#1476 Impact of frailty on maturation of native arteriovenous fistula in patients with end-stage kidney disease
Authors: Delgado Sara Núñez , Ruiz Pilar , Cabrera Cristina , Rodriguez Neus , Rap Oana , Ibernón Meritxell , Tango Ariel , Navarro Maru , Fontecha Benito , Escuredo Ana Sánchez 
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

Morbimortality and quality of life in hemodialysis patients is directly related to the reliability and integrity of the vascular access. Current guidelines recommend a shift from a "fistula first" approach to a patient-centered approach due to the aging dialysis population. Frailty, defined as vulnerability to adverse health states due to impaired functional status, comorbidities and psychosocial factors, conditions a worse outcome of patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) undergoing dialysis. Our aim was to assess frailty status before the performance of native arteriovenous fistulas (nAVF) as a predictor of failure to mature.

Method

Retrospective analysis of ESKD clinic patients who underwent a first nAVF between 2020-2022 and had undergone a frailty assessment before the surgery. The Frail-VIG index, evaluating frailty through deficit accumulation (scored from 0 to 1), vas employed. Patients were categorized as either non-frail (NF-ESKD: Frail-VIG &lt; 0.2) or frail (F-ESKD: Frail-VIG ≥ 0.2). the study evaluated early nAVF and recorded the first ultrasound maturation values 4 weeks after surgery.

Results

Throughout the study period, 180 patients underwent a first nAVF, 57 (31.6%) having undergone a prior frailty assessment. 27 (47.4%) patients were classified as NF-ESKD, 30 (52.6%) as F-ESKD (23 mild, 6 moderate and 1 severe frailty). In the descriptive analysis, no differences in age, sex, toxic habits, CKD etiology or medical conditions were observed between the two groups (Table 1). Regarding surgical technique, there were no differences in nAVF location and laterality between the two groups (Table 1). F-ESKD patients had a higher primary fistula failure, defined as no flow prior to the first ultrasound evaluation (36.7% vs. 3.8%; p=0.002). In patients with an initial ultrasound evaluation, the F-ESKD group had lower arterial flow (1020.76 ± 589.42 vs. 1455.56 ± 679.78 ml/min; p=0.027) and smaller fistula diameter (4.52 ± 1.51 vs. 6.4 ± 1.61 mm; p=0.018).

Maturation was assessed after the first ultrasound evaluation, defined as the presence of an arterial flow greater than 500 ml/min and a diameter greater than 4 mm. A higher proportion of frail patients (88.9% vs. 33.11%; p = 0.004), a lower capacity to perform instrumental activities measured by Lawton Brody index (4.63 ± 2.2 vs. 6.55 ± 2.2; p = 0.034) and a higher percentage of diabetic patients (88.89% vs. 48.48%; p = 0.033) were found in nAVF that had not reached ultrasound-guided maturity (Table 2). In a multivariate analysis adjusted for functional status, type of vascular access and comorbidities, the presence of frailty conferred a higher risk of fistula non-maturation (OR 11.42 95%CI 1.005 - 128.74; p = 0.049).

Conclusion

The prevalence of frailty is notable among in ESKD patients and contributes to a higher rate of failure in native nAVF. Within this population, adopting an individual approach to the selection of a definitive vascular access may prove both feasible and beneficial in ensuring optimal dialysis access.