Conversion from conventional in-centre thrice-weekly haemodialysis to short daily home haemodialysis ameliorates uremia-associated clinical parameters.

Background: Under physiological conditions, kidneys work continuously, 168 h/week. In contrast, patients with end-stage renal disease are usually dialysed only 12 h/week. Even if considered adequate by current Kt/V-based dose estimates, this unphysiological dose is associated with an unacceptable annual mortality rate of 10-20%.

Prospective evaluation of an in-centre conversion from conventional haemodialysis to an intensified nocturnal strategy.

Introduction: Under physiological conditions kidneys work continuously, 168 h/week. In contrast, patients with end-stage renal disease are usually dialyzed only 12-15 h/ week. This unphysiological dialysis dose, even if considered adequate by current Kt/V-based dose estimates, is just capable to maintain the alterations of multiple metabolic parameters at a level that permits an unacceptable annual mortality rate of 10-20%, mainly due to cardiovascular events, protein energy wasting and infections.

Lack of clinical evidence for a specific HIV-associated glomerulopathy in 203 patients with HIV infection.

Several authors described a high incidence of proteinuria with frequent progression to nephrotic syndrome and/or renal failure in patients with HIV infection. Though renal histological changes were rather non-specific, the existence of a specific, HIV-associated glomerulopathy was postulated. We repeatedly investigated proteinuria and serum creatinine in 203 HIV-infected patients.

Is the rise in plasma beta-2-microglobulin seen during hemodialysis meaningful?

Beta 2-Microglobulin (beta 2M) plasma levels and levels of a second low-molecular-weight protein (myoglobin) were studied during a 2- to 4-hour sham dialysis period (no dialysate flow, no weight loss) and during a 4- to 5-hour hemodialysis (HD) with a Cuprophan capillary dialyzer. While no rise of the beta 2M or myoglobin levels occurred during sham dialysis, a rise of 22.1 +/- (SD) 8.

High-flux synthetic versus cellulosic membranes for beta 2-microglobulin removal during hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration.

Efficient removal of beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2-M) in end-stage renal failure patients is a continuing preoccupation, as the incidence and severity of dialysis-associated amyloidosis are increasing. To evaluate comparative beta 2-M removal we studied six stable end-stage renal failure patients during high-flux 3-h haemodialysis, haemodia-filtration, and haemofiltration, using acrylonitrile, cellulose triacetate, polyamide and polysulphone capillary devices. The reduction of plasma beta 2-M, total removal in ultrafiltrate/dialysate, and beta 2-M sieving coefficients were measured by RIA.