Abstract:
Background: Haemodialysis is the most frequently prescribed Renal Replacement Therapy modality worldwide. However, patients undergoing this therapy have an unpredictable evolution related to vascular access.
Objective: To determine the factors associated with the mortality and hospitalization rate in haemodialysis patients at a third-level care Centre in the Dominican Republic.
Methods: This was an observational and prospective study involving a cohort of 192 haemodialysis patients. The patient selection was non-probabilistic for convenience, and a direct source questionnaire was applied.
Results: Of the 192 patients in the cohort, 103 (53.6%) were hospitalized and evaluated. The most frequent cause of hospitalization was catheter-related bloodstream infections (53.4%). Almost one-third (28.2%) of the hospitalized patients died, mostly due to infections (12.6%). Of those who died 29 patients (90%) had a Central venous catheter (CVC) with a non-tunnelled catheter (NTCVC) (65.5%); having an NTC CVC makes a patient 85.5 times more likely to be hospitalized than patients with arteriovenous fistulas.
Conclusion: Vascular access plays a predominant role in the hospitalization and mortality rates in haemodialysis. Patients with an arteriovenous fistula obtained significantly better outcomes than those with central venous catheters.
Reference:Campos E, Cuevas-Budhart MA, Cedillo-Flores R, Candelario-López J, Jiménez R, Flores-Almonte A, Ramos-Sanchez A, Divino Filho JC. Is central venous catheter in haemodialysis still the main factor of mortality after hospitalization? BMC Nephrol. 2024 Mar 8;25(1):90. doi: 10.1186/s12882-023-03433-6. PMID: 38459444.