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A significant barrier to kidney transplantation is limited knowledge about its potential benefits. To help patients who are receiving maintenance dialysis make more informed treatment decisions, a risk calculator (iChoose Kidney) was developed in the United States to provide individualized survival estimates for dialysis versus kidney transplantation. This tool was externally validated in Ontario, Canada, and was found to accurately predict mortality (Ontario version of the tool \"Dialysis vs. Kidney Transplant-Estimated Survival in Ontario Risk Calculator\"). The United States risk calculator has been updated to include additional variables (e.g., dialysis modality). To externally validate the updated iChoose Kidney risk calculator in patients from Ontario, Canada, with kidney failure using more recent data, removing race (race in clinical algorithms may perpetuate racial bias in medicine) and using a refined cohort definition (i.e., restricting to patients with no recorded contraindications to transplant). External validation study. Linked administrative health care databases from Ontario, Canada. 24 793 patients receiving maintenance dialysis and 5398 kidney transplant recipients from January 1, 2011, to August 31, 2021. Three-year mortality. Model discrimination was evaluated using the C-statistic. Calibration was assessed by comparing the observed versus predicted mortality risks, and further assessed by using loess-smoothed calibration plots. To address over- or under-prediction (calibration-in-the-large), intercepts were adjusted using a correction factor. In our updated model, we used logistic regression to calculate mortality risk, incorporating the following variables: sex assigned at birth (male vs female), age (continuous), cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, time on dialysis (i.e., <6 months, 6 to 12 months, >1 to 2 years, >2 to 3 years, >3 to 5 years, >5 to 7 years, >7 to 10 years, >10 to 14 years, >14 years), and dialysis modality (peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis, in-center dialysis). In a post-hoc analysis, we used the simplified equations from our original Canadian external validation study of the iChoose Kidney tool (i.e., age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, time on dialysis [<6 months, 6-12 months, >12 months]), with removal of the race variable as the only modification. In the dialysis cohort, over a median follow-up of 2.5 years, 30.3% of patients died. In the kidney transplant recipient cohort, over a median follow-up of 2.9 years, 7.3% died. Our updated model had moderate discrimination (C-statistic for dialysis cohort: 0.67 [95% CI: 0.67, 0.68] and C-statistic for kidney transplant cohort: 0.76 [95% CI: 0.74, 0.79]). After recalibrating the intercepts, the observed and predicted mortality were similar between the dialysis cohort and the kidney transplant cohort. Similar results were found in a post-hoc analysis using the original model with the race variable removed. Mortality risk estimates assume that all treatment options are readily accessible to patients. However, the average waiting time for a deceased donor kidney transplant in Ontario can be several years. After minor modifications, the iChoose Kidney risk calculator provides reliable survival estimates in patients with kidney failure from Ontario, Canada. Given the similarity in model performance between the updated model and the original model, with race removed, we will continue to use our original simplified model, but we will remove race. Our updated Dialysis vs. Kidney Transplant-Estimated Survival in Ontario Risk Calculator can continue to be a valuable tool for healthcare professionals to use with patients who are receiving maintenance dialysis to provide individualized survival estimates for dialysis versus transplantation, supporting informed decision-making about kidney transplantation.

Background: Abnormalities in hematologic, biochemical, and immunologic biomarkers have been shown to be associated with severity and mortality in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, early evaluation and monitoring of both liver and kidney functions, as well as hematologic parameters, are pivotal to forecast the progression of COVID-19. Objectives: In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between several complications, including acute kidney injury (AKI), acute liver injury (ALI), and coagulopathy, with poor outcomes in COVID-19. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis Setting: Observational studies reporting AKI, ALI, and coagulopathy along with the outcomes of clinically validated death, severe COVID-19, or intensive care unit (ICU) care were included in this study. The exclusion criteria were abstract-only publications, review articles, commentaries, letters, case reports, non-English language articles, and studies that did not report key exposures or outcomes of interest. Patients: Adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Measurements: Data extracted included author, year, study design, age, sex, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, respiratory comorbidities, chronic kidney disease, mortality, severe COVID-19, and need for ICU care. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search from PubMed, SCOPUS, EuropePMC, and the Cochrane Central Database. AKI and ALI follow the definition of the included studies. Coagulopathy refers to the coagulopathy or disseminated intravascular coagulation defined in the included studies. The outcome of interest was a composite of mortality, need for ICU care, and severe COVID-19. We used random-effects models regardless of heterogeneity to calculate risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous variables. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2. Random effects meta-regression was conducted for comorbidities and the analysis was performed for one covariate at a time. Results: There were 3615 patients from 15 studies. The mean Newcastle-Ottawa scale of the included studies was 7.3 ± 1.2. The AKI was associated with an increased the composite outcome (RR: 10.55 [7.68, 14.50], P < .001; I2: 0%). Subgroup analysis showed that AKI was associated with increased mortality (RR: 13.38 [8.15, 21.95], P < .001; I2: 24%), severe COVID-19 (RR: 8.12 [4.43, 14.86], P < .001; I2: 0%), and the need for ICU care (RR: 5.90 [1.32, 26.35], P = .02; I2: 0%). The ALI was associated with increased mortality (RR: 4.02 [1.51, 10.68], P = .005; I2: 88%) in COVID-19. Mortality was higher in COVID-19 with coagulopathy (RR: 7.55 [3.24, 17.59], P < .001; I2: 69%). The AKI was associated with the composite outcome and was not influenced by age (P = .182), sex (P = .104), hypertension (P = .788), cardiovascular diseases (P = .068), diabetes (P = .097), respiratory comorbidity (P = .762), and chronic kidney disease (P = .77). Limitations: There are several limitations of this study. Many of these studies did not define the extent of AKI (grade), which may affect the outcome. Acute liver injury and coagulopathy were not defined in most of the studies. The definition of severe COVID-19 differed across studies. Several articles included in the study were published at preprint servers and are not yet peer-reviewed. Most of the studies were from China; thus, some patients might overlap across the reports. Most of the included studies were retrospective in design. Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that the presence of AKI, ALI, and coagulopathy was associated with poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of kidney care providers regarding climate change, environmental impacts of kidney care and environmentally sustainable kidney care have been assessed in diverse regions worldwide, but little is known about the perspectives of people who receive dialysis therapies. We aimed to assess the KAP of people on dialysis about these subjects. An electronic KAP survey, based on a previous survey of Canadian kidney care providers, was administered to people receiving all available dialysis modalities in a single center in Canada, from December 2024 to May 2025. A total of 69 people responded to the survey, of whom 67% identified as men, and 70% were undergoing in-center hemodialysis (ICHD), 14% home hemodialysis (HHD) and 16% peritoneal dialysis (PD). Most (87%) of the respondents felt informed about climate change to at least an average degree. Nearly half were either extremely or very concerned about climate change (44%) and the waste generated by dialysis treatments (43%), and the levels of concern differed across dialysis modalities. Overall, 51% of respondents never felt guilt or anxiety related to the carbon footprint of dialysis treatment. However, there were significant differences (χ test; < .001) in the occurrence of these feelings depending on the dialysis modality (more frequent in people receiving home modalities, and more in PD than HHD). Most respondents were either very (45%) or slightly (45%) interested in obtaining more information about the themes explored in the survey. This survey showed that most respondents receiving a dialysis therapy felt informed and at least moderately concerned about climate change. Higher levels of concern about climate change and the amount of waste generated by dialysis treatment, as well as more frequent occurrence of guilt/anxiety about the carbon footprint of dialysis were observed in people on home therapies (PD and HHD) compared with ICHD.

Background: Chronic pain is a common and distressing symptom reported by patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Clinical practice and research in this area do not appear to be advancing sufficiently to address the issue of chronic pain management in patients with CKD. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and severity of chronic pain in patients with CKD. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting: Interventional and observational studies presenting data from 2000 or later. Exclusion criteria included acute kidney injury or studies that limited the study population to a specific cause, symptom, and/or comorbidity. Patients: Adults with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) category 3 to 5 CKD including dialysis patients and those managed conservatively without dialysis. Measurements: Data extracted included title, first author, design, country, year of data collection, publication year, mean age, stage of CKD, prevalence of pain, and severity of pain. Methods: Databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, last searched on February 3, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened all titles and abstracts, assessed potentially relevant articles, and extracted data. We estimated pooled prevalence of overall chronic pain, musculoskeletal pain, bone/joint pain, muscle pain/soreness, and neuropathic pain and the I2 statistic was computed to measure heterogeneity. Random effects models were used to account for variations in study design and sample populations and a double arcsine transformation was used in the model calculations to account for potential overweighting of studies reporting either very high or very low prevalence measurements. Pain severity scores were calibrated to a score out of 10, to compare across studies. Weighted mean severity scores and 95% confidence intervals were reported. Results: Sixty-eight studies representing 16 558 patients from 26 countries were included. The mean prevalence of chronic pain in hemodialysis patients was 60.5%, and the mean prevalence of moderate or severe pain was 43.6%. Although limited, pain prevalence data for peritoneal dialysis patients (35.9%), those managed conservatively without dialysis (59.8%), those following withdrawal of dialysis (39.2%), and patients with earlier GFR category of CKD (61.2%) suggest similarly high prevalence rates. Limitations: Studies lacked a consistent approach to defining the chronicity and nature of pain. There was also variability in the measures used to determine pain severity, limiting the ability to compare findings across populations. Furthermore, most studies reported mean severity scores for the entire cohort, rather than reporting the prevalence (numerator and denominator) for each of the pain severity categories (mild, moderate, and severe). Mean severity scores for a population do not allow for “responder analyses” nor allow for an understanding of clinically relevant pain. Conclusions: Chronic pain is common and often severe across diverse CKD populations providing a strong imperative to establish chronic pain management as a clinical and research priority. Future research needs to move toward a better understanding of the determinants of chronic pain and to evaluating the effectiveness of pain management strategies with particular attention to the patient outcomes such as overall symptom burden, physical function, and quality of life. The current variability in the outcome measures used to assess pain limits the ability to pool data or make comparisons among studies, which will hinder future evaluations of the efficacy and effectiveness of treatments. Recommendations for measuring and reporting pain in future CKD studies are provided. Trial registration: PROSPERO Registration number CRD42020166965

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) experience inequities and harms in organ and tissue donation and transplantation (OTDT) systems. We surveyed OTDT health care workers (HCWs) to measure relevant self-reported practices, characterize opinions on potential equitable policy alternatives, and understand current capacities to provide SGM-specific care. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Canadian OTDT HCWs (August to October 2024). Descriptive data are presented as counts and proportions. Sub-groups included organ donation, transplantation, and eye/tissue program respondents. Of 600 eligible respondents, we analyzed responses from 123 (21%) completed surveys. Respondents were mainly coordinators (61%) and physicians (25%). Most respondents felt that the Health Canada policy that considers men who have sex with men (MSM) in the past 12 months at increased risk of transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through donation and prohibits all tissue and organ donation except through an exceptional distribution process as discriminatory (97%, n = 119/123). Most respondents felt that gender-neutral, behavior-focused donor eligibility assessments would confer low or no risk for donor-derived infections in transplant recipients (77%, n = 95/123). Respondents had varied opinions on how HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should influence donor risk assessments. Few respondents reported receiving any targeted training specific to cultural humility in the care of Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and more (2SLGBTQ+) patients in the organ or tissue donation system (11%, n = 14/123). Most respondents found current SGM-relevant OTDT policies to be unnecessarily discriminatory against SGMs and non-evidence-based, and they supported equitable policy revision. Respondents favor gender-neutral donor risk assessments that focus on behaviors specifically associated with an increased likelihood of HIV acquisition.

Diabetes mellitus is increasingly common among deceased donors and may signal donor-derived kidney injury that affects post-transplant outcomes. To evaluate whether donor proteinuria is associated with graft and patient outcomes after kidney transplantation from deceased donors with diabetes. Retrospective cohort study using a national transplant registry. United States; Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), February 28, 2013-2023. 9486 kidney-alone transplant recipients from deceased donors with diabetes in whom a pre-implantation (procurement) biopsy was performed and donor proteinuria status was available. Primary outcome: death-censored graft failure (DCGF). Secondary outcomes: all-cause graft failure (ACGF), death with graft function (DWGF), and delayed graft function (DGF). Exposure: donor proteinuria (present vs absent). Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariable Cox models (a priori covariables from a directed acyclic graph) assessed associations between donor proteinuria and time-to-event outcomes. Because proportional hazards were violated for DCGF, analyses were performed in two periods: an \"early\" cohort up to 2.5 years post-transplant and a landmarked cohort of recipients with functioning grafts at 2.5 years. Logistic regression evaluated DGF. Sensitivity analyses adjusted for donor insulin dependence (proxy for diabetes severity) and recipient characteristics; exploratory effect modification by biopsy glomerulosclerosis (GS) was assessed. Donor proteinuria was present in 54.9% of cases. In adjusted Cox models, donor proteinuria was not associated with early DCGF (<2.5 years; HR 1.14, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.32) but was associated with increased risk of late DCGF >2.5 years post-transplant (HR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.62), with similar findings for ACGF. No associations were observed with DWGF or DGF. Results were consistent after adjustment for donor insulin dependence as a proxy for severity and recipient factors including diabetes status. The association between proteinuria and late graft failure was more pronounced in kidneys with lower GS, suggesting proteinuria may reflect chronic injury not well-captured by biopsy. Observational design with potential residual confounding. Because the cohort includes only kidneys that were actually transplanted, findings reflect outcomes among accepted organs and are not intended to guide offer acceptance or decline decisions. Donor proteinuria was recorded only as present or absent, without standardized measurement. This may have led to misclassification, prevented assessment of dose-response relationships, and likely made it harder to detect true associations. Registry constraints limited histologic detail beyond GS. Among diabetic deceased donors, the presence of proteinuria is a time-dependent marker of increased long-term graft-failure risk, complementing biopsy and clinical data. Standardized, quantitative proteinuria assessment may improve risk stratification and post-transplant management while supporting judicious utilization of diabetic donor kidneys.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure in Canada and internationally. To date, patients with ADPKD have been excluded from trials of sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), which have been demonstrated to positively influence a wide range of kidney outcomes across the spectrum of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This exclusion was primarily due to theoretic safety concerns, particularly hastening disease progression due to vasopressin stimulation. As a result, there is a paucity of data on SGLT2i use among patients with ADPKD. Objectives: To estimate the risk of kidney dysfunction with SGLT2i treatment among patients with ADPKD. Design: Single-arm retrospective cohort study. Setting and patients: Adult patients (≥18 years old) with CKD with a primary diagnosis of ADPKD in British Columbia, Canada who had been exposed to any drug formulation containing empagliflozin, dapagliflozin or canagliflozin. Methods and measurements: We retrieved existing data from the province wide registry of patients with kidney disease and performed manual chart reviews on patients with ADPKD who were prescribed an SGLT2i from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2024. The primary outcome was acute kidney injury (AKI). Secondary outcomes included eGFR slope before and after SGLT2i initiation, magnitude of “eGFR dip” after starting SGLT2i as well as the incidence of genitourinary (GU) infections requiring hospital admission, emergency room visit and/or outpatient diagnosis and treatment. Results: We included 17 patients on SGLT2i in our retrospective chart review with a median exposure of 20.89 months. While on an SGLT2i, one (6%) patient met criteria for AKI. Three patients (18%) had an eGFR dip of greater than 10% after starting an SGLT2i. Before SGLT2i initiation, the estimated eGFR slope was −0.2571 mL/min/1.73 m2. After initiation, the slope was −0.1435 mL/min/1.73 m2 (P = .48). Two patients (12%) had documentation of a urinary tract infection, neither of whom required hospitalization, or an emergency department visit. Limitations: The main limitation was the lack of a comparator group, thereby making it difficult to determine the true risk of AKI in our cohort of patients with ADPKD on SGLT2i. Other limitations include our retrospective study design and small sample size, which limits the generalizability of these results. The median exposure time of our cohort to SGLT2i was only 20.89 months and we had limited eGFR data beyond 2 years post-SGLT2i initiation. We did not have data on total kidney volume of these patients. Conclusions: In this cohort of 17 patients with ADPKD on SGLT2i, we did not observe any signs of adverse kidney outcomes and only two instances of GU infections occurred, neither requiring emergency visits or hospitalization. More high-quality evidence is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of SGLT2i in this population.

Background: Metabolic acidosis is a common complication of kidney failure that is treated with bicarbonate supplementation. The addition of bicarbonate to the dialysis solution and oral bicarbonate supplementation are used to treat metabolic acidosis in patients receiving dialysis, but the treatment approach that is best for patient health remains unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the concentration of dialysate bicarbonate or the use of oral bicarbonate supplementation alters the risk of mortality, hospitalizations, cardiovascular and nutritional outcomes, and laboratory measurements in patients treated with maintenance dialysis. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting: Any country of origin. Patients: Adult patients (≥18 years) receiving maintenance dialysis. Measurements: Extracted data included demographic characteristics and outcomes such as mortality, hospitalizations, cardiovascular events, surrogate markers of nutrition, and pre-dialysis and post-dialysis levels of serum bicarbonate, pH, calcium, potassium, and parathyroid hormone. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar through October 7, 2024 for studies examining dialysate bicarbonate concentration and/or oral bicarbonate supplementation in adults undergoing maintenance dialysis. Meta-analysis was performed for pre-dialysis serum bicarbonate and for pre-dialysis and post-dialysis calcium and potassium. Results: We identified 37 studies (n = 24,782 patients) with patients treated with hemodialysis (13 randomized trials, 10 non-randomized interventional studies, 14 observational studies) and 4 studies (n = 347 patients) with patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (3 randomized trials, 1 non-randomized interventional study). No randomized trials reported mortality or hospitalizations in hemodialysis patients. Studies reporting cardiovascular outcomes (n = 20) were small with inconsistent results. Most studies reporting nutritional outcomes (n = 21) reported no significant differences with dialysate bicarbonate concentration or oral bicarbonate supplementation but were small in sample size (largest study n = 200). Meta-analysis of parallel-group randomized trials comparing dialysate bicarbonate >35 mmol/L with ≤35 mmol/L found a mean difference of 3.5 mmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.6 to 7.7) in pre-dialysis serum bicarbonate. Limitations: Non-English and gray literature were excluded. Most studies were small or observational in nature, and heterogeneity further limited the ability to perform meta-analysis of outcomes such as mortality, hospitalizations, and cardiovascular outcomes. Conclusions: The evidence for the effect of higher vs lower dialysate bicarbonate concentration and oral bicarbonate supplementation on clinical outcomes in dialysis patients is very uncertain. There is a need for large, high-quality randomized controlled trials in this area.

Background: Older kidney transplant recipients have inferior outcomes compared to younger recipients, and this risk may be compounded by donor characteristics. Objective: We applied an unsupervised machine learning clustering approach to group older recipients into similar phenotypes. We evaluated the association between each cluster and graft failure, and the impact of donor quality on outcomes. Design: This is a nationally representative retrospective cohort study. Setting and Patients: Kidney transplant recipients aged ≥65 years identified from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (2000-2017). Measurements and Methods: We used unsupervised clustering to generate phenotypes using 16 recipient factors. Donor quality was evaluated using 2 approaches, including the Kidney Donor Risk Index (KDRI). All-cause graft failure was analyzed using multivariable Cox regression. Results: Overall, 16 364 patients (mean age 69 years; 38% female) were separated into 3 clusters. Cluster 1 recipients were exclusively female; cluster 2 recipients were exclusively males without diabetes; and cluster 3 recipients were males with a higher burden of comorbidities. Compared to cluster 2, the risk of graft failure was higher for cluster 3 recipients (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19-1.32). Cluster 3 recipients of a lower quality (KDRI ≥1.45) kidney had the highest risk of graft failure (aHR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.61-1.87) relative to cluster 2 recipients of a higher quality kidney. Limitations: This study did not include an external validation cohort. The findings should be interpreted as exploratory and should not be used to inform individual risk prediction nor be applied to recipients <65 years of age. Conclusions: In a national cohort of older kidney transplant recipients, unsupervised clustering generated 3 clinically distinct recipient phenotypes. These phenotypes may aid in complementing allocation decisions, providing prognostic information, and optimizing post-transplant care for older recipients.

Background: Frailty is associated with hospitalization and mortality among dialysis patients. To now, few studies have considered the degree of frailty as a predictor of hospitalization. Objective: We evaluated whether frailty severity was associated with hospitalization after dialysis initiation. Design: Retrolective cohort study. Setting: Nova Scotia, Canada. Patients: Consecutive adult, chronic dialysis patients who initiated dialysis from January 1, 2009 to June 30, 2014, (last follow-up June, 2015). Methods: Frailty Severity, as determined by the 7-point Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS, ranging from 1 = very fit to 7 = severely frail), was measured at dialysis initiation and treated as continuous and in categories (CFS scores of 1-3, 4/5, and 6/7). Hospitalization was characterized by cumulative time admitted to hospital (proportion of days admitted/time at risk) and by the joint risk of hospitalization and death. Time at risk included time in hospital after dialysis initiation and patients were followed until transplantation or death. Results: Of 647 patients (mean age: 62 ± 15), 564 (87%) had CFS scores. The mean CFS score was 4 (“corresponding to “vulnerable”) ± 2 (“well” to “moderately frail”). In an adjusted negative binomial regression model, moderate-severely frail patients (CFS 6/7) had a >2-fold increased risk of cumulative time admitted to hospital compared to the lowest CFS category (IRR = 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31-3.63). In the joint model, moderate-severely frail patients had a 61% increase in the relative hazard for hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.29-2.02) and a 93% increase in the relative hazard for death compared to the lowest CFS category (HR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.16-3.22). Limitations: Potential unknown confounders may have affected the association between frailty severity and hospitalization given observational study design. The CFS is subjective and different clinicians may grade frailty severity differently or misclassify patients on the basis of limited availability. Conclusions: Among incident dialysis patients, a higher frailty severity as defined by the CFS is associated with both an increased risk of cumulative time admitted to hospital and joint risk of hospitalization and death.