Background Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) is a growing PD modality but as with other home dialysis methods, the lack of monitoring of patients’ adherence to prescriptions is a limitation with potential negative impact on clinical outcome parameters. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) allowing the clinical team to have access to dialysis data and adjust the treatment may overcome this limitation. The present study sought to determine clinical outcomes associated with RPM use in incident patients on APD therapy. Methods A retrospective cohort study included 360 patients with a mean age of 57 years (diabetes 42.5%) initiating APD between 1 October 2016 and 30 June 2017 in 28 Baxter Renal Care Services (BRCS) units in Colombia. An RPM program was used in 65 (18%) of the patients (APD-RPM cohort), and 295 (82%) were treated with APD without RPM. Hospitalizations and hospital days were recorded over 1 year. Propensity score matching 1:1, yielding 63 individuals in each group, was used to evaluate the association of RPM exposure with numbers of hospitalizations and hospital days. Results After propensity score matching, APD therapy with RPM ( n = 63) compared with APD-without RPM ( n = 63) was associated with significant reductions in hospitalization rate (0.36 fewer hospitalizations per patient-year; incidence rate ratio [IRR] of 0.61 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 – 0.95]; p = 0.029) and hospitalization days (6.57 fewer days per patient-year; IRR 0.46 [95% CI 0.23 – 0.92]; p = 0.028). Conclusions The use of RPM in APD patients is associated with lower hospitalization rates and fewer hospitalization days; RPM could constitute a tool for improvement of APD therapy.

Background: Remote monitoring technology that is specifically designed to be integrated into automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) systems gives both patients and their clinical team a powerful tool that can enhance communication, potentially improve adherence to the treatment, optimize fluid balance, and address potential complications of therapy in near real time. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the implementation and early stages of an APD remote monitoring program as well as some early outcomes associated with this program. Methods: A cross-sectional study in incident and prevalent APD patients older than 18 years, who utilized remote monitoring and was enrolled to Renal Therapy Services Colombia network during the period from January 1 to December 31, 2017. For the analysis, we used descriptive statistics. Results: A program was implemented to provide training in the operation of both the device and the remote monitoring platform. Monitoring indicators were identified for the remote monitoring program to improve the safety and quality of the treatment; these indicators refer to characteristics of the APD prescription, adherence to the APD prescription, and blood pressure control. The adherence to APD treatment was 90.1%. Conclusions: A remote monitoring program for APD patients may be easily and efficiently implemented in health-care settings and may become a useful tool for the continuous improvement of the therapy through the development and monitoring of key clinical indicators.

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<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> A new generation of hemodialysis (HD) membranes called medium cut-off (MCO) membranes possesses enhanced capacities for middle molecule clearance, which have been associated with adverse outcomes in this population. These improvements could potentially positively impact patient-reported outcomes (PROs). <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of MCO membranes on PROs in a cohort of HD patients in Colombia. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This was a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study of 992 patients from 12 renal clinics in Colombia who were switched from high-flux HD to MCO therapy and observed for 12 months. Changes in Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36-Item Short Form Survey (KDQoL-SF36) domains, Dialysis Symptom Index (DSI), and restless legs syndrome (RLS) 12 months after switching to MCO membranes were compared with time on high-flux membranes. Repeated measures of ANOVA were used to evaluate changes in KDQoL-SF36 scores; severity scoring was used to assess DSI changes over time; Cochran’s Q test was used to evaluate changes in frequency of diagnostic criteria of RLS. <b><i>Results:</i></b> During 12 months of follow-up, 3 of 5 KDQoL-SF36 domains improved compared with baseline: symptoms (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001), effects of kidney disease (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001), and burden of kidney disease (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The proportion of patients diagnosed with RLS significantly decreased from 22.1% at baseline to 10% at 12 months (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001). No significant differences in the number of symptoms (DSI, <i>p =</i> 0.1) were observed, although their severity decreased (<i>p</i> = 0.009). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> In conventional HD patients, the expanded clearance of large middle molecules with MCO-HD membranes was associated with higher health-related quality of life scores and a decrease in the prevalence of RLS.

Background: The benefits of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) have been established, but patient adherence to treatment remains a concern. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs are a potential solution; however, the cost implications are not well established. This study modeled, from the payer perspective, expected net costs and clinical consequences of a novel RPM program in Colombia. Methods: Amarkov model was used to project costs and clinical outcomes for APD patients with and without RPM. Clinical inputs were directly estimated from Renal Care Services data or taken from the literature. Dialysis costs were estimated from national fees. Inpatient costs were obtained from a recent Colombian study. The model projected overall direct costs and several clinical outcomes. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (DSA and PSA) were also conducted to characterize uncertainty in the results. Results: The model projected that the implementation of an RPM program costing US$35 per month in a cohort of 100 APD patients over 1 year would save US$121,233. The model also projected 31 additional months free of complications, 27 fewer hospitalizations, 518 fewer hospitalization days, and 6 fewer peritonitis episodes. In the DSA, results were most sensitive to hospitalization rates and days of hospitalization, but cost savings were robust. The PSA found there was a 91% chance for the RPM program to be cost saving. Conclusion: The results of the model suggest that RPM is cost-effective in APD patients which should be verified by a rigorous prospective cost analysis.