Target weight achievement and ultrafiltration rate thresholds: potential patient implications

BMC Nephrology

Table 1 Kidney Care Quality Alliance (KCQA) target weight measure specifications and selection criteria^a

	Target Weight Measure
Description	% of patients in the facility with an average post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below the prescribed target weight
Time window	12 months
Calculation period	Week of the monthly Kt/V
Numerator^a	Number of patients in the facility with an average post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below the prescribed target weight during the calculation period
Denominator	Total number of adult in-center HD patients at the reporting facility meeting inclusion criteria
Exclusions	1) PD or home HD patients; 2) Age < 18 years; 3) Treatment without post-weight and target weight; 4) Patient present at reporting facility < 30 days; 5) Patient at facility with < 11 patients during month; 6) < 7 HD treatments at the facility in the reporting month
Algorithm	Calculated on a monthly basis and then averaged over year: 1) Sum denominator patients for each facility month2) Sum numerator patients for each facility month 3) Calculate monthly score = numerator patients / denominator patients for each month4) Calculate annual score = (sum of monthly scores) / # of months in reporting year
Score type	Rate / proportion
Score interpretation	Lower score more favorable

^aThe monthly target weight measure was calculated by dividing the total number of facility patients with an average post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below target weight by the total number of facility hemodialysis patients meeting measure selection criteria on a monthly basis. For patients meeting the denominator selection criteria in the reporting month, the difference between the post-dialysis weight and the prescribed target weight for each treatment in the calculation period (during the week of the Kt/V assessment) was calculated. An average post-dialysis and prescribed target weight difference was then calculated from the treatments during the Kt/V assessment week. The number of patients in each facility with an average post-weight and target weight difference that was ± ≥ 1 kg during the calculation period were considered in the measure numerator. The annual target weight measure score was calculated by averaging facility monthly scores
Abbreviations: HD Hemodialysis, PD Peritoneal dialysis

ISSN: 1471-2369