Cognitive and Functional Status and Dialysis Outcomes in Older Hemodialysis Patients

Dialysis outcome measures, which predict morbidity and mortality of younger patients on renal replacement therapy, such as dialysis clearance, do not correlate with survival of the elderly patients on hemodialysis. Survival of older patients on hemodialysis is significantly worse when compared to that of the younger patients. Conditions commonly affecting older adults, such as functional decline, cognitive impairment, depression and declining quality of life have not been well studied in hemodialysis population. There may be an important relationship between these measurements and outcomes in older dialysis patients. Institution of appropriate age-specific interventions could result in improved health status and mortality of older patients on hemodialysis. Our broad objective is to better understand global functioning of the elderly dialysis patients and its possible impact on dialysis outcomes in attempt to improve health care of the older patients receiving hemodialysis.