The DOPPS Research Approach

Our Approach

General Information and Objectives

A Study of Practice Patterns and Outcomes

The DOPPS is a prospective cohort study based on the collection of observational longitudinal data for a random sample of patients from a representative and random sample of units in 12 countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States). In view of differences in patient outcomes of mortality and morbidity by country and by dialysis unit, it is hypothesized that:

Differences in practice patterns correlate with outcome differences
Understanding the factors associated with patient outcomes will lead to improved patient care and lower mortality and morbidity

Practice Patterns

Practice Patterns refer to the general range of treatment options faced by dialysis units. Examples of practice patterns that may be related to outcomes include: staffing ratios and composition, size of unit, vascular access creation and salvage policies, dialyser reuse and methods of delivering dialysis.

Outcomes

Outcomes refers to a variety of patient events that are associated with human and economic consequences. Important outcomes include: mortality, hospital admission, vascular access failure, quality of life, and development of new medical conditions.

What is Unique About the DOPPS

Longitudinal

The DOPPS is longitudinal and will collect information on units and patients in twelve countries using a common protocol over time. With a focus on the full range of unit practice patterns that may relate to clinically important outcomes, the outcomes measures will be adjusted for patient comorbidities and adjusted to a greater extent than previously possible in other studies.

International

The international scope of the DOPPS provides greater variability in practice patterns and outcomes than can be observed in one country. This increased variation along with the study's large sample size leads to a greatly enhanced ability to understand the relationships between various treatment effects and patient outcomes.

The efforts of the DOPPS to obtain a representative, random sample of facilities and patients within each country allows for practice patterns within a participating country to be described.