Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Units in Spain: a national survey on standards of structure, resources, results and patient safety.

Background And Objective: Recently, the Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Units (UERCA, in Spanish) have been developed in Spain to offer a better quality of life to patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD), improving their survival and reducing morbidity in this phase of the disease. Nowadays, there is not much evidence in the Spanish and international literature regarding the structure and how to achieve these objectives in the UERCA. From the ERCA working group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN), this project is promoted to improve care for ERCA patients through the definition of quality standards for the operation of the UERCA.

Expanded home hemodialysis: case reports.

Among the different hemodialysis (HD) strategies, the short daily hemodialysis performed at home (SDHHD) provides clinical benefits to the patient. Expanded hemodialysis (HDx) employs cutoff medium membranes that exhibit greater clearance capacity of uremic toxins of medium-high molecular weight. This case series study reported the results of seven patients who were transferred to expanded hemodialysis at home (HHDx), from December 2017 to March 2019, over a 12-month follow-up period.

Is Expanded Hemodialysis an Option to Online Hemodiafiltration for Small- and Middle-Sized Molecules Clearance?

Background: Recent evidence suggests a better reduction rate of some uremic toxins with expanded hemodialysis (HDx).

Methods: Prospective study including 8 hemodialysis patients. We divided the study in 2 phases; within the first one, we assigned 4 patients (group 1) to undergo online hemodiafiltration with a PF 210H dialyzer, and the other 4 patients (group 2) to undergo HDx with the high retention onset Theranova 500 dialyzer during 24 sessions.

A randomized controlled study on the effects of acetate-free biofiltration on organic anions and acid-base balance in hemodialysis patients.

Metabolic acidosis correction is achieved by the transfer of bicarbonate and other buffer anions in dialysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the main anions of intermediary metabolism on standard hemodiafiltration (HDF) and on acetate-free biofiltration (AFB). A prospective, in-center, crossover study was carried out with 22 patients on maintenance dialysis.

Evaluation of coagulation and anti-Xa factor when using a heparin-coated AN69ST® dialyser.

Background: Hemodialysis systems are potentially thrombogenic, so it is routinely used anticoagulation. Its prescription is with risks though which the recommendations regarding the scheduled dose are still based on very different criteria.

Methods: We performed a randomized, crossover pilot study.