The DOPPS is a prospective cohort study of hemodialysis practices 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). Data collection for the study has been on-going since 1996 and has yielded detailed data on more than 38,000 patients in over 900 dialysis facilities.

DOPPS investigations focus on determining which dialysis practices are associated with the best patient outcomes, with the primary goal of improving patient longevity, quality of life, and other outcomes. With over 75 peer-reviewed publications in print or in press, the DOPPS continues to provide numerous important findings that are relevant for patients and practicing clinicians alike. The DOPPS is supported by scientific research grants from Amgen (since 1996), Kyowa Hakko Kirin (since 1999, in Japan), Genzyme (since 2009), and Abbott (since 2009) without restrictions on publications.

The 2009 DOPPS Annual Report is available now
Arbor Research and DOPPS are proud to announce the release of the 2009 DOPPS Annual Report. The DOPPS Annual Report is a comprehensive collection of descriptive statistics spanning more than a decade of longitudinal DOPPS data collection. Calculated for multiple, representative cross-sectional cohorts, each Annual Report portrays country-specific results and illustrates trends over several practice areas. The Annual Report also includes a summary of DOPPS study design and methods used in calculating the results for the Annual Report.

Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) to include DOPPS Symposium on October 30th from 1:30 - 3:30, San Diego, CA
The symposium is entitled “Modifiable hemodialysis practices: latest trends and outcomes from the DOPPS". The session will be chaired by Dr. Bruce Robinson and features an international panel of speakers from DOPPS. The program will take a critical look at modifiable practices in areas such as cardiovascular disease, anemia and MBD management. The program will highlight the study’s most recent clinical findings. Additionally, nine DOPPS abstract presentations will be given, on subjects including anemia management, mineral bone disease, and many others. Please see our brochure for further details and a complete listing of DOPPS events occurring at ASN this year.

DOPPS Enters Its Fourth Phase
DOPPS officially entered its fourth study phase with the launch of DOPPS 4 in early 2009. Scheduled to continue through 2011, DOPPS 4 will utilize a streamlined set of revised data collection instruments to focus on targeted research areas that could not be addressed with the data from earlier phases of the study. Much research emphasis for DOPPS 4 is placed on examining the effects of new changes in hemodialysis treatment, clinical practice guidelines, and health policy. An important operational enhancement in DOPPS 4 is the addition of the Task Forces, which are groups of experts who will guide the DOPPS research agenda and questionnaire content in high-priority areas such as cardiovascular disease, mineral bone disease, and anemia. For a more detailed summary about the new phase of DOPPS, please see this bulletin. Also, several study design and process highlights about DOPPS 4 are described in our promotional pamphlet.

DOPPS Symposium and presentations a success at the World Congress of Nephrology in Milan
New research from the DOPPS was presented during a clinical symposium at WCN 2009, the joint meeting between ERA-EDTA and ISN. The well-attended symposium, chaired by Dr. Friedrich Port and Dr. Jorge Andia-Cannata, featured recent results from the DOPPS and Cosmos. Presentations focused on clinical practice indicators at the dialysis facility level and associated outcomes with consideration of patient mix. The international perspectives of DOPPS were emphasized. Additionally, eight abstract presentations were given, including one oral presentation.

New research from the DOPPS

The DOPPS has published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed medical journals, as well as numerous articles in textbooks and other forums. See our Publications section for detail on the full range of DOPPS publications.