Factors Associated with Long-Term Survival in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A 5-Year Prospective Follow-Up Study

In addition to an increase in the prevalence of dialysis treatments for end-stage renal disease worldwide, the mortality rates among patients on maintenance hemodialysis remain higher than that of the general population. This study aims to evaluate factors associated with long-term survival in stable maintenance hemodialysis patients.

A total of 100 patients initiating hemodialysis by February 2013 were included in this prospective cross-sectional 5-year follow-up study. Data on patient demographics, anthropometric-nutritional parameters, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, and hemodialysis parameters, including etiology of kidney failure, hemodialysis duration, peritoneal dialysis history, relative interdialytic weight gain (RIDWG), and Kt/V, were recorded.

Overall 5-year survival rate was 56.6%. The 5-year survival rate was higher in patients with younger age (71.4% below median vs. 42.0% above median, p=0.023), lower systolic (63.3 vs. 50%, respectively, p=0.005) and diastolic (62.5 vs. 51.0%, respectively, p=0.02) blood pressure levels, higher Kt/V (46.9 vs. 66.0%, respectively, p=0.044), lower RIDWG (54.0 vs. 32.7%, respectively, p=0.026), and lower serum leptin levels (63.3 vs. 50.0%, respectively, p=0.047). Cox-regression analysis revealed that only systolic blood pressure (B = 1.081, 95% CI, 0.152 to 0.756, p=0.08) was a significant risk factor for poor survival.

Our findings revealed pre-dialysis systolic blood pressure as the sole risk factor for poor long-term survival in stable maintenance hemodialysis patients. Malnutrition-inflammation, measures of nutrition, inflammation, and anemia had no significant impact on long-term survival.