Mixed hemodiafiltration reduces erythropoiesis stimulating agents requirement in dialysis patients: a prospective randomized study.

Background: Improved responsiveness to erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) in patients on on-line post-dilution hemodiafiltration (Post-HDF) compared with conventional hemodialysis (HD) was reported by some authors but challenged by others. This prospective, cross-over randomized study tested the hypothesis that an alternative infusion modality of HDF, mixed-dilution HDF (Mixed HDF), could further reduce ESAs requirement in dialysis patients compared to the traditional Post-HDF.

Methods: One-hundred-twenty prevalent patients from 6 Dialysis Centers were randomly assigned to two six-months treatment sequences: A-B and B-A (A, Mixed HDF; B, Post-HDF).

Effects of high-volume online mixed-hemodiafiltration on anemia management in dialysis patients.

Background: Anemia is a major comorbidity of patients with end-stage renal disease and poses an enormous economic burden to health-care systems. High dose erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have been associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. We explored whether mixed-dilution hemodiafiltration (Mixed-HDF), based on its innovative substitution modality, may improve anemia outcomes compared to the traditional post-dilution hemodiafiltration (Post-HDF).

Long-term effects of high-efficiency on-line haemodiafiltration on uraemic toxicity. A multicentre prospective randomized study.

Background: Haemodiafiltration (HDF) may improve survival of chronic dialysis patients. This prospective, multicentre randomized cross-over study evaluated the effects of long-term on-line HDF on the levels of solutes of different molecular weight markers or causative agents of the most common metabolic derangements in uraemia.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients from eight Italian centres were randomly assigned to two 6-month treatment sequences: A-B and B-A [A, low-flux haemodialysis (HD) and B, on-line HDF].

Intravitreal bevacizumab for surgical treatment of severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role, the safety and the effectiveness of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injections as an adjunct to vitrectomy in the management of severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Design: Case-Control Study

Methods: Randomized controlled trial performed on 72 eyes of 68 patients affected by vitreous haemorrhage (VH) and tractional retinal detachment (TRD), which occurred as a consequence of active proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). We randomly assigned eligible patients in a 1: 1: 1 ratio to receive a sham injection or an intravitreal injection of 1.

Optimization of mid-dilution haemodiafiltration: technique and performance.

Background: Mid-dilution haemodiafiltration (MD-HDF), reported as a highly efficient convective-mixed technique, has demonstrated serious drawbacks in relation to the high pressure originating inside the blood compartment of the filter during clinical application. This randomized crossover design study was planned to optimize the efficiency of the MD-HDF technique while reducing its inherent risks.

Methods: Fifteen patients on RRT were submitted in random sequence to standard and reverse MD-HDF under similar operating conditions.

New strategies in haemodiafiltration (HDF): prospective comparative analysis between on-line mixed HDF and mid-dilution HDF.

Background: Improvement in the uraemic toxicity profile obtained with the application of convective and mixed dialysis techniques has stimulated the development of more efficient strategies. Our study was a prospective randomized evaluation of the clinical and technical characteristics of two new haemodiafiltration (HDF) strategies, mixed HDF and mid-dilution HDF, which have recently been proposed with the aim of increasing efficiency and safety with respect to the standard traditional HDF infusion modes.

Methods: Ten stable patients on renal replacement therapy (mean age 64.