Personal digital assistant-based self-monitoring adherence rates in 2 dialysis dietary intervention pilot studies: BalanceWise-HD and BalanceWise-PD

Objective: The dialysis dietary regimen is complicated, and computer-based dietary self-monitoring may be useful for helping dialysis patients manage their dietary regimen. In this report, we describe dietary self-monitoring rates among study participants randomized to the intervention arms of 2 pilot studies.

Methods: Both studies tested similar interventions involving dietary counseling paired with personal digital assistant-based self-monitoring. One study was performed in hemodialysis (HD) and one in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Results: HD intervention participants entered an average of 244.9 meals (median = 288; interquartile range [IQR]: 186 to 342) over the 16-week intervention, 2.2 meals per day (median = 2.6; IQR: 1.7 to 3.1), and 73% of expected meals (median = 86; IQR: 55 to 102), assuming intake of 3 meals per day. At least some meals were entered in 87% of the observed weeks (median = 100%; IQR: 81 to 100). PD intervention participants entered an average of 212.1 meals (median = 203; IQR: 110 to 312) over the 16-week intervention, 1.9 meals per day (median = 1.8; IQR: 1 to 2.8), and 63% of expected meals (median = 60; IQR: 33 to 93), assuming 3 meals per day. At least some meals were entered in 80% of the observed weeks (median = 94; IQR: 50 to 100).

Conclusion: These HD and PD patients demonstrated excellent rates of self-monitoring. Additional research with a larger sample is required to confirm these findings.