Background and objectives Survival, symptom burden, and quality of life (QOL) are uncertain for elderly patients with advanced CKD managed without dialysis. We examined these outcomes in patients managed with renal supportive care without dialysis (RSC-NFD) and those planned for or commencing dialysis.Design, setting, participants, & measurements In this prospective observational study, symptoms were measured using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Palliative care Outcomes Scale -Symptoms (renal) inventory and QOL was measured using the Short Form-36 survey. This study comprised 273 predialysis patients who had usual nephrology care and 122 nondialysis pathway patients who also attended a renal supportive care clinic adding the skills of a palliative medicine team. A further 72 patients commenced dialysis during this period without attending either clinic.Results Nondialysis patients were older than the predialysis group (82 versus 67 years; P,0.001) but had similar eGFR at the first clinic visit (16 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ; P=0.92). Of the predialysis patients, 92 (34%) commenced dialysis. Compared with the RSC-NFD group, the death rate was lower in the predialysis group who did not require dialysis (hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.12 to 0.41] and in those requiring dialysis (0.30; 0.13 to 0.67) but not in dialysis patients who had not attended the predialysis clinic (0.60; 0.35 to 1.03). Median survival in RSC-NFD patients was 16 (interquartile range, 9, 37) months and 32% survived .12 months after eGFR fell below 10 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 . For the whole group, age, serum albumin, and eGFR ,15 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 were associated with poorer survival. Of the nondialysis patients, 57% had stable or improved symptoms over 12 months and 58% had stable or improved QOL.Conclusions Elderly patients who choose not to have dialysis as part of shared decision making survive a median of 16 months and about one-third survive 12 months past a time when dialysis might have otherwise been indicated. Utilizing the skills of palliative medicine helps provide reasonable symptom control and QOL without dialysis.

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: Aim:  To determine: (i) the proportion of stable asymptomatic haemodialysis patients with elevated troponin; (ii) stability of troponin values after dialysis and over a 2‐week interval; and (iii) whether high‐sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) was associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors or cardiovascular disease in these patients. Methods:  We measured hsTnT and the fourth generation troponin I before and after dialysis in 103 stable in‐centre haemodialysis patients without ischaemic symptoms. Patients were divided into quartiles to test for associations with established cardiovascular risk factors or disease. Results:  hsTnT was above the 99th percentile for the general population in 99% of haemodialysis patients compared with only 13% elevation for the troponin I assay (P < 0.001). Median pre‐dialysis hsTnT concentrations were unchanged after a 2‐week interval (69 vs 69 ng/L, P = 0.55) but fell slightly immediately following dialysis (69 vs 61 ng/L, P < 0.001). Established coronary artery disease (59% vs 22%), peripheral vascular disease (38% vs 4%) and diabetes (18% vs 7%) were more prevalent (P < 0.05) in those in the highest quartile for hsTnT compared with those in the lowest quartile. Conclusion:  Almost all in‐centre haemodialysis patients have elevated troponin T in their baseline stable state and this appears unchanged over a 2‐week interval. Such a high rate of baseline elevation of hsTnT may lead to confusion in managing acute coronary syndrome in this group of patients, particularly when symptoms are atypical. We recommend that if Troponin I assay is unavailable then baseline hsTnT concentrations are measured periodically in all haemodialysis patients.

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Gabapentin is a viable treatment for conservatively managed CKD and ESKD patients with pruritus and/or RLS, but side effects are common. Gabapentin should be used with caution although higher doses do not appear to be a factor associated with side effects.

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SUMMARY Background Dialysis nurses have a unique relationship with their patients and often require bereavement support should a patient death occur. This study was conducted in 2014 and aimed to explore the attitudes of dialysis nurses to death and dying and to identify suitable bereavement strategies following a death of a patient. Methods A purposeful, convenience sample of all nurses employed in the dialysis service completed a demographic profile and The Death Attitudes Profile Revisited (DAP_R) survey. Results There were 52 responses to the survey (98% response rate). The mean age of the participants was 45 years ± 8.0 years; 87% had >10 years nursing experience. Nurses suggest that debriefing and the use of a counsellor would support them in their grieving process while new graduate nurses appear to require extra support following a patient death. Analysis of the death attitude profile‐revised (DAP‐R) showed significant relationships between fear of death/death avoidance as well as fear of death/neutral acceptance. Spirituality and religion correlate strongly with ‘Approach Acceptance’ in this study group. Forty‐four percent people who ‘approach acceptance’ of death can be explained by the strength of religious beliefs. Conclusions Many dialysis nurses appear to have strong religious or spiritual belief systems and this contributes to their acceptance of death, although there also appears to be a degree of death avoidance. The study has highlighted the need to provide adequate bereavement support for dialysis nurses.

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