Kidney Medicine (Nov 2021)

Preferences for and Experiences of Shared and Informed Decision Making Among Patients Choosing Kidney Replacement Therapies in Nephrology CarePlain-Language Summary

  • Tyler M. Barrett,
  • Jamie A. Green,
  • Raquel C. Greer,
  • Patti L. Ephraim,
  • Sarah Peskoe,
  • Jane F. Pendergast,
  • Chelsie L. Hauer,
  • Tara S. Strigo,
  • Evan Norfolk,
  • Ion Dan Bucaloiu,
  • Clarissa J. Diamantidis,
  • Felicia Hill-Briggs,
  • Teri Browne,
  • George L. Jackson,
  • L. Ebony Boulware,
  • L. Ebony Boulware,
  • Clarissa Diamantidis,
  • Clare Il’Giovine,
  • George Jackson,
  • Jane Pendergast,
  • Sarah Peskoe,
  • Tara Strigo,
  • Jon Billet,
  • Jason Browne,
  • Ion Bucaloiu,
  • Charlotte Collins,
  • Daniel Davis,
  • Sherri Fulmer,
  • Jamie Green,
  • Chelsie Hauer,
  • Evan Norfolk,
  • Michelle Richner,
  • Cory Siegrist,
  • Wendy Smeal,
  • Rebecca Stametz,
  • Mary Solomon,
  • Christina Yule,
  • Patti Ephraim,
  • Raquel Greer,
  • Felicia Hill-Briggs,
  • Teri Browne,
  • Navdeep Tangri,
  • Brian Bankes,
  • Shakur Bolden,
  • Patricia Danielson,
  • Katina Lang-Lindsey,
  • Suzanne Ruff,
  • Lana Schmidt,
  • Amy Swoboda,
  • Peter Woods,
  • Diana Clynes,
  • Stephanie Stewart,
  • Dori Schatell,
  • Kristi Klicko,
  • Brandi Vinson,
  • Jennifer St. Clair Russell,
  • Kelli Collins,
  • Jennifer Martin,
  • Dale Singer,
  • Diane Littlewood

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 6
pp. 905 – 915.e1

Abstract

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Rationale & Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can progress rapidly, and patients are often unprepared to make kidney failure treatment decisions. We aimed to better understand patients’ preferences for and experiences of shared and informed decision making (SDM) regarding kidney replacement therapy before kidney failure. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting & Participants: Adults receiving nephrology care at CKD clinics in rural Pennsylvania. Predictors: Estimated glomerular filtration rate, 2-year risk for kidney failure, duration and frequency of nephrology care, and preference for SDM. Outcomes: Occurrence and extent of kidney replacement therapy discussions and participants’ satisfaction with those discussions. Analytic Approach: Multivariable logistic regression to quantify associations between participants’ characteristics and whether they had discussions. Results: The 447 study participants had a median age of 72 (IQR, 64-80) years and mean estimated glomerular filtration rate of 33 (SD, 12) mL/min/1.73 m2. Most (96%) were White, high school educated (67%), and retired (65%). Most (72%) participants preferred a shared approach to kidney treatment decision making, and only 35% discussed dialysis or transplantation with their kidney teams. Participants who had discussions (n = 158) were often completely satisfied (63%) but infrequently discussed potential treatment-related impacts on their lives. In multivariable analyses, those with a high risk for kidney failure within 2 years (OR, 3.24 [95% CI, 1.72-6.11]; P < 0.01), longer-term nephrology care (OR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.05-1.20] per 1 additional year; P < 0.01), and more nephrology visits in the prior 2 years (OR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.20-1.51] per 1 additional visit; P < 0.01) had higher odds of having discussed dialysis or transplantation. Limitations: Single health system study. Conclusions: Most patients preferred sharing CKD treatment decisions with their providers, but treatment discussions were infrequent and often did not address key treatment impacts. Longitudinal nephrology care and frequent visits may help ensure that patients have optimal SDM experiences.

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