 years old) either conservatively managed (CM) or receiving hospital-based haemodialysis (HD), compared Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQoL-36) outcomes.ResultsData from 263 CM patients (CKD 4 n=188, mean age 73.6 years, 48 women; CKD 5 n=75, mean age 74.4 years, 26 women) and 74 patients on HD (mean age 73.8 years, 24 women) were analysed. Significant group differences were identified for two subscales of KDQoL-36. Symptoms/Problems List subscale was significantly better for those receiving HD compared with those CM with CKD 5 (p=ConclusionSymptoms of advanced CKD significantly impact QoL for patients CM with CKD stage 5. Conversely, QoL is significantly impacted for those in receipt of HD due to the burden of treatment. These findings provide evidence for the use of QoL tools to help with clinical prognostication in advanced CKD. Using QoL tools will ensure specialist support is available for appropriate management of patients with CKD.

Background To measure health-related and care-related quality of life among informal caregivers of older people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and to determine the association between caregiver quality of life and care recipient’s treatment type. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Three renal units in the UK and Australia were included. Informal caregivers of people aged ≥75 years with ESKD managed with dialysis or comprehensive conservative non-dialytic care (estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) ≤10 mL/min/1.73m2) participated. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using Short-Form six dimensions (SF-6D, 0–1 scale) and care-related quality of life was assessed using the Carer Experience Scale (CES, 0–100 scale). Linear regression assessed associations between care-recipient treatment type, caregiver characteristics and the SF-6D utility index and CES scores. Results Of 63 caregivers, 49 (78%) were from Australia, 26 (41%) cared for an older person managed with dialysis, and 37 (59%) cared for an older person managed with comprehensive conservative care. Overall, 73% were females, and the median age of the entire cohort was 76 years [IQR 68–81]. When adjusted for caregiver sociodemographic characteristics, caregivers reported significantly worse carer experience (CES score 15.73, 95% CI 5.78 to 25.68) for those managing an older person on dialysis compared with conservative care. However, no significant difference observed for carer HRQoL (SF-6D utility index − 0.08, 95% CI − 0.18 to 0.01) for those managing an older person on dialysis compared with conservative care. Conclusions Our data suggest informal caregivers of older people on dialysis have significantly worse care-related quality of life (and therefore greater need for support) than those managed with comprehensive conservative care. It is important to consider the impact on caregivers’ quality of life when considering treatment choices for their care recipients.

In Portugal, in 2018, 64.5% of dialysis patients were elderly and nearly a quarter were older than 80 years. Aging is a heterogeneous process: in some patients, there is a marked clinical improvement under renal replacement therapy (RRT) although others show an inexorable functional decline. Despite advances in dialysis, patient mortality rates remain high. These two phenomena have been difficult to understand and it may be difficult to decide which patients may benefit from RRT or conservative care. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is an instrument used by geriatricians to evaluate functionality and geriatric syndromes, allowing recognition of problems that would not otherwise be identified. It has been used to individualize and tailor therapies. CGA allows frailty identification (the major geriatric syndrome) and might better predict clinical prognosis and interventions' effectiveness. Physical frailty is a multifactorial condition that is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and its reversibility is hardly predictable when RRT is started so CGA might contribute to a better understanding of frailty in these patients. Therefore, it is possible that CGA application to CKD older patients would contribute to the selection of patients who might benefit the most from RRT and to improve patient clinical condition. This article aims to review geriatric syndromes and frailty in CKD patients, CGA potential to evaluate them and possible models to apply it.

International audience; To date, it is important to know more about the population of CKD stage 5 patients in order to better understand the practices of access to renal replacement therapy (RRT) or conservative treatment and to anticipate future needs. In April 2015, at the instigation of the Scientific Committee of REIN, a working group was formed to reflect on the opportunity and feasibility of a data collection on these patients. Between September 2017 and March 2018, 21 participating centers included 390 patients over a period of at least one month. The data collected included the patient's living conditions, level of study, mode of referral, clinical data and the therapeutic project. The median age at baseline was 71.4years (IQR: 58.4-80.4), 39.9% were diabetic. The median eGFR was 12mL/min/1.73m2 (IQR: 9-14). At inclusion, 77% of the patients were already followed in nephrology, 11% had been referred by a general practitioner. For the majority of patients included (81%), there was a RRT project. In 10% of cases, there was a project of conservative care, in 5% of cases the project was not yet decided and in 7% the project had not been yet discussed. At the latest news (median time 4.0months), 35% of patients were dialyzed, 9 (2%) have been pre-emptively transplanted, 25 (6%) died, 210 (54%) were still with a CKD stage 5. Our pilot study has shown the feasibility and interest of setting up such a data collection. Such a registry will provide important public health information regarding the demographic of nephrologists and advanced practices nurses. At the local level, this information will help the department to organize themselves to set-up pre-RRT information, implementation of care pathway nurses and multidisciplinary meetings for difficult cases. However, our pilot study shows that to ensure the completeness of the collection, the tracking upstream or downstream of nephrology consultations for eligible patients is essential and therefore requires dedicated human time on site.

The global nephrology community recognizes the need for a cohesive strategy to address the growing problem of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). In March 2018, the International Society of Nephrology hosted a summit on integrated ESKD care, including 92 individuals from around the globe with diverse expertise and professional backgrounds. The attendees were from 41 countries, including 16 participants from 11 low- and lower-middle–income countries. The purpose was to develop a strategic plan to improve worldwide access to integrated ESKD care, by identifying and prioritizing key activities across 8 themes: (i) estimates of ESKD burden and treatment coverage, (ii) advocacy, (iii) education and training/workforce, (iv) financing/funding models, (v) ethics, (vi) dialysis, (vii) transplantation, and (viii) conservative care. Action plans with prioritized lists of goals, activities, and key deliverables, and an overarching performance framework were developed for each theme. Examples of these key deliverables include improved data availability, integration of core registry measures and analysis to inform development of health care policy; a framework for advocacy; improved and continued stakeholder engagement; improved workforce training; equitable, efficient, and cost-effective funding models; greater understanding and greater application of ethical principles in practice and policy; definition and application of standards for safe and sustainable dialysis treatment and a set of measurable quality parameters; and integration of dialysis, transplantation, and comprehensive conservative care as ESKD treatment options within the context of overall health priorities. Intended users of the action plans include clinicians, patients and their families, scientists, industry partners, government decision makers, and advocacy organizations. Implementation of this integrated and comprehensive plan is intended to improve quality and access to care and thereby reduce serious health-related suffering of adults and children affected by ESKD worldwide.

ResumenIntroducciónLos pacientes de edad avanzada que llegan a enfermedad renal crónica avanzada (ERCA) se han incrementado en los últimos años. No hay evidencia de la mejor actitud terapéutica en estos pacientes.ObjetivosObservar la evolución de pacientes ancianos en consulta de ERCA (estadios 4 y 5) y comparar la supervivencia de los pacientes con ERC estadio 5 tratados con diálisis o no.Material y métodosSe incluyó a todos los pacientes con ≥70 años que iniciaron seguimiento en consulta de ERCA desde el 1-1-2007 hasta el 31-12-2008 y se observó su evolución hasta el 31-12-2013. Se recogieron datos demográficos, índice de comorbilidad de Charlson, antecedentes de cardiopatía isquémica (CI) y diabetes mellitus (DM).ResultadosSe estudió a 314 pacientes con ERC estadios 4 y 5 con ≥70 años, 162 de los cuales estaban en el momento del inicio del seguimiento o a lo largo del mismo en estadio 5; 69 de estos pacientes recibieron tratamiento con diálisis. En el grupo estadio 5: mediana de edad de 77 años (74-81); 48% CI; 50% DM; Charlson 7 (6-9). Supervivencia Kaplan-Meier: ≥70 años (93 vs. 69 pacientes con diálisis) log rank: 15 (p

There is a rise in burden of end-stage renal disease globally and in India. The symptom burden, prognosis, and mortality in chronic kidney disease closely mimics that of cancer. However, the palliative and end of life care needs of these patients are seldom addressed. A consensus opinion statement was developed outlining the provision of end of life care in end-stage kidney disease. Recognition of medical futility, consensus on medical futility, and cessation of potentially inappropriate therapies and medications are the initial steps in providing end of life care. Conducting a family meeting, communicating prognosis, discussing various treatment modalities, negotiating goals of care, shared decision-making, and discussion and documentation of life sustaining treatment are essential aspects of end of life care provision. The provision of end of life care entails assessment and the management of end-stage kidney disease symptoms and the care extends beyond the death of the patient to their families in the bereavement period.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Study design: Systematic review with network meta-analysis. Objective: To compare patient outcomes of lumbar discectomy with bone-anchored annular closure (LD + AC), lumbar discectomy (LD), and continuing conservative care (CC) for treatment of lumbar disc herniation refractory to initial conservative management. Summary of background data: Several treatment options are available to patients with refractory symptoms of lumbar disc herniation, but their comparative efficacy is unclear. Methods: A systematic review was performed to compare efficacy of LD + AC, LD, and CC for treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Outcomes included leg pain, back pain, disability (each reported on a 0–100 scale), reherniation, and reoperation. Data were analyzed using random effects network meta-analysis. Results: This review included 14 comparative studies (8 randomized) involving 3947 patients—11 studies of LD versus CC (3232 patients), 3 studies of LD + AC versus LD (715 patients), and no studies of LD + AC versus CC. LD was more effective than CC in reducing leg pain (mean difference [MD] −10, P

Background and Objectives: A geriatric assessment (GA) is a structural method for identifying frail patients. The relation of GA findings and risk of death in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is not known. The objective of the GA in OLder patients starting Dialysis Study was to assess the association of GA at dialysis initiation with early mortality and hospitalization. Design, Setting, Participants, and Measurements: Patients ≥65 years old were included just prior to dialysis initiation. All participants underwent a GA, including assessment of (instrumental) activities of daily living (ADL), mobility, cognition, mood, nutrition, and comorbidity. In addition, a frailty screening (Fried Frailty Index, [FFI]) was applied. Outcome measures were 6- and 12-month mortality, and 6-month hospitalization. Associations with mortality were assessed with cox-regression adjusting for age, sex, comorbidity burden, smoking, residual kidney function and dialysis modality. Associations with hospitalization were assessed with logistic regression, adjusting for relevant confounders. Results: In all, 192 patients were included, mean age 75 ± 7 years, of whom 48% had ≥3 geriatric impairments and were considered frail. The FFI screening resulted in 46% frail patients. Mortality rate was 8 and 15% at 6- and 12-months after enrolment, and transplantation rate was 2 and 4% respectively. Twelve-month mortality risk was higher in patients with ≥3 impairments (hazard ratio [HR] 2.97 [95% CI 1.19–7.45]) compared to less impaired patients. FFI frail patients had a higher risk of 12-month mortality (HR 7.22 [95% CI 2.47–21.13]) and hospitalization (OR 1.93 [95% CI 1.00–3.72]) compared to fit patients. Malnutrition was associated with 12-month mortality, while impaired ADL and depressive symptoms were associated with 12-month mortality and hospitalization. Conclusions: Frailty as assessed by a GA is related to mortality in elderly patients with ESKD. Individual components of the GA are related to both mortality and hospitalization. As the GA allows for distinguishing between frail and fit patients initiating dialysis, it is potentially of added value in the decision-making process concerning dialysis initiation.

Background: There is little information about quality of life (QoL) for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) choosing conservative kidney management (CKM). The Frail and Elderly Patients on Dialysis (FEPOD) study demonstrated that frailty was associated with poorer QoL outcomes with little difference between dialysis modalities [assisted peritoneal dialysis (aPD) or haemodialysis (HD)]. We therefore extended the FEPOD study to include CKM patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤10 mL/min/1.73 m2 (i.e. individuals with ESKD otherwise likely to be managed with dialysis).Methods: CKM patients were propensity matched to HD and aPD patients by age, gender, ethnicity, diabetes status and index of deprivation. QoL outcomes measured were Short Form-12 (SF12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression score, symptom score, Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS) and Renal Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale. Generalized linear modelling was used to assess the impact of treatment modality on QoL outcomes, adjusting for baseline characteristics.Results: In total, 84 (28 CKM, 28 HD and 28 PD) patients were included. Median age for the cohort was 82 (79-88) years. Compared with CKM, aPD was associated with higher SF12 physical component score (PCS) [Exp B (95% confidence interval) = 1.20 (1.00-1.45), P Conclusion: Treatment by dialysis, both with aPD and HD, improved some QoL measures. Overall, aPD was equal to or slightly better than the other modalities in this elderly population. However, as in the primary FEPOD study, frailty was associated with worse QoL measures irrespective of CKD modality. These findings highlight the need for an individualized approach to the management of ESKD in older people.

Background A shared decision-making tool could help elderly patients with advanced chronic kidney disease decide about initiating dialysis therapy. Because mortality may be high in the first few months after initiating dialysis therapy, incorporating early mortality predictors in such a tool would be important for an informed decision. Our objective is to derive and validate a predictive risk score for early mortality after initiating dialysis therapy. Study Design Retrospective observational cohort, with development and validation cohorts. Setting & Participants US Renal Data System and claims data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 69,441 (aged ≥67 years) patients with end-stage renal disease with a previous 2-year Medicare history who initiated dialysis therapy from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2010. Candidate Predictors Demographics, predialysis care, laboratory data, functional limitations, and medical history. Outcomes All-cause mortality in the first 3 and 6 months. Analytical Approach Predicted mortality by logistic regression. Results The simple risk score (total score, 0-9) included age (0-3 points), low albumin level, assistance with daily living, nursing home residence, cancer, heart failure, and hospitalization (1 point each), and showed area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC)=0.69 in the validation sample. A comprehensive risk score with additional predictors was also developed (with AUROC=0.72, high concordance between predicted vs observed risk). Mortality probabilities were estimated from these models, with the median score of 3 indicating 12% risk in 3 months and 20% in 6 months, and the highest scores (≥8) indicating 39% risk in 3 months and 55% in 6 months. Limitations Patients who did not choose dialysis therapy and did not have a 2-year Medicare history were excluded. Conclusions Routinely available information can be used by patients with chronic kidney disease, families, and their nephrologists to estimate the risk of early mortality after dialysis therapy initiation, which may facilitate informed decision making regarding treatment options.

Background. There is a variation in dialysis withdrawal rates, but reasons for this variation across European countries are largely unknown. We therefore surveyed nephrologists' perceptions of factors concerning dialysis withdrawal and palliative care and explored relationships between these perceptions and reports of whether withdrawal actually occurred in practice. Methods. We developed a 33-item electronic survey, disseminated via an email blast to all European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) members. In our data analyses, we distinguished those respondents who reported occurrence from those reporting no dialysis withdrawal in their unit. With multilevel logistic regression, we investigated the association between respondents' characteristics and perceptions and whether they reported occurrence of dialysis withdrawal or not. Results. Five hundred and twenty-eight nephrologists from 45 countries completed the questionnaire; 42% reported occurrence of withdrawal in their unit in the past year, and 56% perceived that stopping life-prolonging treatment in terminally ill patients was allowed. Few respondents reported presence in their unit of protocols on withdrawal decision making (7%) or palliative care (10%) or the common involvement of a geriatrician in withdrawal decisions (10%). The majority stated that palliative care had not been part of their core curriculum (74%) and that they had not recently attended continuous medical education sessions on this topic (73%). Respondents from Eastern and Southern Europe had a 42 and 40% lower probability, respectively, of reporting withdrawal compared with those from North European countries. Working in a public centre [odds ratio (OR), 2.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.36-4.25] and respondents' perception that stopping life-prolonging treatment in terminally ill patients was allowed (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.23-3.12), that withdrawal decisions were commonly shared between doctor and patient (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.26-3.08) and that palliative care was reimbursed (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.16-2.83) increased the odds of reporting occurrence of withdrawal. Conclusion. Reports of dialysis withdrawal occurrence varied between European countries. Occurrence reports were more likely if respondents worked in a public centre, if stopping life-prolonging treatments was perceived as allowed, if withdrawal decisions were considered shared between doctors and patients and if reimbursement of palliative care was believed to be in place. There is room for improvement regarding protocols on withdrawal and palliative care processes and regarding nephrologists' training and education on end-of-life care.

Background: older adults with chronic kidney disease stage 5 may be offered a choice between dialysis and conservative management. Few studies have explored patients’ reasons for choosing conservative management and none have compared the views of those who have chosen different treatments across renal units.Study design: qualitative study with semistructured interviews.Settings & participants: patients 75 years or older recruited from 9 renal units. Units were chosen to reflect variation in the scale of delivery of conservative management.Methodology: semistructured interviews audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim.Analytical approach: data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: 42 interviews were completed, 4 to 6 per renal unit. Patients were sampled from those receiving dialysis, those preparing for dialysis, and those choosing conservative management. 14 patients in each group were interviewed. Patients who had chosen different treatments held varying beliefs about what dialysis could offer. The information that patients reported receiving from clinical staff differed between units. Patients from units with a more established conservative management pathway were more aware of conservative management, less often believed that dialysis would guarantee longevity, and more often had discussed the future with staff. Some patients receiving conservative management reported that they would have dialysis if they became unwell in the future, indicating the conditional nature of their decision.Limitations: recruitment of older adults with frailty and comorbid conditions was difficult and therefore transferability of findings to this population is limited.Conclusions: older adults with chronic kidney disease stage 5 who have chosen different treatment options have contrasting beliefs about the likely outcomes of dialysis for those who are influenced by information provided by renal units. Supporting renal staff in discussing conservative management as a valid alternative to dialysis for a subset of patients will aid informed decision making. There is a need for better evidence about conservative management to support shared decision making for older people with chronic kidney failure

Introduction: The benefits of dialysis in the elderly are dubious. A shared decision-making process, helped by adequate prognostic tools, is essential to determine which patients are better candidates for conservative care. Based on a recent USRDS validated score, this study aimed to identify risk factors associated with early mortality (first 90 days) in a Portuguese cohort of patients. Methods: A total of 197 patients who initiated hemodialysis treatments in a Portuguese facility between 2005 and 2015 were included. Clinical and laboratory data were collected at time of admission to center. Multiple regression models were performed and fitted to identify potential predictors of early mortality. Findings: Total of 93 (47.2%) deaths with 23 (11.7%) deaths occurring in first year. In the first three months, there were 15 (7.6%) deaths. Of those who died in first three months, most were men (n=10; 5.1%), mean age 73.5 ± 6.82 years. Almost half (n=7; 3.6%) were dependent and the majority (n=12; 6.1%) had history of hospitalizations in previous year before admission. They had a higher prevalence of hypoalbuminemia and cardiovascular risk factors. Mortality associated factors were albumin level low (

Background and objectives Conservative care for patients aged 75 years and older with CKD stage 5 as a treatment option besides dialysis was proposed officially in the Netherlands in October 2016. This national survey showed the current implementation of this option in Netherlands nephrology departments. Design, setting, participants and measurement A web-based survey was sent to medical managers of 60 nephrology departments in the Netherlands in August 2016. Results Twenty-one medical managers (35%) completed the survey. The term "conservative care" is frequently used and well known. The estimated number of patients in whom the decision for maximal conservative care was made in 2015 was 310 of 2249 patients with CKD stage 5 age 75 years and older (range 5-50 patients per department). 164 patients became symptomatic and received no dialysis. There is no official registration for this treatment option and patient category. The practice patterns vary widely. Only one of 21 respondents reported a conservative care outpatient clinic. Formal training or education regarding conservative care is not available in most of departments. 95% of respondents discussed this treatment option with their patients. General practitioners are always being informed about their patient's decision. Their main role is providing or organizing palliative care support at the end of life and discussing advance care planning. Most respondents (86%) considered to include their patients in a prospective multicentre observational study, conservative care versus dialysis. Conclusions Conservative care as a treatment option for patients with CKD stage 5 aged 75 years and older is well established. The practice patterns are varied in the Netherlands. Follow-up studies are needed to see whether the new multidisciplinary guideline facilitates harmonization of practice pattern. Funding is needed to optimize the implementation of conservative care.

BackgroundDespite a growing body of literature suggesting that dialysis does not confer morbidity or mortality benefits for all patients with chronic kidney failure, the initiation and continuation of dialysis therapy in patients with poor prognosis is commonplace. Our goal was to elicit nephrologists' perspectives on factors that affect decision making regarding end-stage renal disease.Study designSemistructured, individual, qualitative interviews.MethodologyParticipants were purposively sampled based on age, race, sex, geographic location, and practice type. Each was asked about his or her perspectives and experiences related to foregoing and withdrawing dialysis therapy.Analytical approachInterviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using narrative and thematic analysis.ResultsWe conducted 59 semistructured interviews with nephrologists from the United States (n=41) and England (n=18). Most participants were 45 years or younger, men, and white. Average time since completing nephrology training was 14.2±11.6 (SD) years. Identified system-level facilitators and barriers for foregoing and withdrawing dialysis therapy stemmed from national and institutional policies and structural factors, how providers practice medicine (the culture of medicine), and beliefs and behaviors of the public (societal culture). In both countries, the predominant barriers described included lack of training in end-of-life conversations and expectations for aggressive care among non-nephrologists and the general public. Primary differences included financial incentives to dialyze in the United States and widespread outpatient conservative management programs in England.LimitationsParticipants' views may not fully capture those of all American or English nephrologists.ConclusionsNephrologists in the United States and England identified several system-level factors that both facilitated and interfered with decision making around foregoing and withdrawing dialysis therapy. Efforts to expand facilitators while reducing barriers could lead to care practices more in keeping with patient prognosis.

Dialysis initiation rates among older adults, aged 75 years or greater, are increasing at a faster rate than for younger age groups. Older adults with advanced CKD (eGFR 10 ml/min/1.73 m2 and many initiate dialysis in hospital, often in association with an episode of acute renal failure. In the US older adults start dialysis at a mean e GFR of 12.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 and 20.6% die within six months of dialysis initiation. In both the acute in hospital and outpatient settings, many older adults appear to be initiating dialysis for non-specific, non-life threatening symptoms and clinical contexts. Observational data suggests that dialysis does not provide a survival benefit for older adults with poor mobility and high levels of comorbidity. To optimize the care of this population, early and repeat shared decision making conversations by health care providers, patients, and their families should consider the risks, burdens, and benefits of dialysis versus conservative management, as well as the patient specific symptoms and clinical situations that could justify dialysis initiation. The potential advantages and disadvantages of dialysis therapy should be considered in conjunction with each patient’s unique goals and priorities. In conclusion, when considering the morbidity and quality of life impact associated with dialysis, many older adults may prefer to delay dialysis until there is a definitive indication or may opt for conservative management without dialysis. This approach can incorporate all CKD treatments other than dialysis, provide psychosocial and spiritual support and active symptom management and may also incorporate a palliative care approach with less medical monitoring of lab parameters and more focus on the use of drug therapies directed to relief of a patient’s symptoms.

Chronic and life-threatening conditions are widely thought to shatter the lives of those affected. In this article, we examine the accounts of 19 older people diagnosed with late stage chronic kidney disease who declined dialysis. Accounts were collected through in-depth interview in the United Kingdom (March–November, 2010). Drawing on a phenomenological approach, we focus particularly on the embodied and lived experience of the condition and on how participants constructed treatment modalities and approached treatment choice. We look toward contemporary elaborations of the conceptual framework of biographical disruption to illustrate how participants managed to contain the intrusion of illness and maintain continuity in their lives. We argue that three interactive phenomena mitigated the potential for disruption and allowed participants to maintain continuity: (a) the framing of illness as “old age”; (b) the prior experience of serious illness; and (c) the choice of the treatment with the least potential for disruption. We conclude that a diagnosis of chronic illness in late life does not inevitably shatter lives or engender biographical disruption. Instead, people are able to construct continuity owing to complex narrative interpretations of diagnosis, sensation and treatment choices.

Surgical treatment of type II odontoid fracture in this elderly population did not negatively impact survival, even after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities. The data suggest that there is a 30-day survival advantage and a trend toward improved longer-term survival for operatively treated over nonoperatively treated patients., Study Design. Retrospective, multicenter cohort study. Objective. Assess for differences in short- and long-term mortality between operative and nonoperative treatment for elderly patients with type II odontoid fractures. Summary of Background Data. There is controversy regarding whether operative or nonoperative management is the best treatment for elderly patients with type II odontoid fractures. Methods. This is a retrospective study of consecutive patients aged 65 years or older with type II odontoid fracture from 3 level I trauma centers from 2003–2009. Demographics, comorbidities, and treatment were abstracted from medical records. Mortality outcomes were obtained from medical records and a public database. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results. A total of 322 patients were included (mean age, 81.8 yr; range, 65.0–101.5 yr). Compared with patients treated nonoperatively (n = 157), patients treated operatively (n = 165) were slightly younger (80.4 vs. 83.2 yr, P = 0.0014), had a longer hospital (15.0 vs. 7.4 d, P < 0.001) and intensive care unit (1.5 vs. 1.1 d, P = 0.008) stay, and were more likely to receive a feeding tube (18% vs. 5%, P = 0.0003). Operative and nonoperative treatment groups had similar sex distribution (P = 0.94) and Charlson comorbidity index (P = 0.11). Within 30 days of presentation, 14% of patients died, and at maximal follow-up (average = 2.05 yr; range = 0 d–7.02 yr), 44% had died. On multivariate analysis, nonoperative treatment was associated with higher 30-day mortality (HR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.51–5.94, P = 0.0017), after adjusting for age (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05–1.14; P < 0.0001), male sex (P = 0.69), and Charlson comorbidity index (P = 0.16). At maximal follow-up, there was a trend toward higher mortality associated with nonoperative treatment (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.97–1.89, P = 0.079), after adjusting for age (HR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.05–1.10; P < 0.0001), male sex (HR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.10–2.16; P = 0.012), and Charlson comorbidity index (HR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.16–1.40; P < 0.0001). Conclusion. Surgical treatment of type II odontoid fracture in this elderly population did not negatively impact survival, even after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities. The data suggest a significant 30-day survival advantage and a trend toward improved longer-term survival for operatively treated over nonoperatively treated patients. Level of Evidence: 4

Objective: General practitioners refer patients with continued neck pain that do not respond well to conservative care frequently to secondary care for further assessment. Are surgical interventions to the cervical spine effective when compared to conservative care for patients with neck pain? Design: Systematic review. Method: The search strategy outlined by the Cochrane Back Review Group (CBRG) was followed. The primary search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and PEDro up to June 2011. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) of adults with neck pain, which evaluated at least one clinically relevant primary outcome measure (e.g. pain, functional status, recovery), were included. In addition, treatments had to include surgery and conservative care. Two authors independently assessed risk of bias using the criteria recommended by the CBRG and extracted the data. The quality of the evidence was rated using the GRADE method. Results: Patients included had neck pain with or without radiculopathy or myelopathy. In total, three RCTs and six CCTs were identified comparing different surgical interventions with conservative care, of which one had a low risk of bias. Overall there is very low quality of evidence available on the effectiveness of surgery compared to conservative care in neck pain patients showing overall no differences. Conclusion: Most studies on surgical techniques comparing these to conservative care showed a high risk of bias. The benefit of surgery over conservative care is not clearly demonstrated.

Objective: General practitioners refer patients with continued neck pain that do not respond well to conservative care frequently to secondary care for further assessment. Are surgical interventions to the cervical spine effective when compared to conservative care for patients with neck pain? Design: Systematic review. Method: The search strategy outlined by the Cochrane Back Review Group (CBRG) was followed. The primary search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and PEDro up to June 2011. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) of adults with neck pain, which evaluated at least one clinically relevant primary outcome measure (e.g. pain, functional status, recovery), were included. In addition, treatments had to include surgery and conservative care. Two authors independently assessed risk of bias using the criteria recommended by the CBRG and extracted the data. The quality of the evidence was rated using the GRADE method. Results: Patients included had neck pain with or without radiculopathy or myelopathy. In total, three RCTs and six CCTs were identified comparing different surgical interventions with conservative care, of which one had a low risk of bias. Overall there is very low quality of evidence available on the effectiveness of surgery compared to conservative care in neck pain patients showing overall no differences. Conclusion: Most studies on surgical techniques comparing these to conservative care showed a high risk of bias. The benefit of surgery over conservative care is not clearly demonstrated.

Introduction Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is a recognised cause of young adult hip pain. There has been a large increase in the number of patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery for FAI; however, a recent Cochrane review highlighted that there are no randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating treatment effectiveness. We aim to compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of arthroscopic surgery versus best conservative care for patients with FAI syndrome.\ud \ud Methods We will conduct a multicentre, pragmatic, assessor-blinded, two parallel arm, RCT comparing arthroscopic surgery to physiotherapy-led best conservative care. 24 hospitals treating NHS patients will recruit 344 patients over a 26-month recruitment period. Symptomatic adults with radiographic signs of FAI morphology who are considered suitable for arthroscopic surgery by their surgeon will be eligible. Patients will be excluded if they have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis, previous significant hip pathology or previous shape changing surgery. Participants will be allocated in a ratio of 1:1 to receive arthroscopic surgery or conservative care. Recruitment will be monitored and supported by qualitative intervention to optimise informed consent and recruitment. The primary outcome will be pain and function assessed by the international hip outcome tool 33 (iHOT-33) measured 1-year following randomisation. Secondary outcomes include general health (short form 12), quality of life (EQ5D-5L) and patient satisfaction. The primary analysis will compare change in pain and function (iHOT-33) at 12 months between the treatment groups, on an intention-to-treat basis, presented as the mean difference between the trial groups with 95% CIs. The study is funded by the Health Technology Assessment Programme (13/103/02).\ud \ud Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is granted by the Edgbaston Research Ethics committee (14/WM/0124). The results will be disseminated through open access peer-reviewed publications, including Health Technology Assessment, and presented at relevant conferences.\ud \ud Trial registration number ISRCTN64081839; Pre-results.

♦ Background: Patients are satisfied with their kidney care but want more support in making dialysis choices. Predialysis leaflets vary across services, with few being sufficient to enable patients' informed decision making. We describe the acceptability of a patient decision aid and feasibility of evaluating its effectiveness within usual predialysis practice. ♦ Methods: Prospective non-randomized comparison design, Usual Care or Usual Care Plus Yorkshire Dialysis Decision Aid Booklet (+YoDDA), in 6 referral centers (Yorkshire-Humber, UK) for patients with sustained deterioration of kidney function. Consenting (C) patients completed questionnaires after predialysis consultation (T1), and 6 weeks later (T2). Measures assessed YoDDA's utility to support patients' decisions and integration within usual care. ♦ Results: Usual Care (n = 105) and +YoDDA (n = 84) participant characteristics were similar: male (62%), white (94%), age (mean = 62.6; standard deviation [SD] 14.4), kidney disease severity (glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] mean = 14.7; SD 3.7); decisional conflict was < 25; choice-preference for home versus hospital dialysis approximately 50:50. Patients valued receiving YoDDA, reading it on their own (96%), and sharing it with family (72%). The +YoDDA participants had higher scores for understanding kidney disease, reasoning about options, feeling in control, sharing their decision with family. Study engagement varied by center (estimated range 14 – 49%; mean 45%); participants varied in completion of decision quality measures. ♦ Conclusions: Receiving YoDDA as part of predialysis education was valued and useful to patients with worsening kidney disease. Integrating YoDDA actively within predialysis programs will meet clinical guidelines and patient need to support dialysis decision making in the context of patients' lifestyle.

Background Patients are satisfied with their kidney care but want more support in making dialysis choices. Predialysis leaflets vary across services, with few being sufficient to enable patients’ informed decision making. We describe the acceptability of a patient decision aid and feasibility of evaluating its effectiveness within usual predialysis practice. Methods Prospective non-randomized comparison design, Usual Care or Usual Care Plus Yorkshire Dialysis Decision Aid Booklet (+YoDDA), in 6 referral centers (Yorkshire-Humber, UK) for patients with sustained deterioration of kidney function. Consenting (C) patients completed questionnaires after predialysis consultation (T1), and 6 weeks later (T2). Measures assessed YoDDA's utility to support patients’ decisions and integration within usual care. Results Usual Care ( n = 105) and +YoDDA ( n = 84) participant characteristics were similar: male (62%), white (94%), age (mean = 62.6; standard deviation [SD] 14.4), kidney disease severity (glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] mean = 14.7; SD 3.7); decisional conflict was < 25; choice-preference for home versus hospital dialysis approximately 50:50. Patients valued receiving YoDDA, reading it on their own (96%), and sharing it with family (72%). The +YoDDA participants had higher scores for understanding kidney disease, reasoning about options, feeling in control, sharing their decision with family. Study engagement varied by center (estimated range 14 – 49%; mean 45%); participants varied in completion of decision quality measures. Conclusions Receiving YoDDA as part of predialysis education was valued and useful to patients with worsening kidney disease. Integrating YoDDA actively within predialysis programs will meet clinical guidelines and patient need to support dialysis decision making in the context of patients’ lifestyle.