Early mortality risk in incident Chinese hemodialysis patients: a retrospective cohort study

Early mortality risk of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients varies by country and ethnicity. Here, early mortality in incident Chinese HD patients were studied.

Data from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 were pulled from Beijing dialysis registry system. All included patients were followed to the end of 2013. This time period of dialysis was divided into six intervals (≤120, 121-365 days; 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, ≥5 years). Patients' demographics, primary cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), date of first HD, date of death, cause for death, date and cause of censoring were extracted from the registry database. All-cause mortality (per 100 patient-years) was calculated for each period stratified by sex, age and cause of ESRD. Monthly mortality rates were also calculated.

A total of 11,955 patients were included, 6738 were males and 5217 were females. The mean age at dialysis initiation was 57.7 ± 16.1 years. The median follow-up time was 19.8 months. There were total 2555 deaths. The overall mortality rate was 8.2 per 100 patient-years. Mortality rates were 18.7, 7.5, 6.9, 6.9, 6.5 and 6.2 in each period. The first 2 months mortality rates were 41.9 and 16.6 per 100 patient-years. Higher mortality was observed in patients who were older, female, diabetic and hypertensive.

The most critical period was the first 2 months of dialysis initiation. Patients who were older, female, diabetic and hypertensive had higher risk of early mortality. Our analysis highlighted that the transitional period from sever CKD stages to dialysis initiation, when optimal supportive care should be adopted, was crucial for patients' survival.