Effect of end-stage renal disease on long-term survival after a first-ever mechanical ventilation: a population-based study

Introduction: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRDPos) usually have multiple comorbidities and are predisposed to acute organ failure and in-hospital mortality. We assessed the effect of ESRD on the poorly understood long-term mortality risk after a first-ever mechanical ventilation (1-MV) for acute respiratory failure. Methods: The data source was Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database. All patients given a 1-MV between 1999 and 2008 from one million randomly selected NHI beneficiaries were identified (n = 38,659). Patients with or without ESRD (ESRDNeg) after a 1-MV between 1999 and 2008 were retrospectively compared and followed from the index admission date to death or the end of 2011. ESRDPos patients (n = 1185; mean age: 65.9 years; men: 51.5 %) were individually matched to ESRDNeg patients (ratio: 1: 8) using a propensity score method. The primary outcome was death after a 1-MV. The effect of ESRD on the risk of death after MV was assessed. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to assess how ESRD affected the mortality risk after a 1-MV. Results: The baseline characteristics of the two cohorts were balanced, but the incidence of mortality was higher in ESRDPos patients than in ESRDNeg patients (342.30 versus 179.67 per 1000 person-years; P < 0.001; covariate-adjusted hazard ratio: 1.43; 95 % confidence interval: 1.31-1.51). For patients who survived until discharge, ESRD was not associated with long-term (>4 years) mortality. Conclusions: ESRD increased the mortality risk after a 1-MV, but long-term survival seemed similar.