Table 1.
Clinical, Demographic, and Survival Characteristics of Patients Contemplating and Withdrawing from Dialysis
| Did not withdraw (n=32) | Withdrew (n=33) | p Value | Not approached (n=13) | Approached b/o CFTT (n=34) | p Value | Approached b/o CFTT but did not withdraw (n=10) | Approached b/o CFTT and withdrew (n=24) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years on dialysis | 2.8 (2.97) | 3 (3.5) | 0.81 | 3.4 (3.93) | 2.3 (2.51) | 0.35 | 2.5 (2.42) | 2.2 (2.59) | 0.7 |
| Age at start of dialysis | 61.1 (16.39) | 65.7 (10.34) | 0.18 | 56 (18.94) | 66 (13.29) | 0.1 | 64.8 (18.09) | 66.4 (11.16) | 0.8 |
| Age at death | 63.9 (15.86) | 68.7 (9.95) | 0.15 | 59.4 (18.15) | 68.2 (13.17) | 0.13 | 67.4 (18.07) | 68.6 (10.97) | 0.85 |
| Change in albumin over previous 3 months | 0.2 (0.39) | 0.2 (0.53) | 0.58 | 0.2 (0.42) | 0.3 (0.53) | 0.33 | 0.4 (0.39) | 0.3 (0.59) | 0.67 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index | 9.5 (2.99) | 10 (2.8) | 0.49 | 8.6 (3.55) | 9.9 (2.89) | 0.22 | 9.2 (2.53) | 10.3 (3.03) | 0.31 |
| Mortality predictor (XBETA) | −121.2 (117.14) | −38.9 (80.19) | 0.002 | −204.3 (91.81) | −28.2 (84.89) | 0.001 | −58.4 (107.16) | −15.7 (72.72) | 0.27 |
| Probability of survival at 6 months | 77.9 (17.37) | 64.8 (20.09) | 0.01 | 90.2 (9.93) | 61.9 (19.04) | 0.001 | 68.0 (15.48) | 59.4 (200.09) | 0.19 |
| Probability of survival at 12 months | 57.9 (28.55) | 39.1 (24.12) | 0.01 | 78.7 (18.63) | 34.8 (22.68) | 0 | 40.9 (23.82) | 32.2 (22.20) | 0.34 |
CFTT, chronic failure to thrive as reflected by loss of function due to amputation, diagnosis of a nonrenal terminal illness, increasing frequency of hospitalizations, admission to nursing home for long-term care, loss of personal drive to continue dialysis, severe depression refractory to treatment, loss of mental or emotional capacity to understand changes in medical status or requirements of dialysis, or acceleration of one or more comorbid conditions refractory to treatment.