Arbor Research Collaborative for Health is pleased to announce the PDOPPS publication, “Burden of Kidney Disease, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Employment Among Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis and In-Center Hemodialysis: Findings From the DOPPS Program” by Edwina A. Brown, et al., as part of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD)’s special collection of top cited Original Investigations. This renowned collection highlights the most cited articles published in 2021 and 2022, which contributed to AJKD’s 2023 Impact Factor of 9.4. The article was coauthored by Arbor Research scientists, Brian Bieber, Managing Senior Analyst, MPH, MS, Dr. Keith McCullough, PhD, MS, Research Scientist, and Dr. Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS, Distinguished Research Scientist.

“PDOPPS continues to shed light on the experiences of dialysis patients globally. This publication underscores the importance of understanding both the mental and physical challenges faced by persons receiving dialysis for end-stage kidney failure”, says Dr. Pisoni. “These insights are crucial for informing patient-centered care and improving outcomes.”

“By examining quality of life (QOL) metrics for over 7,700 patients across six countries, we have highlighted key issues in mental well-being and depression levels between HD and PD patients”, says Dr. McCullough.

The PDOPPS study reports on QOL metrics, including mental well-being and physical functioning, for over 7,700 dialysis patients across six countries. Key findings include:

• Mental well-being and depression levels were found to be similar between patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) and those undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD), although patients on PD reported a substantially lower burden of kidney disease.
• Over a one-year period, QOL metrics showed minimal change for most patients.
• In both HD and PD populations, individuals experiencing difficulties with basic daily tasks had lower QOL and reported a higher burden of kidney disease.
• There was a notable discrepancy between the prevalence of physician-diagnosed depression and the frequency of patient-reported symptoms consistent with depression.
• Levels of mental well-being in dialysis patients were comparable to those in individuals with stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD), but self-reported physical functioning levels were lower.

To ensure broad access to this significant research, AJKD has made the article freely accessible until September 6, 2024. You can read the full text here: AJKD Article.