Aiming for the optimal bicarbonate prescription for maintenance hemodialysis therapy in end-stage renal disease.

Introduction: Acidemia and alkalemia, as a result of gradual depletion of the body's buffers followed by rapid repletion during hemodialysis (HD), are linked to adverse consequences. We examined the acid-base status with dialysis bath of higher bicarbonate (HC03 ) concentration or standard HC03 bath plus oral HC03 supplementation.

Methods: A total of 60 stable HD patients (pts) were evaluated according to their pre-dialysis acid-base status both before the first and the second session of the week dialyzed against standard base dialysate of 35 mmol/L.

High level of recovery of fungi from water and dialysate in haemodialysis units.

The counts of yeasts and filamentous fungi were investigated in the municipal water supplies of haemodialysis centres, in the treated water and the dialysate from all 85 haemodialysis units in Greece, in order to estimate their occurrence, their correlation with contamination indicator bacteria and other influencing factors. Filamentous fungi and yeasts were isolated from 69 (81.2%) and from three (3.

Microbiological quality of water and dialysate in all haemodialysis centres of Greece.

Background: Bacterial contamination of treated water and dialysate comprises an important problem for patients undergoing haemodialysis. Both the progressive reduction of the thickness of cellulose membranes and the expanding use of high-flux membranes probably enhance the risk of pyrogenic reactions, therefore increasing the need for atoxic water and non-pyrogenic dialysis fluid.

Methods: Samples of tap water, treated water, and effluent dialysate in all 85 haemodialysis centres in Greece were examined for total heterotrophic bacteria counts employing the pour plate method, total and faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci and pseudomonas spp.

Variability of peritoneal protein loss in diabetic and nondiabetic patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

In order to evaluate the influence of diabetes mellitus on peritoneal membrane permeability, we studied the peritoneal protein loss in two groups of patients. Group A consisted of 16 patients (9 nondiabetics and 7 diabetics) who were in the first month of treatment on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Group B consisted of 13 patients (7 nondiabetics and 6 diabetics) who had been on CAPD for approximately 15 months.