A Toolkit for ISN’s registry initiative, SharE-RR

Worldwide, more than 850 million people are estimated to be living with kidney disease— chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury/disease, or kidney failure treated with kidney replacement therapy. This burden is increasing. Between 1990 and 2017, the prevalence of CKD increased by 29% and CKD moved from being the 17th to the 12th most common cause of death. The burden is also distributed unevenly. The age-standardized disability-adjusted life years lost from CKD is 15 times higher in American Samoa, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Mauritius than in the best performing high-income countries. Robust longitudinal data are needed to increase the awareness of the burden of CKD and kidney failure and to advocate for resources to prevent and treat kidney diseases, yet low- and middle-income countries are much less likely to have surveillance systems, such as renal registries, in place. The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) registry initiative Sharing Expertise to Support the set-up of Renal Registries (SharE-RR) was established in 2017 to address this

A Toolkit for ISN’s registry initiative, SharE-RR

Worldwide, more than 850 million people are estimated to be living with kidney disease— chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury/disease, or kidney failure treated with kidney replacement therapy. This burden is increasing. Between 1990 and 2017, the prevalence of CKD increased by 29% and CKD moved from being the 17th to the 12th most common cause of death. The burden is also distributed unevenly. The age-standardized disability-adjusted life years lost from CKD is 15 times higher in American Samoa, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Mauritius than in the best performing high-income countries. Robust longitudinal data are needed to increase the awareness of the burden of CKD and kidney failure and to advocate for resources to prevent and treat kidney diseases, yet low- and middle-income countries are much less likely to have surveillance systems, such as renal registries, in place. The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) registry initiative Sharing Expertise to Support the set-up of Renal Registries (SharE-RR) was established in 2017 to address this

Availability and prioritisation of COVID-19 vaccines among patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and kidney failure during the height of the pandemic: a global survey by the International Society of Nephrology

OBJECTIVE Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) or kidney failure receiving replacement therapy (KFRT) are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, morbidity and mortality. Vaccination is effective, but access differs around the world. We aimed to ascertain the availability, readiness and prioritisation of COVID-19 vaccines for this group of patients globally. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Collaborators from the International Society of Nephrology (ISN), Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study and ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas developed an online survey that was administered electronically to key nephrology leaders in 174 countries between 2 July and 4 August 2021. RESULTS Survey responses were received from 99 of 174 countries from all 10 ISN regions, among which 88/174 (50%) were complete. At least one vaccine was available in 96/99 (97%) countries. In 71% of the countries surveyed, patients on dialysis were prioritised for vaccination, followed by patients living with a kidney transplant (KT) (62%) and stage 4/5 CKD (51%). Healthcare workers were the most common high priority group for vaccination. At least 50% of patients receiving in-centre haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or KT were estimated to have completed vaccination at the time of the survey in 55%, 64% and 51% of countries, respectively. At least 50% of patients in all three patient groups had been vaccinated in >70% of high-income countries and in 100% of respondent countries in Western Europe.The most common barriers to vaccination of patients were vaccine hesitancy (74%), vaccine shortages (61%) and mass vaccine distribution challenges (48%). These were reported more in low-income and lower middle-income countries compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSION Patients with advanced CKD or KFRT were prioritised in COVID-19 vaccination in most countries. Multiple barriers led to substantial variability in the successful achievement of COVID-19 vaccination across the world, with high-income countries achieving the most access and success

Global variations in funding and use of hemodialysis accesses: an international report using the ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas

Background: There is a lack of contemporary data describing global variations in vascular access for hemodialysis (HD). We used the third iteration of the International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) to highlight differences in funding and availability of hemodialysis accesses used for initiating HD across world regions. Methods: Survey questions were directed at understanding the funding modules for obtaining vascular access and types of accesses used to initiate dialysis. An electronic survey was sent to national and regional key stakeholders affiliated with the ISN between June and September 2022. Countries that participated in the survey were categorized based on World Bank Income Classification (low-, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high-income) and by their regional affiliation with the ISN. Results: Data on types of vascular access were available from 160 countries. Respondents from 35 countries (22% of surveyed countries) reported that > 50% of patients started HD with an arteriovenous fistula or graft (AVF or AVG). These rates were higher in Western Europe (n = 14; 64%), North & East Asia (n = 4; 67%), and among high-income countries (n = 24; 38%). The rates of > 50% of patients starting HD with a tunneled dialysis catheter were highest in North America & Caribbean region (n = 7; 58%) and lowest in South Asia and Newly Independent States and Russia (n = 0 in both regions). Respondents from 50% (n = 9) of low-income countries reported that > 75% of patients started HD using a temporary catheter, with the highest rates in Africa (n = 30; 75%) and Latin America (n = 14; 67%). Funding for the creation of vascular access was often through public funding and free at the point of delivery in high-income countries (n = 42; 67% for AVF/AVG, n = 44; 70% for central venous catheters). In low-income countries, private and out of pocket funding was reported as being more common (n = 8; 40% for AVF/AVG, n = 5; 25% for central venous catheters). Conclusions: High income countries exhibit variation in the use of AVF/AVG and tunneled catheters. In low-income countries, there is a higher use of temporary dialysis catheters and private funding models for access creation

Elective surgery cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic: global predictive modelling to inform surgical recovery plans.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine hospital services globally. This study estimated the total number of adult elective operations that would be cancelled worldwide during the 12 weeks of peak disruption due to COVID-19. METHODS: A global expert response study was conducted to elicit projections for the proportion of elective surgery that would be cancelled or postponed during the 12 weeks of peak disruption. A Bayesian β-regression model was used to estimate 12-week cancellation rates for 190 countries. Elective surgical case-mix data, stratified by specialty and indication (surgery for cancer versus benign disease), were determined. This case mix was applied to country-level surgical volumes. The 12-week cancellation rates were then applied to these figures to calculate the total number of cancelled operations. RESULTS: The best estimate was that 28 404 603 operations would be cancelled or postponed during the peak 12 weeks of disruption due to COVID-19 (2 367 050 operations per week). Most would be operations for benign disease (90·2 per cent, 25 638 922 of 28 404 603). The overall 12-week cancellation rate would be 72·3 per cent. Globally, 81·7 per cent of operations for benign conditions (25 638 922 of 31 378 062), 37·7 per cent of cancer operations (2 324 070 of 6 162 311) and 25·4 per cent of elective caesarean sections (441 611 of 1 735 483) would be cancelled or postponed. If countries increased their normal surgical volume by 20 per cent after the pandemic, it would take a median of 45 weeks to clear the backlog of operations resulting from COVID-19 disruption. CONCLUSION: A very large number of operations will be cancelled or postponed owing to disruption caused by COVID-19. Governments should mitigate against this major burden on patients by developing recovery plans and implementing strategies to restore surgical activity safely

Sex difference and intra-operative tidal volume: Insights from the LAS VEGAS study

BACKGROUND: One key element of lung-protective ventilation is the use of a low tidal volume (VT). A sex difference in use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) has been described in critically ill ICU patients.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether a sex difference in use of LTVV also exists in operating room patients, and if present what factors drive this difference.DESIGN, PATIENTS AND SETTING: This is a posthoc analysis of LAS VEGAS, a 1-week worldwide observational study in adults requiring intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals in 29 countries.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women and men were compared with respect to use of LTVV, defined as VT of 8 ml kg-1 or less predicted bodyweight (PBW). A VT was deemed 'default' if the set VT was a round number. A mediation analysis assessed which factors may explain the sex difference in use of LTVV during intra-operative ventilation.RESULTS: This analysis includes 9864 patients, of whom 5425 (55%) were women. A default VT was often set, both in women and men; mode VT was 500 ml. Median [IQR] VT was higher in women than in men (8.6 [7.7 to 9.6] vs. 7.6 [6.8 to 8.4] ml kg-1 PBW, P < 0.001). Compared with men, women were twice as likely not to receive LTVV [68.8 vs. 36.0%; relative risk ratio 2.1 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.1), P < 0.001]. In the mediation analysis, patients' height and actual body weight (ABW) explained 81 and 18% of the sex difference in use of LTVV, respectively; it was not explained by the use of a default VT.CONCLUSION: In this worldwide cohort of patients receiving intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery, women received a higher VT than men during intra-operative ventilation. The risk for a female not to receive LTVV during surgery was double that of males. Height and ABW were the two mediators of the sex difference in use of LTVV.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01601223

A global overview of health system financing and available infrastructure and oversight for kidney care

BackgroundGovernance, health financing, and service delivery are critical elements of health systems for provision of robust and sustainable chronic disease care. We leveraged the third iteration of International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) to evaluate oversight and financing for kidney care worldwide.MethodsA survey was administered to stakeholders from countries affiliated with the ISN from July to September 2022. We evaluated funding models utilized for reimbursement of medications, services for the management of chronic kidney disease, and provision of kidney replacement therapy (KRT). We also assessed oversight structures and the delivery of kidney care. ResultsOverall, 167 of the 192 countries and territories contacted responded to the survey, representing 97.4% of the global population. High-income countries tended to use public funding to reimburse all categories of kidney care in comparison to low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). In countries where public funding for KRT was available, 78% provided universal health coverage. The proportion of countries that used public funding to fully reimburse care varied for non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (27%), dialysis for acute kidney injury (either hemodialysis [HD] or peritoneal dialysis [PD]) (44%), chronic HD (45%), chronic PD (42%), and kidney transplant medications (36%). Oversight for kidney care was provided at a national level in 63% of countries and at state/provincial levels in 28% of countries. ConclusionThis study demonstrated significant gaps in universal care coverage, and oversight and financing structures for kidney care, particularly in in LICs and LMICs.<br/

An update on the global disparities in kidney disease burden and care across world countries and regions

Background:Since 2015, the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) has spearheaded multinational efforts to understand the status and capacity of countries to provide optimal kidney care, particularly in low-resource settings. In this iteration of the ISN-GKHA, we sought to extend previous findings by assessing availability, accessibility, quality, and affordability of medicines, kidney replacement therapy (KRT), and conservative kidney management (CKM).Methods:A consistent approach was used to obtain country-level data on kidney care capacity during three phases of data collection in 2016, 2018, and 2022. The current report includes a detailed literature review of published reports, databases, and registries to obtain information on the burden of chronic kidney disease and estimate the incidence and prevalence of treated kidney failure. Findings were triangulated with data from a multinational survey of opinion leaders based on the WHO's building blocks for health systems (ie, health financing, service delivery, access to essential medicines and health technology, health information systems, workforce, and governance). Country-level data were stratified by the ISN geographical regions and World Bank income groups and reported as counts and percentages, with global, regional, and income level estimates presented as medians with interquartile ranges.Findings:The literature review used information on prevalence of chronic kidney disease from 161 countries. The global median prevalence of chronic kidney disease was 9·5% (IQR 5·9–11·7) with the highest prevalence in Eastern and Central Europe (12·8%, 11·9–14·1). For the survey analysis, responses received covered 167 (87%) of 191 countries, representing 97·4% (7·700 billion of 7·903 billion) of the world population. Chronic haemodialysis was available in 162 (98%) of 165 countries, chronic peritoneal dialysis in 130 (79%), and kidney transplantation in 116 (70%). However, 121 (74%) of 164 countries were able to provide KRT to more than 50% of people with kidney failure. Children did not have access to haemodialysis in 12 (19%) of 62 countries, peritoneal dialysis in three (6%) countries, or kidney transplantation in three (6%) countries. CKM (non-dialysis management of people with kidney failure chosen through shared decision making) was available in 87 (53%) of 165 countries. The annual median costs of KRT were: US$19 380 per person for haemodialysis,$18 959 for peritoneal dialysis, and $26 903 for the first year of kidney transplantation. Overall, 74 (45%) of 166 countries allocated public funding to provide free haemodialysis at the point of delivery; use of this funding scheme increased with country income level. The median global prevalence of nephrologists was 11·8 per million population (IQR 1·8–24·8) with an 80-fold difference between low-income and high-income countries. Differing degrees of health workforce shortages were reported across regions and country income levels. A quarter of countries had a national chronic kidney disease-specific strategy (41 [25%] of 162) and chronic kidney disease was recognised as a health priority in 78 (48%) of 162 countries.Interpretation:This study provides new information about the global burden of kidney disease and its treatment. Countries in low-resource settings have substantially diminished capacity for kidney care delivery. These findings have major policy implications for achieving equitable access to kidney care.</div

Global access and quality of conservative kidney management

Background: Conservative kidney management (CKM) describes supportive care for people living with kidney failure who choose not to receive or are unable to access kidney replacement therapy (KRT). This study captured global availability of CKM services and funding.Methods: Data came from the International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health survey conducted between June and September 2022. Availability of CKM, infrastructure, guidelines, medications, and training were evaluated. Results: CKM was available in some form in 61% of the 165 responding countries. CKM chosen through shared decision-making was available in 53%. Choice-restricted CKM – for those unable to access KRT – was available in 39%. Infrastructure to provide CKM chosen through shared decision-making was associated with national income level, reported as being ‘generally available’ in most healthcare settings for 71% of high-income countries, 50% of upper-middle-income countries, 33% of lower-middle-income countries, and 42% of low-income countries. For choice-restricted CKM, these figures were 29%, 50%, 67%, and 58%, respectively. Essential medications for pain and palliative care were available in just over half of the countries, highly dependent upon income setting. Training for caregivers in symptom management in CKM was available in approximately a third of countries.Conclusions: Most countries report some capacity for CKM. However, there is considerable variability in terms of how CKM is defined, as well as what and how much care is provided. Poor access to CKM perpetuates unmet palliative care needs, and must be addressed, particularly in low resource settings where death from untreated kidney failure is common.<br/