Must Patients over 65 Be Haemodialysed?

A study of the results of 26 end stage renal failure patients, who commenced regular haemodialysis treatment from the age of 65 onwards (65-85) and who have been undergoing this treatment for periods ranging from 7 years to 3 months finds no significant differences between both groups.

Abstract

This manuscript consists of a study of the results of 26 end stage renal failure (ESRF) patients, who commenced regular haemodialysis treatment (RHDT) from the age of 65 onwards (65-85) and who have been undergoing this treatment for periods ranging from 7 years to 3 months. These results are to be compared with those obtained from another group of 26 patients whose age ranged between 40 and 55 and who were treated with the same policy. The following parameters are compared: mortality, morbidity, life-style, cardiovascular situation, hypotension in haemodialysis, vascular access, anaemia, osteoarticular and peripheral nervous disorders, hypertension. We have not found any significant differences between both groups, besides a higher morbidity for patients over 65. Therefore, we recommend the inclusion of the older patients into RHDT programmes.