Dialysis Provider and Outcomes among United States Veterans Who Transition to Dialysis.

Background and objectivesVeterans with ESKD initiate dialysis under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an integrated health system, or are outsourced to non-VHA providers. It is unknown whether outcomes differ according to their dialysis provider at initiation. We sought to evaluate the association between dialysis provider and mortality and hospitalization among United States veterans initiating dialysis.Design, setting, participants, & measurementsAmong 68,727 United States veterans who initiated dialysis in 2007-2014, we examined the association of dialysis provider (VHA versus non-VHA) at initiation with mortality and hospitalization rates in the first 12 months post-initiation. Associations were examined across adjusted models, accounting for demographics and comorbidities.ResultsPatients were 72±11 years, 5% were women, 24% were black, and 10% (n=7584) initiated at VHA dialysis centers. VHA dialysis center patients were younger, more likely to be black, had fewer cardiovascular comorbidities, and lower eGFR at dialysis initiation. VHA provider patients were more likely to be hospitalized in the first 12 months (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.14), but had lower all-cause mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.83 to 0.93) in fully adjusted models.ConclusionsVeteran patients initiating dialysis with a VHA dialysis provider appear to have a lower mortality risk but higher hospitalization rates than veterans initiating dialysis at non-VHA dialysis units

Dialysis Provider and Outcomes among United States Veterans Who Transition to Dialysis.

Background and objectivesVeterans with ESKD initiate dialysis under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an integrated health system, or are outsourced to non-VHA providers. It is unknown whether outcomes differ according to their dialysis provider at initiation. We sought to evaluate the association between dialysis provider and mortality and hospitalization among United States veterans initiating dialysis.Design, setting, participants, & measurementsAmong 68,727 United States veterans who initiated dialysis in 2007-2014, we examined the association of dialysis provider (VHA versus non-VHA) at initiation with mortality and hospitalization rates in the first 12 months post-initiation. Associations were examined across adjusted models, accounting for demographics and comorbidities.ResultsPatients were 72±11 years, 5% were women, 24% were black, and 10% (n=7584) initiated at VHA dialysis centers. VHA dialysis center patients were younger, more likely to be black, had fewer cardiovascular comorbidities, and lower eGFR at dialysis initiation. VHA provider patients were more likely to be hospitalized in the first 12 months (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.14), but had lower all-cause mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.83 to 0.93) in fully adjusted models.ConclusionsVeteran patients initiating dialysis with a VHA dialysis provider appear to have a lower mortality risk but higher hospitalization rates than veterans initiating dialysis at non-VHA dialysis units

Transition of care from pre-dialysis prelude to renal replacement therapy: the blueprints of emerging research in advanced chronic kidney disease.

In patients with advanced (estimated glomerular filtration rate <25 mL/min/1.73 m2) non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) the optimal transition of care to renal replacement therapy (RRT), i.e. dialysis or transplantation, is not known. Mortality and hospitalization risk are extremely high upon transition and in the first months following the transition to dialysis. Major knowledge gaps persist pertaining to differential or individualized transitions across different demographics and clinical measures during the 'prelude' period prior to the transition, particularly in several key areas: (i) the best timing for RRT transition; (ii) the optimal RRT type (dialysis versus transplant), and in the case of dialysis, the best modality (hemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis), format (in-center versus home), frequency (infrequent versus thrice-weekly versus more frequent) and vascular access preparation; (iii) the post-RRT impact of pre-RRT prelude conditions and events such as blood pressure and glycemic control, acute kidney injury episodes, and management of CKD-specific conditions such as anemia and mineral disorders; and (iv) the impact of the above prelude conditions on end-of-life care and RRT decision-making versus conservative management of CKD. Given the enormous changes occurring in the global CKD healthcare landscape, as well as the high costs of transitioning to dialysis therapy with persistently poor outcomes, there is an urgent need to answer these important questions. This review describes the key concepts and questions related to the emerging field of 'Transition of Care in CKD', systematically defines six main categories of CKD transition, and reviews approaches to data linkage and novel prelude analyses along with clinical applications of these studies

Plant-Dominant Low-Protein Diet for Conservative Management of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects >10% of the adult population. Each year, approximately 120,000 Americans develop end-stage kidney disease and initiate dialysis, which is costly and associated with functional impairments, worse health-related quality of life, and high early-mortality rates, exceeding 20% in the first year. Recent declarations by the World Kidney Day and the U.S. Government Executive Order seek to implement strategies that reduce the burden of kidney failure by slowing CKD progression and controlling uremia without dialysis. Pragmatic dietary interventions may have a role in improving CKD outcomes and preventing or delaying dialysis initiation. Evidence suggests that a patient-centered plant-dominant low-protein diet (PLADO) of 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day composed of >50% plant-based sources, administered by dietitians trained in non-dialysis CKD care, is promising and consistent with the precision nutrition. The scientific premise of the PLADO stems from the observations that high protein diets with high meat intake not only result in higher cardiovascular disease risk but also higher CKD incidence and faster CKD progression due to increased intraglomerular pressure and glomerular hyperfiltration. Meat intake increases production of nitrogenous end-products, worsens uremia, and may increase the risk of constipation with resulting hyperkalemia from the typical low fiber intake. A plant-dominant, fiber-rich, low-protein diet may lead to favorable alterations in the gut microbiome, which can modulate uremic toxin generation and slow CKD progression, along with reducing cardiovascular risk. PLADO is a heart-healthy, safe, flexible, and feasible diet that could be the centerpiece of a conservative and preservative CKD-management strategy that challenges the prevailing dialysis-centered paradigm

Microbial Inoculants-Assisted Phytoremediation for Sustainable Soil Management.

Agricultural soil Pollution refers to its accumulation of heavy metals and related compounds which could be from natural or anthropogenic sources. This threatens food quality, food security and environmental health. The traditional physico-chemical technologies soil washing used for soil remediation render the land useless as a medium for plant growth, as they remove all biological activities. Others are labour intensive and have high maintenance cost. Phytoremediation, sustainable and cheaper in situ remediation techniques was therefore considered. However plants do not have the capability to degrade many soil pollutants especially the organic pollutant. It is therefore imperative to take advantage of the degrading ability of soil microorganisms. This chapter therefore focuses on phytoremediation techniques augmented by microbial inoculants