Impact of Dialysis Modality on Mortality and Complications in Cardiovascular Surgery: Insights from a National Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

Background: Patients receiving maintenance dialysis face high mortality and complication rates following cardiovascular (CV) surgery. With the growing utilization of peritoneal dialysis (PD), it is important to understand the impact of modality (PD vs. center-based hemodialysis [HD]) on outcomes following CV surgery.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2020) to compare outcomes of PD and HD patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and surgical valve procedures. Multivariable logistic regression, negative binomial regression, and linear regression models were used, adjusting for demographic factors, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included prolonged ventilation, length of stay, and hospital charges.

Results: A total of 30,155 patients were included in the study, with 28,015 (92.9%) receiving HD and 2,140 (7.1%) receiving PD. Compared to HD, PD was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38-0.97), reduced prolonged ventilation (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.81), shorter length of stay (IRR 0.85, 95% CI 0.80-0.91), and decreased hospital charges (mean difference -$87,172 USD, 95% CI -$113,523 to -$60,820) compared to HD. Among PD patients, post-operative transition to HD was associated with worse outcomes.

Conclusions: Maintaining PD during the perioperative period may confer benefits over HD, including lower hospital charges and improved patient outcomes. Careful consideration of dialysis modality in the management of CV surgery patients is needed to optimize clinical outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.