Researchers have more information on dialysis, showing it is much more effective than conservative care. Dialysis is a process in which the blood is filtered by machinery instead of the patient’s kidneys. This is done because the patient’s kidneys are either not working or working at considerably less capacity. Kidneys filter the blood of wastes and toxins, allowing them to be expelled through urine. If the kidneys operate at reduced function or fail completely, the patient has
CKD. There is no cure for CKD, except for transplant. It affects 10% to 13% of the adult population. Those with the condition are at a higher risk of cardiovascular complications and premature death.

Scientists looked at 12 studies performed all over the world, covering16,609 patients on dialysis and 3,691 conservatively managed patients. They said the random-effects model showed dialysis was associated with a mean mortality HR of 0.47. They said 92% was more protective than HRs of 0.8. They reduced the percentage to HRs [less than] 0.8 to 10%. They found an unmeasured confounder(s) would need to be associated with both dialysis initiation and mortality by relative risks of 4.05. This was the equivalent to shifting each study’s estimated HR by 2.31-fold.

Researchers found patients in most age groups up to 65 years and older had a much greater rate of survival. But, they report they did not have much information on patients 75 years and older. For more information on this and other kidney-related studies, be sure to check out our YouTube, updated daily.