Management of anaemia and prognosis of patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis: A nationwide cohort study

Background: Clinical data supporting the target haemoglobin range in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) are scarce. This study investigated the association between haemoglobin levels and all-cause mortality in Japanese patients undergoing PD using data from a nationwide dialysis registry. Methods: A total of 4875 patients aged ≥18 years who were undergoing PD at the end of 2012 were analysed. Patients receiving combination therapy with haemodialysis or missing haemoglobin data were excluded. Haemoglobin values were categorised into six groups (<9.0, 9.0–9.9, 10.0–10.9, 11.0–11.9, 12.0–12.9 and ≥13.0 g/dL) and their association with mortality evaluated. Results: Patients’ mean age was 63 years, and 62% were men. The mean haemoglobin level was 10.7 g/dL, and 14% were anuric. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents were used in 89%. During a median follow-up of 3.5 years, 1586 patients died. Haemoglobin levels <9.0 and ≥13.0 g/dL were significantly associated with mortality, as compared with levels of 10.0–10.9 g/dL (adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 1.25 [1.06–1.48] and 1.45 [1.13–1.88], respectively). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a U-shaped association between haemoglobin levels and mortality. A haemoglobin level ≥12 g/dL was associated with mortality in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease ( p interaction = 0.023). Conclusion: We provide important insights into the target haemoglobin in patients undergoing PD. Our findings suggest that setting a lower upper limit for haemoglobin levels may be beneficial for patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.