title: Renal replacement therapy in the elderly population.
abstract: ESRD has become an important problem for elderly patients. The segment of the ESRD population age 65 years or older has grown considerably, and this growth is expected to accelerate in coming years. Nephrologists caring for the elderly with advanced kidney disease will encounter patients with comorbid conditions common in younger patients, as well as physical, psychological, and social challenges that occur with increased frequency in the aging population. These challenging factors must be addressed to help inform decisions regarding the option to initiate dialysis, the choice of dialysis modality, whether to pursue kidney transplantation, and end-of-life care. This article will highlight some common problems encountered by elderly patients with ESRD and review data on the clinical outcomes of elderly patients treated with different modalities of dialysis, outcomes of kidney transplantation in the elderly, and nondialytic management of CKD stage 5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: S Susan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hedayati
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection; D017582:Renal Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome