Shorter dialysis session length was not associated with lower mental health and physical functioning in elderly hemodialysis patients: Results from the Japan Dialysis Outcome and Practice Patterns Study (J-DOPPS).

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is often prioritized over long-term survival in elderly patients. Although a longer dialysis session length (DSL) has been shown to reduce mortality, its effects on improving the HRQOL are unknown.

METHODS: Using data from the Japan Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (J-DOPPS), patients aged ≥ 65 years on maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled. DSL was categorized as short (<210 minutes), medium (210-240 minutes), or long (>240 minutes). The primary outcomes were changes in mental health (ΔMH) and physical functioning (ΔPF) scores assessed using the Japanese version of SF-12, in one year. The differences in the ΔMH and ΔPF among the three groups were assessed via regression (beta) coefficients derived using a linear regression model.

RESULTS: Of 1,187 patients at baseline, 319 (26.9%) had a short length, 686 (57.8%) a medium length, and 182 (15.3%) a long length. We assessed the ΔMH data from 793 patients and the ΔPF data from 738. No significant differences in the ΔMH were noted for the short or long groups compared with the medium group (score difference: 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -4.17 to 4.69 for short; score difference: -1.15, 95% CI: -6.17 to 3.86 for long). Similarly, no significant differences were noted for these groups versus the medium group in ΔPF either (score difference: -1.43, 95% CI: -6.73 to 3.87 for short; score difference: -1.71, 95% CI: -7.63 to 4.22 for long).

CONCLUSIONS: A shorter DSL might have no adverse effects on MH or PF for elderly patients.