Introduction: Current guidelines recommend the placement of vascular access 6 months before the anticipated start of hemodialysis therapy; however, many patients start hemodialysis using a central venous catheter. We investigated the timing of referral for vascular access, the vascular access type at hemodialysis initiation, and the barriers to a timely referral.
Methods: The study involved a retrospective review of 237 patients for whom the first vascular access for hemodialysis was created between January and November 2017.
Results: Among the 237 patients, 58.2% were referred before hemodialysis initiation, while 41.8% were referred after hemodialysis initiation. Among the 138 patients, 55, 59, and 24 patients were referred more than 6 months, between 2 and 6 months, and within 2 months before hemodialysis initiation, respectively. Within these subgroups, 3.6%, 10.2%, and 75.0% patients underwent hemodialysis initiation with a central venous catheter, respectively. Among the 99 patients referred after hemodialysis initiation, the reasons for late referral were as follows: unexpected rapid progression of kidney disease (n = 23), noncompliance (n = 21), late visit to the nephrologist (initial visit within 2 months of hemodialysis initiation; n = 14), change of treatment strategy from peritoneal dialysis or transplants (n = 9), and unknown reasons (n = 32).
Conclusion: Only 23% of patients were referred for vascular access 6 months before the anticipated hemodialysis therapy. In addition, 53% of patients initiated hemodialysis with a central venous catheter. Avoidance of catheter insertion was mostly successful in patients referred 2 months before hemodialysis initiation. The most common modifiable barrier to the timely referral was noncompliance.
Keywords: Hemodialysis; arteriovenous fistula; referral.