Home Dialysis Central update
[Vol.5, No.1, January 28, 2008]
Happy New Year! Resolve to share home treatment options with coworkers and dialyzors this year, with our DVD—order your copy today! And, send for your FREE postcard handouts.
NQF endorses health-related quality of life measure
CMS asked the National Quality Forum to recommend new clinical performance measures (CPMs) to assess dialysis quality. Their final measures include using the KDQOL-36 survey once a year to measure patients' physical and mental functioning and disease burden. Doing so would be a huge step forward to improve outcomes! Watch for an article in the March NN&I on the topic.
Annual Dialysis Conference is March 2-4 in Orlando: be there!
The ADC is the year's don't-miss professional conference if you're interested in PD and/or home HD. International luminaries and zillions of sessions combine to make this the most exciting home dialysis meeting of the year. Learn more about it and come see us at the MEI booth.
ISHD offers free "Renaissance of Home HD" workshop at the ADC
Learn lessons about HD from around the world at the International Society for Hemodialysis pre-conference workshop at the ADC on March 1. For free registration, email dialysis@health.missouri.edu. Join the ISHD and get the Hemodialysis International journal.
Phosphorus in colas linked to CKD progression
Soda is already worthless nutritionally—and some types can also raise the risk of chronic kidney disease. A recent study found almost 2 1/2 times the risk of CKD in those who drank 2 or more cola's a day (regular or diet). If you must drink the stuff, looks like it's safest to switch to a non-cola flavor. Read the abstract.
How to start late-referred ESRD patients on PD urgently
When as many as half of Americans with ESRD have less than 3 months notice before needing dialysis, it's great to know that PD can safely be done as a first treatment. This avoids HD catheters, keeps working folks employed, and buys time for a fistula or transplant. This article describes patients who did very well. Read the abstract.
Stable hemoglobin levels predict survival in HD
An analysis of 34,963 dialyzors found that variations in hemoglobin were harmful. In fact each 1 g/dL increase in hemoglobin variability raised the risk of death by 33%—even after adjusting for many other factors. Good anemia management can help you live longer. Read the abstract.
Alex Clay has done home HD since he was 4 years old
Now 21, working full-time, and engaged to be married, Alex was at one time the youngest home HD patient in the U.S. after his kidneys failed due to hemolytic uremic sydrome. Read his story.
Topic of the month: the Peritoneal Equilibrium Test (PET) for PD—what, why, and how
How do you know which type of peritoneal dialysis (PD) is best suited to your body? A PET can tell you. Done at the end of training (or end of your first month of PD), the PET can suggest how long PD fluid should stay (dwell) in your belly for the best results. Read more.
Innovative papers: changes in hemoglobin and albumin during nocturnal HD
Plasma volume normally expands when you lie down and shrinks back when you rise. During NHHD, which is done while the plasma volume is larger, blood levels of hemoglobin and albumin are temporarily diluted. This process is more like what happens with healthy kidneys. Read more.
Will my home hemodialysis be paid for if I travel?
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:
- NKF releases new program for nephrology social workers
- Nurses stepping in to help dialysis caregivers
- Nurses need education on shared decision-making
- National Renal Alliance sues Blue Cross, Blue Shield of GA
Featured link: dialysis from the sharp end of the needle
Bill Peckham is a nocturnal home dialyzor, a world traveler, a thought leader, a Northwest Kidney Center Trustee, and a force for positive change in the dialysis industry. See his take on the dialysis experience at his new blog site. Check it out!
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