A COMPARISON OF HOSPITALIZATION OUTCOMES BETWEEN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS AND HOME HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN CANADA

Abstract

Dialysis patients experience poor health outcomes including high rates of morbidity, mortality, and frequent hospitalizations. Home dialysis (peritoneal dialysis (PD) or home hemodialysis (HHD)) has been increasing due to evidence of better clinical outcomes. The primary objective of this thesis was to compare all-cause hospitalization events between incident PD and HHD patients and secondarily to assess if the risk of hospitalization was modified by sex, race, and era of dialysis initiation. We conducted a retrospective national cohort study of all adult patients who initiated home dialysis within 90 days of kidney replacement therapy in Canada between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2018, using the Canadian Organ Replacement Register. Adjusted negative binomial regression modelling was used to compare hospitalization events between HHD and PD. HHD patients experienced significantly less hospitalization events than PD patients. These findings were most pronounced in male patients and those belonging to a racial minority group.