| Theme |
Individualized treatment and care for elderly dialysis patients |
| Title |
Epidemiological studies of elderly dialysis patients in Japan |
| Author |
Shigeru Nakai |
Faculty of Clinical Engineering, School of Health Science, Fujita Health University |
| [ Summary ] |
Epidemiological studies of elderly dialysis patients in Japan were reviewed on the basis of data obtained from a statistical survey conducted by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy. Dialysis patients aged 65 years or older accounted for 59.8 % of the entire dialysis patient population at the end of 2012. The number of these patients will continue to increase in the future. The life expectancy of all dialysis patients was approximately half that of the general population, regardless of gender or age. The difference in survival rate was small among elderly dialysis patients with different primary diseases causing renal failure. The percentages of elderly patients who died of cardiac failure, infectious diseases, or cachexia were higher than those of younger patients, whereas the percentages of elderly patients who died of cerebrovascular disorders and potassium poisoning were lower than those of younger patients. The percentage of dialysis patients who rapidly developed dementia increased for patients aged 60 or older. The percentage of patients with low activity levels increased with age. |