Accelerated or Out of Control: The Final Months on Dialysis

Mortality rates in dialysis patients are as high as 20% per year. Recent epidemiologic evidence indicates common patterns in biological and clinical indicators before death. Blood pressure, serum albumin levels, C-reactive protein, body weight, and other indicators change, at a population level, at an accelerated rate of change months before death. The escalation of inflammation (as indicated by a surge of C-reactive protein) appears to be a central event. The etiology of blood pressure decline before death is unclear.

Source: Journal of Renal Nutrition - September 4, 2014 Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Peter Kotanko, Jeroen Kooman, Frank van der Sande, Franz Kappel, Len Usvyat Tags: ISRNM Proceedings Source Type: research