Table 1 Description of the study population, according to vascular access type at dialysis initiation
From: Vascular access type and mortality in haemodialysis: a retrospective cohort study
| Â | total | catheter | AV access |
|---|---|---|---|
Total number of patients | 374 | 309 | 65 |
Male (%) | 66.3 | 64.7 | 73.8 |
Mean age at dialysis initiation (years) | 69 (21–95) | 68,3 (21–95) | 69,9 (37–85) |
Patients without regular follow-up (%) | 38.6 | 45.9 | 4.6 |
Causes of ESRD (%) | |||
 Diabetes | 28.3 | 28.5 | 27.7 |
 Hypertension/vascular | 27.8 | 26.9 | 32.3 |
 Glomerulonephritis | 7.2 | 7.4 | 6.2 |
 ADPKD | 6.1 | 4.2 | 1.5 |
 Malignancy | 5.3 | 5.8 | 3.1 |
 Obstructive/urologic | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.1 |
 Other known cause | 12 | 13.9 | 3.1 |
 Cause unknown | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.2 |
Comorbidities (%) | |||
 Diabetes | 48.1 | 48.2 | 47.2 |
 Ischemic heart disease | 30.4 | 30.7 | 28.8 |
 Peripheral vascular disease | 26.2 | 27.6 | 19.2 |
 Congestive heart disease | 24.9 | 26.5 | 17.3 |
 Cerebrovascular disease | 15.9 | 15.2 | 19.2 |
 Cancer at start of dialysis | 8.8 | 10.3 | 1.5 |
    Multiple myeloma | 3.5 | 4.2 | 0 |
Dialysis started at ICU | 24.3 | 28.1 | 6.2 |
   Because of a non-ESRD related illness | 11.8 | 13.3 | 4.7 |
Mean (SD) blood values at dialysis initiation | |||
 Albumin (g/dl) | 33.8 (6.3) | 33.2 (6.4) | 36.8 (4.3) |
 Hb (g/dl) | 9.9 (1.7) | 9.7 (1.6) | 10.6 (1.7) |
 CRP (mg/dl) | 47.8 (72.9) | 51.3 (75.4) | 31.3 (57.7) |
 Creatinine (mg/dl) | 6.6 (3.3) | 6.6 (3.4) | 6.6 (2.6) |
 eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 9.4 (5.7) | 9.6 (6.1) | 8.4 (3.2) |
Causes of death (%) | |||
 Cardiovascular | 31.0 | 32.0 | 27.3 |
 Infectious | 22.8 | 22.4 | 24.2 |
 Malignancy | 7.6 | 8.8 | 3.0 |
 Decision to stop dialysis | 6.3 | 5.6 | 9.0 |
 Haemorrhage | 5.1 | 5.6 | 3.0 |
 Other known cause | 12.0 | 11.2 | 15.2 |
 Unknown | 15.2 | 14.4 | 18.2 |