Background: Current evidence suggests that the initiation of maintenance hemodialysis should not be based on a specific glomerular filtration rate (GFR) but on symptoms or signs attributable to kidney disease. However, it is difficult to predict the time point at which overt uremic syndrome develops in individuals. The estimated GFR is poorly correlated with occurrence of uremic symptoms, and some patients require dialysis at a higher eGFR than others. In this case, patients are more likely to be improperly prepared for dialysis. We investigated the predialysis characteristics of patients who require dialysis at a higher eGFR.
Methods: A total of 453 incident dialysis patients being monitored by a nephrologist from January 2013 to December 2018 were included. The predialysis characteristics when eGFR decreased to 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 were obtained.
Results: The mean age was 61 years, and 65.7% were men. Overall, the median eGFR at the first dialysis was 5.8 (interquartile range 4.6-7.3) mL/min/1.73 m2 and initiation of dialysis at the first quintile (≥7.8 mL/min/1.73 m2) was defined as 'early initiation of dialysis' Among the predialysis characteristics, heart failure (adjusted odds ratio 3.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.59-8.03), serum albumin <4.0 mg/dL (2.22; 1.30-3.77), blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine (Cr) ratio >15 mg/mg (1.92, 1.16-3.18), and hyperuricemia (1.84; 1.05-3.23) were independent predictors of early initiation. Diabetes mellitus and the causes of kidney disease were not independent predictors of early initiation. The early initiation group was less likely to initiate dialysis with a permanent vascular access than the late initiation group.
Conclusions: For patients with heart failure, low serum albumin level, high BUN/Cr ratio, or hyperuricemia, clinicians can provide predialysis counseling in advance and consider early creation of vascular access.
Keywords: Maintenance hemodialysis; early initiation of dialysis; end-stage kidney disease; predialysis predictors; unplanned dialysis.