Effect of early nephrology referral on the mortality of dialysis patients in Israel.

BACKGROUND Late nephrology referral, before initiation of dialysis treatment, is associated with adverse outcome. OBJECTIVES To investigate the implications of late nephrology referral on mortality among dialysis patients in Israel. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 200 incident dialysis patients. Patients were defined as late referrals if they started dialysis less than 3 months after their first nephrology consultation. Survival rates and risk factors for mortality were analyzed RESULTS The early referral (ER) group comprised 118 patients (59%) and the late referral (LR) group 82 patients (41%). The mortality rate was 44.5% (53 patients) in the ER and 68% (n = 56) in the LR group. The 4 year survival rate was 41.1% in the ER and 18.7% in the LR group (P < 0.0001). The mortality rate increased with late nephrology referral (HR 1.873, 95% CI 1.133-3.094), with age (HR 1.043 for each year, 95% CI 1.018-1.068), with diabetes (HR 2.399, CI 1.369-4.202), and with serum albumin level (HR 0.359 for an increase of each 1 g/dl, 95% CI 0.242-0.533). The median survival time was higher for the ER group in women, in patients younger than 70, and in diabetic patients. A trend for longer survival time was found in non-diabetic patients. Survival time was not increased in early referred patients older than 70 and in male patients. CONCLUSIONS Late nephrology referral is associated with an overall higher mortality rate in dialysis patients. The survival advantage of early referral may have a different significance in specific subgroups. The timing of nephrology referral should be considered as a modifiable risk factor for mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease.