The Profile of Timing Dialysis Initiation in Patients with End-stage Renal Disease in China: A Cohort Study

Background: Hemodialysis is the main approach for renal replacement therapy in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in China. The timing of dialysis initiation is one of the key factors influencing patient survival and prognosis. Over the past decade, the relationship between the timing of dialysis initiation and mortality has remained unclear in patients with ESRD in China. Methods: Patients who commenced maintenance hemodialysis from 2009 to 2014 from 24 hemodialysis centers in Mainland China were enrolled in the study (n = 1,674). Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the year they started hemodialysis (patients who started hemodialysis from 2009 to 2011, and patients who started hemodialysis from 2012 to 2014). Analysis of the yearly change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the initiation of dialysis was performed for the 2 groups. Meanwhile, the patients were divided into 3 groups based on their eGFR at the initiation of dialysis (<4, 4-8, and >8 mL/min/1.73 m²). For these 3 groups, the relationship between the eGFR at the start of dialysis and mortality were analyzed. Results: The average eGFRs were 5.68 and 5.94 mL/min/1.73 m² for 2009-2011 and 2012-2014, respectively. Compared with the 2009-2011 group, the proportion of patients with diabetes in 2012-2014 increased from 26.7 to 37.7%. The prognosis of patients with different eGFRs at the start of dialysis was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. After adjusting for confounding factors through a Cox regression model, no significant difference was demonstrated among the 3 groups (<4 mL/min/1.73 m² was used as the reference, in comparison with 4-8 mL/min/1.73 m² [p = 0.681] and >8 mL/min/1.73 m² [p = 0.403]). Conclusion: In Mainland China, the eGFR at the start of dialysis did not change significantly over time from 2008 to 2014 and had no association with the mortality of patients with ESRD.