Table 1.
Characteristics of patients randomized to buttonhole or standard needling groups
| Characteristic | Standard Needling (n=70) | Buttonhole Needling (n=70) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age (SD) in years | 66.7 (14.4) | 70.3 (12.3) |
| Male sex (n; %) | 46 (65.7) | 51 (72.9) |
| Comorbid illnesses (n; %) | ||
| Diabetes mellitus | 39 (55.7) | 33 (47.1) |
| Coronary artery disease | 28 (40.0) | 31 (44.3) |
| Years on hemodialysis (median) | 3.0 (1.6–5.4) | 2.8 (1.6–5.6) |
| Coumadin (n; %) | 9 (12.9) | 5 (7.1) |
| Mean international normalized ratio (SD) | 2.2 (0.3) | 2.4 (0.4) |
| Type of arteriovenous fistula (n; %) | ||
| Radiocephalic | 13 (18.6) | 11 (15.7) |
| Brachiocephalic | 32 (45.7) | 43 (61.4) |
| Brachial basilic | 24 (34.3) | 16 (22.9) |
| Other | 1 (1.4) | 0 |
| Previous fistulogram/fistuloplasty (n; %) | 48 (68.6) | 43 (61.4) |
| Anesthesia used (n; %) | 20 (28.6) | 17 (24.3) |
| Type of anesthesia if used | ||
| Eutectic mixture of local anesthetics topical | 9 (45.0) | 13 (76.5) |
| Lidocaine topical | 9 (45.0) | 2 (11.8) |
| Intradermal lidocaine | 2 (10.0) | 2 (11.8) |
Data are expressed as mean ± SD, median (25th to 75th percentile), or number (percentage).