Dialyzing women and men: does it matter? An observational study

Abstract

BackgroundApplication and consequences of hemodialysis treatment may differ between genders; focusing on these differences may be useful to optimize outcomes.MethodsData from 1 999 648 hemodialysis sessions performed in 10 984 (3316 incident and 7668 prevalent) patients, treated in 55 centers of the European Clinical Database (EuCliD)–Turkey, were analyzed, and various demographic, clinical, biochemical, therapeutic and prognostic parameters were compared.ResultsThere were 1905 male and 1411 female incident and 4339 male and 3329 female prevalent patients. For females, the mean age in incident (61.8 ± 14.9 years) and prevalent (58.3 ± 15.2 years) patients was higher than for males (60.2 ± 14.8 and 56.5 ± 14.9 years, respectively) (P < 0.001 for both analyses). Also, body mass index was higher, while the hemoglobin level, and the percentage of interdialytic weight gain and arteriovenous fistula were lower. Serum phosphorus was similar in both genders in incident cases, while it was lower in prevalent female patients. Serum parathyroid hormone levels were lower in incident, but higher in prevalent male cases. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and vitamin D preparations were more frequently used in female incident and prevalent patients. Hospitalization was more frequent in prevalent females, while it did not differ significantly in the incident cases. Overall, no significant difference was observed in survival rates at 3 years in both incident and prevalent male and female patients.ConclusionsMany parameters differ significantly between female and male dialysis patients. Considering the effects of sex on several parameters may be a valuable approach for achieving better outcomes when formulating treatment strategies in this patient population.

Association of Dose and Frequency on the Survival of Patients on Maintenance of Hemodialysis in China: A Kaplan-Meier and Cox-Proportional Hazard Model Analysis

“…Similar findings were seen in a study in which females are found to have a greater risk of death [ 17 ] with an adjusted risk odds ratio of 3.9, and this difference remained significant in a multivariate analysis [ 18 ]. This is in contrast with findings that demonstrated no significant difference for survival between dialyzing women and men [ 19 , 20 ]. The results of our observational study revealed discrimination in the dialysis of men and women.…”

Gender Effect on Some Blood Parameters in Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis in North Western Algeria

“…There is controversy over the association of gender with the mineral parameters in patients with chronic kidney disease. In contrast to our study, Artan et al (2016) reported that control of serum phosphorus was better in women compared to men [4]. The main reasons are probably the efficiency of dialysis, which results in greater phosphorus clearance, compliance with a strict diet and/or better adhesion to phosphate binders [4].…”

“…However, when kidney failure becomes chronic, through gradual progression -over a period of weeks, months or years -the kidneys slowly stop functioning, there is a terminal kidney disease [3]. An adequate treatment protocol must take into account gender differences, since not only demographic characteristics, but also many clinical, laboratory and therapeutic parameters can affect morbidity and mortality and differ considerably between the two genders [4].…”

Effect of long period treatment with erythropoiesis stimulating agents on clinically and laboratory parameters in hemodialysis autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients

“…In our study non-ESA patients presented with higher IBWG values. IBWG was increased in men more than it was in women (22), and since our non-ESA group had a higher ratio of men it might explain the difference.…”