Hemodialysis patients with intradialytic rise in blood pressure display higher baseline aortic stiffness and negligible drop in augmentation index with dialysis.

Background: In hemodialysis patients, the intradialytic rise in blood pressure (BP) is associated with increased mortality risk. However, the mechanisms of this adverse effect are not yet elucidated. This study examined whether intradialytic rise in BP is associated with increased arterial stiffness and wave reflections, which are powerful cardiovascular risk predictors in hemodialysis.

Ambulatory recording of wave reflections and arterial stiffness during intra- and interdialytic periods in patients treated with dialysis.

Background And Objectives: Wave reflections and arterial stiffness are independent cardiovascular risk factors in ESRD. Previous studies in this population included only static recordings before and after dialysis. This study investigated the variation of these indices during intra- and interdialytic intervals and examined demographic, clinical, and hemodynamic variables related to arterial function in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Hemodiafiltration does not have additional benefits over hemodialysis on arterial stiffness, wave reflections and central aortic pressures.

Background/aims: The hypothesis that dialytic modality affects arterial stiffness was never investigated. This study includes comparative evaluation of hemodiafiltration versus hemodialysis on arterial function during first and second weekly dialysis sessions.

Methods: 24 patients receiving hemodiafiltration and another 24 age- and sex-matched controls receiving hemodialysis were included.

Diverse effects of interdialytic intervals on central wave augmentation in haemodialysis patients.

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is a common finding and independent predictor of mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. A long interdialytic interval was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death in patients receiving conventional haemodialysis (HD). This is the first study to examine the effects of a long (3-day) versus short (2-day) interdialytic period on arterial elasticity in HD patients.

Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation does not affect serum lipids in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acids have an effect on serum lipids and inflammation markers in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Design: The study followed a single-blind, randomized, crossover design.

Setting: The study was conducted at the Hemodialysis Unit of the Laikon General Hospital in Athens, Greece.

Pharmacokinetics of moxifloxacin in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: To investigate the effect of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on plasma and peritoneal fluid concentration and pharmacokinetics of moxifloxacin after administration of one 400 mg dose orally to end-stage renal failure patients undergoing CAPD.

Patients And Methods: Blood and peritoneal samples were collected from 8 patients at standard time intervals and concentrations of moxifloxacin were estimated by HPLC analysis with fluorometric and ultraviolet detection. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using standard noncompartmental methods.

Dialysate magnesium level and blood pressure.

Background: We investigated the way dialysate magnesium (dMg) concentrations could affect blood pressure (BP) during hemodialysis (HD).

Methods: Eight HD patients underwent four midweek HD treatments consecutively, using, during each four-hour HD session, one of the following four dialysate formulations, in randomized order, which differed only with regard to dMg and dialysate calcium (dCa) concentrations (in mmol/L): 0.75 dMg, 1.

Elevated leptin fragments in renal failure correlate with BMI and haematopoiesis and are normalized by haemodialysis.

Objective: Leptin is an adipocyte hormone important in appetite, energy homeostasis, neuroendocrine and haematopoietic function. Patients with renal failure often have elevated total and free leptin levels. Biologically active leptin fragments (leptin(22-56) and leptin(57-92)) have been identified, but whether these fragments are affected by renal failure and/or haemodialysis (HD) is not known.

Pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: To achieve concentrations of teicoplanin in serum and dialysate within the therapeutic range in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Design: Pharmacokinetic study.

Setting: A tertiary-care hospital.

Pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis.

In order to define a dose regimen of teicoplanin for patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis so that they achieved trough drug serum levels above 10 mg/l, two single doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg were administered intravenously in seven anuric patients immediately after the end of haemodialysis. Concentrations of teicoplanin were determined by a microbiological assay in samples collected from peripheral veins via the arterial and the venous lines of the fistulae and from the dialysate during haemodialysis. The administration of a 5 and 10 mg/kg dose gave mean C(max) of 62.