Abstract
Introduction:
Hemodialysis catheter malfunction is problematic. We aimed to determine clinical, catheter, and hemodialysis variables that predict: (i) catheter malfunction requiring recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (TPA) treatment and (ii) the success of TPA administration.
Methods:
Clinical, catheter, and hemodialysis variables were collected from a cohort of 559 catheters (141,526 catheter days) in 175 hemodialysis patients (2008-2011). Time to, and predictors of, catheter malfunction were determined for all catheters and primary catheters only, analyzed by Cox-proportional hazard model, multi-variable logistic regression model, and mixed-effect logistic regression models. Success of TPA use was determined immediately, next day, and two weeks after use.
Results:
Shorter time to first TPA administration in all patient’s catheters was associated with increased body mass index (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.06, 1.01-1.11, p = 0.03) and being of black race (HR = 3.05, 1.65-5.67, p<0.01). Primary TPA administration success at two weeks among primary catheters was associated with increased mean peak venous pressure before TPA administration (odds ratio [OR] = 1.03, 1.01-1.06, p<0.01) and decreased mean of the lowest systolic blood pressure measure for the three dialysis sessions prior to TPA administration (OR = 0.95, 0.91-0.99, p = 0.02). TPA administration success at two weeks among all catheters was associated with decreasing body mass index (OR = 0.84, CI 0.73-0.96, p = 0.01) and having diabetes (OR = 7.19, 1.40-36.81, p = 0.02).
Conclusions:
Both patient and dialysis predictors of TPA use and success were identified in this study, which may be useful for fine-tuning catheter management protocols to target hemodialysis patients at high risk of catheter malfunction.
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