Sex disparities in the utilization of nurse-assisted peritoneal dialysis: a mediation analysis using data from the REIN registry

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background This study was carried out to evaluate the association between patient sex and the proportion of nurse-assisted peritoneal dialysis (PD) at dialysis initiation and to explore whether sex disparities in nurse-assisted PD utilization was explained by predialysis care and/or by social deprivation using mediation analysis. Methods This was a retrospective study using data from the Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) registry linked to the French National Healthcare Database (SNDS) of incident patients between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2018. A regression logistic was used for statistical analysis. A mediation analysis explored the direct effect of sex on nurse-assisted PD proportion and the indirect effect through the European Deprivation Index (EDI), and the number of general practitioner (GP) and nephrologist visits before dialysis initiation. Results Among 1706 patients on PD, there were 637 women (37.3%) and 1069 men (62.7%). Nurse-assisted PD proportion was 332/610 (54.4%) for women vs 464/1036 (44.8%) for men. In the multivariable analysis women were more likely to be treated by nurse-assisted PD {odds ratio (OR) 1.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46–2.52]}. Nurse-assisted PD was associated with the median number of GP visits [OR 1.44 (95% CI 1.11–1.86)] and with the median number of nephrologist visits [OR 0.59 (95% CI 0.46–0.76)]. The mediation analysis showed a direct effect of sex on nurse-assisted PD [OR 1.90 (95% CI 1.80–2.01)] and an indirect effect through the median number of GP visits [OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.04–1.06], the median number of nephrologist visits [OR 1.02 (95% CI 1.02–1.03)] and quintile 5 of the EDI [OR 1.03 (95% CI 1.02–1.03)]. Conclusion Women were more frequently treated by nurse-assisted PD than men. Differences between women and men in predialysis care and social deprivation could explain the greater utilization of nurse-assisted PD among women.