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Survival rates varied widely between centres, ranging from 55 percent to 100 percent. However, after accounting for centre and patient characteristics, the range narrowed to between 83 percent and 97 percent
A recent study published in The Lancet Regional Health, Southeast Asia has shed light on the mortality rates among patients undergoing dialysis for chronic kidney disease in India.
The study, the largest of its kind in India, offered insights into dialysis outcomes after analysing data from 23,601 patients. It found a 71 percent survival rate after six months of dialysis treatment.
Survival rates varied widely between centres, ranging from 55 percent to 100 percent. However, after accounting for centre and patient characteristics, the range narrowed to between 83 percent and 97 percent.
According to these findings, almost three out of every ten patients succumb within a year of starting dialysis treatment. If one is to draw a comparison, it is twice the mortality rate seen in high-income countries, reports citing the study pointed out.
The nationwide assessment, involving 193 private dialysis clinics, discovered that survival rates at six months varied between 83 percent and 97 percent. Rural clinics showed a mortality rate about 32 percent higher compared to urban clinics.
Dr. Vivekanand Jha, the executive director at The George Institute for Global Health in New Delhi and one of the study’s authors said, “Access to dialysis has no doubt increased in India over the years but there is no national benchmark yet for survival on dialysis.” He added, “We need research to understand better which patients are likely to have bad outcomes.”
The analysis of over 23,600 patient records revealed lower mortality rates among patients with higher education and household incomes, as well as those receiving free dialysis compared to those who had to pay out of pocket.
Socio-economic factors likely play a role, as patients who had to cover the cost of dialysis might have struggled to afford complementary medical management and medications, potentially leading to higher mortality rates.
(With inputs from agencies)
