Association of calciprotein particles with serum phosphorus among patients undergoing conventional and extended-hours haemodialysis.

Background and hypothesis: Extended-hours haemodialysis (HD) is associated with better clinical outcomes than conventional HD. We investigated whether extended-hours HD and conventional HD have varying effects on blood levels of calciprotein particles (CPPs) and phosphorus, which have been identified as major pathogenic molecules for vascular calcification. Methods: Patients who underwent conventional or extended in-centre daytime HD between January and March 2020 were included. Plasma CPP levels, representing only secondary CPPs (CPP-II), were measured in pre-dialysis samples. Linear and non-linear associations between CPPs and serum phosphorus levels were examined across dialysis modalities. Results: A total of 382 participants (185 undergoing extended-hours HD and 197 undergoing conventional HD) were included in the analysis. The median age of participants was 71 years, 65% of the patients were men and the mean phosphorus level was 5.4 mg/dl. Plasma CPP (CPP-II) levels were lower in the extended-hours HD group than in the conventional HD group [40 018 (arbitrary units) AU versus 75 728 AU; P < .01]. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that extended-hours HD was associated with lower natural logarithmic plasma CPP (CPP-II) levels: -0.64 (95% confidence interval -0.74 to -0.55). A restricted cubic spline function indicated that extended-hours HD was associated with lower plasma CPP (CPP-II) levels across levels of serum phosphorus, with significant differences observed between groups, especially in hyperphosphataemic conditions (P for interaction <.01). Conclusions: The extended-hours HD group had lower CPP levels than the conventional HD group despite no significant differences in serum phosphorus levels, which may contribute to better clinical outcomes in patients on extended-hours HD.

Extended-Hours Hemodialysis without Dietary Restrictions Increases Body Mass Index and Normalizes Hypertension: A Case Report.

Dialysis technology has made remarkable progress. However, many patients still suffer from malnutrition and hypertension. They cause many complications and significantly impact patients' quality of life and prognosis. To solve these problems, we developed a new dialysis modality, extended-hours hemodialysis without dietary restrictions. Here we report a case of a man who has received this treatment for 18 years. He had been on conventional hemodialysis (three times a week for 4 hours) since his dialysis initiation. He suffered from hypertension and was on five antihypertensive drugs to control his blood pressure. In addition, dietary restrictions were strict, and the nutritional status was somewhat poor. After being transferred to our clinic, the dialysis time was gradually extended to 8 hours, and dietary restrictions were greatly relaxed. Interestingly, his body mass index (BMI) increased, and his hypertension was controlled. After 3 years, he stopped all antihypertensive drugs. This result suggests that improving nutritional status may control hypertension. However, salt intake was substantially increased. Serum phosphorus and serum potassium levels were at a slightly higher level but were controlled by medications. At the time of transfer, anemia was treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and glycated iron oxide, but these drugs were gradually reduced and discontinued. However, he maintained high average erythrocyte counts and normal hemoglobin levels. Dialysis conditions were wholly slow dialysis, lower than conventional dialysis methods, but the dialysis efficiency was satisfactory. In conclusion, we speculate that extended-hours hemodialysis without dietary restrictions reduces the risk of malnutrition and hypertension.

Extended-Hours Hemodialysis without Dietary Restrictions Is Associated with Lower Risk for Developing of Dialysis-Related Amyloidosis.

Dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA) is characterized by the deposition of amyloid consisting of beta2-microglobulin in the musculoskeletal system, causing carpal tunnel syndrome, destructive spondyloarthropathy, and/or bone cysts. Increased cystic radiolucency of the bones and tendon thickening due to inflammation are common findings in DRA. We have developed a new dialysis method, extended-hours hemodialysis without dietary restrictions for the aim of improving both hypertension and malnutrition. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical effects of dialysis time on the risk for developing of DRA. The study subjects were all of the 30 patients who had received this treatment for more than 11 years. They were divided into two groups according to the weekly dialysis hours: 15 patients ≥ 16.5 hours/week (L-group) and 15 patients ≤ 15.5 hours/week (S-group). Plain x-ray imaging and ultrasonography were used to assess cystic radiolucency of the bones and thickness/diameter of the soft tissues. The proportion of the carpal bone cystic radiolucency was lower in the L-group. The severity of median nerve compression at the wrist was significantly less in the L-group (right hand: p = 0.0082, left hand: p = 0.0137). Multivariate regression analysis showed that dialysis time was a predictor of median nerve compression (ß = -0.559, p = 0.005). In conclusion, extended-hours hemodialysis without dietary restrictions contributes to lower the risk for developing of DRA at the wrist. We therefore propose that extended-hours hemodialysis without dietary restrictions is a preferred method which maintains the patients' quality of life compared with the conventional hemodialysis method.

Impact of old age on the association between in-center extended-hours hemodialysis and mortality in patients on incident hemodialysis.

With the global problem of aging, it has become more difficult to improve the prognosis of older dialysis patients. Extended-hours hemodialysis offers longer treatment time compared to conventional hemodialysis regimen and provides favorable metabolic status, hemodynamic stability, and increased dietary intake. Despite prior studies reporting that in-center extended-hours hemodialysis can reduce the mortality rate, the treatment impact on elderly patients remains unclear. Therefore, we examined the association between extended-hours hemodialysis compared to conventional hemodialysis and all-cause mortality. Survival analyses using Cox proportional hazard model with multivariable adjustments and propensity-score based method were performed to compare mortality risk between 198 consecutive patients who started in-center extended-hours hemodialysis (Extended-HD) and 1407 consecutive patients who initiated conventional hemodialysis. The median age was 67.1 years in the Extended-HD group and 70.7 years in the conventional hemodialysis group. Extended-HD was associated with lower all-cause mortality in overall patients and the subgroup >70 years (adjusted hazard ratios of 0.60 [95% CI, 0.39-0.91] and 0.35 [95% CI, 0.18-0.69], respectively). There was a significant interaction between age >70 years and Extended-HD. In conclusion, extended-hours hemodialysis was associated with a lower mortality rate, especially in elderly patients.

Repeated femoral vein puncturing for maintenance haemodialysis vascular access.

BACKGROUND: When access cannot be achieved using a native arteriovenous fistula or a synthetic prosthetic graft, central venous catheters are usually placed. This mode of access is short-lived, prone to infection, stenosis and thrombosis of central veins. To overcome access problems, we developed a new native vascular access ('femoral vein access') and devices. We report here on our experience with the availability, longevity, procedure and morbidity of haemodialysis (HD) using femoral vein access. METHODS: Repeated (three times a week) patient's native femoral vein puncturing has been used as the vascular access (femoral vein access) for maintenance HD in 30 patients (mean age +/- SD: 61.70 +/- 15.27 years old; 18 female/12 male). The femoral vein was punctured beneath the inguinal ligament (on a length ranging from 30 to 100 mm) after disinfection and local anaesthesia. Long (effective length 56 mm) 19- and 18-gauge needles with four side holes were used for the femoral vein puncture as an arterial site of the extracorporeal circuit of HD and shorter (effective length 40 mm) similar gauge needles for the subcutaneous vein puncture used as the return site. The needle is inserted blind into the femoral vein after the femoral artery has been located by palpation and the perception of a pulse. Patients returned home the same day. RESULTS: The mean duration of HD treatment using femoral vein repeated puncture was 4.99 +/- 3.42 years (up to 16.0 years). This represented a total experience of 23 369 femoral vein punctures. The mean blood flow achieved on dialysis was 165 +/- 20 ml/min. The average Kt/V was 1.74 +/- 0.48 per session. CONCLUSIONS: The femoral vein repeated puncture technique has substantial advantages over venous catheters. It does not require surgery, while permitting adequate blood flow. This method can be used as a long-term (over 10 years) blood access. Apart from a few local haematomas, no serious complications have been observed. Moreover, it does not carry a heavy financial burden.

Useful markers for detecting decreased serum antioxidant activity in hemodialysis patients.

This study evaluates a novel application of a method for measuring serum antioxidant activity, based on the detection of erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation in cases of uremia. A human erythrocyte ghost membrane in Tris-HCl was mixed with adenosine 5'-diphosphate and iron chloride (FeCl3; ADP/Fe3+) solution (at a molar ratio of 17:1), and the mixture was incubated under aerobic conditions at 37 degrees C for 2 hours. The concentration of erythrocyte membrane thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances increased proportionally with respect to ADP/Fe3+ concentration, and this increase was inhibited by serum albumin in a dose-dependent manner. In patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis therapy, predialytic sera contained in this reaction mixture were weaker than postdialytic sera in terms of inhibitory effect against erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation, whereas serum albumin contents remained at levels equivalent to those of the normal control. A gradual increase in human mercaptalbumin nonmercaptalbumin ratio during hemodialysis treatment might be one of the major factors that leads to the recovery of decreased serum antioxidant activity. We clearly showed that the serum scavenging activity against erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation in hemodialysis patients decreases markedly, and this pathological condition is improved by hemodialysis.