Advance care planning for 600 Chinese patients with end-stage renal disease

Background/purposeThere is increasing recognition of the need to integrate advance care planning (ACP) into end-stage renal disease (ESRD) care with attention to medical, ethical, psychosocial, and spiritual issues but publications comparing patients who chose renal replacement therapy (RRT) and renal palliative care (RPC) is scarce. We here share our experience on ACP for ESRD patients in a center with renal replacement and palliative programs in place.MethodsFrom June 2006 to December 2011, ESRD patients were empowered to make an informed choice of future medical care in a structured ACP that was emphasized to be an ongoing process. Patients who opted for RRT and RPC would be followed up at the predialysis clinic and the one-stop multidisciplinary RPC clinic, respectively. This was a single-center study in a secondary care hospital. A total of 600 patients (265 RRT, 335 RPC) were enrolled and followed up over a median of 782 days.ResultsThe majority of patients and relatives declined dialysis because of perceived physical burden. Only 1.6% of palliative care patients changed their decision and commenced dialysis. Baseline characteristics differed between patients who chose RRT or RPC. Survival declined according to the modified Charlson comorbidity index scores. Older age, mental incompetence, hyperlipidemia, high modified Charlson comorbidity index, low estimated glomerular filtration rate, and low albumin were important independent predictors of poor survival. Factors affecting the ACP decision were discussed in the Chinese culture context.ConclusionA structured ACP could empower the patient to make an informed decision on the management of ESRD.背景於未期腎病患者的照顧中加入關注身心社靈和倫理問題的預設照顧計劃(ACP)受到日益重視，但有關比較接受腎替代療法和接受腎臟紓緩治療文獻討論為數不多。作為同時提供腎透析服務以及腎臟紓緩治療的部門，本文旨在分享我們為未期腎病者討論預計照顧計劃的經驗。方法自二零零六年六月至二零一零五月間，透過有組織的預設照顧計劃討論，未期腎病患者會被鼓勵就未來的治療計劃作出知情選擇。選擇腎透析和腎臟紓緩治療的病人會分別於透析預備門診和一站式跨科際腎臟紓緩治療門診去覆診。本研究於一家二級醫院進行。總共有六百病人參與此研究，當中265名接受腎透析，335名接受腎臟紓緩治療，其中位跟進日數為782日。結果大部份病人和家屬之所以拒絕腎透析是由於預計的身體負累，只有百分之一點六接受腎臟紓緩治療會改變主義而接受腎透析。選擇腎透析和腎臟紓緩治療的病人在基本的身體狀況有明顯分別。生存率亦隨著修改版查爾森共病量表的分數而下降。年長、精神自主能力缺欠、高血脂、修改版查爾森共病量表分數高、腎小球濾過率低、白蛋白低均屬重要暨獨立的因素以預計較差的生存率。本文亦會探討在中國文化處境下影響預設照顧計劃討論的因素。結論有組織的預設照顧計劃討論能幫助病人在未期腎病的醫療方向作出知情的選擇。