WellBound, the first
company focused exclusively on supporting the full spectrum of self-care
dialysis therapies, today announced results of a study supporting increased
adoption of self-care dialysis therapies. Findings from the study
demonstrated that a large number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients
chose a home-based therapy over traditional in-center hemodialysis when
provided with early education on all therapy options. These findings, which
are consistent with the results of a similar study previously conducted by
WellBound, were presented today at the Annual Dialysis Conference in
Denver, Colorado.
Researchers analyzed the dialysis therapy selections of 986 patients
with stage 4 CKD after they received early education on all available
treatment options, including conventional in-center hemodialysis (HD),
peritoneal dialysis (either CAPD or CCPD), renal transplant, and various
home hemodialysis regimens. Results showed that 45.8% of these patients
selected a self-care (home) therapy. Of these 452 patients who chose a
self-care therapy, 358 (79.2%) selected peritoneal dialysis and 94 (20.8%)
selected home hemodialysis. Nationally, only about 7% of all new dialysis
patients select home dialysis as their therapy choice.
"Our ongoing research into the area of patients' dialysis therapy
selections continues to support the position that a large number of
patients will select a self-care treatment if they are fully educated on
all therapy options in advance of needing dialysis and given a treatment
choice," said John Moran, M.D., WellBound's chief medical officer and a
leading expert on self-care dialysis. "At the same time, we are seeing an
increase in the acceptance of self-care therapies within the industry,
providing more and more patients access to the clinical, quality of life
and convenience benefits associated with these treatments."
In two separate studies also presented today at the Annual Dialysis
Conference, WellBound reported that:
-- Patients who switched from short daily home hemodialysis (three hours
per day; six days per week) to nocturnal home hemodialysis (eight hours
per day; six days per week) reported significant improvements in
restless legs (a common problem in dialysis patients), energy and
activity levels, and the ability to work and exercise. The same
patients unanimously reported an improvement in their overall quality
of life with the ability to pursue a "normal" lifestyle being the
greatest benefit.
-- Patients who dialyze six times each week require significantly lower
doses of erythropoietin (EPO) to maintain healthy hemoglobin levels
when compared to patients who dialyze every other day.
"The results of these two important studies further validate the
concept that longer and more frequent dialysis therapy provides patients
significant clinical and quality of life benefits," stated Dr. Moran. "As
interest in, and adoption of, self-care dialysis continues to increase, it
is critical that we conduct studies such as these in order to compare and
contrast the benefits of individual self-care therapy options and regimens.
We hope that these findings will provide important points of consideration
for the time when therapy selections are made."
About Self-Care Dialysis
The term self-care dialysis refers to those dialysis therapies which
patients are able to self-administer outside the confines of hemodialysis
centers, including peritoneal dialysis and all types of home hemodialysis.
A growing collection of clinical research clearly demonstrates that the
more frequent, more consistent dialysis associated with self-care provides
patients with improved health outcomes such as improved mortality rates,
reduced hospitalizations and improved cognitive function. Home dialysis
also offers significant quality of life advantages including greater
convenience, more flexible schedules, and fewer fluid and dietary
restrictions.
About WellBound
Founded in 2003, WellBound is an affiliate of dialysis industry leader
Satellite Healthcare. As the first company focused exclusively on the full
continuum of self-care dialysis options, WellBound frees chronic kidney
disease (CKD) patients from in-center dialysis treatment regimens by
offering multiple, state-of-the-art "self-care" treatment options. The
company's unique expertise in personalized self-care training and patient
wellness facilitates a higher quality of life and improved clinical
outcomes for CKD patients, while enabling physicians to offer a new,
superior level of care.
WellBound
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