Study shows dialysis not a feasible option for all elderly with kidney failure

NEW DELHI: For some older adults with kidney failure, dialysis may not be feasible, finds a new study that calls for more careful consideration for the procedure among people who are 75 or 80 years old.

The study, conducted by Stanford University in the US, finds that even if dialysis is used, it will accord those patients only one extra week for their lifespan. On the other hand, it will increase their time being spent in the hospital by two weeks or more, which is not an advantageous position for the parties involved, the team said.

The study, building upon previous records, examined the impact of dialysis on older adults. Using electronic health records to mimic a randomised clinical trial, the researchers separated patients into two groups: those who began dialysis right once and those who had to wait at least a month. Approximately 50 per cent of the patients in the waiting group did not begin dialysis throughout three years.

Individuals who began dialysis right away lived, on average, nine days longer than those who did not, but they also required thirteen more days of hospitalisation.

Further, patients 80 years of age and above who began dialysis right away survived an average of 60 more days but spent 13 more days in an inpatient facility; patients aged 65 to 79 who started dialysis right away lived an average of 17 fewer days while spending 14 more days in an inpatient facility.

According to the study, starting dialysis as soon as possible may increase the chances of survival, but it will also increase the length of time spent receiving it and the likelihood that the patient will require hospitalisation, said Maria Montez Rath, a senior research engineer at Stanford University.

Dialysis is often presented as a choice between life and death, leading patients to overestimate benefits and well-being. However, presenting it as symptom-alleviating helps patients understand trade-offs, said the team.