TY - JOUR T1 - Dialysis withdrawal: end of life and advanced care plans JF - BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care JO - BMJ Support Palliat Care DO - 10.1136/bmjspcare-2019-002118 SP - bmjspcare-2019-002118 AU - Joanna Prentice AU - Lucy Hetherington AU - Mark Findlay AU - Tara Collidge Y1 - 2020/02/11 UR - http://spcare.bmj.com/content/early/2020/02/11/bmjspcare-2019-002118.abstract N2 - Withdrawal of dialysis was the second most common cause of death recorded for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in Scotland in 2017; 23% of all deaths.1 In those ≥75 years, this rises to 28%; withdrawal and cardiovascular disease the equal primary causes.1 With an ageing population and more older patients on RRT, considerations around dialysis withdrawal are of increasing importance.1There is a mean survival of 7.4 (range, 0–40) days once dialysis is withdrawn.2 Successful advanced care planning (ACP) improves end-of-life care (EOLC), the likelihood of dying in their preferred place of death (PPOD) and reduces psychological impact on the surviving carers.3 The degree to which ACP is initiated in this population is unknown which prompted this work.We did a retrospective analysis of adults receiving dialysis for end-stage renal disease. They were identified by the electronic patient record (EPR) (Strathclyde Electronic Renal Patient Record (SERPR), Vitalpulse, UK) in combination with the Greater Glasgow and Clyde electronic records (GGCER). Using SERPR, we identified deaths after dialysis withdrawal over 19 months (2015–2017). All data were anonymised. … ER -