#5153 Characteristics and Mortality of Patients Starting Haemodialysis in a Portuguese Tertiary Hospital: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

Background and Aims Portugal has one of the highest incidences and prevalence of end-stage kidney disease in Europe, with haemodialysis (HD) being the most common modality of renal replacement therapy. The aim of our study was to analyse a cohort of patients who started HD in a large tertiary care hospital in Lisbon and describe the evolution of the patient characteristics throughout the studied years. Method This study was a retrospective analysis of all adult individuals who started HD between January of 2014 and December of 2019 in tertiary care hospital in Lisbon. Data was attained from individual electronic clinical records. The primary outcome was mortality. Statistical significance was defined as a P-value lower than 0.05. Results We included 1122 patients (mean age 64.9 ±16.8 years, 21.2% at least 80 years old; 60.9% male and 79.7% caucasian). At HD start, mean eGFR was 8.98 ±5.66mL/min/1.73 m2 and the vascular access was a central venous catheter in 56.0%, an arteriovenous fistula in 40.6% and an arteriovenous graft in 3.4%. The number of patients that started HD per year was variable between 169-204 and the percentage of elderly patients increased throughout the years. There was a trend of initiating dialysis with progressively lower eGFR. The percentage of patients with central venous catheter increased. In total 392 patients died (7.5% within the first 90 days of starting HD). Mortality rate within the first 90 days and first year declined from 2015 to 2019. As expected mortality was higher in older patients (Fig. 1), as well as in patients that started HD with a central venous catheter (Fig. 2). Conclusion We describe a large cohort of Portuguese patients that started HD between 2014-2019 that correlates well with the available recent data from the national and european registries. There was a greater percentage of patients initiating HD by catheter, which was associated with higher mortality, Although, considering the increase in elderly patients starting HD, their underlying comorbidities might impair vascular access placement and also have an impact on mortality. Additionally, despite the increase in elderly patients, mortality within the first 90 days and first year declined, highlighting the quality of care provided, in addition to a better acknowledgment and referal to conservative care.