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Haemodialysis centres have conventionally provided maintenance haemodialysis using a standard dialysate temperature (eg, 36·5°C) for all patients. Many centres now use cooler dialysate (eg, 36·0°C or lower) for potential cardiovascular benefits. We aimed to assess whether personalised cooler dialysate, implemented as centre-wide policy, reduced the risk of cardiovascular-related death or hospital admission compared with standard temperature dialysate.MyTEMP was a pragmatic, two-arm, parallel-group, registry-based, open-label, cluster-randomised, superiority trial done at haemodialysis centres in Ontario, Canada. Eligible centres provided maintenance haemodialysis to at least 15 patients a week, and the medical director of each centre had to confirm that their centre would deliver the assigned intervention. Using covariate-constrained randomisation, we allocated 84 centres (1:1) to use either personalised cooler dialysate (nurses set the dialysate temperature 0·5-0·9°C below each patient's measured pre-dialysis body temperature, with a lowest recommended dialysate temperature of 35·5°C), or standard temperature dialysate (36·5°C for all patients and treatments). Patients and health-care providers were not masked to the group assignment; however, the primary outcome was recorded in provincial databases by medical coders who were unaware of the trial or the centres' group assignment. The primary composite outcome was cardiovascular-related death or hospital admission with myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, or congestive heart failure during the 4-year trial period. Analysis was by intention to treat. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02628366.We assessed all of Ontario's 97 centres for inclusion into the study. Nine centres had less than 15 patients and one director requested that four of their seven centres not participate. 84 centres were recruited and on Feb 1, 2017, these centres were randomly assigned to administer personalised cooler dialysate (42 centres) or standard temperature dialysate (42 centres). The intervention period was from April 3, 2017, to March 31, 2021, and during this time the trial centres provided outpatient maintenance haemodialysis to 15 413 patients (about 4·3 million haemodialysis treatments). The mean dialysate temperature was 35·8°C in the cooler dialysate group and 36·4°C in the standard temperature group. The primary outcome occurred in 1711 (21·4%) of 8000 patients in the cooler dialysate group versus 1658 (22·4%) of 7413 patients in the standard temperature group (adjusted hazard ratio 1·00, 96% CI 0·89 to 1·11; p=0·93). The mean drop in intradialytic systolic blood pressure was 26·6 mm Hg in the cooler dialysate group and 27·1 mm Hg in the standard temperature group (mean difference -0·5 mm Hg, 99% CI -1·4 to 0·4; p=0·14).Centre-wide delivery of personalised cooler dialysate did not significantly reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events compared with standard temperature dialysate. The rising popularity of cooler dialysate is called into question by this study, and the risks and benefits of cooler dialysate in some patient populations should be clarified in future trials.Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Support Unit, Dialysis Clinic, Inc., ICES (formerly known as the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences), Lawson Health Research Institute, and Western University.

The risk of developing colorectal cancer in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is twice that of the general population, but the factors associated with colorectal cancer are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with advanced colorectal neoplasia in patients with CKD.Prospective cohort study.Patients with CKD stages 3-5, including those treated with maintenance dialysis or transplantation across 11 sites in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Spain, were screened for colorectal neoplasia using a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as part of the Detecting Bowel Cancer in CKD (DETECT) Study.Baseline characteristics for patients at the time of study enrollment were ascertained, including duration of CKD, comorbidities, and medications.Advanced colorectal neoplasia was identified through a 2-step verification process with colonoscopy following positive FIT and 2-year clinical follow-up for all patients.Potential factors associated with advanced colorectal neoplasia were explored using multivariable logistic regression. Sensitivity analyses were performed using grouped LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) logistic regression.Among 1,706 patients who received FIT-based screening-791 with CKD stages 3-5 not receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT), 418 receiving dialysis, and 497 patients with a functioning kidney transplant-117 patients (6.9%) were detected to have advanced colorectal neoplasia (54 with CKD stages 3-5 without KRT, 34 receiving dialysis, and 29 transplant recipients), including 9 colorectal cancers. The factors found to be associated with advanced colorectal neoplasia included older age (OR per year older, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.03-1.07], P0.001), male sex (OR, 2.27 [95% CI, 1.45-3.54], P0.001), azathioprine use (OR, 2.99 [95% CI, 1.40-6.37], P=0.005), and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent use (OR, 1.92 [95% CI, 1.22-3.03], P=0.005). Grouped LASSO logistic regression revealed similar associations between these factors and advanced colorectal neoplasia.Unmeasured confounding factors.Older age, male sex, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, and azathioprine were found to be significantly associated with advanced colorectal neoplasia in patients with CKD.

BACKGROUND Pretransplant diabetes and new-onset diabetes after transplant (NODAT) are known risk factors for vascular events after kidney transplantation, but the incidence and magnitude of the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and cardiac deaths remain uncertain in recent era. METHODS A population cohort study of kidney transplant recipients identified using data from linked administrative healthcare databases from Ontario, Canada. The incidence rates of MACE (expressed as events with 95% confidence interval [95% CI] per 1000 person-years were reported according to diabetes status of pretransplant diabetes, NODAT, or no diabetes. Extended Cox regression model was used to examine the association between diabetes status, MACE, and cardiac death. RESULTS Of 5248 recipients, 1973 (38%) had pretransplant diabetes, and 799 (15%) developed NODAT with a median follow-up of 5.5 y. The incidence rates (95% CI) of MACE for recipients with pretransplant diabetes, NODAT, and no diabetes between 1 and 3 y posttransplant were 38.1 (32.1-45.3), 12.6 (6.3-25.2), and 11.8 (9.2-15.0) per 1000 person-years, respectively. Compared with recipients with pretransplant diabetes, recipients with NODAT experienced a lower risk of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.47-0.74) but not cardiac death (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.61-1.55). The rate of MACE and cardiac death was lowest in patients without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS Patients with pretransplant diabetes incur the greatest rate of MACE and cardiac deaths after transplantation. Having NODAT also bears high burden of vascular events compared with those without diabetes, but the magnitude of the increased rate remains lower than recipients with pretransplant diabetes.

Shared decision-making (SDM) is a process of collaborative deliberation in the dyadic patient-physician interaction whereby physicians inform the patients about the pros and cons of all available treatment options and reach an agreement with the patients on their preferred treatment plan. In hemodialysis vascular access practice, SDM advocates a deliberative approach based on the existence of reasonable alternatives-that is, arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous graft, and central venous catheter-so that patients are able to form and share preferences about access options. In spite of its ethical imperative, SDM is not broadly applied in hemodialysis vascular access planning. Physicians and surgeons commonly deliver prescriptive fistula-centered recommendations concerning the approach to vascular access care. This paternalistic approach has been shaped by directions from long-held clinical practice guidelines and is reinforced by financial payment models linked with the prevalence of arteriovenous fistula in patients on hemodialysis. Awareness is growing that what may have initially seemed a medically and surgically appropriate approach might not always be focused on each individual's goals of care. Clinician's recommendations for vascular access often do not sufficiently consider the uncertainty surrounding the potential benefits of the decision or the cumulative impact of the decision on patient's quality of life. In the evolving health care landscape, it is time for the practice of hemodialysis vascular access to shift from a hierarchical doctor-patient approach to patient-centered care. In this article we review the current state of vascular access practice, present arguments why SDM is necessary in vascular access planning, review barriers and potential solutions to SDM implementation, and discuss future research contingent on an effective system of physician-patient participative decision-making in hemodialysis vascular access practice.

Caffeine is well known for its central nervous system–stimulating effect. Toxicity may occur following high-dose caffeine ingestions. We describe a case of caffeine intoxication secondary to reported ingestion of a large dose of caffeine (60,000 mg in tablet form) with an initial serum caffeine level of 608 μmol/L (known lethal serum level starting from 412 μmol/L). This case demonstrates the key clinical manifestations of caffeine intoxication and the effect of its associated massive adrenergic surge with neurologic symptoms, cardiovascular instability, metabolic abnormalities, and the significant risk of mortality. We highlight important kidney management considerations, including protective measures against electrolyte disturbances such as hypokalemia and hypophosphatemia, and the use of prolonged hemodialysis for caffeine elimination. We share our practical decision making and approach to dialysis discontinuation if serum caffeine level reporting is unavailable or delayed.

Worsening renal function in chronic kidney disease correlates with worsening right ventricular (RV) systolic function. We evaluated the association between kidney transplantation (KT) and RV structure and systolic function, and the relationships between RV and left ventricular (LV) changes, blood pressure, and specific cardiac biomarkers, in patients with end-stage kidney disease using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). In this prospective, multi-centre, cohort study, 39 adult patients on dialysis receiving KT and 42 patients eligible for, but not yet receiving KT, were recruited. CMR was performed at baseline, and repeated at 12 months. Among 81 patients (mean age 51 years, 30% female), RV end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVi), end-systolic volume index (RVESVi), mass index (RVMi), and ejection fraction (RVEF) did not change significantly within either the dialysis or KT group over 12 months (all p ≥ 0.10). There were no significant differences in the 12-month changes of these parameters between the dialysis and KT groups (all p ≥ 0.10). RVMI demonstrated positive correlations with NT-proBNP and systolic blood pressure, but not GDF-15, at baseline and at 12 months. Changes in RVEDVi, RVESVi, and RVEF were positively correlated with changes in LVEDVi, LVESVi, and LVEF, respectively over 12 months (Spearman r = 0.72, 0.52, and 0.41; all p

Introduction People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience reduced quality of life (QoL) because of the high symptom and treatment burden. Limited data exist on the factors associated with overall and domain-specific QoL across all CKD stages. Methods Using data from a prospective, multinational study (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Spain) in 1696 participants with CKD, we measured overall and domain-specific QoL (pain, self-care, activity, mobility, anxiety/depression) using the EuroQoL, 5 dimension, 3 level. Multivariable linear regression and logistic modeling were used to determine factors associated with overall and domain-specific QoL. Results QoL for patients with CKD stages 3 to 5 (n = 787; mean, 0.81; SD, 0.20) was higher than in patients on dialysis (n = 415; mean, 0.76; SD, 0.24) but lower than in kidney transplant recipients (n = 494; mean, 0.84; SD, 0.21). Factors associated with reduced overall QoL (β [95% confidence intervals]) included being on dialysis (compared with CKD stages 3–5: –0.06 [–0.08 to –0.03]), female sex (–0.03 [–0.05 to –0.006]), lower educational attainment (– 0.04 [–0.06 to –0.02), lacking a partner (–0.04 [–0.06 to –0.02]), having diabetes (–0.05 [–0.07 to –0.02]), history of stroke (–0.09 [–0.13 to –0.05]), cardiovascular disease (–0.06 [–0.08 to –0.03]), and cancer (–0.03 [–0.06 to –0.009]). Pain (43%) and anxiety/depression (30%) were the most commonly affected domains, with dialysis patients reporting decrements in all 5 domains. Predictors for domain-specific QoL included being on dialysis, presence of comorbidities, lower education, female sex, and lack of a partner. Conclusions Being on dialysis, women with CKD, those with multiple comorbidities, lack of a partner, and lower educational attainment were associated with lower QoL across all stages of CKD., Graphical abstract

Increased left atrial (LA) size predicts cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage kidney disease. There is a paucity of data on LA changes after kidney transplantation (KT). Accordingly, we used cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to evaluate LA remodeling after KT, and examined its relationship with left ventricular (LV) measurements, blood pressure and cardiac biomarkers. In this prospective multi-center cohort study, 39 pre-transplant dialysis patients underwent KT and 42 eligible transplant recipients remained on dialysis. CMR, blood pressure and serum measurements for N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) were performed at baseline and 12 months. After 12 months, there were no significant changes in LA end-systolic volume index, LA end-diastolic volume index, or LA ejection fraction (LAEF) within the KT or dialysis group; changes over time did not differ between the 2 groups (all p > 0.25). At baseline and over 12 months, LA volumes and LAEF positively correlated with LV volumes and mass while LAEF positively correlated with LV function. Changes in LA volumes also positively correlated with NT-proBNP and systolic blood pressure (sBP) while LAEF negatively correlated with NT-proBNP. GDF-15 correlated with LA measurements at baseline but not in 12-month changes. hsCRP did not correlate with any LA measurements. LA volumes and function as measured by CMR did not change significantly over 12 months post-KT. There were significant associations between LA and LV remodeling, NT-proBNP and sBP, suggesting common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.

Background Living kidney donors incur donation-related expenses, but how these expenses impact postdonation mental health is unknown. Methods In this prospective cohort study, the association between mental health and donor-incurred expenses (both out-of-pocket costs and lost wages) was examined in 821 people who donated a kidney at one of the 12 transplant centers in Canada between 2009 and 2014. Mental health was measured by the RAND Short Form-36 Health Survey along with Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Results A total of 209 donors (25%) reported expenses of >5500 Canadian dollars. Compared with donors who incurred lower expenses, those who incurred higher expenses demonstrated significantly worse mental health-related quality of life 3 months after donation, with a trend towards worse anxiety and depression, after controlling for predonation mental health-related quality of life and other risk factors for psychological distress. Between-group differences for donors with lower and higher expenses on these measures were no longer significant 12 months after donation. Conclusions Living kidney donor transplant programs should ensure that adequate psychosocial support is available to all donors who need it, based on known and unknown risk factors. Efforts to minimize donor-incurred expenses and to better support the mental well-being of donors need to continue. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of donor reimbursement programs, which mitigate donor expenses, on postdonation mental health.

The new Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative Vascular Access Guidelines now focus on a more comprehensive overall patient strategy. The patient's vascular access needs are part of a dialysis access strategy, which itself is part of an End Stage Kidney Disease Life-Plan strategy that stems from a unique patient's individualized needs. The End Stage Kidney Disease Life-Plan is an individualized and comprehensive map for dialysis modalities and dialysis access for the lifetime of the patient. New targets are introduced that align with this patient-centered approach. The Guidelines made significant changes to the use of surveillance techniques to detect stenosis and found insufficient evidence to make a recommendation for routine arteriovenous fistula surveillance by measuring access blood flow, pressure monitoring, or imaging for stenosis that was in addition to routine clinical monitoring. Routine surveillance is not recommended in arteriovenous grafts. Similarly, pre-emptive angioplasty of arteriovenous fistulas or arteriovenous grafts with stenosis, not associated with clinical indicators, is not recommended. The Guidelines represent a rigorous review of the evidence; however, the available evidence to guide vascular access practice remains limited. There is a significant need and opportunity for new and ongoing high-quality research to inform best practice.

BACKGROUND: Several studies report lower costs associated with attaining and maintaining patency for arteriovenous (AV) fistulas as compared to AV grafts among patients receiving hemodialysis. However, these costs may vary according to the AV access’s risk of failure to mature (FTM). The aim of this study was to examine the effect of AV access type and risk of FTM on the total costs of attaining and maintaining AV access patency over 1, 3, and 5 years postcreation, among incident accesses. METHODS: All first AV access creations (January 1, 2002–January 1, 2018), revisions/resections, and interventions from a single academic institution were prospectively captured. The units costs (from 2011 in CA$) were estimated primarily through the provincial patient Ontario Case Costing Initiative database. The present value of total vascular access-related costs from a third-party payer perspective was calculated by multiplying specific unit costs by the number of AV access creations, revisions/resections, and interventions from the date of creation to 1, 3, and 5 years post creation. The potential associations of AV access type and FTM risk stratum with AV access cost were examined using log-linear models and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: A total of 906 patients were included in the study, of which 696 had fistulas and 210 had grafts. The median present value of total costs to attain and maintain AV access over 1, 3, and 5 years was positively associated with the highest FTM risk stratum in all models. It was not associated with AV access type when the interaction between AV access type and FTM risk stratum was considered. CONCLUSIONS: The costs of attaining and maintaining AV access were increased among patients with high/very high FTM risk. Risk of FTM, related interventions, and costs should be considered when choosing vascular access type for an individual patient.

The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) has provided evidence-based guidelines for hemodialysis vascular access since 1996. Since the last update in 2006, there has been a great accumulation of new evidence and sophistication in the guidelines process. The 2019 update to the KDOQI Clinical Practice Guideline for Vascular Access is a comprehensive document intended to assist multidisciplinary practitioners care for chronic kidney disease patients and their vascular access. New topics include the end-stage kidney disease "Life-Plan" and related concepts, guidance on vascular access choice, new targets for arteriovenous access (fistulas and grafts) and central venous catheters, management of specific complications, and renewed approaches to some older topics. Appraisal of the quality of the evidence was independently conducted by using a Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, and interpretation and application followed the GRADE Evidence to Decision frameworks. As applicable, each guideline statement is accompanied by rationale/background information, a detailed justification, monitoring and evaluation guidance, implementation considerations, special discussions, and recommendations for future research.

International audience; Blood pressure (BP) and volume control are critical components of dialysis care and have substantial impacts on patient symptoms, quality of life, and cardiovascular complications. Yet, developing consensus best practices for BP and volume control have been challenging, given the absence of objective measures of extracellular volume status and the lack of high-quality evidence for many therapeutic interventions. In February of 2019, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) held a Controversies Conference titled Blood Pressure and Volume Management in Dialysis to assess the current state of knowledge related to BP and volume management and identify opportunities to improve clinical and patient-reported outcomes among individuals receiving maintenance dialysis. Four major topics were addressed: BP measurement, BP targets, and pharmacologic management of suboptimal BP; dialysis prescriptions as they relate to BP and volume; extracellular volume assessment and management with a focus on technology-based solutions; and volume-related patient symptoms and experiences. The overarching theme resulting from presentations and discussions was that managing BP and volume in dialysis involves weighing multiple clinical factors and risk considerations as well as patient lifestyle and preferences, all within a narrow therapeutic window for avoiding acute or chronic volume-related complications. Striking this challenging balance requires individualizing the dialysis prescription by incorporating comorbid health conditions, treatment hemodynamic patterns, clinical judgment, and patient preferences into decision-making, all within local resource constraints.

The new Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) Vascular Access Guidelines have a patient focus for comprehensive vascular access management. The patient's unique circumstances and individualized needs are the foundation of their dialysis access strategy, which is interlinked with the patient's End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) Life-Plan. The ESKD Life-Plan is an individualized and comprehensive map for dialysis modalities and vascular access for the lifetime of the patient. New targets are introduced that align with this patient-centered approach. They are less detail prescriptive than prior vascular access guidelines, giving opportunity for vascular access management at the clinician's discretion, partly in consideration of constraints of local resources and available expertise; however, the guidelines also emphasize the importance of high-quality standards with defined targets for achieving the guideline's overarching goal for vascular access care. The guidelines made significant changes relevant to the interventionalist, including selective use of vessel mapping in planning for vascular access, choice of vascular access that allows for considering endovascular access creations, and endovascular treatment (e.g., angioplasty, stent graft insertions) based on clinical indicators found on routine clinical monitoring. To that end, preemptive angioplasty of fistulas and grafts with stenosis, not associated with clinical indicators, is not recommended. New content in these guidelines also includes the use of stent grafts and management of central venous stenosis. The new KDOQI Vascular Access Guidelines 2019 represent a rigorous review of the evidence; however, the available evidence to guide vascular access practice remains limited. There is a significant need and opportunity for new and ongoing high-quality research to inform best practice.

Early mortality rates of female patients on dialysis have been, at times, observed to be higher than rates among male patients. The differences in cause-specific mortality between male and female incident dialysis patients with kidney failure are not well understood and were the focus of this study.Retrospective cohort study.Participants: Incident patients who had initiated dialysis in Australia and New Zealand between 1998-2018.Sex.Cause-specific and all-cause mortality on dialysis, censored for kidney transplantation.Adjusted cause-specific proportional hazards models, focusing on the first 5 years following initiation of dialysis.Among 53,414 patients (20,876 [39%] of whom were female) followed for a median period of 2.8 (IQR 1.3-5.2) years, 27,137 (51%) died, with the predominant cause of death attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD, 18%), followed by dialysis withdrawal (16%). Compared to male patients, female patients were more likely to die in the first 5 years after dialysis initiation (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.06 [95% CI 1.03-1.09]). Even though female patients experienced a lower risk of CVD-related mortality (aHR 0.93 [0.89-0.98]) compared to male patients, they experienced a greater risk of infection-related (aHR 1.20 [1.10-1.32]) and dialysis withdrawal-related mortality (aHR 1.19 [1.13-1.26]).Possibility of residual and unmeasured confounders.Compared with male patients, female patients had a higher risk of all-cause mortality in the first 5 years post-dialysis initiation, a difference driven by higher mortality from infections and dialysis withdrawals. These findings may inform the study of sex differences in mortality in other geographic settings.

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been reported to experience profound psychosocial distress. Other work has established that patients with CKD from marginalized populations (including individuals who on the basis of race often face racism and related discrimination, termed "racialization") experience health care inequities. Given limited information on the intersection of these 2 phenomena, we assessed the association of psychosocial distress with racialized status and immigrant status in Canadians with advanced CKD.Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data.536 patients with advanced CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate30mL/min/1.73mRacialized status (individuals who identify as Asian or as African, Caribbean, or Black Canadian), immigrant status, and combined immigrant-racialized status.Psychosocial distress, defined as the presence of depression, anxiety, or social difficulties (ie, a score of≥10 points on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, or Social Distress 16 scales, respectively).The independent associations of racialized status and immigrant status with psychosocial distress, depression, anxiety, and social difficulties were examined using univariable- and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression.Mean age of the 536 participants was 57±16 (SD) years, 62% were male, and 45% were immigrants. Of the sample, 58% were White, 22% were African, Caribbean, or Black Canadian, and 20% were Asian. Psychosocial distress was present in 36% of participants (depression in 19%, anxiety in 12%, and social difficulties in 31%). To assess the combined impact of racialized and immigrant status, we created a variable with mutually exclusive categories: White nonimmigrant, racialized nonimmigrant, White immigrant, and racialized immigrant participants. In our final multivariable-adjusted model, compared with White nonimmigrant participants, racialized immigrant participants were more likely to have psychosocial distress (OR, 2.96 [95% CI, 1.81-4.81]), depression (OR, 1.87 [95% CI, 1.05-3.34]), and social difficulties (OR, 3.36 [95% CI, 2.03-5.57]). Overall similar associations were seen for racialized nonimmigrants and for White immigrants.Convenience sample; small subgroups; combined exposure variable grouping Asian and African, Caribbean, and Black participants together; lack of data about mechanisms.Both racialized and immigrant status based on self-report of demographic characteristics were associated with psychosocial distress among patients with advanced CKD. These patients may benefit from culturally competent psychosocial support.Psychosocial distress is frequent in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and impacts quality of life and clinical outcomes. Psychosocial distress may be especially scarring in people who are racialized (marginalized on account of their membership in a particular racial group) and/or who are immigrants. We assessed the association of psychosocial distress with racialized and immigrant status in Canadians with advanced chronic kidney disease. Among 536 participants from multiple medical centers in Toronto, we found that racialized and immigrant participants were more likely to have psychosocial distress, depression, and social difficulties compared with White nonimmigrant participants. This is likely related to the multiple intersectional challenges, including experience with racism and discrimination that racialized immigrant patients may face. Further studies are needed to elucidate the specific factors that contribute to more distress. The potential impact of culturally competent and safe support for these patients will also need to be studied.

Background: Thrombolysis for arteriovenous grafts (AVG) yields high technical success rates, however, long-term outcomes are unclear. We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study to analyze 5-year patency rates following AVG thrombolysis. Methods: All patients who underwent AVG thrombolysis between 2005 and 2015 at three academic hospitals were included. Prospectively maintained institutional nephrology and radiology databases were used to record demographic, clinical, and AVG characteristics. The primary outcome was primary patency, defined as AVG access survival without re-intervention including angioplasty ± stent with/without re-thrombolysis. Secondary outcomes were assisted primary patency and cumulative patency, defined as AVG access survival until re-thrombosis requiring re-thrombolysis or abandonment, respectively. Technical success was defined as restoration of flow with Results: Seventy-four patients underwent AVG thrombolysis during the study period with a median follow-up period of 21.4 (IQR 8.3–42.8) months. The average age was 58.6 years with a high rate of comorbidities, including hypertension (82.4%) and diabetes (54.1%). Thrombolysis technical success was 96%. There were 147 re-interventions in 46 patients, of which 98 were re-thrombolysis (mean re-intervention rate of 1.27/patient/year). Primary patency at 1, 3, and 5 years were 43.2%, 20.2%, and 7.7%. Assisted primary patency at 1, 3, and 5 years were 47.5%, 20.2%, and 7.7%. Cumulative patency at 1, 3, and 5 years were 75.0%, 38.8%, and 22.6%. Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated no associations between demographic, clinical, and procedural characteristics and patency rates. Conclusions: Despite a high technical success rate, thrombolysis for AVG dysfunction is associated with poor long-term patency. Future studies are needed to determine risk factors for re-thrombosis to identify patients who will benefit from AVG thrombolysis in the long-term.

Major Outcomes with Personalized Dialysate TEMPerature (MyTEMP) is a 4-year cluster-randomized clinical trial comparing the effect of using a personalized, temperature-reduced dialysate protocol versus a dialysate temperature of 36.5°C on cardiovascular-related death and hospitalization. Randomization was performed at the level of the dialysis center ("the cluster").The objective is to outline the statistical analysis plan for the MyTEMP trial.MyTEMP is a pragmatic, 2-arm, parallel-group, registry-based, open-label, cluster-randomized trial.A total of 84 dialysis centers in Ontario, Canada.Approximately 13 500 patients will have received in-center hemodialysis at the 84 participating dialysis centers during the trial period (April 3, 2017, to March 1, 2021, with a maximum follow-up to March 31, 2021).Patient identification, baseline characteristics, and study outcomes will be obtained primarily through Ontario administrative health care databases held at ICES. Covariate-constrained randomization was used to allocate the 84 dialysis centers (1:1) to the intervention group or the control group. Centers in the intervention group used a personalized, temperature-reduced dialysate protocol, and centers in the control group used a fixed dialysate temperature of 36.5°C.The primary outcome is a composite of cardiovascular-related death or major cardiovascular-related hospitalization (defined as a hospital admission with myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or ischemic stroke) recorded in administrative health care databases. The key secondary outcome is the mean drop in intradialytic systolic blood pressure, defined as the patients' predialysis systolic blood pressure minus their nadir systolic blood pressure during the dialysis treatment. Anonymized data on patients' predialysis and intradialytic systolic blood pressure were collected at monthly intervals from each dialysis center.The primary analysis will follow an intent-to-treat approach. The primary outcome will be analyzed at the patient level as the hazard ratio of time-to-first event, estimated from a subdistribution hazards model. Within-center correlation will be accounted for using a robust sandwich estimator. In the primary analysis, patients' observation time will end if they experience the primary outcome, emigrate from Ontario, or die of a noncardiovascular cause (which will be treated as a competing risk event). The between-group difference in the mean drop in intradialytic systolic blood pressure obtained during the dialysis sessions throughout the trial period will be analyzed at the center level using an unadjusted random-effects linear mixed model.The MyTEMP trial period is April 3, 2017, to March 31, 2021. We expect to analyze and report results by 2023 once the updated data are available at ICES.MyTEMP is registered with the US National Institutes of Health at clincaltrials.gov (NCT02628366).Version 1.1 June 15, 2021.L’essai MyTEMP (Exposer les grandes lignes du plan d’analyse statistique de l’essai MyTEMP.MyTEMP est un essai clinique pragmatique ouvert, à deux bras, en groupes parallèles, basé sur un registre, et randomisé en grappes.L’essai est mené dans 84 centres de dialyse en Ontario (Canada).On estime qu’environ 13 500 patients auront reçu des soins d’hémodialyse dans les 84 centres de dialyse participants au cours de la période de l’essai (3 avril 2017 au 1er mars 2021; suivi maximal jusqu’au 31 mars 2021).Les résultats et les données concernant l’identification des patients et leurs caractéristiques initiales seront principalement tirés des bases de données administratives du système de santé ontarien tenues par l’ICES. Une répartition aléatoire restreinte par les covariables a été employée pour classer les 84 centres de dialyse (1:1) dans le groupe d’intervention ou le groupe témoin. Le groupe d’intervention a utilisé un protocole personnalisé de dialysat à température réduite et le groupe témoin un dialysat à température fixe (36,5 °C).Le principal critère d’évaluation est la combinaison d’un décès d’origine cardiovasculaire ou d’une hospitalisation majeure liée à la santé cardiovasculaire (définie comme une hospitalisation pour un infarctus du myocarde, une insuffisance cardiaque congestive ou un AVC ischémique) enregistrée dans les bases de données administratives du système de santé. Le principal critère d’évaluation secondaire est la baisse moyenne de la tension artérielle systolique intradialytique, laquelle est définie comme la tension artérielle systolique du patient avant la dialyse moins la tension artérielle systolique minimale pendant la dialyse. Les données anonymisées sur la tension artérielle systolique initiale et la tension artérielle systolique intradialytique des patients ont été colligées à intervalles mensuels dans chaque centre de dialyse.L’analyse primaire adoptera une approche fondée sur l’intention de traiter. Le principal critère d’évaluation sera analysé au niveau du patient comme le risque relatif de survenue d’un premier événement, estimé à partir d’un modèle de risques de sous-distribution. La corrélation intracentre sera prise en compte à l’aide d’un robuste estimateur sandwich. Dans l’analyse primaire, le temps d’observation des patients prendra fin s’ils présentent le principal critère d’évaluation, s’ils déménagent hors de l’Ontario ou s’ils décèdent d’une cause non cardiovasculaire (qui sera traitée comme un événement à risque concurrentiel). La différence entre les groupes quant à la baisse moyenne de la tension artérielle systolique intradialytique, obtenue pendant les séances de dialyse tout au long de l’essai, sera analysée au niveau du centre avec un modèle linéaire mixte à effets aléatoires non corrigé.L’essai MyTEMP couvre la période du 3 avril 2017 au 31 mars 2021. Nous comptons analyser et rendre compte des résultats d’ici 2023, dès que les données mises à jour seront disponibles à l’ICES.MyTEMP est enregistré auprès du National Institute of Health des États-Unis sur clincaltrials.gov (NCT02628366).

Social disparity is a major impediment to optimal health outcomes after kidney transplantation. In this study, we aimed to define the association between socio-economic status (SES) disparities and patient-relevant outcomes after kidney allograft failure. Using data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant registry, we included patients with failed first-kidney allografts in Australia between 2005 and 2017. The association between residential postcode-derived SES in quintiles (quintile 1-most disadvantaged areas, quintile 5-most advantaged areas) with uptake of home dialysis (peritoneal or home haemodialysis) within the first 12-months post-allograft failure, repeat transplantation and death on dialysis were examined using competing-risk analysis. Of 2175 patients who had experienced first allograft failure, 417(19%) and 505(23%) patients were of SES quintiles 1 and 5, respectively. Compared to patients of quintile 5, quintile 1 patients were less likely to receive repeat transplants (adjusted subdistributional hazard ratio [SHR] 0.70,95%CI 0.55–0.89) and were more likely to die on dialysis (1.37 [1.04–1.81]), but there was no association with the uptake of home dialysis (1.02 [0.77–1.35]). Low SES may have a negative effect on outcomes post-allograft failure and further research is required into how best to mitigate this. However, small-scale variation within SES cannot be accounted for in this study.

End-stage kidney disease patients who are candidates for surgical arteriovenous fistula creation commonly experience obstacles to a functional surgical arteriovenous fistula, including protracted wait time for creation, poor maturation, and surgical arteriovenous fistula dysfunction that can result in significant patient morbidity. The recent approval of two endovascular devices designed to create a percutaneous arteriovenous fistula enables arteriovenous fistula creation to be placed in the hands of interventionalists, thereby increasing the number of arteriovenous fistula providers, reducing wait times, and allowing the patient to avoid surgery. Moreover, current studies demonstrate that patients with percutaneous arteriovenous fistula experience improved time to arteriovenous fistula maturation. Yet, in order to realize the potential advantages of percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation within our hemodialysis patient population, it is critical to select appropriate patients, ensure adequate patient and dialysis unit education, and provide sufficient instruction in percutaneous arteriovenous fistula cannulation and monitoring. In this White Paper by the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology, experts in interventional nephrology, surgery, and interventional radiology convened and provide recommendations on the aforementioned elements that are fundamental to a functional percutaneous arteriovenous fistula.

BACKGROUND Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is markedly increased in end-stage kidney disease and has been related to increased mortality in patients on dialysis. We hypothesized that kidney transplantation would decrease both GDF15 and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and that GDF-15 decrease relates to post-kidney transplantation allograft function. METHODS End-stage kidney disease patients on dialysis awaiting a living donor kidney transplantation (n = 39), and those expected to be on the deceased donor waitlist for at least 12 months (n = 43) were enrolled at three transplant centers. Serum GDF15 and NT-proBNP were measured at 0, 3, and 12 months post-kidney transplantation or post-enrollment. Change in serum GDF15 and NT-proBNP concentrations, and their relation to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were assessed by non-parametric tests and regression analyses. RESULTS Median baseline GDF15 was 4744 pg/ml and 5451 pg/ml for the kidney transplantation and dialysis groups, respectively (p = 0.09). Kidney transplantation resulted in a significant decrease in GDF15 (month 12 median 1631 pg/ml, p

Highlights •CKD is associated with very high risk of CAD. CAD management is complicated in CKD patients, due to comorbid conditions and potential side effects during interventions. •There are few trials related to CAD with focus on CKD patients, particularly in those with advanced CKD. •Additional prospective studies focusing on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of CAD are needed in CKD.

Background The conduct of high-quality pilot studies can help inform the success of larger clinical trials. Guidelines have been recently developed for the reporting of pilot trials. Objective This methodological survey evaluates the completeness of reporting in pilot randomized controlled trials in chronic kidney disease patients on hemodialysis (HD patients) and explores factors associated with better completion of reporting. Methods The authors searched Pubmed on July 1, 2018, for all pilot trials conducted in HD patients. Reporting quality was assessed against the 40-item Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Extension for Pilot Trials. Study factors including year and country of publication, intervention, number of centers, type of funding, and journal endorsement of CONSORT were also examined. Results The mean number of items reported from the CONSORT extension for pilot trials across all included articles was 18.4 (standard deviation [SD] = 4.4). In the adjusted analysis, studies reported in later years (IRR = 1.026, 95% CI [1.018, 1.034], p

Introduction Mobile health applications offer the potential to help people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) manage diet-related challenges. This systematic review examined CKD dietary mobile app interventions; specifically, app characteristics, feasibility, and effectiveness in changing user behavior, as well as user satisfaction. Methods This review was reported in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. We searched scholarly databases, as well as the gray literature, for all randomized controlled trials, observational studies, needs assessments, and pilot testing/studies/trials focused on the development or evaluation of CKD dietary mobile app interventions. The characteristics, user satisfaction with, usability/feasibility, and effectiveness in changing dietary behavior of the mobile application were summarized using descriptive statistics and in a narrative manner. Results Thirteen full-text studies were included, of which 11 were single center, with a mean sample size of 23. Of the 7 studies that measured usability/feasibility, all found at least some aspects of the application feasible/useful. Of the 5 studies that reported an evaluation of changes in behavior/diet related to self-management, all reported some positive change. Conclusion According to current studies, nutritional apps show promise in CKD self-management.

Even in the best of circumstances, a significant number of patients will require adjunctive endovascular and/or surgical revision prior to achieving functional patency after endovascular or percutaneous AVF creation, at least within the United States. This rate appears to be higher after percutaneous AVF than after endovascular AVF, although because published reports of the former are mostly derived from American experience and those of the latter derived from experience outside the United States, it is unclear whether these differences are due to the technique itself or cultural and/or anatomic differences in dialysis access practices and patient populations. If arterial inflow is poor, this should be corrected first. When flow is adequate (perhaps 900 cc/min) but no single vein is cannulatable, a dominant suitable vein can be superficialized or transposed. If no suitable vein is dominant (most accurately assessed by using an intraoperative flowmeter), the best vein can be used, with or without occlusion of the other veins or reimplantation into the brachial artery. Finally, if the original anastomosis remains the sole supply to the cannulated vein, the original fistula has achieved assisted primary maturation (and assisted primary patency continues), while if a new arteriovenous anastomosis has been constructed, the original fistula has failed. We point out that for this reason as well as to best utilize the upper arm for later access, endovascular and percutaneous AVFs should be constructed and maintained within an atmosphere where both surgeons and non-surgeons work together on the overall access plan.

Worsening renal function in chronic kidney disease correlates with worsening right ventricular (RV) systolic function. We evaluated the association between kidney transplantation (KT) and RV structure and systolic function, and the relationships between RV and left ventricular (LV) changes, blood pressure, and specific cardiac biomarkers, in patients with end-stage kidney disease using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). In this prospective, multi-centre, cohort study, 39 adult patients on dialysis receiving KT and 42 patients eligible for, but not yet receiving KT, were recruited. CMR was performed at baseline, and repeated at 12 months. Among 81 patients (mean age 51 years, 30% female), RV end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVi), end-systolic volume index (RVESVi), mass index (RVMi), and ejection fraction (RVEF) did not change significantly within either the dialysis or KT group over 12 months (all p ≥ 0.10). There were no significant differences in the 12-month changes of these parameters between the dialysis and KT groups (all p ≥ 0.10). RVMI demonstrated positive correlations with NT-proBNP and systolic blood pressure, but not GDF-15, at baseline and at 12 months. Changes in RVEDVi, RVESVi, and RVEF were positively correlated with changes in LVEDVi, LVESVi, and LVEF, respectively over 12 months (Spearman r = 0.72, 0.52, and 0.41; all p 0.001), but not mass index (Spearman r = 0.20, p = 0.078). In conclusion, there were no significant changes in RV mass, volumes, or systolic function 12 months after KT, as compared with continuation of dialysis. The associations between RV and LV remodeling may suggest similar underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Increased left atrial (LA) size predicts cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage kidney disease. There is a paucity of data on LA changes after kidney transplantation (KT). Accordingly, we used cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to evaluate LA remodeling after KT, and examined its relationship with left ventricular (LV) measurements, blood pressure and cardiac biomarkers.In this prospective multi-center cohort study, 39 pre-transplant dialysis patients underwent KT and 42 eligible transplant recipients remained on dialysis. CMR, blood pressure and serum measurements for N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) were performed at baseline and 12 months.After 12 months, there were no significant changes in LA end-systolic volume index, LA end-diastolic volume index, or LA ejection fraction (LAEF) within the KT or dialysis group; changes over time did not differ between the 2 groups (all p 0.25). At baseline and over 12 months, LA volumes and LAEF positively correlated with LV volumes and mass while LAEF positively correlated with LV function. Changes in LA volumes also positively correlated with NT-proBNP and systolic blood pressure (sBP) while LAEF negatively correlated with NT-proBNP. GDF-15 correlated with LA measurements at baseline but not in 12-month changes. hsCRP did not correlate with any LA measurements.LA volumes and function as measured by CMR did not change significantly over 12 months post-KT. There were significant associations between LA and LV remodeling, NT-proBNP and sBP, suggesting common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.

Small randomized trials demonstrated that a lower compared with higher dialysate temperature reduced the average drop in intradialytic blood pressure. Some observational studies demonstrated that a lower compared with higher dialysate temperature was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. There is now the need for a large randomized trial that compares the effect of a low vs high dialysate temperature on major cardiovascular outcomes.The purpose of this study is to test the effect of outpatient hemodialysis centers randomized to (1) a personalized temperature-reduced dialysate protocol or (2) a standard-temperature dialysate protocol for 4 years on cardiovascular-related death and hospitalizations.The design of the study is a pragmatic, registry-based, open-label, cluster randomized controlled trial.Hemodialysis centers in Ontario, Canada, were randomized on February 1, 2017, for a trial start date of April 3, 2017, and end date of March 31, 2021.In total, 84 hemodialysis centers will care for approximately 15 500 patients and provide over 4 million dialysis sessions over a 4-year follow-up.Hemodialysis centers were randomized (1:1) to provide (1) a personalized temperature-reduced dialysate protocol or (2) a standard-temperature dialysate protocol of 36.5°C. For the personalized protocol, nurses set the dialysate temperature between 0.5°C and 0.9°C below the patient's predialysis body temperature for each dialysis session, to a minimum dialysate temperature of 35.5°C.A composite of cardiovascular-related death or major cardiovascular-related hospitalization (a hospital admission with myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or ischemic stroke) captured in Ontario health care administrative databases.The primary analysis will follow an intent-to-treat approach. The hazard ratio of time-to-first event will be estimated from a Cox model. Within-center correlation will be considered using a robust sandwich estimator. Observation time will be censored on the trial end date or when patients die from a noncardiovascular event.www.clinicaltrials.gov; identifier: NCT02628366.De petits essais à répartition aléatoire ont montré que l’utilisation d’un dialysat à basse température réduisait le risque d’hypotension intra-dialytique. De même, certaines études observationnelles ont démontré qu’un dialysat à basse température était associé à un plus faible risque de mortalité toute cause ou d’origine cardiovasculaire. Le temps est venu de procéder à un vaste essai à répartition aléatoire comparant les effets d’un dialysat à basse température et à température standard sur les principaux résultats cardiovasculaires.Répartir aléatoirement des centres d’hémodialyse ambulatoire pour qu’ils suivent pendant quatre ans (i) un protocole personnalisé de dialysat à basse température ou (ii) un protocole de dialysat à température standard, et tester l’effet sur les hospitalisations et la mortalité attribuables à des événements cardiovasculaires.Un essai clinique à répartition aléatoire en grappes.Le 1er février 2017, des centres d’hémodialyse de l’Ontario (Canada) ont été répartis aléatoirement en vue d’un essai qui a débuté le 3 avril 2017 et qui se poursuivra jusqu’au 31 mars 2021.Quatre-vingt-quatre centres d’hémodialyse qui prendront en charge environ 15 500 patients pendant les quatre ans de suivi.Les centres d’hémodialyse ont été répartis aléatoirement (1:1) pour offrir (i) un protocole personnalisé de dialysat à température réduite ou (ii) un protocole de dialysat à 36,5°C. Pour le protocole personnalisé, les infirmières règlent la température du dialysat entre 0,5 et 0,9°C sous la température corporelle du patient mesurée avant la dialyse, jusqu’à une température minimale de 35,5°C.Un ensemble d’hospitalisations attribuables à un événement cardiovasculaire majeur (accident ischémique cérébral non fatal, infarctus du myocarde ou insuffisance cardiaque congestive) et de décès d’origine cardiovasculaire consignés dans les bases de données de santé de l’Ontario.L’analyse primaire adoptera une approche fondée sur l’intention de traiter. Un modèle de Cox servira à estimer le rapport de risque du temps écoulé jusqu’au premier événement. La corrélation intra-centre sera prise en compte à l’aide d’un estimateur sandwich robuste. Le temps d’observation sera censuré à la date de fin de l’essai ou au moment d’un décès non lié à un événement cardiovasculaire.

BackgroundPatients on dialysis have impaired cardiac function, in part due to increased fluid volume and ventricular stress. Restored kidney function through transplantation reduces left ventricular volume in both systole and diastole. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is reduced in patients on dialysis, which may be related to their impaired cardiac function. We tested the hypothesis that change in PON1 is associated with changes in left ventricular (LV) end-volume and LV mass after kidney transplantation.MethodsPatients were studied before and 12 months after kidney transplantation. The control group was patients on dialysis not expected to receive a transplant in the next 12 months. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volume and LV mass. PON1 was measured by arylesterase activity and by mass.ResultsPON1 mass and activity were not different between the groups at baseline. Both PON1 mass and activity were increased post-kidney transplantation (p2.7) (p=0.0146 and 0.0114 for diastolic and systolic, respectively) and with the change in hemoglobin (p=0.0042).ConclusionsPON1 mass and activity increase after kidney transplantation. The increase in PON1 mass is consistent with a novel relationship to the increase in hemoglobin and the decrease in LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volume.

Background and objectives: Fibrin sheath (FS) formation around tunneled central venous catheters (CVC) increases the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections due to bacterial adherence to a biofilm. We sought to investigate whether FS disruption (FSD) at the time of CVC removal or exchange affects infectious outcomes in patients with CVC-related infections. Design, setting, participants, and measurements: Retrospective cohort study of 307 adult maintenance hemodialysis patients aged 18 years or older at a single center academic-based hemodialysis program (UHN, Toronto) who developed CVC-related infections requiring CVC removal or exchange between January 2000 and January 2019. Exposure was FSD at the time of CVC removal or exchange. Outcomes were infectious metastatic complications, recurrent infection with the same organism within 1 year, or death due to infection. We created a Markov Multi-State Model (MMSM) to assess patients’ trajectories through time as they transitioned between states. A time-to-event analysis was performed, adjusted for clinically relevant factors. Results: There was no significant relationship between FSD status at the time of CVC removal, the development of infectious complications in the multivariable model (adjusted HR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.09−5.80, p = 0.76), or mortality from infection (HR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.34−2.11, p = 0.73). Conclusions: FSD at the time of CVC removal was not associated with increased risk of infectious complications or death due to infection. Further prospective study is needed to determine whether FSD contributes to reducing CVC infectious related complications.

Objectives: To examine the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus, with and without diabetic nephropathy, and cardiovascular disease-related mortality in dialysis-dependent patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD); to determine whether this association is affected by the age of the patient.Design, setting, participants: Prospective population cohort analysis of Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry data for all patients with incident ESKD who commenced dialysis in Australia or New Zealand during 1980-2014.Outcome measures: Primary outcome: cardiovascular diseaserelated mortality; secondary outcome: all-cause mortality.Results: Of 56 552 patients followed for a median 2.5 years (total, 193 549 person-years), 15 829 (28.0%) had type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy; 4993 (8.8%) had type 2 diabetes and non-diabetic nephropathy. Cardiovascular diseaserelated mortality during the first 10 years of dialysis was significantly higher for patients with diabetes/diabetic nephropathy (277 deaths per 1000 patients; 95% CI, 270-284) or diabetes/non-diabetic nephropathy (220 deaths per 1000 patients; 95% CI, 208-231) than for patients without type 2 diabetes (136 deaths per 1000 patients; 95% CI, 133-140). The risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality was greater for patients with diabetes/diabetic nephropathy (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.63; 95% CI, 1.56-1.72) or diabetes/non-diabetic nephropathy (aHR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.23-1.41) than for patients without diabetes. The excess risk associated with having diabetes was greater for younger than for older patients.Conclusions: Mortality risk is higher for patients with incident ESKD commencing dialysis who also have type 2 diabetes than for patients without diabetes, particularly among patients under 50 years of age, and the risk was more pronounced in patients for whom ESKD was attributed to diabetic nephropathy.

Recent advances in technology show promise in providing greater vascular access options for hemodialysis patients. This review discusses novel methods for creating an anastomosis for arteriovenous (AV) fistulas and new materials for prosthetic AV grafts. Two technologies for endovascular arteriovenous fistula creation, the Ellipsys and WavelinQ endovascular systems, are discussed. When an AV fistula is not possible, an AV graft or devices to augment the AV fistula may be appropriate. New materials that have been developed that show promise as an alternative to the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft are discussed. Such potential conduits include bioengineered vessels and both allogenic or xenogenic biologic grafts. Devices designed to optimize blood flow to reduce maturation failure and improve AV fistula outcomes are explored.

Dysfunctional or infected hemodialysis polyester-cuffed catheters often require removal and are dissected out. The DermaPort™, percutaneous vascular access system (PVAS) permanently integrates a titanium mesh with the skin forming a stable, sterile barrier that allows for catheter placement, adjustment, or catheter exchange. This study aimed to describe the use and clinical outcomes of the DermaPort PVAS. Thirty-eight patients who were receiving hemodialysis via a tunneled catheter were enrolled in this prospective open-label study. Assessments were performed biweekly for the first month and monthly thereafter, which included physical examination of the site of implantation for infection, catheter blood flow, and need for interventions to maintain catheter patency. Patient satisfaction was assessed with a visual analog score. Implantation of technical success was 100% with the implantation site demonstrating early tissue incorporation after 2 weeks and full incorporation within 4 weeks. The DermaPort™ successfully enabled 31 catheter exchanges and 10 repositions thru the port without dissection in 18 patients with nine repositions (90%) performed at bedside. The mean primary patency of the DermaPort™ was 172 ± 150 days, and mean secondary patency was 430 ± 203 days. There were no reportable serious adverse events in 12,100 catheter days of use and zero explantations of the device attributed to infection. The observed catheter infection rate was 0.33/1000 days. The DermaPort™ system can be effectively implanted and facilitates catheter interventions in hemodialysis patients requiring long-term catheter use and has a lower infection rate than historical catheter infection rates. Clinical Trial Protocol Number DermaPort-001 (no clinicaltrials.gov number as study was performed 9 years ago). Health Canada Reference Application Number: 118393.

Background Arteriovenous access failure frequently occurs in people on hemodialysis and is associated with morbidity, mortality and large healthcare expenditures. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) may improve access outcomes via pleiotropic effects on access maturation and function, but may cause bleeding complications. Study Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Setting & Population Adults requiring hemodialysis via arteriovenous fistula or graft. Selection Criteria Trials evaluating omega-3 PUFA for arteriovenous access outcomes identified by searches in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase to 24 January 2017. Intervention Omega-3 PUFA. Outcomes Primary patency loss, dialysis suitability failure, access abandonment, interventions to maintain patency or assist maturation, bleeding, gastrointestinal side-effects, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization, and treatment adherence. Treatment effects were summarized as relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Evidence was assessed using GRADE. Results Five eligible trials (833 participants) with a median follow-up of 12 months compared peri-operative omega-3 PUFA supplementation with placebo. One trial (n=567) evaluated treatment for fistulae and four (n=266) for grafts. Omega-3 PUFA supplementation prevented primary patency loss with moderate certainty (761 participants, RR 0.81, CI 0.68-0.98). Low quality evidence suggested, that omega-3 PUFA may have had little or no effect on dialysis suitability failure (536 participants, RR 0.95, CI 0.73-1.23), access abandonment (732 participants, RR 0.78, CI 0.59-1.03), need for interventions (732 participants, RR 0.82, CI 0.64-1.04), or all-cause mortality (799 participants, RR 0.99, CI 0.51-1.92). Bleeding risk (793 participants, RR 1.40, CI 0.78-2.49) or gastrointestinal side-effects (816 participants, RR 1.22, CI 0.64-2.34) from treatment were uncertain. There was no evidence of different treatment effects for grafts and fistulae. Limitations Small number and methodological limitations of included trials. Conclusions Omega-3 PUFA supplementation probably protects against primary loss of arteriovenous access patency, but may have little or no effect on dialysis suitability failure, access interventions or access abandonment. Potential treatment harms are uncertain.