title: Hemoglobin stability and patient compliance with darbepoetin alfa in peritoneal dialysis patients after the implementation of the prospective payment system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implemented the End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, dialysis providers have increasingly focused on balancing resource utilization and quality outcomes for the treatment of anemia in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Limited data exist regarding anemia management outcomes for these patients in US-based dialysis centers after the implementation of the new payment system.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective, observational, cohort study of stable PD patients with end-stage renal disease who received darbepoetin alfa for anemia management over a 15-month period (April 1, 2011-June 29, 2012). The medication was administered by staff in the home-training unit instead of being self-administered at home. The primary end point was mean quarterly hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Variability in Hb levels was assessed over the 5 quarters by using repeated measures ANOVA to test for differences in the observed mean SDs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 139 adult patients on stable peritoneal dialysis and meeting the eligibility criteria, mean (SD) Hb level by quarter was 10.8 (1.2) g/dL in quarters 2 and 3 of 2011, 10.5 (1.1) g/dL in quarter 4 of 2011, and 10.4 (1.1) g/dL in quarters 1 and 2 of 2012. Hb levels were stable (mean SDs, 0.58-0.72) over the 5 quarters of the study. Patient compliance with attendance for all scheduled home training unit visits was 84%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PD patients who underwent darbepoetin alfa administration and twice-monthly laboratory testing in the home-training unit had stable Hb levels. Despite more frequent center visits compared with a home-administered approach, patient compliance was high.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Nephrology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Electronic address: jpirkle@wakehealth.edu.
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pirkle
authors.affiliation: Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, California.
authors.forename: Carly J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Paoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, California.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Nephrology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burkart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa
keywords: anemia; darbepoetin alfa; erythropoiesis-stimulating agent; hemoglobin; peritoneal dialysis