Gender-Based Utilization and Outcomes of Autogenous Fistulas and Prosthetic Grafts for Hemodialysis Access.

To evaluate gender-based patterns of utilization and outcomes of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) and grafts (AVGs) in a population-based cohort of hemodialysis (HD) patients. A retrospective analysis of all patients in the United States Renal Data System who had an AVF or AVG placed for HD access (January 2007 to December 2014). Outcomes were access maturation, conduit patency, infection, and mortality. Chi-square, Student's t, Kaplan-Meier, and multivariable Cox regression analyses were employed accordingly. There were 456,693 (57%) males and 341,571 (43%) females who initiated HD via AVF (16%), AVG (4%) and HD catheter (80%). There was a 30% decrease in odds of initiating HD with AVF in females compared with males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.71, P < 0.001). The use of HD catheter as a bridge to AVF was 36% higher in females compared with males (aOR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.33-1.39, P < 0.001). Preemptive AVF maturation was 78% for males and 76% for females (P < 0.001). The risk-adjusted analyses showed a 7% decrease in AVF maturation comparing females with males (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.92-0.95, P < 0.001) but no difference in AVG maturation (aHR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.97-1.01, P = 0.46) After risk adjustment, primary (AVF: aHR-0.87; AVG: aHR-0.96), primary-assisted (AVF: aHR-0.84; AVG: aHR-0.97), and secondary (AVF: aHR-0.85; AVG: aHR-0.98) patency were lower for females compared with males (all P < 0.05). Initiation of HD with a catheter and conversion to AVF was associated with lower patency in males (aHR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.28-0.29; P < 0.001) and females (aHR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.30-0.31; P < 0.001) compared with AVF initiates. Patient survival was higher for females compared with males who received AVF (aHR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.07-1.09; P < 0.001) and AVG (aHR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.11-1.15; P < 0.001). Initiation with HD catheter and subsequent conversion to AVF was associated with an increase in mortality for males (aHR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.43-1.47; P < 0.001) and females (aHR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.44-1.52; P < 0.001) compared with initiation via AVF. There was no significant difference in severe AVG infection comparing females with males (aHR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.98-1.13; P = 0.16). Female gender is associated with a lower prevalence of preemptive AVF's, higher utilization of catheters as a bridge to AVF, and lower patency compared with males. There was no difference in access maturation but patient survival was higher for females compared with males.

Arhuidese IJ ，Faateh M ，Meshkin RS ，Calero A ，Shames M ，Malas MB ... -  《-》

Utilization, patency, and complications associated with vascular access for hemodialysis in the United States.

This study examines the utilization and outcomes of vascular access for long-term hemodialysis in the United States and describes the impact of temporizing catheter use on outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, patency, and associated patient survival for pre-emptively placed autogenous fistulas and prosthetic grafts; for autogenous fistulas and prosthetic grafts placed after a temporizing catheter; and for hemodialysis catheters that remained in use. We performed a retrospective study of all patients who initiated hemodialysis in the United States during a 5-year period (2007-2011). The United States Renal Data System-Medicare matched national database was used to compare outcomes after pre-emptive autogenous fistulas, preemptive prosthetic grafts, autogenous fistula after temporizing catheter, prosthetic graft after temporizing catheter, and persistent catheter use. Outcomes were primary patency, primary assisted patency, secondary patency, maturation, catheter-free dialysis, severe access infection, and mortality. There were 73,884 (16%) patients who initiated hemodialysis with autogenous fistula, 16,533 (3%) who initiated hemodialysis with prosthetic grafts, 106,797 (22%) who temporized with hemodialysis catheter prior to autogenous fistula use, 32,890 (7%) who temporized with catheter prior to prosthetic graft use, and 246,822 (52%) patients who remained on the catheter. Maturation rate and median time to maturation were 79% vs 84% and 47 days vs 29 days for pre-emptively placed autogenous fistulas vs prosthetic grafts. Primary patency (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-1.28; P < .001) and primary assisted patency (aHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.35-1.38; P < .001) were significantly higher for autogenous fistula compared with prosthetic grafts. Secondary patency was higher for autogenous fistulas beyond 2 months (aHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.32-1.40; P < .001). Severe infection (aHR, 9.6; 95% CI, 8.86-10.36; P < .001) and mortality (aHR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.27-1.31; P < .001) were higher for prosthetic grafts compared with autogenous fistulas. Temporizing with a catheter was associated with a 51% increase in mortality (aHR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.48-1.53; P < .001), 69% decrease in primary patency (aHR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.31-0.32; P < .001), and 130% increase in severe infection (aHR, 2.3; 95% CI, 2.2-2.5; P < .001) compared to initiation with autogenous fistulas or prosthetic grafts. Mortality was 2.2 times higher for patients who remained on catheters compared to those who initiated hemodialysis with autogenous fistulas (aHR, 2.25; 95% CI, 2.21-2.28; P < .001). Temporizing catheter use was associated with higher mortality, higher infection, and lower patency, thus undermining the highly prevalent approach of electively using catheters as a bridge to permanent access. Autogenous fistulas are associated with longer time to catheter-free dialysis but better patency, lower infection risk, and lower mortality compared with prosthetic grafts in the general population.

Arhuidese IJ ，Orandi BJ ，Nejim B ，Malas M ... -  《-》

Vascular access for hemodialysis in the elderly.

The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) with arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) in a large population-based cohort of elderly patients in the United States. A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients ≥75 years old in the prospectively maintained United States Renal Database System who had an AVF or AVG placed for hemodialysis (HD) access between January 2007 and December 2011. Outcomes were mortality, conduit patency, maturation, time to catheter-free dialysis, and infection. A χ2 test, Student t-test, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and multivariable Cox regression analysis were employed. Of the 124,421 patients studied, there were 19,173 (15%) AVF initiates, 4480 (4%) AVG initiates, 29,872 (24%) AVF converts, 10,712 (9%) AVG converts, and 59,824 (48%) patients who persisted on HD catheters. Compared with AVF initiates, relative mortality was significantly higher for AVG initiates (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.24; P < .001), AVF converts (aHR, 1.36; P < .001), AVG converts (aHR, 1.62; P < .001), and catheter-persistent patients (aHR, 2.23; P < .001). Primary patency (aHR, 1.21; P < .001) and primary assisted patency (aHR, 1.31; P < .001) were higher for AVF. Secondary patency was higher for AVGs within the first 4 months (aHR, 1.12; P < .001) but higher for AVFs beyond that time point (aHR, 1.25; P < .001). Maturation rate and median time to maturation were 80% vs 84% (P < .001) and 46 vs 26 days (P < .001) for AVF vs AVG. Pre-emptive AVF remains the best mode of HD in elderly patients who can tolerate surgery. Patients who cannot tolerate pre-emptive surgery or have to initiate HD on an urgent basis with a catheter should convert to AVF when it is feasible if life expectancy is >4 months. If life expectancy is <4 months, surgical risk and quality of life should be considered in making the decision to persistently dialyze through HD catheter or to convert to AVG.

Arhuidese IJ ，Cooper MA ，Rizwan M ，Nejim B ，Malas MB ... -  《-》

Outcomes of autogenous fistulas and prosthetic grafts for hemodialysis access in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.

This study evaluated the effect of diabetes on outcomes of autogenous fistulas and prosthetic grafts for hemodialysis access in a large population-based cohort of patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients who initiated hemodialysis in the United States Renal Database System (2007-2014). The χ2 test, Student t-test, Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank test, and multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses were employed to evaluate maturation, interventions, patency, infection, and mortality. The study of 381,622 patients comprised 303,307 (79.5%) autogenous fistulas and 78,315 (20.5%) prosthetic grafts placed in 231,134 (60.6%) diabetic patients and 150,488 (39.4%) nondiabetic patients. There was decrease in maturation for diabetics compared to nondiabetics who received autogenous fistulas (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-0.88; P < .001) and prosthetic grafts (aHR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.83-0.93; P < .001). Comparing diabetics vs nondiabetics, primary patency at 5 years was 19.4% vs 23.5% (P < .001) for autogenous fistulas and 9.1% vs 11.2% (P < .001) for prosthetic grafts. Primary assisted patency at 5 years was 35.2% vs 38.7% (P < .001) for autogenous fistulas and 17.2% vs 19.2% (P = .015) for prosthetic grafts. Secondary patency at 5 years was 44.8% vs 48.6% (P < .001) for autogenous fistulas and 34.1% vs 36.8% (P = .002) for prosthetic grafts. There was 5% decrease in primary patency (aHR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.94-0.96; P < .001) for diabetics compared to nondiabetics who received autogenous fistulas. There was no difference in primary assisted and secondary patency for autogenous fistulas as well as primary, primary assisted, and secondary patency for prosthetic grafts in comparing diabetic to nondiabetic patients. There was also no significant difference in severe prosthetic graft infection between the groups (aHR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.92-1.08; P = .90). There was a 19% increase in patient mortality for diabetic relative to nondiabetic autogenous fistula recipients (aHR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.17-1.20; P < .001) and 12% increase for prosthetic graft recipients (aHR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.10-1.15; P < .001). In this population-based cohort of hemodialysis patients, diabetes mellitus was associated with a decrease in patient survival, access maturation, and primary fistula patency. In contrast, there was no association between diabetes and prosthetic graft patency and severe prosthetic graft infection warranting excision.

Arhuidese IJ ，Purohit A ，Elemuo C ，Parkerson GR ，Shames ML ，Malas MB ... -  《-》

Age-related outcomes of arteriovenous grafts for hemodialysis access.

The prevalence of end-stage renal disease spans the spectrum of age. Arteriovenous grafts are viable alternatives for hemodialysis access in patients whose anatomy precludes placement of an arteriovenous fistula. This report describes the age-related outcomes after arteriovenous graft placement in a population-based cohort. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients who initiated hemodialysis in the U.S. Renal Data System (2007-2014). The χ2 test, t-test, Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank test, and multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses were employed to evaluate access maturation, interventions, patency, and mortality. Of the 78,341 patients studied, 10,150 (13%) were younger than 50 years, 13,167 (16.8%) were 50 to 59 years, 19,975 (25.5%) were 60 to 69 years, 20,307 (25.9%) were 70 to 79 years, and 14,742 (18.8%) were 80+ years. There was no significant difference in access maturation time for patients in the older age categories compared to patients younger than 50 years. Primary patency at 5 years comparing <50 years vs 50 to 59 years vs 60 to 69 years vs 70 to 79 years vs 80+ years was 12% vs 12% vs 9% vs 9% vs 8% (P < .001). Primary assisted patency at 5 years was 20% vs 21% vs 18% vs 17% vs 14% (P < .001). Secondary patency at 5 years was 36% vs 39% vs 36% vs 30% vs 31% (P < .001). There was no significant difference in primary patency (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.00; P < .001), primary assisted patency (aHR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.00; P < .001), and secondary patency (aHR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.00; P = .029) with increasing age. However, there was a decrease in severe prosthetic graft infection requiring graft excision (aHR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99-0.99; P < .001) and increase in mortality (aHR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.03-1.03; P < .001) for the older age categories compared with the younger patients. In this population-based cohort of hemodialysis patients, there was no significant association between older age and prosthetic graft maturation or patency. However, older age was associated with a decrease in severe graft infection and the expected increase in mortality.

Arhuidese IJ ，Beaulieu RJ ，Aridi HD ，Locham S ，Baldwin EK ，Malas MB ... -  《-》