Search

Background: Many medical students may encounter a range of academic and personal challenges during their course of study, but very little is known about their experiences. Our aim was to review the literature to inform future scholarship and to inform policy change. Methods: A scoping review was conducted searching PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, British Education Index, Web of Science and ERIC for English language primary research with no date limits. This retrieved 822 papers of which eight met the requirements for inclusion in the review. Data were independently reviewed by two researchers and underwent thematic analysis by the research team. Results: Three major themes emerged. Theme 1: 'Identity preservation' addressed students' aim to preserve their sense of self in the face of academic difficulty and their tendency to seek support. This connected the apprehension many students expressed about their educational institutions to Theme 2: 'The dual role of the medical school'—medical schools are required to support struggling students but are predominantly seen as a punitive structure acting as the gatekeeper to a successful career in medicine. Students' apprehension and attempts to protect their identities within this complex landscape often resulted in 'maladaptive coping strategies' (Theme 3). Conclusion: Understanding and exploring the academic challenges faced by medical students through their own experiences highlight the need for the development of more individualised remediation strategies. Educators may need to do more to bridge the gap between students and institutions. There is a need to build trust and to work with students to enhance their sense of self and remediate approaches to engagement with learning, rather than focusing efforts on success in assessments and progression. Kirtchuk et al review qualitative studies of students' experiences with academic challenges. Their results highlight a need for institutions to build students' trust, enhance their self‐esteem, and improve engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe the demographics of the paediatric RRT population under the age of 16 years in the UK and to analyse changes in demography with time. Methods: Extraction and analysis of data from the UK Renal Registry (UKRR). Results: There were 751 children <16 years old with established renal failure (ERF) in the UK in December 2009. The reported prevalence under the age of 16 years was 65 per million age related population (pmarp) and the reported incidence 9.3 pmarp. The incidence and prevalence for South Asian patients was much higher than that of the White and Black populations. Of the patients for whom a primary renal diagnosis had been reported, renal dysplasia±reflux was the most common cause of ERF accounting for 34.0% of prevalent cases. There has been growth in treatment numbers in all paediatric renal centres between 1995 and 2010. Whilst the rate of transplantation within 90 days of commencing RRT has remained at around 25–30% of patients, the use of HD has increased by 4% at the expense of PD. Conclusions: The paediatric ERF population continued to expand with a slow increase in both incidence and prevalence rates. The high incidence in patients from ethnic minority groups will lead to a greater proportion of the population being from these groups in time. To maintain the high proportion of engrafted patients it will be necessary to encourage living donation in the ethnic minority population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The type of vascular access used by haemodialysis patients is thought to be one of the predictors of patient survival. However, many previous studies have been unable to separate the effect of access type from the effects of other differences between patients groups or have included incident patients. Some centres report excellent outcomes using dialysis catheters in stable prevalent patients and challenge the current guidelines about the use of long term catheters. This is an observational UK centre level study reporting on the relationship between the percentage of established prevalent patients using definitive access and the subsequent 1 year survival. Method: Vascular access audit data from 2005 and UKRR survival data at 1 year for patients who had been on HD for over 3 months was obtained from the UKRR database. Regression analysis was used to assess the amount of variation in 1 year survival that could be explained by the percentage of patients using an AVF or AVG in a centre. Results: From the renal centres reporting to the UKRR in 2005, 16,984 patients had vascular access data. The mean centre level 1 year survival was 86.4% (95% CI: 82.2–90.9) and was 86.9% (95% CI: 82.8–91.2) after censoring for transplantation. The mean percentage of haemodialysis patients using definitive access (AVF or AVG) in a centre was 69.8% (SD 10.4). A small positive association was found between the percentage of HD patients using an AVF or AVG in a centre and 1 year uncensored survival (β = 0.06, p = 0.04). The type of access in use was able to explain 6% of the variation in centre level survival. Conclusions: To some extent, this study has repeated work done by DOPPS and in the US but for the first time has studied only prevalent dialysis patients and looked at the UK dialysis population. Whilst increased venous catheter use was associated with an increase in one year mortality of prevalent established haemodialysis patients, this effect was very small and only accounted for some 6% of the variation in one year mortality between renal centres. Further work using data from the current large vascular access audit needs to be done to further elucidate best practice within the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: These analyses examine (a) survival from the start of renal replacement therapy (RRT), based on the total incident UK RRT population reported to the UK Renal Registry, including the 18% who started on PD and the 6% who received a pre-emptive transplant and (b) survival of prevalent patients. Changes in survival between 1997 and 2008 are also reported. Methods: Survival was calculated for both incident and prevalent patients on RRT and compared between the UK countries after adjustment for age. Survival of incident patients (starting RRT during 2008) was calculated both from the start of RRT and amongst the cohort who survived at least 90 days after RRT, both with and without censoring at transplantation. Both Kaplan–Meier and Cox adjusted models were used to calculate survival. Causes of death were analysed for both groups. Relative risk of death was calculated compared with the general UK population. Results: The 2008 unadjusted 1 year after 90 day survival for patients starting RRT was 87.3%. In incident patients aged 18–64, the unadjusted 1 year survival had risen from 85.9% in 1997 to 91.9% in 2008 and for those aged ≧65 it had risen from 64.2% to 75.8%. The age-adjusted one year survival (adjusted to age 60) of prevalent dialysis patients rose from 85% in 2000 to 89% in 2009. Diabetic prevalent patient one year survival rose from 76.6% in 2000 to 83.6% in 2009. The age-standardised mortality ratio for prevalent RRT patients compared with the general population was 19 at age 30 years and 2.4 at age 85 years. In the prevalent RRT dialysis population, cardiovascular disease accounted for 24% of deaths, infection 19% and treatment withdrawal 14%; 22% were recorded as uncertain. Treatment withdrawal was a more frequent cause of death in patients aged ≧65 at start of RRT than in younger patients. The median life years remaining for a 25–29 year old on RRT was 20 years and 4 years for a 75+ year old. Conclusions: Survival of patients starting RRT, has improved in the 2008 incident cohort. The relative risk of death on RRT compared with the general population has fallen since 2001. Death rates on dialysis in the UK remained lower than when compared with a similar aged population on dialysis in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This chapter describes the characteristics of adult patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the UK in 2009. The prevalence rates per million population (pmp) were calculated for Primary Care Trusts in England, Health and Social Care Areas in Northern Ireland, Local Health Boards in Wales and Health Boards in Scotland. These areas will be referred to in this report as ‘PCT/HBs’. Methods: Data were electronically collected from all 72 renal centres within the UK. A series of cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were performed to describe the demographics of prevalent RRT patients in 2009 at centre and national level. Age and gender standardised ratios for prevalence rates in PCT/HBs were calculated. Results: There were 49,080 adult patients receiving RRT in the UK on 31st December 2009, equating to a UK prevalence of 794 pmp. This represented an annual increase in prevalent numbers of approximately 3.2% although there was significant variation between centres and PCT/HB areas. The growth rate from 2008 to 2009 for prevalent patients by treatment modality in the UK was 4.2% for haemodialysis (HD), a fall of 7.2% for peritoneal dialysis (PD) and a growth of 4.4% with a functioning transplant. There has been a slow but steady decline in the proportion of PD patients from 2000 onwards. Median RRT vintage was 5.4 years. The median age of prevalent patients was 57.7 years (HD 65.9 years, PD 61.2 years and transplant 50.8 years). For all ages, prevalence rates in males exceeded those in females: peaks for males were in the 75–79 years age group at 2,632 pmp and for females in the 70–74 years age group at 1,445 pmp. The most common identifiable renal diagnosis was biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis (16.0%), followed by diabetes (14.7%). Transplantation was the most common treatment modality (48%), HD in 44% and PD 8%. However, HD was increasingly common with increasing age and transplantation less common. Conclusions: The HD and transplant population continued to expand whilst the PD population contracted. There were national, regional and dialysis centre level variations in prevalence rates. This has implications for service planning and ensuring equity of care for RRT patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: RRT incidence rates and the proportion of patients using a home dialysis modality (peritoneal or home haemodialysis) varies widely between centres and persists even after area differences in age, ethnicity and social deprivation structure are taken into account. A nationwide survey was undertaken to identify possible drivers of this variation. Methods: A systematic literature review followed by a two-stage Delphi consensus technique was employed to identify renal centre characteristics and practice patterns that may be important in determining either RRT incidence or home modality usage. Results: All 72 (100%) of UK adult renal centres responded. Questions about staffing numbers, interface with primary care, interface with other secondary care sites, capacity within the HD programme, constituents of pre-dialysis education programmes, conservative management programmes, range of treatments available, dialysis access and training and physician attitudes to home modalities were included. Conclusions: There was wide variation in practice patterns and centre characteristics across the UK. Overall, physician enthusiasm for home dialysis modalities was greater than the actual usage of home dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The British Association for Paediatric Nephrology Registry was established fifteen years ago to analyse data related to renal replacement therapy for children. The registry receives data from the 13 paediatric nephrology centres in the UK. In 2008 the registry was relocated to the UK Renal Registry (UKRR). Aim: To provide centre specific data so that individual centres can reflect on the contribution that their data makes to the national picture and to determine the extent to which their patient parameters meet nationally agreed audit standards for the management of children with established renal failure. Method: Data were submitted by either paper or electronic returns. Data were analysed to calculate summary statistics and where applicable the percentage achieving an audit standard. The standards used were those set out by the Renal Association and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Results: Data were received from all but one centre. Anthropometric data confirmed that children with established renal failure (ERF) in the UK are short compared with their peers with no change in recent trends. In the UK as a whole, the control of blood pressure, anaemia and bone biochemistry is suboptimal. Conclusions: Key features of this report are the provision of centre specific data and comparison of data to audit standards. It is hoped that this information will provide a basis for discussion and a stimulus to improve the care of children with ERF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This chapter describes the characteristics of adult patients starting renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the UK in 2009 and the acceptance rates for RRT in Primary Care Trusts and Health Boards (PCT/HBs) in the UK. Methods: The basic demographics and clinical characteristics are reported on patients starting RRT from all UK renal centres. Late presentation, defined as time between first being seen by a nephrologist and start of RRT being <90 days was also studied. Age and gender standardised ratios for acceptance rates in PCT/HBs were calculated. Results: In 2009, the incidence rate in the UK and England was 109 per million population (pmp). Acceptance rates in Scotland (104 pmp), Northern Ireland (88 pmp) and Wales (120 pmp) had all fallen although Wales still remained the country with the highest acceptance rate. There were wide variations between PCT/HBs with respect to the standardised ratios. The median age of all incident patients was 64.8 years (IQR 50.8, 75.1). For transplant centres this was 63.0 years (IQR 49.0, 74.2) and for non-transplanting centres 66.3 years (IQR 52.6, 75.9). The median age for non-Whites was 57.1 years. Diabetic renal disease remained the single most common cause of renal failure (25%). By 90 days, 69.1% of patients were on haemodialysis, 17.7% on peritoneal dialysis, 6.7% had had a transplant and 6.5% had died or stopped treatment. The mean eGFR at the start of RRT was 8.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 which was similar to the previous two years. Late presentation (<90 days) has fallen from 27% in 2004 to 19% in 2009. There was no relationship between social deprivation and presentation pattern. Conclusions: Acceptance rates have fallen in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales whilst they have plateaued in England over the last four years. Wales continued to have the highest acceptance rate of the countries making up the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]