From 1998 to 2003, a low cost fistula initiative at Allegheny General Hospital increased the rate of AV fistulas from 32% to 72%. We present an additional 25 months of vascular access data, with stratification of results by gender and long-term patient survival data. These data show the self-sustaining nature of 'fistula culture' in an urban hemodialysis unit, and the survival benefits that result from increased fistula rates.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.