Background: Various organizations have published clinical practice guidelines for the care of haemodialysis patients. However, it is unknown to what extent improving or even reaching perfect compliance with guidelines would improve the survival of HD patients in Belgium.
Methods: Using data from the second phase of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), the proportion of haemodialysis patients failing to meet six key practice targets (Kt/V > or = 1.2, haemoglobin > or =11 g/dl, phosphate 1.1-1.5 mmol/l, calcium 2.1-2, 4 mmol/l, albumin > or =40 g/l, and facility catheter use < or =10%) was calculated along with the relative risk of mortality associated with being outside these targets. The life years potentially gained from adherence to the six targets, both separately and all six together were then estimated.
Results: The percentage of patients outside the targets were as follows: 30.3%, Kt/V; 33.6%, haemoglobin; 56.2%, phosphate; 58.2%, calcium; 67.1%, albumin; and 91.1%, catheter. Estimated patient life years gained with improved compliance with guidelines was highest for albumin (3.670) and catheter use (2.331) but still substantial for the other four targets (ranging from 551 to 1.258). The total of patient years gained if 100% of patients have all six practices brought within target reaches 7.516 years. A conservative estimate of 50% of patients within all targets still yields an improvement of survival of 3.958 patient years.
Conclusion: This analysis suggests large opportunities to improve HD patient care in Belgium. The avoidance of HD catheters, with the use of AV fistulas whenever possible, should be given a high priority. Admittedly, these calculations assume causality or partial causality that has not been definitively proven. Still, if causality is only partial, the results emphasize that the improvement of patient care through adherence to targets of clinical guidelines might be substantial and all Belgian nephrologists and staff members of dialysis units should carefully pursue every potential effort.