title: Setting dialysis start at 6.0 ml/min/1.73 m2 eGFR--a study on safety, quality of life and economic impact.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  End-stage renal disease care requires enormous economic resources. A timely dialysis start could reduce the costs of the renal replacement therapy (RRT). Our aim was to measure the time to dialysis in CKD patients, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <or=11.0 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (MDRD derived), and to evaluate the safety, economic impact and the quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, observational study, 70 consecutive CKD patients, stage 5, were screened and 30 patients were selected and followed up monthly, for 24 months or until the start of RRT, set at an eGFR = 6.0 ml/min/ 1.73 m(2) or at the occurrence of pre-defined urgent criteria. The SF-36 questionnaire to evaluate the QoL was performed at the first and the last visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median time to the start of dialysis was 11.8 (25th and 75th: 5.5-17.3) months. Only seven patients urgently started dialysis, after 8 months (25th and 75th: 4.8-20). The mean monthly cost of care was euro 1146 +/- 917 per patient. The QoL was similar to that of the general population and did not change at the last assessment. Discussion. This is the first study evaluating the economic impact of intensive conservative management of CKD stage 5 to postpone start of dialysis in tertiary care. This strategy allows us to safely gain a significant amount of time free from dialysis, with good QoL and major savings in the costs of nation's dialysis budget. The present results, however, are applicable only to low comorbidity patients referred to nephrology care and may not be generalized to all patients starting RRT.
authors.affiliation: 1Division of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University Federico II of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Micco
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torraca
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pota
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Giuseppe
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spinelli
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Portu
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabbatini
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cianciaruso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone