Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive disease whereby there is often deterioration in glucose control despite escalation in treatment. There is significant heterogeneity to this progression of ...glycemia after onset of diabetes, yet the factors that influence glycemic progression are not well understood. Given the tremendous burden of diabetes in the Chinese population, and limited knowledge on factors that influence glycemia, we aim to identify the clinical and genetic predictors for glycemic progression in Chinese patients with T2D. In 1995-2007, 7,091 insulin-naïve Chinese patients (mean age 56.8 ± 13.3 SD years; mean age of T2D onset 51.1 ± 12.7 years; 47% men; 28.4% current or ex-smokers; median duration of diabetes 4 IQR: 1-9 years; mean HbA1c 7.4% ± 1.7%; mean body mass index BMI 25.3 ± 4.0 kg/m.sup.2) were followed prospectively in the Hong Kong Diabetes Register. We examined associations of BMI and other clinical and genetic factors with glycemic progression defined as requirement of continuous insulin treatment, or 2 consecutive HbA1c greater than or equal to8.5% while on greater than or equal to2 oral glucose-lowering drugs (OGLDs), with validation in another multicenter cohort of Hong Kong Diabetes Biobank. During a median follow-up period of 8.8 (IQR: 4.8-13.3) years, incidence of glycemic progression was 48.0 (95% confidence interval CI 46.3-49.8) per 1,000 person-years with 2,519 patients started on insulin. Among the latter, 33.2% had a lag period of 1.3 years before insulin was initiated. Risk of progression was associated with extremes of BMI and high HbA1c. On multivariate Cox analysis, early age at diagnosis, microvascular complications, high triglyceride levels, and tobacco use were additional independent predictors for glycemic progression. A polygenic risk score (PRS) including 123 known risk variants for T2D also predicted rapid progression to insulin therapy (hazard ratio HR: 1.07 95% CI 1.03-1.12 per SD; P = 0.001), with validation in the replication cohort (HR: 1.24 95% CI 1.06-1.46 per SD; P = 0.008). A PRS using 63 BMI-related variants predicted BMI (beta SE = 0.312 0.057 per SD; P = 5.84 x 10.sup.-8) but not glycemic progression (HR: 1.01 95% CI 0.96-1.05 per SD; P = 0.747). Limitations of this study include potential misdiagnosis of T2D and lack of detailed data of drug use during follow-up in the replication cohort. Our results show that approximately 5% of patients with T2D failed OGLDs annually in this clinic-based cohort. The independent associations of modifiable and genetic risk factors allow more precise identification of high-risk patients for early intensive control of multiple risk factors to prevent glycemic progression.
The absence of accepted patient-centered outcomes in research can limit shared decision-making in peritoneal dialysis (PD), particularly because PD-related treatments can be associated with ...mortality, technique failure, and complications that can impair quality of life. We aimed to identify patient and caregiver priorities for outcomes in PD, and to describe the reasons for their choices.
Patients on PD and their caregivers were purposively sampled from nine dialysis units across Australia, the United States, and Hong Kong. Using nominal group technique, participants identified and ranked outcomes, and discussed the reasons for their choices. An importance score (scale 0-1) was calculated for each outcome. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically.
Across 14 groups, 126 participants (81 patients, 45 caregivers), aged 18-84 (mean 54, SD 15) years, identified 56 outcomes. The ten highest ranked outcomes were PD infection (importance score, 0.27), mortality (0.25), fatigue (0.25), flexibility with time (0.18), BP (0.17), PD failure (0.16), ability to travel (0.15), sleep (0.14), ability to work (0.14), and effect on family (0.12). Mortality was ranked first in Australia, second in Hong Kong, and 15th in the United States. The five themes were serious and cascading consequences on health, current and impending relevance, maintaining role and social functioning, requiring constant vigilance, and beyond control and responsibility.
For patients on PD and their caregivers, PD-related infection, mortality, and fatigue were of highest priority, and were focused on health, maintaining lifestyle, and self-management. Reporting these patient-centered outcomes may enhance the relevance of research to inform shared decision-making.
Abstract
Background
While peritoneal dialysis (PD) can offer patients more independence and flexibility compared with in-center hemodialysis, managing the ongoing and technically demanding regimen ...can impose a burden on patients and caregivers. Patient empowerment can strengthen capacity for self-management and improve treatment outcomes. We aimed to describe patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives on the meaning and role of patient empowerment in PD.
Methods
Adult patients receiving PD (n = 81) and their caregivers (n = 45), purposively sampled from nine dialysis units in Australia, Hong Kong and the USA, participated in 14 focus groups. Transcripts were thematically analyzed.
Results
We identified six themes: lacking clarity for self-management (limited understanding of rationale behind necessary restrictions, muddled by conflicting information); PD regimen restricting flexibility and freedom (burden in budgeting time, confined to be close to home); strength with supportive relationships (gaining reassurance with practical assistance, comforted by considerate health professionals, supported by family and friends); defying constraints (reclaiming the day, undeterred by treatment, refusing to be defined by illness); regaining lost vitality (enabling physical functioning, restoring energy for life participation); and personal growth through adjustment (building resilience and enabling positive outlook, accepting the dialysis regimen).
Conclusions
Understanding the rationale behind lifestyle restrictions, practical assistance and family support in managing PD promoted patient empowerment, whereas being constrained in time and capacity for life participation outside the home undermined it. Education, counseling and strategies to minimize the disruption and burden of PD may enhance satisfaction and outcomes in patients requiring PD.
This study aimed to determine the lifetime cost-effectiveness of first-line dialysis modalities for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients under the "Peritoneal Dialysis First" policy.
Lifetime ...cost-effectiveness analyses from both healthcare provider and societal perspectives were performed using Markov modelling by simulating at age 60. Empirical data on costs and health utility scores collected from our studies were combined with published data on health state transitions and survival data to estimate the lifetime cost, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and cost-effectiveness of three competing dialysis modalities: peritoneal dialysis (PD), hospital-based haemodialysis (HD) and nocturnal home HD.
For cost-effectiveness analysis over a lifetime horizon from the perspective of healthcare provider, hospital-based HD group (lifetime cost USD$142,389; 6.58 QALYs) was dominated by the PD group (USD$76,915; 7.13 QALYs). Home-based HD had the highest effectiveness (8.37 QALYs) but with higher cost (USD$97,917) than the PD group. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was USD$16,934 per QALY gained for home-based HD over PD. From the societal perspective, the results were similar and the ICER was USD$1195 per QALY gained for home-based HD over PD. Both ICERs fell within the acceptable thresholds. Changes in model parameters via sensitivity analyses had a minimal impact on ICER values.
This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of dialysis modalities and service delivery models for ESRD patients under "Peritoneal Dialysis First" policy. For both healthcare provider and societal perspectives, PD as first-line dialysis modality was cost-saving relative to hospital-based HD, supporting the existing PD First or favoured policy. When compared with PD, Nocturnal home Home-based HD was considered a cost-effective first-line dialysis modality for ESRD patients.
The increase in non-communicable disease (NCD) is becoming a global health problem and there is an increasing need for primary care doctors to look after these patients although whether family ...doctors are adequately trained and prepared is unknown.
This study aimed to determine if doctors with family medicine (FM) training are associated with enhanced empathy in consultation and enablement for patients with chronic illness as compared to doctors with internal medicine training or without any postgraduate training in different clinic settings.
This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey using the validated Chinese version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure as well as Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) for evaluation of quality and outcome of care. 14 doctors from hospital specialist clinics (7 with family medicine training, and 7 with internal medicine training) and 13 doctors from primary care clinics (7 with family medicine training, and 6 without specialist training) were recruited. In total, they consulted 823 patients with chronic illness. The CARE Measure and PEI scores were compared amongst doctors in these clinics with different training background: family medicine training, internal medicine training and those without specialist training. Generalized estimation equation (GEE) was used to account for cluster effects of patients nested with doctors.
Within similar clinic settings, FM trained doctors had higher CARE score than doctors with no FM training. In hospital clinics, the difference of the mean CARE score for doctors who had family medicine training (39.2, SD = 7.04) and internal medicine training (35.5, SD = 8.92) was statistically significant after adjusting for consultation time and gender of the patient. In the community care clinics, the mean CARE score for doctors with family medicine training and those without specialist training were 32.1 (SD = 7.95) and 29.2 (SD = 7.43) respectively, but the difference was not found to be significant. For PEI, patients receiving care from doctors in the hospital clinics scored significantly higher than those in the community clinics, but there was no significant difference in PEI between patients receiving care from doctors with different training backgrounds within similar clinic setting.
Family medicine training was associated with higher patient perceived empathy for chronic illness patients in the hospital clinics. Patient enablement appeared to be associated with clinic settings but not doctors' training background. Training in family medicine and a clinic environment that enables more patient doctor time might help in enhancing doctors' empathy and enablement for chronic illness patients.
Abstract
Purpose
To estimate the direct and indirect costs of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in the first and second years of initiating peritoneal dialysis (PD), hospital-based ...haemodialysis (HD) and nocturnal home HD.
Methods
A cost analysis was performed to estimate the annual costs of PD, hospital-based HD and nocturnal home HD for ESRD patients from both the health service provider’s and societal perspectives. Empirical data on healthcare resource use, patients’ out-of-pocket costs, time spent on transportation and dialysis by ESRD patients and time spent by caregivers were analysed. All costs were expressed in Hong Kong year 2017 dollars.
Results
Analysis was based on 402 ESRD patients on maintenance dialysis (PD: 189; hospital-based HD: 170; and nocturnal home HD: 43). From the perspective of the healthcare provider, hospital-based HD had the highest total annual direct medical costs in the initial year (mean ± SD) (hospital-based HD = $400 057 ± 62 822; PD = $118 467 ± 15 559; nocturnal home HD = $223 358 ± 18 055; P < 0.001) and second year (hospital-based HD = $360 924 ± 63 014; PD = $80 796 ± 15 820; nocturnal home HD = $87 028 ± 9059; P < 0.001). From the societal perspective, hospital-based HD had the highest total annual costs in the initial year (hospital-based HD = $452 151 ± 73 327; PD = $189 191 ± 61 735; nocturnal home HD = $242 038 ± 28 281; P < 0.001) and second year (hospital-based HD = $413 017 ± 73 501; PD = $151 520 ± 60 353; nocturnal home HD = $105 708 ± 23 853; P < 0.001).
Conclusions
This study quantified the economic burden of ESRD patients, and assessed the annual healthcare and societal costs in the initial and second years of PD, hospital-based HD and nocturnal home HD in Hong Kong. From both perspectives, PD is cost-saving relative to hospital-based HD and nocturnal home HD, except that nocturnal home HD has the lowest cost in the second year of treatment from the societal perspective. Results from this cost analysis facilitate economic evaluation in Hong Kong for health services and management targeted at ESRD patients.
Background:
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) can offer patients more autonomy and flexibility compared with in-center hemodialysis (HD). However, burnout – defined as mental, emotional, or physical ...exhaustion that leads to thoughts of discontinuing PD – is associated with an increased risk of transfer to HD. We aimed to describe the perspectives of burnout among patients on PD and their caregivers.
Methods:
In this focus group study, 81 patients and 45 caregivers participated in 14 focus groups from 9 dialysis units in Australia, Hong Kong, and the United States. Transcripts were analyzed thematically.
Results:
We identified two themes. Suffering an unrelenting responsibility contributed to burnout, as patients and caregivers felt overwhelmed by the daily regimen, perceived their life to be coming to a halt, tolerated the PD regimen for survival, and had to bear the burden and uncertainty of what to expect from PD alone. Adapting and building resilience against burnout encompassed establishing a new normal, drawing inspiration and support from family, relying on faith and hope for motivation, and finding meaning in other activities.
Conclusions:
For patients on PD and their caregivers, burnout was intensified by perceiving PD as an unrelenting, isolating responsibility that they had no choice but to endure, even if it held them back from doing other activities in life. More emphasis on developing strategies to adapt and build resilience could prevent or minimize burnout.
ABSTRACT
Background
To compare the health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and health utility of Chinese patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing nocturnal home haemodialysis (Home HD) ...against those patients undergoing other modes of dialysis.
Methods
Chinese ESRD patients undergoing Home HD were recruited in renal specialist outpatient clinics at three public hospitals in Hong Kong. SF‐12 Health Survey (SF‐12) was used to measure HRQOL and generate the SF‐6D heath utility score. Mean scores of SF‐12 domains, physical and mental component summary and SF‐6D health utility of 41 patients undergoing Home HD were compared with available scores of patients receiving other forms of dialysis, namely, peritoneal dialysis (PD) (n = 103), hospital in‐centre HD (n = 135) or community in‐centre HD (n = 118). Adjusted linear regression models were used to examine the impact of mode of dialysis on the HRQOL and health utility scores, accounting for the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.
Results
ESRD patients undergoing PD and community in‐centre HD had better health utility, physical and mental component summary scores than the hospital in‐centre HD. Adjusted analysis showed that hospital in‐centre HD reported worse physical component summary and health utility scores when compared with PD and community in‐centre HD.
Conclusion
HRQOL and health utility scores of patients undergoing Home HD were similar to those undergoing PD and community in‐centre HD. Better physical aspects of HRQOL and health utility was observed in PD and community‐based HD than hospital in‐centre HD, providing evidence for the increase in capacity of non‐hospital‐based HD, which provided flexibility as well as patient centredness and empowerment in Hong Kong.
SUMMARY AT A GLANCE
This is an important study that examines the impact of dialysis modality (home hemodialysis, in‐centre hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis) on health‐related quality of life and health utility among patients with end‐stage renal disease.
PDF
