#254 PaCE CKD: examining health status and financial burden in patients with chronic kidney disease: assessing the non-clinical burden of disease
Authors: Sanchez Juan Jose Garcia , Reichel Helmut , Rangaswami Janani , Esposito Ciro , Elsayed Hesham , Wu Mai-Szu , Hull Richard , Chadban Steven , Correa-Rotter Ricardo , Pentakota Surendra , West Bronwyn , Kularatne Thames , Fifer Simon 
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

There is a detrimental effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on health states, with many patients worldwide experiencing considerable symptom burden and development of comorbidities, leading to frequent medical appointments and hospitalisations. Patients experience disease-associated financial strain as their ability to work is impaired. The aim of this multinational study was to characterise the non-clinical burden of CKD by quantifying the effect of CKD on health states and productivity in patients versus general population in several regions.

Method

Patients with early (stages 1-3) to advanced (stages 4-5) of CKD, including those receiving dialysis treatment, in Germany, Mexico, Taiwan, the UK, and the US were enrolled to a cross-sectional non-interventional survey measuring:

Scores were compared with a general population cohort, matched 1:1 in sample size against patient cohorts and for demographic characteristics (e.g. age and area of residence).

Results

Across five countries, an average of 201 (range: 190–212) patients were enrolled, of whom 42% were receiving dialysis in Germany, 57% in Mexico, and 55% in the UK with smaller proportions of patients on dialysis cohorts in the US (32%) and Taiwan (15%). Haemodialysis was the most prevalent mode of dialysis in all countries, with most patients receiving dialysis in a clinic or hospital. Enrolled patients who had received a kidney transplant accounted for 11.5% on average across all countries.

Compared with general population, people with CKD experienced a 24% reduction in mean [SD] EQ-5D utility scores, with patients in the US experiencing the greatest disparity in health states (0.64 [0.27] versus 0.95 [0.08]). Patients with CKD reported significantly more problems across all EQ-5D domains in Germany, Mexico, the US, and UK than general population cohorts. The highest percentage of patients reporting problems was in Mexico, with 81.4% reporting problems in usual activities compared with 4.4% in the general population. Patients receiving dialysis reported a mean EQ-VAS value of 70.3 compared with 91.8 in non-dialysis dependent patients, indicating that treatment burden negatively contributes towards patients perception of their health. In addition to impaired health states, patients reported elevated impairment across work and non-work activities in all countries. Patients reported increased rates of absenteeism, presenteeism, work impairment and non-work activity impairment, with the greatest impairment observed in the UK of 46.4% in non-work activity impairment compared with the general population.

Conclusion

These results indicate that people with CKD experience substantial burden of disease that extends beyond its clinical aspects. Decision makers should consider broader disease effects when addressing the burden of CKD.