Search for Optimizing Dialysis Therapy

Based on the concept that an optimisation of dialysis therapy might be achieved by increasing the removal of small metabolic substances as well as low molecular weight proteins, hemodialfiltration (HDF) was modified. In 9 ESRD patients, HDF was performed acutely for 4 h, where 60 liters of substitution fluid were infused per patient. Two polysulphone F60 membranes in line were used as hemodialfilters. As compared to conventional hemodialysis (HD), performed with a cuprophane dialyser, HDF resulted in higher extraction indices for small solutes assessed by HPLC. Due to the large amount of convection applied, HDF was followed by significant decreases of low molecular weight proteins ranging from 9.5 kdaltons (iPTH, p less than 0.01) to 17 kdaltons (myoglobin, p less than 0.01). Analysis of the protein pattern of the serum revealed a nonlinear function in the decrease of plasma proteins after HDF. It is concluded that even though the detoxification efficacy of the described HDF method is by far superior to conventional HD in quality and quantity, the efficacy is still far from that of excretory renal function. Thus, to further improve efficacy with respect to the catabolic renal function for low molecular weight proteins, membranes for HDF or hemofiltration barriers but should surpass the sieving properties of the glomerulus in the low molecular protein range.