Situation, most likely increasing morbidity, mortality and the cost of RRT [21,30?1]. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of type of referral, dialysis start and modality choice on RRT described in Eastern Europe. Over the past several years, interest has evolved in evaluating the timing of nephrology referral in the predialytic stage of CKD as an important variable related to prognosis. Late referral to predialysis care and its quality may influence the selection of dialysis modality as well as the timing and planning of dialysis start [19,23,30?4]. The definition of the time TAK-385 site factor “late” is somewhat arbitrary and varies in the literature, ranging from less than 1 month to less than 6 months follow-up before RRT is started. Early referral to ICS was defined as at least a 3-month follow-up within the clinics’ care before starting RRT. However, at least one year is usually required to educate and optimize the preparation for RRT [13,32?4]. There are wide differences between different centers and countries in late referrals [35?6]. In Spain, Italy and France, data show that 20?5 of patients experienced late referrals, while higher figures are reported for other countries [36?42]. The relatively low involvement of nephrologists since initiation of CKD follow-up (48 ) compared with other series [23] may partially explain the high level of late referral. Late referral may deprive the patient from treatment to prevent or delay CKD progression and access to kidney transplantation, and inevitably lowers the possibility of receiving education, as well as choice options [11,32,43]. Numerous factors may be involved in a NP start, although some are unpredictable and others unacceptable/undesirable: asymptomatic renal disease (unpredictable), inadequate diagnosis or treatment of CKD (unacceptable), unexpected rapid deterioration of renal function, socio-economic reasons, patients reluctant to initiate dialysis or whose physicians underestimate the potential benefits of dialysis, long waiting lists to attend a predialysis care unit (unacceptable), waiting list for performing RP54476 chemical information Vascular access (unacceptable or undesirable) and others [23,41?4]. To our knowledge only one earlier study has covered the real reasons behind anPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0155987 May 26,8 /Referral, Modality and Dialysis Start in an International SettingTable 5. Clinical characteristics according to initial RRT modality. Population n Group: n ( ) ER+P ER+NP LR+P LR+NP Gender, Male, n ( ) Age at dialysis start < 35 years, n ( ) 35?0 years, n ( ) 51?5 years, n ( ) 66?5 years, n ( ) > 75 years, n ( ) Cause of ESRD Diabetes mellitus, n ( ) Glomerular, n ( ) Inherited, n ( ) Unknown, n ( ) Others, n ( ) Tubulo-interstitial, n ( ) Vascular, n ( ) Followed at initiation of CKD care by Nephrologist, n ( ) Time since initiation of CKD care to dialysis start (m.) Patient followed in predialysis (GFR<30 ml/min), n ( ) Patient followed by specialized predialysis staff, n ( ) Patient educated in modalities, n ( ) 162 (30) 64 (12) 26 (4) 52 (9) 56 (10) 62 (11) 125 (23) 264 (48) 12.3 (0.3?5) 332 (60) 160 (29) 436 (80) 143 (29) 52 (11) 21 (4) 49 (10) 51 (10) 57 (12) 115 (24) 230 (47) 12.8 (0.26?8) 288 (59) 145 (30) 382 (78) 19 (32) 12 (20) 5 (8) 3 (5) 5 (8) 5 (8) 10 (17) 34 (58) 10.0 (0.3?9) 44 (75) 15 (25) 54 (92) 0.02 0.54 0.02 0.13 0.45 0.18 21 (4) 66 (12) 186 (34) 127 (23) 147 (27) 16 (4) 48 (10) 166 (34) 119 (24) 139 (28) 5 (8) 18 (30) 20 (34) 8 (14) 8 (14) <0.001 16.Situation, most likely increasing morbidity, mortality and the cost of RRT [21,30?1]. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of type of referral, dialysis start and modality choice on RRT described in Eastern Europe. Over the past several years, interest has evolved in evaluating the timing of nephrology referral in the predialytic stage of CKD as an important variable related to prognosis. Late referral to predialysis care and its quality may influence the selection of dialysis modality as well as the timing and planning of dialysis start [19,23,30?4]. The definition of the time factor "late" is somewhat arbitrary and varies in the literature, ranging from less than 1 month to less than 6 months follow-up before RRT is started. Early referral to ICS was defined as at least a 3-month follow-up within the clinics' care before starting RRT. However, at least one year is usually required to educate and optimize the preparation for RRT [13,32?4]. There are wide differences between different centers and countries in late referrals [35?6]. In Spain, Italy and France, data show that 20?5 of patients experienced late referrals, while higher figures are reported for other countries [36?42]. The relatively low involvement of nephrologists since initiation of CKD follow-up (48 ) compared with other series [23] may partially explain the high level of late referral. Late referral may deprive the patient from treatment to prevent or delay CKD progression and access to kidney transplantation, and inevitably lowers the possibility of receiving education, as well as choice options [11,32,43]. Numerous factors may be involved in a NP start, although some are unpredictable and others unacceptable/undesirable: asymptomatic renal disease (unpredictable), inadequate diagnosis or treatment of CKD (unacceptable), unexpected rapid deterioration of renal function, socio-economic reasons, patients reluctant to initiate dialysis or whose physicians underestimate the potential benefits of dialysis, long waiting lists to attend a predialysis care unit (unacceptable), waiting list for performing vascular access (unacceptable or undesirable) and others [23,41?4]. To our knowledge only one earlier study has covered the real reasons behind anPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0155987 May 26,8 /Referral, Modality and Dialysis Start in an International SettingTable 5. Clinical characteristics according to initial RRT modality. Population n Group: n ( ) ER+P ER+NP LR+P LR+NP Gender, Male, n ( ) Age at dialysis start < 35 years, n ( ) 35?0 years, n ( ) 51?5 years, n ( ) 66?5 years, n ( ) > 75 years, n ( ) Cause of ESRD Diabetes mellitus, n ( ) Glomerular, n ( ) Inherited, n ( ) Unknown, n ( ) Others, n ( ) Tubulo-interstitial, n ( ) Vascular, n ( ) Followed at initiation of CKD care by Nephrologist, n ( ) Time since initiation of CKD care to dialysis start (m.) Patient followed in predialysis (GFR<30 ml/min), n ( ) Patient followed by specialized predialysis staff, n ( ) Patient educated in modalities, n ( ) 162 (30) 64 (12) 26 (4) 52 (9) 56 (10) 62 (11) 125 (23) 264 (48) 12.3 (0.3?5) 332 (60) 160 (29) 436 (80) 143 (29) 52 (11) 21 (4) 49 (10) 51 (10) 57 (12) 115 (24) 230 (47) 12.8 (0.26?8) 288 (59) 145 (30) 382 (78) 19 (32) 12 (20) 5 (8) 3 (5) 5 (8) 5 (8) 10 (17) 34 (58) 10.0 (0.3?9) 44 (75) 15 (25) 54 (92) 0.02 0.54 0.02 0.13 0.45 0.18 21 (4) 66 (12) 186 (34) 127 (23) 147 (27) 16 (4) 48 (10) 166 (34) 119 (24) 139 (28) 5 (8) 18 (30) 20 (34) 8 (14) 8 (14) <0.001 16.
