Self-care in preserving the vascular network: old problem, new challenge for the medical staff

Teaching/educating patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and identifying their self-care behaviors for vascular network preservation are very important. However, the self-care behaviors regularly performed by patients are still unknown. We compared self-care behaviors for vascular network preservation performed by patients who are/are not followed-up by the nephrologist. The study design was a prospective, observational and comparative study. Inclusion criteria were as follows: ESRD patients (at stages 4 or 5); at least 18 years old; in pre-dialysis with at least a 6-month follow-up period by the nephrologist or who started dialysis in emergency and were not followed-up by the nephrologist; with no memory problems; and medically stable. Primary outcome was the frequency of self-care behaviors for vascular network preservation. Secondary outcome was the comparison between self-care behaviors by ESRD patients who were/were not followed-up by the nephrologist. The study involved 145 patients, 64.1% were female, the mean age was 69.5 years and the self-care behaviors mean score was 36.8% (with a SD of 39.8%). The number of patients followed-up and not followed-up by the nephrologist was 109 (group 1) and 36 (group 2), respectively. Social characteristics were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). The mean self-care behaviors were 29.4% and 59.2% in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = 0.000). Patients performed self-care behaviors for vascular network preservation with a relatively low frequency (the mean score was 36.8% only). Patients not followed by the nephrologist performed self-care behaviors more often than those who were followed (59.2% vs. 29.4% respectively, P = 0.000).