Table 2.
Mean clinical, laboratory, and medication characteristics of the treatment arms in the studied period
| Parameters | High-Flux HD (n=352) | Low-Flux HD (n=352) | P Value | Ultrapure Dialysate (n=352) | Standard Dialysate (n=352) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical parameters | ||||||
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 23.9±4.1 | 23.7±4.4 | 0.52 | 23.7±4.1 | 24.0±4.4 | 0.36 |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 123±13 | 123±12 | 0.72 | 123±13 | 123±12 | 0.85 |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 75±7 | 75±6 | 0.49 | 75±6 | 75±6 | 0.83 |
| IDWG (L) | 2.09±0.71 | 2.11±0.70 | 0.68 | 2.08±0.69 | 2.12±0.72 | 0.43 |
| IDWG (% body wt) | 3.25±1.06 | 3.29±1.06 | 0.66 | 3.26±1.07 | 3.28±1.05 | 0.86 |
| Duration of dialysis session (min) | 236±4 | 236±5 | 0.82 | 235±5 | 236±5 | 0.79 |
| Blood flow rate (ml/min) | 360±32 | 359±30 | 0.83 | 358±31 | 361±31 | 0.45 |
| Biochemical parameters | ||||||
| Urea reduction rate (%) | 75±5 | 76±4 | 0.41 | 75±5 | 75±5 | 0.70 |
| eKt/V | 1.47±0.21 | 1.47±0.21 | 0.85 | 1.48±0.22 | 1.47±0.21 | 0.50 |
| Creatinine (mg/dl) | 8.23±1.79 | 8.25±1.73 | 0.85 | 8.25±1.68 | 8.24±1.83 | 0.92 |
| Phosphate (mg/dl) | 4.8±0.9 | 4.8±1.0 | 0.60 | 4.8±1.0 | 4.8±0.9 | 0.78 |
| Albumin (g/dl) | 4.0±0.2 | 4.0±0.2 | 0.29 | 4.0±0.2 | 4.0±0.2 | 0.83 |
| Transferrin (mg/dl)) | 172±39 | 168±38 | 0.23 | 168±36 | 171±41 | 0.37 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dl) | 168±36 | 172±40 | 0.15 | 169±38 | 171±38 | 0.46 |
| Triglyceride (mg/dl) | 141 (104––202) | 158 (119–209) | 0.01 | 144 (110–199) | 156 (111–213) | 0.36 |
| Bicarbonate (mEq/L) | 22.0±1.6 | 21.9±1.7 | 0.77 | 22.0±1.6 | 21.9±1.6 | 0.83 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dl) | 11.2±1.0 | 11.0±1.0 | 0.02 | 11.1±1.0 | 11.0±1.0 | 0.23 |
| Ferritin (ng/ml) | 600 (430–737) | 601 (467–782) | 0.94 | 587 (441–744) | 625 (466–765) | 0.05 |
| Transferrin saturation (%) | 25.9±9.7 | 26.3±10.2 | 0.57 | 26.2±10.4 | 26.0±9.5 | 0.76 |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dl) | 39±10 | 38±9 | 0.19 | 38±10 | 38±9 | 0.57 |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dl) | 95±27 | 97±30 | 0.47 | 96±29 | 96±28 | 0.71 |
| CRP (mg/dl) | 0.91 (0.58–1.86) | 1.12 (0.57–2.15) | 0.03 | 1.07 (0.61–2.06) | 1.00 (0.51–1.95) | 0.51 |
| β-2 Microglobulina (mg/L) | 25.3±9.9 | 32.9±13.1 | <0.001 | 29.0±11.4 | 29.2±13.0 | 0.82 |
| Δβ-2 Microglobulin (mg/L) | −5.0±13.6 | 2.7±14.3 | <0.001 | −1.1±13.6 | −1.1±15.4 | 0.96 |
| Medication data | ||||||
| Vitamin D (mcg/wk) | 0.39±0.54 | 0.36±0.54 | 0.49 | 0.38±0.52 | 0.36±0.56 | 0.73 |
| Ca-based P binder (elementary Ca; mg/d) | 545±450 | 586±503 | 0.25 | 559±483 | 572±472 | 0.71 |
| Erythropoietin (U/wk) | 2087 (537–3523) | 2066 (438–3649) | 0.97 | 1914 (331–3348) | 2285 (571–3928) | 0.04 |
| Erythropoietin resistance index (U/wk per kg per g/dl) | 2.89 (0.59–5.31) | 2.92 (0.53–5.58) | 0.94 | 2.62 (0.46–5.04) | 3.27 (0.67–5.67) | 0.04 |
| Iron (mg/wk) | 17.2±20.1 | 18.1±19.3 | 0.56 | 17.6±20.4 | 17.6±19.07 | 0.97 |
All results were given as mean ± SD, except triglyceride, ferritin, CRP, erythropoietin dose, and resistance index, which were not normally distributed and given as median (interquartile range) values. IDWG, interdialytic weight gain.
a
β-2 Microglobulin level at the end of the study