Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34814147›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of nephrology2021

Medication Burden and Prescribing Patterns in Patients on Hemodialysis in the USA, 2013-2017.

Julie M Paik, Min Zhuo, Cassandra York, Theodore Tsacogianis, Seoyoung C Kim, Rishi J Desai

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of nephrology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Observational
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  5. Review
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  12. Prescribing patterns and medication costs in patients on maintenance haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association · 2025
    Article
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  14. Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Julie M PaikDivision of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Min ZhuoDivision of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Cassandra YorkDivision of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Theodore TsacogianisDivision of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Seoyoung C KimDivision of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Rishi J DesaiDivision of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Brigham and Women's Hospital · US

Funding

RESEARCH TRAINING IN NEPHROLOGYT32DK007199 · NIDDK · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · PI POLLAK, MARTIN R. · 1986 to 2022
$6.0M
NIDDK NIH HHS T32 DK007199
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe medication burden of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis, a patient population with a high comorbidity burden and complex care requirements, is among the highest of any of the chronic diseases. The goal of this study was to describe the medication burden and prescribing patterns in a contemporary cohort of patients with ESRD on hemodialysis in the USA.

methodsWe used the United States Renal Data System database from January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017, to quantify the medication burden of patients with ESRD on hemodialysis aged ≥18 years. We calculated the average number of prescription medications per patient during each respective year (January-December), number of medications within classes, including potentially harmful medications, and trends in the number of medications and classes over the 5-year study period.

resultsWe included a total of 163,228 to 176,133 patients from 2013 to 2017. The overall medication burden decreased slightly, from a mean of 7.4 (SD 3.8) medications in 2013 to 6.8 (SD 3.6) medications in 2017. Prescribing of potentially harmful medications decreased over time (74.0% with at least one harmful medication class in 2013-68.5% in 2017). In particular, the prescribing of non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, benzodiazepines, and opioids decreased from 2013 to 2017 (12.2%-6.3%, 23.4%-19.3%, and 60.0%-53.4%, respectively). This trend was consistent across subgroups of age, sex, race, and low-income subsidy status.

conclusionsPatients with ESRD on hemodialysis continued to have a high overall medication burden, with a slight reduction over time accompanied by a decrease in prescribing of several classes of harmful medications. Continued emphasis on assessment of appropriateness of high medication burden in patients with ESRD is needed to avoid exposure to potentially harmful or futile medications in this patient population.

Indexed as

Renal DialysisAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overDrug PrescriptionsFemaleHumansKidney Failure, ChronicMaleMiddle AgedPolypharmacyTime FactorsUnited StatesYoung AdultEnd-stage kidney diseaseEnd-stage renal diseaseHemodialysisMedication burdenPrescribing patternsUnited States Renal Data System

Identifiers

PMID34814147
PMCPMC8979193
OpenAlexW3215371942

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.