The faster potassium-lowering effect of high dialysate bicarbonate concentrations in chronic haemodialysis patients.

Background: Hyperkalaemia is common in patients with advanced renal disease. In this double-blind, randomized, three-sequence, crossover study, we compared the effect of three dialysate bicarbonate concentrations ([HCO3-]) on the kinetics of serum potassium (K+) reduction during a conventional haemodialysis (HD) session in chronic HD patients.

Methods: We studied eight stable HD patients.