Home Dialysis Central update
[Vol.2, No.6, June 21, 2005]
Our team wishes you all a happy summer! Home Dialysis Central is your one-stop source for PD and home hemo info & support. Order our FREE POSTCARDS for your waiting rooms, patient meetings, & support groups!
Study finds survival advantage for home hemo over in-center
A new retrospective Swiss study (Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation Jan, 2005, 20:604-610) matched 58 home hemo (HHD) patients with 58 in-center patients on sex, age, length of time on dialysis, and cause of kidney failure. The researchers found better survival among the HHD patients at 5 (93% vs. 64%), 10 (72% vs. 48%), and 20 years (34% vs. 23%). Read the abstract.
Topic of the month: impact of home hemo on quality of life
In a guest article from the UK, Jonathon Hope explains how home dialysis improved his life, and also what he was afraid of before he started home hemo—and how his fears were ungrounded. Read his perspective.
Innovative papers in home dialysis
The "un-physiology hypothesis"—formulated 30 years ago in 1975—is the notion that what causes many of the symptoms and problems faced by people on dialysis is the major shifts in blood chemistry that occur between short, thrice weekly treatments. Read Dr. Carl Kjellstrand's analysis of his classic paper on the topic!
Bill has clocked more global miles than a lost FedEx package
Seattle-dwelling Bill Peckham didn't always have a positive attitude about his kidney disease. With encouragement from the Northwest Kidney Center staff and a lot of self-initiative, Bill took control of his life, became very physically active, went back to work, began to travel, and was the first person to use the Aksys PHD machine after it was approved by the FDA. Read his story!
How does Medicare pay for PD treatments as a primary payer under Method I?
Click here to learn the answers to this & other questions about Medicare payment for PD and home hemo.
Read all about it!
Review home dialysis-related news, courtesy of Nephrology News & Issues. This week's stories include:
- Study finds gene that may suppress renal tumors
- Scientists confirm enzyme, kidney disease link
- Lifelong friends make life longer
- Private Social Security would hit small businesses
Featured link
The National Kidney Foundation's Family Focus patient newsletter devoted its entire Spring, 2005 issue to home dialysis! Read it yourself.
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